Customer Reviews

Moon Handbooks: North Carolina

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

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.

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!

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.)

I'm pretty serious about my travel, and I like a travel guide that isn't exhausting to read, has insights that you can't find just anywhere, and of course is up to date, that's why I pay for the LATEST edition. Unfortunately this one isn't up to date, I ran into several snags trying to make reservations when one of the listings for lodging had changed ownership, name, and reservation policies years ago, the prices were way off the mark and overall it wasn't as helpful as the free guides you can get by writing the local government, which ship free.

This book a sound choice for people interested in sarcastic writing.

However, if you are more interested in insightful observations about and experiences to be savored in North Carolina, as opposed to perpetual attempts at sarcastic humor at the expense of the inhabitants, you'd be better off choosing just about any other travel guide to North Carolina.