Off The Beaten Page

Blending literature and travel, this book offers a look at 15 U.S. destinations featured in the works of famous writers. Designed as a guide to help avid bibliophiles experience, in person, the places they've only read about, award-winning journalist Terri Peterson Smith takes readers on lively tours that include a Mark Twain inspired steamboat cruise on the Mississippi, a Devil in the White City view of Chicago in the Gilded Age, a voyage through the footsteps of the immigrants and iconoclasts of San Francisco, and a look at low country Charleston's rich literary tradition. With advice on planning stress-free group travel and lit trip tips for novices, this resource also features beyond the book experiences, such as Broadway shows, Segway tours, and kayaking, making it a one-of-a-kind reference for anyone who wants to extend the experience of a great read.

Thoroughly updated, this handbook spotlights over 1,000 of America's most overlooked must-see destinations in a state-by-state, A-Z format. 300 color photos.

A breathtaking mountain adventure, in which a boy finds his inner strength, from the author of the critically-acclaimed, award-winning novel The Heart Paul is ten years old and lives with his aunt and uncle. Bruce, an old family friend, suddenly reappears after three years of silence, eager to keep a promise he made to Paul to take him on a three-day mountain trek. Paul longs for Bruce’s friendship and wants badly to prove himself. But he is also timid and unsure, and Bruce—who is better at doing than explaining—doesn’t make it any easier. A dramatic event gives Paul the chance to find his inner strength, and to show himself and everyone else what he is capable of. This uniquely illustrated coming-of-age story for teens can help create thought-provoking discussion about: Finding independence, resiliency, and self-confidence The importance of guidance and mentorship from trusted adults An Aldana Libros Book, Greystone Kids

Publisher Description

NATIONAL BOOK AWARD WINNER • “Altogether gripping, shocking, and brilliantly told, not just a tour de force in its stylistic range, but a great American novel, as powerful a reading experience as nearly any in our literature.”—Michael Dirda, The New York Review of Books Killing Mister Watson, Lost Man’s River, and Bone by Bone—Peter Matthiessen’s great American epic about Everglades sugar planter and notorious outlaw E. J. Watson on the wild Florida frontier at the turn of the twentieth century—were originally conceived as one vast, mysterious novel. Now, in this bold new rendering, Matthiessen has marvelously distilled a monumental work while deepening the insights and motivations of his characters with brilliant rewriting throughout. Praise for Shadow Country “Magnificent . . . breathtaking . . . Finally now we have [this three-part saga] welded like a bell, and with Watson’s song the last sound, all the elements fuse and resonate.”—Los Angeles Times “Peter Matthiessen has done great things with the Watson trilogy. It’s the story of our continent, both land and people, and his writing does every justice to the blood fury of his themes.”—Don DeLillo “The fiction of Peter Ma­­tthiessen is the reason a lot of people in my generation decided to be writers. No doubt about it. Shadow Country lives up to anyone’s highest expectations for great writing.” —Richard Ford “Shadow Country, Matthiessen’s distillation of the earlier Watson saga, represents his original vision. It is the quintessence of his lifelong concerns, and a great legacy.”—W. S. Merwin “[An] epic masterpiece . . . a great American novel.”—The Miami Herald

Readers can see where Kool-Aid was invented, lose their inhibitions by entering the cluck-off competition at the Wayne Chicken Show, bicycle portions of the Cowboy Trail, or experience the intense magic of the world's largest concentration of Sandhill cranes each spring--all in Nebraska.

- The ultimate insider's guide to Boston - Features interesting and unusual places not found in traditional travel guides - Part of the international 111 Places series with over 650 titles and 3.8 million copies in print worldwide - Appeals to both the local market (more than 690,000 people call Boston home) and the tourist market (more than 19 million people visit Boston every year!) - Fully illustrated with 111 full-page color photographs - New revised and updated edition Faneuil Hall is fine and the duck boats are just dandy, but if you want to go beyond the Boston of brochures and get to the heart of this mysterious, charming old metropolis, you have to dig deep and be willing to get a little weird. 111 Places in Boston That You Must Not Miss is a guidebook with a twist: one that takes you far off the beaten path - and the Freedom Trail - to explore a side of the city that's offbeat, unexpected, and completely fascinating for visitors and locals alike. Whether you want to pay your respects at the memorial for a fictional character, sneak behind a vending machine to go shopping for sneakers, sip cocktails where hardened criminals sat behind bars, or hang out with some life-sized puppets, you can do it all here... and before dinnertime, to boot. Throw on your Red Sox cap, hop on the T, and uncover some secrets along the way.

River and small-ship cruises have become enormously popular recently. As an alternative to sailing on the big cruise ships, travel ¿off the beaten path,¿ on smaller, more personal voyages and enjoy an authentic experience. In this guide, you¿ll find: -Detailed destination information for small ship cruises worldwide.-Sample day-by-day itineraries. -Descriptions of different types of small ship cruises ¿ from riverboats to sailing ships, yachts and more. -A comprehensive listing of small ship cruise lines, that caters to the North American market. -A detailed listing of small ships. -Special-interest cruises, from gardening to Christmas Shopping.-Advice on how to plan your trip, including the best seasons to travel, how to find a good travel agent that specializes in small ship cruises, and contact information and websites. This guidebook was written by a cruise industry insider ¿ for many years BETSEY SHAPIRO has been a travel agent, worked for small cruise lines, and works at the port in San Francisco. In this book, she and her colleagues share insider¿s knowledge about the cruise lines, destinations and best way to get the most out of your small ship vacation. ¿Every cruise loving traveler will enjoy reading it and it will definitely inspire their next cruise destinations for years!¿

Blending literature and travel, this book offers a look at 15 U.S. destinations featured in the works of famous writers. Designed as a guide to help avid bibliophiles experience, in person, the places they've only read about, award-winning journalist Terri Peterson Smith takes readers on lively tours that include a Mark Twain inspired steamboat cruise on the Mississippi, a Devil in the White City view of Chicago in the Gilded Age, a voyage through the footsteps of the immigrants and iconoclasts of San Francisco, and a look at low country Charleston's rich literary tradition. With advice on planning stress-free group travel and lit trip tips for novices, this resource also features “beyond the book” experiences, such as Broadway shows, Segway tours, and kayaking, making it a one-of-a-kind reference for anyone who wants to extend the experience of a great read.