I heard about this book while talking to one of the persons quoted in it. Dick Peterson, an AME who worked on a lot of the planes in the book and knew most of the pilots. Also, I have the good fortune to know one of the pilots as a friend with whom I fly every year to my Canadian summer home. Because of this personal interest, I may be just a little prejudiced but I found the book fascinating reading. The history of the float planes from the earliest Curtiss HS-2Ls to the present Cessnas, Beavers, Otters and Twin Beeches is presented along with stories of the escapades and strange happenings of the pilots that flew them. For the technically curious, that information is included in the back of the book. Anyone with any curiousity, bent toward "seat-of-the-pants" flying, would love this book.

This is an easy to read book about the Great Northern Railway. The book covers the history of the railroad in great looking black and white photos. But if you wan't a lot of information on the railroad, this is not the book for you. The pages are very spaciuos with generally one or two photos on each page and a total of about 15 pages of text. With that in mind I can really recommend the book. It's a great way to spark an interest about the Great Northern Railway.

There are many books on Halloween (including another by Jack Santino), but this book is unique in presenting a look at how very old customs have persisted amid the social turmoil and political unrest of Northern Ireland. Since Santino is an American folklorist, one would expect an outsider's view of Halloween. Instead, having lived in Northern Ireland for an extended period and formed working relationships with folklorists there, Santino offers a view of a cultural phenomenon that is both sympathetic and objective. His insights are worth considering. Perhaps the only drawback to this volume is its lack of historical perspective or comparison with other Celtic cultures. Despite this, the present volume is a welcome addition to the library of anyone interested in Halloween itself or Celtic cultural remains.

Mr Fennells eclectic approach to contemporary Irelands intellectual well- being is one of the most thought provoking books I have read this year. His analyses of the intellectual hegemony that exists has echos of Orwells '1984'. I particularly enjoyed his devastating analayses of Irelands foreign policy in chapter five. Rather than forging a world view befitting its proud history and pursuing an independent foreign policy the writer depicts an Ireland on the periphery of Europe bereft of allies constantly looking to the' metropolis' of London, Washington or Brussels for guidance. Chapter ten offers a critique of the Dublin elite. A small society closseted in the south eastern suburbs of the city with its hands on the controls of all the main organs of intellectual expression. A closet with an eastward view only, across the Irish sea towards London and beyond. Indigenous intellectual ideas are scrutinised only by reference to a foreign paradigm. Mr Fennells clarity of thought is complemented by his crisp precise use of language. Highly recomended.

A Helpful guide to hikes along the Appalation Trail in Maine. The guide gives general information as well as specific information about the trail. Each hike includes specific places, distances, where to find a lean-to, and water.

I relied on this guide for my 1996 excursion to Strathcona Park, and I know I'll eventually own all three volumes of Hiking Trails.

The writing gives you a sense of the Island's personality, a feeling that it could only have been written by a local.

There are entries on almost every trail, but it's not as complete when it comes to stats such as distances and elevation gains. There's a tone of "here's the trail, eh, so go find out the rest for yourself." Still, I recommend this guide and talk about my trip on my web site (www.accessone.com/~dubois)

Written by a longtime local resident Mary Hagen, Hiking Trails of Northern Colorado is regarded as the "Bible" of Larimer County trail information. It includes detailed route information of trails in the popular Poudre Canyon as well as Pingree Park, Big Thompson Canyon, Comanche Peaks Wilderness Area, Rawah Wilderness Area and other areas west of Fort Collins, Loveland, and Red Feather Lakes. Hikes range in difficulty from easy 2 hour jaunts with the kids to multiday adventures through some of Colorado's most spectacular alpine wilderness areas. As with any guide of this type, some information may be somewhat dated. However with a minimum amount of research, i.e, Current US Forest Service or Trails Illustrated maps, any outdated information can be easily updated.

The Ice Age World by Bjorn Andersen and Harold Borns, Jr. is an excellent resource for those interested in the the glacial history of North America and Europe. The beautiful full-colour illustrations and photographs, accompanied by clear and informative captions, make this book ideal for all knowledge-levels. The section on processes and scientific methods, as well as the extended glossary, are invaluable to the student of quaternary geology. The Ice Age World is as "at home" by the fire as it is in the classroom.

This book is based on dozens of interviews by Fionnuala O'Connor with Catholic celebrities as well as men and women of the street and provides a fascinating view into the way of thinking of the Catholic community. The book should by read by everyone who is interested in the Northern Ireland question.

UNABLE TO READ THE FIRST IN THE SERIES, I WAS ABLE TO QUICKLY FIND MYSELF ABSORBED INTO THE PLOT. THE AUTHOR USES HER OWN NATIVE HERITAGE TO COLOR THE LIFESTYLE. THE CHARATORS ARE REAL AND HUMAN AND ANNE STRUGGLES WITH HER NEW FOUND FAITH, ISSUES OF PREDJUDICE (IN A MIXED RACIAL MARRIAGE), AND HER CLASH OF CULTURES (INDIAN IN A WHITE SETTING).