How often have you've heard the tales of gloom and doom regarding the deforestation of the tropics? Undoubtedly, the numbers are grim and the outlook for many forests is not good. This is why this story, wonderfully told by William Allen, a science writer at the ST. LOUIS DISPATCH, is particularly refreshing and guardedly optimistic.

Allen craftily weaves anecdote with history, real people with events to present a story that tells how a relatively small park in NW Costa Rica (Guanacaste National Park) developed into the Guanacaste Conservation Area, some 10 times larger than its original size. But the story is not limited to the success in creating a larger park. Rather, the author depicts the efforts of a determined group of Costa Rican and foreign scientists (led by Daniel Janzen) as they attempt to reverse the effects of deforestation and actually bring a substantial area back to some semblance of its original state.

The story delves quite a bit into Janzen's personality and raises the issue of a foreigner's role in a project such as this. Would it succeed without him? Just what would it take to restore non-virgin forest? Is this an idea that might work elsewhere? Just a few of the intriguing questions dealt with in this book.

I particularly enjoyed the beginning of each chapter, where the author introduces an anecdote upon which the rest of chapter usually builds. The anecdotal information is highly entertaining of itself, and when used as metafor, it is easier to remember the larger points made.

If you're into eco-whatever, this is great stuff...

paul e.

This is a great work by Mr. Little. I have learned something each time I have read it (3 or 4)! He does an excellent job of dealing with technical subjects in a very readable narrative manner.

His way of telling the story of the history of modern trails and greenways is inspirational in that it makes you want to go out and really do something in your community. He chronicles several projects with very different origins that all have been successful.

If you are remotely interested in greenways and trails and how projects come together I highly recommend this book.

Dan Sholly does a great job of conveying his position as Chief Ranger of Yellowstone National Park and the responsibilities of managing park rangers, visitors, and even wildlife. Sholly is a wonderful asset to the park. Having had the opportunity to work with him for a short time while working on an article, I was given the wonderful chance to meet and discuss Yellowstone issues with him directly. Sholly has answered letters from my nephew regarding park issues and is open and honest. His book reflects the persona in good detail. A must have if you love Yellowstone.

This comprehensive book is a must for anyone exploring the High Peaks region of the Adirondacks. I use it as my bible to plan every trip I take to the area. The topo map alone is almost worth the price (although it can be purchased separately).

The editor, Tony Goodwin, is born into a family of hikers, and is very involved with the DEC and ADK mountain club. He's a valuable source of information not only on the trail conditions, but on the future plans! I had a privilege of working on a trail construction project to build a new route that he spearheaded.

There are only two things I would like to see in future editions:

1) A more thorough listing of the locations of designated campsites (aside from those surrounding lean-tos)

2) Time/ distance/ elevation estimates for the unmarked/unmaintained trails of the 46 High Peaks.

For the unmaintained trails, Barbara McMartin's Discover the Adirondack High Peaks is more thorough.

This is another great book by the ADK covering the Raquette Lake, Old Forge, and lower regions on the western side of the beautiful park. A must have for even the most casual of hikers.

Rarely does one find such a combination of gorgeous photographs, well written descriptions and useful information in one book. The book features 52 national parks, monuments, recreational areas, historical parks and historic sites. There are 170 color photos and a map of the southwest together with descriptions and access maps. George H.H. Huey's stunning photos include the magnificent vistas of the American Southwest, close up photographs of flowers and wildlife, accurate depictions of historical sites and much more. They portray the diversity and glorious landscapes of both famous and lesser-known gems of our the area. They bring life to the land and entice one to visit. Vickie J. Leach's descriptions give factual information of what to see at each site in a clear and concise manner. She gives useful information in an easy to read manner. I would heartily endorse this book. It is a joy to read and an excellent reference guide.

I found the guide to be "to the point" informative without overburdening the reader with useless commentary. The clear and precise photos are well chosen to show samples of what to expect in each park. The "National Geographic" maps are simple and easy to read showing park highlights along with well-defined topography, but again, without overburdening the reader with too much detail. These guides are especially good for travel planning when time is of the utmost and there is only a short window with which to enjoy the park(s).

Bruce Obee's book was the one I picked up any time I wondered, "What's the story behind this ___?" "The Gulf Islands Explorer" is chock full of information on anything from harbor seals to the story on the tiny island you can see from your cottage window. Obee tells about wildlife, climate, island governance, environmental issues, history, and exploring routes on and off the beaten path.

Accommodations and restaurant information is not included in this book. That's OK by me, since that information is widely available from the Chamber of Commerce, the Web, and other guides.

I particularly appreciated that he included a celsius-to-farenheit visual thermometer--it made translating the weather report a snap!

Boaters, hikers, bicyclists, kayakers, fishing fans, and other casual walkers like me will glean useful and entertaining information from this book.

This book is a most entertaining look at the high school establishment. Extremely comical dialogue, but also realistically portrays the way teenagers talk and feel. A must read for every high school student and their parents, especially if their child is not a part of the "in crowd" or the high school football star. Would make a great gift book for high school grads this spring.

This is the first book ever published on Korean architecture in English. It does a remarkable job listing the salient aspects of traditional housing design from both a sociological and formal perspective. The book is illustrated with loads of gorgeous photos and helpful diagrams. Even though my knowledge of Korean architecture is fairly advanced (it is my graduate major), I still found some new information in this great volume, written by a cadre of experts in the field.