Mingo's Cave
          by Chuck Ball

An escape for the adventurous
Comments by Ani Brooks, 10/14/2010

"For anyone who as had the pleasure of falling in love with the island of St. John, Mingo's Cave is a must read. The author's intimacy with the people of St. John is apparent in his respect for their colloquialism & depiction of daily life in "paradise". On every page, the reader is gently transported to a place & time that makes it seem possible to feel the tropical breezes of this magical island. I wish I could book my ticket now to go search for pirate's treasure in the Carribean! Kuddos to the author on an exceptional first publication. More please!"

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Virgin Islands National Park: The Story Behind the Scenery
           by Alan Robinson, K C & Gwen DenDooven,
                Fritz Henley (photographer)

Glistening bays, tucked away like jewels along the coral-bounded coast--vine-entangled ruins of man's experiments with nature--a rugged land and the all-embracing sea, rampant with life; here is a world where one can feel an overwhelming sense of the timelessness of nature and man's place within it.

--Amazon.com

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St. John U. S. Virgin Islands National Park Trail Map

This Trails Illustrated topographic map is the most comprehensive and complete recreational map for Virgin Islands National Park. The map includes valuable wilderness tips and Leave No Trace guidelines, along with updated trails, trailheads, points of interest, campgrounds and much more. Printed on waterproof, tear-resistant material with a plastic coating for extreme durability. Measures Approximately 4 1/4" x 9 1/4" folded and 25 1/2" x 37 3/4" fully opened. Scale = 1:22,000 Copyright 1994 "Revised 2006"

--Amazon.com

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St. John, U S V I: Living Art
          by Steve Simonsen

Caribbean photographer & year round St. John resident Steve Simonsen's award winning photographic essay of St. John that celebrates the amazing natural beauty of the island in 182 spectacular photographs.

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St. John Beach Guide
          by Gerald Singer

"This provocatively photographed and informative guide book provides a comprehensive look at the beaches of St. John in the US Virgin Islands National Park, and insight into their ecology and history. Readers will discover which beaches to check out and why. Descriptions of the facilities, tips about snorkeling and much more."

--Virgin Voice, December 2006 January 2007

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St. John Off the Beaten Track
          by Gerald Singer

"First published in 1996, when St. John was still a sleepy island, this updated version provides a respite from busy Cruz Bay. The guide offers an insiders view into the quintessential St. John with its hiking trails, scrambles and gut walks. Singer, a long time island resident, provides a framework for reference with lots of fast facts and an easy to read description of places of interest, flora and fauna, amidst a well laid backdrop of St. John s rich history and island legend."

--Virgin Voice, December 2006 January 2007

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St. John: Feet, Fins & Four Wheel Drive
           by Pam Gaffin

A complete, easy-to-use, fun, travel guide to exploring St. John, Virgin Islands. It tells you exactly where to go, how to get there, and what to do and see when you arrive. It contains everything you need to know about the St. John's beaches and hiking trails, as well as its confusing system of roads, foot-paths and goat-trails. Recommended by Caribbean Travel and Life and by many St. Johnians since locals are NOT on vacation and cant always take time off from work to be a tour guide for their guests.

--From the Back Cover

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St. John On Foot & By Car
          by Rebecca & Randall Koladis

Review
“Presents [adventurous] readers the prospect of exploring and discovering St. John without professional guides…historical sites, underwater worlds... hiking trails... culture.” -- The Daily News of the Virgin Islands

St. John On Foot And By Car is an informative and entertaining guidebook featuring 4 self-guided walking and motor tours of the history, culture and natural beauty of St. John, US Virgin Islands. There is information on hiking trails and popular swimming and snorkeling beaches. Handy field guides help visitors learn firsthand about the exotic fauna and flora of this tropical paradise. Included are guides to local plants and trees as well as to the exciting array of tropical fish and other marine inhabitants of the crystal-clear waters surrounding St. John.
The guidebook is designed to make St. John sightseeing alearning experience that is both adventuresome and fun." --Amazon.com

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St. John Style: Islanders Favorite Recipes
          by Gretchen Labrenz

"St. John Style" is a collection of island residents' favorite recipes. Over 350 recipes are included, complete with clever St. John titles, contributor's comments about the recipes, and interesting helpful hints. "St. John Style" will become your favorite cookbook, especially, if you have visited St. John!

--From the Author

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St. John People: A dozen St. John writers profile twenty-two interesting local residents

They're all there because they're not all there,
Comments By Celeste M. Harmer (Clifton Heights, PA)  2/6/04

"I strongly recommend this book as an addition to your St. John library. This book is so intriguing and fascinating that I can hardly keep my nose out of it.St. John is notable for more than just its natural beauty and its ruins. This island is peopled by wonderful characters of every ilk and stripe: artists, intellectuals, writers, and the good folks who march to the beat of their own drums. This book bears testament to the fact that this is no cookie-cutter community and reading it will make St. John seem that much more real. Of course, after you read the book, you will have to go to St. John and meet its interesting and fascinating locals. If you do, you will scarcely pass a day in which you won't meet someone worthy of writing about.

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Desiring Paradise
          by Karin Schlesinger

"Desiring Paradise is the true story of two New Englanders who followed their dream. Despite obstacles and setbacks at every turn, they moved to St. John in the US Virgin Islands to start a new life. The book provides valuable insights for anyone who has ever thought about doing the same. Their experiences as newcomers to the island are hilarious! "

--Amazon.com

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Tales of St. John & the Caribbean
          by Gerald Singer, Jack Andrews, Curtney Chinnery, John Gibney, Andy Rutnik, Bob Tis & others

" ...A potpourri of stories by St. John resident Gerald Singer and other island residents." -- Lynda Lohr, The Daily News March 16, 2001

"An elegant and friendly book of short stories that people can carry to the beach with them and taste the flavor of the islands. "Tales of St. John and the Caribbean" has some something for everyone, island characters, adventures at sea, hurricanes, folk tales, island history, pirates and buried treasures."

--Amazon.com

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Cruising Guide to the Virgin Islands
          by Nancy Scott & Simon Scott

"Completely revised and updated with full color sketch charts, these guides have been indispensable companions for sailors and visitors to these islands since 1982. Includes a free 17" x 27" color planning chart covering the Virgin Islands from St. Thomas to Anegada. Anchoring and mooring information and fees. Customs, immigration and National Parks regulations. Particulars on marina facilities and the amenities they offer. Water sports - where to go and where to rent equipment. Shore-side facilities, restaurants, beach bars, shops, provisions, Internet connections. Alphabetical - by island - Directory of goods and services. Everything you will need to help make your vacation an enjoyable and memorable experience in a concise easy-to-use format."

--Amazon.com

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Caribbean Cruising: Your Guide to the Perfect Sailing Holiday
          by Jane Gibb, John Kretschmer, John Gibb

"This is not a pilot book, but a rich compendium of useful information for the long-term cruiser (the word holiday in the title could be misleading to Yanks, for whom a holiday is Christmas or Easter), knowledge collected by the authors during a decade spent actively sailing the Caribbean and making passages to and from the East Coast of the US. Astute observers as well as experienced sailors, the authors tackle subjects ranging from the technical and mechanical to the social and cultural. Caribbean Cruising is like an informative cockpit conversation with an experienced old hand, and will be especially useful to the first-time Caribbean cruiser."

--Caribbean Compass, January 2004

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Thunder Point
          by Jack Higgins

FICTION-"When Henry Baker leaves his home on St. John to deep-sea dive in the beautiful waters of the Caribbean, he has no idea that this is not going to be a routine day. Pushed by a sense of adventure and an extremely calm sea, he goes to an area usually too dangerous for diving. In the waters of Thunder Point, Henry discovers a German U-boat, the captain's diary, and a watertight briefcase that belonged to Martin Bormann. Forty-seven years after the fall of Nazi Germany, the discovery of documents detailing the politican's escape rocks the British Parliment. This damaging information cannot be allowed to fall into the wrong hands. Unlikely alliances are formed and the race to retrieve the briefcase is underway. Thunder Point is an action-packed, easy read. The intrique of the plot and excitement of the chase make for great beach reading."

--Library Journal, 1994

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Don't Stop the Carnival
          by Herman Wouk

FICTION- Herman Wouk's comedy about living out your fantasies on an exotic Caribbean island has become a must-read classic for travelers. Norman Paperman, a successful Broadway publicity agent, has long dreamed of escaping his high-pressure Manhattan life.In a fit of bravado, he chucks it all and buys an old hotel on tiny, primitive, lush Amerigo island, said to be based on St. Thomas.

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Field Guide to Tropical Marine Fishes
          National Audobon Society

"The most comprehensive field guide available to the tropical fishes of the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico, Florida, the Bahamas & Bermuda. All 417 photographs are in full color, capturing the natural beauty of the fishes on coral reefs & other habitats of tropical marine waters. The species photographs are keyed to full text descriptions of more than 400 species, each with its own range map. The text also includes brief coverage of nearly 800 additional species. Detailed endpaper maps, precise black-and-white drawings, and an illustrated family key supplement this authoritative and visually stunning resource.

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Field Guide to Shells
          National Audobon Society

The essential book for beach-combers & divers, this guide explores more than 705 seashells, living mollusks, abalone, periwinkles, conchs, limpets, oysters, clams, mussels & cockles found on the Atlantic, Pacific & Gulf coasts of North America & the West Indies. The photographs are arranged by shape and color, making identification quick & easy.

--From the Inside Flap

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BIRD: Definitive Visual Guide
          DK Eyewitness Books

Review
"A striking combination of copious graphics, elegant typography & concise text makes BIRD a glorious work.
-- Library Journal, November 1, 2007

Unrivaled in scope for a single-volume reference work, this visual guide to every bird order & family profiles more than 1,500 species, photographed in their native environment by photographers around the globe. Authoritative, comprehensive & completely up to date, this is a must-have reference for anyone with even a passing interest in the world's birds. AUTHOR BIO: David Burnie studied zoology at the University of Bristol & after graduating, worked as a nature reserve ranger & biologist. He has written or contributed to more than 75 books, including Earth & Ocean, & was the editor-in-chief of DK's Animal.

--From the Inside Flap

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FISH: Definitive Visual Guide
          DK Eyewitness Books


Eyewitness the natural history of fish by Steve Parker.
--From the Back Cover

 

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SEASHORE: Definitive Visual Guide
          DK Eyewitness Books

Where sea meets land
Comments by Judy K. Polhemus, 09/30/2008

"The seashore is at the edge of the land going out to sea. Yes, but, it is also that exact meeting point of the sea & the shore, the feminine & the masculine, the yin & the yang, water & earth. Not meaning to get mystical, but doesn't the seashore strike you that way? Perhaps that's why we have the myth of Poseiden & mermaids. Perhaps that is why life teems at this meeting of land & sea. "Eyewitness Seashore" shows the reader how water meets shore & how water shapes that shore. Evidence of high tides, low tides & rock composition can be read in the sides of standing rocks & cliffs across the planet where water meets shore."

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St. John Backtime: Eyewitness Accounts from 1718 to 1956
          by Ruth Hull Low & Lito Valls

In words and pictures, describes two-and-a-half centuries of life on St. John beginning when it was one of the Danish West Indian Islands, now part of a United States Territory. Includes letters, journals, travellers' reports, memoirs, oral histories, archival documents and periodicals. With contemporary maps, plans, drawings, paintings and photographs. From archives, libraries, museums and private collections in the Virgin Islands, Canada, Norway and Denmark.

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Flora of St. John, U. S. Virgin Islands
(Memoirs of the N Y Botanical Garden, Vol. 78)
          by Pedro Acevedo-Rodriguez & Bobbi Angell

"A Must" for Virgin Island plant enthusiasts.
...Exquisite line drawings and botanical descriptions. Excellent reference.

Brilliant!
This reference is a joy to work with. The keys are logical and clear and Bobbi Angell's abundant illustrations are a treasure.

--Amazon.com

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