4 comments about Cuba.

1. Great picture of contemporary Cuba, but the book is not very objective when it discusses history. It has a clear pro-Castro leaning.



2. The long suffering but still beautiful Caribbean Island deserves a more objective treatment than given in this book. I will never understand how Mr. Fagiuoli could get away with publishing a book on a subject that he obviously doesn't know anything about. He must have copied his information from some official Cuban government travelogue or something. His ignorance is highly noted throughout the book but when he names Sara Montiel as a "Cuban celebrity" he really reaches rock bottom. For his information, Miss Montiel was born in Spain, and her only Cuban connections were three Mexican films she made back in the 1950s on Cuban locations and her recent marriage and divorce with a Cuban gentleman half her age. It is true that Montiel is immensely popular in Cuba but she enjoys the same popularity and legendary status all over Latin America.



3. This book is a must for anyone who loves Cuba. It is the kind of book you proudly display on your coffee table for your own enjoyment and that of your guest. The photography is wonderful, taking you city to city around the country. The discriptions and history are well written and you get a satifying but up to date armchair tour of this colorful country. The focus of this book is to show you that Cuba today is still a beautiful country waiting to be seen and rediscovered.



4. On page 62 you can read about Camilo Cienfuegos; the book explains:
   
   "returning from a mission in Camagiiey where he had arrested Hubert Matos for taking arms against the new government, Camilo Cienfuegos died ..."
   
   Everyone who knows anything about Cuba knows that Huber Matos never "took arms" against the new government. Instead, he was sentenced to 30 years in prison for resigning his military commission after denouncing "communist infiltration" in the Cuban Armed Forces. They also know that Camilo disappeared precisely after; "not arresting" Hubert Matos.
   
   What really happened is that Castro accussed Matos of slander and reassured the Cuban people in a public speech, which anyone can read at the University of Texas database,that he was not a communist and that the Cuban revolution will never install a communist regime.
   
   Cuba is a wondrous, magical place, but there is more than one magic operating on this text; the beauty of Cuba and that of the authors betting on your ignorance of historical truth.

1 comments about Santa Catalina Island: The Story Behind the Scenery.

1. This book gives a nice introduction to the natural history of Santa Catalina Island, just a mere 23 miles off the Southern California coast. It includes lots of great photos and also information on the geology and biology of the island, with a few historical tidbits to boot. If you're curious about Catalina, this will whet your appetite!

5 comments about Best Nightmare on Earth: A Life in Haiti (Destinations).

1. I just had to respond because the only response posted is so off the mark! Gold clearly has a deep love & respect for Haiti & Haitians. He also has a wicked sense of humour & he apparently does not feel the need to whitewash what he sees. We must have read two different books!



2. First of all your ideas are not well founded since you did not live in Haiti long enough to place a judgement or an opinion.Your grounds are very weak when you see only one part of Haiti. Being like a horse on a race track, the author is only focusing on what you may consider the worst, I would like to know when writters are going to start publishing the right stuff about a third world country.



3. This is one of the most compelling book that I ever read about Haiti. Mr. Gold is funny and objective. One could feel his love for Haiti popping out of the pages; he is not just another foreigner out to make a quick buck. Although his experiences in the book were limited to the capital, he gave a vivid account because he was in the thick of things. When I checked with family and friends on the veracity of some of Mr. Gold's claims, he seemed to have hit right on the money. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves Haiti.



4. This is an amazing book. I have traveled to Hait 5 times, my longest stay being four months. This book made me feel as if I was back in the country I love so much. I would recommend this book to anyone who's heart has been grasped by this country.



5. While making no claims to be objective, this colorful account of Gold's 2 years in Haiti and dozens of trips in the 50 years since then, captures all the wild contradictions of the magical but suffering country.

No comments about Wild Plants of Barbados (MacMillan Caribbean Natural History).

No comments about Seadogs, Clowns, and Gypsies.

5 comments about CHOOSE PANAMA...the PERFECT RETIREMENT HAVEN.

1. After retiring a few years ago and living in the Colorado rockies, I'm now ready for a warm climate, and my budget absolutely demands a low cost of living. After reading Choose Panama the Perfect Retirement Haven (second edition), I discovered a country I hadn't even considered. I had no idea Panama was such a find for retirees.
   
   This book is well organized and easy to read. It's full of facts, not just about the nice places to live, but all the other things a retiree needs to know like housing costs, climate, cost of living, medical insurance and medical care. Also, the author walks you through the immigration options offered by the government of Panama. I give it five stars.
   
   Ray Larson
   Crestone, CO



2. Enjoyed the book but a little lite on real information. Most information is available on the web and it is free. I feel book over priced,however, some valuable information.



3. the book was well done and offers good value for the money. I recommend it.



4. I'm a baby boomer and actively looking for a warm, hospitable place to retire. My budget limits the choices, and I don't want to work for Wal-Mart or someone else to supplement my retirement benefits. I've been hesitant to look at foreign countries as a place to begin my next chapter in life, but this book has convinced me to look at Panama.
   
   In this book, I learned Panama welcomes retirees with financial incentives, and I was surprised to learn the currency is the US dollar. The information in this book is well organized and full of facts about recreation (I'm a golfer and fisherman), medical care, and insurance. The moderate housing costs, wonderful climate in the highlands, and the detailed immigration requirements made me appreciate the prospects of actually living in Panama. I am planning to visit the country soon to determine first hand if this is the place to begin that next chapter.



5. This informational "matter-of-FACTS" book on The Republic of Panama, as a potential retirement haven, is RIGHT-ON-TARGET ! I have visited Panama, and can state, categorically, that author Bill Hutchings is truly plugged-in to the important particulars regarding living in Panama. I spoke with several persons, whose names are mentioned in " CHOOSE PANAMA ". I did not reveal that I found their names / contact data through Bill Hutchings' book. However, EVERY SINGLE THING that Bill relays to the reader is "point-blank" true & honest. This is a very valuable reader for anyone, who might be planning to explore The Republic of Panama as a place to live out one's life, in bliss. Period.

2 comments about All That's Good: The Story of Butch Stewart, the Man Behind Sandals Resorts (Corporate).

1. I recently enjoyed a long weekend with my husband and business partner Robert Allen at the Mediterranean Village at Sandals Grande Antigua Resort & Spa. The book was in my suite and I truly enjoyed reading about Gordon "Butch" Stewart, founder of Sandals Resorts International. What an extraordinary and inspiring story. It was interesting to learn about his early days as a salesman, his hard work, his partnerships, his innovations. It was a privilege to meet him in person and experience "all that's good" on our luxury included vacation. If you want to hear more about this romantic resort come to WeddingPodcastNetwork.com and listen to the premiere episode of Travel Talk.
   
   Holli Ehrlich
   Co-founder Wedding Podcast Network
   www.weddingpodcastnetwork.com



2. I have stayed at 2 sandal's resorts over the last 2 years and have thoroughly enjoyed them. I was eagerly anticpating reading this book, however, it isn't really a book. It's more akin to the travel books that you find in your hotel room. The book was financed through sponsors, so most of the book is advertisements. The story of Butch stewart is mostly told in broad strokes and generic descriptions. There is very little detail. I can't wait until our next sandal's vacation though!!

2 comments about To Hell With Paradise: A History Of The Jamaican Tourist Industry (Pitt Latin American Studies).

1. Very good. There should be more books written like this. People need to see the real effects of mass tourism. They really need to understand that their tourism dollars DO NOT "trickle down" to the poor people in countries like Jamaica. If you do go to Jamaica, do the right thing, stay out of the all-inclusives, go green, go to small "ma and pa" style accomodations, help the Jamaican people get out of the debt and extreme poverty that the World Trade Organization and the USA have forced them into.



2. This book is a real eye opener for the Jamaica tourist who cares at all about Jamaica. The history of tourism described in this book has many, many parallels to modern Jamaican tourism (white tourists were complaining about hustlers in the 1800s...prostitutes popped up almost immediately upon tourism's start).
   
   However, it sometimes has the feel of a dissertation, and can be a bit dry at times. I also wished it had gone a little further with modern tourism and spent a little less time with the beginnings.
   
   Overall, for the "Jamaicaholic", this is well worth reading.

1 comments about The Bahamas: Portrait of an Archipelago.

1. This is a nice book with some nice pictures but i was hoping for more ocean and beach pictures...its mainly pictures of the towns, buildings and local people. I would have enjoyed alot more beach pictures considering the bahamas have so many wonderful islands...

4 comments about The Dive Sites of the Bahamas.

1. This is a great book to pick up if you're even thinking of going to the Bahamas. Great pictures, comprehensive dive site reviews PLUS the book is loaded with lots of extras that make it one of the best dive books I've seen. Pages of fishID info with color photos, dive medicine, travel tips -- all in a very attractive package.



2. The title says "Dive Sites of the Bahamas" and it delivers. Specific descriptions, exact locations, and details on the dive site (depth, currents, visibility, etc.)

   My only wish would be for more. Essential for anyone planning a dive trip or cruise to the Bahamas.




3. The Amazon description of this book said it included "locations" of the dive sites. The Author furthers states the book includes "access and location" of the dive sites. Wrong and wrong. It's a good book for general information of the Bahamas and has some nice pictures but worthless as a guide to the dive sites. It is very safe to assume a purchaser of the book is a scuba diver and has plans to use it for that purpose. The advertising for this book should include a statement "Coordinates Not Included". While this book has some nice pictures and good general information about the Bahamas, most of the information is freely available on the internet. I purchased the book for the detail. Location of a dive site to me means how to get there and that would include GPS coordinates, at least. There are no compass bearings either. "East Of Treasure Reef", or "The Next Mooring East From Site 3 Along The Inner Reef System" doesn't cut it.



4. Any avid diver has heard of the wonderful diving just 2 miles off the south tip of the west end. And then you go driving around in your boat forever looking for it, stopping occasionally to stick your face in the water. 2 hours later and plenty pissed, you give up.
   
   GPS does away with all this. Dive bouy or no, you hit your spot first time every time. In fact with WAAS you can easily come within 15 feet of the mark with no problem. It borders on criminal to put out a dive book that has no GPS coordinates, and my printing of this book has none. Save your money until Lawson Wood gets a clue.