Moon Handbooks Michigan (Moon Handbooks: Michigan, 2nd Ed)

Rating:
Summary: Disappointing on several levels...
Review: As a former resident of Michigan and appreciator of the New York State Moon Handbook written by Christiane Bird I find this handbook lacking.

I agree with Duane from Oregon that the treatment is shallow and lacking in detail. The two most notable deficiencies versus the New York handbook are the lack of maps and photos. The NYS has many, many detailed maps of smaller areas that you may not find on the typical state map. Another disturbing item is the lack of photography - the author of the NYS guide clearly traveled to almost every location and took photographs for inclusion in the text.

There are also three other items that bother me - the author is not a Michigan native, the flow of the text is atrocious, and there are some overly cynical or negative comments in some places.

I feel it is crucial for a native to author travel guides - I find interested natives are the most capable of conveying the true sense of a place. As for the text flow, this is most noticeable in the form of incomplete sentences and sentences that begin with conjunctions. The author also slips into the passive voice far too often.

Finally I feel that some of the cynical comments are simply out of place. They may put some readers off locations that are well worth visiting. Travel should always be a happy, relaxing experience!

Rating:
Summary: Flat-Out Terrific
Review: If you're thinking about a MI vacation this year or just a few weekend outings in the state, get a copy of this book. After living in the state for 26 years, I thought I knew MI pretty well. But, on a recent trip to the UP (Upper Peninsula), this guide showed me new stuff every step along the way-----and it's fun to read.

Rating:
Summary: Not up to other Moon handbooks
Review: When well done, the Moon handbooks are excellent. One that I have used extensively is the Maine handbook. Accurate, lots of detail and very useful. In contrast their Michigan handbook is a disapointment due to its shallow treatment. NW and NE Michigan are so lightly done that the material is of little use in trip planning. It needs to be redone in depth. Until then, I would not recommend it.