No comments about Southeast Lighthouses Map & Guide.

No comments about ADC The Map People Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill North Carolina Street Atlas (Raleigh, Durham & Chapel Hill North Carolina Map).

No comments about The Geographic Revolution in Early America: Maps, Literacy, and National Identity (Published for the Omohundro Institute of Early American History and Culture, Williamsburg, Virginia).

3 comments about The Railroads of the Confederacy.

1. This was a fascinating book as it put the Civil War into a slightly different context. It spotlighted the fact that many of the the major battles were fought over areas which were strategic rail centers - the best example being Atlanta.

   It also clearly pointed out that the South was severely hampered by three different track gauges limiting the ready ability to carry freight long distances. In addition, even though the track gauges of a connecting railroad might have been the same, many of them were state owned. And some states would not permit rolling stock to cross state lines. This meant offloading and reloading freight at the state border.

   And the Southern railroads never came under a unified control until very late in the War - in contrast to the North. And the South only had about a third of the track miles that the North had.

   I highly recommend this book to any serious student of Civil War history. You don't even have to be a rail fan to enjoy it.




2. After reading dozens of scholarly books, and writing published articles related to the Civil War myself, this book was a refreshing read. It is a reminder of the enormity of the task faced by the bureaucrats and businessmen behind the Confederate armies. Yes, the tide did turn at Gettysburg.

   But for those who like to play "What if?" and speculate on the fortunes of war, this book is a bleak testimony to the long odds the south confronted. The Confederate States were almost completely unequipped to fight a modern, industrial war.

   One shortcoming of this book, and it is a minor one, is that the story is told primarily through the eyes of railroad tycoons, and ignores to a great extent the perspective of well-known military personalities. This stems in part from the fact that Black relies heavily on the railroads themselves (their annual reports) for his source material. More research from military source material would round the picture out.

   On the whole, however, Mr. Black must be commended. As I said, "fascinating."




3. A MAJOR INOVATION IN THE CIVIL WAR WAS THE STRATEGIC USE OF RAILROADS ON BOTH SIDES. THE CONDITION OF THE SOUTHERN RAILROADS AFFECTED BOTH THE CONFEDERACY AND THE UNION IN THIS WAR. DIFFERENT GUAGES OF TRACKS, WHETHER THE TRACKS RAN NORTH AND SOUTH OR EAST AND WEST WAS OF GREAT IMPORTANCE. THE ABILITY TO REPRODUCE CAPTURES OR DESTROYED ROLLING STOCK AND RAILS WAS A MAJOR FACTOR. IN THIS WORK BLACK ENLIGHTENS US TO THE PROBLEMS AND PROGRESS OF THE CONDEDERACY'S RAILROADS AND GIVES US A CLEAR PICTURE OF THEIR OPERATION AND MILITARY VALUE. A BOOK WELL WORTH READING.

No comments about Charlotte, North Carolina: Local Street Detail (EasyFinder).

1 comments about Rand McNally North Carolina State (State Maps-USA).

1. The map did not show enough detail to be useful. It was not what I expected.

No comments about Rand Mcnally Asheville, North Carolina (Rand McNally Streets Of...).

No comments about American Map North Carolina & South Carolina State Map.

2 comments about American Map North Carolina State Road Atlas (American Map Regional Atlas: North Carolina State Road).

1. Without question, the best NC Road Atlas and County Guide.
   A terrific, low-cost investment for anyone planning to visit
   or relocate to NC -- take it from an "out-of-towner".
   The only room for improvement would be a spiral binding.



2. I was excited to get this comprehensive atlas of NC (as a gift) after moving here in the fall. Unfortunately, this book was disappointing because of its very non-intuitive organization. Confusing indexing/grid system/ etc. Very hard to find a county/town/park etc. even when you know what you are looking for. I'd recommend going with a NC Rand McNally map from a gas station. The one redeeming point is that if you can find the section you're looking for the book provides very detailed info..

5 comments about North Carolina Atlas & Gazetteer (North Carolina Atlas and Gazetteer).

1. Delorme produces an excellent resource. If you need very specific detailed pages, you'll also need a Thomas Guide.



2. These are one stop maps. Just about anything you need to know to navigate an area on foot, motorcycle or car is on easy to read pages, provided you are not overwhelmed by details normally found on Topographic maps. If you are looking for a road atlas, buy one and leave these to those looking for a little more detail. Plenty of other useful info included such as park information, camping, fishing piers, boat ramps etc. The info varies by Gazetteer.



3. I bought this book to explore the national forest areas of North Carolina. I was very disappointed when I got the atlas to find that even the larger forest roads are not on the maps! The road map I picked up for free at the Welcome Center Rest Stop shows the roads as well as this atlas.



4. We've used this atlas for years, and we were happy to find an updated version. This is so handy for finding a way around accidents or construction on the highway, or for finding alternate directions to your destination. It includes road names and highway numbers.



5. We'll be using this atlas for an RV trip. Although we haven't yet done the trip, the maps look like what we need (detailed, topographic, forest/side roads). I will say that it's missing decent regional and statewide views. The Benchmark California Road & Recreation Atlas, Fifth Edition (Benchmark Road & Recreation Atlas) series does an excellent job of panning the state, and then drilling down. The Gazetteer series just has the drill-down. Makes it tough when you want to get a macro-view of your route.