This book offers great information on the different hiking trails and backpacking trails in Kauai.

I found Mr. McMahon's suggestions excellent. Especially when using the guide for our "Road to Hana" trip. There are Audio cassettes available all over the Island to guide your course along the way, but we found this book much more enlighntening. We had several tour books and local guide books and ended up only using "Adventuring" for our entire stay!!

At seventy-three years old, former employee of the Brooklyn mob, Benny Ashe enjoys his retirement in the Coral Sands retirement community of St. Augustine. For the last two months, retired jewel thief Peter Benington also resides in Coral Sands. The David Niven-like sophisticate plans to make time with one particular woman, Eleanor, who has caught his eye. After the exciting, albeit illegal, lives they have lived, both men relish the quiet serenity of their senior citizen beach community.

However, their idyll golden days are abruptly interrupted when the murdered corpse of the community's gardener, Mr. Yamaguchi, is found amidst the bushes. Though the twosome would prefer to mind their business, they cannot. Not only did they consider the victim a friend, another resident, Mildred is somehow connected via the Internet. So what is two retired ex-criminals forced to do. Simple, go out and investigate what really happened in order to uncover the identity of ! the true killer.

There appears to be a delightful trend towards a new mystery classification starring senior citizens as amateur sleuths, affectionately known as GAS (graying amateur sleuths). The newest entry in this sub-genre, AS CRIME GOES BY, is an appealing who-done-it due to the intriguing senior citizens who appear throughout the novel. Especially delightful is the former criminal pair, who are as opposite in appearance and demeanor as two partners can be. The story line is crisp and refreshing, leaving readers wanting more novels by Richard F. West, starring Peter and Benny.

Harriet Klausner

Another eye opening look at the life of our senior citizens. Funny, witty, with plenty of head scratching till the end yet a relaxing smooth read. Kept me giggling and thinking through the whole book. Turning into a great series and look forward to more from this author.

If you've checked your local bookstore recently, you know that books on San Francisco are proliferate and sometimes too similar to distinguish one from another. THis book, however, is a terrific addition to any Bay ARea lover's bookshelf. The more than 400 pages are organized by activity/venue and include the inside scoop on local places to shop, eat, visit and partake of, as well as well-known sites and stops. INcluded are lists of weekend jaunts (with lodging, restaurant and shopping information), all levels of dining, from downhome to upscale gourmet, and TOp 25 lists to direct those with limited time to explore. The star rating scale seems to be fair, from the perspective of a frequent San Francisco traveler. Only drawback is that superlatives are peppered throughout the reviews and can be misleading if you don't read carefully.

A nice addition to MY already-burgeoning bookshelf!

The Best Places series of guidebooks is the best I've ever used. Many guidebooks strive for comprehensiveness. This one doesn't. Instead, it offers a limited (but still copious) number of descriptions of good places (especially for food). The reviews are longer than the usual guidebook reviews, giving you a good sense of the atmosphere and menu. I've never had a bad meal following a recommendation of this book. My only regret is that this guidebook series is only available for the Pacific coast - I think that reflects on their dedication to quality and actually sampling all the places they list.

Hard-core comics nerds might be familiar with the writing of Robert C. Harvey through his eloquent and interesting columns in The Comics Journal magazine. That style carries over well to this book. His commentary is refreshingly brief, preferring instead to let the work of a century's worth of creative genius speak for itself.

Rather than give us a straightforward, linear (hence boring) history of comics, Harvey treats them as the masterpieces of art they are--just as there are various fine art "movements" (Surrealism, Cubism, etc.) the same holds true for the comic strip. Harvey divides comic-strip history into five such movements--the formative years, standardization of genres, the adventure strip, the gag strip, and the socially conscious strips of today.

We learn some things that may seem surprising at first, but on reflection are perfectly logical. First, even the most talented 'toonists weren't perfect--we see the strips in their original form--pasteovers, glue stains, pencil marks, and blobs of white-out litter the work. It's akin to seeing an X-ray of a painting by a Renaissance master--even Leonardo and Michaelangelo made corrections, sometimes painting over whole figures.

Second, the supposed decline of the quality of comics (and the rise of artistically bankrupt strips like "Dilbert") isn't the fault of the artists or the syndicates. (Despite sentiments to the contrary by "Calvin and Hobbes" cartoonist Bill Watterson, whose scathing diatribe against modern comics is reprinted in the book). Paper shortages during the Second World War, Harvey tells us, forced editors to cut the size of newspaper pages to save newsprint, which in turn shrank the comic strip. The advent of television immediately afterward forced newspapers to stick to the wartime standard permanently--and they have shrunk even more since. Such developments spelled the end of the lavishly drawn adventure-continuity strips (the detail could no longer be seen) and paved the way for strips like "Peanuts". Harvey doesn't talk about the role of the computer in perhaps reversing this trend, which is one of this book's few flaws.

Harvey, like other fans, pleads for the acceptance of comics as a "legitimate" art form, but does so without attributing to them any more significance than they deserve. No obtuse Freudian interpretations about what the comics "mean"--to Harvey, they are a unique form of art, driven as much by commerce as aesthetics. They are a throwaway medium for the general public, but as he shows us, that's more than OK.

Curated, with helpful annotations, by a leading expert, this is a beautifully produced exhibition catalog of the original art for American comic strips since 1896. Especially wonderful is the reproduction of cartoon originals in full color (not just black and white line art) so that preliminary blue pencil drawings, glue stains, and pasted-over changes are all clearly visible. (Copyright © by Roy R. Behrens from Ballast Quarterly Review, Vol. 14, No. 3, Spring 1999.)

As Americans we have heard many tales, true and false, of tales of, and about, those brave souls who migrated across the country in wagons and on foot in the 19th century. Beverly's LTD has recorded The personal diary of one such woman, Margaret A. Frink.

Mrs. Frink, along with her husband, whose first name we never know, and a boy named Robert leave their nice home in Martinsburg, Indiana, for the riches of the California territories. It's not only the promise of gold that spurs this couple on, but of the riches available to those who make the arduous trip.

Mrs. Frink keeps a detailed diary of the daily distances traveled (how did they m ark this?), the price of provisions along the way, the weather, the many people they run into, and an acute observation of the fashions on the trail. I found that quite interesting, those detailed descriptions of fashion, in clothing, transportation, and supplies, and the daily traveling distance. I also found myself amazed at the mileage the wagons were able to make each day and the price of provisions along the way. In 1851, one onion costs the Frink's one dollar, which is astronomically even in the 2002 market.

Susan Baxter, an actress at the Creede Repertory Theatre in Colorado, gives life to Margaret. By the tone of voice she uses, I suspect that Margaret is a bit of a snob, but she handles the travails of the trail with remarkable good humor.

It is particularly interesting that the diary does not end with their arrival in Sacramento, but gives a hurried account of life for their life as hotel owners and diary farmers. It is also interesting that the home they dismantled in Indiana and ship by boat, arrived in the new state at almost the same time they did.

Thanks to the publication of this diary, I have a whole new appreciation of the Old West!

The second in the series is as interesting as the first.The immigrants now have a bit more knowledge as many have gone before them.There are still many misshaps, disease, lack of water and feed. We now are starting to see many oppertunists who prey on the people. It is interesting to note that the women and Indians seemed to get along quite well and shared hints about many things. We also see the diffrence in the trip for diffrent income levels.This is also where we start to see pollution,as the animals were allowed in the creeks and anything not needed was just left .These books show what life was really like on the trail and what the women went through each day.

Brownlee does a good job of not letting his personal feelings get in the way. Unlike many authors who don't let truth enter into the fold. Brownlee uses numerous firsthand accounts of people who lived at the time and not his own opinions or that of a college professor from Kansas. Good historical book. Not to biased.

_Gray Ghosts_ is an excellent foray into a chapter of the Civil War that does not always garner attention -- the establishment of a police state in Missouri and the subsequent backlash and ensuing war of sabotage by local guerrillas. Complexifying the historical landscape, Missouri and Kansas had shared much animosity in the years leading up to the Civil War, and Kanasas, who was a steadfast Union state, used the War as an opportunity to raid Missouri towns as Union Army representatives. Missouri to this point had been a borderline state. Many of the bands of Guerrillas, while they received aid from the Confederacy, never considered themselves a part of any Civil War cause. As Bill Anderson wrote, "I am a guerrilla. I have never belonged to the Confederate Army, nor do my men . . . I have chosen guerrilla warfare to revenge myself for wrongs that I could not honorably avenge otherwise" (201). These "wrongs" included the murder of his father and mother and the imprisonment of Anderson's sisters. The book is excellently written with thorough footnotes and documentation. Most of Brownlee's sources are either primary from newspapers and accounts of the time or secondary dating from the early 1900's. Brownlee also shows himself to be an excellent writer, stringing together the accounts into a vivid portrait of the time. His conversations with such characters as Jessie and Frank James, Bloody Bill Anderson, and William Quantrill represent Lazaras-esque scholastic resurrections. I found the author to be very opinionated, although his judgements are generally limited to the realm of speculative ethics and do not seem to fall along Blue/Gray or political demarcations. As he remarks in the preface, "In dealing with the characters involved, the author has not hesitated to credit each with personal responsibility" and seeks to give them the "praise or condemnation they deserve." From such a perspective, Brownlee comments on both the contextual factors shaping the guerrillas and the decisions they made that in turn shaped history.

The diving section of the book is succinct; too much so in our opinion. Numerous divesites are mentioned, however little fine detail is there for the boater. You'll know which sites to ask the diving operations for. The rest of the book covers many of the tourism opportunities in the Keys. An excellent guidebook and supplement for our diving website!

I had the opportunity to participate in an in-water interactive program at the Dolphin Connection at Hawk's Cay Resort...the Insider's Guide recommended it as a stop off in our tour of the Florida Keys. The photo in the text does not give this program justice...you have to participate to believe how interesting and personal our time with the dolphins was. The trainers were friendly and knowledgable...and made us feel like we were part of their family, too. If you are planning a trip to the keys, this book is a MUST HAVE!

When I think about Point Reyes, images of beautiful lighthouse, geographically peculiar landscape, boats on the serene Tomales Bay. Point Reyes Visions has captured some stunning views of Point Reyes. The book is unique in its coverage on oysters, the fire, and lives on the peninsula. If you are looking for many breath-taking views of Point Reyes landscapes, Point Reyes Visions would be a disappointment.

MaryKae and I saw this book at the Olema Inn this afternoon when we stopped for a latte' and a mocha. It was on the coffee table in the lobby. The photographs are wonderful. Marin County is a treasure, and this book captures its beauty exquisitely. It will be a number one selection for us to send to friends for Christmas so we can share with them the beauty of our beloved Marin County...

While reading Hornblower is always refreshing, this final (chronological) installment of the series simply does not generate the excitement that crackles in the earlier works.

The arc of the Hornblower series begins with 'Beat to Quarters' and reaches its zenith with 'Commodore Hornblower.' For readers still giddy with the aftereffects of those books, 'Admiral Hornblower' may be a bit disappointing. More an epilogue than a coda, this book finds Horatio at his last post as commander-in-chief of His Majesty's squadron in the West Indies.

It may be that Forester simply had no exploits to offer on par with Horatio's earlier adventures. Without the backdrop of the Napoleonic Wars, one finds a distinct lack of urgency to this book. That said, it's worth noting the first adventure in 'Admiral Hornblower' brings back the old magic of the earlier books and manages to quicken the pulse.

Still, no first-time Hornblower reader could resist reading any installment. Nor should he. These are the greatest sea stories ever written; each one to be savored. Read, enjoy, and bid farewell to Admiral Lord Hornblower.

Like the first novel in the series, 'Mr. Midshipman Hornblower,' 'Admrial Hornblower in the West Indies,' is a collection of short stories rather than a single novel. And, like 'Mr. Midshipman,' it is one of the lower points in the series. 'Admiral Hornblower,' is the only Hornblower novel to take place during peacetime and so the action, where it is, seems a little forced. Lacking is the adventure of Hornblower braving the odds to meet an impossible objective. Instead, many of the stories focus on much more trivial aspects of Her Majesty's Navy. Of course this is still a Hornblower book by the master, C. S. Forester, and he doesn't leave the reader competely high and dry. The first story, by far the best, deals with Hornblower's attempt to intercept a French vessel bound for St. Helena. Hornblower must use all his cunning to stop the would-be liberators of Napoleon Bonoparte from his island prison. Also there are a some moving moments as Hornblower takes the time to relect on his brilliant career and years of service. A must read for fans of the series but certainly not Forester's best.

In this tenth book of the Hornblower series we find Admiral Horatio Hornblower struggling to impose order in the aftermath of the wars. Stationed in the West Indies he has to take on pirates, revolutionaries, a hurricane and deal with Frenchmen who don't plan to give up JUST yet! Will Hornblower be able to keep the peace as while as his honor?

"The geography of thought" was written to demonstrate that there are fundamental cognitive differences between people brought up in "Western" and "Eastern" cultures. The book never distinguishes between fundamental cognitive abilities, which are presumably inborn thinking patterns, and culturally acquired styles of thinking. Nobody would argue against the proposition that how you are brought up and what you encounter in your culture affects how you approach problem solving and what you believe. By leaving the distinction unclear, Nisbett can make claims about cognitive processes and defend them with examples of cultural learning.

Nisbett appeals to cultural stereotypes and ignores contrary evidence. For example, he says,

"most Americans are confident that the following generalizations apply to pretty much everyone: Each individual has a set of characteristic, distinctive attributes. Moreover, people _want_ to be distinctive--different from other individuals in important ways."

I can see readers nodding in agreement at first, but then stopping and realizing that he could equally well and convincingly have written

"most Americans are confident that the following generalizations apply to pretty much everyone: Each individual often tries to conceal their characteristic, distinctive attributes. Moreover, people _do not want_ to be distinctive--different from other individuals in important ways. Many studies and our common experiences have shown that people strive to belong to groups. Teens have been known to commit suicide when they are not accepted into their peer group. The fad, current as I write, of body piercings with rings in noses, lips, tongues, and more intimate places is not the result of individuals having an inspiration some morning to be distinctive. It is an attempt to belong to and to exhibit belonging to a particular group. There is considerable disincentive to have a body piercing, there is pain and lingering discomfort; the rings can interfere with various activities and there are risks of infection and injury. In spite of all this, tens of thousands of people have submitted to piercings in order to signal a form of group solidarity."

Putting group association ahead of personal aggrandizement is not, as he claims, a marker more typical of "Eastern" than "Western" culture.

Another problem with this book is that it never reports quantitative results, not even giving the number of subjects in the experiments mentioned. Readers of daily newspapers can understand basic statistics, there is no excuse to omit them all. But we are given not so much as a footnote's worth of data to build some confidence in the results cited and in his interpretation of them.

Nisbett is also uncritical in his acceptance of Oriental lore. Here is one example: "Buildings in China.." he writes with evident approval, "are built only after an exhaustive survey by feng shui experts who examine every conceivable ecological, topological, climatologic, and geometric feature of landscape and proposed building simultaneously and in relation to one another." I think he meant "topographical" rather than "topological" and we note the impossibility of examining "every conceivable" attribute of anything. He seems not to know that when several feng shui experts are asked for their readings, without being informed that other experts have been consulted, it is often the case that their recommendations are wildly different, and even at odds with one another. One expert might say that red is the ideal color for the walls, the other might say that the one color that should not be used for them is red. Stage magicians Penn and Teller arranged such an experiment and videotaped it, the results are very funny, except to believers. Feng shui is, like psychic predictions and divining rods, demonstrably absurd.

I do not deny that being brought up in different cultures will lead to having different knowledge bases, assumptions, and methods of problem solving. And I agree that knowing about these differences is of value. But I do not trust this book's characterization of the differences in what seem more like pop psychology's shallow stereotypes rather than serious science. And the case for cognitive differences beyond those learned from the culture -- the main thesis of the book -- is not made at all.
-- from the reviewer's web site

I liked this book it was quite interesting in its approach to the differences in Eastern and Western thought. It's premiss is that Easterners' are more contextual and less object oriented in their thought processes. Nisbet shows how the West tends to value conflict of ideas over harmony and the east focuses on harmony and relationship.

Nisbet uses history, geography and traditions to explain his findings which are backed up by many interesting studies. I like the emphisis that these studies outline tendencies which peolpe can be trained to change or adopt to there advanatages.
Nissbet also is willing to critize both the east and west for certain errors that there thought patterns lead them to.

Nissbet also discusses how the source of how confontrations between the west and east occur due to differences. As well he discusses why the west and east have different view of human rights.

His most interesting arguement and most well founded is that Westernization is a commercial phenomenon and not necessarily a cultural one, Coke and Mc Donald's invasion of the world does not mean that eastern culture is disappearing or weakening only that the Big mac and Coke taste good to almost anyone.

I like Nissibet hope that western and eastern cultures will influnece each others way of thinking. And that understanding one anothers way of thinking is important. Through my travels around the world the attempt to understand others has lead to much more happiness than strife.

My new wife is Chinese and this book helped me to understand why some simple questions that I asked her are not so simple because we have a different starting point in the way we understand the world, this does not stop us from understanding the world together. I hope Nissbett is right for the world would be a better place.

Only by reading the excerpt of this book has already convinced me to get a copy of this new book, and JUST READ IT!

As a person who got his formal education both from the East and the West, this book provides the bridge in connecting the "beauties" of both the Eastern and the Western styles of thinking.

To me, Western people are relatively more left-brain dominant (rational!), whereas Eastern people are relatively more right- brain dominent (intuitive!).

This book once again tries to prove the abovesaid contention, while providing sufficient MSA--Metaphors,Stories,and Anecdotes(historical, of course!) to back up its contention.

This book is very well written and can provide readers a lot of Aha and Haha experiences, understanding where the conflicts between the Eastern and the Western people really arise?

But there is one precaution here!

Don't over-generalize how the East and the West think differently. Some Eastern people got their education from the West could have tuned their thinking style into more Western style, or vice versa.

This book is a good starting point to shed light on how the East and West should respect each other and understand their cultural differences in terms of thinking and living.

I enjoyed reading this book very much....