5 comments about Tiki Road Trip: A Guide to Tiki Culture in North America.

1. In the ever changing world of Tiki land, you need an up to date reference. Please update this great book with a new edition!!



2. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I have used the reviews while on several different trips, to Las Vegas, San Diego, and in Southern California. A lot of this info could not be found elsewhere!
   
   A word of advice to lucky purchasers of this book however--do double check, call ahead, and make sure your destination still exists! I have made several blunders as well assuming that a place was open for lunch when many are nightspots only.
   
   That said, a great guide (and check out the inside of the Hanalei/Red Lion Hotel in San Diego--the bartenders make a mean scorpion in a nifty souvenier bowl!!)



3. So you already have a no doubt well-worn copy of the first edition of "TRT" and you're wondering if it's worth buying this new one?
   
   Yes. Get it.
   
   Sure, you've got the expected updates to the fast-changing world of tiki, along with more of the tell-it-like-it-is reviews that were the first edition's trademark.
   
   But Teitelbaum has also expanded the historical information about locations that are no longer with us. And there seem to be more photos and other "urban archaeological" tidbits sprinkled throughout, giving it more of the flavor of Sven Kirsten's "Book of Tiki". These are welcome improvements, and it makes this edition just as suited for armchair reading as it is for actual trip planning.
   
   Maps, perhaps one at the beginning of each state's section, would've been nice. Many of these tiki spots are in the suburbs, which can make it difficult to tell what's near the particular city you're visiting if you're not familiar with the names of the surrounding towns. But that's not enough of a quibble to detract from a solid, five-star rating.



4. great book. loaded with info. on tiki. the only thing missing was web sites for the places in the book. it would be nice to find more info. otherwise great book with a lot of info.



5. If you like Tiki, then you love a Tiki Bar and tropical cocktails with the South Pacific ambience. This book tells you where they're all located. Around the world, even. If you travel a bit, you probably should keep it with you. As a Tiki Bar resource, it can't be beat.

5 comments about Living and Working in Canada, Third Edition: A Survival Handbook (Living & Working in Canada).

1. I bought this book as I was moving to Canada to take up a research job in a university in Ontario. I had hoped that it would guide me through some of the pitfalls associated with moving to a new country. I read it from cover to cover before I left Ireland and when I arrived, I found 99% of the information it provides is completely unnecessary. It provides no solid information for setting up health care, doing taxes, or how Canada is structured and what you can expect in terms of bureaucracy, be it in a bank, government office or just the workplace. For eg, the note in the book to bring bank references, my bank here didn't even look at them, didn't want to even. The information it does provide is useful only if you haven't worked before or you've been unconscious for the last 10 years. Waste of money!!



2. This book has proved to be an invaluable source of information about living in Canada (I split my time between Ontario and London). It covers everything you could wish to know, from the education system to buying a house, and from buying a car to the tax system. There's also stacks of information about Canada's vibrant entertainment scene and the great outdoors (of which there's a huge amount!). I can't quite understand Damian's review - the book's excellent.



3. This offers a comprehensive overview of the daily details of living in Canada. It does not provide much information for retiress wishing to move or live there.



4. This is an overlong tome written too obviously by a British gent, complete with quaint British prejudices.
   
   Most of the information contained within may be new to Europeans, but Americans wishing to emigrate to Canada will not find it very useful, other than to confirm that America and Canada have very similar modes of daily life.
   
   A better book is "How to Move to Canada: a Primer for Americans."



5. This book touches on just about everything you might think of when you're planning your move to Canada, including buying a car, banks, public transit, temporary accommodations, the health system, different kinds of insurance, finding employment, and more. Note that this book is not for people who want comprehensive instructions on how to obtain a visa, although it has lots of good information about it.

1 comments about Pocket Map and Guide Vancouver (EYEWITNESS POCKET MAP & GUIDE).

1. Small enough for stuffing in your pocket but jam packed with all the need to know info you can rely on.

1 comments about Luxury Hotels The Americas (Luxury Hotels).

1. The Luxury book is a beautiful addition to any library, travel lover, or those who love luxury. It was wonderful looking through this book finding some of my favorite hotels in America outlined in spectacular photographs. It makes one want one want to pick up the telephone and call the airlines to make a visit to some of the properties. Being a merchant of the finest luxury home products, these properties go hand in hand. Go splurge and experience them.

No comments about Rand McNally Alberta: Provincial Map.

5 comments about The Grey Seas Under: The Perilous Rescue Mission of a N.A. Salvage Tug.

1. This tale of the Foundation Franklin and her crew is a must read for any tugboat lover.



2. As a sea officer, I learned about salvage tugs,the men who man them and the ships they've saved from stories told around the dinner table in the officers' saloon and in bars around the world. You just pray you and your ship will never have need of their services.
   
   There are many deep-ocean tugs whose names are well known in the maritime community, but Foundation Franklin was the queen of her kind. In ten words or less, if you were in trouble and she got a line on you, chances were you'd make it home. From a seafarer, there is no higher praise.
   
   Farley Mowat tells her story, from her owners acquiring her as Royal Navy surplus in 1919 until she was laid up for the last time, with loving attention to detail. He writes of her missions, from the comparatively mundane to the incredibly dangerous, in such a way that you feel the deck moving under your feet and the cold North Atlantic spray lashing your face. He puts you squarely in the middle of the action. True, the finer points will be best appreciated by those of us who make or have made our living on the deep blue, but the writing is so rich even landsmen and armchair sailors will understand and come to respect the intrepidity of the deep ocean salvage men. That's reason enough to read this book.
   
   But more to the point, Mowat manages to convey to his readers the pride that sailors feel when some of their own pull off a difficult mission. He chronicles a little known and unappreciated chapter of the Second World War: the Merchant Mariners who faced the perils of U-Boats, bomber attacks and of course the ordinary hazards of foul weather sailing; and who, by getting the cargo through, enabled the armed forces to win the war against the Nazis. After reading the book, you will understand why we feel reassured by the knowledge that Foundation Franklin's bell still hangs in the offices of her salvage company - and that when they ring the bell to tell her successors that there is a ship out there in trouble and to get a move on, there are still brave men to answer her call.



3. This is my favourite Mowatt! It's a shame more people don't know of this one. If you liked "The Perfect Storm" at all, then this story is for you. The life of a tug on the East coast of Canada, told by one of Canada's best story tellers. You can hear the wind, feel the weather and can only admire the ship and people who do the impossible with such regularity. There's the injustice of the 'owners' and the frailty of the 'casualties' and a good deal of humour to balance everthing out. A true story (mostly), it cronicles a time on the East coast and in Canada when the old world had to give way to the new and what we lost in moving forward. Wonderful.



4. I think this is a great book, and would highly recommend it for anyone. And it is a must read for anyone that likes stories about boats and the ocean.



5. Farley does it again, his writing is superb and he has given me many happy hours reading in the past, and this book is no exception. An exciting account of salvage work off the coast of some of our most dangerous waters. How in the world Farley manages to make salvage work exciting is beyond me but his tales are gripping

1 comments about Moon Nova Scotia (Moon Handbooks).

1. Moon Handbooks: Nova Scotia by Andrew Hampstead is an informative and portable pocket guide to the wonderfully eclectic island of Nova Scotia, Canada. Introducing readers to a complete collection of sights, restaurants, the intricacies of Halifax, "Coastal Cruisin'", "The History Lover's Tour", and accommodations, Moon Handbooks: Nova Scotia includes twenty-seven easy-to-read maps and provides a unique firsthand perspective of the whole Nova Scotia experience. An invaluable aide for planning itineraries, Moon Handbooks: Nova Scotia is very strongly recommended for all readers anticipating a visit to this beautiful area of Canada.

4 comments about Cycling the Great Divide: From Canada to Mexico on America's Premier Long Distance Mountain Bike Route.

1. Whether you're planning on riding the whole thing at once or just just doing a section of it, I'd strongly recommend getting this book. My wife and I rode entire length in the summer of 2000, and we carried this book on the outside of our packs in a plastic bag at all times. We referred to it at least once every day. Like in any guide-book, there are a few confusing spots, but on the whole, the author (one of the original trail planners) has done a great job. He not only keeps you on the right path, he also points out various places you should visit, gives some historic perspective, and more. The book will surely make your experience more enjoyable.



2. If you are riding the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route, you MUST have this book. This is an awesome route - Mike McCoy and the gang did a great job of researching it. One comment on the writing though -- when he uses the word 'steep', he means 'extremely steep', and when he says 'extremely steep', he means 'don't even try to ride your bike up this with a fully loaded bike'. A 'respectable climb' is really a lung-buster. Just expect everything to be a little harder than he makes it sound, and then you wont feel angry because it is not as easy as he makes it out to be. I think he must have either rode it without being fully loaded, or he is a very strong man! Anyhow, if you ride the Great Divide, you will have fun.. I guarantee it.



3. Michael McCoy's Cycling the Great Divide: From Canada to Mexico on America's Premier Long Distance Mountain Bike Route is an essential item for those who are planning to bicycle or hike all of the Adventure Cycling route.

   As McCoy notes in his well-written and informative introduction, this isn't an easy trek. Uneven terrain, adverse weather conditions, and a lack of water and essential services are often the norm.

   As I found, having the book on hand better enabled me to plan ahead. For instance, my discovering that the climb over Indiana Pass would be long and difficult prompted me to begin my cycling day early, which in retrospect was fortuitious in that had I dilly-dallied, I would would have been caught in a late-afternoon snow-storm.

   One the book's many strengths is that it includes a much-needed daily route synopsis. Though I am directionally challenged, I did not miss a single turn, not even in New Mexico, where many of the roads and trail heads are unmarked.

   Sightseeing, points-of-interest, and photos have been included. I was often glad of this -- as I remarked to some onlookers, if McCoy hadn't pointed these things out to me, my trip would have been more of a slog than it was. For instance, if he hadn't mentioned that the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad passes through southern New Mexico, I would have missed it.

   The historical information is also a plus in that it will appeal to both tenters and armchair readers. There was many an evening when (because the sun set early) I was glad I had this book on hand.

   The material in this book also complements the Adventure Cycling maps. In retrospect, my trip was without incident, in part because I had both on hand.




4. I rode this trail in the summer of 2006, from Banff to Mexico. I found this book very helpful in planning my daily rides. It briefly described potential camping spots, designated and undesignated, water sources, and trail conditions. To conserve weight while on the trail, I tore out the pages as I completed them.
   
   It is definitely well worth the money to buy for planning and for using on the trail.
   
   This book does not include any info on the Canada portion.
   
   With some help from this book I only needed 40 days to plan everything.
   
   Note: This was my first bicycle tour and I did it solo, self supported.
   Cheers!

No comments about Regional Landscapes of the United States and Canada.

No comments about Glacier National Park Pocket Guide (A Falcon Guide; Pocket Guide).