Insiders' Guide(R) to Columbus, Ohio

As a relatively new Ohio State doctoral student (new to Columbus), I am relieved to have access to a guidebook about the city. It is difficult feeling your way around a new territory- especially when many of your friends and colleagues are in the same boat. One of the first things I looked for was information about parks and bike trails- and was pleased with the overall information. A previous review states the absence of Inniswood Gardens, but I beg to differ- it's one of my favroite retreats and I was very excited to see it included. In fact, there are five pages dedicated to the city's MetroParks (pgs. 151-156) and there is even a helpful insiders' tip about Inniswood (pg 154). One thing I did notice, is the index does not include several places that are discussed in the book- such as Inniswood. The indexer seems to have overlooked quite a few things, but it's not to say it isn't in there. As a critical, but conscientious reader I suggest not expecting the index to be a definitive listing of everything in this guide. What I like particularly is how the author manages to spread information across the various chapters. Random restaurants, stores and history pop up in unrelated chapters, keeping it interesting for those of us who do read the book. Like someone else wrote earlier- this isn't a boring book of lists and it isn't arranged as such. The Insiders Guide to Columbus is receiving this positive review by a very thankful grad student. --DJM

As a resident of Columbus for over 38 years, I was curious to see what info one could glean from Ms. Kelley's book. After spending a few hours sifting through the chapters, I was amazed at how little I actually knew about my own city. Particularly helpful were the obvious efforts by the author to visit the establishments about which she wrote. I now have a desire to visit some places in Columbus that I had written off in the past. Although Columbus is not quite New York City, it is a growing, vibrant town with plenty to see and do. I think the author does an excellent job of highlighting the best our city has to offer. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in visiting or relocating.

Finally - Columbus has its' own travel guide! I have not consumed every word of the book, but what I have read is very well-written and well-organized. The author does a great job showcasing the quality and variety of things to do here. I particularly appreciate and look forward to seeing the Pet-Friendly Columbus chapter grow. Our wonderful city is so often underrated by newcomers. Thanks for writing a fantastic book. It's about time!

I think it's appropriate to say that Ms. Kelley can call Columbus her "hometown" after living here for nearly 10 years. She is not a native to the city, but has made her mark in Columbus just the same. I'd like to think that one native would not scold someone else for feeling at home in their much loved city. How long must one live somewhere to call it home? Gays fight to be viewed as equal and not to be singled out, therefore the community as a whole was not singled out. Gay and lesbian information is clearly integrated into the book, especially the dining, pubs and nightlife chapter. Old Towne East is covered on page 267- no more or no less than other parts of the downtown area. Please take the time to read through the book closely. Please remember - this is a travel guide. Not a phone book. This guide, like any other guide, is not meant to be an exhaustive listing of everything in the city, rather a selective sampling of what the city has to offer. I trust that Ms. Kelley is open to new suggestions for the 2nd edition. This guide deserve all 5 stars.

Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but the guide certainly doesn't deserve a one-star review. I pre-ordered the book before it even came out- and was not disappointed. I applaude the efforts to undertake such a huge task- whether she was born in Columbus or not. Ms. Kelley definitely takes into account many different places and perspectives from all over the city- and there are a lot of them! It seems to me she touched on a little bit of everything. Like a previous reviewer commented, it is a selective guide book and not a comprehensive directory to every little corner of the city. I am a fan!