2 comments about The Stonemasters: California Rock Climbers in the Seventies.

1. This is a large coffee table book detailing the climbing accomplishments of of a group of S California climbers that went on to be some of the best, most well known climbers of the last 30 years. A piece of history. Some of these stories have circulated for years by word of mouth in the climbing community. It's great to read them first hand by those who were actually there. The book is well written and hard to put down. Because most of the Photos are old they leave a little to be desired. However, all in all a great book that I will treaThe Stonemasters: California Rock Climbers in the Seventiessure.



2. 
   Having been initiated into the climbing world at about the same time and occasionally bouldering with a few of them (Stonemasters), this book brings back so many fond memories. Having climbed in the same locations, time period and being able to relive these memories, friendships and memories is great. I highly recommend this book. A must have and read.
   
   Russ Butner

5 comments about A Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants: Eastern and central North America (Peterson Field Guide).

1. I am pleased overall with this book. Although it doesn't have as many color photo's to use in identification as I would have liked it is still very helpful. I would highly recommend it.



2. Unfortunately this book is more like a cookbook for plants that one would find in a forest. Although it has a good deal of breadth I feel like it is more for the little house on the prairie experience than the Bear Grylls style existence.



3. Although this book was published in 1977 it is probably one of the better books in regards to organization and formatting. This book almost never fails to have some information on edible plants that I am curious about. If you are new to learning about edible plants please don't rely on this book or any other single book to identify a plant before you eat it!!! Other reviews about this book bash it because of its age and line drawings but the drawings should be looked at as an initial visual to assist in making sure you are identifying the plant correctly. Plants organized by flower color which is great for quick field identification. Has 15 color plates for some common plants totaling about 75 color pictures. Someone teaching themselves about edible plants should own numerous books with good color photos and defining characters to cross reference to be sure you are collecting what you think your collecting. Furthermore, some books, like this one, contain wrong information copied from others such as the tubers of Water Lilies (Nymphaea species) being edible (pg. 22) when according to other resources they are poisonous. In any case, here are the things I like about it: 1) no matter what time of year you can go to the "Finding Edible Plants" section in the back and look up common edible plants by habitat and season. 2) There is also a food uses section so if you want to make a spice for example you can go to the "Seasonings/Condiments" section and find plants by season 3) Each plant account gives brief but informative information about the plant such as scientific name, distinguishing characters, uses, warnings, where it is found, when it flowers, edible parts and the season for the edible parts. This book initiated my interest in edible plants. It is full of useful information and I recommend this book for anyone interested in edible plants.



4. I bought this book to use as field guide thinking it would be able to use quite easily but was quickly dissapointed. For starters the pics are all drawings, and not that great, you honestly cannot use a drawing of a plant to indentify it because so many plants look similar the leaves and the flowers can look a lot of like the color is what is different and this book limits the colors, some pic depict leaves as large when the are infact small, vice versa, buy a book with color pictures, I could identify 50% of plants with this book due to black and white illustration just to much of a pain to use really..



5. Bought this for my wife for christmas. We go hiking and this would be fun to try to find the plants together. I looked through the book ant it look sreally great. Of course the true test will come when my wife gets it.

5 comments about Sports Nutrition for Endurance Athletes.

1. Nice base information, i always find somthing new every time i get a chance to stop and read.



2. As a relative newcomer to endurance racing this has become my de-facto reference text. I've read the book cover to cover and highly recommend that you do so as well. Unlike the hundreds of training or nutrition fad books out there, Monique Ryan focuses on the fundamentals of nutrition, hydration, and the physiology of your body. For the first time, I can finally connect the dots between the nutrition discoveries I've made along the way while experimenting with my own diet, and even more importantly, I now understand why they worked. Likewise for hydration, supplements and recovery.
   
   A must read if you are serious about any endurance sport, and best of all, it is a very well written book that you can read from start to finish without any prior knowledge on the subject. Highly recommended.



3. I'm a distance a runner and I care about my nutrition, but what I don't care about is the inner science behind it. What I wanted was a reference guide to tell me what foods I should eat with maybe a BRIEF explanation why I should care to eat it. I don't want chapters and chapters of food sciences! Just tell me, eat X, Y, and Z, which will help you with A, B, and C with regards to distance running or any endurance sport. I don't want to know about lipids, amino acids, blah blah blah. If I was a food science expert, it would make sense to me but since I'm not, I feel like I'm reading through my college textbook.
   
   I did enjoy the tables in most of the chapters where certain foods were listed in order of how much of a particular ingredient they had (e.g. Omega-3, protein, carbs, etc). If the entire book was just a bunch of those tables along with one or two paragraphs of why those are good for you, I would've enjoyed reading this book much more. Instead, I had to put it down after about 1/3 of the way.



4. it was in great conditions and was quickly delivered. all I expect when buying a book. thanks!



5. Overall, a fairly useful book that a novice in the area like myself was able to learn from.

5 comments about Streetwise Washington DC Metro Map - Laminated Washington DC Metrorail Map - Folding pocket & wallet size metro map for travel.

1. This is a great, basic guide of the D.C. Mall and Metro. Super bargain for the price. Really helps you get your bearing in the nation's capitol.



2. If you are going to DC to see the sights on the mall and ride the Metro, this is $2 VERY well spent. Very handy, very compact.
   If you want a driving map, get the larger DC area version: Streetwise Washington, DC, Laminated City Center Street Map



3. This map is great for a sight-seeing trip to DC. It shows all the buildings on the mall, plus some other government buildings you may want to go to (like the bureau of printing and engraving). The shapes and sometimes names of most building are shown on each block not on the mall. Our hotel was shown on the map, so it was easy to orient ourselves.
   
   There aren't many maps that show the metro lines/stops with streets superimposed. We were able to pinpoint where we were on the map and figure out if we should walk or take the metro and which metro stop was the closest to us.
   
   The only problem that I had was that the print was pretty small; I wasn't carrying around my reading glasses so I had to occasionally show the map to my son to read something to me.



4. Fits in my wallet like a dream and folds out to show you the wonderful maze of the DC metro. It is laminated and really easy to use. Durable, portable, and overall, a really good buy. However - quick tip - I do use the Streetwise Washington, DC, Laminated City Center Street Map I bought a lot more. It has the same metro map integrated into it - so you do not need a separate one. So unless you are a lover of little pieces of very useful paper (maps etc) in places you always know you can access (wallet rather than handbag, cos you just might switch bags and forget it in the other one), then it may be a better buy to get the bigger map and save on this one. PS If you are a dude and want it to fit in your back pocket or wallet instead of walking around like a tourist with it stuck in the inside of your jacket - take this one - the other one will be too big.



5. The purchase was a gift, however, being from there I thought the brochures/books/maps were an excellent choice for even someone who has lived there. I especially liked the 25 walks and the restaurant guide. The receiver was very pleased and excited about getting to know more about D.C. and very much enjoyed the gift..

5 comments about The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Eastern North America.

1. This book has been a big help in ientifying birds that I photgraph. The info for each bird is very helpful by showing the areas the birds migrate, winter, summer and other helpful stats.



2. This is an excellent reference for birders living in the eastern half of the U.S. It contains detailed species information and key field marks for identification. I only found two drawbacks - I prefer photographs of birds rather than drawings, although drawings can show specific field marks that might not be visible in photographs, and the range maps are a bit small for local birding.
   
   This is a must-have guide for birders, although I think that a guide with photos would be better if you are just starting out or want to give a book as a gift to get someone started in birding.
   
   Marshall Faintich, author of "A Photographic Guide to the Birds of Wintergreen"



3. This book was a gift. The pictures are beautiful. It was just what was asked for and was delivered quickly. A complete and comprehensive guide.



4. Outstanding guide for quick reference in the field or at home. Enough info for the non-professional ornothalogist.



5. This guide is transportable and handy. It fits easily in a coat pocket and can be navigated around binoculars, but still has enough information to identify a bird reliably. If nothing else, use this for reference in the field and keep the big guide at home. I have never had a problem with a Sibley guide, and this is a marvelous little product.

5 comments about Deep Survival: Who Lives, Who Dies, and Why.

1. I liked this book but it got on my nerves.
   
   If you liked the movie Top Gun; if you think the guys with the need for speed are "elite" (a term the author uses throughought the book when referring to his heroes, and you get the sense he includes himself in that number); if you love the macho adrenaline junkie jargon (which the author sometimes doesn't even bother to translate for us ordinary folk), you may love this book.
   
   On the other hand; if the guys in Top Gun sometimes grate on your nerves; if you think football heroes, aviators, race car drivers and military men can sometimes be full of themselves and overrated; this book will definitely get on your nerves.
   
   The author has some interesting insights, but if he could just get over himself, his Daddy and all of the other "elite" performers running around avoiding death, it would be a much more palatable read.
   
   This guy comes off a bit like a narcissist. His book screams "Look how *awesome* these dudes are and I'm one of THEM!!!!" He does name drop; he does seem to be talking down at us peons much of the time and spiritual quotes get thrown in sometimes as if they were in an SNL skit. Has more than a healthy dose of ego, this guy does. We "get" how special he and his homies are a few pages into it.
   
   I disagree with a reviewer who says he is sexist. True, most of his heroes are male, but there are a few female heroines that get their due in the book and they are pretty awesome chicks too.
   
   He does have some good information and interesting insights for us about the mindset and actions we need to survive scary situations. Information we can all use, God forbid, should we find ourselves in a dread situation.
   
   Take the good and blow off the bad, if you can. It's worth reading, but be ready to roll your eyes shake your head at the storyteller more than a few times.



2. Laurence Gonzales was impressed with the story of his father's survival during WWII, falling five miles out of the sky in an airplane and living to tell the tale. He was intrigued with the questions of not only how people survive in extreme circumstances, but also about how and why skilled people who should know better get into these situations. He explains quite a bit about how our brains and instincts work both for us and against us in these circumstances, and in so doing, produces a work that's fascinating, scientific, and compellingly readable. His summaries of what places people in peril and what helps them survive seemed so vital that I ended up reading the book twice, while ignoring a stack of unread books on my nightstand! I recommend this book to any reader, even the non-adventurous, and I look forward to reading his latest book as well.



3. A park ranger, while leading me on a rescue mission for my friend, on a very dark night in the wilderness, recommended this book. So I went to Amazon.com and bought it. It has changed the way I think about a lot of things I do. It's not so much a book of survival techniques or stories of heroism as it is a book of how people who survive dangerous situations think. There are some concrete ideas about thinking and will that apply to everyone's life whether we expect to be in danger or not. Well written, easily comprehended, compelling - some adjectives to describe this book.



4. Fabulous book about the philosophy of survivors and surviving.
   Filled with incredible accounts of survival and non-survival, and comparisons between them. This is one of the best books of the year. Fantastic!



5. Take a deep breath... say goodbye to family and friends for few hours or days... pick up the book... you won't stop reading if you're interested in outdoors. I started listening to the book on a Friday and couldn't stop until I finished it on the weekend. The book goes from one disaster to another...by the time you come to grips with one, another disaster is waiting. I agree with author's conclusion that knowing when you're pushing the envelope and when you're risking life is the difference. I recalled and relived two incidents in my outdoor life when I was close to making bad decisions.. both times trying to take short cuts in wilderness... Fortunately I backtracked and survived.
   
   I read it just to enjoy the book itself.. not necessarily correlate lessons to another area f life.

5 comments about Streetwise Paris Metro Map - Laminated Paris Metro Map - Folding pocket & wallet size metro map for travel.

1. I also bought the streetwise Paris map which has the same information only slightly larger print. I think the metro index would be good for a man to carry in his wallet or a woman to carry in her pocket because it folds into three parts to become just a little larger than a driver's license, but the Streetwise Paris map is better if you have a purse because it gives much more information. They are both laminated which is helpful.



2. It's a high quality map, very attractive and waterproof. But it's not that useful on the ground. Get a good guide book with zone maps instead. We never referred to this even once in-country.



3. THANKS FOR A GOOD PRODUCT AND FAST, FAST DELIVERY OF SAME. AGAIN, THANKS ! A+A+A+A+



4. This map was very handy in navigating the streets and metros of Paris. A must have for your pockets.



5. Not at all useful, too small, better maps are given free at hotels and stops. Overpriced.

5 comments about Streetwise London Underground Map - The Tube - Laminated London Metro Map - Folding pocket & wallet size metro map for travel.

1. If you're an American traveling in London, this map is indespencable. If you ask someone in London how to find something, you'll quickly realize that we speak American, not English, and their answer though thoughtfully and politely given, will be a struggle to understand. This map is indestructable and holds up in nasty London weather, has all the stops and routes for the Tube which makes affordable inter city and airport travel easy, and list all the spots you wish to see on you're trip. Good map. I'd buy it again if I didn't already own it.



2. Didn't get wet, fit in pocket, accurate, handy, what more could be wanted. I marked it with a fine point sharpie to find stuff.



3. I have very limited time in London on an upcoming trip, so I want to waste as little time as possible traveling between points. I love the size of this Tube map -- don't want to be weighed down with heavy guidebooks either! The size will make it easy to pack -- though it also makes the map a little harder to read, especially with older eyes.



4. I took this map of the London tube (subway) system with me to London recently and used it every day to get around to all the attractions. It's sturdy, folds up so you can put it in your pocket, and was indispensable for finding my way around London. Wouldn't go to London without it if you plan to use the tube!



5. Best guide for the Tube, though my only complaint is the Bank and Tower Hill stop... It looks like it's connected, but it's a 15 minute walk away.
   
   My friend wants one in every city! Hopefully, there is one!

5 comments about Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster.

1. If Krakauer's intention was to kill all of our romantic ideas about mountain climbing with this book, he undoubtedly succeeded. Whatever idealistic notions of bravery, athleticism, adventure, and brotherhood I had about this "sport", are now gone forever.
   
   What Krakauer delivers instead is a very tough picture of people who are ready to risk their lives and lives of those around them (guides, Sherpas, rescue workers) for the purpose of satisfying some masochistic macho aspirations of theirs or, even worse, to get some cheap fame. I now know that there is no sportsmanship or athleticism or fitness about these trips to the top of Everest. People kill their brain cells, they freeze off their body parts, they lose eye sight, they die, all for the privilege of standing on the top of the world for a few seconds. I never understood this achievement before, I understand it even less now, knowing the costs of it. Even more, what kind of an achievement it is, if everything is done for you - Sherpas build your camps, make your food, carry your baggage (including laptops, TVs, gourmet foods, and magazines), fix ropes for you to hang on, even haul you to the top if needed?
   
   But enough of ranting, time to talk about the book itself. I think Krakauer is a great non-fiction writer who manages to suck you into any story. Same goes for "Into Thin Air." It is a compelling book, more interesting in the latter part than in the beginning (once you pass 150-page mark, the book is virtually unputdownable). I personally would have preferred him to talk more about the trip and its difficulties rather than recounting everyone's back stories, but in the end, I have to admit, it adds certain relatability to the narrative. I also was afraid that he would spend a lot of time assigning blame to various players (including himself), but was pleased to see that he had learned from his "Outsider" article and came to the right conclusion that the Everest disaster was nobody's fault.
   
   Overall, a very interesting and in many ways eye-opening story, which in spite of being beyond my scope of interest, managed to hold my attention.



2. The pervasive biting cold that comes with extreme mountaineering cannot be escaped as the reader -- even knowing the tragic outcome -- greedily turns page after page to find out what happens next.
   
   Jon Krakauer's account of lives lost on the flanks of Mount Everest (which stands 29,028 feet high -- a number permanently etched into the reader's cortex) is no enticing travel brochure. Nearly every chapter is filled with some description of blood, vomit, pain, blindness, cold, frostbite. And there are new ailments specific to high-altitude life for the reader to absorb, ailments that deprive the brain of oxygen so severely that lucid thoughts and solid decisions become the exception rather than the norm.
   
   The description of Krakauer's time spent on the summit are particularly affecting. He does not write of glory or grandeur. He briefly mentions the peak (prayer flags, the Tibetan landscape below) and his actions (four snapshots of fellow climbers). And that's about it. This is not a book about being at the top of the world. This is a book about getting there. And even more importantly, about getting back.



3. Firstly I'd like to put forth my mountaineering credentials: They are absolutely non existent. Beyond knowing that mountain climbing involves ... well climbing mountains and vague ideas of ice axes, crampons and the like I've never climbed something higher than incidental slopes while bushwalking. But let me just say that while this book is largely uncluttered by technical jargon and stops well short of expanding upon the minutia of what happened on Mt Everest in 1996 this book is one heck of a read. Literally I devoured the thing. And then turned around and practically re-read it twice within the span of one week.
   
   Now the prose isn't going to win a Pulitzer. That isn't a criticism by the way, just a statement of fact. But what Mr Krakauer has managed to achieve here is to impart the feel of things, that indefinable X factor, and managed to convey it to the mountaineering layman such as myself. The author explains enough of the technical aspects to let the newcomer understand some of the pitfalls of such high altitude escapades and his personal knowledge and involvement in the events at hand allows him to impart real tension and first person drama to proceedings. Of course, I suppose some will find this very aspect somewhat damaging to the project - after all after such an event a person is going to have some issues trying to lay forth with the clearest account, but it's my gut instinct that unless you are after a dry-as-a-desert report style tome then this is pretty much your book for getting a handle on the low down of what went down during a harrowing few days at the top of the world.
   
   Topped off with some colour plates (at least in my edition) this book captured my imagination mainly due to the subject matter at hand but also the authors brisk style and his on-hand observations of the issues that affected both the ascent and the descent and the fact that the author is himself a climber means he doesn't fall into the trap of armchair moralising about in some sort of detached way. While he offers theories and suppositions he usually points out areas where he is using conjecture and all up... oh I'm sick of typing - just buy the book and enjoy a great yarn that never lets you forget that these were real people fighting for their lives.
   
   
   P.S - this is a product where you can sort of tell its quality by the level of criticism levelled at it. Go and read some of the one star reviews and they'll almost certainly make you want to buy this such are their pithy nature.



4. Krakauer's account of this tragic episode is very personal and compelling. I found the book hard to put down and was gripped by the human element that slowly and inescapably evolved into disaster. It's a book that you will think of long afterward and wonder about the "what-ifs." It's on my top ten list - I give it 5 stars.



5. I was looking forward to reading Into Thin Air, I love mountaineering and Mt. Everest, and the life & death struggles that come with it, and nothing like sad tragedy to make me feel...alive and thankful.
   I read this book in 2 days, but went from enthralled with the mountain drama to disappointed with Mr. Krakauer's growingly evident biases.
   
   I wish he could have been more objective, and less self-serving.
   Once I sensed his own selfishness coming through the accounts of this journey, the book and his writing turned me off, completely.

5 comments about A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail.

1. A very pleasant book about two regular guys, not trail experts, planning to walk the entire Appalachian Trail (AT) but not completely as it turns out, in large sections with large step offs here and there. Not to be confused with an expert hikers view of what it is like on the trail but essentially two amateurs. The tell tale sign was when Bryson buys camping equipment and when he purchases a $300 backpack he is stunned to find out that the straps cost extra along with the $25 rain pack cover. I still had to buy pedals (& shoes). The author is accompanied by an out of shape friend but surprisinghly durable, hard luck friend named Katz and their interactions along the trail set the style of the book. Well meaning, and surprisingly earnest adventurers tackle the greater portion of the AT. The tale is fraught with humor with their less than stellar encounters, although successful in overall travel, hiking through a good portion of the southern trail, middlke area and an attempt to finish a section in Maine. Roughly 800 plus miles out of 2,000 by books end. The humor and sarcasm about certain places and people along the way is entertaining as well as great detail in describing the trail, it's history and the attarctive features along the way. Very good descriptions of the various small towns they encounter, camping sites with very good descriptins of shelters and assorted motels, cabins and bunk houses along the way they periodically utilize for showers, food and recovery. One bunk house was described by an earlier arriving patron as Stalog 17. But the amusing aspect is the interaction between the two and quite a number of folk along the way, the knowledgeable, the well meaning and the off the wall. Again, not for the hard corps hiker looking for the ultimate guide but if they are looking for an amusing, descriptive of semi-amateurs trail experience, they will enjoy the book. The book loses something in the second half when there is a significant break and Katz goes home. The author proceeds much later with day hikes with a leapfrog effect using his car until he moves further north. Theook picks up at the end as Katz returns and the humor and likeable interaction picks up for the last 100 plus miles in Maine that does not pan out well. If you are looking for a serious book on the trail, this is not really it, but it does provide an very appreciative taste of life on the AT, and a fun adventure that the less skilled wilderness folk can appreciate.



2. Bryson has his own very specific style of writing, which I like a lot. Since I read first of his books, now I am addicted to them. I am buying one after another and all of them are very funny and interesting. I advice this book to anyone who like funny read and stories about nature and adventures.



3. Bill Bryson's A Walk in the Woods is work about Bryson hiking portions of the Appalachian Trail. I picked this up after having it recommended to me by several others, and having found a kernel of something to like in Bryson's The Lost Continent.
   
   First, Bryson's condescension is toned way down from The Lost Continent to A Walk in the Woods. Bryson's atitude in the book is more congenial here; the near bitterness on display in The Lost Continent would have served this work rather badly. For that, Bryson hasn't lost any of his great wit, which makes his storytelling so entertaining when he's at his best.
   
   Second, Bryson is extremely readable. A Walk in the Woods goes by quickly.
   
   The downside is that it's almost two books squeezed into one. The first section, which is by far the best, finds Bryson and his friend Katz hiking southern sections of the AT. Afterward, they leave the trail, and Bryson comes back to hike other parts of the trail in short sections, sometimes only for a day. The final section has a reunion of Bryson and Katz, this time hiking the northernmost sections of the AT.
   
   I don't hold it against Bryson that he didn't hike the whole thing. He hiked nearly 900 miles of it, which is certainly enough to describe the experience. However, the middle section has such a different tone and feel from the first and last sections, it almost reads like another writer took over that portion of the book. The effect is jarring and lends the book an unfortunate disjointed feel.
   
   It's still a fun read, but if the middle section could have been like the first and last sections, it would really have been much better.



4. I love laughing out loud with Bill. Once again he cracked me up. I found this book slightly more tedious than all his other ones because of so much factual history and details about the national parks. But over-all, I appreciated his candor, relished in his irreverent wit, and laughed out loud. Thanks, Bill.



5. What a cool job... do what you want to do (hike the AT) and then get paid to write a book about it! I'm way jealous. Great story and information about the Appalachian Trail. Funny characters and situations. Gets a little soap-boxy at times, but still a good read.