Moon Handbooks: North Carolina [Paperback]

Mike Sigalas (Author)

Book Description

Series: Moon Handbooks | Publication Date: December 10, 2002

Since its creation in 1973, the award-winning Moon Handbooks series has become a top choice among travelers who want a unique experience, a new perspective—and a few new stories to tell. Want to know about your destination's history, culture, and social issues? Looking for the lowdown on recreational opportunities, dining and accommodations options, and the most interesting regional sights and entertainment? No problem. Big or small, mainstream or obscure, every worthwhile detail is included in these books. Covering the Americas, Asia, and the Pacific, Moon Handbooks give you the tools to create a travel strategy that's yours alone. The result? A more personal, entirely uncommon, and ultimately more satisfying travel experience. Mike Sigalas, a veteran Moon author, brings his humor and strong sense of history and local color to this second edition. North Carolina is home to the Eastern United States' highest mountains, tallest waterfall, oldest river, largest wine industry, greatest gold strike, richest tobacco farms, busiest National Park, as well as a legendary shoreline and the early homes of four of the nation's most important presidents through WWI, and Sigalas covers it all.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Mike Sigalas taught writing for a decade at a number of colleges and universities, including the University of South Carolina, the Citadel Military College, Orangeburg-Calhoun College, and others. He holds degrees from the University of South Carolina and California State University, Chico. Mike has worked as a blood bank distribution specialist, college-town rock singer, newspaper and magazine editor, Disneyland Jungle Cruise skipper, and surf band roadie. He is also author of Moon Handbooks: South Carolina; Moon Handbooks: Charleston & Savannah; Moon Handbooks: Coastal Carolinas; and co-author of Moon Handbooks: Smoky Mountains.

Product Details

• Paperback: 350 pages
• Publisher: Avalon Travel Publishing; 2nd edition (December 10, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1566913837
• ISBN-13: 978-1566913836
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 5.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #926,367 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #53 in Books > Travel > United States > States > North Carolina

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Guidebook to a Great State, April 4, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Moon Handbooks: North Carolina (Paperback)

In a time of increasing specialization in travel books (one expects to see any day now a book for gay Civil War reenactors who travel with dogs) there is still a place for a guidebook for an entire state.

Mike Sigalas has done the best job that anyone has in serving up an introduction to North Carolina. He goes from Ocracoke Island on the Outer Banks to the part of North Carolina that reaches out under Tennessee, pointing out the highlights as well as giving a taste of the history and cultural heritage of very different places.

His gentle humor works well in these pages. While talking about a sapphire mine in Franklin, for example, he explains how the owners sell tourists "a bucket of mud alleged to contain wondrous stones."

You will find more detailed books on various parts of the Tarheel State--and Mike has written a couple of those as well--but you will not find a better guidebook to the entire state.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent travel book, March 12, 2006

By 

M. Tarman (Atlanta) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Moon Handbooks: North Carolina (Paperback)

A lot of travel books can be a dry read. But not this one. This book is full of great information and facts and I really enjoyed reading it. I learned things I didn't know about North Carolina and found some great restaurants too. I highly recommend this book!

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonder-Full, August 20, 2008

By 

Southern Gal (Georgia, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Moon Handbooks: North Carolina (Paperback)

What I enjoyed most about this book was the sense of wonder with which Mike approaches North Carolina. Some guidebooks are like traveling with a jaded, smug know-it-all. I know the latter has some snob appeal for some people, but that's not where Mike's coming from. Reading his book is like traveling beside a more seasoned traveler who knows the destination well, and is excited to show you how special it is, as well as WHY it's special (for instance, James K. Polk was mostly a name from US History class until I read Mike's sidebar on him. Now I'm interested in this NC native.)