Books

Books and other published items

Base Camp Reno: 101 Hikes from Sage to Snow

by Christopher & Elizabeth Barile

Base Camp Reno
Reno: A Base Camp for All Seasons Ideally positioned between the spectacular peaks and lakes of California’s Sierra Nevadas and the vast and varied Great Basin of Nevada, Reno is an unparalleled hub for exploring the natural beauty and grandeur this region offers. The area’s four-season climate combined with year-round sun guarantees that every day can be a great day to go exploring.
"If like me, you don’t live in the Reno area but are planning a visit, Base Camp Reno: 101 Hikes from Sage to Snow is a must-have resource. The photos are absolutely enticing. Each hike is described with all the information you will need to choose one suited to you and safely get you there and back. There are easy hikes, hikes with great views, hikes in both mountain and desert, hikes shaded or by water, epic or super challenging hikes and all within 35 miles of Reno. "—Jaimie Bruzenak, author, Retire to an RV: The Roadtrip to Affordable Retirement (07/29/2021)
“Every hike resonates with the authors’ passion for and knowledge of the region, every page carries vivid descriptions that transport the reader into their world. The authors are particularly good on flora. At Mount Lola, look out for “crimson columbines, red paintbrushes, pink shooting starts, orange lilies, yellow monkeyflowers, blue larkspurs, lavender asters and purple lupines.” On Brown’s Creek on Slide Mountain, they invite you to scratch and smell the inner bark and twigs of the Jeffrey pine to enjoy its “delightful citrusy-vanilla odor... Alongside the geography and flora and fauna, the book also touches upon areas such as history, geology, and Native American culture, all contributing to the vivid picture that the Bariles paint of a region they know like the back of each other’s hands.”—Peter Thody, RoadTrip America (08/18/2021)
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A Sports Fan’s Guide to Route 66

by Ron Clements

A Sports Fan's Guide to Route 66
Get Your Balls, Bats, and Sticks on Route 66! A brand new book that highlights historic sports venues, storied sports professionals, and current sports events along the Mother Road.
"From its first pages, rambling through the streets of Chicago, then through the heartland of America, and on to the "End of the Trail" in Santa Monica, Ron takes you on a journey that explores the soul of sports and a nation. You cannot help but become engrossed in his tale, while also conjuring up your own memories from road trips you've taken. Ron includes everything you need to know — the places, the people, the history — and yes, even bars and inns. Kick back and get your kicks with Ron on his Sports Fan's Guide to Route 66".— Rich O'Malley, author, One Lucky Fan: From Bleachers to Box Seats, Chasing the Ultimate Sports Dream to Visit All 123 MLB, NBA, NFL & NHL Teams (06/25/2021)
"Each vignette is a gem, giving you a chance to learn about these locations, some well-known and others off the radar. The stories spin a rich fabric of American culture and one-of-a-kind personalities woven together by Route 66. This is a perfect book for the beach or your vacation. It’s also a great gift idea for your favorite sports fan.".—-Dave Nershi, Vino-sphere.com (07/05/2021)
"This is the ultimate Road Trip book for sports. I love the smaller-time teams that are highlighted like the Joliet Slammers and the bigger ones like the Cardinals and Busch Stadium.".—-Russ Cohen, Sportsology.com (08/01/2021)
"As a fan of both the American road and American sports, I’m happy that someone has skillfully expanded the Mother Road’s purview to include not just its dinosaur statues and burger stands, but also its Mickey Mantle Museums and high school gyms incubating greatness. Ray Nitschke and Mario Lemieux might have worn the number with pride, but Rt. 66 remains the original."--Mike Wilkins, coauthor, Roadside America, and co-owner, Pittsburgh Steelers. (03/13/2021)
"By blending Route 66 with a keen and tireless eye for sports history, Ron Clements has created a book that is so mind-bogglingly interesting, entertaining, and informative, that it makes you want to pack a bag and hit the road within the hour. For me, that's the mark of a great travel/history book; how fast it makes you want to hit the road. Exhaustive in scope and brimming with passion and detail, A Sports Fan's Guide to Route 66 is a home run, touchdown, goal, slam dunk - you get the idea - thoroughly wonderful."--Chris Epting, best-selling author of 30 travel/history books, including Roadside Baseball and Hello, It's Me, (03/13/2021)
“As someone who has traveled Route 66 many times, chronicling every bend and fork in the road, I was surprised to discover new insights thanks to Ron Clements. At first glance, it seems that A Sports Fan’s Guide to Route 66 is all about sports. And it is. But it’s also a thoughtful look at how sports unites communities, spotlighting those communities — big and small — that knit together the people and places of Route 66. Ron brings a unique perspective to one of the most epic roads in America. I love this book!”-–Jessica Dunham, author of Moon Route 66 Road Trip and The Open Road: 50 Best Road Trips in the USA, (04/06/2021)
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Blimey, I’m Knackered! An American’s Survival Guide to British English

by Marshall Hall

Blimey, I'm Knackered: An American's Survival Guide to British English
Any American who has ever visited the UK can report humorous or awkward interchanges in which communication broke down. Why? Because while the two countries share a common language, there are profound—and often confusing—differences in usage, colloquialisms, terminology, and slang. Read more...

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I Mean You No Harm

by Beth Castrodale

I Mean You No Harm
The enemy of my enemy is my sister Her father is a career criminal, her mother the victim of an unsolved murder. When her long-estranged half-sister suggests a cross-country road trip with a sketchy but gripping goal, a young artist embarks on an odyssey into the very heart of danger.
"I Mean You No Harm is many things: murder mystery, adventure tale, page-turning thriller. But at its heart, the story is a tender exploration of family, betrayal, and self-discovery. Ms. Castrodale seamlessly unites all these elements for a fast-paced, unforgettable read."--Amanda Skenandore, award-winning author of The Undertaker's Assistant and Between Earth and Sky. (01/22/21)
"Beth Castrodale brings her considerable talent for prose to crime fiction in a novel layered with insight about the human experience. This fast-paced and expertly plotted literary thriller will keep you on the edge of your seat. You’ll continue to think about the richly drawn characters who inhabit the story, particularly the estranged sisters whose relationship sits at the core of the novel, long after you read the final sentence. Tense, exciting, and full of heart, I MEAN YOU NO HARM will keep you turning pages long into the night!"--Edwin Hill, Edgar- and Agatha-nominated author of Watch Her. (01/23/21)
"Filled with quiet humor and keen observations, this novel turns up the heat page by page, pushing the protagonist to her limits."--Audrey Schulman, award-winning author of Theory of Bastards and The Cage. (01/03/21)
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Lord of Order

by Brett Riley

The Purge is here. New Orleans must die. Six conflicted conspirators gird for battle, fully aware that the looming apocalypse will demand horrific choices, test their faith, and require them to join forces with their sworn enemies.
“Darkly humorous and brutal, Lord of Order takes readers on a violent gun-slinging wade through a visceral, blood-soaked swamp of human frailty and redemption ... I’ll be searching out the author’s back catalogue whilst awaiting the sequel.”—Lee Doughty, GrimDark Magazine
“A convincingly bleak vision of the future … Those who like their dystopias especially gritty will want to take a look.”Publishers Weekly
“The past is future in this sweaty, swampy, gun-slinging first cousin to dystopian classics like The Handmaid’s Tale and Fahrenheit 451. Lord of Order crackles. Grab your gear, double down on the ammo, Brett Riley’s dystopian action thriller will have you reaching for a whisky and your six-shooter.”—Stephen Scott Whitaker, National Book Critics Circle.
“Brett Riley writes hardcore action, his literary point the hypocrisy and perfidy of extremist fundamentalisms that trample all freedom and humanity.”—Douglas Unger, author of Pulitzer finalist Leaving the Land
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Comanche: A Novel

by Brett Riley

LIKE THE CYLINDER IN A SIX SHOOTER, WHAT GOES AROUND, COMES AROUND. In a tiny Texas town, a team of investigators tries to solve a string of murders that appear to be linked to a Wild West gunslinger’s brutal death two hundred years ago.
"A clever, imaginative blend of literary fiction, historical fiction, horror, dark humor, and detective procedural."— Si Dunn, Lone Star Literary Life. (10/25/2020)
"Debut novelist Riley tells a quite deliciously twisted tale. The novel is a lot of fun, with a very entertaining story and a great cast of characters."— David Pitt, Booklist. (04/10/20)
"COWBOY GHOSTS AND A MURDER MYSTERY!!!!!! I love westerns so much. Possibly the only thing I love more than westerns is a good crime fiction story. And the only thing I love more than a good crime fiction story is a legit, scare-your-pants-off ghost story. This book has it all! With different chapters taking place in different years, the reader gets to experience The Kid’s post-mortem reign of terror in two different centuries. Four Stars!"—Shannon Bollig, Bookish.in.Boston (06/30/20)
"One of the best meldings of the traditional detective novels and the supernatural that I’ve read in recent history. I really enjoyed this book. It’s more ghost adventure than detective mystery, but if that’s what you’re in the mood for, you’ll enjoy Comanche. 4-Stars"— Kristopher McClanahan, Tabletops and Tentacles -- (06/05/20)
"Brett Riley's COMANCHE is the best western-horror-thriller-ghost story-PI novel ever written. COMANCHE is a rollicking ride. Fans of Joe Lansdale and James Lee Burke, Brett Riley is the author you didn't know you loved." —Tod Goldberg, author of Gangsterland and Gangster Nation. (02/28/20)
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Fly Fishing Austin & Central Texas

by Aaron Reed

Fly Fishing Austin
The ultimate "Go fishing now!" guide to angling in central Texas. Discover 49 "wades & paddles" on 12 featured streams, all within an hour of downtown Austin. The Local Angler: Fly Fishing Austin and Central Texas was released by Imbrifex Books in May 2020.
“This book is the Bible of Central Texas Fly Fishing"―Jim Gebhart,On the Fly Magazine, (05/12/20)
"I found it to be a mesmerizing manifesto on sampling all the good things in life in the heart of the Lone Star State - yes fishing, but also local cuisine, backcountry hiking, communing with comrades, canoeing/kayaking, bird-watching, and conservationist riverkeeping. "―Chad McPhail, author of 49 Trout Streams of Southern Colorado, Between Fact and Fishin',
"Everything from general fly fishing information like lingo, gear, and ethics, to fish identification and tips for getting children out on the water. There is also an abundance of high-quality photos. He ranks the best ways to access the water, includes info on the best local brewery to hit after fishing, suggests a good song for that particular stretch, and other fun tidbits. This is a great read to have on your shelf."―Katie Burgert, Fish Untamed
"Aaron Reed is a darn fine writer with a great eye for detail. It is one of the best region-focused resources on fly fishing I've seen in a long time"—Kirk Deeter, Trout Unlimited Magazine, (July 2020)
"Austin TX is a gateway to a magical world of fly fishing. Aaron Reed brings a jeweler's eye for detail, a keen sense of place and the meditative skills of a tug boat captain. Anglers will be rewarded not only with access to new waters but the proper playlist and bank-side restaurant to seal the deal"—Phil Shook, author of Flyfisher's Guide to Texas and Flyfishers Guide to the Northeast Coast.
“It is basically a treasure map that gives you the tools and knowledge you need to fish on your own in Central Texas. I really enjoyed Part 5 of Aaron’s book called 'Ankle Bitters and Other Wildlife.' Also, his recommendations on music and nearby watering holes gives you a glimpse into Aaron’s mind and is a fun way to walk in his soggy river shoes."―Davin Topel, Whiskey River Chronicles (05/01/20)
"The book is extremely rich in photography, creatively designed and organized, and keyed nicely with design elements (icons) to call attention to details about waters, and just as important - your musical soundtrack. This book will change your plans for 2020 and beyond."—Shannon Drawe, Texas Fly Caster, (04/26/20)
"I think every reader will connect with different chapters based on their individuality, but no doubt there are remarkable fisheries in the book for everyone - from expert to newbie, from children to the elderly, from guys to gals - the fish are here for all of us to enjoy." texansonthefly.com (01/23/20)
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The Boys Who Woke Up Early

by A.D. Hopkins

Playing cops was just a game until the bullets were real. The gravy train hasn’t stopped in the hollers of western Virginia for more than thirty years when Stony Shelor starts his junior year at Jubal Early High. Class divides and racism are still the hardened norms as the Eisenhower years draw to a close. Violence lies coiled under the calm surface, ready to strike at any time.
"A deftly crafted and unfailingly engaging read of a novel from first page to last, "The Boys Who Woke Up Early" showcases author A. D. Hopkins's impressive and distinctive narrative storytelling style. Very highly recommended for community library Contemporary General Fiction collections." —Midwest Book Review (05/13/19)
"Taking place in the late 1950's in the state of Virginia, we meet small town America. There is plenty of history in this book relating to America back in the late 1950's -- KKK, racial tensions, family dynamics. I loved how author A. D. Hopkins described the dress of the kids at this era in time. Plenty of research went into this book. It also deals with family, young love, and hidden truths."—Pamela A. Poddany, Amazon Top 500 Reviewer (03/21/19)
“Carley deftly portrays easygoing Stony and his dissimilar friend Jack, a would-be detective, as the pair assist the overworked sheriff’s department. Listeners will visit the story’s warmly described rural community and enjoy its picnics, hunting, and fishing. Bootlegging, racism, and KKK activities are also part of the locale. Descriptions are so well written and rendered that listeners will feel they’re actually witnessing events.”—S.G.B, AudioFile Magazine
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Roads From the Ashes: An Odyssey in Real Life on the Virtual Frontier

by Megan Edwards

When wildfire destroyed her home in the hills above Los Angeles, award-winning author, Megan Edwards seized the opportunity that her sudden "stufflessness" offered. She hit the road with her husband and dog in the Phoenix One, the four-wheel-drive motorhome that "rose from the ashes." This is the story of how a sabbatical that began with no itinerary and no return date grew into a five-year North American odyssey with a mission" "to be at work, at home, and on the road, all at the same grand moment."
"In Roads from the Ashes, Megan Edwards and her husband Mark face this decision after their house in the hills of Pasadena, California, burns down in the Altadena wildfires of 1993. Finding themselves without a single thing to anchor them, they decide—reasonably enough—to wander. They scrape together the money to buy a four-wheel-drive behemoth of a home on wheels, and together with their dog Marvin they set out to reinvent themselves and their definition of home. Edwards also explores matters of identity—trying on new labels like homeless, unemployed, finding that they don’t fit, and that the old labels don’t either. There is also the inevitability of tension, bickering, of outright civil warfare in such close quarters, as well as the ability of a well-placed geothermal hot spring to heal heart, soul and marriage."--Tiffany Pace, (Mind Bets) (06/01/2019)
"This is an excellent memoir, originally published twenty years ago but well worth the re-run. By the end you will find yourself appreciating the introduction of life as the Edwards lived it for the seven years they traveled. An excellent picture of California life in the 1990's, the personal pain of losing all you possess in a single day, and the joys and angst of following your heart down back country roads in a four wheel drive motorhome." --Bonnie Reed Fry,
"This is a book to stir dreams of distant places, a remarkable journey down unknown roads of travel and self-exploration. Edwards relates the stories of their Amrican adventures and misadventures in the compelling style of a novelist, with humor, drama and brilliant imagery. A journey worth taking." --Al Martinez, Los Angeles Times (from a review of the 1999 edition)
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Base Camp Denver: 101 Hikes in Colorado’s Front Range

by Pete KJ

Base Camp Denver
Base Camp Denver shows hikers where and when to go–and also how to prepare–to enjoy the best trails this unparalleled region has to offer. Denver is known the world over as the gateway to Colorado’s magnificent Rocky Mountains. Four national forests, a national grassland, scores of regional and city parks and preserves, and Rocky Mountain National Park offer hundreds of hiking and walking trails—all within one to three hours of downtown Denver. The ultimate resource for day hikes in Colorado’s Front Range, Base Camp Denver provides hikers with everything they need to enjoy 101 great rambles.
"Just follow any of the 101 glorious treks described in BASE CAMP DENVER for an equal taste of heaven — from a walk for an hour or a day through mountain wildflowers, by waterfalls, in forests aglow with golden Aspen leaves — then be home by supper in my fave city in the world. Ecstasy! 5/5,"—Literary Soiree, goodreads.com (06/07/19)
"The author, Pete KJ, breaks down each hike, giving you details on every trail, including its difficulty, how kid-friendly it is and — crucial for this time of year — which season the trail is best for."—Jeff Clark, internetbrothers.org (04/05/19)
"Each hike features full color images, all of the topographic information that you need. Making it incredibly easy to pick out a hike for any occasion."—Molly Callister, ExploringThroughLife.com (04/08/19)
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