It is regrettable that this book is no longer in publication. It is an exquisite compilation of the national parks of Japan, stating at the northeast tip of Hokkaido island, and proceeding south to Iwo Jim and the Ryukyu island chain that reaches almost to Taiwan. It includes active volcanoes, even one that erupts almost every day. The climates range from sub-arctic to tropical. Also found are sand dunes, hot springs, waterfalls, forests, scenic calderas similar to Crater Lake, picturesque seashores of all sorts, and beautiful mountains, among them the incredible Fuji.

The parks are divided into geographical groups. Each park is described separately, and most have detailed maps. The written text is excellent, but the highlight is the photography. Many of the photographs are done in four-color format to accentuate the highlights.

Even if you never make it to Japan, and I haven't, you will derive hour after hour of enjoyment from this esceptional travel book. I strongly recommend its acquisition, and equally,
against loaning it out.

In the mid 1980s I bought the first edition of this book. It was a much smaller yet still beautiful edition. When the new edition came out in '94 I was quick to pick that one up. This new version is much expanded and elaborated. So what is this book? It is a combination of a travel guide, an ethno-historical book and a book on local botany, Indians and geology sprinkled heavily with gorgeous photographs. Richard Fisher has put decades of his life into making this flawless account of the area. Whether you are visiting the national parks of Mexico by road, off-road or railroad, you will need this book. I have used this book many times to research an area before going there. The book will take you to lost mission churches, huge waterfalls, off-world looking landscapes and everywhere in between.

This book provides a great overview of the various habitats in Florida. The author has personally visited each park (at least once) and sometimes gives historical information on changes. Park directions, fees, facilities, pros and cons are provided for each park. It's a great book for anyone looking to explore Florida's nature and wildlife.

We bought a copy by reason of sheer vanity since you quoted a good part of our conversation verbatim. It's not vanity that keeps me coming back again and again to read a few more of your entries about various locations around the state. Each entry is a vivid word picture of the experience you had on the particular day you made your visit. That's a lot more than most travel guides offer and a whole lot more interesting.

This book has a wealth of information on Chugach State Park. From the geological formation of the area, history of its habitation, weather, plants, animals, trails, campsites, what have you! Jenny Zimmerman does a great job. I couldn't put it down! My only regret is having read it too quickly. I go back to it often as a reference guide to the park. Well worth your time.

NATURE'S ARMY is a tremendously engaging history of the 19th century United States Army. The book depicts the Army's main activity as "nation building," a concept somewhat discredited in the 2000 presidential election. The local example of "nation building" found its most lasting impact in the protection the Army gave to the newly-developing national park system. In particular, Harvey Meyerson focuses on California's Yosemite Park, set aside in 1890 as a national park. But, any visitor to Yellowstone in Wyoming can still see the Army's presence where the National Park Service maintains many of the original fort facilities at the Park's north entrance headquarters. Meyerson's excellent book should be read by anyone interested in western American history, military history in general, and the development of the American national park system. Highly recommended by this reviewer. Just a thoroughly engaging book.

Both my husband and I enjoyed this book. How many women would have even considered watching a fire tower middle of the Adirondacks back in 1942? The book is well written, easy to read and contains some interesting history from that time. I highly recommend it.

Up to the standards you would expect from a National Geographic Society book. Lots of big pictures!

This is a wonderful, refreshing daily meditation book for a person seeking 12-step philosophy. It is non-judgemental and encouraging. The book uses children's nursery rhymes to show how to interpret life's lessons. An easy way to understand how to discover old patterns, discard out-dated beliefs, and move into new ways to relate to the world.
I want to buy this book for all of my friends. Great book!

Don and Barbara Laine have done an outstanding job in this book. I live in New Mexico and we just bought a camper, so I went to the library to get some book on where to go camping. I borrowed a couple of guides for the Southwest, but this book is the only one that anybody ever needs. Every State Park is listed in detail, even little maps for each Park are included. Furthermore they tell you exactly what to expect from each park and what there is to do. This comes in handy when travelling with kids. Equipped with this book we already went to 2 State Parks and found exactly what the Laines had described. This book is a must have for anybody that wants to explore Arizona and New Mexico.