No comments about South Africa Travel Map (Globetrotter Travel Map).

3 comments about The Tree Where Man Was Born (Classic, Nature, Penguin).

1. Is there anyplace wild enough to lift the weight that Occidental culture has placed on our shoulders? Africa, where the first man walked erect, may be the last place where man can feel awed enough by Nature to try and remember that he, also, is just another among the millions of other species that populate the planet. Paul Bowles, Bruce Chatwin, Doris Lessing, Isaak Dinesen and Peter Mattieshen found that answer, and shared the experience. In Mattieshen's poetic account, the tragic and fabulous beauty of a continent that has been devastated by greed and war is revealed, as the impossibility of traveling Africa and not falling in love with it and being changed by it forever.



2. I wasn't certain what to expect when I got this book. I was a bit concerned that since it was written about experiences in the 1960's that it would feel a bit dated. Although the 1960's view of the future of East Africa's peoples and wildlife is not entirely accurate, I am finding the book to be an excellent way to prepare for a trip to Tanzania--for someone wanting a combination of background on the peoples, landscape and wildlife. Matthiessen's usual subdued, to me, dry style seems leavened a bit by his awe. And the account of the elephant researcher who's 'close encounter' approach puts Matthiessen off his feed, was really enjoyable to me--a departure from his usual, very dry approach. I recommend this one to anyone interested in the peoples and wildlife of Eastern Africa.



3. This is one my very favorite of Matthiessen's impressive canon, ranking easily with Far Tortuga and The Snow Leopard. Indeed, I think some of the passages in The Tree Where Man Was Born might surpass the stunning Himalaya descriptions in the latter book. Matthiessen's eye for landscapes is unparalleled, and his lyric evocations of beast and horizon have an otherworldly quality. A prime example, and one to look out for, is his account of finding rhinoceros tracks on the high volcanic slopes of Mt. Lengai. Another highlight are his crystalline observations of ecological moments during a vigil atop an East African kopje.

2 comments about Madagascar, 9th (Bradt Travel Guide).

1. Hugely detailed, engaging style, up-to-date, fun and informative to read. Without any doubt the best guide to Madagascar on the market.



2. We are traveleing to Madagascar this summer and have had trouble finding internet based companies in Madagascar. Her recommendations were great! Also, the information about the parks was a real help in deciding where to go in a limited time frame.

2 comments about Time Out Cape Town: Winelands and the Garden Route (Time Out Guides).

1. I spent a month in Cape Town and this guide was always by my side. Excellent guide with wonderful endearing side bars on locals-it gives you a great sense of Cape Town and its local flavour. All the sections are dead on. I found the dining and shopping extremely helpful with its guide to what is uniquely Capetonian. This is by far the best guide to Cape Town out now. The writers and contributors for this guide should be commended.



2. As many other Time Out Guides, the Cape Town one didn't let me down. It is a very reliable and updated source on best hotels in town, best shops, best restaurants, bars, and so on, for all budgets. I believe it enhanced greatly my experience of knowing new places. I took my Time Out Guides with me to NYC, New Orleans, Buenos Aires and Cape Town and I must say their recommendations rarely disapointed me. They also have a comprehensive session on tours, museums or sight seeing, but they are not the most complete in the market, though.

2 comments about The Villas and Riads of Morocco.

1. This work is thoroughly researched and beautifully presented. As well as the delights of the photography and text, it contains really interesting aspects of social history.



2. It is an exquisite book, filled with photographs to make you drool and text that informs you of the nuances of homes so far from my own. Buy it! So worth the money to have it sitting on your shelves!

5 comments about Crossing Boundaries: A Global Vision of Design.

1. mr wolf in his travels search for inspirations in the most unusual places: ethiopia, burma, syria - most of times acquiring local handcrafted items which he will use in his decorations. Although his palette is a bit neutral, with pastel colors most of times, his interiors are extremely beautiful, with subdued elegance and charm. Interesting is how he manages to mix the objects from his travels, with modern furniture, mirrors in abondance and white walls.



2. This book with it's exciting interior pictures captures interior design at it's best. Mr Wolf's incorpration of ethnic items makes these interiors personal and interesting. His use of color and his inclusion of Benjamin Moore color numbers is a nice feature. I very much like this book and his style. I am an interior designer also and I'm not easily impressed by most other designers work.



3. I regret that i have bought this book! It does not show anything special and the objetcive of the author of showing misery people and then show glamorous spaces is a shame!!!!



4. My wife and I plan to remodel, and bought this book for inspiration and design concepts. We ended up quite disappointed.
   
   The book has 5 chapters organized around 5 places that Mr. Wolf traveled to. Each chapter consists of two parts: travel log and design. Both parts show many colorful photographs, some of them quite beautiful. In general, the travel log part has more pages then the design part. For example, in Madagascar Scale chapter, travel log has about 24 pages vs. 18 pages for design. The pictures are even more lopsided towards the travel part. Often the relationship between the design and place seems rather superficial or contrived like a blue/yellow color scheme that is somewhat similar to an umbrella on a photograph or a light color bedroom inspired by a misty landscape. Also, Mr Wolf's design schemes are not as varied as you would expect if they were inspired from all over the world. Most of them use very similar style furniture and color schemes.
   
   Worse still is that the book does not present design concepts in any systematic fashion. It does not say much about the places that Mr. Wolf designed, what were the challenges, or how different rooms fit together. There is not a single floor plan in the whole book, and rarely it shows the same room from different angles to give the reader a feel how things fit together.
   
   Conclusion: If you are looking for a travel diary with pretty pictures, this book might be for you. If you are looking for design ideas that are of practical use, stay away. You might consider Kelly Hoppen's book ``Home'' instead. We bought it together with this one and found it packed with useful interior design concepts and really helped us to think through all the elements of designing a house or apartment.



5. This book lacks consistency, and although the pictures might be technically good, the interiors design itself has little to do with the story the author is tryng to sell to us: that he has seen certain things in his 'exciting and sophisticated'journey that inspired him to create special interiors. What we get instead is a twisted, dated, unrespectful and pasteurized concept of what other cultures could give us in our every day living. Please, don't buy it.

5 comments about Southern Africa (Multi Country Guide).

1. Very small section on South Africa. I was just traveling there and was under the impression this book would cover just that country. Instead it covered all of southern africa which I was not interested in. May be good is you are traveling all over but if you are not, don't bother.



2. The book is good in general terms although up to date jul 2007 is a non updated in certain chapters (flights, taxi fares, lack of more buses info between villages..)
   Is good reading to learn facts on the country.
   To travel to Zambiais a good thing to buy



3. This book may have everything you need about Southern Africa... that is unless you plan to travel there. It is full of background facts and history, but of no use if you actually want a guide to attractions, accommodations or local culture.
   
   I bought it for a trip to South Africa and Zimbabwe. Big mistake. For South Africa, it misses several of the major attractions altogether, including Seal Island and Gold Reef City. When the book does mention attractions, it rarely gives any information on how to see them. In an illustrative moment, it mentions the Sterkfontein Caves in the introductory section on Africa's ancient past--but no where in the book does it mention that they offer a museum and guided tours in South Africa an easy distance for Joberg. (The Sterkfontein Caves are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, not a minor attraction by any measure).
   
   So that's what you can expect for the most well-traveled of the countries in this book. I won't bore you with details on the political diatribe that Lonely Planet calls its guide to Zimbabwe. It suffices to say I would not rely on it for a trip there.



4. This book give a great overview of Southern Africa, history, what to see and what is a must see. Having never visited Africa, this was my book to read prior to the trip. I have watched several of the movies they suggest in the book and they are excellent. Lonely Planet rocks.



5. I purchased this book for a month long trip that I took throughout the countries of Namibia and South Africa, and I have to admit that I was a little disappointed when it came to the details. In normal fashion, Lonely Planet does a great job with historic and cultural information pertaining to a certain locality, but once again falls short on the in-depth info that many travelers would be interested in. For instance, national parks and world heritage sites are usually not covered in enough detail, and sometimes they're not mentioned at all. Much of the information is very basic as well, and doesn't really paint a solid picture of the park. Sure, we all know there are animals running around, but what makes it stand out? Notable exceptions would be Etosha and Kruger, both of which have good coverage, but so many other options exist and are just barely mentioned. Major cities are covered well, but so many exciting points of interest are over-looked that sometimes I wonder if the publishers think that most travellers are going to spend their entire trip in wine bars and discos. If you're interested in truly seeing this region and some of the fabulous, remote places that it has to offer, Lonely Planet will get you close, but other guides will actually get you there.

5 comments about East Africa (Multi Country Guide).

1. Though we originally planned to travel through the entire East African region, we ended up travelling in Kenya only. Although Lonely Planet have a more detailed book for Kenya alone, we found this book informative enough to provide us with all the necessary information. Schedules and prices were pretty up to date except for park fees that have been recently updated in Kenya.
   
   It was easy to find the needed information and having a separate section for Safaris was certainly helpful.
   
   The mountaineering sections were a bit short (they have a special book for that), and more detailed information could have been helpful, especially in mount Kenya.
   
   Other than that, it's probably the best option at the moment if you travel through the region, as this edition has been issued last June.



2. We traveled to Uganda and Tanzania. We got the guide for Tanzania, but couldn't find one for Uganda. It was pretty useful and I liked their suggestions for evening activities in Kampala. I thought the book could have used some pictures (don't recall there being any, except maps).
   It's particularly nice to read on the long flights from the US to Africa as a build up to your trip. I usually believe in getting my information online, but it was very convenient to have this with us. Well researched and handy.



3. We have relied on this book on two trips to Kenya and Zanzibar. It provides great tips on places that are off the well-beaten tourist sites and provide the traveller with a taste of the real Africa. Some of our best dining experiences in Africa were at the small local resteraunts identified in the Lonely Planet guide that we never would have known about. If you just want to look at wild game from your safari van and hang out with other tourists at game lodges, you don't need this book. However, if you want to experience the real Africa and have a meaningful cultural experience that will change your life, but this book!



4. I got this book right after it was published in 2006 before my 2 month volunteer mission to do HIV work in East Africa. My previous experiences was that the Lonely Planet was always the way to go and this was a COMPLETE disappointment. It didn't seem like they had done any updating at all despite that it was a new edition. I spent most of my time in Rwanda but also a bit in Tanzania. Everything on the maps was wrong, embassies had long moved locations, restaurants & shops had closed and inaccurate, and became more of a burden than a help.
   
   STRONGLY recommend AGAINST this guide. The Rwanda, 3rd: The Bradt Travel Guide by Philip Briggs seemed much better....and at the time I had the older version.



5. I'm planning a trip to Tanzania, and though this book has some useful information, much of it is out of date. A couple of the websites recommended for safaris are obsolete. That, along with the fact that they mention how to take care of film for your camera (in the 2007 edition of this book), makes me question the freshness of any of the information. Things I would have like more information on:
   - Tips on how to get a good airfare from the USA
   - Voltages used (so I know what type of plug to bring for my digital camera)
   - More detailed information on how to book safaris and/or mountain treks.
   
   I'm glad I bought it because I didn't know anything before I started reading it, but this book could have been significantly better.

5 comments about Down the Nile: Alone in a Fisherman's Skiff.

1. What a beautiful and thoughtful book. Rosemary Mahoney sees and describes clearly using unique combinations of words that illuminate an alien landscape and culture. A literate voice with an honest eye.
   I enjoyed the adventures she shared with us and admire the courage she showed in undertaking them.



2. I recently returned from a tour of Egypt and a 5 day cruise down the Nile, and I've got to say that Ms. Mahoney has written one great story about this charming and mysterious country. Myself being a single woman and traveling alone in this strange land, I must say that this author is spot on with her descriptions and characterizations of everything Egyptian and there aren't enough words to say how much I enjoyed this book.
   
   I highly recommend this book to anyone planning a trip to Egypt, especially single women traveling alone.



3. I read Mahoney's book before my trip to Egypt and again upon returning to the U.S. It was great to have seen the places she writes about; Abu Simbel, Aswan, Elephantine Island, etc. And the way she writes about the people she encounters is endearing. I've also read "A Likely Story" and look forward to enjoying more of her tales.



4. Rosemary Mahoney has a rare sense of clear-eyed wonder that -- combined with great writing -- makes this book a rare delight.
   
   As someone who has lived in the Middle East, I found her descriptions realistic, honest and always engaging. I wanted to pull out an especially great passage as an example and I ended up feeling like a kid in a toy store -- this one, no, this one. There is rarely a word that doesn't hit the mark, a description that doesn't ring with wonder. This is travel writing at its best.
   
   I won't give you the basic plotline; I'm sure that's in a dozen other reviews. I will just leave you with this excerpt from the book: "Aswan's desert air seems to caress the town with warm promise, lending vividness and meaning to manifestions of poverty and and human struggle that would elsewhere be considered ugly. The piles of garbage, the heaps of smoldering ashes, the scatterings of broken glass, the architectural rubble, the human excrement, the sun-bleached plastic shopping bags and rusted tin cans that seem to ring all Egyptian villages and besmirch every empty plane between them are, in Aswan, softened by the sheer volume of sun and water, color and air. Here, fishermens's houses cobbled together out of mud bricks and rusted tin cans appear somehow more ingenious than slovenly, more fascinating than dispiriting."



5. I read this book because I enjoyed another book, Whoredom in Kimmage, by the same author. This one, though very different, is every bit as excellent. I have done business in several developing countries, including Egypt, and I found Mahoney extremely well informed. Her descriptions are surprisingly on the mark for a person who only spent a total of three months in the country. The book is full of history, detail, and fascinating information about the Egyptians and their culture. The writing is beautiful. It's also very colorful and funny. But for me, the most moving part of the book is the story that lies at its heart: the tender and mutually respectful friendship the author finds with a Nubian man who accepted her desire to row on the river and helped her realize it. The story is just beautiful. Mahoney's affection and interest for him--and his for her-- is a model for the way we all should treat people from other cultures.
   
   Mahoney makes no pretensions to being an Egypt expert, just a curious traveller. She also doesn't pretend to have had a "grand" adventure. She makes it clear that the part of the Nile she wanted to row was just a fraction of that river. She prepared carefully for her trip and followed it through with guts, persistence, and patience. The book is obviously not about rowing but about all the things that happened on her way to fulfilling a dream and the lessons she learned, which is what it makes it so human and interesting. She finds Egypt beautiful, complex, and compelling and describes it in a vivid and intelligent style.
   Mahoney went all over Egypt alone, striking up conversations with strangers, visiting their houses with curiosity, openness, and an attitude of acceptance that is rare. She was sensitive and thoughtful and talked with nearly every person she met, many of whom were men who followed her down the street drilling her with intimate questions, telling her that all foreign women are prostitutes, and making lewd comments. This a common occurrence in Luxor and Aswan. But Mahoney is very perceptive, even-handed, and forgiving about it. Just read this passage about a felucca captain who tricked and mocked her:
   "Hussein . . . had tricked me, I knew, as much in bitterness as in fun. More than one felucca captain in Egypt resented the foreigners they served. It was understandable: they earned a marginal living facilitating the leisure of privileged individuals who came to bask in the exotic scenery and mysterious history of Aswan; people who stayed in five-star hotels that the languishing locals in their dusty flip-flops were not allowed to enter; people, pale and plump, who had enough money to bask in a false superiority yet haggled ferociously over pennies with their malnourished hosts . . . the condescension Hussein showed me was likely an echo of the condescension he received."
   I could quote many passages like this one.
   I read a lot of travel literature. The best travel books are always comprehensive, colorful, and balanced. I'm sure you won't find a more intelligent, informative, self-aware, or sympathetic travel narrative about Egypt than this one.

1 comments about Lonely Planet Madagascar & Comoros (Lonely Planet Madagascar) (Multi Country Guide).

1. Writing a review of a travel guide that one has not yet used presents fundamental difficulties in judging the usefulness, accuracy, and validity of the information given. Nonetheless, I have lots of experience using guides and, further, I have the 2007 edition of Hilary Bradt's Madagascar book to compare with the Lonely Planet publication. To begin with, the Lonely Planet guide is of a smaller format and shorter in length than Bradt. It covers an additional subject, the Comoros. The net effect is a more surface treatment of the sights and regions of the country, but a heavy emphasis on such practical aspects as where to stay and eat and how to get around. There are excellent maps of towns and small local areas. Lonely Planet authors give opinions about destinations that have become too popular for their own good and suggest itineraries. One irritating feature, however, is the index. Numerous times, when I attempted to look up a place, I could not find it until I studied the two-page color map at the beginning of the book (you have to have an idea where in Madagascar this place is) and found out how it was listed. For example, I couldn't find Isalo until I looked under Parc National d'l'Isalo. Overall, I believe that the Lonely Planet guide to Madagascar is an indispensible companion, but I believe, too, that the Bradt has so many other assets that the two books complement each other and I would not want to travel in Madagascar without either of them.