Alaska Insight Guide by Elizabeth Linhart
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This guide includes a chapter about cruising Alaska.

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A Texan's Promise by Shelley Gray
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I downloaded this book to my Nook when it was free.
I recommend it only to fans of Christian fiction romance. If you are reading it as historical fiction, you will be disappointed. The geography errors will quickly disturb the reader's suspension of belief.

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Selected Stories of O. Henry by O. Henry
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book was the Free Friday selection on Dec 17, 2010.

When I read one story after the other, I was amazed how well O. Henry made his characters distinguishable from others, especially through the use of their word choices and phrasing in their dialogue.

I recommend this this book to all readers who want to read more than "The Gift of the Magi" or "The Last Leaf."

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Frommer's Canada by Leslie Brokaw
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book had the general information I need about Calgary, Banff, Jasper, Vancouver, and Victoria.

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Canadian Rockies Access Guide by John Dodd
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I chose this book because I wanted more information about sights and trails in Banff National Park and Jasper National Park. Information about other parks are included.

The book is well-organized and contains sufficient information about the location of trailheads. Descriptions of the trails include what to look for when the trail turns or has a junction. Length of trail, change in elevation, rating of the trail from easy to strenuous, and the typical time required to hike the trail are included. Information about shuttle bus is included. There are maps and pictures. Sections about rainy day activities are included.

I recommend it for readers who are planning their vacation. The description of the trails makes me wish I had more time scheduled in these two National Parks.



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Landscapes in Watercolour by Ray Campbell Smith
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I ordered this book from Half.com because I have an interest in learning to paint landscapes in watercolors. This 48-page book includes materials lists and instructions for four paintings. I am a beginner. This book assumes a technical level I don't yet have. I keep the book for reference and practice.

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A Million Miles in a Thousand Years: What I Learned While Editing My Life by Donald Miller
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Mickey Live, who has the cool job of "Beyond the Podium" lecturing about South America, Antarctica, and the best apps for travelers while living on board Celebrity Infinity, recommended this book in one of his lecture. I'm glad I stopped him after the lecture to get the author's name so I could find this book when I returned home. It seemed like serendipity when I was able to record Blue Like Jazz for viewing the same time I was able to pick up this book from my local library because this was the movie Miller and two other writers adapted from his memoir.

Miller is not the first inspirational author to recommend changing your life by making a better story; he simply takes that idea and runs with it, step by step, while he explores the need for cohesive action, character development, inciting incidents, climatic moments, and resolution. And then he explains why life does not end at the same place where credits might run at the end of the movie. Even if you have no motivation to change your life, this book can be enjoyed as a memoir with scenes about some remarkable characters Miller meets.

I recommend this book to all readers, and that is why it gets 4 stars. It gets the fifth star because I plan to buttonhole a few people while I recommend this to them, and I plan to re-read the book at regular intervals.




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