Book It
| Published: July 2010 |
| Insight Guides’ New England Step by Step |
Book It by Jaime Forth
Insight Guides’ New England Step by Step by Simon Richmond
ISBN: 9789812821522
Paperback: 127 pages
Ahhh, it’s summer. Finally. Beach picnics, warm breezes, bare feet and campfires. In the middle of all this is Independence Day, our country’s historic milestone. And one of the very best ways to celebrate the freedoms of summer and the founding of our nation is to visit New England, where, thanks to a few courageous souls who braved that horrendous boat trip across the ocean, we—that is, America—began.
Although highly decorative in its own right—Vermont’s fall foliage, for instance, and the picturesque harbor at Gloucester—New England is Paul Revere, John Adams and Ethan Allen territory. A firsthand look at the places where these heroes lived and worked and dreamed is stimulating, and it helps us to understand the events that shaped their thoughts and deeds.
If your idea of a good time is trekking across the landscape instead of driving through it, New England Step by Step will be a useful companion. One- to three-day walking itineraries wind through historically significant spots like Boston Common, the Charleston Navy Yard and Plymouth. Also included are the Berkshires, Lake Champlain Valley, coastal Maine and the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Along the way, traditional activities are highlighted, such as antique browsing in Vermont, leisurely fly fishing in New Hampshire, baseball in Boston, whale watching jaunts and Newport mansion tours. There are also helpful sidebars with suggestions about food, drink and accommodations.
Insight Travel books were first recommended to me by an Irish tour guide who loved the small pullout maps and clean, attractive graphics. Directions are concise and the information is well-organized, with several pages devoted to climate, transportation options and historical context. It also fits quite easily into a backpack or handbag. It is not, however, the type of guidebook one can savor or draw inspiration from. Information skims the surface, presenting points of interest in pleasantly modulated tones that lead us no farther than the doorstep. The author takes us to places, but not into them. See the difference?
This handsome book may appeal most to travelers who have a general idea where they’re going and simply need good directions to get them there. However, I couldn’t help thinking that if the title were changed to Dragnet, the forward by Sgt. Joe Friday would say, “Just the facts, ma’am, just the facts.”
Insight Guides’ New England Step by Step by Simon Richmond
ISBN: 9789812821522
Paperback: 127 pages
Ahhh, it’s summer. Finally. Beach picnics, warm breezes, bare feet and campfires. In the middle of all this is Independence Day, our country’s historic milestone. And one of the very best ways to celebrate the freedoms of summer and the founding of our nation is to visit New England, where, thanks to a few courageous souls who braved that horrendous boat trip across the ocean, we—that is, America—began.
Although highly decorative in its own right—Vermont’s fall foliage, for instance, and the picturesque harbor at Gloucester—New England is Paul Revere, John Adams and Ethan Allen territory. A firsthand look at the places where these heroes lived and worked and dreamed is stimulating, and it helps us to understand the events that shaped their thoughts and deeds.
If your idea of a good time is trekking across the landscape instead of driving through it, New England Step by Step will be a useful companion. One- to three-day walking itineraries wind through historically significant spots like Boston Common, the Charleston Navy Yard and Plymouth. Also included are the Berkshires, Lake Champlain Valley, coastal Maine and the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Along the way, traditional activities are highlighted, such as antique browsing in Vermont, leisurely fly fishing in New Hampshire, baseball in Boston, whale watching jaunts and Newport mansion tours. There are also helpful sidebars with suggestions about food, drink and accommodations.
Insight Travel books were first recommended to me by an Irish tour guide who loved the small pullout maps and clean, attractive graphics. Directions are concise and the information is well-organized, with several pages devoted to climate, transportation options and historical context. It also fits quite easily into a backpack or handbag. It is not, however, the type of guidebook one can savor or draw inspiration from. Information skims the surface, presenting points of interest in pleasantly modulated tones that lead us no farther than the doorstep. The author takes us to places, but not into them. See the difference?
This handsome book may appeal most to travelers who have a general idea where they’re going and simply need good directions to get them there. However, I couldn’t help thinking that if the title were changed to Dragnet, the forward by Sgt. Joe Friday would say, “Just the facts, ma’am, just the facts.”
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