Best Iowa Travel Guides

Taken by a true insider who has lived in Iowa his entire life, Frazier’s photographs are rich in emotion and give expression to the hopes and desires of the people who remain, whose needs and wants are complicated by the economic realities remaking rural America. Years of working, walking, photographing, carefully making notes, names, places. Inhabitants: Farmers, Migrant Workers, their families, Hunters, Churches, Trailers, Storms, Open Fields, Sunday Night. “I wanted to explore the lives of the people who stay, who are casualties of the growing economic divide that separates America’s rural and metropolitan classes. Having lived in Iowa all my life, these forgotten communities are part of my own history.”—Danny Wilcox Frazier.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Driftless: Photographs from Iowa. fantastic book, great illustrations, excellent quality."
"Typically, the photographs show the lower classes, but a few of the images depict well-dressed people practicing their religion, or engaging in a civic activity. Other examples of this genre include: (1) IN THE AMERICAN WEST (1996) by Richard Avedon; (2) PHOTOGRAPHS FROM ONE YEAR (1983) by Nicholas Nixon; (3) SOCIAL GRACES (1984) by Larry Fink; (4) APPALACHIAN PORTRAITS (1993) by Shelby Lee Adams; and. (5) GRIMM STREET (2005) by Mark Cohen. I saw an exhibit of IN THE AMERICAN WEST in the Corcoran Gallery in Washington D.C. APPLACHIAN PORTRAITS is excellent in terms of composition, uniqueness, and image quality, but some of the images in APPALACHIAN PORTRAITS are so bizarre that a typical person would find no solace in looking at them (we find snake handlers, and hillbillies looking like escapees from a mental institution). To conclude, DRIFTLESS:PHOTOGRAPHS FROM IOWA features sharp-focus images, with excellent contrast (ranging from bright whites to jet blacks), and plenty of variety. Variety takes the form of inhabitants of trailer homes, hunters toting rifles, tawdry scenes in taverns, and straightforward landscapes."
"They are depressing pictures."
"The sugar-coated, romanticized, or one dimensional view of "Middle-America" would have us believe that Iowa is only a land of covered bridges, fields of dreams, or over weight mall moms casting their red state ballots."
"The idea has merit: to capture the feel of a changing Iowa, with the relentless agri business taking over the individual farms, small towns built up over decades on many of the State's crossroads now disappearing, their inhabitants, having either worked on the land or in local industries but now drifting away. They clearly have a sense of place and tell a story which I felt was more or less missing from Frazier's contemporary look at Iowa because his photos are too personal and subjective (and I wonder if he takes them quickly, too)."
"Danny Wilcox Frazier's book of photographs, Driftless, is just that."

Unlike other guides that merely list all campgrounds, The Best in Tent Camping: Illinois profiles in detail the 50 best sites in the state for campers who seek the serene and secluded. "...if you are among those who still enjoy the fun of tent camping, there's a new book to consider."
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"For example, in discussing the Apple River Canyon State Park, the author lists the particular campsites in each loop which offer good space, shade and seclusion. I even took the book's advice and headed over to Mississippi Palisades Park for a day trip (and made it back to the campsite with ample time to build a fire, prepare supper and relax before sundown). In sum, if you are not already familiar with Illinois as a camping destination, you should do yourself a favor and pick up this book."
"Very good reference for those of us who prefer quiet camping without generators running and loud music or parties going on."
"The detailed descriptions of the camping sites combined with maps and information on other nearby attractions make this resource the perfect guide for the amateur or experienced camper."
"The Best in Tent Camping: Illinois: A Guide for Car Campers Who Hate RVs, Concrete Slabs, and Loud Portable Stereos. I have previously stayed at many of the campgrounds that John wrote about."
"Lent my original to a friend, (never got it back, some friend), so this is my second copy of this great book."
"I was new to camping with no idea where to go or what to expect."
"With all the detailed information about each camp site the novice as wellas the experienced camper can choose the perfect camp grounds."
"Nice book with great information that was just what I was looking for in a camping book."

Lesley Loveless has selected the images that best represent the creativity of the photographer Pete Wettach and the poignancy of midwestern farm life during some of its most difficult years from the collection of tens of thousands of images left by the photographer. "We sometimes fail to recognize or celebrate the talents of those who live among us.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"A beautiful book."
"Excellent product and service."
"Bought for my father in law for Christmas."
"Maybe some people did such but I never heard of it--if one had no baler the hay was put up loose into a haymow, though I suppose there may have been balers which did not tie the bales even as in the far distant past there were binders which did not tie the bundles."
"I think this book is outstanding."
"This is a beautiful, beautiful book."
"A wonderful collection of photographs that capture the history and beauty of midwestern farm life in the early 20th century."
"It caused me to consider that anyone can just make a large format book out of nothing, with no substance whatsoever and market it to people who don't have the opportunity to look it over first."
Best Montana Travel Guides

Glacier National Park and the Great Northern Railway became synonymous in the early 20th century. C. W. Guthrie is a freelance writer who lives in the Ninemile Valley west of Missoula, Montana.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Bought this book for my husband for Christmas."
"great read about a beautiful place."
"All Aboard for Glacier is a we done book about the Great Northern RY and Glacier NP."
"Good coffee table book."
"Very well researched & interesting read."
"Wonderful illustrations and delightful writing."
"This was a nicely done book about the history of Great Northern in general in addition to highlighting how important the development of the U.S. was on the railroads."
Best Alaska Travel Guides

Travel through the coastal rainforest, the fishing towns and ice fields of Southeast Alaska; the glacier-carved landscape of Prince William Sound and Kenai Fjords; through the major cities of Anchorage and Fairbanks; and on to the crown jewel, Denali National Park. The quality of the photography is first rate, and varies from the small scale of flowers and wildlife to the grander scale of mountains, fjords, and glaciers.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"A good balance of pictures and narrative, ideal for anyone contemplating a drive through Alaska."
"Just received this beautiful photographic book and we couldn't be more pleased to view and read all about Alaska."
"Bought this for someone who went on an Alaskan adventure and cruise, and they said it was amazing to have to remember their trip."
"Absolutely superb photography by Mark Kelley and stories by Nick Jans."
"Wonderful book."
Best Nevada Travel Guides

This authoritative guide will show you how to navigate the crystal-clear waters of Lake Tahoe and the exciting nightlife of “The Biggest Little City in the World.”. For more than twenty years, the Insiders' Guide® series has been the essential source for in-depth travel and relocation information―from true insiders whose personal, practical perspective gives you everything you need to know. From world-class ski resorts and rugged mountains to pristine beaches and magnificent golf courses, there's more to Reno and Lake Tahoe than just spectacular entertainment venues and casino gaming.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I certainly have picked out other day trips and activities for future return visits."
"I have just moved to Reno and this book was on my hit list so I can understand and get acquainted with the area as soon as possible."
"I look forward utilizing it during my trip to Reno."
"Wow what a extensive book on what all is offered in that area !"
"This book provided the information I needed."
"We got this updated edition because we were moving to Reno and had to have the latest scoop on all the information this book holds, and it holds a lot of information."
"haven't had time to look at much."
"This book is very helpful and full of information, however I was disappointed that a book about such a gorgeous place had no pictures of the places it was describing."
Best Texas Travel Guides

Author and Cowboys employee Nick Eatman, through interviews with current and past players, provides fans with a one-of-a-kind, insider's look into the great moments and the lowlights throughout the team's history. Nick Eatman writes for DallasCowboys.com as the featured columnist and has been with the Dallas Cowboys organization since 1999.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"As a Dallas Cowboys fan, I pride myself on knowing random tid bits of knowledge or facts that people rarely know."
"There were a few, but not a lot."
"Pick it up for the Cowboys fan in your family, I know they'll enjoy it."
"I really enjoy reading Nick's articles and finally got around to ordering his book; great book, brought back some memories and hit some things I had forgotten about."
"Christmas gift that I already gave a little early."
"Very informative."
"The author is also a gifted journalist, a knowledgeable and witty talk show host on The Cowboys Break streaming online."
"If you are a big fan of the Cowboys, and grew up watching the glory days of 90s and loved the Parcells era, this book is for you."
Best Georgia Travel Guides

Whether you're headed to downtown or to the ethnic mecca that is Buford Highway, you’ll find Atlanta’s best chefs innovating and continuing to redefine the culinary food scene in the big Peach. Part-cookbook and part-tour guide, Atlanta Chef’s Table. manages to capture the complexity and breadth of Atlanta’s modern restaurant landscape, and serve as a resource for those interested in emulating the flavors of this pivotal time in Atlanta food, at home. Atlanta Chef's Table. is more of a food-focused narration of where Atlanta came from and where it's going. Atlanta Chef's Table is a stunning book worthy of your kitchen counter or your coffee table." Atlanta Chef's Table. highlights that authentic zeal, the focused precision and the gastronomic excitement that Atlanta restaurants have been working on for the last decade and it is a stunning collection of recipes to behold.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I'm generally not a fan of traditional cookbooks as you can find virtually any recipe online and they take up a lot of space in the kitchen cabinets."
"I found just the perfect item in Kate Kordsmeier’s book “Atlanta Chef’s Table.” This is the kind of book you like to sit out on the porch to read, pen in hand, so you can take notes of where you want to dine or what dish will be the main focus at your next dinner party."
"Great book for foodies who not only love new recipes but also like to have a little knowledge about the history of Atlanta's best restaurants."
"The benefits of this book are two fold - It allows you to get to know the wonderful chefs and restaurants in your city and allows you the ability to create their dishes right in your own home!"
"Wonderful book and I love the photography as well."
"This book is a nice resource for the culinary happenings in Atlanta."
"Not only does it provide some great recipes, but also gives a great overview of some of the best restaurants/chefs in the ATL."
"Just received this cookbook as an early Mother's Day gift from my daughters."
Best Hawaii Travel Guides

The finest guidebook ever written for Maui. Wizard guidebooks take over a year to compile and the writers are residents who personally and anonymously review every facet of the island.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"After reading this guide from cover to cover, making all kinds of notes, and cross referencing it with information from internet sources such as Trip Adviser, it's easy to see why it has such high reviews. But after making that decision, this guide devoted to Maui offered FAR more specific insight about things to do and see, where to stay and eat, and all kinds of great details. I generally consider travel guides to be completely useless when it comes to lodging and dining because the information is always so generic, and it is often there because the business paid to have it included. This is the first guide book I've ever used that actually has useful information about lodging and dining."
"We have used Andrew Doughty's Big Island version in the past."
"Mr. Doughty and his team really do get to every nook and cranny on the island and give very honest reviews of simply anything you can imagine."
"Given the nature of the road system and the traffic, it's absolutely necessary to have a guide book that lists more than just the sights to see."
"The best guide book, period..they really have great restaurant recommendactions which we follow and are never disappointed."
"Many of the top picks for activities and so forth have been seconded by my friends who have traveled to Maui therefore I have confidence in the recommendations found in the book. This makes for a very long table of contents to scroll through and I have found it to be overwhelming to read through this section in general. Don't get me wrong, there is some method to the madness as far as the organization of the restaurants (by cuisine and some region), I just don't see the need to list them all in the contents. If I'm really interested in one particular restaurant I've seen along the way then I can search through the book in the Kindle, and I imagine in the paper version there's an index? There are links in the writing to other parts of the Kindle book for things such as photos, maps, or more detailed information on a given topic."
"This is a really great book, but a lot of the pages are blank on my devise."
Best Maine Travel Guides

Maine: A Portrait is the result of Lucian Niemeyer's desire to explore the Maine viewed by his inspiration, Eliot Porter.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"A beautiful rendering of Main."
"Mr. Neimeyer shot this book plain, not fancy: he apparently did not use a digital camera and states he did not use filters or image manipulation tools."
"This book contains two sections of photos: the coast and the woods."
"I bought this book sight unseen as a birthday gift for a friend."
"..great pics I love Maine..gave it as a gift..I hope the recipient is worthy of it!"
Best Oregon Travel Guides

The new cartography is about much more than just land! David Banis has managed the Center for Spatial Analysis and Research in the Geography Department at Portland State University since 2006, working with a wide variety of partners at the federal, state, and local levels.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"It documents the most absurd things, from house color by neighborhood to noise level in Providence Park by minute in a Timbers game."
"This book is PACKED full of interesting maps, facts, history, images, and impressions of Portland past and present."
"Got this for my best friend's birthday after she moved to Portland and she's loved it as fun way to get to know her new city even better."
"Fun way to explore Portland from many different perspectives."
"this is a great book written by Portland State University professors and their students."
"A creative and smart approach to visualizing the culture of a city."
"I bought this as a gift."
"If you thought you knew about Portland you're wrong!"
Best Virginia Travel Guides

Detailed, waterproof navigational chart book of the entire Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Chesapeake bay chart."
"I found it to be what I expected."
"Received on time and was exactly what was expected."
"As expected."
"The charts are very informative & detailed."
"The format is the same but the quality of the binding is just OK."
"Just what I needed to supplement my Lowrance HDS unit for planning my fishing trips."
"I bought this as a gift for a new boat owner."
Best Nebraska Travel Guides

In this sequel to the best-selling If I Never Get Back , Sam Fowler manages to break into the past once again—but this time it’s 1875. Brock's sequel to If I Never Get Back promises the quaint historical charm that distinguished its predecessor, but some erratic plotting and a decision to virtually eliminate the baseball motif hurts the follow-up effort.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Brock's treatment if the "gay" Indian was equaly offensive to me as a 2 spirit person."
"Into the mix we now find Mark Twain, international intrigue, and the metamorpheus of professional baseball into our National Pastime."
"Great time-travel book - sequel to "If I Never Get Back" - Couple of episodes with Mark Twain, riding the rails with hobos in 1875 - gambling in Saratoga Springs, coal mines in Pa. - and settling a village in Old West Nebraska."
"Not as good as the first one."
"Like its predecessor, "I Don't Care if Never Get Back", Two in the Field is a great read."
"Sequel to "If I Never Get Back..." I was so happy to read the rest of Sam's adventures."
"It could have had more vintage baseball in it like it's predecessor."
"The book was interesting and did hold my attention."
Best Louisiana Travel Guides

The next day he began to photograph, house by house: "All the places I went in, the doors were just open. Amidst all this, Polidori has found something worth saving, has created mementos for those who could not return, documenting the paradoxically beautiful wreckage. Oversize photos capture the stark reality: whole neighborhoods under water and later in shambles, and close-ups of sodden bedrooms, mud-scoured kitchens and painterly mold spores.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"It is as if his books on Havana and Chernobyl were mere foretastes to this exceptional and moving work, and certainly anyone who has seen these two books came away with a feeling of the power and storytelling that Polidori's images can convey. In "After the Flood", he presents us with an almost encyclopedic presentation of the aftermath of the hurricane, flooding, wind, water and mud damage showing the fragility of our cities and the power of nature. The first images show parts of the city still under water and the receding water. Succeeding groups of images show the effects of mud, water and wind on buildings and cars that have been tossed around at random like toys."
"Ridiculous amazing amount of detail from this 8x10 photographer."
"These high quality photos come without captions."
"There are likely a thousand awesome photos in the book, but not the one I remember from the exhibition."
"This book captured the aftermath of the storm to its precise destruction."
"The best photographic essay of New Orleans after the flood."
"I bought this book as a gift for my sister-in-law."
Best Minnesota Travel Guides

The stories of these grand houses are, above all else, the stories of those who built and lived in them—from the fantastic saga of Marion Savage to the continent-spanning conquests of James J. Hill, to the all-but-forgotten tragedy of Olaf Searle, a poor immigrant turned millionaire who found and lost a dream in the middle of Lake Minnetonka. The first book to take an in-depth look at the history of the Twin Cities’ mansions, Once There Were Castles presents ninety lost mansions and estates, organized by neighborhood and illustrated with photographs and drawings. Larry Millett is an architectural historian and the author of Lost Twin Cities, Twin Cities Then and Now, and AIA Guide to the Twin Cities.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"As a preservationist I feel this book should be sitting on the desk of city planners nationwide as an example of how we haphazardly destroy the very elements of our cities that make them unique."
"This is a lovely book and a must-have for coffee tables across the Twin Cities."
"If you have any interest in the history of the Twin Cities, Historic Architecture, Victorian Homes, or the 19th century, this book is definitely a worthwhile purchase!"
"My brother in law saw an article about this book in our local news paper."
"We open the gifts one by one so everyone can see who got what...this book was the hit of the party...everyone was jealous of the person who received the book."
"This is a beautiful book with many memories for my parents and a few for me, too."
"The book is well laid out, and has great pictures."
Best Vermont Travel Guides

Complete map coverage for all of Vermont including Burlington, Rutland, Montpelier, Barre, Bennington, Brattleboro, Manchester, Woodstock, Middlebury, White River Junction, St. Albans, Ludlow, St. Johnsbury, and Newport as well as all other communities.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I read a review for the Rand McNally Vermont Road Atlas wherein the reviewer dumped the Rand McNally mid-trip and picked up the JIMAPCO Vermont Road Atlas and recommended it above the former."
"It keeps me from going in circles and helps me find covered bridges, wildlife management areas, hiking trails and other interesting things along the ways."
"NIce maps, good detail."
"The spiral binding allows you. to lay it flat on your lap or desk."
"Just what we needed to replace our original Vermont Road Atlas which had been well used, and had seen better days."
"Timely delivery good product."
"This atlas has amazing detail on every road and the spiral binding makes it real easy to use."
"The spiral binding is great, the index is mostly useful; however, it uses town road numbers which makes it very hard to figure out what the road is because many of the ones we were looking for did not have a number on the sign or we were not sure what the number was until we had already driven past the road."
Best California Travel Guides

* Muir is perhaps the nation's greatest conservationist. Other places named in his honor are Muir Woods National Monument, Muir Beach, John Muir College, Mount Muir, Camp Muir and Muir Glacier.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Great quality book that is perfect to add to our top shelf of the books."
"Really nice book that I bought as a gift for my boyfriend."
"In those days (1951) we could camp on the valley floor and watch as the rangers pushed the entire large fire over besides the falls in the dark of the summer evening."
"Anything regarding John Muir is a great read."
"Nice, thick book."
"The inside of the book looks great however the cover is dirty and sticky."
"A must read for outdoors enthusiast."
Best New York Travel Guides

Their wonder inspired Going into Town , part playful guide, part New York stories, and part love letter to the city, told through Chast's laugh-out-loud, touching, and true cartoons. "What began as a mother’s illustrated mash note to Manhattan becomes a meandering map of Chast's hilarious mental approach to her beloved town, with all of its oddball shops, subterranean secrets and an abundance of visual stimulation." "[Chast's] Big Apple cityscapes burst with jumbled buildings, oddities of every variety, and her trademark loose-edged-drawn people." "What began as a personal guidebook for Chast's Manhattan-bound suburban daughter evolved into a whimsical, discursive paean to the city . As her own daughter prepared to move to the city for college, Chast compiled this volume that lets readers see New York through the artist's eyes." "Illustrator extraordinaire and native Brooklynite Roz Chast's new graphic memoir Going Into Town is a wide-eyed love letter to New York--or, more specifically, the streets, buildings, and sidewalk gum in Manhattan, as seen through the eyes of a Brooklyn family." "Observations and advice on making one's way through the city's diversions are mixed with the quirky character that oozes from the metropolis's every concrete pore. "Chast applies her appealingly shaggy drawing style and ever-so-slightly skewed worldview to New York’s subways, museums, ethnic restaurants, and other attributes." , will recognize and enjoy the unique blend of affection and sarcasm that Chast brings to her work while getting to know one of the world's most famous cities." "[A] guide book full of wonder and optimism, a polar opposite of most current-affairs tomes about New York on the shelves today. Even when [Chast] remarks disparagingly about tourists or rodents or trash, it's done with the lightest of touches, graced with vibrating illustrations of herself . "Roz Chast's breezy and winsome jaunt, Going into Town: A Love Letter to New York . "In nine illustrated chapters, Brooklyn native Chast celebrates Manhattan in all its glory." "The wonderful and inimitable Roz Chast introduces her old friend, New York City, in a beguiling way that will illuminate newcomers, prompt old-timers to nod in recognition, and inspire a whole new generation of siamese standpipe buffs."
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Awesome book!"
"Such a joy to be able to laugh at our city with the help of her talent."
"Every page is a delight!"
"I love Roz Chast!"
"Love it...and have given it to several friends, who also love it."
"Don't ever stop cartooning, Roz!"
"As a New Yorker, I especially liked it and read it along with E B White's book on New York."
