The National Park Service has learned a...

The National Park Service has learned a great deal about caring for historic buildings in the course of its work with places like Mt. Vernon and Monticello. Some of this expertise is being passed along to consumers in the form of three booklets available from S.M. Woods, Consumer Information Center, Pueblo, Colo. 81009. The booklets are: Aluminum and Vinyl Siding on Historic Buildings (Item 135P, $1), Moisture Problems in Historic Masonry Walls (Item 138P, $2.25), and The Repair of Historic Wooden Windows (Item 140P, $1). Owners of newer houses can also benefit from the information in the three booklets, especially the one about moisture problems.

Sunbelt Retirement by Peter A. Dickinson (American Assn. of Retired Persons/Scott, Foresman & Co., Glenview, Ill., 354 pages, $11.95) is an updated and expanded version of a book first published in 1978. Dickinson examines Sun Belt states from Hawaii to North Carolina, including California from Santa Barbara south, listing cities he believes are suitable for comfortable retirement. This book is crammed with cost comparisons, such as those that prove that Hawaii is the most expensive retirement state. California isn’t far behind, with housing costs the major culprit in both states. Arkansas and North Carolina have become popular with retired persons because of relatively low-cost housing. Despite the abundance of statistics, Dickinson’s writing style makes this a good browsing book for those who expect to retire soon or want to make plans for a retirement move some years away.