Customer Rating:  
Summary: Where's the Northeast?
Comment: I was disappointed as the book doesn't address any states North of North Carolina and East of the Mississippi River. I knoe there are many great places to retire in the Northeast and Midwest that this book ignores. It's too bad, but if you're a snowbird, then this is the book for you.
Customer Rating:
Summary: A solid primer - sorting out the best places
Comment: I took `Where to Retire' with me (along with several good State guides - like Fodor's) when I went on a sixteen day journey through three Southwestern States (Nevada, Arizona & New Mexico) where I was looking for "the place" to relocate and semi-retire. Howells' guide gave me a `leg up' on the destinations that were `definite maybes'. The guide was extremely valuable in leading me to destinations I would not have considered without the guide. (Las Cruces and Ruidoso in New Mexico and Bisbee and Ajo in Arizona). I found Howell's writing to be friendly and informative. He succinctly describes the best side of each of his selection, but, and I consider this a detraction, seldom does he point out negative aspects or flaws a community, town or city might have. Sadly, there is no web-page references, appendixes or references that could give you additional information on his locations. He omits information as basic as Chamber of Commerce contact information, or the names of the main newspapers.
Finding a new place to live is a lot like dating - most places leave you wishing for more, a few are provocative enough to warrant placing them on your "maybe list" , and one, or at best two, will tantalize you enough to want to come back for more. So, if you are at the beginning of your search for a new place to live, then this guide is a great first step. "Where to Retire" will speed up your search and give you a general feel for various places. This guide needs to work in tandem with other guides such as a State, Region or Country guide. Recommended 3.5 stars.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Good for those starting out
Comment: If basing a review on the 3rd or 4th editions is a disqualifier, perhaps I should recuse myself. Let me just say that I read Mr. Howells' 3rd edition when I just began looking for places, and I found it immensely helpful: worth five stars. The short, easy readings are enjoyable and make this volume a nice addition to the bedside table. The 4th edition contained a few updates. However, for the reader who has already narrowed the options, Where to Retire does not offer the detailed, substantive material one might wish for in order to refine those options.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Very pleased with information presented
Comment: I have read several retirement books dealing with various subjects about what to consider when retiring. Although I am about 1/2 way through this book, I am a little surprised and quite happy with the information so far. I liked the author's "at a glance" tax breakdown tables, and in several cases he asked questions and stated perspectives that I had not thought about before (and as I said, I have read other retirement books). Howells style of writing and is very readable and interesting (unlike some other rather "dry" or limited portrayals of retirement information) and he sets forth reasonable criteria in my opinion. I have not yet picked up on the "male oriented hunting and fishing" slant mentioned by another reviewer (and I am a female). I really like this book.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Empty jar of pickles
Comment: This is a book written on a shoestring. A book which provides less factological information than 20 years old yellow pages....
I particulary enjoyed reading about selected places, where the author even did not mention cost of real estate, but mentioned that general Sherman was there and burned it. If someone really retires by this book, then the consequences must be tragic. To find places which have more 70% of the total population retired from elsewhere, and minimum house cost $200,000 one perhaps does not need a book for ($)....
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