Explorer's Guide North Carolina (Explorer's Complete) Review

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(More customer reviews)North Carolina is a huge state, by eastern standards, and it's home to 10 million people. In Europe, a state the size of North Carolina would be a fair-sized country. Not surprisingly, a book attempting to cover such a vast space (and population) in about 400 pages MUST be summary.
What this book lacks in depth, it covers in exhaustive breadth: The entire state gets fine treatment in this book. Explorer's Guides are sometimes a bit heavy on the "outdoors" and light on cultural and historical context, but this book balances them nicely. The author is attentive to historical and cultural attractions that are so important to this state - one of the original 13 colonies. The author is also attentive to North Carolina's extraordinarily diverse geography, from the barrier islands of the coast to the high mountain peaks of the west.
The listings are selective rather than exhaustive, but they're right up to date. The recommendations are genuine. You can tell that the author knows North Carolina like a native. He's chosen the places to eat, sleep, shop, and visit like an insider, and that is invaluable information for touring a state as large and dynamic as North Carolina. This is particularly true in places like Charlotte, where people and places come and go as quickly as flights on US Airways.
This book is well constructed, in typical Countryman Press style. It's a nice chunky paperback with lots of writing and a few black-and-white photographs. The side-bars dedicated to special topics such as "Wachovia" and "East Carolina Barbecue" are well selected and well written.
I recommend this book over other existing North Carolina guides for its lucidity and novelty (it was published in June 2011), particularly for newcomers.

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With Explorer's Guides, expert authors and helpful icons make it easy to locate places of extra value, family-friendly activities, and excellent restaurants and lodgings. Regional and city maps help you get around and What's Where provides a quick reference on everything from tourist attractions to off-the-beaten-track sites.
From America's most popular national parks to the sands of the Outer Banks to the cool peaks of the tallest mountains in the East, writer/photographer Jim Hargan covers everything worth seeing and doing in his home state. Explore wilderness areas on bicycle or by kayak, visit sleepy hamlets or lively downtowns, enjoy fine dining or country cooking on your quest for the authentic Tarheel experience.

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