The Ideals Guide to Literary Places in the U.S. [Paperback]

Michelle Prater Burke (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1998

Here is a travel book with a difference! For the armchair traveler, there are fascinating descriptions, sketches, and quotes from the authors. For the more adventurous, there are maps, directions, and information on how to ger there and the features of each place. And there are over 50 places included, each associated with one of America's greatest writers. Clearly and logically presented, this is a beautiful book that is fun to read as well as a practical guide to America.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Michelle Prater Burke, an editor with IDEALS resides with her family in Nashville, TN.

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Candy Cane Press; 1st edition (August 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0824940938
• ISBN-13: 978-0824940935
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 7.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #520,531 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Terrific Travel Book for Bibliophiles, December 1, 2003

By 

Chrissy1018 (Nashville, TN United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Ideals Guide to Literary Places in the U.S. (Paperback)

One of my favorite types of vacation is to travel to the homes of great authors. Not only do you get to know more about the authors themselves, but seeing where and how they lived often adds new insight into their works. That's why this aptly titled guide to literary places in the US is one of my all time favorite travel books.

It covers destinations all over the country, giving background of the author and property, as well as works written within the house, and special points to look out for. It also provides driving directions, and information on hours of operation and how to contact the property. It's lavishly illustrated with full color photos of the exterior and interior of the houses as well as pictures of each author. I always like to read the 2-3 page overview of a property just before I visit it to refresh my memory. It's also a larger-sized paperback that looks good on a coffee table for visitors to flip through.

I haven't yet been to all the properties listed, but I intend to. All sites are grouped by region, and there are additional pages of other literary places of interest in each area. The homes of Emily Dickenson, Mark Twain, Edgar Allen Poe, Washington Irving, Ernest Hemingway, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Nathaniel Hawthorne and Louisa May Alcott are included, among many others.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A combination of American literature, history, and travel, September 1, 2001

By 

Corinne H. Smith (Athol, MA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Ideals Guide to Literary Places in the U.S. (Paperback)

By no means an exhaustive listing, this book highlights the birthplaces and residences of key 19th-century and early 20th-century American authors. The volume is arranged by geographic region, beginning in New England. The entry for each site includes photos and notes on architectural style, interior design, how long the author stayed there, who visited him/her, and what works were written there. A handful of authors are treated twice -- for example, Mark Twain is found in both Connecticut and Missouri, Edgar Allan Poe in both New York and Philadelphia, and Ernest Hemingway in both Florida and Illinois. True to the _Ideals_ layout style, the photos chosen are indeed lovely. One detraction is that the actual addresses, contact information, and driving directions are found in a separate section at the back of the book. A second possible problem is that the glued paperback binding might not stand up to repeated consultations during a long trip. Still, this title could be a useful tool when supplemented with a road atlas and a set of AAA guides.