The Three Weissmanns of Westport: A Novel Review

The Three Weissmanns of Westport: A Novel
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Catherine Schine has written a funny and on-target tale of three women starting over in their lives. Rarely in fiction is one of the heroines a 75 year old woman who is being dumped by her husband of five decades. The title refers to Mrs. Weissmann and her two daughters, forced to live together because of various dire financial circumstances. Ms. Schine examines the foibles of love and of relationships between men and women in middle age and the senior years (the 1987 movie "Moonstruck" comes to mind). It is refreshing to read of romance late in life, especially in a novel as well-written as this one.

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Sun, Sand & Surf : The Ultimate Guide To Orange County Beaches Review

Sun, Sand and Surf : The Ultimate Guide To Orange County Beaches
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Wow! I'm impressed with the "look" of this book. I put this on my coffee table and most of my friends usually look through it to find the best beach for whatever. My wife uses it to find easy access to kids beaches.
We, my dude friends and I, are currently visiting all the surf locations in the book. I must say it is right on the money. Great reference book to find favorite surf locations. These girls must have done some serious surfing or knew some serious surfers. Kowabunga chicks! Can you write one on San Diego?

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Sun, Sand & Surf is the first of its kind, complete guide to the beaches of Orange County. This hard bound, coffee table, photograph guide book features every beach from Seal Beach Municipal Pier to San Onofre Trails. The book provides full color photographs, comprehensive information about each beach, surf reports that offer best swell direction and locations, dive reports that feature dive locations, reefs and types of species present, pictorial keys denoting ammenities and driving directions.

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Reminiscences of Levi Coffin Review

Reminiscences of Levi Coffin
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I NEEDED THIS BOOK FOR A CLASS ON THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD IN INDIANA. I BECAME SO ENGROSSED IN THE SUBJECT I HAVE CONTINUED READING ON THIS SUBJECT.

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Levi Coffin, noted as "The President of the Underground Railroad," writes about his adventures and exploits during that daring time prior to and during the Civil War. This edition has been abridged and edited for modern readers.

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Orange County (CA) (Postcard History Series) Review

Orange County  (CA)  (Postcard History Series)
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Excellent book - very well done. The authors have come up with some great postcards of Orange County (CA) and have covered most (all?) of the various cities in the county. I love looking at the old photos - the authors have included a very diverse group of images that give you a good feel of what the county was like many, many years ago. And the captions are well-written and informative. Regardless of what city you may live in, this book gives you a good feel of what life was like for the residents of early OC.

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Fodor's Los Angeles 2010: With Disneyland & Orange County (Fodor's Gold Guides) Review

Fodor's Los Angeles 2010: With Disneyland and Orange County (Fodor's Gold Guides)
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The Fodor's guide was very helpful in suggesting places to visit, to eat and to stay. It was the foundation of a successful and fun trip.

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Fodor's. For Choice Travel Experiences.Fodor's helps you unleash the possibilities of travel by providing the insightful tools you need to experience the trip you want. Although you're at the helm, Fodor's offers the assurance of our expertise, the guarantee of selectivity, and the choice details that truly define a destination. It's like having a friend in Los Angeles!•Updated annually, Fodor's Los Angeles 2010 provides the most accurate and up-to-date information available in a guidebook.•Fodor's Los Angeles 2010 features options for a variety of budgets, interests, and tastes, so you make the choices to plan your trip of a lifetime.•If it's not worth your time, it's not in this book. Fodor's discriminating ratings, including our top tier Fodor's Choice designations, ensure that you'll know about the most interesting and enjoyable places in Los Angeles.•Experience Los Angeles like a local! Fodor's Los Angeles 2010 includes choices for every traveler, from prowling Hollywood to exploring the revitalized downtown to tapping the many music scenes, and much more!•Indispensable, customized trip planning tools include "Top Reasons to Go," "Word of Mouth" advice from other travelers, and tips to help save money, bypass lines, and avoid common travel pitfalls.•Fodor's Los Angeles 2010 includes a full-color pullout map!Visit Fodors.com for more ideas and information, travel deals, vacation planning tips, reviews and to exchange travel advice with other travelers.

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Cooking With a Private Chef Review

Cooking With a Private Chef
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First a great story, then the wonderful pictures and recipes. This book is a celebration of good food and good life. It is luxurious and humble at the same time. It is full of good advice and humor. Chef Saxer is never patronizing or intimidating. He guides you through his recipes, always giving you the opportunity to use your imagination and make them your very own creations.

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Hampton's Olde Wythe (VA) (Images of America) Review

Hampton's  Olde  Wythe  (VA)   (Images of America)
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A delightful book, and it is evident that the editors/staff worked hard (and certainly have much to be proud of), but I felt ever-so-slightly let down. Maybe not enough lifelong residents were interviewed. Having grown up in Wythe (and I refuse to say OLDE WYTHE, a phrase that was coined only in recent years and is dumb, in my opinion) I was hoping for a few more personal connections. Well, hopefully, a "Part II" can be assembled some day; I understand there is plenty of material! Don't get me wrong, it is a lovely book with superb writing and photos, I just feel that the surface was only scratched and it left me hungry for more. If there is a Part II, I hope it can be in larger format so I won't need a magnifying glass to see faces in group shots.

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House of Wits: An Intimate Portrait of the James Family Review

House of Wits: An Intimate Portrait of the James Family
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I've been reading books by and about the various Jameses for years and this is one of the absolute best for its range, wit, compassion, and modernity. The author isn't afraid to look openly at the dark side of this remarkable family, but he also doesn't overdraw conclusions. What I like best is that Fisher gives you a profound sense of the fault lines in the James clan, the allegiances, the jealousies, the ways in which they depended on one another and undermined each other. And the family exists in each historic period it passes through, so that the impact of technological and cultural shifts is always present. His grasp of the material is flawless, his insight sharp, and his writing is so good I read some passages aloud. This book marks a new era in James studies, but you don't have to know anything about the clan to be riveted by this complex story of wealth, ambition, despair, defeat, genius.

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Sea Venture: Shipwreck, Survival, and the Salvation of Jamestown Review

Sea Venture: Shipwreck, Survival, and the Salvation of Jamestown
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Very interesting if you are an early US history buff. I learned a lot about Capt. Christopher Newport that I didn't know. Since I live in Newport News, Va which is named after Capt. Newport, I was thrilled to learn how important he was in establishing the Jamestown colony. Our local university is "Christopher Newport U., so I now have more appreciation for that name. This book goes in depth how the events during those years, 1610 - 1620, happened. Most people don't know why the spoken language in Bermuda is English. I came across this book while I was looking for books on Bermuda since I am planning a cruise there. This book also tells a lot about Pocahontas & John Rolfe.

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In one of the most triumphant high sea stories ever told, Kieran Doherty brings to lifethe remarkable true story of the ship that rescued the struggling Jamestown settlement in 1610 and single-handedly ensured England's place in the New World.When the Sea Venture left England in 1609, it was flagship in a fleet of nine bound for Jamestown with roughly 600 settlers and badly needed supplies aboard. But after four weeks at sea, as the voyage neared its end, a hurricane hit devastating the fleet—one ship sank, the rest scattered, and the Sea Venture was shipwrecked on the island of Bermuda. It would take Sea Venture's passengers nearly a year and half to reach their destination. Awaiting them was not the thriving, populated colony they expected, but instead the grim reality of a remaining fifty colonists—beleaguered, desperate, and hungry. But, the question remains, would the English have lost their place in the New World if the Sea Venture had never arrived? A story of strife and triumph, but above all, endurance, Sea Venture begins and ends in hope and remains one of the greatest "What Ifs?" in history. With the bravado of a legendary sea saga, Doherty braves the elements in Sea Venture, delivering a powerful history willed by a people destined to change the New World forever.

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Rochester's Lakeside Resorts and Amusement Parks (Images of America: New York) Review

Rochester's Lakeside Resorts and Amusement Parks (Images of America: New York)
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This is a very useful book for historical research. In spite of having access to a major library, it's still difficult to find information about this (once) grand city and Im happy Amazon is carrying this.

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The period from 1884 to 1926 was the heyday of thetrolley lines, the height of steam travel, and the peak of interest in the “back to nature” movement. It was a time for spiritual renewal, when society was encouraged to enjoy family activities in the fresh air. Resorts served as an escape from summer’s oppressive heat and offered a world of fun, fantasy, and fishingâ€"a world far removed from the toils of the shop, the chores of the farm, or the everyday drudgery demanded by a labor intensive, pre-electric society. Rochester’s Lakeside Resorts and Amusement Parks documents in over 200 photographs the development, dates, locations, and attractions that were a unique part of the rich history of each resort. Offering a window into yesterday, this book reveals many unusual facts about the area and features the fascinating characters who owned and operated the impressive hotels, boats, trolley lines, and amusement concessions.

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Hidden New England: Including Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont (Hidden Travel) Review

Hidden New England: Including Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont (Hidden Travel)
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I bought this book based on the publishers blurb in Amazon.
This is an unfortunate demonstration of the major pitfall of buying books from Amazon. If I had looked at the book in a bookstore I would never have purchased it, I sincerely doubt anyone would. The book is poorly executed primarily in its index or rather series of indexes which are set out so to make as little practical sense as possible.
I will never be able to tell you what is in the book because it cannot be found. It is a frustrating exercise simply leafing through it because the index is no help. Perhaps if I was intimately acquainted with New England I may have some idea where to look in the book so as I could find what I was after. If I did, why would I be buying a travel guide?
I will stick to the DK's Eyewitness Travel guides from now on at least I can find stuff in it.


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Hidden guides combine unique travel choices, outdoor adventures and little-known locales into a guide where vacations meet adventures. Each guide includes detailed maps, complete internet information for each listing, highlighted author favorites, suggested itineraries and walking and driving tours. Hidden New England is written for the new generation of back-road explorers who are driving through this six-state region with very personal intentions. Understanding that the modern traveler isn't looking to be herded to the same beach or mountain resort as everyone else, Hidden New England focuses on the little hotels, restaurants, and shops (including 30 antique stores) that define this always-independent region. Its recommended lodging options include 209 country inns, 43 cabins, and even 87 campgrounds. Hidden New England reveals the area's history at 17 Revolutionary War sites and 100 historic "American" castles and estates. Spectacular natural spots are revealed, including fall-foliage viewing in 179 parks, beaches, and wilderness areas, as well as 224 hiking and 83 cycling trails. A special section on lighthouses leads to 11 of the area's most interesting. This edition features 58 maps.

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In Their Own Words: Pocahontas Review

In Their Own Words: Pocahontas
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I think this is a great resource for teachers who need a good biography on a native american indian who had an impact on our lives. It is an easy reading book with great detail. I recommend this book to anyone interested in learning more about Pocahontas and the Powhatan tribe.

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IN THEIR OWN WORDS: POCAHONTAS tells the exciting story of the life of this famous Native American woman, using the journals and writings of English colonists.

Famous for saving the life of Capt. John Smith in 1608, Pocahontas grew up as the favorite daughter of the Native American chief of the Powhatans.Pocahontas's rescue of Smith made her famous not only in colonial America, but across the ocean in England as well.Pocahontas made enormous contributions to the survival of Jamestown by bringing the colonists food and promoting peace between Powhatans and the English.Pocahontas lived a relatively short life, but she made an impact on colonial American history that is still felt today.
Did you know that Pocahontas:
-was really named Matoaka
-taught John Smith how to speak Algonkian
-was kidnapped and held hostage on an English ship?


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The Knights Templar Chronology: Tracking History's Most Intriguing Monks Review

The Knights Templar Chronology: Tracking History's Most Intriguing Monks
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I have spent years studying the Knights Templar and have read countless books, both fact and fiction, about the group. This book is a good primer for anyone that is looking for a timeline of the Templars.
If you are a beginner looking for information on the Templars, this book will serve as a starting point which leads you to more in depth works depending on what sparks your interest, piques your curiosity.
Mr. Smart has produced a concise timeline of the years leading up to the creation of the Templars, the years of the Templars existence, and their ultimate fall at the hands of the French monarchy and the catholic church.
A good starting point for anyone interested in learning more about the mysterious order of warrior monks.
***One caveat, this timeline does make reference to information from "Holy Blood, Holy Grail" which, at the time of publication of this book was considered researched truth. The requisite release of "The Da Vinci Code" by Dan Brown and the movie brought about a new study which proved a hoax involving the "Priory of Sion". The Priory of Sion did not exist as stated in "Holy Blood, Holy Grail". It was a well planned, well laid out hoax. All of this information came out after the publishing of "The Knights Templar Chronology" by George Smart. Although Mr. Smart cannot be blamed for sighting what was, at the time of publication, assumed to be fact, the fact that this is no longer valid information should be noted now.***
(+++ On a side note: I have recently had the pleasure of corresponding with Mr. Smart and have found that he is sincere in his studies and his dedication to the work he produced. He is a very gracious, kind gentleman. +++)

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If you liked The Da Vinci Code and Holy Blood, Holy Grail, you"ll love digging deeper with The Knights Templar Chronology, a fascinating timeline telling the year by year story of one of history's most secret and mysterious brotherhoods -- in detail unmatched by any other reference volume. This remarkable book maps out at a glance the Templars" rise and fall from which so many modern-day groups draw inspiration. Never before have the world's most intriguing Knights had their incredible adventures and history so fully captured.

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Beavertail Light Station Review

Beavertail Light Station
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Mr. Karentz has doen an admirable job of compiling the facts on one of New England's most historic light stations. This book will be a boon to researchers for many years to come, and it's a must for New England lighthouse buffs and lovers of this very special place.

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250 years of history about America's 3rd oldest lighthouse, beginning before the Revolutionary War, about the people, its development, and those that used this navigation aid at the entrance of Narragansett Bay. Technological innovation and federal bureaucratic conflict as four different organizations beginning in 1749 attempt to improve operations and reliability. Navigation hazards, shipwrecks, piloting, light improvements and fog signal experiments made Rhode Island's Beavertail Light Station one of the most important landmarks in New England. The book follows the early slave trade and Colonists who insisted the lighthouse be built and describes the work ethics and reporting requirements of the generations of 'Keepers' who tended the light. Modern methods, electricity and improved operations are taken over by the US Coast Guard to automate the light station replacing whale oil and fossil fuel burners used by the US Lighthouse Board during the 1800's

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A Berth to Bermuda: One Hundred Years of the World's Classic Ocean Race (Maritime) Review

A Berth to Bermuda: One Hundred Years of the World's Classic Ocean Race (Maritime)
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This year, 2006, marked the centennial of the classic Bermuda Race. When it was first sailed in 1906 from New York City, the Bermuda Race made the sea a playground by creating a new sport--ocean racing by amateur sailors in normal boats. Over the past 100 years, some 4,500 boats and 46,000 men and women have raced to Bermuda, most of them with little real hope of winning.
We were there at the start of the Centennial Race on race committee duty, with a record number of entries sent off to sea like clockwork in ever more impressive classes. It was a beautiful dance to watch. John Rousmaniere - yachting historian, writer, accomplished sailor, and true gentleman - was also at the starting line this year as in many years past. We could not think of anyone better to be telling the story of this classic race from Newport, a legendary starting line, to Bermuda, a speck of an onion patch on the ocean.
Sponsored by the Cruising Club of America and the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club, the race now is so competitive and compelling that all heads turn in the direction of its mere mention, so challenging that sailors ask themselves why they are doing it again, and so addictive that they keep coming back. Held every other year (alternating with the Marion to Bermuda Race which is for `cruising sailboats'), and no longer a contest entirely for 'normal boats' given some of the high end entries, it is the race to take part in. Jim Mertz of American Yacht Club held the record for most number of Bermuda races sailed at 30 - his last being in 2004.
In this lavish book replete with historical facts and photos, John Rousmaniere tells the story of the remarkable sailors, the great boats, the tactics, the Gulf Stream ordeal, and the lure of Bermuda that make this the world's classic ocean race. Did you know that the first Bermuda race went from Brooklyn to Bermuda? Do you know what controversies surrounded the first start? What one addition to the Bermuda Race probably made the biggest difference in its success? It's all there in John's beautifully written, elegantly laid out, and smartly chronicaled tale.
I cannot think of a better holiday or birthday gift for the sailing enthusiast.Other books by John Rousmaniere include In a Class by Herself (about Bolero) and Fastnet Force 10.

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When it was first sailed in 1906, the Bermuda Race made the sea a playground by creating a new sport-ocean racing by amateur sailors in normal boats. Sponsored by the Cruising Club of America and the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club, the race is now so glamorous that sailors' ears perk up when it is mentioned, so difficult that participants ask themselves "Why am I out here again?" and so addictive that they keep coming back for this every-other-year event. In this lavish, heavily illustrated book, yachting historian (and Bermuda Racer) John Rousmaniere tells the story of the remarkable sailors, the great boats, the tactics, the Gulf Stream ordeal, and the lure of Bermuda that make this the world's classic ocean race.

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Ancient Signposts: Part I - Messages From Our Ancient Past (Volume 1) Review

Ancient Signposts: Part I - Messages From Our Ancient Past (Volume 1)
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This book will stand ancient history on it's ear. The author has discovered and used a secret that has been passed down for millinnia to decode and explain man's ancient past. A must read for anyone who cares about our ancient ancestors.

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Lady Betty Across the Water Review

Lady Betty Across the Water
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Lady Betty is a delightful heroine. I collect "girls" novels of the 1890-1920 period. Many of them are poorly written and/or formulaic. Lady Betty is an exception. The story is funny, well plotted, and if the ending is not precisely a surprise, it is satisfying. It's not just a collector's item. I'm happy to find the authors other works are still available and, it seems, experiencing a renaissance.

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