Amazon.com
Maps present one of the prickliest problems in U.S. politics. The shape of congressional districts plays a gigantic role in the never-ending struggle between Democrats and Republicans. Draw the boundaries one way, and liberals have the upper hand. Shift them around a bit, and suddenly conservatives control the agenda. Gerrymandering is a constant threat every 10 years, when the states redraw their congressional districts based on fresh census information. The stakes are enormous, and abuse is almost a certainty. That's why Bushmanders and Bullwinkles is so welcome. "I want to make readers aware of how legislators, judges, and other elected officials use the decennial remap to promote personal or ideological agendas," writes Mark Monmonier. He succeeds at this gloriously--and just in time: redistricting will be a hot-button issue in the years ahead, as states draw their new maps in 2001 and 2002, the parties inevitably go to court in 2003, and finally the 2004 election shakeout arrives, with results that can reverberate for years. (Some analysts argue that redistricting explains why Republicans captured the House in 1994, for example.)
What's more, redistricting has never been more complicated. Monmonier walks readers through all the important controversies, paying special attention to the furor over majority-minority districts. He describes the paradox of the first Bush administration working with black and Hispanic groups to create these jurisdictions--on the theory that packing minority voters into overwhelmingly Democratic districts would dilute their influence elsewhere and thereby help elect more Republicans. The result was a surge in black and Hispanic members of Congress (a goal of the minority groups), plus gains for the GOP. Achieving this required sophisticated software, and resulted in messy, fractal-shaped districts.
This is an outstanding guide to these once and future controversies. It's also loaded with maps, which are essential to any understanding of the subject. For readers looking for a primer on this complex but vital and fascinating topic, there may be nothing better than Bushmanders and Bullwinkles. --John J. Miller
Book Description
For years Mark Monmonier, "a prose stylist of no mean ability or charm" according to the Washington Post, has delighted readers with his insightful understanding of cartography as an art and technology that is both deceptive and revealing. Now he turns his focus to the story of political cartography and the redrawing of congressional districts. His title Bushmanders and Bullwinkles combines gerrymander with the surname of the president who actively tolerated racial gerrymandering and draws attention to the ridiculously shaped congressional districts that evoke the antlers of the moose who shared the cartoon spotlight with Rocky the Flying Squirrel.
Written from the perspective of a cartographer rather than a political scientist, Bushmanders and Bullwinkles examines the political tales maps tell when votes and power are at stake. Monmonier shows how redistricting committees carve out favorable election districts for themselves and their allies; how disgruntled politicians use shape to challenge alleged racial gerrymanders; and how geographic information systems can make reapportionment a controversial process with outrageous products. He also explores controversies over the proper roles of natural boundaries, media maps, census enumeration, and ethnic identity. Raising important questions about Supreme Court decisions in regulating redistricting, Monmonier asks if the focus on form rather than function may be little more than a distraction from larger issues like election reform.
Characterized by the same wit and clarity as Monmonier's previous books, Bushmanders and Bullwinkles is essential background for understanding what might prove the most contentious political debate of the new decade.
Customer Reviews:
How to design electoral districts to win.......2006-03-24
Creating electoral districts to aid the party controlling the state legislature is a practice that goes back in U. S. history at least to the early 19th century. Monmonier gives a simple, easy- to-follow example of how it can be done, using simple diagrams.
not as good as "how to lie with maps".......2002-03-26
This is a decent book touching on Gerrymandering of congressional and other districts in order to select the population within each district to guarantee politicians of certain parties getting elected, however, the author's partisanship (leftist) shows through: he coins a word ("Bushmander") to pin Gerrymandering on Republicans, when in fact this behavior has been historically concentrated on the left, both because of Democractic Machine politics, and because of affirmative action racial preferences applied to electoral mechanics. The author thus blames Bush I even though the vast majority of the racial gerrmandering was invited by the Voting Rights Act, a Democratic initiative, and was done by social activists with in the Justice Department in an attempt to create more African American (i.e. "Democratic") districts...but the unintended consequence of this was to simultaneously create more monolithic Republican districts at the same time. In fact, as even the author is forced to admit, the Republicans argued against racial gerrymandering...but this does not stop the Republican administrations under which much of the gerrymandering took place from getting blame, both in the book and in the book's title, for the very policies they fought.
Book Description
The Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA), located in northeastern Minnesota, is a legendary wilderness destination for canoeists from around the world. Longtime guide and canoe authority Cliff Jacobson explains the best and safest ways of planning and enjoying a BWCA journey. Includes maps, illustrations, and information on obtaining permits, packing the right supplies, practicing low-impact camping techniques, honing paddling skills, traveling with children, and dealing with hazards on land and water.
Customer Reviews:
Greate information on camping this wonderful area.......2006-03-15
Cliff does a great job of introducing the area and providing good basic information on canoe camping. He also stresses the importance of proper techniques to limit the human impact to this natural national treasure.
A Great Book Filled With Excellent Tips on Canoe Camping!.......2000-03-13
Before setting out on our first trip to the BWCA five years ago, I bought Cliff's book. I read it cover to cover and found it packed with practical information that helped make my first trip (and all my subsequent trips) completely enjoyable. I've re-read the book every year since. I've followed Cliff's tips, and he's never let me down. Yes, put the groundcloth inside your tent, and you'll never have a wet sleeping bag. Use a tumpline when portaging .... it relieves a the stress of carrying a heavy pack. Don't hang your food in a tree, unless you want a bear to to find it! Follow Cliff's tips. I've heard him speak on the subject of canoe camping several times...and he brings many years of valuable experience. I highly recommend reading this book before taking your next canoe/camping trip!
Boundary Waters Canoe Camping...With Style.......2000-01-26
An excellent book for anyone who is interested in canoeing, camping or the B.W.C.A. Timely information for the first timer in the BWCA or for those that have made many trips. Well written and illustrated. A must for the Boundary Water traveler!
An Interesting Perspective.......2000-01-21
Reading the other reviews submitted about this book, one would think that it is either the best or the worst book ever written about the special requirements of canoe camping in the boundary waters. Well, it is neither. I take a 14-plus day trip to the Quetico every other summer, and have travelled many of the most challenging and remote routes of the park. The value of this book is that it offers one set of ideas as to the best way to go about one's business in the wilderness. These ideas are not definitive, and I flatly ignore many of them. That said, I have also adopted some of the ideas found in the book, or at least reconsidered my tried and true methods based on some of the author's recommendations. If you're looking for a book to stimulate you to think about different ways of doing things in the woods-- this is a good choice. If you're a beginner, this isn't a bad place to start, but it would be a bad place to stop. There are as many different ways to go about travelling in canoe country as there are lakes in the Quetico. Almost all have something to offer. None are perfect. This book is worth reading as part of the exploration and learning process.
A fine introduction to the Boundary Waters.......2000-01-12
The one star reviews on this page are very misleading. Cliff Jacobson does recommend useful equipment but is hardly a shill for manufacturers -- no specific brands are mentioned, but helpful ideas and a long life as a paddler and instructor are put forward in this fine introduction to the Boundary Waters. This book is an introduction, and it is highly recommended by many outfitters in the Boundary Waters. It gives just enough information to aid in planning a trip to the area, but the expert with plenty of canoeing experience will probably want to look into Jacobson's other books, which are equally well written and researched. In planning my second trip to the Boundary Waters, I found the book helpful and useful -- it has none of the fluff intimated by some of the other reviewers on this page. I found the book a good, solid investment.
Book Description
Devoted campers, hikers, boaters, anglers, bikers, and golfers agree: Foghorn Outdoors guidebooks are essential for anyone who wants to spend less time planning and more time enjoying the outdoors. Each book is an excursion guide packed with the latest information on a variety of adventures near and far. This brand new guide features easy-to-use listings of campgrounds for RVers and tenters in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan. Designed for novice campers looking for new adventures as well as seasoned veterans seeking new places to explore, it provides detailed maps, driving directions, and side-trip information, and includes tips for enjoying the outdoors throughout the seasons. Authors Robert and Ginger Schmidt also highlight regional history and driving tours of each state. A detailed index aids in trip planning.
Customer Reviews:
Less than "Complete".......2004-04-16
I eagerly opened this book after buying it, only to be very disappointed. Looking at the maps, the index, and the references to the national park system, I could find no mention at all of the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. That seems very odd, because Pictured Rocks has several campgrounds, and one might think a "complete" guide would at least cover what the NPS has to offer. Other errors and omissions include maps that incorrectly identify the locations of Twin Lakes State Park and FJ McLain State Park (the former is shown southwest of Mass City when it is actually 15 miles northeast, while the latter is shown at Copper Harbor when it is actually 50 miles to the southwest), as well as the absence of the Ottawa National Forest campgrounds directly accessible from US 45 north of Watersmeet. These are just a few problems in one limited geographical area of Upper Michigan with which I happen to have a little bit of familiarity. If I have to rely on my own travels and experiences to fill in the gaps and inaccuracies in this supposedly "complete" guide, how useful will it be with regard to those areas of which I have no prior knowledge?
Book Description
The Unofficial Guide to the Best RV & Tent Campgrounds in the Great Lakes States features candid reviews and ratings of over 350 campgrounds in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin. It includes:
- Detailed profiles and overall quality ratings of the best campgrounds for both RVers and tent campers
- Complete information on rates, hook-ups, and facilities
- Campgrounds rated for beauty, quiet, privacy, security, and amenities
- The only campground series with candid ratings for quality and value
- Easy-to-follow directions to each campground
- Tips on fun things to see and do near each campground
- Practical advice on RV repairs and maintenance
Average customer rating:
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Voyageurs National Park: The Battle to Create Minnesota's National Park
Fred T. Witzig
Manufacturer: University of Minnesota Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 General
| 20th Century
| United States
| Americas
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| State & Local
| United States
| Americas
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Minnesota
| State & Local
| United States
| Americas
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Americas
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Conservation
| Environment
| Outdoors & Nature
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Conservation
| Outdoors & Nature
| Subjects
| Books
Reference
| Outdoors & Nature
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Nature & Ecology
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0816640505 |
Book Description
When President Nixon signed the legislation authorizing the establishment of Voyageurs National Park on January 8, 1971, almost eighty years had passed since Minnesota's government initially petitioned to create a national park in the northern portion of the state.
Voyageurs National Park chronicles the complex legal and political campaign to found Minnesota's only national park. Witzig's thoroughly documented and referenced research allows him to offer a detailed view of the unanticipated disappointments and defining moments of achievement that accompanied this complicated legislative battle. Concentrating on the period from 1962 to 1975, Witzig identifies and explains the central issues surrounding the campaign including land acquisition policy, local concerns and opposition to the park, interagency conflict over inclusion of U.S. forest lands, antifederal attitudes in northeastern Minnesota, and the overstated case for the economic benefits a national park would bring. Witzig covers of the dispute over the inclusion of Crane Lake in the park and focuses on the many individuals and groups who were instrumental in the establishment of Voyageurs National Park, such as Governor Elmer L. Andersen, John A. Blatnik, Sigurd F. Olson, and Rita Shemesh.
Book Description
Voyageurs National Park and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness together comprise some one and a quarter million acres of the wildest country in the United States. This nearly roadless region of lakes, bogs, and forests in northeastern Minnesota is a mecca for canoeists from around the world. Veteran paddler James Churchill guides readers to great paddling and camping destinations. Maps, detailed route descriptions, and a wealth of planning tips make this an indispensable guide for the modern voyageur.
Features include:
·An overview of what to expect and how to prepare
·Detailed maps showing access points and routes
·Information on each waterway's character, difficulty, and the best times to paddle
·Lists of local paddling organizations and information resources
·Trips to thrill experienced paddlers and novices alike
·Historical importance and wildlife
Average customer rating:
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Minnesota State Parks Guide
Rasters Vanderboom
Manufacturer: Affordable Adventures
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Parks & Campgrounds
| Food & Lodging
| Reference & Tips
| Travel
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Travel
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0935201688 |
Book Description
Minnesota's State Parks encompasses the full range of our environment, from lush woodlands, prairies and blufflands to rivers and lake shores. Each of these parks offer plenty of places to relax, explore and enjoy the outdoors. All the information you need to experience Minnesota's parks is in one volume! This book includes at least four pages of information on each park, maps of the parks and trails, tips for what to see and do and places to record your own notes.
Customer Reviews:
A must have if you camp in MN.......2007-05-11
This is an excellent book that has all the same information you find on the DNR website or in campground maps at state parks. The best part is it's all contained in one very handy book instead of countless pages of campground maps. It also has history of state parks, geology, etc that you also find in the DNR handouts. All in one handy book. We use it constantly to decide which state park to visit on our next adventure
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