No comments about Lonely Planet Vanuatu.

No comments about E. O. Hoppe's Australia.

1 comments about Big Twitch: One Man, One Continent, a Race Against Time-A True Story about Birdwatching.

1. Australian birder Sean Dooley describes his Big Year, an effort to break the record for the most birds seen in Australia (and environs) in a year.
   
   I loved this birding memoir. Dooley is a lively, humorous, engaging writer, and his Australian slang makes his voice particularly come alive, at least for this American reader. He conveys a passion for his pursuit and a concern for wildlife and the environment without sanctimony.
   
   Clearly, there are scads of awesome birds in Australia, and undoubtedly they have the best common names of any birds anywhere. The species list at the back of the book is an entertainment in itself.
   
   I am at a loss, however, to explain Mr. Dooley's difficulty in finding women who bird. Maybe it's a cultural thing?
   
   Definitely recommended, especially for American readers to whom the language and most of the species will be engagingly exotic.

1 comments about 30 Days in the South Pacific: True Stories of Escape to Paradise (30 Days).

1. I find it interesting that nobody has posted a review of this book. Perhaps they finish the book and immediatly leave for the South Pacific, they are all nibbling on lobster somewhere in the Marquesas, waiting for global warming to wash them to higher ground. Well, the South Pacific certainly conjurs up a picture in most minds of palm trees, scantily clad natives and warm tropical breezes. These stories will enforce some of these beliefs and dispel some of the others. Paradise is fairly elusive and the lack of civilization that is much of the draw of paradise can turn around and bite you in the posterior.
   
   I admit that I hand picked the stories initially reading some of my favorite island commentators, so I started with Laurence Shames, Thurston Clarke, Eugene Burdick, J. Maarten Troost and P.F Kluge. My favorite story was Eugene Burdick's "The Black & The White" an engaging tale of lessons learned in paradise. I will reveal nothing of the story, but it is a surprising tale from a different perspective.
   
   All in all the book relies on Islands magazine for a lot of the stories, so if you are a long time reader of the magazine, you will have read the majority of the stories. The stories are engaging and well constructed, hopefully your interest will be aroused and you will further investigate the region. The South Pacific is a wonderful place, much of it has changed very little in the last fifty years. My hope as a travelwriter that covers this region, is that the stories work as kindling, wetting your appetite to read more and eventually visit the region.

1 comments about Pacific Rising: The Emergence of a New World Culture.

1. I first read PACIFIC RISING in 1991, the year of publication and felt it was the absolute best overview of the Pacific I'd ever read. I'm not sure I've changed my mind, despite the intervening years. Mr Winchester, who lived in Hong Kong, connects Peru with Indonesia; Korea with Seattle; Guam with Panama. The book is filled with anecdotes and factoids, all of them interesting and worth knowing, but he never loses an academic focus. This is an absolute must for anyone who wants to understand what "the Pacific" is all about.

No comments about Australia by Rail, 5th (Trailblazer).

4 comments about Australia.

1. If you want to go or have ever been to Australia this is a must have book. It will intise you to visit or will remind you of all the natural beauty this amazing country has to offer. Peter Lik is a truley amazing photographer I have been to his galleries in Cairnes and Port Douglas in Australia and his work is breath taking. www.peterlik.com Also you can see what an amazing deal this is here at Amazon.com, this book usually retails for $70 US. Wonderful Masterpiece Peter!!



2. i just got this book as a present, and we're getting ready to go. very reminiscent of galen rowell's work (high praise) with lots of dawn/evening atmospherics. but this one is full of double page panoramics - nothing is lost in the crease - of the incredible australian landscape. get another book if you want people, animals or cities.



3. This book offers a fantastic opportunity to view some of Peter Lik's best known work - panoramic images of Uluru (Ayers Rock), Twelve Apostles, the Great Barrier Reef, and other Australian icons. To view the full range of Peter's books and posters visit PortraitAustralia.com.au



4. These are photographs of aspects of this vast country that many Australians never see. Contrast the reds of the desert with the greens of the rainforest. The magnificence of Uluru with the tranquillity of Dove Lake. The ageless beauty of the rain forest with the beauty of our beaches.
   
   Australia is a beautiful place. This collection of photographs by Peter Lik makes that beauty more accessible to all of us.
   
   Highly recommended to those interested in images of Australia.
   
   Jennifer Cameron-Smith

1 comments about Trout Fishing: A Guide to New Zealand's South Island, 5th Edition (Fly Fishing International).

1. Now in a fully updated and significantly expanded fifth edition, Trout Fishing: A Guide To New Zealand's South Island by conservationist and expert angler Tony Busch is a thoroughly detailed guide to over 400 fishing spots and some of the best trout waters to be found. General tips and tactics for seasoned fishermen, black-and-white photographs, maps, and in-depth knowledge and love of the fine trout fishing waters to be found on New Zealand's South Island characterize this handy and expertly written resource. As enjoyable to read for armchair fishermen looking to experience an impression of New Zealand's waters as it is for dedicated enthusiasts who live or plan to vacation there.

5 comments about Ten Degrees of Reckoning.

1. This is a story about survival against enormous odds. In reading this story I experienced the full gamit of emotions. Through Hester's descriptions, insights, detailed & factual research, I felt as if I were alongside Judy through the trauma and the re-building of her life. Thank you Hester for taking on such a huge challenge and bringing the full story to light. Excellant reading for both experienced, novice, & armchair sailors.



2. According to Virginia Woolf, "A masterpiece is something said once and for all, stated, finished, so that it's there complete in the mind, if only at the back." Initially I was hesitant to read this book thinking I might not be able to enjoy it (based on the subject matter). However, the book proved to be nothing of the sort. Let it be known that Dr. Hester has crafted a masterpiece here, expertly weaving the details of Judy Sleavin's story into a captivating, awe-inspiring and significant read that offers as much in content as it does a message about life.



3. Ten Degrees of Reckoning by Hester Rumberg is a haunting yet heartwarming book that is difficult to put down while you are reading it and even more difficult to forget once you have finished the last page. The injustice of the events pervades your very being and yet Judy Sleavin's persistence in living demonstrates the power that love can have one one's life. A must read.
   Sondra Pearlman



4. Riveting--couldn't put it down. Heartfelt and respectfully written. How can you not live each day on this planet as if it were your last after reading Judy's story?



5. A wonderful look at someone surviving and overcoming an overwhelming tragedy. Thank you Hester for telling the Sleavin story so well.

2 comments about This Is New Zealand.

1. I recently bought my first copy of this book in the Auckland airport. I ordered my second copy for a friend. In addition to being a beautiful "picture book" with photos the quality that I wish I had taken while there, this book provides extensive text with factual information on most aspects of life in New Zealand ranging from the land and its climate, its fauna and flora to its history and the quality of life there today. This is a great book for anyone planning a visit or wishing to recall the special beauties of this wonderful country after returning from a visit. Or you may "visit" this country through this book. It is a very up-to-date publication, we even recognized photos of some of the same Maori performers we saw in concert during our recent visit! This is a very comprehensive publication, I think that it is outstanding!



2. I've been searching for a book other than a tourist's guide to New Zealand to learn more about my husband's home country. This is the book! Filled with lots of relevant (and recent) information, including gorgeous photos, this book is amazing. I can't wait to visit this beautiful country with him and see it for myself!