Book Review: "52 Weekends in the Tennessee Valley"

Anyone living in the Tennessee Valley who has a sense of adventure and an appreciation for exploring will love "52 Weekends in the Tennessee Valley" by Charles & Daniel Frew. This beautiful 211-page book is destined to become a beloved, dog-eared reference guide for the frequent day-tripper seeking excitement. Now you can get more out of your weekends with a multitude of ideas on where to go. I highly recommend this book for the young-at-heart who never want to become a bored, sedentary coach-potato.

Charles & Daniel Frew's book "52 Weekends in the Tennessee Valley" is a handbook to numerous adventures awaiting us in our own backyard. Now you'll never run out of ideas for places to explore in Northern Alabama and Southern Tennessee. Everyone seems to have a different definition of "The Tennessee Valley." The authors define it as from Nashville to "somewhere past Cullman."

This book is filled with fabulous pictures--my only complain (which is minor) is that every picture in the book isn't identified. I found a lot of photos of things that I'd like to go find on my own and it would have been easier if every picture had a caption.

Charles & Daniel Frew are father and son and fill the book with sage advice, tongue-in-cheek humor, Southern trivia, historical facts and detail background information. One piece of advice offered the reader is to take the scenic, back-roads route to a location and allow 2 hours more than you need to stop at some interesting spots along the way. Then on the way home when you're tired and weary, take the Interstate highways back home.

This is a good book to keep on your coffee table to thumb through periodically and plan short day trips. It is also a good reference to show to your out-of-town guests so they can preview attractions they'd most like to see.

If you can only buy one book this year about the local area, I'd recommend this book. It is available locally at Barnes & Noble and Shaver's Bookstore.