After the conquest of Mexico by Hernán Cortés in the sixteenth century, conquistadors and explorers poured into the territory of Nueva España. The Franciscans followed in their wake but carved a different path through a harsh and often violent landscape. That heritage can still be found across Texas, behind weathered stone ruins and in the pews of ornate, immaculately maintained naves. From early structures in El Paso to later woodland sanctuaries in East Texas, these missions anchored com...

West of Austin lies Big Bend Country. A region of rich history that still resembles the old frontier, Southwest Texas epitomizes the mystique and allure of this grand state. From the sweeping desert vistas to the canyons of Big Bend National Park, the geography itself is nothing short of incredible. Whether it's discovering historic Fort Davis, sharing in Annie Riggs's legacy or watching the Marfa Lights, a treasure awaits every traveler in this land. Join historian and travel writer Byron...

What begins as a road trip through America soon becomes a journey of discovery into themselves and into the heart of the next-door neighbour they thought they knew. For Wayne Grady, the thrill of landscape and history is tempered by memories of racism and his own family roots. Merilyn Simonds, her ear tuned for the offbeat, finds curious echoes of the ex-pat promised land she grew up with. Together they travel against the tide of American history, followin...

"A kaleidoscopic homage both personal and historical . . . Kamiya's symphony of San Francisco is a grand pleasure." -New York Times Book ReviewThe bestselling love letter to one of the world's great cities, San Francisco, by a life-long Bay Area resident and co-founder of Salon.Cool, Gray City of Love brings together an exuberant combination of personal history, deeply researched history, in-depth reportin...

Inspired by Depression-era travel guides, an anthology of essays on each of the fifty states, plus Washington, D.C., by some of America's finest writers.State by State is a panoramic portrait of America and an appreciation of all fifty states (and Washington, D.C.) by fifty-one of the most acclaimed writers in the nation.Anthony Bourdain chases the fumigation truck in Bergen County, New JerseyDave Eggers tells it straight: Illino...

Get off the beaten path and explore the hidden-gem destinations within a few hours of the Mother Road! Includes numerous photos and illustrations.Known as the Main Street of America and the Mother Road, US Route 66 is the nation's best-known highway. This lavishly illustrated book steers you from Chicago to Los Angeles, traveling through the lowlands of the American Plains and the high plateaus of New Mexico and Arizona, from the Great Lakes to the mighty Pacific Oc...

When the struggle to save oil-soaked birds and restore blackened beaches left him feeling frustrated and helpless, John Francis decided to take a more fundamental and personal stand—he stopped using all forms of motorized transportation. Soon after embarking on this quest that would span two decades and two continents, the young man took a vow of silence that endured for 17 years. It began as a silent environmental protest, but as a young African-American man, walking across the country in...

Trapped miners from cave-ins long ago still calling for help.Ghostly women lurking in the shadows of city streets.Spectral holy men and outlaws from America's Spanish past making appearances in our modern age.They are all citizens of Haunted America, and this isHAUNTED HOMELAND.From a haunted castle in the wilds of Alaska to phantom clergymen in the Southwest and mysterious bouncing lights on the East Coast, this latest volume covers the places, the peopl...

M. J. Eberhart, aka the Nimblewill Nomad, was a 60-year-old retired doctor in January 1998 when he set off on a foot journey that carried him 4,400 miles (twice the length of the Appalachian Trail) from the Florida Keys to the far north of Quebec. Written in a vivid journal style, the author unabashedly recounts the good (friendships with other hikers he met), the bad (sore legs, cutting winds and rain), and the godawful (those dispiriting doubts) aspects of his days of walking along what ...

Explore the mystery and beauty of historic ghost towns from Illinois to California with this gorgeously illustrated guide to America's favorite highway.The quintessential boom-and-bust highway of the American West, Route 66 once hosted a thriving array of boom towns built around oil wells, railroad stops, cattle ranches, resorts, stagecoach stops, and gold mines. Join Route 66 expert Jim Hinckley as he tours more than twenty-five ghost towns, rich in stories and his...

Are you visiting Palm Springs and would like to find out about sightseeing opportunities, hiking opportunities and other popular activities in the area? What To do In Palm Springs is an up-to-date guide with plenty of attraction listings, images and maps that will give you lots of ideas for your upcoming trip and help you get to know the area the way only locals do.

After Paul Stutzman finished hiking the Appalachian Trail, he found himself longing for another challenge, another adventure. Trading his hiking boots for a bicycle, Paul set off to discover more of America. Starting at Neah Bay, Washington, and ending at Key West, Florida, Paul traversed the 5,000-mile distance between the two farthest points in the contiguous United States. Along the way he encountered nearly every kind of terrain and weather the country had to offer--as well as hundreds...