It has now been more than four decades since the Statue of Hans Christian Andersen was unveiled in New York City's Central Park. There have been many tellers entertaining the old and the young alike every summer since 1956...but I believe Diane Wolkstein - who made her début in 1966 - will be the most fondly remembered. Hans Christian Andersen in Central Park is the storyteller's first album (made in 1982), and it should serve as the best introduction to anyone hearing her or Andersen's stories for the first time. Aided by musicians Shirley Keller, Janet Stuart, and Rachel Zucker (the storyteller's daughter), Diane Wolkstein's voice carries the listener through six of the Danish master's tales - not just familiar ones such as "The Ugly Duckling" and "The Emperor's New Clothes" but also such finds as "The Goblin and the Grocer" and the uproarious "Hans Clodhopper." I love it when a great story is told well, and Wolkstein - who was named "the official storyteller" of New York City in the late 1960's - is that city's greatest treasure.

Aaron Siskind is one of America's finest photographers and this wonderful book, shamefully out of print, shows his documentary images of residents of the real Harlem in the 1930's. If you are familiar only with Siskind's abstract photographs, these will come as something of a shock. They are beautiful, simple, elegant and filled to bursting with the pride of the people who are the subjects of Siskind's work.

The book contains images from three separate photo projects that Siskind undertook in the 30's for The New York Photo League. They were collected and exhibited by the Smithsonian (National Museum of American Art) in Washington, D.C. in 1991.

The beautifully written (almost poetic) foreword is by artist/photographer/film maker/writer/etc. Gordon Parks and is worth the cost of the book alone. There is also a well-written introduction to the photographer and his work by Marcia Battle and, most impressive is an oral history of eight of the people Siskind was immortalizing, done for the Federal Writers Project, worthy of Studs Terkel.

But it's the photographs that will stay with you: a nattily dressed old man, obviously a performer, waiting backstage for his cue to go on; a young girl, sitting on a milk can instead of a chair, eating a meal with her young mom in their kitchen under the freshly washed laundry which has been hung to dry; Jones Barber Shop (Haircut: 25 cents)comfortably sharing a brownstone on West 132nd Street with the Young Students Interdenominational Minister's Alliance right next door to May's And Johnson's Beauty School; a nude, black dancer performing for white patrons only; the proud owner of Our Own Community Grocery and Delicatessen (Milk 6 cents, Bacon 10 cents) posing in the sun in front of his shop. Every image takes us back to a specific time with very specific people. And in every image Siskind's art is very evident.

This book should not only be put back into print, it should be required in our schools. This is American history beautifully and movingly rendered. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

What's that? You're interested in learning about Hersheypark's past and present? Well, this book has it all! Jam packed with photos and descriptions of rides, landscape, and people, this book will keep you entertained for hours! Do yourself a favor, buy this book! You will not regret it!

Laurence Parent is a talented and prolific Texas nature photographer whose hiking and camping guides are a staple both on my bookshelf and in my backpack.

In Hiking Big Bend, Parent's keen eye is turned towards one of Texas' largest and most rugged parks, ensuring even the smallest of details, if worthy of note, is shared with readers. A borrowed copy of Hiking Big Bend came with me on a week-long camping trip to the park in October 2001, and upon my return home I purchased my own copy. Though lacking photos, the text serves dual roles as a trail by trail hiking guide and written "memory book", chock full of details about the parks history, geology, wildlife and natural phenomena.

Couple this text with the National Park Service's three-booklet guide to the park's hiking trails, paved roadways and unpaved/offroad trails and you will be set to plan and enjoy your travels in Big Bend National Park.

I used this book to help plan a backpacking vacation in Glacier National Park during summer 1998. I was very satisfied with the information and descriptions provided by Mr. Molvar. As I knew little about the park beforehand, planning this trip would have been nearly impossible without this book. Contains text, simple maps, elevation gain/loss charts, backcountry campground info and ratings, advice, warnings, etc. I can not say enough good things about this guidebook!

The guide provides excellent trail information for novice and experienced hikers embarking on a day trip or longdistance excursion. The book rates each hike, offers a trail map, and gives directions for getting there. Seventy-four trails are listed, grouped by geographic location. Includes hiker's checklist, glossary, rules for low-impact wilderness recreation. I recommend both the book and the trails.

This book is great for an outdoor enthusiast! It contains detailed descriptions of 100 trails located throughout Illinois, including a difficulty rating, estimated time required and trail length. A summary of this information is also displayed in a table, allowing users to easily identify a trail and locate it within the book. Each detailed entry includes directions to the site, rules and regulations, contract information, and maps of both the trails and the parks. In addition, other sites of interest which are located in the surrounding area are often listed at the end of each entry. Hiking Illinois offers very complete coverage and the author incorporates her experiences at the sites into her book.

This is a well thought out book for any hiker, from the novice to the expert. With 100 day hikes to choose from, there is something for anyone.

The "boot" rating system is a wonderful way of finding just the right hike for any level.

Kudos to the Elliotts

I thought the big Cypress Preserve was a wasteland until I bought this book. After hiking the Florida Trail through here I realize way they call it a preserve. The trip was challenging but Molloy's book helped immensely, especially with campsites.
I'm now headed to the Apalachicola National Forest for a week long hike before summer hits. The clear trailhead directions in this book will make it easy to get started. Wish me luck.
Jen Dyer- Miami, FL

I love the Falcon Guides. The Zion and Bryce Canyon edition was the first one I used and now I look for one each time I plan a visit to a national park. My husband and I are avid "day hikers" and we like to find out about the hikes available to us ahead of time so we can make the most out of our trips. This book made it easy. Each hike receives its own detailed description, a clear and easy to use map, an elevation gain/loss chart (so you know just how much up and down you'll be doing and how much land you have to do it in), a snapshot look at points of interest, and more. A nice, brief introduction covers the basics regarding the terrain, weather, and hazards of this region of the country, with all its unique natural features and wildlife. A hiker's checklist at the end is a nifty touch, too. Best of all, hikers of any skill and experience level can use it, as it covers short walks, day hikes, and long backpacking trips as well. We took this book with us and followed it faithfully through each hike we attempted- and had 10 days of wonderful, hassle-free trekking. Highly recommended.