A blast from the before-Seattle-was-on-the-map past!
350003
Love this album. Loved the band. John Bigley was one of the most charismatic front-men ever. Glad I was around to see it, and glad this CD is still floating around.
2852906
As someone who grew up in the Big Apple in the 80's and 90's, partied at the Paradise Garage and enjoyed the city life I can appreciate the references in this book. Chocolate souffle takes you back to a time and place that was challenging but full of life and excitement.  It's possible you will see yourself in some of the characters as they intimately unveil their lives to us.  Trish Ahjel brings the drama with a whole lot of sass and sizzle but still manages to tackle social, economic, racial, and sexual issues at the same time.  There's friendship, love and a little erotica for everyone's exotica to be found here. I was even reminded of an old trick I thought I'd left behind and that's all I will say about that! ;-)
Thanks Trish. Great job for a first novel!
1334609
<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/San-Antonio-Past-Present-Always/dp/0764330403/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">San Antonio: Past, Present, & Always</a>
San Antonio, Past, Present, & Always by Mel Brown is a charming pictorial of San Antonio.  San Antonio is a city that revels in its past and in remaking the old into new.  The downtown area and older neighborhoods of San Antonio are presently exploding with revitalization.  Some buildings are completely new, but many buildings have been wonderfully restored for new use, bringing San Antonio's rich past into the present.

This book beautifully captures this revitalization.  We see familiar scenes as they are now and as they used to be.  Some of us will recognize photos, saying, "I remember that!"  Or even, "So that's what my parents told me about!"

Some of the photos made me smile (little train in Brackenridge Park, "Kiddie Park" on Broadway); some made me nostalgic (shopping on Houston Street, drive-in theaters); some made me proud (the Riverwalk, the Pearl Brewery).  The 90-year-old photos of the blimp at Brooks Field just blew me away!

The text is chocked full of information, but Brown's folksy and personal narrative adds to the overall fun. The design and graphics are outstanding.  The size and color format add to the package.  Altogether, a delightful book.
2625926
I was born in San Francisco and now reside in the South Carolina.  I miss the fabulous food and restaurants in San Francisco, and I recall many  dishes which are mentioned in this book with great fondness, from years past.  This cookbook allows me to recreate those memories in my own kitchen, with no "Southern twist" required.  Thank you Michael Bauer!
4303002
as someone who's lived in the city for a while already this was still super fun
1335951
I grew up around museum people, and had my first professional experiences in radio. I love museums, and I am fascinated with the history of technology so I particularly love museums of technologies like the Victoria and Albert in London, and the old Smithsonian Museum of History and Technology (renamed the Museum of American History) in Washington DC.
This weekend I had a few hours to kill in Bellingham, Washington and recalled that there was an old Theremin (an early electronic musical instrument) in a local museum.  I play a modern reconstruction of one, so I thought I'd look it up.  The museum was called the American Museum of Radio and Electricity, and was open on weekends, so I dropped by. I was totally taken by surprise that this small college town actually houses the best collection of early electronic experimental devices, phonographs, radios, and unusual devices of all sorts that I have ever seen. All well maintained, restored, and displayed in a excellent modern museum.  The collection is a showcase not only of technology, but of industrial design spanning 200 years.  Beautiful, inspiring, and fascinating.
Since I only had an hour to enjoy the museum, I purchased this book (which is based on the collection) to fill in the gaps.  Again, I was surprised when I started to read at the hotel that night - not only are the photographs excellent, but the text is an entertaining, detailed history of early electrical technology and early radio, with many stories and technologies that I've never come across before.
It was so entertaining that the friends I was traveling with read it aloud all the way home to Seattle.  The excellent photos make the stories come alive.  This is going to be a favorite book on my coffee table for quite a while!
31994
I have enjoyed Dorothy Fletcher's columns in the Times-Union for a long time, as well as her previous books, 'The Cruelest Months' and 'Zen Fishing'. So I am doubly pleased to see this wonderful collection of stories by such a talented writer. What could be more entertaining and pleasurable than revisiting some of the remarkable places and happenings that were part of a colorful past?  This author takes us back with nostalgic charm to some intriguing spots and lifestyle elements that, all too often, have disappeared into the mists of time--but make for tales well worth telling. Anyone who appreciates history, and Floridians especially, will find 'Remembering Jacksonville: By the Wayside' a true American chronicle.
3376694
As always, I like most stories set in Seattle. A nice adventure, and fun read. This author writes characters well, that pull me in, and that are likeable. The chemistry between the MCs seemed to be believeable, as well. A good one!

Even more enjoyable as an audiobook. Just finished it this week, and first time I really heard the term 'Demi-sexual'. Learned a lot. Looking forward to the next in the series :)
3557259
Beginning in 2008, an "oil boom" of monumental proportions started an influx of tens of thousands of people flooding into the sleepy little community of Williston, North Dakota.  Newcomers to the ill-prepared town have likely been struck both by the fight for affordable and available housing, and by the dilemma of what to do in a town that may not seem to provide many obvious sources of entertainment.

The Boomtown Bucket List offers a tongue-in-cheek antidote to that problem, providing the reader with a hundred answers to the question of "what is there to do in this blankety-blank little town?"  Incorporating relevant quotes, factoids, and photographs, the author not only directs readers to local attractions (some of which are of great historical significance), but also reminds us of the simple pleasures unique to western North Dakota: the "whack-a-mole" frenetics of a prairie dog town, the soul-soothing peace of a back-roads cruise, the breathtaking view from the top of a butte, the majesty of a bison-sighting...and so much more.

As someone who grew up in Williston, ND, this book was equal parts entertainment and nostalgia, since much of my idyllic youth was spent actually doing many of the things described in The Boomtown Bucket List.  As such, I greatly enjoyed it and would definitely recommend it both to Williston-ites (past and present), and to anyone new to the area who wants a glimpse into the many and varied delights "our" town has to offer.
2447999
Rivers gives us a new glance into the world of the Others by introducing us to the Others of Seattle. We get to meet a whole new cast of characters (some with beautiful accents), as well as getting a glimpse into some very familiar ones.

I love authors who do cross-overs, as there's a real comfort in familiarity. While Roxy, Trevor, and the gang are all new to readers, their abilities, and the rules of their magic, makes sense and fit into the greater Others ecosystem. I liked that Roxy was strong, but had some very normal insecurities. It made her evolution throughout the story more interesting. Trevor equally was strong, but not the typical alpha male, and his sensitivity will certainly call to the ladies. There's also a fun supporting cast, from Joey to Sorcha and Fiona, and others. And plenty of bad guys to hate as well (Kathryn and Dina sort of take the cake here, for me. Reserving judgment on Jordan for now).

Looking forward to where seeing where the Others of Seattle series goes!
1430931
If you've lived in or visited Ann Arbor for any length of time, this is a wonderful book.  It brought back many memories and reminded me of others I had forgotten.  The book covers restaurants starting from the 1920's up to contemporary time, so there's plenty of restaurants you'll both recognize or have heard about in hallowed recollections.  Besides the photos, there's informative history behind the restaurants as well.

EDIT:  This review was written before a hardcover edition was available, so the next paragraph is specific to the paperback.

I give it 4 stars instead of 5 primarily because of of the format:  I wish the book were larger and hardcover bound, so it could be properly displayed on a coffee table.  As it is, you have to gingerly peek into the book to avoid bending the soft spine; and can't lay it flat to enjoy the photos like they're meant to be enjoyed.

I hate to nitpick because there are so many historical photos of restaurants in their original and current locations -- but I'd love to have even more photos, particularly of the "before" kind.  For example, a photo of the new Blimpy Burger on S. Ashley is featured; but the original S. Division location -- the one everyone remembers -- has a smaller photo, with nary a snow bear.  (Although they're mentioned.)

Despite my 4-star rating (which I'd actually give 4.5, if Amazon allowed half ratings), I love the book and ordered a second.  (My father-in-law liked it so much, he took my copy :)
3936610
I've lived most of life in Seattle and the history of this place is quite interesting and often amusing thanks to Bill Speidel. Finally Doc Maynard gets due credit for his contributions to early Seattle. The usual suspects from other books, Terrys, Borens, Dennys are mentioned but may not be the true founding fathers we once though. A terrific companion to "Sons of the Profits", also by Speidel. Both provide a lot of tongue-in-cheek humor about the birthplace and early development of our wonderful city. Unless you want to search for some out of print 9th grade history tests on local history - and I don't recommend you do so, buy this book!

I used to keep this book at my bedside bu my wife no longer allows that. She says my laughter is more annoying than even my snoring.
4133919
Tim's book is a delightful compilation of reminiscence of the youth of a city child growing up in the tumultuous 1960s and 1970s. Fortunately for me, I grew up in nearby the location of this story and the memories brought back vividly direct images of my childhood as well. The reader should not limit his or herself to having grown up in this area. Anyone growing up in this time period can find events to spawn his or her own memories. For a child of a time period thereafter, it is a wonderful contemporary historic peek at a life lead before the digital age. As for those over 70, it is a memory of the days of raising their own families, back when most felt safe in letting their children run and explore the neighborhood. Thank you Tim for taking me back on your journey, and therefore helping me remember my own.
2342335
Great trip back through memory lane of the good old days of travel.  Black and white images really capture and tell a story.  Very enjoyable !
239154
So much fun to reminisce and see the old parks with some things that I miss.
1749563
Lonely Planet has been hit or miss for me.  The Seattle guide is a hit.  About the only issue I had with it was that, although the maps contained within the book were useful, the pull-out map was of such a limited area as to be basically useless to anyone with even the smallest spirit of adventure.

I was totally unfamiliar with Seattle (well, except for those things widely known, such as the existence of Pike Place Market, though not with details regarding it) and this guide helped navigate me to fun neighborhoods such as Capitol Hill, Fremont and Pioneer Square and gave me details about other places such as the above-mentioned Pike Place and the area around the Space Needle.

As is always the case with these guides, the section on restaurants is probably the most outdated.  But even there, the guide gives a few hints not merely for the well-known restaurants but for little places that dot various neighborhoods, like Top Pot Donuts and Molly Moon's ice cream.  The sections on drinking and artistic and cultural sights I found to be quite useful indeed.

I looked through a few guides before purchasing one.  I am not disappointed that this is the one I chose.
3414400
I was still in elementary school when Mitnick was attested for the last time, and as a life-long geek, I have recently found myself quite nostalgic for the "good old days" of computing, back in the 1980s and 1990s, when things were really getting exciting.

Being too young to partake in a lot of what was available during that time, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this recollection of Mitnick's antics.

Highly recommended, even for those that aren't super-geeks (the book is easily readable by anyone with any level of technical knowledge!)