PICK OF THE WEEK
“Historic Pubs of London”
(Passport Books, $24.95)
Think of London, and one of the first things that comes to mind is the traditional English pub. For what would London be like without those indispensable public institutions? They epitomize the very heart and soul of the capital city. Indeed, much of London’s cultural life is associated with them. Consider the innumerable literary connections: Marlowe, Dr. Johnson, Dickens, Thackeray, Carlyle, Conan Doyle, Chesterton, Orwell, to name but a few. Author Ted Bruning takes us on a whirlwind tour of the best of London’s historic pubs in this charming book. He offers a short history of the pub from the Great Fire of 1666 to the arrival of the luxurious gin palaces to the restorations–some made lovingly, others not–of the old taverns and inns in the last few decades. All in all, some 100 pubs are described from the City and the East End to South London. The author discusses the history of each pub as well as any famous figures associated with it. Particular pubs stand out. Jamaica Wine House, located down a narrow alley in the city’s financial district, earns the distinction of being the first coffee house in England. Established in 1652, this ancient inn was converted to a pub in the late-19th Century when coffee lost much of its popularity. Of course, the physical characteristics of the pubs are described in some detail, such as the high-backed benches, oak beams, low ceilings and cozy rooms of the Mayflower or the sawdust and bare floors of Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, a Dickensian haunt featured in his classic “A Tale of Two Cities.” Each selection is accompanied by a color photograph, which adds considerably to the book’s appeal. Anyone with an interest in London and its wonderful pubs is sure to find much enjoyment here. (ISBN 0-658-00502-2)
“Hiking in the USA”
(Lonely Planet, $24.99)
Billed as the first comprehensive guide to the best hikes in the Lower 48 states, “Hiking in the USA” includes hikes from New England and the Adirondacks to southern Appalachia to the Rocky Mountains as well as the Southwest, Sierra Nevada and the Pacific Northwest. Long-distance trails include the Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail and the Ice Age National Scenic Trail. Indeed, almost three-quarters of the book is devoted to long hikes, which the authors define as more than three days. The U.S. is full of extensive and well-maintained hiking-trail networks that offer the conveniences of ranger stations and information centers, usually within easy reach of both small towns and large cities. A chart of each hike features information on its duration, degree of difficulty, whether transportation is available, the best time of the year to hike and its special features. The guide also includes excellent advice on equipment, travel logistics and health issues while on the trail. There are also special sections on flora and fauna as well as custom-drawn, two-color hikers’ maps for all routes. This useful guide to the best hiking trails in the country comes in one handy and fairly compact volume–don’t forget to take it on your next long-distance jaunt. (ISBN 0-86442-600-3)
PICTURE BOOKS
“The Beautiful and Enduring Ozarks”
(Lens & Pens Press, $19.95)
Leland Payton’s ancestors were among the earliest settlers of the Ozarks. He himself was born and bred in the region. Hence, he brings the perspective of a true native son to the book; both its content and context capture the area in all its complicated beauty. Using text and image, Payton celebrates the Ozarks of myth and history as well as the Ozarks of folk and pop culture. His photographer’s eye basks in the natural beauty of its spring-fed creeks and wildly robust rivers. Payton has an especially soft spot for local color, such as the hill-country characters made famous in the paintings of native Ozarker Thomas Hart Benton and whose descendants are still very much a part of the landscape. Payton clearly admires these folk who he calls “stereotypes with a ring of truth, entrenched bits of Americana not likely to disappear from our popular culture.” This slim, quirky book is every bit as iconoclastic as the people and places Payton writes about and photographs. (ISBN 0-9673925-0-0)
HARDCOVER
“Kangaroo Dreaming: An Australian Wildlife Odyssey”
(Sierra Club Books, $25)
If the Olympics have whetted your appetite for things Australian, give “Kangaroo Dreaming” a try. For many years, naturalist Edward Kanze “traveled widely” in New Zealand but never made the thousand-mile leap to its bigger neighbor Australia. For years he read about Australia from a distance in small manageable increments, from Bruce Chatwin and Jan Morris to Paul Theroux and Robert Hughes’ monumental history “The Fatal Shore.” Until the time came when he could wait no longer. He took the plunge, determined to roam the length and breadth of the country, to discover its secrets and to become acquainted with some of its odd animals, from kangaroos and wallabies to kookaburras and emus. He would make forays into the Australian bush, and he would frame his grand adventure along the lines of an utterly modern retelling of “The Odyssey.” The result is an idiosyncratic, humorous and oddly compelling nod to a most unusual country. (ISBN 0-609-60796-0)
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Contact Resourceful Traveler in care of Toni Stroud at tstroud@tribune.com.
