I was at the Outdoor Expo and was looking at a much smaller book, for half as much money...It was the only one I saw (and they were very numerous) on the many trails Arizona has to offer.
Well I passed it by, and told myself on the way out I would probably buy it, well I am glad I waited, I stopped by the booth and noticed one large book at the end of the table...it was the last one, and was 3 times as much. After about 4 pages, I shelled out the cash with a smile on my face! This book has it all. Very, very well detailed, with maps, directions, history, flora , fauna, wildlife, stories on ghost towns and past characters of local legend. What I really liked though was all the COLOR pictures...giving me an idea of what I WILL find when I travel these trails. This book also has much information on what kind (s) of 4WD you will need for what trails, levels of difficulty...things to watch for, what depth of water at the crossings to expect....and well organized to boot. The cover is heavy duty , so it will last bouncing around in the back. This book is great and I love it! If you have a 4WD and are looking for a little adventure and fun from easy to difficult and you are doing it in Arizona..........you need this book. See you on the trail!

I've taken about a dozen of the trails in this book and not one has been disappointing. The author's credentials speak for themselves. He's logged thousands of miles in Arizona. All the GPS coordinates are accurate and the directions are second to none. I would recommend this book to anyone.

I really like the fact that this book differs from so many others in that the directions are easy to follow. It is designed for the average person interested in driving back county trails, not only for the "hard-core" four-wheeler. The book is user-friendly.

This is an excellent text and touching text which adequately captures the essence of Barbados past present and its future in the global economy. As a Bajan I was impressed that in the choice of topics as opposed to the usual postcard presentation. Well and tastefully done.

The photography in this book is beautiful, and the text is well written. Rather than buing this before your next trip to Barbados, I'd recommend a simple travel guide instead. You may want to buy this book later for your coffee table for when you are feeling nostalgic for the warm air and white beaches.

This stunning book reflects pure professionalism and attention to detail as well as a love and devotion to the island and people of Barbados. The more than 155 photographs are simply magnificent. There are aerial shots of pristine, remote regions of the island and startling close-ups of both plants and wildlife. Then there are the photos of the bustling, tiny "metropolis" of Bridgetown, and, of course, the gorgeous tourist resorts. Last but not least are the stars of the book -- the people of Barbados, in their great variety of personality, background, and station in life. An added feature is a substantial amount of historical material that accompanies the photos, thereby providing virtually two books in one. Certainly this work is both an enticement to visit Barbados and a happy reminder of past visits.

Having never done any cycle touring, speaking very little Spanish and being a middle aged women travelling alone, I thought a few tips and hints and route advice would make my trip a little easier. I found it all and more in "Bicycling Cuba" by Wally and Barbara Smith. Their advice on what to take, where to go, where to stay, and gems to see was unsurpassed.

I had spent three weeks in Cuba previously and had used two guide books. The Smiths' advice, while not replacing a guide book, was the best: succinct, accurate and introduced me to friendly and helpful people. Their three main cycle tours, west, central and eastern Cuba cover the most scenic areas as well as the historic gems of this wonderful country. The route descriptions were accurate, easy to follow and contained good advice about difficulty, water availability, traffic problems and special sites.

The Smiths obviously love Cuba and this comes out in their writing. They include inserts about various social issues, economics and politics -- each fascinating.

I thoroughly recommend "Bicycling Cuba" with no reservations. My only wish is that the Smiths would produce some more books for other countries.

Bicycling Cuba turned out to be invaluable during our three-week trip to the western part of Cuba. The authors really know what they are writing about. Some of the most interesting and rewarding routes suggested in the book were not on the best maps available. The authors way of describing the routes kilometer by kilometer was of great help because very often roads were unmarked. At the intersections we had no problems in choosing the right road. The book also contains a lot of useful information, for example, on accomodation.

We warmly recommend Bicycling Cuba for independent cyclists planning a trip to Cuba.

We loved this book, comparing this book to other bicycling books we've used, this is by far the best, along with Cuba being one of the best places to cycle tour. Unless you want to spend an enormous amount of money on a stifling guided tour, pack light, buy this book, go and enjoy Cuba. This book has everything you need and is a great read on Cuba in addition to the touring information.

When the name "Big Thicket" is mentioned to about anyone in East Texas, huge trees with dew-dripping moss and dense underbrush come to mind. But after reading Wanda Landrey's BOARDIN' IN THE THICKET, all I can think of are good country recipes and amusing homespun stories.

Boardin in The Thicket is a "must have" for anyone wanting to put the country back in cooking.

In todays fast-paced world, it's refreshing to read a book such as Wanda Landrey's "Boardin' In the Thicket". In her book, Landrey recreates the ambiance of a time when people would sit on their porches and rock and weave a tale or two.

Glassberg's BTB is the benchmark and the book to buy first. You may not need another.

WOW. Great book much better than any other I have seen. The descriptions between different frittillaries is amazing. Down to the small missing line that distinguishes great spangled from nokomis. Did I know that before I got the book? DUH.. NO!!! The best thing about this book is it shows SIDE view AND a TOP view... Many times you only see or photo either top or side. I was very frustrated with other books. I intend to recommend this book on my website theoutdoorgirls.com

Cherry Emerson, Ph.D.

As a beginner, I was able to pick up this book and start identifying butterflies in the field right away. The pictures are great and make it very easy to see the key features. The descriptions are clear and the additional information on range, habitats, and seasons very helpful.

The best mysterious book I ever read.Full of laughter.Great book for kids under 14.I wish there was more characters.

I liked the book, The Case of the Vanishing Fishhook, because it was funny. One of the funniest parts of this book was when Hank, the cowdog, ate the soap. Hank had swallowed a fishhook. Then he swallowed soap to help him spit the hook out. This is the funniest "Hank" book written by John R. Erickson. I give this book a five-star rating and I recommend that you read it immediately!

This book is very good because Hank go's fishin' with little Alfred and gets very mad at Drover because he eats the bait and while hank was yelling at Drover Hank found some of the bait and ate it. To find out if there was a fishhook attached to it read the book.

If you are looking for stories of teachers who got what you don't seem to have, you may more or less enjoy this book. It will keep Liberation at a safe distance: only for the few "awakened ones" and not (yet) for you, the reader.
If you really want to know what true awakening is, you'd better read Tony Parson's book "As It Is". Or a book from Steven Harrison, Chuck Hillig or Nathan Gill.
I am disappointed the whole enlightenment issue is personalised in this book. Not all the teachers in these interviews do so, but one has to be careful, here. Several claim to be awakened, or to be special - or at least they allow people to say so. And I am sure they really are special: it is indeed very inspiring and powerful to be around with those teachers, to connect with them, to listen to them. The resonance may be very powerful. A lot of readers however may be confused about all that. Liberation has nothing to do with a person, and even less with perfection or holiness (as is suggested in a lot of books from the East). Remember: awakening has nothing to do with me or Ramana or Nisargadatta or John or Thimothee, it is about That which we all share. And when we keep that in mind, this book is very inspiring, indeed. And highly recommended.
If you like interviews, you may also read "Dialogues With Emerging Spiritual Teachers
by John W. Parker". I interviewed myself some of these teachers in those 2 books, like Mira, Tony Parsons, Douglas Harding, Eckhart Tolle and Francis Lucille, and can indeed tell you that seeing these people may be very inspiring indeed. I also had interesting conversation with Mark Mc Closkey (puresilence.com), UG Krishnamurti and Chuck Hillig.
If you read books like these, just don't get confused by the personal stories, use them as pointers to the infinite.

Jan Kersschot, author of "Nobody Home"

A magnificent contribution! This book is a welcome companion on the journey of awakening. It has a special place on my bookshelf alongside three other recent books of similar consciousness: "The Healing Companion" by Dr. Jeff Kane, "After the Ecstasy, the Laundry" by Jack Kornfield, and "Widening Circles" by Joanna Macy.

Reading The Awakening West offered me the opportunity to discover with each of the 15 men and women interviewed - what it's like to live an awakened life and to realize that I am not exempt from this awakening but am a part of it. In each of the interviews, the same questions were asked to each person, starting with the classic question "Who am I?" I found that the unique responses and dialogue with the authors often touched my heart and opened a doorway in my mind.

I have been exposed to many teachers and teachings from various traditions over the years and appreciated how each interview pointed to the luminous quality of presence that is always here in each of us. Many questions I didn't know I had were answered. Of the 15 interviews, there was only one I didn't complete. I think this is an important book for exposing people to deeply committed teachers who are mirrors of our own inner wakefulness. Each interview is like dipping into a rich and unique reservoir of understanding that is refreshing and original in its perspective and yet pointing to a universal truth.

My husband and I picked this book up on a fluke. It was the best thing to happen to us on our trip. The book provided excellent suggestions and descriptions of rustic campsites. It was excellent. I would definitely recommend it if you don't have a clue as to where you're going but you know what you want.....to be away from RVs, portable radios, etc!

I was anxiously awaiting the publication of this book for my May trip to WV. I picked a campground based on this guide, and once again I was not disappointed! The site was the best one I've camped at yet--very private, beautiful, peaceful, quiet--just as described in the book. The guide rates the campgrounds based on beauty, security, spaciousness, and quiet--four very important factors to me. It also describes campground costs, facilities, area attractions, and gives directions. I like knowing what the site will be like--fire ring or fire grate, picnic table, graded tent pad, etc. All of this information contributes to a great camping experience without unpleasant surprises.

This is the second great camping trip I've had thanks to Johnny Molloy. I also bought his guide to camping in the Smoky Mountains and was rewarded with another memorable vacation there. I will continue to use these guides to plan my camping trips, and I can't wait to see what the next published guide will be!

Best in Tent Camping: West Virginia

I just got back from the best trip! After sweltering most of the summer I decided to head for the cool mountains of West Virginia. A roommate in college was from there and suggested I go camping in the Mountain State. I found Johnny Molloy's book and away I went. I started in the south end of the state at Bluestone State Park. The lake was refreshing and the nights were much cooler than at home. After this I headed really high and went to Spruce Knob Lake, at 4,000 feet the highest campground in the entire guidebook. Oh, the weather was spectacular! I fished the lake and went hiking in the nearby Seneca Creek Backcountry. The trip to Upper Seneca Falls was idyllic. I tell you what -- I'm gonna try to get up there when the leaves turn, because West Virginia is the unsung outdoor jewel of the East. (make up name and place, someone from the South

Louise Johnson, Richmond, VA

Billy's Blues is not really a western. It's more in the genre of a mystery. What I like most about the book is the way you discover that Billy the Kid was not the horrendous bad guy as portrayed in history. Billy never held up stages or trains or even robbed a bank. Rather, he fought against the powers-that-be: an evil monopoly of corrupt politicians & businessmen who stole the land away from the people that settled it. Walter, who lives in the present--albeit claustrophobic--day, is the detective whose life is strangely linked to the infamous boy bandit. This is the type of novel that makes you feel like there's something left undone until you finally finish it.

One of the last books I read before coming to Mongolia for 2 years, Billys Blues was an education in American folklore and an adventure in reading. Meltzer uses different voices, source materials and innovative techniques to tell a story at times exhilirating and at times depressing, but at all times interesting and beautifully written A great read.

As a woman, I rarely like "westerns," but "Billy's Blues" is not your average western. Even though the main character, Walter, is a man, I could really identify with many of his issues of anonymity and fears of an increasingly complex world that is passing him by. How he becomes fixated on Billy the Kid is understandable. Billy is his exact opposite. He's the risk-taker/adventurer Walter wishes he could be, but can't, so he vicariously lives the life of the Kid through his dreams, imagination, and his painstaking research of the Kid's life. I also love the way the Billy the Kid story is told through Walter's eyes. The different fonts make it easier for the reader to follow each storyline. As Walter delves deeper and deeper into the outlaw's life, the history of the Kid becomes exciting and ultimately very revealing for Walter and the reader. Meltzer is an extremely talented new writer whose powerful imagery and passion for the written word bring this story to life. I am looking forward to reading Meltzer's future novels.

Having been born and raised on a cattle ranch(not in Texas however)there is so much to relate to in the Hank books, we have rattlesnakes too, and learn to look very carefully before reaching for anything lying around in the summertime. My 8 year old loves me to read the Hank books to him,(I do a real good Drover) soon we both become part of the story, and lose track of time. Even if you've never had a cowdog, or lived on a ranch, you'll love this book, but if you have,you'll be hooked for life on Hank the Cowdog! We are.

I would recommend Hank the Cow Dog Case of the Double Bumblebee Sting because it's funny. Hank thinks two bumblebees have bitten him but it ends up that it was a rattlesnake. His face swells up like a balloon. He says, "It weighs 250 pounds". Drover keeps on saying that it was a rattlesnake, but Hank will be Hank - stubborn as a donkey. Hank keeps on saying, "it was 2 bumblebees in that pipe". Drover just goes with the flow and says "OK". I recommend this book to you and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

This book is about a dog named Hank. Hank lives on a ranch, and is head of ranch security. Drover is another dog that live on the ranch. In this book Hank gets bit by a rattlesnake, but he thinks it's a bumble bee. Sally May his owner takes him to the vet to get a shot. In the end Hank finally get's better. I reccomend this because it's funny and thrilling to read.