A wonderful coffee table book on the Silver State
585834
Following the success of "<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/America-24-7/dp/0789499754/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">America 24/7</a>," the publishers have released a digital photography book of all fifty states. While all of the titles in the series are beautiful, Nevada's is especially stunning. First off, the book is physically large (13 x 10.5), so the images have additional impact. While the natural environment is depicted, the book's focus is people. From weddings and school children to ranchers and Elvis impersonators, the book dramatically depicts what visitors and residents do in the state. From the Star Trek Experience to the Pyramid Lake Paiute Reservation, the book shows the diverse faces of Nevada. A balance of attention is given to both rural and urban places. "Nevada 24/7" is organized thematically as it explores dynamics such as recreation, economics and family life. Imagery is the focus as text is limited to descriptions of the photos. Given the de-emphasis of the written word, most readers will finish the book in about a half an hour. While being a self-described composite of amateur and professional images, the end result clearly favors the pro shots. It seems a bit like the premise may have been a gimmick to generate enthusiasm for the series. As with "<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Dogs-24-7/dp/B000EMSNWQ/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Dogs 24/7</a>" and "<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Cats-24-7/dp/0811848159/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Cats 24/7</a>," this is a tiny tragedy since the professional shots tend to be the most interesting. The most conservative of parents may object to some of the content. As would be expected, a couple of pages feature brothels. Also, there's a photo that shows topless bikers. The introduction is written by luminary John L. Smith. As a summary of the state, Smith wrote the single most succinct yet poetic summary that I've come across. As an upbeat visual primer and celebration of the Silver State, "Nevada 24/7" is spectacular.
272383
Tons of photos and info make this book a worthwhile buy for anyone into metal - also makes a great gift!
4399017
Really beautiful photos in this book.  I revisit it often and enjoy the editorial as well.  Shows the reader that there is so much to enjoy in Southern California.
1013699
Having just visited the "Wild West" (Idaho Springs in he Denver area) for the first time, I found my appetite whetted for information about miners, settlers and varmints who populated the Rockies.  I loved the photos and the captions are witty as well as well researched.  I am grateful for the itinerant photographers who recorded the era and for the authors who are keeping that period alive.
3373466
This is a really good book about a state I love to visit. I especially liked the chapter about the Civil War in Tennessee. One of the most fascinating stories involves Cravens House atop strategic Lookout Mountain. During the Battle of Chattanooga the house served as the headquarters for the Confederates and the Union on the same day. I think the tragedy and chaos that must come in little anecdotes like that really personalize a major conflict. There are tons of stories about real people and delightful destinations for day trips in this book.
1513767
This book is a jewel.  It would take many weekends to visit all the places detailed in this book.  It doesn't list EVERYTHING this great state has to offer but instead specializes in places you might not have heard about.  I like that.  An interesting read for any Alabamian.  Now, I'm headed off to the famous bug museum in Decatur!
205493
Whether you have an interest in archaeology or simply enjoy outstanding photos of the American Southwest, this book is a great value. The text is very readable, a short glossary helps you sort out the difference between a "petroglyph" and a "petrograph, and sidebars offer concise insights into subjects ranging from "Tree Rings and Archaeology," "The Ancient Southwestern Diet," and "Archaeoastronomy."

The book covers fifty of the top archaeology sites in the American Southwest. Some of them are familiar to both serious students of archaeology and casual tourists: Mesa Verde, Bandelier, Dinosaur, Petrified Forest, and Grand Canyon. Others are not as well-known, such as El Morro National Monument, Pecos National Historical Park, and Petroglyph National Monument. Each site has at least a brief description, including contact information; some locations receive several pages of discussion.

The word "stunning" is seriously overused when it comes to photography, so I'll just say the images in this book, all of them in color, are absolutely outstanding, and the photos alone would more than justify the addition of the book to your personal library. The 9" x 12" format and great cover photo qualify this as a "coffee table" book. The book is printed on slick paper, but the stiff, laminated cardstock cover vs. a true "hard" cover help keep the cost very reasonable.

All of the sites included in this book are in four states: Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico and Utah. Quite a few of these sites are part of the National Park System, but others are managed by other federal, state or local agencies, or by tribes or private organizations.

Highly recommended!
2966150
This is a really great book on Old West trains! Plenty of large, crisp photos, and easy to read text that is loaded with interesting stories and history. Some of the accounts reach into the 1950s, but this adds to the "rest of the story" if you will.  Not comprehensive by any means, but certainly enough information to satisfy train and history buffs.  I was inspired by photos and accounts in this book to have a "Donner Pass" theme on my new G-scale train layout in the basement (there is a 12 foot by 2 foot backdrop of the Donner Pass on a popular online auction site!).  Every chapter of this book was something new and enjoyable.  If you like trains or know someone who does, this would make a great gift.
3937177
Living in Arizona, my home is the Sonoran Desert. Even desert haters begrudgingly find a place in their hearts for the Sonoran, land of majestic saguaros and abundant sandstone. Nevada on the other hand, has a much smaller fan club. That's a shame since I've always cherished my adventures in the Silver State. In "Earthtones: A Nevada Album," Ann Ronald shares an idea that any Nevada enthusiast has always known, even if on a subconscious level. Nevada is beautiful, but not in a conventional way. To appreciate the Great Basin and Mojave Deserts, the adventurer must undefine green as the definition of beauty in nature. An appreciation of the Silver State requires an appreciation of vast open spaces, sage and of course earthtones. As an avid backpacker and off-roader, Ann Ronald has traveled extensively from the Southern Triangle to the Idaho border. Indeed, the author is well qualified to write such a book in terms of her backcountry experience and research. Ann Ronald shares her experiences in places like the Ruby Mountains, Great Basin National Park, Valley of Fire, the Black Rock Desert and the Test Site. The author does some interesting comparisons. Lake Mead is compared to Pyramid Lake while Pahranagat is compared to the Ruby Marshes. While the focus is the natural side of Nevada, the author carefully describes the impact of humans on the land. "Earthtones" doesn't read like a monograph or a travel guide; it is a collection of essays that sometimes read like a journal. As one might expect in a desert diary, the focus can meander and ramble. Stephen Trimble's photographs loosely illustrate the book. Whether geologic close-ups or large landscapes, his images effectively illustrate Ronald's text. In the end, this book is sure make readers re-think what they believe about nature in the Great Basin and Mojave. It is also certain to inspire a few road trips to the Silver State. "Earthtones" has inspired me to make plans for my next adventure!
298370
I loved this book, and I loved it for many reasons.  In the interest of full disclosure, I do live in the San Gabriel mountains, so of course I'm a bit biased because I love the area.  I think anyone who lives locally or has had family who lived in the area will love this book.  I was expecting a history of the area, which the book offers, but there is much more, including personal anecdotes from various individuals and great old photos, all of which make the book a definite page turner.  When I finished it, I passed it on to my neighbors, who have lived in the San Gabriel mountains for fifty years and knew many of the people mentioned in the book.  They loved it as well.  This is a must-have for the shelves of local historians and a fascinating read for those who live in the area.
3871481
I have two copies of this book including the first edition published in
1863 and a 1913 edition that contains Winthrop's Western Letters and Journals and also has color plates and other illustrations. My interest is in his journey over the "Boston Hooihut" over Naches Pass to meet Kamiakin at the Ahtaneum Mission. It is the rarest of accounts of pre-1855 Eastern Washington and gives the reader valuable insight into era attitudes and lifestyle. The floral, abstract writing style may put off anyone looking for a casual read. The book contains, however, a wealth of information and description on what the great State of Washington might have been like before the Civil War...before dams clogged up the Columbia River and before Native Americans were relegated to reservations.
4538915
The photographs in Color Country are so beautiful that the book's only drawback may be a feeling that whatever trip you
may be planning is no longer necessary: you've already gone. That would obviously be a huge mistake since there is no substitute
for experiencing the stunning beauty of our country for yourself.

As beautiful as Ms. Neider's photographs are, what really sets this book apart is its usefulness. The book focuses on the national and state parks of one specific region, the Colorado Plateau, and allows one to see a diverse set of sites as an integrated whole.

The books covers not only the better known national parks (Grand Canyon, Bryce,Arches,Mesa Verde among other familiar names) but also lesser known areas, including state parks, which seem just as gorgeous and amazing as the better known ones. Goblin Valley State Park, Dead Horse Point State Park and Dinosaur National Monument are all places I would not have considered, or even known about, but for this book. There are many others as well.

For each of the places described (31 in all, a revelation in itself), there is much general information, including whether lodging is available nearby, and also an address
one can write to for additional information about that site. As an added bonus, Ms. Neider has included brief, cogently written essays on the formation of both the Rocky Mountains and the Colorado Plateau.

I couldn't recommend this book more highly as a planning guide, as a reference book, and as a beautiful tribute to one of our most precious natural areas.
2145740
This book is filled with interesting facts and photos about the area - a fun read!
1652546
I bought a copy of this book as a gift for a friend.  After paging through it, I bought another copy for myself.  I'd call it a "coffee table" book, full of large color pictures and great stories and facts regarding Winchester rifles.  There are aspects of the book that could be used as reference material, however, it's a book that is better suited for pure enjoyment.
1406213
This work contains the writing of five writers, addressing different mountain areas and their people, across the U.S.  We have the Southern Applacia area, the Ozarks, The Rockies, and The Far West represented in this one volume.  The text is quite readable and informative but it is the photographs that make the book.  They are of the usual National Geographic quality and each is worth the time to gaze at and study carefully.  While this work certainly in not up to the Foxfire book standards as far as information goes, it is never-the-less informative and a fun read.  I have to classify this one as a "coffee table book," as it certainly is not a scholarly study, but rather an informative entertainment typ work. I like books like this around just to leaf through and enjoy at odd times.  Giving it four stars rather than three simply due to the wonderful photographs.
2907350
I just bought this book in Tom Till's store front in Moab, UT.  I'm about 1/4 way through it.  It is actually a very interesting read, and Tom's photos are ridiculously perfect.  My husband and I had a little laugh over's Tom's creativity in finding an abandoned building in Jerome, AZ, where we had just visited the "Ghost Town" which contained more chicken feathers than ghosts.  Somehow Tom came up with a decent photo, even from there.
2303699
If your a American history buff or a coin buff this book is great. This was my first "coinbook" Purchase and it's a great book to read. It has alot of interesting information on one of histories greatest sculptors Augustus St Gaudens and shows the extreme dedication he had for his works of art. Including my personal favorite piece the $20 Double gold eagle. It also tells quite a bit about one of Americas greatest presidents Theadore Roosevelt. Whos main focus in his second term was to have some of the most beautiful coins created in America, for America. To show the world how far we have come because he belived the beauty of a nations coinage reflected the beauty of that  nation. So he hired Americas greatest sculptor for the job. The book goes into detail of that great adventure they took together..