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The 2019 Rand McNally Large Scale Road Atlas is a spiral-bound atlas containing maps of every US state and over 350 detailed city inset and national park maps, as well as a comprehensive index to quickly find what you’re looking for.&nbsp;At 35% larger than the standard atlas, it makes for a much easier read when on the go, while the spiral-bound spine effortlessly helps keep the page in use open. The paper is high quality, while each map is clearly printed to give weary eyes an easier job of finding out exactly where to go. Not only does it save having to use up mobile data, its big font and clear maps mean you won’t have to squint to see the names and routes of roads.&nbsp;One of the issues with the map is that some of the roads do not match up completely, meaning if you are not used to using an atlas you may find it slightly confusing. Also, the fact that the maps are 35% bigger means that one city may spill out onto other pages, meaning you will have to flick through to get a sense of the whole location.&nbsp;Also, due to its size, it can be not be the most convenient way of navigating a journey whilst driving as it requires two hands to hold, therefore if relying on for when on the go, it would only be recommended should there be another passenger in the car. Nevertheless, for planning a trip it is one of the best atlases available, providing a good accompaniment to a GPS or mobile maps.

The 2019 Rand McNally Large Scale Road Atlas is a spiral-bound atlas containing maps of every US state and over 350 detailed city inset and national park

Large Scale Road Atlas & %itemsCount%+ Travel Books Like amazon.com

Large Scale Road Atlas

The Lost Art of Reading Nature’s Signs is a guide book written by British naturalist Tristan Gooley whose aim is to encourage readers to go outside and appreciate the world around them by providing a range of tips that can be used whilst out and about. Although largely applying to nature in Northern Europe, in particular Britain, Gooley presents techniques that can be applied “on any walk in almost any area.”&nbsp;The book is divided into fifteen different chapters and, as the title suggests, they all cover the way in which you can use the signs offered by nature to determine everything from finding your way when you’re lost to what the weather will do to discovering a water supply. Nevertheless, it is not simply a drab manual or survival guide, as Gooley breaks up the text with anecdotes from his decades of experience as a navigator across five continents, neatly illustrating the theories he presents in practice.&nbsp;In total, the author shares more than 850 unique tips for understanding nature and using it to help you, whether on just a simple walk or embarking on an excursion to areas far afield. Advice includes how the roots of trees can indicate the sun’s direction, how a butterfly can help you predict the weather and how the scent of cinnamon can indicate altitude.&nbsp;Gooley also stresses the importance of exercising our spiritual capacities for attention, beauty, being present, connections, hospitality, openness, questing and wonder. Whether a nature-lover or simply someone who just enjoys learning about what the world has to offer, The Lost Art of Reading Nature’s Signs provides a unique read that is guaranteed to offer something of interest, regardless of where you’re from.

Use Outdoor Clues to Find Your Way, Predict the Weather, Locate Water...

Lost Art of Reading Nature

Grandma Gatewood’s Walk follows the story of Emma Gatewood, a 67-year old grandmother who, in 1955, left her small Ohio hometown with less than two hundred dollars to embark on an 800-mile walk to the top of Maine’s Mount Katahdin. From there, not only did she become the first woman to hike the entire Appalachian Trail alone, she became a celebrity in her own right, appearing on television, in newspapers and in magazines across the world.&nbsp;The book is written by journalist Ben Montgomery, who received unprecedented access to Gatewood’s diaries, trail journals and correspondence, as well as interviewing surviving family members and those she met along the way. Interwoven in the book are the heartbreaking details of Gatewood’s early life, which saw her marry at just 18 years old to a man who would repeatedly beat her, and suggests that she may have used the long distance hiking as a way of coming to terms with her past.&nbsp;However, the other theme of the book beyond the personal story of Gatewood, is how trails like the one at Appalachian will fall into disrepair if we do not change how we look after them, while at the same time, in general, we should take more interest in the world around us by going out and experiencing it first hand.&nbsp;One criticism of the book is the way in which it continually flicks between Gatewood’s story and the events that were happening at the time, making it slightly tedious and long winded in parts.&nbsp;Also, rather than focusing on her as a person, there are lots of mentions of her abusive husband instead who, although forms an important motivation behind the walk, was not the only reason behind leaving her home.

The Inspiring Story of the Woman Who Saved the Appalachian Trail

Grandma Gatewood's Walk

AWOL on the Appalachian Trail is the story of David Miller, a software engineer who left his job, family and friends to follow in the steps of his brother and hike all 2,172 miles of the Appalachian Trail. The book contains relatively little information on his preparation and planning of the hike, instead starting immediately on the first day of the trail at Springer Mountain.&nbsp;The book is an autobiography and provides an excellent feel for the day-to-day reality of doing a thru-hike with enough detail to give a good idea of what to expect but not so much that it becomes tedious. There is an equal focus on description of the trail and his personal experiences, including battling various health issues, meeting fellow hikers, interactions with hostel keepers and details of the food.&nbsp;However, what sets Miller’s book apart from other accounts of walking along the Appalachian Trail is his detailed descriptions of the kindness of the people along the trail who aren’t necessarily hikers, the friendships he made, and the internal struggle to stay on the trail despite physical and emotional hardship. It also provides useful entries about how to properly prepare for the hike, including advice on safety and proper gear.&nbsp;However, one thing the book lacks is a look into what the hike meant for Miller himself. Often there are certain underlying reasons why someone would choose to embark on such a journey, yet the way in which the trip is chronicled like a log book means that this is never really touched on. As it is written by a software engineer, his writing style is heavy on simple, short, declarative sentences with little room for true emotional feelings of his own.&nbsp;Nevertheless, all in all, a very interesting account of a journey that may inspire many others to embark on.

Awol on Appalachian Trail

Chris Nichols’ Walt Disney’s Disneyland is a book that celebrates the history and cultural phenomenon of one of the United States’ most famous attractions: Disneyland. The book traces the history of the theme park, from Walt Disney’s earliest ideas to the place we see and experience today, built on what used to be nothing more than a dusty tract of orange groves.&nbsp;Nichols’ level of research is extensive, giving information on aspects of the park that have never been published before, such as details of the iconic Mickey Mouse balloon that was created a decade before the park itself. Amongst all the details are never before seen photos of Disneyland in construction, as well as a whole host of other clear, colour pictures printed on high quality gloss paper.&nbsp;The book is split into three sections, beginning with “Walt’s Dream” covering the early stages of development, “The Park Comes to Life” following the years 1955 through to 1963, and “The Vision Continues” that takes the reader to the present day and a look towards what the future holds for the Disney brand of theme parks.&nbsp;Walt Disney’s Disneyland adds plenty of new information on the topic, and serves as a comprehensive look into the history of the park, from the first sketches to current plans for the upcoming Star Wars land. However, what the book lacks is details of Walt Disney himself, focusing more on the park and its history rather than the man behind it. Therefore, if you are looking for biography type book then this is not it.&nbsp;It is also very much a coffee table book, rather than something you would carry around with you on your travels. With 328 pages in total, and high quality paper to go with it, it is not something light that can be transported in a backpack with ease, meaning you will have to leave this one at home.

Walt Disney's Disneyland

Wanderlust: A Love Affair with Five Continents is an autobiography written by Elisabeth Eaves, chronicling her travels abroad over fifteen years and the different relationships with men she experienced along the way.&nbsp;The memoir begins during Eaves’ university days, with accounts of her first boyfriend – Graham – who inspired a passion for travel within her that would eventually take her everywhere from Papa New Guinea to Afghanistan, over the course of more than a decade.&nbsp;One of the criticisms that are commonly levelled at the book, and which I must admit to having shared while reading it myself, is the focus on the meaningless relationships at the expense of retelling exactly what the places she was travelling to were like. What starts as the behaviour of what might not be so atypical of someone in their early twenties, soon turns into a repetitive and childish cycle that removes itself from the stunning locations she finds herself in.&nbsp;Nevertheless, Wanderlust is certainly more than simply the chronicles of one woman’s conquest over men, and at its center there is a story of self-discovery, as well as an inspiring tale of how women are not bound by the restrictions that society attempts to impose on them. Although it may encourage a few to follow such a promiscuous sexual life, more likely it will inspire people, particularly young women, to get out there and experience the world for themselves, without having to rely solely on men.&nbsp;The writing style is interesting and includes lots of internal musings, accompanied by an honest and very open approach. This sets it apart from a traditional travel biography, especially as it is one where perhaps the reader can learn more from Eaves’ mistakes than following exactly in her footsteps.

Love Affair Five Continents

Jon Krakauer’s Into The Wild is the story of 24-year old Christopher McCandless who, in April 1992, hitchhiked to Alaska and walked into the wilderness after giving $25,000 in savings to charity and abandoning most of his possessions. Fours months later he was found dead inside a rusting bus that served as a makeshift shelter for trappers, dog mushers and other backcountry visitors.&nbsp;Krakauer’s book retraces McCandless’ ill-fated journey, from his dysfunctional family life to his final days in the bus, with the help of Chris’ letters to friends, his journals and the many photographs that were found with his body, as well as interviews with his family and the people he came into contact with along the way.&nbsp;The author himself has over two decades of experience of the Alaskan wilderness, making for a more accurate and personal story than had it been written by a journalist from outside. For this reason, he carries with him a self-confessed obsession with McCandless’ story and searches for clues throughout to explain what propelled the young man to ultimately meet such an end.&nbsp;One issues that could be found with the book is the time it takes in getting to the crux of the story, which is the four month trip into the wilderness. Krakauer talks about other people who have climed mountains or hitch-hiked, while ten pages alone are dedicated to McCandless’ father’s history.&nbsp;However, rather than presenting a story whose aim is to encourage those to go out and travel, it makes us question our own attitudes towards money and materialistic objects, as well as our place in society. Despite its tragic end, the freedom he had to drop everything and embark on a journey is inspiring.

Into the Wild

Dear Bob and Sue is the story of a middle-aged couple’s journey through all 59 of the United States’ national parks, told through the form of emails to their friends, Bob and Sue. Written by the couple themselves, Matt and Karen Smith, the book presents their observations along the way, in a style that is often wry, flippant and self-effacing.&nbsp;Their journey did not follow any particular order, starting with the parks closest to their home in Washington and slowly moving outwards from there, before finishing with the least accessible ones in Alaska.&nbsp;This book is certainly not one for young traveller’s hoping to find out what they can expect from the US’s various national parks. Throughout their trip, Matt and Karen stayed for only one or two days in each location, always flew and rented a car, and stayed in hotels outside the park. It is certainly not a story of intrepid backpackers who have left everything behind to explore the world, but rather witty observations within the context of America’s natural beauty, told through a series of snapshots.&nbsp;Nevertheless, there are certainly some useful pieces of information featured throughout, including encounters with bears and horned sheep, as well as a close escape when their plane hit another. These are helpful reminders that the parks can still be dangerous places, regardless of how much money you spend in getting there.&nbsp;Some criticism aimed towards the book is at Matt and Karen’s apparent disregard for the advice they were given from the park rangers and their disobedience in following certain instructions. As places that often have trouble with people abusing the rules, this could be seen as bad advert for those thinking about visiting. However, all in all, they are respectful and generally follow the park etiquette.

Dear Bob and Sue

Boundaries: When to Say Yes, When to Say No to Take Control of Your Life is a New York Times bests-selling book by Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend that focuses on the word of God in telling us what our boundaries ought to be and how to protect them, as well as how to recognise what is not within our borders of responsibility. One of the key ideas is that being responsible for ourselves is carrying our own daily loads, while being responsible for others is doing what they cannot do for themselves.&nbsp;Boundaries is, by and large, a self-help booked that is set around a Christian premise by that can be read and appreciated by all people, whether religious or not. Their conclusion that the ability to set clear boundaries is essential to a healthy, balanced lifestyle is something that all of us can agree on to one extent or another, and that in the same way we set physical lines around our possessions, we must also set mental, physical, emotional and spiritual boundaries for our lives.&nbsp;With both authors holding doctorates in clinical psychology, it is no wonder that people have connected so much with Boundaries and are able to apply its teachings in everything from relationships to travelling. The book does not instruct you what to do in every life situation, however it gives great pointers on how to assess certain scenarios and act in the most responsible way possible.&nbsp;However, one of the criticisms that the book commonly receives is in fact the Christian slant that is contained throughout, with many viewing it as too preachy. There are numerous citations of Biblical scripture, which means that if you are not a Christian, you must read between the lines to get an idea of the lessons being taught. Nevertheless, as already stated, it is possible to apply the ideas without being religious.

Boundaries: When to Say Yes, How to Say No to Take Control of Your Life

Boundaries

Easy Spanish Phrasebook is a quick reference, easy-to-use guide for learning Spanish on the go, containing over 700 phrases to help you get by in Spain and Latin America. The book is divided into 27 different categories, from Numbers to Family, Children &amp; Pets, with a Spanish grammar section at the end to help you get a grasp of the language and how to use it in day to day situations.&nbsp;Having been first published in 2013, the book features modern day technological terms, including keyboard, laptop, email and browser. However, rather than teaching just single words, it coves whole sentences that can be used while shopping, ordering food or getting directions to the airport. Its small size makes it ideal for carrying around in your pocket for quickly referring to when out and about, and is lightweight. Being divided into different categories also makes it easy to swiftly find the right phrase, without having to search through each page. The index at the back also helps to locate whatever you’re looking for.&nbsp;Another useful feature of the Easy Spanish Phrasebook is that each word is broken down into syllables and how to pronounce each word correctly so as to be understood when speaking.&nbsp;However, if the aim is achieve full fluency then the phrasebook will only take you so far. For short conversations, such as ordering a coffee or buying a coat, it is great, yet if you want to be able to have a long chat with someone in Spanish you will need a more comprehensive manual. That being said, it’s a very good introduction to the language and will certainly get you by in a Spanish-speaking country.

№Name	Best Deals For	App	Best Offers for Hotels in
1 Lost Art of Reading Nature
2 Grandma Gatewood's Walk
3 Awol on Appalachian Trail
4 Large Scale Road Atlas
5 Walt Disney's Disneyland
6 Love Affair Five Continents
7 Into the Wild
8 Dear Bob and Sue
9 Boundaries
10 Easy Spanish Phrase Book

Large Scale Road Atlas

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Lost Art of Reading Nature

Grandma Gatewood's Walk

Awol on Appalachian Trail

Large Scale Road Atlas

Walt Disney's Disneyland

Love Affair Five Continents

Into the Wild

Dear Bob and Sue

Boundaries

Easy Spanish Phrase Book

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