January 2023 MBR The Travel Shelf

The Travel Shelf

Best Road Trips Midwest & the Great Lakes
Lonely Planet
Lonely Planet Publications
150 Linden Street, Oakland CA 94607
www.lonelyplanet.com
9781838695668, $12.99, PB, 128pp

https://www.amazon.com/Trips-Midwest-Great-Lonely-Planet/dp/1838695664

Synopsis: "Best Road Trips: Midwest & the Great Lakes" is an ideal source of up-to-date travel guide information with which to develop itineraries for classic road trips, plus other lesser-known drives with its expert advice on picking the routes that suit the travelers particular interests and needs.

Featuring full-color route maps with easy-to-read, detailed directions and delightful diversions to see the Midwest & Great Lakes' highlights along the way, of special note is the Link Your Trip feature allowing the travel to easily cruise from one driving route to the next.

Replete with true insider tips ranging from getting around like a local, avoiding trouble spots and be safe on the road, to local driving rules, parking, toll roads -- and the best things to do outside the car! Of special note is the inclusion of essential information that includes hours of operation, phone numbers, websites, prices, honest reviews for all budgets, as well as eating, sleeping, sightseeing, and a wealth of hidden gems that most guidebooks miss.

"Best Road Trips Midwest & the Great Lakes" by Lonely Planet Publicatons includes Michigan's Gold Coast, the Great River Road, Highway 61, Chicago, Oklahoma's Tribal Trails, the Pioneer Trails, the Black Hills, St Louis, Kansas City, Omaha, and more.

Critique: Enhanced with lavish color photography and perfect for planning short range and long range car trips for memorable adventures on the open road with respect to traveling the American Midwest and the Great Lakes, "Best Road Trips Midwest & the Great Lakes" also includes a fold out map and is strongly recommended for personal, professional, and community library American Travel Guide collections.

Editorial Note: With over 150 million guidebooks in print, Lonely Planet is a trusted source for any traveler. Since their inception in 1973, they have inspired generations of travelers to discover amazing places and enabled curious travelers to get off the beaten paths to appreciate different cultures and become agents of positive change.

The Islands Book
Lonely Planet
Lonely Planet Publications
150 Linden Street, Oakland CA 94607
www.lonelyplanet.com
9781838695033, $40.00, HC, 320pp

https://www.amazon.com/Islands-Book-Lonely-Planet/dp/1838695036

Synopsis: With the publication of "The Islands Book", armchair travels will fully enjoy exploring 150 of the world's most enchanting islands in this inspirational coffee table style (9.4 x 1.13 x 12.1 inches, 3.9 pounds) that features beautiful photography, illustrations and maps.

The reader will 'Island Hop' across cosmopolitan archipelagos and secret tropical paradises, learning fascinating stories about each destination, meeting the locals, encountering wildlife, and finding amazing island experiences.

Sink into the silken sands of Tobago or step foot in the abandoned prison cells of Alcatraz; unearth Burgh Island's mysterious pirate tales or twirl forkfuls of sumptuous seafood pasta in Sicily; relax with a locally brewed craft beer on Waiheke Island or see the infamous red crabs of Christmas Island march into the ocean. Within the pages of "The Islands Book", each individual island has its own distinctive story to tell and offers travelers (on-site or armchair) a memorable round-up of exciting activities to pursue to help make trip planning a total breeze.

Critique: An elegant, informative, beautiful book to simply browse through one informative page at a time, "The Islands Book" has a very special appeal to readers with an interest in the diversity of islands to be found within the Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia and Oceania -- making it a very strongly recommended an unique addition to personal, community, and academic library Travel Guide collections.

Travels Across the Roof of the World: A Himalayan Memoir
William & Anne Frej, authors
George F Thompson Publishing
Casemate Publishers
1940 Lawrence Road, Havertown, PA 19083
www.casematepublishers.com
9781938086939, $55.00, HC, 280pp

https://www.amazon.com/Travels-across-Roof-World-Himalayan/dp/1938086937

Synopsis: "Travels across the Roof of the World: A Himalayan Memoir" by William and Anne Frej provides a sweeping yet intimate view of the breathtaking peaks, splendid valleys, and extraordinary people of this vast region, from the Pamir Mountains in Kyrgyzstan through Afghanistan's fabled Hindu Kush, the Karakoram in Pakistan, and the Great Himalaya Range that stretches across northern India, Nepal, Tibet, and Bhutan.

Unique in scope among photo books on the Himalaya, "Travels across the Roof of the World" chronicles the authors more than twenty pilgrimages throughout the area spanning forty years and 3,000 miles through some of the world's most remote and difficult-to-reach country. Inspired by the devotion to the practice of Tibetan Buddhism they encountered in the villagers they met on their first trek to Nepal in 1981, they set out on a quest to document Asia's highest peaks as well as the lives of the resilient people living in these remote mountain communities.

When they began, trekkers from the West through these regions were few. Even now, trips are demanding -- but not nearly as harsh as the daily lives of the residents, who continue to exist in a kind of stunning isolation that has allowed them to maintain the rich cultural traditions and spiritual practices that have sustained them over many centuries.

Of special note is Edwin Bernbaum's essay adding to the depth of the pictures, with his focus on the symbolism, religious importance, and associated legends of these sacred places. The authors also share extensive vignettes about the places they saw and how they have changed over time.

Critique: A simply gorgeous coffee-table style (12.25 x 1.25 x 10.25 inches, 4.7 pounds) volume, "Travels Across the Roof of the World: A Himalayan Memoir" is a stunningly beautiful series of full color photographs graced with occasional commentaries by the husband and wife team of William and Anne Frej. An armchair traveler's delight, "Travels Across the Roof of the World: A Himalayan Memoir" is a strikingly memorable and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, community, and academic library Tibet/Pakistan Travel Guide and Landscape Photography collections.

Editorial Note #1: William Frej (https://williamfrejphotography.com/bio) has been photographing Indigenous people for more than forty years while living in Indonesia, Poland, Kazakhstan, and Afghanistan as a career diplomat with the United States Agency for International Development and traveling in other remote, mountainous regions of Asia. His book of black-and-white photographs, Maya Ruins Revisited: In the Footsteps of Teobert Maler (2020), has won fourteen awards. His second book, Seasons of Ceremonies: Rites and Rituals in Guatemala and Mexico (2021), has won eight awards including four "photography book of the year" awards. Travels Across the Roof of the World: A Himalayan Memoir (2022) features color photographs by William Frej and text by Anne Frej.

Editorial Note #2: Anne Frej (https://lamalaquitamerida.com/shop/photography/anne-frej) is an urban planner who has focused on feasibility studies and design concepts for real estate projects in the United States, Indonesia, Central Europe, and Central Asia. At the Urban Land Institute in Washington, D.C., she directed books on real estate development, and at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan, she served as a cultural resources planner.

Editorial Note #3: Edwin Bernbaum, Ph.D., (https://www.weforum.org/people/edwin-bernbaum) is a lecturer, author, and scholar of comparative religion and mythology whose work focuses on the relationship between culture and the environment. He is the author of The Way to Shambhala (1989), a study of Tibetan myths and legends of hidden valleys and their symbolism. His acclaimed book, Sacred Mountains of the World, was originally published in 1990; the second edition was published by Cambridge University Press in 2022.

Day Trips from Calgary, fourth edition
Bill Corbett
Whitecap Books Ltd.
https://www.whitecap.ca
9781770503717, $34.95, PB, 392pp

https://www.amazon.com/Day-Trips-Calgary-Bill-Corbett/dp/1770503714

Synopsis: The Canadian city of Calgary lies at the heart of southern Alberta's most spectacular landscape, a landscape that includes the fantastically shaped hoodoos of Drumheller and the mountains of Kananaskis country.

Now in full color, "Day Trips from Calgary" is completely updated and expanded fourth edition of the regional bestseller by Bill Corbett and offers an insider's handbook to discovering the best routes and destinations within a two-hour drive of the city.

Locals and tourists alike will only need a tank of gas, a road map, and perhaps a picnic lunch and a pair of hiking shoes to make the most of Bill Corbett's insightful guide. Written to entice Calgary residents and visitors into considering all directions of the compass when embarking on a day trip from the city, this new fourth edition of "Day Trips from Calgary" covers all the territory travelers will find useful.

Critique: Nicely illustrated, impressively informative, thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, this newly updated and expanded fourth edition of "Day Trips from Calgary" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal and community library Canadian Travel Guide collections.

Editorial Note: Bill Corbett (https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15201283.Bill_Corbett) is a Calgary writer with interests in the outdoors, history, and the environment. His articles have been published in such magazines as Canadian Geographic, Explore, Western Living, Canadian Business, and Maclean's. He is the author of Best of Alberta: Outdoor Activities in Alberta's Heartland and The 11,000ers of the Canadian Rockies. An avid mountaineer and backcountry skier, he can often be found exploring the diverse landscapes of his native Alberta.

Sea Trials
Wendy Hinman
Salsa Press
http://wendyhinman.com/salsa-press
9780984835034, $20.00, PB, 442pp

https://www.amazon.com/Sea-Trials-Around-World-Bailing/dp/0984835032

Synopsis: A shipwreck might end a dream of circumnavigating the globe. In 1973, the Wilcox family sets off to sail around the world aboard the 40-foot sailboat, Vela. Thirteen months later, they are shipwrecked on a coral reef, with surf tearing a huge hole into the side of their boat.

With years invested in saving money, preparing the boat, and learning to navigate by the stars, parents Chuck and Dawn refuse to give up. Fourteen-year-old Garth is determined to continue, while eleven-year-old Linda never wanted to go in the first place. Can they overcome the emotional, physical and financial challenges to transform from castaways into circumnavigators?

To triumph, they must rebuild their boat on a remote Pacific island. Damage sustained on the reef and a lack of resources haunt them the rest of the way around the world as they face daunting obstacles, including wild weather, pirates, gun boats, mines and thieves, plus pesky bureaucrats and cockroaches as stubborn as the family. Without a working engine and no way to communicate with the outside world, they struggle to reach home before their broken rig comes crashing down and they run out of food in a trial that tests them to their limits.

Critique: A true life story that reads with all the drama of a deftly crafted novel, "Sea Trials: Around the World with Duct Tape and Bailing Wire" by Wendy Hinman is an inherently fascinating read from cover to cover and will prove to be of special appeal to readers with an interest in real life adventure stories of the sea. While especially and unreservedly recommended for community library travelogue collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Sea Trials: Around the World with Duct Tape and Bailing Wire" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $5.99).

Editorial Note: Wendy Hinman (www.wendyhinman.com) is an adventurer, speaker and the author of "Tightwads on the Loose" -- a popular travel adventure book about the 7-year, 34,000-mile voyage she took with her husband aboard a small violently rocking sailboat during which she alternated between feats worthy of Wonder Woman and Suzy Homemaker. Full of humor and armchair thrills, "Tightwads on the Loose" was selected for the literature program for Western Washington University, won the Journey Award for best true life adventure story and was selected as a top travel book for women.

Experience California
Lonely Planet
www.lonelyplanet.com
9781838695613, $24.99, PB, 258pp

https://www.amazon.com/Experience-California-1-Lonely-Planet/dp/1838695613

Synopsis: "Experience California" from Lonely Planet Publications is a travel guide comprised of unique experiences that when brought together for a truly enjoyable and memorable trip. Enhanced with inspiring full-color travel photography and maps throughout, of special note are that highlights and trip builders tips to help tailor a trip to the personal needs and interests of the traveler.

Offering fresh perspectives to surprise the visitor with things they hadn't thought of, as well as fresh takes on the well-known sights, there is a wealth of insider tips help with discovering hidden gems and get around like a local. Expert insights includes California wine culture, San Francisco souvenirs, stunning hikes, outdoor splendour, Mexican cuisine, getting the most out of Yosemite, famous drives and desert escapes, the magic of Hollywood, and more!

Practical information and tips on money, getting around, unique and local ways to stay, and responsible travel make "Experience California" an invaluable resource for itinerary planning.

"Experience California" covers: San Francisco & the Bay Area, Napa Valley & Sonoma, Northern California & the Redwood Coast, Northern Mountains, Central Coast, Highway 1, Sacramento, Lake Tahoe, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego, Palm Springs & the Deserts, Yosemite & the Sierra Nevada.

Critique: Thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "Experience California" is nicely illustrated throughout in full color, compact and portable in size (5.45 x 0.63 x 7.1 inches), and an invaluable resource for planning everything from a day tript to a full fledged vacation, "Experience California" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, and community library California Travel Guide collections.

Editorial Note: With over 150 million guidebooks in print, Lonely Planet is a trusted source for any traveler. Since their inception in 1973, they have inspired generations of travelers to discover amazing places and enabled curious travelers to get off the beaten paths to appreciate different cultures and become agents of positive change.

EDITOR'S NOTE:

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Midwest Book Review
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James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review