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North Carolina Atlas & Gazetteer (North Carolina Atlas and Gazetteer)

Average customer rating:

anonymous
North Carolina Atlas & Gazetteer (North Carolina Atlas and Gazetteer)
NC Gazetteer
Very good but a couple complaints
A compromised but required series of maps

North Carolina Atlas & Gazetteer (North Carolina Atlas and Gazetteer)

Manufacturer: Delorme Mapping Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Utah Atlas & Gazetteer
Nevada Atlas & Gazetteer
Idaho Atlas & Gazetteer
Virginia Atlas & Gazetteer (Virginia Atlas & Gazeteer)
New Mexico Atlas & Gazetteer

ASIN: 0899332773
Release Date: 2006-06-01

Product Description

EVERYTHING you ever wanted to know about a State! These Atlas & Gazetteer Books give you detailed geographical information, GPS grids, complete travelways for fishing and hunting areas (indexed by type of game), hiking, canoeing... even seaplane routes, for Pete's sake! Large 11 x 15 1/2" soft cover books, most topographical (see below). Select State, as available in the Shopping Cart below. *Note- Florida, Maine, Michigan and Ohio are Non-topographical maps (elevations not shown) but with same information otherwise. Atlas & Gazetteer

Customer Reviews:

anonymous.......2007-06-27

Delorme produces an excellent resource. If you need very specific detailed pages, you'll also need a Thomas Guide.

North Carolina Atlas & Gazetteer (North Carolina Atlas and Gazetteer).......2007-06-01

Bought in order to better plan my bike trips. Was disappointed to find numerous errors (2006 Edition) in street names of some main roads in my area and that the scale (1:500,000) does not allow for much detail. It does not suite my purpose and have few alternatives given we live off the usual city maps coverage. Will use it for car trips but the lack of detail and errors leaves me doubtful of its usefulness for leisure activities.

NC Gazetteer.......2007-01-04

I bought this atlas and gazetteer for my mother who loves to travel in books. She had heard about it on a travel program and wanted one. She has thoroughly enjoyed it and has found a lot of places in NC that she had heard about and would like to visit one day. She had never heard of it before but it was exactly what she was looking for.

Very good but a couple complaints.......2006-09-25

This highly detailed map is an invaluable reference but its size and layout make it cumbersome to refer to on the go. Also there's no overlap from one page to the next. If your route is in the middle of the page, you're in luck! But going from Asheville to neighboring Black Mountain requires flipping among 4 different pages.

A compromised but required series of maps.......2006-03-28

For years I refused to buy this road atlas because it got the name and length of the 1970's era street I live on wrong. In fact, I noted several errors within the vicinity that I'm most familiar with. That said, it's still the only serious contender for a reasonably decent compendium of local maps. I finally broke down and bought a copy because so many birding and canoeing resources reference the "Delorme" as it's usually called locally. It's no real alternative to having very detailed USGS topo maps of any area of intense interest, but I'll give it credit for being a reasonably compact, (by large, bulky, car use standards), version of a state map. It's position is between that of the free Dept of Transportation maps and the highly detailed local maps that can be purchased from convience stores for road use, and from the better outdoor provision and recreational companies for topographical and lake and shore details. For what it is, it's definitely worth the price. Just don't expect it to be the last local map you'll buy. It's a compromise all the way around. But, sometimes a compromise is the best solution. That said, I went ahead and got the one for SC, and will probably get the one for VA as well.

Average customer rating:

Great Book
Needs improvement. Serious omissions.
Encyclopedia of NC
Encylopedia of North Carolina
Encyclopedia of NC - Must Have Reference for North Carolinians

Encyclopedia of North Carolina

Manufacturer: The University of North Carolina Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Hugh Morton's North Carolina

ASIN: 0807830712
Release Date: 2006-10-25

Book Description

The first single-volume reference to the events, institutions, and cultural forces that have defined the state, the Encyclopedia of North Carolina is a landmark publication that will serve those who love and live in North Carolina for generations to come. Editor William S. Powell, whom the Raleigh News & Observer described as a "living repository of information on all things North Carolinian," spent fifteen years developing this volume. With contributions by more than 550 volunteer writers—including scholars, librarians, journalists, and many others—it is a true "people's encyclopedia" of North Carolina.

The volume includes more than 2,000 entries, presented alphabetically, consisting of longer essays on major subjects, briefer entries, and short summaries and definitions. Most entries include suggestions for further reading. Centered on history and the humanities, topics covered include agriculture; arts and architecture; business and industry; the Civil War; culture and customs; education; geography; geology, mining, and archaeology; government, politics, and law; media; medicine, science, and technology; military history; natural environment; organizations, clubs, and foundations; people, languages, and immigration; places and historic preservation; precolonial and colonial history; recreation and tourism; religion; and transportation.

An informative and engaging compendium, the Encyclopedia of North Carolina is abundantly illustrated with 400 photographs and maps. It is both a celebration and a gift—from the citizens of North Carolina, to the citizens of North Carolina.

Customer Reviews:

Great Book.......2007-04-05

A great book by a great historian. Not only is this an essential reference guide to all things in North Carolina, but it represents a culmination Professor Powell's career, one of North Carolina's greatest treasures. I purchased it not only because I wanted it but also as a means of honoring Professor Powell. In regard to the comment about the lack of biographies in this book, I assume that comment was made in jest. But for those not familiar with Professor Powell's previous works, he previously published (in the late 1970's and 1980's) a six volume "Dictionary of North Carolina Biographies."

Needs improvement. Serious omissions........2007-01-19

Encyclopedic guides to states, cities and regions are coming hot off the presses now. I was anxiously awaiting this one, but I've come away slightly disappointed. Most obvious to me at first are the serious omissions in the book: There are absolutely ZERO biographical articles in here. What happened there? There's an article for every imaginable institution of higher learning, including many long extinct, but not an entry for James K. Polk, William Tryon, Michael Jordan, Jesse Jackson, James Taylor or Jessie Helms. Not all North Carolina natives, mind you, but all with profound impacts on the state's history. Some general entries (such as "Mealtimes") aren't immediately applicable to North Carolina at all, but are linked by a contrived peculiarity, as could be done for any other state in the country. Impressive in scope and certainly not a complete failure, but incomplete enough to justify a much improved second edition.

Encyclopedia of NC.......2007-01-18

This book has lots of wonderful information about the Tar Heel State. I recommend the book to newcomers to our state as well as to NC natives. This would be a great resource for students in the fourth grade to use.

Encylopedia of North Carolina.......2007-01-18

Dr. William Powell, Professor Emeritus of History at the University of North Carolina, has published this huge book which contains everything you may ever wish to know about the history of North Carolina. It is well written and easy to use.

Encyclopedia of NC - Must Have Reference for North Carolinians.......2007-01-18

I got the Encyclopedia of NC as a gift for my Dad. I was able to browse through it before I gave it to him. The variety of entries on North Carolina is exhaustive (the subject "privies" is included). Most entries are concise but others longer. My dad keeps it by his easy chair and reads it regularly. I can easily say it is the best gift I have given him in his 85 years. I think it belongs in at least every native North Carolinian's home.

Average customer rating:

Heartbreaking and Revelatory
essential
The "Other South" Revealed
Blood Done told the Truth...
amazing

Blood Done Sign My Name: A True Story
Timothy B. Tyson
Manufacturer: Crown
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0609610589
Release Date: 2004-05-18

Amazon.com

When he was but 10 years old, Tim Tyson heard one of his boyhood friends in Oxford, N.C. excitedly blurt the words that were to forever change his life: "Daddy and Roger and 'em shot 'em a nigger!" The cold-blooded street murder of young Henry Marrow by an ambitious, hot-tempered local businessman and his kin in the Spring of 1970 would quickly fan the long-flickering flames of racial discord in the proud, insular tobacco town into explosions of rage and street violence. It would also turn the white Tyson down a long, troubled reconciliation with his Southern roots that eventually led to a professorship in African-American studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison--and this profoundly moving, if deeply troubling personal meditation on the true costs of America's historical racial divide. Taking its title from a traditional African-American spiritual, Tyson skillfully interweaves insightful autobiography (his father was the town's anti-segregationist Methodist minister, and a man whose conscience and human decency greatly informs the son) with a painstakingly nuanced historical analysis that underscores how little really changed in the years and decades after the Civil Rights Act of 1965 supposedly ended racial segregation. The details are often chilling: Oxford simply closed its public recreation facilities rather than integrate them; Marrow's accused murderers were publicly condemned, yet acquitted; the very town's newspaper records of the events--and indeed the author's later account for his graduate thesis--mysteriously removed from local public records. But Tyson's own impassioned personal history lessons here won't be denied; they're painful, yet necessary reminders of a poisonous American racial legacy that's so often been casually rewritten--and too easily carried forward into yet another century by politicians eagerly employing the cynical, so-called "Southern Strategy." --Jerry McCulley

Book Description

"Daddy and Roger and 'em shot 'em a nigger."

Those words, whispered to ten-year-old Tim Tyson by one of his playmates in the late spring of 1970, heralded a firestorm that would forever transform the small tobacco market town of Oxford, North Carolina.

On May 11, 1970, Henry Marrow, a 23-year-old black veteran, walked into a crossroads store owned by Robert Teel, a rough man with a criminal record and ties to the Ku Klux Klan, and came out running. Teel and two of his sons chased Marrow, beat him unmercifully, and killed him in public as he pleaded for his life. In the words of a local prosecutor: "They shot him like you or I would kill a snake."

Like many small Southern towns, Oxford had barely been touched by the civil rights movement. But in the wake of the killing, young African Americans took to the streets, led by 22-year-old Ben Chavis, a future president of the NAACP. As mass protests crowded the town square, a cluster of returning Vietnam veterans organized what one termed "a military operation." While lawyers battled in the courthouse that summer in a drama that one termed "a Perry Mason kind of thing," the Ku Klux Klan raged in the shadows and black veterans torched the town's tobacco warehouses.

With large sections of the town in flames, Tyson's father, the pastor of Oxford's all-white Methodist church, pressed his congregation to widen their vision of humanity and pushed the town to come to terms with its bloody racial history. In the end, however, the Tyson family was forced to move away.

Years later, historian Tim Tyson returned to Oxford to ask Robert Teel why he and his sons had killed Henry Marrow. "That nigger committed suicide, coming in here wanting to four-letter-word my daughter-in-law," Teel explained.

The black radicals who burned much of Oxford also told Tim their stories. "It was like we had a cash register up there at the pool hall, just ringing up how much money we done cost these white people," one of them explained. "We knew if we cost 'em enough goddamn money they was gonna start changing some things."

In the tradition of To Kill a Mockingbird, Blood Done Sign My Name is a classic work of conscience, a defining portrait of a time and place that we will never forget. Tim Tyson's riveting narrative of that fiery summer and one family's struggle to build bridges in a time of destruction brings gritty blues truth, soaring gospel vision, and down-home humor to our complex history, where violence and faith, courage and evil, despair and hope all mingle to illuminate America's enduring chasm of race.

Customer Reviews:

Heartbreaking and Revelatory.......2007-05-18

An essential history and memoir of a time whose facts are often forgotten and even actively repressed. The present doesn't make sense without honestly examining the past, and this book does that with humility and emotional power. Even if you think you know this history (as I did) you very well may not.

essential.......2007-03-15

For those of us who think we understand by reading about racial prejudice and thinking about what it must be like, should read this book. We still won't really understand, but we will be a much closer than we were before.

The "Other South" Revealed.......2007-03-01

At first glance, this is a historical account of the racial tumult unleashed by the 1970 killing of a black man in Oxford, North Carolina. The author, 11 years old at the time, was profoundly affected. Not only did he witness the burning of the town's infrastructure of tobacco warehouses, but his Methodist minister father was drummed out of town for preaching against racial segregation. But this story is about more than one town, or one event and its aftermath. Tyson uses Oxford as a microcosm to examine the complex history of race relations in the South. As the narrative meanders along in the circuitous and philosophical style of the Southern storyteller, Tyson proceeds to ever-deeper levels of meaning and buried history.

As someone who shares Tyson's roots in rural North Carolina, I find it particularly important to rediscover "the other South" - the South that has been systematically expunged from history. Tyson discusses the banished history of white resistance to slavery and racial segregation during the Civil War and Reconstruction. How many of us know about the "Red Strings," a secret society of anti-Confederate guerrillas and saboteurs in North Carolina? Tyson briefly recounts perhaps the most important historical event in North Carolina, the 1898 massacre of African Americans in Wilmington that overthrew Reconstruction there (and about which Tyson has also written a separate book). As Tyson lucidly explains, white supremacists and neo-Confederates have ignored all evidence to the contrary to make "enthusiasm for the Confederacy posthumously unanimous." This rewriting of history is profoundly personal for Tyson. When he visited the grave of his great-great-grandfather, who opposed slavery and hid out to avoid conscription into the Confederate army, he found that a "Sons of Confederate Veterans" marker had been placed on the grave!

Tyson similarly deconstructs the more recent, sanitized version of the Civil Rights movement. The Civil Rights struggle "was far more violent, perilous, and critical than American is willing to remember," he writes. And Martin Luther King has been transformed into an "innocuous black Santa Claus ... a benign vessel that can be filled with whatever generic good wishes the occasion dictates. Politicians who oppose everything King worked for now jostle their way onto podiums to honor his memory.... The radicalism of Dr. King's thought, the militancy of his methods, and the rebuke that he offered to American capitalism have given way to depictions of a man who never existed, caricatures invented after his death."

The history that Tyson reveals was not easy to unearth. When he went back to Tyson in search of information on the 1970 killing of Henry Marrow by a group of white men, he found that the Oxford newspaper archives for this entire historical era had vanished - from the newspaper's offices, from the local library, and even from the state repository. The court records were also partially missing, and the local police attempted to intimidate him into not revisiting the story. It is a good thing that Tyson did not submit to this intimidation, because this not-so-distant history needs to be remembered.

Blood Done told the Truth..........2007-01-17

Mr. Tyson prooves that the English language is alive and well. He writes with a Southern patois that leaves my mouth watering for more of the sound of my youth. His story is written as if he used MY memories of that awful time in the South when Blacks were looked upon as less than human,and were systematically held down by aparthied at its worst..
He tells a story that makes me ache with remembered rage at what I could not change alone, but reminds me that there was a time in America when an oppressed people stood in the line of fire from an established system of hate and bigotry and made the world take notice of thier plight. I am filled with gratitude for a White who peels back the dirty sheets that fail to cover what time and forgetfulness dims in our hearts and minds...the grusome truth of America's most shameful deeds is revealed with an astonishing honesty.

amazing.......2007-01-04

I picked Tyson's book from a suggestion from my good friend. It was an amazing look at the Civil Rights movement, unlike any I have ever seen or read before. Tyson makes absolutely no excuse and tells his story without reservation.

I read this book for a history class, but would suggest it to anyone. It was a great read.

Hiking North Carolina, 2nd: A Guide to Nearly 500 of North Carolina's Greatest Hiking Trails (State Hiking Series)

Average customer rating:

A good starting point...
A Visitor's Guide
for more than just hikers, this book is for anyone who moves around at all!
A good book made a lot better

Hiking North Carolina, 2nd: A Guide to Nearly 500 of North Carolina's Greatest Hiking Trails (State Hiking Series)
Randy Johnson
Manufacturer: Falcon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0762731389

Customer Reviews:

A good starting point..........2007-05-21

This was a good book for a general description of several trails in North Carolina, but didn't give many details. I think I was looking for something that would give me enough information to pick one trail out of them all to visit, but the brief descriptions didn't give me enough to go on. If you already know which trail you want to trek and it is one of the trails covered in the book, you're pretty well set. You will, however, need another map to know exactly how to get to that particular trail...the book has a map with a general location but no specific driving information.

A Visitor's Guide.......2007-04-12

Any traveler to North Carolina will be able to use this helpful guide to the state. It's full of information on numerous trails, including educational ones perfect for the family.

for more than just hikers, this book is for anyone who moves around at all!.......2007-03-31

I am the editor of a newspaper in North Carolina and I write a monthly travel column. I picked up a handful of North Carolina travel guides to review, and this one happened to be in my stack.

I have to say -- I had high expectations for this book. A quote from CNN.com is printed on the back. Falcon Guides are, "written by top experts and enthusiasts." It's an official American Hiking Society book.

I expected a lot -- and that's what I got.

This book, in short, is amazing. The introduction is lengthy and goes over things you may need, safety information and more. Each trail begins with a one-sentence overview so you can quickly tell if it's not for you, then continues to have easy-to-find points about its general location, detailed information about finding the trailhead, distance, difficulty, best maps, elevation gain or loss, water availability (!!!), and a phone number and Web site link (finally, a guidebook that has realized we entered the 21st century seven years ago and, 9 times out of 10, we want a way to get valuable information without actually speaking to someone).

Following this, each trail features GPS compatible maps and an extremely detailed 1-4 page description of the hike you can take, in addition to pointing out things you might miss along the way (Spanish moss, anyone?) For example: "If you linger over lunch [at the Linville gorge trail] and scan the rock-hewn amphitheater, the start of Linville Gorge, you can imagine the hemmed-in feeling William Linville and his son must have felt near here in 1766 when confronted by Native Americans -- who then scalped them." Wow.

The only con of this book is its title. While I tend to despise the recent trend in the book industry of making titles as long as the books themselves with all sorts of never-before-seen punctuation, it really might be necessary here. People with an interest in walking, trail running, picnicking with their families, educating their children or moving around in any fashion should also pick up this book. The fact that the guide book appears to only encompass hiking may cause many people to skip over it. But take for example the Flat Rock Self-Guiding Loop trail (page 129) near Linville, an educational trail with plant identification signs, inspiring messages and areas to picnic -- perfect for a day out with children.

At $19.95, it's a little steep -- but it's worth it if you want to spend any part of your vacation outdoors.

A good book made a lot better.......2007-03-07

A few years ago, I reviewed this author's first edition. It was then, hands down, the best single reference for hiking in North Carolina. In the 11 years since the first edition was published, quite a bit has happened in the outdoor/hiking scene in the state. The author was kind enough to send me a copy of the 2nd edition, and it's a pleasure to review it.

The first thing that both my wife and I noticed and liked is that the book's pages now have rounded corners, something that every "field guide" should have. The maps have all been completely re-drawn. There is much more detail added, they generally cover a somewhat larger area, and shaded gray scale indicates different elevation levels. A new feature is a simple one, but very helpful -- an alpha index to trails and topics.

The text has been thoroughly and substantially updated. This is not just the first edition with a new cover and a few new photos. The organization of the hikes west of the Blue Ridge has changed from an alphabetical to a generally northeast - southwest directional approach, which is more convenient when planning a trip to a specific area. Expanded text and more photos have added 33 additional pages to the 2nd edition.

If recreational hiking or serious backpacking is for you, and you plan on doing so in North Carolina, this book is an essential reference.

Lady on the Hill: How Biltmore Became an American Icon

Average customer rating:

Like Going To Biltmore School
Biltmore Since George Died
If you are interested in the Vanderbilts or the Biltmore Estate ... read it!
BILTMORE
Fascinating Story

Lady on the Hill: How Biltmore Became an American Icon
Howard E., Jr. Covington , and The Biltmore Company
Manufacturer: Wiley
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Book Description

"What William Cecil has accomplished at Biltmore Estate is one of the great preservation success stories of all time. He has set a high standard for what all historic house museums strive for: magnificently preserved buildings and grounds, engaging interpretation, and—perhaps most challenging of all—economic self-sufficiency. It is no surprise that Biltmore Estate is widely recognized as one of America's finest places to visit."
—Richard Moe, President of the National Trust for Historic Preservation

"Biltmore is a glorious national historic landmark that, through creative vision and entrepreneurial management, preserves and provides insight into a way of life in the early 1900s. Bill is the imaginative and multifaceted leader who has built this great monument to enrich his community. George and I admire his dedication and success."
—George and Abby Rockefeller O'Neill

"Bill Cecil and his team at Biltmore Estate have sure proved that they know how to build a successful business. They did it the old-fashioned way: embrace a bold idea that others said could not be done and—through commitment, determination, and hard work—bring it to life. Their achievement against the odds is inspiring, and their vision and perseverance are valuable lessons to us all."
—Don Logan, Chairman, Media & Communications Group, Time Warner

"If George Vanderbilt did nothing more than engage the two most prominent and storied designers of their time, architect Richard Morris Hunt and landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, to carry out his vision of a European estate in the southern Appalachians, he would have created an American icon. The beauty of the method by which the estate was executed and, even today, the meticulous attention to detail, in the presentation and care of the estate by William Cecil, have brought history to life."
—Gary J. Walters, Chief Usher, The White House

Customer Reviews:

Like Going To Biltmore School.......2007-06-27

Half way through the book it just becomes tedious. There is a fair amount of repetition. I had to purchase another book because this one lacks enough photos. We are planning a trip there in the coming weeks
and now I think I know more than I need to know.

Biltmore Since George Died.......2007-03-09

This book is intriguing for those who enjoy nonfiction. It describes how Biltmore formed a business to keep from being sold and subdivided, what happened to the family members since George's death, and the relationship between Biltmore and the city of Asheville, among other things. It is extremely interesting if you would like to know more about the history of the estate and its families.

If you are interested in the Vanderbilts or the Biltmore Estate ... read it!.......2006-11-26

There is not a whole lot of literature around when it comes to the Vanderbilts and the Biltmore. SO this book is a refreshing and very easy to read story about the Vanderbilts and their successes leading up to the building of Biltmore taking 6 years.

Everyone that can find the time and is planning to visit the Biltmore should read this before going. The Biltmore is so large and there are so many things to see that a visit requires some advanced planning to get the whole picture about this family and this American marvel. After our first visit to the Biltmore during this year's Christmas lights, we bought an annual access pass (upgrade while your day pass is still valid and you save a bundle), this and a picture history book. Now we are planning to go back and be prepared to really udnerstand this marvellous site.

BILTMORE.......2006-10-09

Very interesting read on how Vanderbilt heir's found a way to afford to maintain this behemouth in the foothills of the Appalations. Biltmore is without peer as far as American's great houses go, it looks like the kind of place Frances I and Catherine de Medici would have felt right at home in, it's quite simply a breathtaking tour de force, but as such a true money pit and the proverbial white elephant. You have to give Vanderbilt heir, Mr. Cecil, credit for finding people to tell him how to do what his grandfather could not, and that is to make this place, if not make money, at least break even; indeed, not an easy task. As someone who has toured Richard Morris Hunt's anachronistic Biltmore, I for one applaud his efforts; the mansion looks great and the tour is very well persented, although, very expensive, but I suppose one has to look at it as a donation of sorts, to help to assure the vital survival of this singular American mansion, and the fact it helps enrich, the already rich Vanderbilt's, I suppose it an unfortunate biproduct I can live with, frankly the Vanderbilt's, thanks to the slash and burn ruthlessness of the Commador, will probably always have wealth, well at least they gave us Anderson Cooper. Good read, highly recommended.

Fascinating Story.......2006-07-04

Having been to see Biltmore in the summer of it centenial, I was thrilled to find a book that told the story of how such a wonderful home was saved. The story is a unique and fascinating one that tells of one man's struggle, against advice and odds, to save his grandfather's beautiful home and in the end fulfill his grandfather's dream of a self-supporting estate.

North Carolina Waterfalls: A Hiking and Photography Guide

Average customer rating:

NC Waterfalls
WOW!
NORTH CAROLINA WATERFALLS: BY KEVIN ADAMS
Best WNC Hiking and Waterfall book out there
Highly Recommended

North Carolina Waterfalls: A Hiking and Photography Guide
Kevin Adams
Manufacturer: John F. Blair Publisher
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0895873206

Book Description

Since its original publication in 1994, North Carolina Waterfalls has been the most comprehensive guide available to one of the prime natural features of the Tar Heel State. This new edition includes over 600 waterfalls, with detailed directions and trail and beauty ratings for the major waterfalls on public land. For the first time, waterfalls located on private land will be listed, although directions won't be provided.

Visitors to western North Carolina are often surprised at the spectacular variety of waterfalls tucked among the Appalachians all the way from Murphy in the southwest to Stone Mountain in the northeast, and surprisingly, even in eastern locations such as Fayetteville and Rocky Mount. This guide features over 100 color and black-and-white photographs showing those waterfalls at their absolute best. Its special section about photographing waterfalls in general, as well as specific hints for photographing each individual waterfall, will help readers create memorable images of their own.

Customer Reviews:

NC Waterfalls.......2007-05-12

A good reference, but I found the directions confusing at times. You need to drive slowly and read carefully.

WOW!.......2007-02-11

I am an amatuer nature photographer so I am always on the look-out for books to know where to go to shoot. This book may be the best photography guide I have ever had. He tells you where the waterfalls are, and how to photograph them. Best of all he has the guts to rate the quality of each waterfall on a scale of 1 to 10. There are so many waterfalls that I can't visit them all. With this book I can go only to the highly rated ones and know they will be knock-outs. When I get there he will help me to know how to shoot it. This is a great book!

NORTH CAROLINA WATERFALLS: BY KEVIN ADAMS.......2007-01-13

EXCELLENT BOOK!!!! VERY EASY TO FOLLOW DIRECTIONS TO MAJOR WATERFALL HIKING AREAS IN NORTH CAROLINA.

Best WNC Hiking and Waterfall book out there.......2006-07-20

Buy this and forget all other waterfall and hiking books for WNC.
This is the only book you'll need to find the best waterfalls in Western NC. Adams rates each of the waterfalls for beauty, ease to photograph and trail accessiblity. I carry it in my car. Adams has never lead me astray with directions or lead me to a waterfall I didn't think was worth seeing.

Highly Recommended.......2006-05-25

I visited the mountains last week (Mid May) and with the help of this book I was able to find some really beautiful waterfalls. I never would have known they were there if not for the book. The directions were clear and easy to following, and the information on where to park was extrememly helpful. The best part about it was the fact that we had every waterfall to ourselves. I would highly recommened this book to anyone who enjoys unspoiled waterfalls.

Motorcycle Adventures in the Southern Appalachians: North Georgia, Western North Carolina, East Tennessee

Average customer rating:

Great book for planning trips on a motorcycle or car
Excellent guide
Motorcycle Adventures in the Southern Appalachains

Motorcycle Adventures in the Southern Appalachians: North Georgia, Western North Carolina, East Tennessee
Hawk Hagebak
Manufacturer: Milestone Press (NC)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1889596108

Book Description

Some of the motorcycle byways of the southern Appalachians are world-famous: Georgia's Highway 60, the ³Dragon² at Deals Gap high in the Smokies, the Cherohala Skyway. Others are remote back roads leading to out of the way mountain towns, stunning waterfalls, fascinating civil war battlefields, and motorcycle-only resorts. In this new guide, former metro Atlanta motorcycle policeman Hawk Hagebak covers the best of them, with easy to read maps, complete directions, road conditions and more, all liberally sprinkled with his own special brand of humor and practical advice. Includes over100 maps and photographs.

Customer Reviews:

Great book for planning trips on a motorcycle or car.......2005-09-26

This is a great book for planning trips on a motorcycle or a car. The descriptions are detailed and there are bonuses listing restaurants and gas stations. The author goes into a lot of detail about each route. My only complaint is the book is a little thin for $15.00. There is a second book for the rest of North Carolina. It would have been better to combine the two books for $20 - $25. Don't let this comment keep you from getting the books though. The author does a great job.

Excellent guide.......2002-06-18

Great book, well written, easy to read, good humor.
Smart layout enables you to xerox the two facing pages to have a complete map and guide for each ride.
The reference section at the end of the book gives you phone number and other info for hotels, restaurants, dealerships, chamber of commerce, etc.; very convenient.

Highly recommended.

Motorcycle Adventures in the Southern Appalachains.......2001-07-10

I first read about this book in an article in the Atlanta Journal/Constitution and had to buy a copy. It was a little hard to find. After reading and taking in many of the adventures listed in the book by Hawk Hagebak, I must say that it is the most insightful and intelligent Motorcycle Guidebook I've ever read. The author uses his experience as a former motorcycle cop to give practical (and humorous!) advice for everything between avoiding a ticket to handling a breakdown. He's really funny! The book is broken into 20+ chapters, each chapter is a ride. The rides include restaurant recommmendations, road descriptions, a map and often some interesting information about the area. My favorite quote from the book is on page 9 where the author is telling the reader how to embellish a "road lie". "I was riding Mile High and the abominable snowman came out of one of the scenic overlooks and chased me all the way into Robbinsville!" The author continues, "Lesson learned? Other than the obvious hazard of a slick road, there's an abominable snowman to contend with, and who wants that?" Another funny quote is in Ridge and Valley Chapter. That ride cuts through a town named, "Sublinga". The author pokes fun at the name by saying, "No, not the medical word- Doctor, my Sublinga is swollen!" The maps are great and they're next to written directions to the right of the maps. I found the rides easy to find and easy to follow. He even includes the mileage from point to point (you can reset your odometer at the start of the ride to keep up with the map mileage). If you are new to the area or have been living in the region for several years (myself for 7 years). I thought I knew all the mountain roads, I do know a lot of them, but not with the detail provided in the book. Very handy, if only the area for the book were larger..... Maybe he will put out another motorcycle guide book? A great buy, even if you are not a biker like me. Just stick your head out the window to act like you're on a bike.... Enjoy...I sure did.

The Road to Guilford Courthouse: The American Revolution in the Carolinas

Average customer rating:

A Stunning historical achievement!
Quite good
Good but not Great
Mixed feelings
Brings His Historical Characters Back to Life

The Road to Guilford Courthouse: The American Revolution in the Carolinas
John Buchanan
Manufacturer: Wiley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Americas | History | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0471327166

Amazon.com

Most of us are familiar with the role that North and South Carolina played in the American Civil War: if nothing else, every grade-schooler knows the significance of the 1861 bombardment of Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor. But to popular historian John Buchanan, "that tragedy is of far less interest than the American Revolution. The Revolution was the most important event in American history. The Civil War was unfinished business." And the Carolinas, Buchanan convincingly argues, were the most critical theater in that conflict, with their wild Back Country seeing "a little-known but savage civil war far exceeding anything in the North."

The Road to Guilford Courthouse is no less than a tour de force of pop military scholarship, an exhaustive battle-by-battle account of the Crown's grinding march to wrest the Carolinas from the resourceful Rebels. Beginning with Colonel William Moultrie's valiant defense atop the palmetto ramparts of Fort Sullivan against an outnumbering force of British men-of-war to the final "long, obstinate, and bloody" exchange at Guilford Courthouse, Buchanan meticulously recounts each skirmish, battle, and shift of strategy in the campaign. Relying on copious primary and secondary sources, he brings the combatants to life, from the worthy but somewhat obscure, such as Nathanael Greene, whom George Washington considered to be his successor should he fall, to soon-to-be legends such as Francis Marion, the Swamp Fox. --Paul Hughes

Book Description

A brilliant account of the proud and ferocious American fighters who stood up to the British forces in savage battles crucial in deciding both the fate of the Carolina colonies and the outcome of the war.

"A tense, exciting historical account of a little known chapter of the Revolution, displaying history writing at its best."âKirkus Reviews

"His compelling narrative brings readers closer than ever before to the reality of Revolutionary warfare in the Carolinas."âRaleigh News & Observer.

"Buchanan makes the subject come alive like few others I have seen." âDennis Conrad, Editor, The Nathanael Greene Papers.

"John Buchanan offers us a lively, accurate account of a critical period in the War of Independence in the South. Based on numerous printed primary and secondary sources, it deserves a large reading audience." âDon Higginbotham, Professor of History, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.

Customer Reviews:

A Stunning historical achievement!.......2007-05-18

Lexington...Yorktown...Saratoga. These are some of the most popular battles fought during the American Revolution. However, John Buchanan offers an extremely valuable account of the southern theater of operations during the war.

By the fall of 1779, the war in the north had come to a grinding halt, forcing General Sir Henry Clinton to try another approach in his war against the rebels. Based on the notion that the southern portion of America held more Tories than the north, he chose to invade Charleston in late 1779 and move north.

Buchanan documents this tactic and strategy in great detail, mainly focusing on the war in the Carolinas under the leadership of General Charles, Lord Cornwallis. The amount of research the author exhibits is obvious as Buchanan goes into excruciating detail, offering the reader ample background information and individual vignettes on the major characters. Leaders such as Charles Cornwallis, Francis Marion, Banastre Tarleton, Daniel Morgan, and Nathaniel Greene are discussed in great detail. Furthermore, their individual tactics are thoroughly written upon as well as the battles in which they fought in.

Buchanan's focus is NOT a historical survey of the entire southern war, but rather the events which took place from 1780 on. Having said that, he delivers an amazingly-concise account that illustrates the valuable contribution the southern war played in America's eventual victory.

Quite good.......2007-04-02

The book has three facets that highly recommend it. First, the author has a mature intelligent voice that comes through in his writing enabling him to depict events with empathy and depth. Secondly, the work is comprehensive, describing small partisan actions that otherwise get short shrift. Third, I enjoyed his choice of assessing the command skills of the various combatants. His reasoning is sounds and buoyed well by the facts as he, admittedly, presents them. I also found his prose style engaging.
My only criticism is that he gives equal time to minor engagements and major battles. He also describes so many skirmishes that without maps or illustration they tend to dissolve into one another. Furthermore, it would have been nice if he had chosen to chronicle the remainder of the campaign. Of course, my desire for the book to be longer only demonstrates my appreciation of it.
I recommend it.

Good but not Great.......2007-03-27

In reading "The Road to Guilford Courthouse: The American Revolution in the Carolinas", I found it to be a good overview of the revolution in the South where my ancestors fought. I would have found it to be much better for my needs in researching family history if the book had more maps and a much better index. I would have preferred more maps and fewer pictures of the combatants.

Mixed feelings.......2006-11-13

I have mixed feeling towards John Buchanan's book "The Road to Guilford Courthouse--The American Revolution in the Carolinas" because although the author seems to have a good grasp of the subject and has a relatively easy-to-read writing style, he frequently gets caught up in the myriad of less relevant battle and personnel details. This makes getting through the book a grind.

Having said that, it was definitely fun to learn about some of the characters that played significant roles during the stage of the Revolutionary War that took place in the Carolinas. This is a part of the war that doesn't get much attention even though it is where the war was won, where the tides were turned. The British make a decision to get out of Philadelphia and finish up their conquest by invading through the Loyalist populated South, and then all of a sudden wind up surrendering at Yorktown. I was missing something before reading this book.

Coming from Rhode Island and being an early American history buff, I was a little disappointed that Nathanael Greene didn't get more coverage, but it appears that most of the fighting in the Carolinas was done by others, who do get their due in the book. Particularly, with regards to unknowns getting their due, it was especially fun to learn about Daniel Morgan and Banastre Tarleton, but also Thomas Sumpter and the Battle of Kings Mountain. It was interesting to get a taste of how a war was fought in the swamps of Carolina. Buchanan does do a particularly good job of quoting frequently from primary source material--this really helped to bring the 225 year old story alive.

In the end, the book could have summarized more in some areas and delved more deeply into others. Also, note that the book ends with the battles of Cowpens and Guilford Courthouse and doesn't cover the war through Virginia and the eventual surrender at Yorktown.

Finally, one very, very important problem with the book--the maps and illustrations used are totally inadequate. This makes understanding the action very difficult. Very frustrating!!

Brings His Historical Characters Back to Life.......2006-10-21

Buchanan has done a remarkable job of bringing to life the key Revoluntionary War characters and events of 1780-81 in the Carolinas. His masterful interpretation of personalities and their motives provides insight into the critical battles of the southern war. He moves back and forth between the major antagonists on both sides to develop the background for understanding the brilliance of the rebel strategy and the British arrogance that lead to their eventual loss in the south. Not only do we learn about famous personalities such as Francis Marion, Daniel Morgan, Nathanael Greene, Lord Cornwallis and Banastre Tarleton, but we gain an understanding of the anonymous mortals without whom the Revolution would have been lost: the individual militia men from the back country of the Carolinas. Buchanan has an uncanny ability to explain in simple language the complexities of the troop placement and individual unit actions that occurred in the various battles. However, his book would be immensely improved if he had provided maps of the region and of the battlegrounds he described. Like many biographers, Buchanan grows to have an attachment (or detachment) for the people he has so painstakingly researched, which I find of great interest. One must be aware of some of the potential bias that might creep in with any biographical interpretation, including his. I recently finished biographies on Daniel Morgan and Nathanael Greene, yet discovered new information about each man in Buchanan's exposition. A very thorough job, indeed. One caveat: one should probably have read somewhat extensively regarding the Revolution to fully enjoy and understand Buchanan's book. He occasionally assumes some prior knowledfge of events and people.

The Newcomer's Guide to North Carolina: Everything You Need to Know to Be a Tar Heel

Average customer rating:

Is it Safe for Yanquis in North Carolina?!
not a very welcoming book
Exactly what I was looking for
Great book for people who know nothing about North Carolina!
Finally....

The Newcomer's Guide to North Carolina: Everything You Need to Know to Be a Tar Heel
Bill Lee
Manufacturer: Down Home Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 187808691X

Customer Reviews:

Is it Safe for Yanquis in North Carolina?!.......2007-05-19

I was born in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, New Yawk and my husband is from the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginny. He wants to move closer to home and I'm a life-long NY Metropolitanite who travels frequently. Seriously, I'm considering NC (not decided yet!) and I found this book very helpful in terms of what to expect, what's what in terms of the terrain and life style. I think this would be a good compromise for the Country Boy and City Slicker.

not a very welcoming book.......2007-04-11

when i was reading this book it was very territorial. god forbid a "yankee" or whatever you call it comes and moves down to north carolina. or if your having a bad day and your new to the community, you need to let the community know so that they know to stay away from you. this book is worthless. my advice dont live near the author cause hes going to be in your business

Exactly what I was looking for.......2006-11-21

We just moved to NC and I wanted a book "to get my feet wet" this is exactly what I was looking for. Lots of misc facts and history. I felt like I had a better feeling for the place when I got here than I am sure I would have without.

Great book for people who know nothing about North Carolina!.......2006-07-06

This book is a great introductory read for those wanting to know more about North Carolina(especially if you are moving there). It has everything from a history, to the state government, to pop cluture and stories of the state, to even DMV information. I'm leaving a lot out, but you get the picture. The only problem I have with this book is that there is only one map in the entire book. It is of the whole state, but only has nine cities on it. You will want an atlas to go with the book to see where some of the places he mentions are. Other than that a great book and I definately recommend it.

Finally...........2005-09-27

a book that has all the answers to the questions I've had since moving to North Carolina. It covers a wide range of topics and has so much information - from the state's history to DMV regulations and everything in between. Wish I would have known about this book when I first moved here. I think it's a great book for anyone who is planning on moving to NC or is a newcomer to NC.

North Carolina Gardener's Guide, 2nd Edition

Average customer rating:

A Must for NC gardeners
Excellent book for North Carolina gardeners

North Carolina Gardener's Guide, 2nd Edition
Toby Bost
Manufacturer: Cool Springs Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1930604211
Release Date: 2002-06-21

Book Description

Gardening is now the favorite leisure pastime in America. Homeowners are realizing the health benefits derived from gardening and the increase in their home's property value.

Book retailers are well aware that the trend in gardening books is to regional titles that provide credible information on the plants that perform well in specific regions.

North Carolina Gardener's Guide, 2nd Edition is written by the highly popular gardening expert Toby Bost.

Contains easy to use advice on the top landscape plant choices (more than 160 entries) for North Carolina.

Recommends specific varieties and provides advice on how to plant, how to grow and how to care for North Carolina's best plants.

Customer Reviews:

A Must for NC gardeners.......2001-10-29

For anyone who is interested in gardning in NC, this book is a must. Most gardinging books would only concentrate on how good the plant is. BUt this book also tells us some of the "problems" one might have with the plants and what kind of pests/diseases a plant might be susceptible to. I should have given 5-Stars for this book. The reason I did not give is the indexing is a bit confusing -- the botanical and common names are used in mixed mode. This is not a big problem though, once you get used to the book.

Again, this book is a must for all gardeners in NC -- experience as well as novices.

Excellent book for North Carolina gardeners.......1997-11-12

This book has been very helpful for me in choosing, planting and understanding how to take care of annuals, perennials, groundcovers, shrubs, trees, bulbs, vines and herbs that will grow well in North Carolina. The choices at a gardening center can be overwhelming, but Tony Bost's advice can help you focus on plantings that have a good chance to succeed in a N.C. garden. I especially like the great detail that goes into the exact way to plant your selection, and the maintenance of the plant, so that you know how often and with what to fertilize the plant, and how to water and prune it. Tony Bost has also included up to date information on new cultivars that are being developed and relies a lot on excellent research that is currently being done at the Raulston Arboretum in Raleigh.

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