I have used this volume extensively, over a number of years, and have found it to be exceptionally useful. Pair it with a Brit Rail flexipass, and you will never need to join tours or be at a loss for new places to visit.

The descriptions and maps make it possible to explore locations at a leisurely pace, noting spots one would find of particular interest. Though the 'walking tours' outlined are within the reach of most, those who cannot walk distances should not be deterred, because there nearly always are local buses (if not Guide Friday tours, which are convenient and relatively inexpensive) that can bring one from the station to the town centre. I have never had difficulty exploring a new city using the Daytrips maps, and I am by no means gifted with any sense of direction.

Though not aimed solely at those with Brit Rail passes, this book can help those who hold them to have maximum benefit. (Those travelling from the States, used to a country that is geographically massive, and where major cities of interest can be separated by hundreds or thousands of miles, often need time to adjust conceptually to that one may see much of England by travelling by day return. One cannot get the full benefit of rail passes unless one gets away from the mindset that any journey means an overnight stay.) Since, for example, the most common flexipass allows one four days of travel, not journeys, using Daytrips to select destinations, then returning to the home base in the evening, means exploring four cities - not going in one direction on the first and returning on the next 'day of the pass.'

Although I rely on Rick Steves' travel books to explore major European cities, I never leave home without Daytrips if I intend to day-trip by rail to smaller towns. In England and parts of Scotland, the Guy Friday bus tours make it easy to explore a town on your own without a tour group, and are highly recommended. However, Daytrips will cover in detail sites worth seeing, good hotel recommendations (better than Rick Steves), good restaurant recommendations, and fairly good maps (bring a compass). Very reliable and solid guidebook for travellers who enjoy walking. Certain cities are recommended with a star and from experience, it is extremely accurate.

The sixth edition of this helpful guide replaces our well-worn fifth edition (published 1995). In addition to being updated, it includes five additional day trips (Hastings, Shanklin on the Isle of Wight, Cardiff, Wells, and Chester).

This edition follows the format of the prior one with each of the fifty-five destinations being allotted its own chapter. A brief introduction to each place is followed by directions for getting there that may include transport by underground, rail, car, boat, or bus, as applicable. The discussion always includes the distance from the city, which London train stations service the area, a summary of the schedule ("at least hourly from Victoria") and the duration of travel. The guide then cites a few pubs and restaurants in the area (generally those providing English fare), with a one sentence review. A walking tour is provided with a map and commentary on the various sites of interest encountered along the way. Also included is a section entitled "Practicalites" that lists the dates and times major attractions are not open to the public, the address and phone number of the visitor center (although they spell it centre), and other information pertinent to someone planning a visit.

Destinations vary from those within London itself (e.g. the City, and Westminster), to those located fairly near the city (e.g. Windsor Castle, Richmond and Hampton Court), to those located over one hundred and fifty miles from London (e.g. the Welsh city of Cardiff, and York). The latter destinations can take two hours to reach by rail (each way) and may be more amenable to an overnight stay than a one day visit.

Also included is an excellent section on managing the British rail system (it really is quite simple).

The major advantage of the guide is that it tells you how to get to and explore many places of interest in southern Britain without having to join expensive and restrictive organized day tours. It gives you the freedom of choosing your own itinerary; if you want to spend your time lingering over a long lunch, shopping, or just enjoying the ambiance, you can do so. There is no: "The bus will leave at exactly 2:15 this afternoon, be sure to be here."

For the first time visitor to London who only wants to take in the grandeur of the city, the book seems to be of limited value. But if a trip outside London, such as to Stonehenge or Bath, is contemplated, the guide can prove quite valuable. It is highly recommended.

I've searched for years for just the right book that sums up my feelings for lost wilderness and finally found it with this book. I find Mr. Camuto's contrast with William Bartram's descriptions of the mountains both startling and sad. I've walked these mountains for over 30 years and in just the last 10 have I begun to realize the tragic consequences of overdevelopment and urban sprawl. Mountains and streams once largely clean and pristine now are considered off limits for fishing and drinking and I wonder why we have no love for the complexity of our natural environment. Like a Sand County Almanac, Chris Camuto has begun a modern discussion of the land ethic. An ethic our country, I fear, has so far refused to acknowledge or accept.

Another Country is a search for the soul of a land almost destroyed. Christopher Camuto writes a powerful narrative describing his exploration of the Cherokee homeland in the appalachians. He seeks communion, a connection he can sense in what is left of the natural landscape and wildness around him. It is as elusive as the dying Cherokee myths, as tangible as the arrowheads and village sites he finds. Camuto refers to the Appalacians as the Cherokee Mountains, their former nomenclature, because it is to the Cherokees they really belong. The rape and exploitation of their land parallels the rape and exploitation of their culture. Camuto's search for a wildness, that now remains only in remnants, is set in counterpoint to the reintroduction of the red wolf into the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The most important clan animal of the Cherokee, it is symbolic of the differences between the Cherokee and the early Europeans. One revered its wildness and sought to preserve it. The other despised and killed it. One honored the wolf's home, seeking harmony with the land and its spirits. The other saw something untamed that must be destroyed. The author's journey begins as the wolves are being set free. Like many of the members of this first Canus Rufus release who step beyond their shrinking boundaries, Camuto confronts the vestiges of civilization at almost every turn. Set against continual references to Native-American mythology, and the history of the area, Camuto's book allows the reader to share his insight into the Cherokee view of the world. Unlike many who write about early culture, he does not attempt to steal it as his own. His statement that he is not Cherokee and thus can never totally understand, adds credibility to the objectiveness of his observations. It also demonstrates humbleness of endeavor, a bow of respect to the Cherokee nation. The book is firmly rooted in place as it combines the ethereal with the tangible landscape. Those who cherish wildness and honor those first here, will also treasure this book. In many ways , it is a sad obituary, lamenting that which was, as it examines what is left. The reintroduction of the red wolf represents one small, but hopeful, step in the restoration of that which is lost.

I've hiked and fished the Southern Highlands for years, especially the area in and around the Smoky Mt. National Park. Reading Another Country has shown me this place in a completely new light. He compares these mountains at one point to a palimpsest--a scraped-over parchment on which old texts leave faint traces. This book records Camuto's efforts to track these traces, which of course are quickly vanishing if not already gone. By giving these mountains back their ancient names, by telling stories the Cherokee told their children about their homeland, by delving into the natural and human history of the places he walks, by honoring the memories of the ones who are gone, and by contextualizing the beleaguered efforts to bring the red wolf back to its former ground, Camuto opens up layer upon layer of meaning for us who seek out the last wild places without always knowing why. An unforgettable book.

This unique combination of travel and food is a delight to read and the recipes are easy and work. I already use many of the recipes on a regular basis, a mark of a good recipe!

A terrific title and a terrific book! I love it. The flavor of the Smoky Mountains and its artisans has been captured by the author through recipes, stories and memories in this heartwarming and charming cookbook. I feel like getting in my car and driving straight to Gatlinburg, but since I can't, I guess I'll have to settle for making one or two of the recipes! I think I'll try Aunt Fanny's Baked Squash. Should go great with Eleanor's recipe for Whop Biscuits!

I found myself laughing aloud at the humorous personal anecdotes of the craftspeople who contributed their favorite recipes and marveling at their stories of how and why they became members of the crafting community. I would have enjoyed reading the book for its humor alone, even without all the great recipes.

I actually got this book because of the jambalaya recipe that I tasted at a party. As it was cooking, I read the accompanying writeup on the fireman who gave the recipe and ended up reading the entire book. I thought the stories of the fireman added a nice touch. Recently I gave a copy to a firefighter friend of mine and he was delighted (which was definitely a first). There needs to be a "More Firehouse Cooks", so I'll have a Christmas present for him next year.

I stole the above title because it's perfect. I've only had time to try a few recipes, but so far, so good (agree with the above recommendation for the Jambalaya on page 150). It's the stories of the firemen that make this book so special-like the stories about the chefs in Top Texas Chefs: Favorite Recipes. Great gift idea!

This is a great cookbook but a lot more. The stories of the firefighters, their families, how they feel about their jobs, were funny, moving, inspirational, and more. Get this one even if you never intend to enter another kitchen. (The receipes are great, too. Check out page 150, for sure.

I live near the Smoky Mountains, and was blown away by the number of campsites I didn't know existed within a 50 mile radius of my city. This is a great book for weekend trips or a small vacation on the cheap. Especially good for novice campers (like me!) who want to get away without going totally backcountry. This is a beautiful area and, though crowded in spots, this guide points you to some of the more secluded and well-maintained campsites.

I bought this book and, first try, camped in the nicest campsite that I have ever driven a vehicle into (still can't beat some backpacking sites, but backpacking sites are not the subject of this book). Besides a descriptive narrative for each recommended campsite, there are very helpful "Key Information" and "To Get There..," sections. Use this book once and it will be worth the money.

If you like noise, crowds of people near your campsite, large RV's with cable TV, or think the best thing about the Smoky Mountains is Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, this book is not for you. If the your ideal vacation includes none of the above listed things, you will enjoy Johnny Molloy's guide to exploring and enjoying the Smoky Mountains. Well written and well researched, this book is the best I've discovered on finding off-the-beaten path campsites in the nation's most visited national park.

If you are at all interested in natural history, history, the prairie, Oklahoma, or families in general, this is a book you will greatly enjoy. It 's also a beautiful book with generous numbers of great black and white photos. Definitely a "must read."

The Buffalo Creek Chronicles is a team effort, uniting the photographs and commentary of Don House, memoirs by Sue Selman and observations by Gary Lantz focusing on the personal, cultural and natural history of the Selman Ranch, some 16,000 acres of native prairie along Buffalo Creek in northwest Oklahoma.

The ranch dates back to when founder J.O. Selman herded longhorns up from Texas during the 1890s while he accumulated land of his own in the big, unfenced cattle country known as the Cherokee Strip.

J.O., or "Jimmy Few Clothes" as he was called due to the stark poverty that inspired him to join a trail drover crew at age 15, eventually amassed more than 60,000 acres between the North Canadian and Cimarron Rivers. Today Sue Selman's children represent the family's fourth generation to live and work on the ranch.

Lantz and House spent over a year exploring the ranch from every angle-on foot, through the window of a pickup truck, in the saddle, in a wagon pulled by a team of draft horses.

During that time they became acquainted with Selman family history, the sodbusters who lived in dugouts carved into dirt bluffs, pioneers who arrived here in covered wagons, epidemics that swept the countryside, plagues of grasshoppers, cowboys with a taste for whiskey, the last horseback bank robbery in Oklahoma, blizzards, dust storms, droughts. The authors found Indian artifacts and ancient buffalo bones half buried in the banks of Sleeping Bear Creek. They rode with the Selmans as they celebrated their family heritage during a two day longhorn cattle drive held on the ranch. The men dodged rattlesnakes, made the acquaintance of a few porcupines, helped guide hunters from as far away as Buffalo, New York and watched a remnant flock of lesser prairie chickens stage a spring courtship drama that once thundered from every suitable knoll stretching from the Cimarron River sandhills to the rainshadow of the Rockies.

A sampling of some of each can be found in this book, along with Sue Selman's recollections of growing up in the rough 'n tumble Buffalo Creek cattle country during the 1950s, a time when little girls learned to rope as well as cope in what was traditionally a man's hard-edged, sunburned world.

This book is about cows, grass and a proud heritage and culture seeking new ways to survive. Fickle cattle markets have prompted Sue and her children to explore nontraditional land use practices, including fee hunting and nature tourism, to keep the family together and the ranch intact.

A special section devoted to Don House's black and white photographs seeks to portray the stark dignity of a landscape that oftentimes unnerves visitors due to the encircling bigness of it all. Capturing he Buffalo Creek country on film is an exercise in interpreting overpowering horizons, a landscape that must be dissected and examined in increments, then somehow visually and philosophically reconnected to grasp the sum of all the parts.

Don's camera examines not just the landscape, but also moments of time and space contained within that landscape. In addition to his contemporary photographs, he has judiciously selected and edited historical pictures that add faces and places to the personalities represented in the text.

The mission of the Buffalo Creek Chronicles was to write the biography of a ranch that continues to defy all odds and exist under the founder's name, along with the people, the plants, the animals and the weather that comprise the character of this particular place on earth. The Buffalo Creek country can have a hard edge to it, and the people must acquire a special toughness to survive here. Yet at the same time this land can be beautiful and brimming with life. The writers hope this book will give readers a new appreciation for not only our rapidly disappearing native grasslands, but also the ranchers who do so much to preserve what little remains

Kelley has produced a powerful and startling history of the deep south in the 1930s. He tackles a difficult subject both historically and ideologically (the relationship between poor black sharecroppers and the American Communist party). His tireless efforts at writing this book shine out of the pages unquestionably as does his deep, thoughtful intelligence. I would recommend this book for anyone interested in subversive U.S. history or just in a good read.

This book is great, it undermines the conventional treatments of afro-american history and although it is focused in the south it takes a genuine look at the struggle to free the shackles from Afro-americans and lift the blanket of opressions.

This exceptional and consistent trail guide offers eighty-two different sections to paddle on thirty-two rivers in southern Wisconsin, flexible enough to be made into day trips or overnight camping trips. Each stretch of river highlighted is done with great attention to what needs to be known and little information seems to be left out. River segments are treated similarly, the number of miles are stated, the launching and landing points of access are described, where camping, rentals and shuttle services are available (just phone numbers are supplied), the general gradient (rate of descent) in average conditions, other places to paddle within the chosen area, notes of history, full page maps and many small but nice black & white pictures. A detailed dialogue of each trip is also given, providing a sufficient idea of what to expect around the next river bend.

The book has a very thorough introduction that doesn't overlook the crucial skills and dangers to be aware of. It frequently mentions the importance of being informed about changing water levels and directs the reader to websites for finding such up-to-date info. The book also has a host of reference materials relevant to Wisconsin such as a list of annual events, clubs & organizations, websites, recommended reading (including bike trails and fishing!). Recommended books and videos for improving skills and a categorized list of certain river sections suitable for beginner, intermediate or expert paddlers plus a list of what fish are found most plentiful in each river.

The information you'll find here exceeds that of an average guidebook. Revealed are the many charms of Wisconsin to be found along its waterways. Unusual rock formations, old dams, waterwheel mills, historic buildings, covered bridges, rolling hills, valleys and narrow coulees, farmland, woodland, marshes, fun riffles and rapids, wildlife and so much more. Best experienced and discovered from the unique vantage point of a canoe or kayak. [reviewed at amazon.com by tilley_traveler]

Paddling Southern Wisconsin showcases 83 fun and memorable canoe and kayak excursions on southern Wisconsin waterways. Mike Svob offers the Wisconsin canoeing enthusiasts precise maps of roads, put-ins and take-outs, significant rapids, mileage, and other practical information. A detailed description for each of the 82 suggested trips provides a reliable idea of what to expect. General summaries cover camping opportunities, water levels, shuttle routes, access points, canoe rentals, even shuttle services (when available). A very highly recommended "do-it-yourself" reference and planning guide, Paddling Southern Wisconsin is enriched further with additional sources of information on fishing opportunities, river reading and maneuvers, as well as special safety factors for the canoeist or kayaker.

Just when it seemed there was nothing else to be said about southern cooking, Edna Lewis and Scott Peacock print this outrageously wonderful book. All your favorite Southern recipes and then some are here-- from pimento cheese to pigs' feet to pecan pie to pound cake. This book is far more than a collection of recipes, however. There are tips on everything from the best cornmeal to use for different cornbreads to the use of peanut oil versus homemade lard. Most importantly, this book is the story of a friendship that transcends generations and race and distance.

The color photographs by Christopher Hirsheimer are exquisite. Many of them approach art--particularly the photos of fruits and vegetables-- and should be enlarged and framed. This cookbook opens with the famous Scarlett O'Hara line: "As God is my witness, I'll never be hungry again." She would if she read this cookbook.

A great book to give to both those who cook and those who don't or to anyone interested in the rich heritage of Southern cooking.

Being from the south myself, I can truthfully state that this book is quinissential true southern cooking. No fluff, no fancy additions to simple pure dishes - this book includes straightforward and delicious earthy southern food recipes. The recipe for fried chicken alone is worth the price. Anyone who relishes hearty dishes dictated by the seasons and the harvest on the southern farm will be richly rewarded here. I own 30 or so cookbooks, but this one is by far my favorite. And the stories from the authors are wonderful.

This book is the best thing that has happened to me all summer. The book is a pleasure to read and all the recipes I've tried work. It's about the joy of preparing good, simple foods and the real gift of feeding people. Yummm.

No longer do I have to put store bought food in a piece of Pyrex and take it to a family reunion. I am happy to say that I can make all the delicious food from 'down home". The biscuits, gravy, pies, chicken and dumplings, the list goes on and on, all are easy to make with a short list of ingredients. Now, if I could learn to talk southern...

Back home in Georgia, we'd get together and eat. Sometimes, we'd eat each other, but mostly we ate Momma's fried chicken, some of Gladis's potato salad, and a mess of Mother Burnside's turnip greens. . .We'd eat until we was about to bust. . .then we'd have homemade ice-cream and watermelon cooled in the stream. . .then we'd sit on the porch and just talk. . .

Ms. Flagg's cookbook calls back those days, when the parson would stop by for Sunday Dinner, and us kids would be jealous and angry because the reverend would ask us a bible study question, and the child that got it right would get that last runner < a chicken leg for you Yankee readers>. . . and if we missed, that leg went to the parson, and we went just a little bit hungry.

Ms. Flagg's recipes are "comfort food." Read as "Southern Comfort Food." Need a snack? Sipsey's "Fried Green Tomatoes" will lift you to realms unknown. Depressed? Try the "Chicken 'N' Dumplings." Go to taste heaven you never dreamed existed! And you think you know bar-be-que? You don't know jack, sailor. . .In the south, it's bar-b-q. . . And bar-be-que starts with half a hog. . .Yankess don't have hogs, they have "pigs," and there, as Shakespeare observed, "lies all the diference."

Buy this book. . .Eat some "good eatin'"

You yankees come down, ya hear. . .you'll go home fatter, happier, and a li'll bit fatter. . .but that boild stuff y'all eat. . .never gonna taste good again. . .

Y'all just remember. . ."Secret's in the Sauce!"

bookworm

Lots of folk have read "Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe," by Fannie Flagg. Even more have seen the movie, "Fried Green Tomatoes" . I read Ms. Flagg's cookbook with delight, anticipation, more than a few hunger pangs, and a profound sense of relief that somebody, somewhere had the good sense to preserve these fine old dishes of the deep South and pass them on. Her recipe for "Chicken'n'Dumplings" matches the faded 3x5 card version I inherited from my mother almost to a tee. Her "Fried Chicken" is enough to send the health-conscious into a coma! Well, y'all. Welcome south. We fry things down here, but at least the food has some flavor and texture. Take "Fried Green Tomatoes," as one example. You can't "boil" green tomatoes; nor can they be broiled, roasted, or baked. Honey, they gots to be FRIED. But one bite, and your taste buds done boarded the glory train to paradise, 'specially if you wash it down with the "house wine of the south" , a big tall glass of homemade ice-tea.
Miss Flagg's cookbook brought back a comforting time of nostalgia, when momma's Sunday dinners were a treat looked for all week long, and us kids hated it when the preacher came by of a Sunday evening. It also brought back several dishes I thought had perished when the Interstate Highway system destroyed the back byways and unimproved roads that lead to the "old home place" throughout the South. The ham and "red-eye" gravy recipe alone is worth the cost of the book, and even a Yankee girl can make it if she takes her time and doesn't try to "fix" it.
Salt abounds. Calories flourish. Fats lurk everywhere. And cholesterol and other nefarious substances are omnipresent. But the things that'll come out of your kitchen will amaze you, content your spouse, make your children smarter and more obedient, and fill your house with the smells associated with happier simpler times, when meals were shared by the family, enjoyed by all, and digested sitting on the porch with an old AM radio tuned to the only clear channel, and the night creeping up out of the ground.
Thank you, Ms. Flagg.