Compass American Guides: South Dakota, 3rd Edition

Rating:
Summary: Interesting and informative
Review: An ideal book for those intending to visit South Dakota. As well as giving places to visit and stay it provides an interesting insight into the history of the state. A few more photographs would be even better.

Rating:
Summary: Better than I thought
Review: At first , I didn't think this book was of much help in planning my trip but the more I read it, the more great information I found. I would advise you to read it like a novel and not just skim through it looking for specific information.

Rating:
Summary: Better than I thought
Review: At first , I didn't think this book was of much help in planning my trip but the more I read it, the more great information I found. I would advise you to read it like a novel and not just skim through it looking for specific information.

Rating:
Summary: Pictures are better than the text
Review: I am planning to visit South Dakota this summer and since I manage to turn everything I do into an educational project I have been reading up and writing chambers of commerce for information. This book is written in the neutral public relations politically correct style of a guidebook. (Heaven forbid we ever say anything critical about the Indians or why we're still paying $1.5 billion a year for Indian health care.)In fact I believe the author has a PR background. He conveys a lot of information but he could have made the book much more interesting. For example, the story of the trapper Hugh Glass is one of the best stories ever. Glass was mauled by a grizzly and left for dead by his companions. He vowed revenge on those who left him and literally crawls back to civilization to kill the men who left him. However, the author here really does not get into the revenge theme. I had to get that from a Chamber publication. The pictures in the book are great and I would rate the pictures five stars. However, there just aren't that many books about South Dakota. So if you are going to South Dakota it probably is worth picking up. For an interesting book about the entire Great Plains which includes South Dakota read Great Plains by Ian Frazier, which is a five star book.

Rating:
Summary: Not a guidebook
Review: Those factoids and stats you're going to bore your friends with when you get home ... you can find them here. What I didn't find was answers to questions, such as: Where are good places to camp? What do I do to enjoy my trip to the reservation, or a powwow? Where are the best places to eat in Hot Springs? That is, things I wanted to know to enjoy the trip.