1 comments about Nevis Queen of the Caribees (Macmillan Caribbean Guides).

1. Contains lot's of interesting history and background information which can add "depth" to your travel experience. Nice photos and some suggestions on what to do and see. But, it's not really a travel guidebook.

No comments about Moon Jamaica (Moon Handbooks).

4 comments about The Windward Road: Adventures of a Naturalist on Remote Caribbean Shores.

1. Archie Carr was the Godfather of modern sea-turtle biology and an outspoken advocate of turtle conservation who did more than anyone else to bring our attention to these creatures. The Windward Road is a masterpiece of Natural History writing, capturing a magical moment in time as Carr delves into the secret lives of the great green turtles and takes us with him on journeys to Caribbean islands as yet largely unspoiled by the wave of development that was to come. Anyone interested in conservation biology or with a love of a good yarn should get hold of this book, sink back and hear the trade winds blow -and then get out of your chair & do something to carry on the struggle that Carr waged for so long to preserve turtles and their habitats. This is a book that you will come back to repeatedly & pass on to friends and students with enthusiasm.



2. I found the Windward Road a rather dull account of the author's search for the green turtle. While I appreciated his folksy humor and wry observations, the book failed to be an absorbing adventure. The turtle he is after doesn't turn up until the last two chapters of the book. In fact, the last two chapters were the most interesting for me. I did enjoy Mr. Carr's interactions with the local natives in his wanderings. They carried the knowledge of where to find turtles in their community. Overall I tired of reading about Carr watching native people dig up turtle eggs from their clutch, Carr witnessing the bludgeoning of captured turtles, going on hunts to harpoon turtles and Carr being served up various turtle delicacies. I realize the book was written 50 years ago and sentiments about animals were very different. To that point, it is probably important to read something like this to understand some early turtle nesting areas and how the turtle sustained a native people.



3. This was probably the first piece of scientific "field-study" literature I've ever read, and i would consider it a must-read for anyone in the biological or environmental fields. Carr does an excellent job of portraying a contrast in cultures and simultaneously gives the reader an incredible understanding of the natural climate of the regions he visits as well. His writing style and content both keep the reader engaged, and years after my first read of it, I find myself coming back to the work to read through various sections from time to time. As a young conservation ecologist, this, along with Aldo Leopold's Sand County Almanac, constitutes my professional bible.



4. Archie Carr rates with Rachel Carson as the real pathfinder for environmental consciousness. In addition to his impeccable scientific credentials, he is a wonderful writer. For people who live in the North, nothing combats the mid-winter blues better than spending an hour or two with Archie Carr along the Windward road

3 comments about Dominican Republic In Focus: A Guide to the People, Politics and Culture (In Focus Guides).

1. This book has dealt well with subjects like the economy, politics, and local places to visit. Unfortunately, I found the information on the history and cultural identity of the Dominicans to be lacking information. For example, When Howard spoke too briefly of the Taino Indians or how the Dominicans have a need to be more "Indian". He was totally incorrect. The author does not hold a strong enough argument or facts to support this. He leaves the reader with much confusion about the Dominican identity.



2. This book is a much needed new insight on Dominican Republic where I travelled a lot a few years ago. It is very interesting situation with haiti and the author adresses cultural issues sensitively but informatively. The book is very easily to read and has a good order.



3. I ordered this book because I thought it would provide an introduction to the politics of the Dominican Republic. When I got it, it reminded me more of a mixture between a tacky guidebook and an elementary school social science book. It does present some insight into the historical, economical and political conditions of the country, some of them even differing from the mainstream image, but it is all very limited in scope and not very useful. If you want a guidebook, I'd suggest Lonely Planet a million times before this one. When it comes to a political review of the country, I have unfortunately had difficulties in finding one. But surfing the web for a couple of hours will certainly provide more useful information than a copy of this book.

No comments about A Cruising Guide to The Northwest Caribbean.

2 comments about Cuba: Picturing Change.

1. This magnificent collection of photographs captures the beauty, spirit and mystery of Cuba, the USA's often-overlooked neighbor... Ledbetter's clear, passionate and respectful eye has created a stunning work -- the book takes us far more deeply into the Cuban culture than the soundbites of recent news stories (Elian Gonzales, President Carter's visit) allow. Ledbetter's photographs and the accompanying essays make this book essential for anyone who wishes to understand Cuba more fully; the book also richly rewards the reader who simply appreciates great photography.



2. I was drawn to the book by the powerful and fun photographic images. Ledbetter does an outstanding job capturing the images of Cuban life in a way that allows you to both celebrate it and to empathise with the struggle of the Cuban people.

   The Essays are an unexpected extra in a book of this nature that make the work a multi-dimensional experience. It appeals to those interested in both Photography and Cuba. I highly recommend it!

3 comments about Caribbean Birds: An Introduction to Familiar Species.

1. I thought this guide was very helpful,well done, and inexpensive. It is fully laminated, and folded such that it is easily carried in your pocket into the field for "birding". I can't imagine anyone would be unhappy with this purchase for the price. mg



2. This is NOT a bird BOOK. It is a fold out guide. It covers a few dozen birds with only one picture per bird and no commentary. It is rugged and easy to pack. With these limitations it may be of some casual use to some people.



3. Great book at fraction of original price. Really helped me out on my trip. Very informative. In fact I bought two of these, one for me and one for friends that went on trip with us.

5 comments about Moon Handbooks Havana.

1. When I was in Havana (3/2001) I brought a stack of guide books to help me navigate around Cuba (and especially Havana). The top award goes to the prolific author Christopher Baker, who wrote "Havana Handbook" and "Cuba" (both are published by Avalon Travel).

   In Havana Handbook Christopher Baker gives you a solid introduction to Havana and Cuba, a good, but basic, general travel information section. His two books have the best accommodations, restaurants and sights-to-see reviews and recommendations available today. He also provides excellent tables & lists of pertinent subjects, good black & white photos, scores of side bar topics that are full of informative caveats, and the beginning of web site and Internet addresses.

   The only improvement I can recommend to Avalon Travel and Christopher Baker (are you listening?) would be more, much more, email addresses (especially for the hotels) additional online sources and additional maps (i.e., Baker recommends three great walking tours through Havana and these need maps). However, I have reviewed other Moon Handbooks and the Havana Handbook's maps and scattered inclusions of online resources are a real improvement over other Moon Handbooks.

   So, if you are going to visit JUST Havana, and you don't want to cart around Christopher Baker's definitive, 827 page "Cuba" (Highly Recommended - see review), then this 368-page guidebook is very good and reliable choice. BUT, for three dollars more I would buy Christopher Baker's "Cuba". Regardless Christopher Baker has written a tour guide unmatched by any other Cuba guide book. Recommended




2. I have been all over Cuba, and Baker was an excellent guide. No other book goes into the detail for off the beaten track travel.



3. I spent a month in Cuba guided by this book. Not only does it have great information for the essential activities like eating and sleeping, but it has an incredible amount of information about the country. If you find yourself without a book to read while traveling, Chris' guide book is great for educational reading material - packed with historical and cultural reading. At first I scoffed at his tendency to flowery writing - "with water as warm as bedtime milk" but after growing accostomed to his style we began to think of Chris as our travel buddy and the other travel books brought by my travel partners were soon buried deep in backpacks - Chris' book was the only one we needed.



4. Having just returned from Havana I find this book to be the most disingenuous exercise I can remember. While there are certainly facts and history aplenty, the author, who must work for a certain company, makes Havana as repugnant as possible. The blockade, engineered by fanatics who fled Havana for Miami to avoid prosecution or persecution these forty years ago continues without any sane reason. There is a refreshing intellectual life. Civil liberties are no more endangered in Havana than in Alabama or the Bronx. US citizens are now required by the Bush administration to have exit visas from the US issued by the Treasury Department. A nurse told me that Cuba is a third world country. I told her that a Third World country wouldn't have universal health care, no illiteracy, no threat of AIDS, no perinatal mortality, and a system of preventative medicine to be envied. No, I told her, it is I who live in a third world country.
   In his litany of deficiencies the author fails to compare anything. Streets are bad. Compared to Baltimore? Slums. Compared to Newark? Poor people. Compared to Mississippi?
   You should buy this book (if you are going to Havana) for its wealth of history and useful facts. Do not allow the authors grumpy interpretations influence how you feel about Havana or the Cuban people.



5. I also just got back from Cuba, and I couldn't disagree with Cecil Fox's January 17 review more. Baker is a very good writer who's done extensive research, and the book is pleasurable to read. He makes his love for the place palpable without sparing the reader the frustration a visitor/observer often feels. Other travelers staying where I did ended up borrowing this guidebook for its richness of detail and background that theirs (Lonely Planet) lacked. I liked it so much I'm buying another- I had to leave my copy on the plane as we were without licenses, and afraid of tipping-off US immigration.
   That said, I wish it were updated a bit. The million bicycles Baker writes about aren't there en masse anymore, and Dulce Maria's was fun but not the throbbing delirium he paints. All in all though, I'll buy it again.

1 comments about Puerto Rico, the Spanish, U.S. and British Virgin Islands (Street's Cruising Guide to the Eastern Caribbean).

1. Don't go without this detailed review of every harbor you might want to visit. And get the Imray Iolaire chart that goes with this book. This combo is all you'll need!

5 comments about The Bahamas Fly-Fishing Guide, Updated and Revised.

1. This is not only the definitive flyfishing guide to the Bahamas, but also (i) a very insightful book on logistics and non-fishing pursuits on the islands; and (ii) one of the finest fishing guides written for any area in the world, which is an especially great accomplishment given the span of the area. Read to plan, or just read to dream. Essential for anyone deciding on which island to go to, and which areas to fish. My only complaint? -- that I personally wasn't able to help research this book by visiting/fishing all areas covered.



2. Stephen has set up a couple trips for me to the Bahamas, two very different types of trips, and I can tell you first hand that he and Kim know their stuff!

   See that big guy on the poling platform on the cover? I had the privilege and pleasure of fishing with him.

   Having been to some of the places described in the book, and fished with some of the guides described in the book, I can say first-hand it is right on the money. I'll trust nobody else to set up my Bahamas fly-fishing adventures, and this book is my first resource in planning my next trip.




3. The amount of information in this book is easily worth five stars. What made me give only four was the lack of color pictures. There are only few color pictures in the middle of the book and in the rest of the book pictures are black and white. Other notable thing is that the book is made considering americans and international travellers are only briefly mentioned.



4. More comprehensive than I had hoped. Full of useful information and well organized. Anyone considering a bonefishing trip to this area should benefit from the contents therein.



5. This book isn't terrible - but could use some work.
   ** Disclaimer - we only visited Grand Bahama**
   
   I expected the do-it-yourself sections to have some tips on where you could drive & wade out to fish, not just list independent guides instead of package deals. I don't consider hiring an independent guide to be doing it myself. Since our trip was not soley for fly fishing, we wanted to get a guide for a day or 2 & maybe do some independent fishing from shore on a couple of days. We did this, but with zero success on the days we fished from shore. Others (including both guides we used) said that fishign from shore could be productive. I had hoped that the book would have had soem tips for this type of fishing for each island. Or just told you if it wasn't a viable option for a specific island.
   
   BTW - I can strongly recommend Captain Perry Demeritte, who is listed in this book - he was excellent.
   
   All that said, given the selection of books available on this topic, this is probably your best bet. We also still had a great time AND got some fish.