Book Description
This all new third edition is most comprehensive yet easy to use guidebook ever written for Maui. Hawai'i resident and best selling author, Andrew Doughty, actually hikes all the trails, rides the boats, scuba dives the reefs, dines in the restaurants, reviews all the resorts, snorkels the coastline, explores the hidden waterfalls and shares all the secrets that he finds. Everything is reviewed anonymously. This book and a rental car are all you need to discover what makes Maui so exciting.
Customer Reviews:
A wonderful resource!.......2007-10-01
We visited Maui one month ago to spend time with my sister in law who lives out there (lucky girl!). We found this book to be invaluable and think it should be standard issue to everyone who visits the island. We had a couple of problems with it but on the whole it was worth the money :)
fantastic guides - the best I have read on Hawaii islands.......2007-09-24
Goes WAY beyond your average guide book. I lived in Hawaii for a year and felt like a local thanks to this book (and the series of books for the various Hawaiian islands). No need to carry several guide books to Hawaii - this is all you need. And the online information (which you receive by purchasing a book and getting a special password) gives you even more information on housing, restaurants, etc. and keeps the info in the book fresh and up to date. Cant recommend enough. Mahalo!
Very informative book.......2007-09-13
This book has a lot of very interesting information. It give descriptions of all of the places I am anxious to visit. It also allows you to go online and read the reviews on all of the lodging on Maui. I have used those reviews to find a place for us to stay. I can't wait to get to Maui to check it out.
Really nice, concise descriptions.......2007-08-31
I really felt I could trust this book, as, having been to Maui a few times, I could compare my feelings against the commentary included. They're right on 100% of the time. Great tips and direct reviews.
Excellent book and well worth purchasing.......2007-08-15
This guide book was perfect with one exception and that was a terrible kabob restaurant in Lahaina. Every other recommendation/write up was exact. We stayed at Prince Maui which was wonderful. The beach was crystal clear in the morning. We saw a couple of sea turtles and I saw an octopus while snorkeling. While we stayed in South Maui, we spent a lot of time in Lahaina. Where we stayed it was quiet and beautiful and my kids (18 & 14) loved it. For surfing, Goofy Foot Surfin School was EXCELLENT. My kids were up on the first time and the guys that work there were very nice and patient. I can not say enough good things about them. Good shopping in Lahaina. The Hana Highway was the most beautiful place I have seen and I wish we would have spent 2 days. All of the waterfalls were excellent. Pg 86 is re Waikani Falls--from where you park, you have to walk across the bridge. Like the book says, it is a tricky first step, but once you get past that, it is an easy hike to the waterfall and the pools below. All of the stops that the book recommends are worthwhile. We did see broken glass so be sure to take valuables with you. For the waterfall on Pg 80, after you pass the stream where you have to cross several large boulders, take the path to the left to get to the waterfalls. It is a bamboo forest and really cool. I think there was a drought so the waterfalls were kind of small but it was really neat. PuPu Lounge was excellent as well as Pita Paradise. We had the Brouchetta plate and I loved it. The blow hole on pg 56 is awesome. You can hike down to the base and it is worth it (I had flip-flops on and did not have too much trouble but you should wear "tenny-shoes" to be careful. We had a wonderful trip and the book helped so much.
Book Description
This all new fourth edition is the most comprehensive yet easy to use guidebook ever written for the Big Island. Best selling author, Andrew Doughty, unlocks the secrets of an island so big and diverse that many visitors never realize all that it has to offer. Hawaii The Big Island Revealed has more up to date information, the most useful maps and scores of hidden gems listed nowhere else. This book and a rental car are all you need to discover what makes the Big Island so exciting.
39 specially created maps include clear, concise directions to even the most remote beaches and other hard to find places, mile markers (so you always know where you are), hiking trails and numerous details in an easy to follow format.
Discover deserted black sand beaches, secluded freshwater lava pools (some volcanically heated), pristine rain forests, lava tubes, hidden waterfalls and the most dramatic part of the erupting volcano. Read fascinating stories and legends from all around the island.
Symbols quickly identify recommended sights and companies. Find out which companies really are the best…and which to avoid. Frank, honest opinions from anonymous reviews—No advertisements.
Special expanded sections on Beaches, Hiking and Adventures.
Web site with links to every business, last minute updates and more. Plus Web pages that expand on all accommodation reviews with aerial photos of all the resorts (so you'll know if oceanfront really means oceanfront).
Only book ever banned at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Visitor Center for being "too honest" and "revealing too much."
"Hawaii The Big Island Revealed" covers it all—from the snow-covered top of Mauna Kea, to the sparkling underwater reefs. This is the best investment you can make for your Big Island trip. Whether you are a first time visitor, or a long time kama`aina, you will find out more about the Big Island from this book than from any other source. Discover the island of your dreams with "Hawaii The Big Island Revealed".
Customer Reviews:
Awesome Guide Book!.......2007-10-18
This is an excellent guide book of The Big Island! It has so much great information!! I will be going to The Big Island in April 2008 for the first time. I can't imagine going without this book! Best guide book! Thank you!
Hawaii The Big Island Revealed.......2007-10-09
This was a very informative book helping to plan our vacation to Hawaii. It helped us to decide where to go and what to avoid. Thanks!
So accurate, so entertaining.......2007-10-05
Reading the book itself was like experiencing everything the author had while researching it, the writing is candid, humorous, insightful. It made our three day (I know, short) trip to the Big Island a great success. Except for one thing: the winds that the author describes as being strong in the afternoon on the Kohala coast are actually strong in the morning, but (according to our hotel) only in the summer (around September). If you spend such a short time on the island, this book is totally worth it. I just wish we had been considered "locals" like him, because in the low season (September), Hawaiians just aren't as friendly. There were hardly any tourists (weather is less predictable, it's past the main travel season in both US and Asia) and the locals appeared to be enjoying their time away from the crowds. But that's our experience, and don't let it stop you from buying this guide.
Welcome to Lava Land.......2007-10-04
This book enriched my trip to the Big Island of Hawaii immeasurably. Its recommendations of things to do, places to eat, and its guide to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park made the trip a sure thing.
Looks great!.......2007-09-28
I haven't had a chance to put this book to use yet but it has been invaluable in planning so much so that we are not going to purchase any additional overall guide books for Hawaii. The big features of this book versus other guide books are great maps and numerous color photos. It is also fun to read. I was surprised to find restaurant and comprehensive lodging info included, particularly if you refer to their website for more info. They even have links to the properties' websites.
The only drawback is the lack of detail on each of the hiking trails. Lots of description but the basic information such as length of the trail is often left out. It also seems the authors really want you to go to the out of the way trails. Many take all day or multiple days to do. Perhaps they are all like that on the Big Island and on Kauai (the other book in this series I've purchased.)
Average customer rating:
- An artful and indepth look into Singaporian, Malaysian, and Indonesian cuisine!
- wonderful flavors
- No Show, All Tell
- Oseland's book draws you in..
- Exotic but so intriguing
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Cradle of Flavor: Home Cooking from the Spice Islands of Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia
James Oseland
Manufacturer: W. W. Norton
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 General
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Asian
| Regional & International
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Subjects
| Books
Pacific Rim
| Asian
| Regional & International
| Cooking, Food & Wine
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Into the Vietnamese Kitchen: Treasured Foodways, Modern Flavors
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Revolutionary Chinese Cookbook: Recipes from Hunan Province
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Arabesque: A Taste of Morocco, Turkey, and Lebanon
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Spice: Flavors of the Eastern Mediterranean
ASIN: 0393054772 |
Book Description
The first book to reveal the undiscovered jewels of Southeast Asian cuisine.
Just when you thought you knew everything about Asian food, along comes James Oseland's Cradle of Flavor. Oseland has spent two decades exploring the foods of the Spice Islands. Few can introduce us to the birthplace of spice as he does. He brings us the Nyonya dishes of Singapore and Malaysia, the fiery specialties of West Sumatra, and the spicy-aromatic stews of Java. Oseland culled his recipes from twenty years of intimate contact with home cooks and diverse markets. He presents them here in easily made, accessible recipes, perfect for today's home cook. Included is a helpful glossary (illustrated in color in one of the picture sections) of all the ingredients you need to make the dishes and where and how to buy them. With Cradle of Flavor, fans of Javanese Satay, Singaporean Stir-Fried Noodles, and Indonesian curries can finally make them in their own kitchen. 16 pages color photographs; 3 maps.
Customer Reviews:
An artful and indepth look into Singaporian, Malaysian, and Indonesian cuisine!.......2007-09-02
The author provides wonderful ancedotes for each of the recipes that truly inspire the Western cook. The book is filled with the many encounters the author has had along his journey and vividly retells them with such insight. The recipes are written in a simple, yet descript manner that should not intimidate nor offend the novice or professional cook. This book is truly a gem and is recommended for all who are interested in experiencing the awe of cuisine from the Spice Islands.
wonderful flavors.......2007-08-23
I did some traveling in Malaysia and Indonesia a few years ago and loved most of what I ate. This book has given me the opportunity to try making some of those foods at home. His mouthwatering descriptions of the key ingredients include even some brand recommendations and make finding and purchasing these novel and exotic items much less intimidating. He explains in great detail the required cooking techniques and his recipes are extremely easy to follow. Every recipe I have tried so far has been fantastic.
No Show, All Tell.......2007-05-30
If you want a cookbook with no photos, this one's for you. I read the reviews before buying but only one mentioned wanting more pictures. This is an understatement. The text may be good -- I don't know because I'm still getting over the disappointment of what might have been -- but the few photos there are feature ingredients (how many chili shots do I need?) and a few of the less interesting dishes.
Oseland's book draws you in.........2007-05-20
Great writing and excellent recipes. I've tried the beef sate recipe so far and it's is very tasty.
Exotic but so intriguing.......2007-05-13
No wonder this book was a James Beard winner for 2007. The text is exceptional-you feel like you are there. The photos are perfect. All the food is interesting and the ingredients are available-if you know where to obtain them. Many foods can be bought locally and if you run into a snag, there are internet sites listed. An exceptional book.
Average customer rating:
- Trailblazer disappointment
- This one gets down to business
- this was our number 1
- Right on, too bad its just the Big Island
- Read this first.
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Hawaii The Big Island Trailblazer: Where to hike, snorkel, surf, bike, drive
Jerry Sprout , and
Janine Sprout
Manufacturer: Diamond Valley Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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| Excursion Guides
| Hiking & Camping
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Hawaii The Big Island Revealed: The Ultimate Guidebook (Hawaii the Big Island Revealed)
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Accessories:
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Rayovac SPHLTLED 3-in-1 LED Head-Lite
ASIN: 0967007259 |
Book Description
A guide for families and outdoor adventurers alike, the
new and completely revised 2007 Trailblazer takes you to all of the Big Island's famous attractions, as well as its hidden spots. Nearly twice the size of the rest of Hawaii combined, the Big Island presents a challenge to adventure travelers with limited time. Trailblazer comes to the rescue with its trademark organization and clear directions for . . .
156 hikes and strolls: the peaks of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa, the shores of Waipio Valley and Kealakekua Bay, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, rain forests and tropical gardens, waterfalls, petroglyph fields, and the Kona Coast
75 snorkeling and swimming spots including remote hike-to specials
39 surfing spots: boards, bodyboarding, and body surfing
24 bike trails for adventure cyclists: mountain, coastal, forest, pasture
25 campgrounds and rustic cabin hideaways
Hawaii the Big Island Trailblazer also includes . . .
9 maps and more than 200 photographs
A Trailblazer Kids section for adventuring famiies
A Best Of section that lets you pick the right activity for the right day
Resource Links with hand-picked accommodations and restaurants,recreational outfitters, transportation, and visitor information
Hawaiian culture and history
Museums, attractions and shopping
Driving tours to the Parker Ranch and Kohala Coast, Hilo and the Heritage Coast, and Kona coffee country
Safety tips and trip-planning advice
Customer Reviews:
Trailblazer disappointment.......2007-10-17
We used this as a general guide for a recent 2007 trip. We found it has many significant failings. The book isn't all bad - most locations are described. But I bought this after seeing that others had given it a high rating, and so was disappointed after using it. A much better book could be written. I give it a fair rating.
This one gets down to business.......2007-09-14
I recommend this book to everyone. There's a ton of good info. I didn't realize how much there was inside until I opened the book and started reading. They keep the hotel, rustic lodging and restaurant details to 8 pages, but, they are choice. There's a camping map and 17 campgrounds are described. We wanted to stay in Kona and the 20 or so hotels/condos were enough for us to whittle down to two. Then we researched those on the internet to make our final decision.
The guide was big enough to read without my specs and also squeezed nicely into my daybag. We got around using their maps which nicely covered the required info: highways, towns, historic areas, beaches and the trailhead numbers. All the sports imaginable are covered like the title says.
This guide is all about the experience and we read this one cover to cover weeks before we took off. Their lists of things to do are endless and the short Free Advice and Opinion section saved us from major headaches. Bringing our hiking poles was the greatest suggestion since some Volcano park trails were pretty rocky. If you're looking for a total escape to the Big Island, read this one.
this was our number 1.......2007-08-29
We spent three weeks on Hawaii and arrived very prepared having read the Trailblazer book. It is very detailed and caters to the adventure travel types. We tried a little of everything and appreciated all the good snorkeling advice. Knowing the best beach entry was so valuable. The water was very clean and clear and this was the best Hawaiian snorkeling we've ever done. The last week we headed for the high areas of the island for some spectacular hikes. The summit of Mauna Kea and our hike down into Waipio Valley were astonishing contrasts well worth experiencing.
There is plenty of cultural background interspersed with the descriptions. Following the mile markers and maps and knowing what was around every bend was so helpful. The authors are considered the islands' leading hiking experts.
We found there was more to do here than on Maui. We could have spent a month just in the Hilo area. Use this book to find the beach parks just on the outskirts of town where the locals go. Some of our best swims were here.
Right on, too bad its just the Big Island .......2007-06-12
Consistently had the scoop on great out of the way places to swim/snorkle. Great directions to some hard to finds stuff. We tried some of the hikes too. If you like fancy hotels and sitting by the pool and shopping this is not for you. If your idea of vacation is doing stuff outside its just great.
Read this first........2007-05-31
I like the format of all these Trailblazer guide books and the way they present all the insider tips for finding the hiking and beach accesses. I've been to the other islands and this one definitely has more lava fields and longer drives so the book was helpful for cherry picking the funstuff. It sifted through all the towns and historic sites and took my family and I down roads where idyllic beaches popped up miraculously. Not a hotel or gobs of tourists in sight, just a few palm trees for shade and miles of sand the blue water, perfect! Hard getting the kids to leave the water. We even went Kona coffee tasting on their driving tour starting on page 188.
We also took time to stay in Hilo two nights where the temp was a little cooler than Kona and swam at the Richardson beach park and were in time for the tropical flower infused farmers market, very colourful.
We put alot of miles on our rental car but with all the adventures this book provided it was far better and much cheaper than signing on to advertised tours. If you're into hiking or kayaking or surfing or snorkeling or sightseeing and need maps and good directions this is the book to take. They've also packed it with photos of the places they list which was really helpful too.
I would recommend buying and studying it before you go there. It shrunk the big island down to size.
Book Description
You'll never fall into the tourist traps when you travel with Frommer's. It's like having a friend show you around, taking you to the places locals like best. Our expert authors have already gone everywhere you might go—they've done the legwork for you, and they're not afraid to tell it like it is, saving you time and money. No other series offers candid reviews of so many hotels and restaurants in all price ranges. Every Frommer's Travel Guide is up-to-date, with exact prices for everything, dozens of color maps, and exciting coverage of sports, shopping, and nightlife. You'd be lost without us!
Completely updated every year (unlike most of the competition), Frommer's Maui features gorgeous full-color photos of the pristine beaches, colorful undersea life, and lush rain forest vistas that await you. Personally researched by a local expert, and written in an honest, personal voice, Frommer's Maui is the premier guide to this fascinating island.
It's all here, from thrilling whale watching to the spectacular sunrise at Haleakala National Park, from a mile-by-mile drive along the Road to Hana to mule rides on neighboring Molokai. No other guide comes close to matching our coverage of the island's beaches, golf courses, and adventure outings, with personal recommendations on the best outfitters, dive sites, and snorkeling spots.
Our candid and in-depth hotel reviews, all based on recent personal inspections, will help you find the perfect place to stay: a lavish high-rise resort, a family-friendly condo complex, or an intimate B&B on its own private cove. And our restaurant reviews, all personally written by one of Hawaii's leading dining critics, are simply second to none. Whether you're looking for romance or family fun in the sun, Frommer's Maui is the only guide you'll need. You'll even get a free color fold-out map that makes trip-planning a snap!
Download Description
You'll never fall into the tourist traps when you travel with Frommer's. It's like having a friend show you around, taking you to the places locals like best. Our expert authors have already gone everywhere you might go—they've done the legwork for you, and they're not afraid to tell it like it is, saving you time and money. No other series offers candid reviews of so many hotels and restaurants in all price ranges. Every Frommer's Travel Guide is up-to-date, with exact prices for everything, dozens of color maps, and exciting coverage of sports, shopping, and nightlife. You'd be lost without us!
Completely updated every year (unlike most of the competition), Frommer's Maui features gorgeous full-color photos of the pristine beaches, colorful undersea life, and lush rain forest vistas that await you. Personally researched by a local expert, and written in an honest, personal voice, Frommer's Maui is the premier guide to this fascinating island.
It's all here, from thrilling whale watching to the spectacular sunrise at Haleakala National Park, from a mile-by-mile drive along the Road to Hana to mule rides on neighboring Molokai. No other guide comes close to matching our coverage of the island's beaches, golf courses, and adventure outings, with personal recommendations on the best outfitters, dive sites, and snorkeling spots.
Our candid and in-depth hotel reviews, all based on recent personal inspections, will help you find the perfect place to stay: a lavish high-rise resort, a family-friendly condo complex, or an intimate B&B on its own private cove. And our restaurant reviews, all personally written by one of Hawaii's leading dining critics, are simply second to none. Whether you're looking for romance or family fun in the sun, Frommer's Maui is the only guide you'll need. You'll even get a free color fold-out map that makes trip-planning a snap!
Customer Reviews:
Not easy to use.......2007-08-01
I bought this book to help me get around Maui, and was disappointed in the writing of the book. I found it difficult to read and extrapilate data from. I borrowed another Maui guide from a friend which was much easier to use, I just can't remember who wrote it right now.
I found the free brochures available at the airport and hotels easier to use and more comprehensive.
Book Helpful - Map almost USELESS!.......2006-10-23
I found most of the info helpful, but felt the section on luaus should have at least suggested two others, instead of just the Old Lahaina Luau, which I feel has become too much of a production, instead of a beautiful feast to share! I have been to Maui 6 times, and everytime have found several new & surprising sights, sounds, meals, & wonderful, helpful people. The map should have more detailed street info, especially around Kihei & Lahaina. Might help prevent accidents. I found the Paradise Family Guide on Maui & Lanai by Dona Early & Christie Stilson much more informative and realistic, especially re: to $$ and cents!
AVOID - dishonest ratings and cheap content.......2006-10-18
Frommer's Maui rates the tired, moldy, tacky Noelani this way: "Everything is first class, from the furnishings to the oceanfront location." Nothing could be further from the truth, and we booked in there for a week based on this blatantly dishonest description!
The fold out map is useless, lacking any detail whatsoever, a real con job.
"Maui Revealed" completely blows Frommer into the weeds, but what's most annoying is that trusting Frommer could ruin your vacation! Makes you wonder if Frommer is on the take?
Great, just lacking a reality check.......2005-10-23
I enjoyed the throughness of this book and thought overall the author did a good job guiding us on our trip through Maui. However, there are some important things to mention. There are obvious things that once you get there you find out the hard way that should be included, such as what roads not to take and why. Also, in her take over the Road to Hana she suggests to stay and come back late at night and miss the traffic. Road to Hana is crazy to drive during the day and I would not be able to sleep at night if I recommended a reader to drive back after dark on those crazy and winding roads. It is pretty much suicide during the day, I can't imagine what level it goes to when you reach dusk. Her restaurant recommendations that we tried out were great. I just wish there was a little more of a reality check and a little more of an explanation of dangerous terrain. Her activity recommendations seemed okay as well as the booking agencies. However, we found that depending on what time of year you go, most of the activities are not sold out and you could book them when you got there when you had a better idea of what you wanted to do and try to complete.
Okay, but Maui Revealed better.......2005-07-28
This book has all the information you might need, but no color photo's and lacks the personality of Maui Revealed. IT isnt bad, but the other book is just better.
Customer Reviews:
How could it cost $99 Dollars???.......2007-08-07
Please tell me that the price of this map has been entered wrong and that is is NOT really $99
Told by a resident to get this map, excellent purchase........2007-07-07
There are plenty of maps out there, this is the one my friend told me to get, he lives on Maui. My other friend and I planned to go biking on the Hana Highway, this map has lots of ideas for side trips, and close-up views of popular areas. Much more detail than the freebies at the tourist stops, up-to-date, colorful, easy to read, especially the topographical reference.
I Like Maps.......2007-04-13
This map and our Maui Trailblazer guide were essentials. Perfect combo for the drives we took circling this island.
Good for long-term visits.......2007-03-08
A detailed map that we didn't use once during our visit. However, I suspect that if we lived on Maui or our stay was longer than 9 days, we may have used it to poke around into the back waters of Maui. For a short term stay, it's overkill.
Great alongside travel guides.......2006-02-14
Used this map on our last two trips and found it to be a useful tool alongside our travel guides. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars was because the map can be somewhat "busy." You probably could tour the island alone with the map, but a good guide like 'Maui - Mile by Mile' is perfect with this map.
Customer Reviews:
How to get from Here to There (and where to stop in between).......2000-02-24
This book was one of the most important references my wife and I used on our passage from Seattle to Skagway. Not only did it give us ideas on where to go the next day, but where to hide in case the weather didn't cooperate. A must have reference for every boater cruising the Inside Passage.
Book Description
Snorkel Hawaii: The Big Island was the first guidebook exclusively devoted to snorkeling on The Big Island of Hawaii. In this 50% longer expanded second edition, even more sites and maps are included, plus updated tips and excursions. From a colorful cover to 54 site descriptions and 38 detailed maps of snorkeling sites, it draws you into the fascinating underwater world that shouldn't be missed by anyone touring the Big Island.
As Dave Barry says: "When you finally see what goes on underwater, you realize that you've been missing the whole point of the ocean--it's like going to the circus and staring at the outside of the tent."
It is the original in a series of guidebooks that provide more detailed snorkeling information than ever before available for each of the Hawaiian islands in an attractive, easy to carry package. Snorkel Maui and Lanai, and Snorkel Kauai, also available from Amazon.com, provides the same detailed coverage of these beautiful islands.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent information!.......2007-08-26
This book was great for precise and concise information about where to snorkel on the Big Island. We used it daily to decide where we would go. It also gave information about where it was safe to take our 2 young and inexperienced snorkelers as well as where to park, the easiest place for entry, and which direction to head once you are in the water. I highly recommend this book.
Great snorkeling guide to Big Island.......2006-07-05
While a couple years old at this point, this book still pointed the way for me on a recent week of snorkeling on Hawaii. Excellent descriptions and maps of specific reefs and beaches. Good opening introduction to snorkeling for novices. If you are heading to the big island for snorkeling, spend time before your trip with this book and it will pay huge dividends.
Maps Alone Make It Worth The Price.......2006-03-28
After three weeks of snorkeling the Big Island, our copy of Snorkel Hawaii - The Big Island, is dog-eared. The maps of snorkeling spots are worth every penny of the book. They are clear and show everything necessary: best water entry points, best snorkeling spots in a bay (differing between beginning, intermediate, and advanced snorkelers), landmarks, parking, and amenities such as showers and restrooms. The Sites at a Glance section presents all the sites in chart format with ratings, entry difficulty, amenities, and brief remarks. The book helped us target our snorkeling time and we swam with both dolphins and sea turtles, viewing a moray eel and more varieties of tropical fish than we were able to count!
works as advertised.......2006-02-06
The book works as advertised. You will find the parking, the beach, the fish, and the currents just as described.
Indispensable guide to snorkeling on the Big Island.......2006-01-27
This guide is invaluable for locating the best snorkel sites on the Big Island. Its guide to the best sites, how accessible each is, and how to find public parking for them, is priceless. I just returned from a trip to the Big Island and used this guide not only for finding the best snorkeling sites but also the best swimming beachers and how to find those elusive public parking spaces for them. A fantastic guide, completely up-to-date and accurate.
Customer Reviews:
Map of Hawaii.......2007-07-19
This is a well defined map of the Big Island. It is also well made and sturdy. I will be taking it with me on my next trip to the island.
Best Big Isle Book!.......2007-05-25
My main squeeze and I are moving back to the islands after I graduated from UH-Manoa on O'ahu. We'll be inhabiting the beautiful Big Island this time, and this book was the ideal pre-requisiste reading material. It breaks the island into sections and details the must-see spots to hike, bike, snorkel, surf and drive, as well as providing important information on the culture, the language and native populations. This book is a must-buy for anyone who is planning to spend time that they hope will be qaulity on the Big Isle. :) You won't regret this purchase!
HAPPY IN HAWAII.......2007-03-12
THIS IS AN EASY TO READ AND USE MAP. I RECIEVED IT QUICKLY AND IT WAS IN GREAT CONDITION.
Good map for a very low price.......2007-01-10
In case you do not want to spend all day in your tourist resort, this map is ideal for finding your way and pointing you to interesting sites
BEST single foldout map of the BIG ISLAND!.......2006-11-28
I've just returned from visiting the BIG ISLAND of Hawaii. I looked at a lot of maps of the island that were ok but simply lacked detail. I came across this one on Hawaii itself. It folds out so you can see the entire island on a big scale all at once. It has enough detail to get you around to all the towns and major gotta-see-that tourist sites -- many you never heard of. There are separate enlarged panels detailing Kailua-Kona and Hilo. This is the map I wish I had when planning my trip.
You can find this map at gas stations, tourist shops (ABC & Hilo Hatties), KTA grocery stores, every Long's Drugs and heaven only knows where else on the island. Or, if you want to really plan your trip in advance -- get it now. You'll be glad you did. Mark it up with pen, ink, magic marker, etc. It's cheap (buy two and you have one to frame) and will save you time navigating around the Big Island.
BTW, the paper must have improved since 2004 -- I folded and refolded this map a few dozen times and it's still intact. Combine this with the guide book "Hawaii The Big Island Revealed: The Ultimate Guidebook" and you're well on your way to planning a great vacation!
Aloha!
Book Description
An abundance of new evidence demanded this reevaluation of Frank Jack Fletcher, the "black shoe" admiral who won his battles at sea but lost the war of public opinion. A surface warrior -- in contrast to a "brown shoe" naval aviator -- Fletcher led the carrier forces that won against all odds at Coral Sea, Midway, and the Eastern Solomons. These and other early carrier victories decided the Pacific War not only because they inflicted crippling losses but also because they denied Japan key strategic positions in the region.
Despite these successes, by 1950 Fletcher had become one of the most controversial figures in U.S. naval history and was portrayed as a timid bungler who failed to relieve Wake Island in December 1941 and who deliberately abandoned the Marines at Guadalcanal.
In this book, author John Lundstrom recalls that Fletcher once remarked, "after an action is over, people talk a lot about how the decisions were deliberately reached, but actually there's always a hell of a lot of groping around," and notes that the goal of his study is to probe and explain the "groping around." Drawing on new material, Lundstrom offers a fresh look at Fletcher's decisions and actions. The first major reassessment in more than fifty years of the once-maligned naval officer, it provides a careful analysis of the effect of radio intelligence on decision-making in the carrier battles during the first nine months of the war in the Pacific. This new assessment is based on thousands of documents and massive dispatch files and personal papers that no historian has previously used.
Customer Reviews:
Indispensable history.......2007-10-14
I've belatedly gotten around to reading the FJF bio, and it's absolutely indispensable to understanding the first year of the Pacific War. With due respect for The Big E, Fletcher and Yorktown (CV-5) lugged most of the flattop mail in the six months after Pearl Harbor, and with his Guadalcanal experience, he became the leading practitioner of carrier warfare in the US Navy--and in the world.
If you don't read anything else, go to the Conclusion for an education in how history gets written, especially by Recognized Historians with agendas. As an example of expositive historiography it will stand alone for a long-long time.
long time Pacific War buff.......2006-10-25
This is a long overdue look at Adm Fletcher and his role in the critical first year of the war. I always found it odd that the victor of the three most important battles fought by our fleet in WWII was quickly shunted aside and treated with disdain by postwar historians. John Lundstrom does a fine job of exposing the biasis and backbiting within the navy at the time that resulted in Fletcher's downfall.
Mr Lundstrom is an eminent historian of this subject and has produced a first rate, readable and important work. It deserves a place with the best accounts of the wartime Pacific Fleet to appear in many years. It clearly shows Frank Jack Fletcher for the fine leader and fighter that he was.
Scholarly Work.......2006-10-24
Black Shoe Carrier Admiral is one of two excellent works to be published this year on WWII Pacific carriers, battles and the men who commanded them. John Lundstrom has obviously put a great deal of effort into setting the record straight on Admiral Fletcher and his contributions to our early victories in the Pacific. His work is well documented and thoroughly researched, and adds new sources that had not previously surfaced in World War II histories of that period.
The book demonstrates how Fletcher became the target of severe criticism for his actions, primarily by others who hoped to improve their own reputations or deflect criiticism as a result. Lundstrom pulls no punches, however, by describing both Fletcher's strengths and failings in the events of December 1941 to September 1942. He repeatedly demonstrates that misinterpretations of Fletcher's actions, particularly by Admiral King in Washington, resulted in Fletcher's eventual downfall. At the same time, he explains how some noted historians played down or ignored Fletcher's important contributions, that sealed the US victories at Coral Sea and, particularly Midway.
John Lundstrom's book is an excellent read for anyone wanting to know more of the early war in the Pacific. It is also an important source for any serious student of the period who wants to gain insight both to the actions of the war and the politics inside the Navy at that time.
A 5-star book by a 5-star author.......2006-10-21
"Black Shoe Carrier Admiral" is a 680-page, meticulously detailed accounting of Admiral Fletcher's leadership of U.S. carrier forces during the first year of World War II in the Pacific. Author John Lundstrom's fundamental thesis is that Fletcher has been unfairly maligned by many of his peers, by historians, and by a large segment of the U.S. Marine Corps for perceived errors of judgment or even failings of character during crucial battles in the Coral Sea, at Midway, and in the Solomons.
The author's painstaking research into primary sources largely ignored by other writers (i.e., memos, letters, and logs kept by those who were present with Fletcher during those battles, plus actual radio messages and dispatches sent by and to him aboard his various flagships) reveal a reasonable rationale for many of Fletcher's controversial decisions that mostly seem to have escaped his critics. It's not possible to adequately summarize them in a short review like this, but suffice to say that admirals sitting behind desks in Hawaii or Washington are poorly situated for grasping all of the important realities of a convoluted combat scenario occurring half a world away. Thus when Fletcher is condemned for failing to charge full speed ahead to engage the enemy when doing so would have totally exhausted the fuel in his escorting destroyers, making victory impossible and needless destroyer losses inevitable, he is chastised for failing to engage the enemy rather than praised for sensibly preserving America's meager fleet assets in the face of superior forces.
While there is much more to be said about this fine volume, it seems necessary in this forum to spend as much energy reviewing some of the other reviews as the book itself. It is patently unfair to the author for a reviewer to post a derogatory assessment of this or any book when he (a) apparently has not read it, or (b) does not seem to be in possession of factual information about it or the author, or (c) both. Such is clearly the case with some of the reviews found here, with the result that Black Shoe Carrier Admiral gets less than the five-star ranking that it clearly deserves. For example:
~One reviewer denigrates the book because it says relatively little about Fletcher after the 1942 carrier battles. He apparently didn't bother to read the book's subtitle: Frank Jack Fletcher at Coral Sea, Midway, and Guadalcanal.
~Another writer says Lundstrom has no documentation and there is no evidence to support the suggestion that USS Hornet captain Marc Mitscher sent his air group in the wrong direction at the Battle of Midway. That writer is apparently ignorant of an abundance of testimony from Hornet veterans, both aircrew and ship's company, that support exactly that (see Naval History magazine, Feb 2006, p. 48 for just one resource).
~Another devotes all of three lines in ALL CAPS to trumpet the claim that Fletcher was hated by the Marines. Such a brief review obviously provides no space for the writer to tell us his opinion of Marine Colonel Melvin J. Maas, who unlike legions of other fine Marines, actually knew and worked directly with Fletcher during the Solomons campaign. Col. Maas cited Fletcher for his exceptional ability as a naval tactician and superior quality as a task force admiral.
~Other one-star reviewers complain that Lundstrom is trying to write an academic history without being an academic himself (Lundstrom has a master's degree in military history), that his book makes claims unsupported by facts or documentation (the book has 82 pages of fine print citing documented sources, largely original, for every significant statement in the manuscript), and that Fletcher was responsible for the loss of three fleet carriers in 1942 (apparently the Imperial Japanese Navy, with superior aircraft, battle-experienced aircrews, and an awesomely deadly torpedo had nothing to do with it).
Such agenda-driven opinions do not serve Amazon's review process in the intended manner, and in this case present a grossly inaccurate portrayal of the book's content and its author's qualifications for writing it. "Black Shoe Carrier Admiral" is a magnificent achievement, representing years of dogged research and composition by an award-winning expert who is eminently qualified and experienced in this subject matter. To revile it as anything less without supporting facts and documentation (so important to Lundstrom's detractors) is simply irresponsible.
Overdue detailed study of a key commander in the first year of the Pacific War.......2006-10-01
This is an important book for any student of the Pacific War, because it corrects the largely unrefuted negative accounts of Admiral Frank Jack Fletcher's service as commander of the U.S. carrier task forces in the first three of the four carrier battles of 1942 (Coral Sea, Midway, and Eastern Solomons). In fact, there were only two carrier battles in history where he did not command the winning side - Santa Cruz in October 1942, and Philippine Sea in 1944.
Despite this record, Fletcher has been savaged by critics for allegedly failing to stand by the Marine garrison at Guadalcanal, and, since he headed the relief expedition to besieged Wake in January 1942, he gets blamed for that expedition's turning back as well (despite the fact that he was ordered to do so). That he won three carriers battles against superior forces never gets him the credit he deserves. This was due in part to a confluence of several negative factors. First, he was a "black shoe" admiral, and not an aviator - and aviators were furious that carrier task forces were being commanded by non-aviators in the early stages of the war. In their mind every mission he didn't send them on would have been a great success - and that's what they told his superiors. Second, he was a convenient scapegoat for other admirals - most notably Richmond Kelly Turner at Guadalcanal, and CinC Ernest King - when they either made mistakes (Kelly at Guadalcanal) or were dissatisfied with his failure to act more "offensively" in spite of the circumstances that prevented it, or counseled against it. Third, when the attacks started rolling in during the war and after, Fletcher did not respond to correct the record, in part because of two unfortunate circumstances. First, he lost his records for the first half of the war when the Yorktown went down at Midway. Second, when he left the Saratoga at Pearl after her torpedoing, he unexpectedly was not permitted to return for the change of command ceremony, and thus lost his records from June through September as well. And after the war, without these records to refute what was being said about him he repeatedly demurred when asked to review what was being written about the battles in which he took part. So the people who were writing that he'd been incompetent and reluctant to risk battle to the point of cowardice, and used hindsight to justify their opinions were largely refuted for half a century. Someone else (I cannot recall who, but Lundstrom does not mention it) has said that Fletcher in postwar interviews seemed confused and unsure what had happened when. Whether this was due to lack of records or old age, the writer said that Fletcher's appearance may have reinforced the common belief that he was not very bright, and was in over his head during the war. I thought I saw a reference to Fletcher's becoming senile as he aged (he did not die until 1973) and that probably did not help things - it is hard to see someone who is visibly impaired by old age as a sharp-eyed fleet commander.
Enter John Lundstrom. Lundstrom's painstaking knowledge of what the carrier commanders knew, and when they knew it, and when various participants were flat-out lying about what happened, or making incorrect assumptions (uniformly to Fletcher's detriment) makes clear than at numerous crucial points Fletcher consistently made the right decisions, at least based on what he knew at the time, and preserved the U.S. Navy's irreplaceable (at the time) carriers. Most readers are aware of Nimitz' order to Fletcher at Midway to only risk the carriers when he had the opportunity to inflict serious damage on the Japanese carriers, but it appears that Fletcher was under the same instructions at Guadalcanal. And with a far more dangerous mission in sub-infested waters within range of Japanese land-based bombers he made the decision to leave the forces at Guadalcanal temporarily uncovered at times to reduce the risk to the carriers. What this book makes clear is that at the time he was not aware - in part due to bad communications and in part due to Turner's errors, that he was leaving at a bad time. Of course both Turner and the Marines didn't see it that way, and there was nothing his presence could have done to avert the Savo disaster, but then they didn't know what he knew.
At bottom, the unpleasant truth was that Fletcher's carriers were incomparably more important than the Marines at Guadalcanal, and if he had to choose between abandoning the Marines (which he did not believe he was doing at the time he retreated to refuel - which he had to do at some point so as to be ready when the Japanese carriers showed up) or putting the carriers in substantial risk with no prospect to inflict equal damage on Japanese forces, the carriers won. Losing Guadalcanal would have been a temporary setback. Losing the bulk of the carriers in the fall of 1942 would have been far worse. The Marines would disagree - and understandably still do - but had that been the decision (and Lundstrom makes clear that it was never that clear) that would have been the right decision. In the long run, the Marines depended on the carriers being there to stop the Japanese Navy when it showed up far more than they needed them to cover the unloading of supplies, and that was what Fletcher did. If he had lost the carriers covering Turner's delayed unloading of supplies, the Marines would have been dislodged when the Japanese Navy showed up, no matter how much supplies they had on hand.
Not everything Fletcher did was right, of course, but given that he was practicing a new form of naval warfare in which he had no experience (neither did anyone else, of course) and he won every battle he was engaged in, and preserved the Navy's carriers long enough to bridge the gap till the new carriers under construction reached the fleet, he deserves far greater credit for what he did.
The book also explain better his post-carrier command work. Once he was out of the South Pacific after the Saratoga was torpedoed, his days as a carrier commander were over - both King and to a lesser extent Nimitz were unhappy with what they perceived as a lack of offensive-mindedness, and he was relegated to a land-based commend on the mainland.
But Lundstrom also makes clear that that may have been where he was headed anyway. Having an admiral with no aviation experience command carrier task forces in early 1942 may have been unavoidable because there were no air admirals with sufficient seniority, but by the end of 1942 all the fliers who had started the war as captains (Mitscher as an example) were now rear admirals, and sufficiently senior to command carrier task forces. Fletcher, on the other hand, was now a vice admiral, too senior for a task force command, and with the wrong background to command the overall carrier fleet (despite his phenomenal failure at Midway, Mitscher did end up being the right man at the right time). Add to that that Fletcher did have a record of not seizing the initiative (although I don't think he can be faulted for doing so in the circumstances in which he operated) I really don't see that he would have remained with the carriers in any event. His record was precisely the opposite of the tactics that Mitscher would later employ to great success in early 1944. Again, it has to be said that Mitscher could afford to take risks with the forces available to him, and Fletcher could not. Had he played with fire the way the armchair admirals wanted him to, the benefits would have been minor, and the risks were incalculable.
In the end, if anyone deserves the credit for the way the U.S. carrier task forces successfully fought the first year of the Pacfic War, it has to be Fletcher, and I'm glad we finally have a book that explains this. Lundstrom is not neutral on the subject of Fletcher, but then neither has anyone else been, and this book helps to balance the account.
The only reason I give the book four stars instead of five is that Lundstrom's detail is sometimes overwhelming, and he not infrequently has sentences that are unintentionally cryptic, where it's hard to tell what exactly he is trying to say. It is also clear that he is an advocate for Fletcher, and while I applaud that because it helps balance the record, this is an analysis of what Fletcher did and why and why his detractors are or are not wrong. A five star rating would be appropriate if it were a balanced account of what happened. But that book is not yet possible, because no one had done the homework to see whether the attacks on Fletcher were justified. That has now been done, and we can now see what the next generation of naval scholarship makes of this stage of the war. For example, I am particularly interested in reassessments of what King and Nimitz thought about Fletcher - Lundstrom seems to be not entirely sure, and while that it perhaps not needed in this book, to get the whole picture, that needs to be analyzed further. There were a lot of politics going on in Washington, and perhaps Pearl as well, and those need to be taken into account.
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