No comments about On a Hoof and a Prayer: Exploring Argentina at a Gallop.

1 comments about Argentina: The Bradt Travel Guide.

1. I went to Argentina in Nov 2006 and this book was very accurate and up to date. Well written and easy to use. My only complaint is that the maps could be better, but once I got to a city, the hotel usually had a better map I could use for free.

No comments about Spanish All Talk Basic Language Course (4 Hour/4 Cds): Learn to Understand and Speak Spanish with Linguaphone Language Programs (All Talk) (All Talk).

No comments about Fodor's Argentina, 5th Edition (Fodor's Gold Guides).

5 comments about Buenos Aires: A Cultural History (Cultural Histories Series).

1. This is not a "travel book" in the usual sense -- you will not, for instance, find anything about where to stay or eat. Rather, this is an historical, cultural, and literary guide to Buenos Aires that will make your time there more interesting and worthwhile.

   Progressing geographically through the city's most important streets, plazas, and neighborhoods, Wilson uses the observations of writers, artists, foreign visitors, politicians, academics, and others to give the reader a "feel" for both the city and its inhabitants. These observations are supplemented with just enough historical framework to provide context. Buenos Aires is a city filled with buildings, streets, and monuments that stir up a great deal of emotion in its inhabitants; what this book does is help to explain why these locations are so important and how they fit together -- geographically, historically, psychologically -- to make up the city.

   This book was along with me during my recent trip to Buenos Aires and undoubtedly made my time there more satisfying. Its only real deficiency is a lack of good maps -- there is one, but it is very general and doesn't cover enough territory. Nonetheless, I would strongly recommend this book to anyone traveling to Buenos Aires.




2. I loved Mexico City by Nick Caistor in this series but this was a HUGE disappointment. There is way way too much name dropping and quoting of other sources rather than getting the author's actual feel of the city of Buenos Aires as it is today. I understand this series is subtitled as "a cultural and literary companion" but I'd have preferred way more emphasis on the culture as it stands now and less of the literary references. It was like reading Footnotes 101.

   Stick with Miranda France's Bad Times in Buenos Aires.




3. I spent a week in Buenos Aires and brought this book with me with the hope that it would introduce me to the uniqueness of this contradictory and culturally rich city - it did not. I have not read a more disjointed, dysfunctional guide than this one.
   
   Jason Wilson uses the word 'Babylonic' to describe Buenos Aires, and in a Freudian way, that very word describes how this book reads. Wilson uses the words of other writers to express (evidently he cannot) the soul of this city. All the multitude of quotes muddles your mind and the book ends up sounding like babble.
   
   Quote after quote assails you from writers you will be sorely pressed to recognize. This book could, maybe, work best in an Argentinian Literature course where the readers would have a pejorative understanding of the writers quoted. BUT, it is not, in any way, suitable for the average, or even above average, traveler in Buenos Aires. If you want an understanding of Argentina's Culture, then you should consider 'Culture Shock! Argentina' (however it too could be seriously improved, see my review). Not Recommended



4. Jason Wilson is an editor of travel writing collections of some note, and I have much enjoyed other books in the Cities of the Imagination series (most notably Elizabeth Nash's Madrid volume), so I looked forward to the arrival of this book from Amazon with much anticipation.
   
   I was, for the most part, greatly disappointed.
   
   The book was intensively researched, and you can count on several apt quotations per page. Hardly a signicant writer about Buenos Aires in the last three centures goes uncited, and it seems as if every block on the city grid gets its moment.
   
   The flaw - and it is a near fatal flaw - lies in the organization. Wilson organizes the book rigidly according to geography, going more or less block by block around the city, and detailing who lived in this building or what writer set a scene in that block of apartments.
   
   Whereas Nash weaves the history and neighborhoods of Madrid into broad thematic stories, Wilson tells no stories. He bludgeons you with facts and literary quotations, tied together only by geography. It is a hard and boring slog, and even if you push through, you emerge with no unifying concepts that might help you understand this vast and magical city.
   
   It's a shame, really, that the book is so dull and mechanically structured, because the research that went into it clearly was extensive, and because Buenos Aires seems to offer more potential than most cities for a proper Cities of the Imagination treatment. It reads, unfortunately, as if time ran out for the actual writing of the book, and the writer delivered a data dump organized by zip code.
   
   If you drive a tour bus around Buenos Aires for English speaking tourists, this book will prove a handy reference, barrio by barrio, street by street. If you are researching your own book on Buenos Aires, the bibliography alone will save you months in identifying the books you should read. If, however, you are planning a visit to Buenos Aires and want one cultural guide that will help you understand the living, breathing city, this is not the book to choose.



5. Because the book is organized around the cafes, theaters, and other cultural landmarks of particular streets, the book was an enormous help in understanding the city. By reading it beforehand, it allowed us to prepare our daily itinerary from a cultural-historical perspective. Forget the naysayers, here is no better book in understanding and appreciating the city of Buenos Aires as Jason Wilson's book. I've given it to all my friends.

2 comments about Estancias/ Ranches: The Great Houses and Ranches of Argentina.

1. A coffee table book filled with exquisite photographs and detailed historical and cultural insight on Argentina's premier properties -- the estancias. Through this book we catch a glimpse of the Argentine estancias that rivaled the great homes of Europe and also formed the backbone of the Argentine economy.

   A must see for anyone interested in all things Argentine. In no other publication can you find such a profusion of photographic, historical and cultural information on Argentine architecture and society.

   Additionally, this book is a steal when purchased in the United States -- I have seen it retail in Buenos Aires for up to $140.00 US.




2. Although now out of print and quite difficult to find this book is a rare gem. Beautifully photographed and rich in historical text concerning the Estancia system in general and 20-odd Estancias in particular. The reader is taken on a journey from Argentina's north to the Pampas outisde Buenos Aires, to Patagonia and finally to the Southern most tip where Argentina meets the icey waters of the South Atlantic. Over all a great "Coffee Table" box and a wonderful read too.

4 comments about Facundo: Or, Civilization and Barbarism (Penguin Classics).

1. It's difficult to classify "Facundo" written by Domingo Faustino Sarmiento (argentine thinker, politician and educator) in 1845: it is at the same time history, myth, essay, pamphelt and sociological discourse. It was published for first time as a newspaper serial in Chile where Sarmiento was in exile and written against Rosas'dictatorchip in Argentina. The text is influenced by the Enlightment and specially by the romanticism. Because of the romantic influence, it tells Facundo Quiroga's biography since for romantic'stream a "great man" (Facundo in this case) expresses an epoch. This book has the intention of solving an enigma: how independence's revolution in Argentina (1810) reached Rosas ' dictactorship (1835-1852) This drama, product of the revolution, was caused by the combination of 2 elements which shouldn't have been combined: the city, civilization's field, and the countryside, barbarism's field. The book can be read as the city and the countryside were the characters.



2. There are very few primary sources one can find when studying Latin American revloutions, with Argentina being the subject here. This being a primary source, isn't one that should be taken for an overall look on the Argentina Revoultion. Sarmiento has a sort of bias that shouldn't be taken too seriously. It is hard to get really a good account of Juan Facundo Quiroga because he is such a vague figure in Argentinian history. This is probably the only elaborate interpretation of the figure. Sarmiento also has a sort of habit to go off on tangents on things that are totally irrelevant to the subject matter at hand.
   
   Domingo F. Sarmiento is of European descent and has a biased for "civilization" and defies everything that is "barbaric" as he puts it, which really is what the story is about, and his protest to Rosas one of the leaders of Argentina at the time this story was written who is also "barbaric". The author compares "civilizations" and "barbarism" and how the "barbaric" gauchos are a threat to society. Facundo is a gaucho and is interpreted by Sarmiento as a dicator who made is way to the top by hate and carelessness and is partially at fault for the state of "deterioration" that Argentina was presently in during mid-19th century Argentina.
   
   All criticism aside, one does get good descriptive imagery of the man that was Juan Facundo Quiroga. Due to the fact that this book was written on a sort of bias, it would be better if it was written under a more accurate scholarly account, but then again it is a novel and that is what makes it interesting. It is by no means a useful primary source.



3. This is NOT, like other reviewer says, an account of Revolutionary Argentina in the 19th century (the period of civil war that followed the independence from Spain). This is not a book of history. Sarmiento is much more than a mere witness/narrator of a period. He is a man of letters, a writer -and one of the very best from Argentina- it takes you only the reading of the first sentence "Oh, Shadow of Facundo..." to realize that you are in the dark territory of myth, not of the clean, sunny history classroom.
   
   This book, like many great books, escape the incarceration of genre, but if there is one thing it demands from the reader is a capacity for being amazed, for being swept away by the story and the writing itself.



4. I am currently a history major and took an Argentina class because I thought it would be interesting, this book was not interesting in the least. Sarmiento's book, Facundo, is during the revolutionary stage in Argentina. There is to much emphasis placed on trying to describe in great detail mundane things while not getting to the important issues at hand. On the parts that I thought would be of the utmost importance they were explained in very vague terms which half the time I did not know what he was getting at.

2 comments about Natural Patagonia / Patagonia natural: Argentina & Chile.

1. When I think of Patagonia, I think of the Natural Wonders of a place that has seen little human intervention. This book has magnificent pictures and in interesting text about the geography and wildlife of Patagonia.



2. Photos are so, so... after visiting Patagonia live, just awesome, its people and gastronomy superb, definitely recommended, book and visit!!

1 comments about Fodor's Argentina, 4th Edition (Fodor's Gold Guides).

1. This year I have used and then reviewed five guides on Argentina. Fodor's has commendable qualities, but its weaknesses outweigh its strengths. This guide will give you excellent direction on what to see/where to go. Its selection and recommendations of accommodations is the best out in guides today. However, if you want a guide to help you select an excellent, unique restaurant, if you want a guide that informs you about the history and culture of Argentina, and if you want a guide that will provide you with maps that help you locate restaurants and hotels, then look elsewhere.
   
   Fodor's excels at helping you to pick the best accommodations.. Their recommendations are accurate and, if there is a "Fodor's Choice" next to the accommodations it is worth checking that hotel out. I was never disappointed using this guide for accommodations.
   
   However, Fodor's restaurants recommendations in the guide are typical and common. Those that I visited were not the unique "finds", nor the excellent "mom and pop" restaurants that other guides occasionally give you. Rather, the restaurants Fodor's selected were populated by tourist and often filled with large groups. That alone would not be a distraction if the food at these restaurants was great, but, the food was good, but not worth touting in a guide.
   
   One of the most disappointing and dysfunctional aspects of this guide is the total omission of information on the history and culture of Argentina. Another was the serious lack of maps.
   
   A guide without maps is like a horse without a saddle, hard to enjoy and after awhile the absence is very noticeable. Good guides will have maps that help you locate both their recommended restaurants and the hotels. Fodor's only has these maps for Buenos Aires. Once you leave Buenos Aires there are NO MAPS to help you in this area.
   
   Caveat: After the economic collapse Argentina became a bargain country to visit. That is changing very fast. Hotels, airfares and restaurants prices are quickly rising. It is difficult to stay in Buenos Aires (unless you are staying at a hostel or backpackers hotel) for less than $100 a day. You, should plan on at least $150 for a moderate priced, well located hotel, good meals (with a good wine of course) and some sightseeing. Before you travel, use the internet to check out current hotel prices.
   
   For a overall reliable guide I recommend: Rough Guide to Argentina(2005). This guide is conditionally recommended 3.5 stars.

5 comments about Argentina, 4th (Footprint - Travel Guides).

1. We travelled around Argentina out of season using this guide and the Rough Guide, and found that we turned time and again to the Footprint Guide for reliable and up-to-date information. I broke my ankle in Salta, but thanks to this guide, we were booked into a fantastic hotel, and later spent a few nights luxuriating in a gorgeous and fantastic value for money estancia in Pumamarca, which went some way towards saving the holiday from disaster. If you're thinking of going to Argentina, go now, and take this guide with you!



2. I returned from Argentina just two weeks ago, and I used this book exclusively. I usually use the "Let's Go" guides when I travel, and I didn't like this one nearly as much. Too many superlatives throughout the book - unfortunately not everything can be amazing or fantastic - so after a while there was really no way to differenciate the truly fantastic (the falls or Perito Moreno Glacier), from the just so so things. And regardless of what the book says, unless you love to eat beef and pork every meal, the food is terrible. Very mediocre pasta and pizzas everywhere, and vegetarians are highly restricted. The food was definitely the lowlight of our trip. If interested in hiking and the outdoors - plan on spending the majority of your time way down south. El Calafate, El Chalten, and Ushuaia are all truly amazing areas. And if you can fit the Falls in, they are definitely worth the trip. The prices in the book were pretty accurate, although things tended to be a bit higher. But it is still quite inexpensive. We thought the book did a poor job of letting you know just how difficult it would be to get to many of the wilderness areas without your own car or hiring an expensive guide. Another thing to remember when planning your trip is that it is much cheaper in the North, and the buses are nicer and more plentiful. Overall, I thought it was a good book, but the authors could have been a bit more honest about the shortcomings of the country.



3. Everything about this book, from phone numbers to accommodation reviews, has been almost laughably wrong. I've never felt compelled to write a review on amazon before, but this book has been so inaccurate I think I should warn people. The only reason anyone should buy this book is to do the exact OPPOSITE of whatever it says. I doubt this author has even been to the places she writes about, that's how consistently wrong this book is. It is impossible to locate a copyright date, and they probably did that on purpose, considering many places have closed and info is obviously outdated. I understand that some places change over time, but I've given this book a chance in 10 different places throughout Argentina and the advice here has failed miserably.



4. There was a day when Rough Guide and Lonely Planet were the best guides for travelers that sought to leave the tour groups behind and explore on their own. But slowly, year by year, Footprint has improved, and now this 4th edition is one of the best guides for Argentina that you can buy. *Note that this review is for the the 4th edition, other reviews below are probably refering to the 3rd Edition.
   
   I took five travel guides with me to explore Argentina/Patagonia, and I found myself consistently reaching for Footprint first. It is the most current (2006) and the guide consistently listed quality accommodations and good restaurants, some of which were exemplary. The city maps in the guide are excellent. All the restaurants and hotels are well marked on each map. Kudos.
   
   Footprint Argentina's background section (history, religion, culture etc.) is well written, brief, yet informative. There is an abundance of website references throughout the text and a website listing for almost every accommodation = excellent.
   
   I spent five weeks exploring Patagonia and found Footprint to be the best single guide to have. More than 200 pages in this Argentinean guide are devoted to this region, including a section on Chilean Patagonia. If you purchase "Time Out Patagonia" (see my review) you will have the best two guides possible for Patagonia.
   
   On the downside Footprint uses a cumbersome letter system instead of just telling you the price for accommodations (i.e., LL=$200 plus, L=$150-$200, AL=$101-$150, A,B,C,D,E,F etc. -- putting the legend at the back of the book - a serious hassle). It also fails to tell you what is the price range for the restaurants; so at one eatery you could pay $10 for your meal, then have a $35 bill at another. Not good. The descriptions of the restaurants are insipid and verge on being meaningless: "tasty food", "cosy", "very popular", "delicious food". Whereas, other good guides (Rough Guide - also highly recommended - see my review) give you pointers: "best grilled shrimp ever" / "the steaks here are the best in town" etc.
   
   Bottom line: this is a very good guide for Argentina and the best guide for those that are going to Patagonia. Highly recommended



5. We used this book for 3 months as we lived in Buenos Aires with few, if any, complaints.
   
   Footprint has been writing its South America guidebook series for 80+ years. It is simply the most well-informed guidebook for this continent. Compared to Lonely Planet, there is more information packed into Footprint and the quality of the materials and printing are superior.
   
   The maps are a level above the competition, especially the sad, gray smudges that pass for maps in the Lonely Planet. The multi-page country maps at the back of this series are by far the best maps in any guidebook printed today.
   
   5 stars. The best.