BiblioVault - Books about Traveler's Guide

Backcountry Mexico

A Traveler’s Guide and Phrase Book

By Bob Burleson and David H. Riskind

University of Texas Press, 1986

If you've always longed to strike out through the open country of northern Mexico armed with frying pan and bedroll, then this guide to the people, culture, folkways, landscape, and language of rural Mexico is for you. Out of twenty years of travel in backcountry Mexico, authors Bob Burleson and David Riskind have produced perhaps the most practical and accurate guide available for the unconventional tourist—the man or woman who prefers to get off the beaten path by foot, burro, mule, canoe, raft, or vehicle.
Going well beyond the usual tourist guidebook entries, <cite>Backcountry Mexico</cite> will help you hire a guide and burro, navigate rural roads and trails, and communicate with the friendly and, sometimes, unfriendly folks you are likely to meet in a rural setting.
In addition to English-Spanish and Spanish-English vocabulary lists containing both standard words and numerous terms relating to people, conditions, land, and situations not ordinarily encountered in tourists' lists, the authors have provided literally hundreds of helpful phrases and short conversations in easy-to-use sections arranged according to topics. Experienced unconventional travelers themselves, Burleson and Riskind have become experts in such subjects as "Eating and Staying Well on the Road, " "Camping in Mexico, " "Rural Mexican Village Life," and many more. Their experience, and the resultant wealth of language and cultural information contained in this guide, will help you to enjoy your trip ancd to better understand and appreciate the people and the land you visit.
Throughout the book, the language examples are interwoven with beautifully illustrated anecdotes about culture and lifeways, so that the traveler is equipped with practical knowledge as well as appropriate behavior and speech. Fascinating in its treatment of a culture that is little known and unique in its coverage of rural-style Mexican Spanish, <cite>Backcountry Mexico</cite> will prove invaluable to anyone who ventures forth into northern Mexico.

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Exploring the World of J. S. Bach

A Traveler's Guide

Robert L. Marshall

University of Illinois Press, 2016

A singular resource, Exploring the World of J. S. Bach puts Bach aficionados and classical music lovers in the shoes of the master composer. Bach scholar Robert L. Marshall and veteran writer-translator Traute M. Marshall lead readers on a Baroque Era odyssey through fifty towns where Bach resided, visited, and of course created his works. Drawing on established sources as well as newly available East German archives, the authors describe each site in Bach's time and the present, linking the sites to the biographical information, artistic and historic landmarks, and musical activities associated with each. A wealth of historical illustrations, color photographs, and maps supplement the text, whetting the appetite of the visitor and the armchair traveler alike.

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Traveler's Guide to Ancient Ohio

John E. Hancock

Ohio University Press

Featuring Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks

Traveler’s Guide to Ancient Ohio is a compact, richly illustrated, and in-depth travel guide to the Indigenous earthwork wonders of southern Ohio—some of the most extraordinary ancient monuments in North America. Featuring the eight newly inscribed UNESCO World Heritage sites, this is the first publication to present these places from a traveler’s perspective, offering deeply informative site descriptions alongside curated routes to historical, scenic, and natural treasures across the region.

Southern Ohio’s landscape is layered with millennia of human history. At its heart are the monumental Adena and Hopewell earthworks—vast ceremonial constructions that reflect the ingenuity and spiritual life of ancient Indigenous cultures. This guide helps readers understand these sites as rewarding architectural experiences, enriched by archaeological, historical, and Indigenous knowledge gathered over three decades of collaborative work.

Organized into eight scenic driving routes—including the World Heritage Route and seven tributary paths—the book connects earthworks with nearby historic towns, nature preserves, waterways, and cultural landmarks. Each route emphasizes two-lane roads and includes road-tested site addresses, with links to local tourism resources for updated travel information.

Introductory sections provide essential context on regional geography, Indigenous cultures, archaeological terminology, and travel logistics. The guide’s focus on on-site appreciation is rare among existing resources, making it invaluable for both pre-visit planning and on-the-ground exploration.

Detailed route and trail descriptions are coordinated with all-new maps, plans, and photographs. The book links to multimedia assets, including animated flyovers that help visualize the earthworks and interview excerpts that deepen interpretive storytelling through Indigenous and interdisciplinary voices.

For first-time visitors and seasoned explorers, Traveler’s Guide to Ancient Ohio offers a fresh, immersive way to experience the region’s ancient wonders and the landscapes that continue to tell their story.

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