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Rating: 
- A Skewed and Limited Guide
Having spent much time in the Adirondacks, and with a child at school in Saratoga Springs, I was extermely disappointed with the scope of information in this "complete guide". While the historical, geographical and quasi-scientific narrative that Ms. Folwell has compiled is interesting, the information that a traveler/vacationer/tourist (especially one who's new to the area) would need is sorely lacking. The meager information that is available is unusually skewed toward what seems to be the author's limited personal taste in facilities, activities and likes.
Apparently, Ms. Folwell does not like hotels or resorts, since most of them (and there are several in the Adirondacks) were glaringly missing from this book. Also oddly missing were some of the best restaurants in Lake Placid, Saranac Lake and Saratoga Springs. (I concede that "best" is subjective, but there were just too many missing from her book.)
The Adirondacks are a haven for camping, yet this book glossed over that topic with a minimum of information. What about the amazing campsites on the islands of Indian Lake? Or the available lean-to locations in the High Peaks region?
Finally, the organization of this book is antithetical to a good travel guide. Rather than approach the Adirondacks by region, the author divides the book by topic. Since the Adirondacks are relatively large, it's most likely that a visitor will be spending the bulk of her time in a single area. This guide offers no comprehensive list of data about any given area or town, and requires you to jump around and compile your own data sheet if you're staying in one area.
Rather than "A Complete Guide", it would be more appropriate for this book to be called "An Introduction to the Area," since that is in fact exactly what it is, and no more.
Rating:
- A good book for visitors new and old
The Adirondack Book is written with a heart for the place it describes, and with a nose for just the right level of detail. The author is clearly a native of the area, with an understanding of its people and its ways, and this shows in her tack on nearly everything she wrtes. Her descriptions of many of the events and places are dead on, and good information is given to the reader about how to find said place or event, and how to find out more information about the subject. Her asides in particular (for example, short essays about blackflies, wildlife, and hypothermia) are well written and dead on target, great advice for the traveler. Finally, she resists speaking overly much about the many topics, and this is a good thing: a book fully describing every last item she mentions would be several thousand pages long! Still, Folwell's book is a boon for the traveler, a great starting place for exploring the biggest park in the contiguous 48.
The only drawback in this book is that of organization. The book is sectioned by activity/attraction, then by region, then by town, instead of region/town/activity. This makes it much more difficult to, say, find out everything you want to know about Speculator or Lake Placid. Still, the entries one finds are clear and concise, and with some extra effort you can find all you want.
Rating:
- interesting angles
Ok, I like to shop when I travel, so I was pleased (make that delighted) to see lots of quirky stores owned by artists and crafters listed in the Adirondack Book. Their stuff was good, not tacky or touristy. And when I go shop, I like to stay in interesting places and eat at restaurants where an actual chef prepared the meal I found that info in the Adirondacks book with more detail than Fodor's, etc.
- A Skewed and Limited GuideHaving spent much time in the Adirondacks, and with a child at school in Saratoga Springs, I was extermely disappointed with the scope of information in this "complete guide". While the historical, geographical and quasi-scientific narrative that Ms. Folwell has compiled is interesting, the information that a traveler/vacationer/tourist (especially one who's new to the area) would need is sorely lacking. The meager information that is available is unusually skewed toward what seems to be the author's limited personal taste in facilities, activities and likes.
Apparently, Ms. Folwell does not like hotels or resorts, since most of them (and there are several in the Adirondacks) were glaringly missing from this book. Also oddly missing were some of the best restaurants in Lake Placid, Saranac Lake and Saratoga Springs. (I concede that "best" is subjective, but there were just too many missing from her book.)
The Adirondacks are a haven for camping, yet this book glossed over that topic with a minimum of information. What about the amazing campsites on the islands of Indian Lake? Or the available lean-to locations in the High Peaks region?
Finally, the organization of this book is antithetical to a good travel guide. Rather than approach the Adirondacks by region, the author divides the book by topic. Since the Adirondacks are relatively large, it's most likely that a visitor will be spending the bulk of her time in a single area. This guide offers no comprehensive list of data about any given area or town, and requires you to jump around and compile your own data sheet if you're staying in one area.
Rather than "A Complete Guide", it would be more appropriate for this book to be called "An Introduction to the Area," since that is in fact exactly what it is, and no more.
Rating:
- A good book for visitors new and oldThe Adirondack Book is written with a heart for the place it describes, and with a nose for just the right level of detail. The author is clearly a native of the area, with an understanding of its people and its ways, and this shows in her tack on nearly everything she wrtes. Her descriptions of many of the events and places are dead on, and good information is given to the reader about how to find said place or event, and how to find out more information about the subject. Her asides in particular (for example, short essays about blackflies, wildlife, and hypothermia) are well written and dead on target, great advice for the traveler. Finally, she resists speaking overly much about the many topics, and this is a good thing: a book fully describing every last item she mentions would be several thousand pages long! Still, Folwell's book is a boon for the traveler, a great starting place for exploring the biggest park in the contiguous 48.
The only drawback in this book is that of organization. The book is sectioned by activity/attraction, then by region, then by town, instead of region/town/activity. This makes it much more difficult to, say, find out everything you want to know about Speculator or Lake Placid. Still, the entries one finds are clear and concise, and with some extra effort you can find all you want.
Rating:
- interesting anglesOk, I like to shop when I travel, so I was pleased (make that delighted) to see lots of quirky stores owned by artists and crafters listed in the Adirondack Book. Their stuff was good, not tacky or touristy. And when I go shop, I like to stay in interesting places and eat at restaurants where an actual chef prepared the meal I found that info in the Adirondacks book with more detail than Fodor's, etc.