This guidebook has some positive features, but ones that would probably best serve someone already familiar with the layout of San Francisco. First, the book divides its sections according to neighborhood without much integration between them or of the city as a whole. This is acceptable if one is already familiar with San Francisco's geography, but would frustrate someone trying to get a sense of how the different parts of San Francisco fit together. Indeed, the only attempt to present what one should consider covering in a trip to San Francisco seems to be a scanty two-page afterthought.

Second, the book does not offer much help as a resource when actually touring the city. The walking tours lack interesting detail about history or architecture and instead quickly note interesting sites. The maps are lousy, as one has to already know where the neighborhoods are to make sense of the maps within each section. The maps also lack detail, as few of the sites listed in the text are actually marked on the maps. The information regarding dining and lodging is frustratingly coded from budget to ultra-deluxe-instead of just listing prices in the text, the guidebook requires readers to decipher code by flipping back to the introduction where the terms are explained or to memorize them.

That being said, the guide offers much for other users. The walking tours cover interesting ground, the guide highlights less frequented sites, and useful information such as websites for attractions of interest are included. Thus, I would recommend using this guidebook at home and sketching out where you want to go, but leave it at home when you go (as its bulk is more useful at home to decide where you want to go, but of limited value once you are actually there). In particular, the book is a great resource for Bay Area residents to consult regarding parts of the city they may wish to brush up on or to lead guests to less obvious sites in San Francisco that often slip one's mind.

This guide scored an A+! Every place it suggested was great, and the information was always helpful. We had this book, Lets Go, Zagat San Fran (which didn't even have many of the recommended restaurants listed), and Fodors. This one was by far the best. By then end of our 2 week trip, we had stopped using all the other books. I ended up giving all but this one away. The only thing I would change is the maps. They were not very detailed. I would recommend getting this book and then a detailed San Fran and surrounding area map from a gas station when you get there.

On my first visit to Northern California, I depended on this guide for help in choosing lodging, restaurants and places to visit. As a result, my vacation was very enjoyable! Recommendations were very solid, and arranged in a logical order. The focus on out-of-the-way spots was very valuable and helped us spend time on the most unique and rewarding activities. I can't wait to spend more time in Northern California, and will definitely take my well-worn copy of "Hidden...." along.

The error of The Gospel of Thomas starts as early as the back cover. "Here were 100 lost sayings of Jesus that would rewrite early Christian history and introduce a new image of Jesus - unadulterated by 2000 years of myth and interpretation." The overwhelming majority of credible historians, both secular and nonsecular, date the writing of the New Testament documents to within one generation of the events they record. None place them later than the turn of the second century. Among these documents' greatest assets as historical records lies in the fact that they are eye-witness accounts, or are written by close associates of eye-witnesses. Myth and legend cannot arise until the second or third generation after events transpire because legend cannot grow while the eye-witnesses still live or while historical memory of the events is still fresh. It takes generations for truth to evolve into fiction.

The Gospel of Thomas is one of those fictions. This book was written in the second century, and in these pages, the evidence of myth and legend abound. In fact, the differences between the "lost sayings of Jesus" and the recorded historical sayings of Jesus are so vast that they have reached the realm of fantasy.

No reputable historian would agree with editors of this book that this gospel is "attributed to the Doubting Thomas of the New Testament." Nor do "most biblical scholars believe that Thomas represents one of the many independent schools of Christianity that developed early in the history of the religion." Fringe historians who do not follow the academics' standards for evaluation, yes. Reputable historians following the academics' standards for the evaluation of historical evidence, no. The editors apparently rely entirely on the members of the Jesus Seminar for their information when not even mainstream secular historians consider this group's research to be credible. The Jesus Seminar's skill is in spinning a story for the media, not evaluating historical evidence with an objective eye for the facts.

Those who would argue that the Gospel of Thomas is the accurate recording of the words of Christ have a dilemma. The overwhelming amount of historical and archeological evidence points to the New and Old Testaments as reliable documents of history. We may disagree about what they mean, but the documents themselves are accurate records of the events. Even more challenging for those who promote this "gospel" as authentic: All of the fundamental elements of the gospel taught by the New Testament Jesus are confirmed by first and second century secular, as well as religious, sources. For skeptics, the most important to consider is the secular - often hostile - record. When the teachings of the New Testament Jesus are authenticated by hostile sources in a secular culture that sought to destroy the Christian faith, there is no stronger proof of authenticity. So do we throw out the 66 books of the Bible and believe the Gospel of Thomas? Or do we recognize this gospel for what it is - fiction? Those who accept the Gospel of Thomas as reliable history do so based on preference, not the facts. Not only is the Gospel of Thomas a work of fiction, it is downright silly. The level of writing and philosophy is childish, at best.

For readers looking for the Jesus of history, and for proof that the New Testament is reliable as recorded - with proof coming from both secular as well as nonsecular sources - I recommend The Historical Jesus, written by respected historian Gary Habermas, who evaluates the life, death, and resurrection of Christ as recorded in the New Testament documents according to the most rigorous standards of academic scholarship. Or, better yet, read the New Testament itself.

Unlike all of the religions of the world, traditional Christianity is a historical faith. If you want to read about the Jesus of history, I urge you to read the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, not the fantasy of a man who called himself Thomas.

A book for research, and also for curiosity, The Gospel of Thomas, Unearthing the Lost Words of Jesus, tells the reader, not only the sacred text, but the history of the Gnostic people. But what is fantastic about the actual text is the uncertainty of it, which makes you ponder about it, and wonder what Jesus the Messiah, the prophet, or the madman was trying to say. Although lacking some detailed discussion on the gospel's sayings, it is a very well researched book that gives us points to look at dealing with spirituality and history itself.

I'm a Portuguese man who beleives in God and His son Jesus, and I assure to you that this book "Gospel of Thomas" and "The Gospel of Philip" and all those that were found in the Dead Sea and In Nag Hammadi are true, all that there is writen in them is from the time of Jesus to the 2nd century after his birth, you can buy them with security. Don't believe in those fanatics Protestants and Catholics who want the truth far away from God's children. The Bible was not completed, God said " I will give the wisdom word by word" and not all at the same time.

The editors of this book add an interesting note at the end on the subject of the translation of the text. They point out that the sayings of Jesus contained in the book represent a 'paraphrase' since the principal of 'dynamic equivalence' was followed in producing their work. They do not seek a word-for-word translation but rather an overall meaning. Many scholars may be turned off by this approach.

The arguments for the existence of THE LOST GOSPEL Q put forth by Marcus Borg in the Preface are the most interesting and provocative part of this book. It is easy to understand why the work of the Jesus Seminar is challenged by skeptics. However, I do think it is important not to dismiss it too quickly before it receives the attention and scrutiny it deserves. THE LOST GOSPEL Q is a serious attempt to shed light on the historical Jesus.

This book is based on the theory that the Gospel of Mark was written before any of the other synoptic Gospels. The Gospels of Matthew and Luke were then written with the help of those from Mark and another unknown source which is called the Gospel Q. In 1838 a German noticed that there were many sayings of Jesus which were common to Matthew and Luke but not included in Mark. The Lost Gospel Q is comprised of these sayings. Adding fuel to the argument was the discovery in 1945 near the Upper Nile River in Egypt of a codex called the Gospel of Thomas. It contained 114 sayings of Jesus. Over one-third of these sayings were similar to those found in the Lost Gospel Q.

If you accept the idea of the probable existence of Q, then you can look forward to reading sayings of Jesus which were recorded and used by some of His earliest followers less than two decades after His death and resurrection.

I have not finished to read this book but so far I love it. The best part is the chapter with the recorded word of Jesus, which I find enlightning. It also makes me sad to realize that humankind has not evolved since then.

One last thing, if you are a religious ( ) (I believe 1000% in the bible...) do not buy with this book, you wiil not understand it.

". It contains a very complete story of the finding of GThomas and follows the ms to initial publication. There are photographs and a couple of maps in this first section. The text is done very much in the same style as Borgs recent "The Lost Gospel Q" and it features a few notes by J. D. Crossan. Also by Crossan, a five page commentary at the end called "Paradise Regained", where his emphasis is on the protology of and asceticism in GThomas. This is packaged for the general public but is worth the price for the 8 photographs, 2 small maps, and the complete "unearthing" story.

This is a nice little book that doesn't try to be all things to the California Wine Country Visitor. It has some really fine touches:

The three-day Weekend itinerary is one that works for a first time visitor, and while I would change few stops, I have been touring here since 1968!

The little inserts on many pages are very up-to-date (the new wine cruises up the Sacarmanto River) and the informative ones (like the one about Oakville Grocery and the historical tid-bit on page 86) give the reader something to look forward to on every turn of a page.

The black & white maps could have used a little more detail (have to say something needs improvement) but the color AAA ones are a nice, convenient touch.

All-in-all there may be better tour books around, but not as concise, well written, informative, and available for only $14.

Going to the California Wine Country? Buy this book!!! You will enjoy your trip much, much more with it along.

I used this guide on a recent and very enjoyable sojourn in Kauai. While I enjoyed the guide's expertise on Hawaiian history and culture and the information on the hidden beaches, I felt that the author does a great disservice to his readers when he equates budget or affordable dining and lodging options as very basic while dubbing very expensive options as "ultra-deluxe." Hawaii can be very expensive, but paying a lot of money for a hotel room or a restaurant dinner does not automatically insure that one receives ultra-deluxe treatment. Often the same thing can be had at a more affordable price by looking around--the information a reputable travel guide is supposed to give. Paying 40 dollars for a restaurant entree--something all too easy to do when eating at a resort restaurant on the island--often provides no better quality food than eating at a cheap but good restaurant. Look for places full of happy locals as opposed to tourists. The expensive Bali Hai restaurant, recommended in the guide, served very mediocre if overpriced food, with very mediocre service. However, the Hanalei Mixed Plate, a village take out stand, served superb fresh fish everyday for less than 10 dollars. The food was better, only you ate it outside on wooden tables surrounded by local people as opposed to other tourists. You be the judge of how you want to spend your money. In my opinion, the 8 dollars I spent to rent a boogie board one day yielded far more fun than a 40 dollar restaurant entree could ever manage to do.

If you enjoy touring on your own, this is a great drive along reference. We found many of the things to see were off the main track. Hidden Hawaii guides you to attractions in sequence as you drive. The only thing missing is flora and fauna. This should be the bible for first time Hawaii visitors!

My wife & I lived on Oahu for 3 years and frequently traveled to the neighbor islands as well. We scored everytime we used the book. Great tips on standard tourist info, but the strength is on the items marked "hidden." When you have a little more time than the average molohini (visitor), the "hidden" suggestions are always worth the effort!

If you can't have fun with this guide, you can't have fun!

PS: Hidden Florida & Hidden California guides worked for us as well!

Not much "hidden" stuff in here. Most of the places they call hidden, is also written in every other tourist guide. The only things this book has that the others don't in a more comprehensive guide to local restaurants. But as for hiking, beaches, etc. their suggestions won't be so hidden because every tourist with any guide will know about them.

The first 75 pages are the normal travel guide stock. In the succeeding pages the only thing hidden seem to be some boutique hotels, curiosity shops and small restaurants focusing on specific cuisine.

These books by Riegert are great; I have used them for 20 years. I would not dream of going to the islands without them. But you have to be adventurous, if you are not going to go past the NO TRESPASSING sign, you probably should not buy this book. (I only do it when Ray says it's OK). Stick to something more sedate. But if you will follow advice these books will show you da kine parts of Hawai'i you will not hear about anywhere else.

My tip: Buy this book months before your trip. Plan to stay at least one night in one of the funky hotels he finds in the backcountry. You won't regret it! Most of our favorite Hawaii moments have been due to this book.

Buy this book and go to the islands while they are still no ka oi!

I'm afraid I have to agree with the reader from Phoenix. There's just too much whitespace in this book. If "its profundity is in its silence," then maybe I should have gotten an even *more* profound book - one with *all* the pages entirely blank. (Or maybe saved my money and gotten no book at all.) At any rate, this book is not at all a scholarly comparison of Jesus and the Buddha. All the nice interaction via which the "parallel sayings mutually inform each other, broadening and deepening the message of each," is contributed entirely by the reader. Which isn't necessarily *bad*, I suppose, but there's precious little reason to buy *this particular book* to accomplish that.

It's a shame that such a wonderful little book has an average rating due to the Phoenix-types who need "more words and less white." If you are turned-off by Christianity because of the Bible's "excess food and unnecessary baggage," this book really gets to the point. You may even discover that universal truth, which most Christians seem to think that the Bible has cornered the market on, is much more eloquently described outside the narrow little world of scripture-based "scholarly discussion" and "commentary."

This book is a thing of beauty. While you could read it from cover to cover, I prefer to turn to a page now and then and read a pair of parallel sayings presented side by side. It's wonderful to see the unexpected convergence of thought. I benefit from reflection on the parallel sayings which cover a wide spectrum of spiritual topics.

For me, the most important point this book makes, not explicitly but as a result of the power and beauty of the presentation of the parallel sayings, is that religious people who follow the teachings of Jesus or Buddha need not worry too much about whether they are on the right path. Both paths are the same path of goodness.

If you are looking for the definative guide to all things Disney and Universal, this is not your book. In fact, you'd be much better off with "The Unofficial Guide."

But, if you are looking for the quirky and less well populated, the odd and the sublime, and sites which will give you a taste of the "old" Florida, this book can be worth the read.

It provides good information on many of the area attractions which are not so "Disney"-fied, but be prepared -- due to the age of this edition you may need to make some phone calls to verify these places are still in operation.

Do not judge this book based solely on the rating I assigned to it as I do recommend this book. This is a very good book; however, the three stars were given because the book is short in length and is not a book a serious scholar would probably add to his or her theological library. The book is only one hundred pages in length with a great deal of "white space" on each page. However, it is well written with excellent introductory information. It is designed for mass, personal consumption rather than for theological students or researchers seeking another ponderous, scholarly tome. If you are searching for only one book on Mary, Jesus' birth, and the Infancy Gospel of James; and you are willing to spend approximately sixteen dollars (not including shipping and handling) for a one hundred page, small-size book, then this one is for you. (Note: This book would make an excellent gift for anyone with a personal curiosity in spiritual or theological history.) Personally, I enjoyed the book's brevity, well-written style, and overall presentation, so I happily add it to my own library. However, if you are in need of heavy theological analyses; source, form or redaction criticisms; or detailed research results, this is not the book for you.