No comments about Cuba (Globetrotter Travel Guide).

No comments about A CRUISING GUIDE to the LESSER ANTILLES.

1 comments about A Traveler's Guide to Caribbean History.

1. "A Traveler's Guide To Caribbean History" should accompany every visitor to the islands and waters of the West Indies. Don and Dene Dachner have produced an essential guide for all who are interested in understanding the history of their Caribbean destinations. Following an overview of the history of the entire region, the Dachners provide informative capsule reviews of the history of each Caribbean destination from Amerindian times through the colonial period - be it Spanish, British, French, Dutch or American - to the present day. The book includes maps, photographs and such useful information as local tourist contacts. The Dachners' "A Traveler's Guide To Caribbean History" should be in every Caribbean traveler's bag and every Caribbean cruise ship's library and gift shop.

No comments about The Purser: A Novel of Life at Sea.

5 comments about Adventure Guide to the Yucatan, Cancun & Cozumel.

1. I spent a week in Cancun last year and this was the only guidebook I took with me. The best part about this book is that it highlights some more out of the way sites and things to see and do. I also appreciated the section on car rental since we did end up renting one to see some of the aforementioned out of the way sites (Tulum and Aktun Chen - which, if you are planning a trip to the Yucatan, are must-see sites).
   
   The dining recommendations were spot on. We ate at several of the reviewed restaurants and were very happy. When I didn't follow their recommendations, I was a bit disappointed (they were right and I didn't listen).
   
   If you want a Mexican vacation where you sun yourself on a beach and want some upscale dining and hotel recommendations, this book might not be for you. However, if you want to stay busy every day with exciting things to do and interesting sites to see, this book will surely help you on your adventure.



2. We visited the Yucatan area for ~8 days and used this book extensively throughout our trip. This is an excellent guide if you like to do things different than the mainstream. Not surprisingly we got tired of Cancun itself very quickly, with it's Vegas-like atmosphere, crowds and prices. This book was the only reference we needed to visit the surrounding region and provided a great overview of the 'real' Yucatan.
   
   However, the coverage of hotels and restaurants is not comprehensive. The authors only describe the places that where they have actually eaten/stayed, with a lot of personal opinions rather than objective views. Also, they seem to be fixated on bakeries, which was kind of odd.
   
   Overall a great book, but I would suggest to get a complementary guide for the purpose of food/lodging.



3. Might be a great book, but for my purposes (travel from Cancun to Tulum) it really didn't cut it. (1) None of the maps are to scale. Not a big deal, but in some instances towns don't appear to be placed in the correct geographic locations (e.g., shows Playa de Carmen located inland), and in the text the authors sometimes neglect to mention how far the town is from benchmarks (e.g., other towns, kilometer markers). As a result, you will have no idea if you are getting close or still have 20 km to go. In unfamiliar terrain this is somewhat of a big deal ("did we pass it?"). (2) Many of the prices listed in the book are WAY off. Not sure how this could be unless the locals have recently figured out they can charge a lot more. (3) Some of the recommended "budget" or "moderately-priced" hotels were faily sketchy. Personally, I wouldn't recommend a hotel that didn't come with a toilet seat on the toilet, or that provided only one dingy, ripped towell for the shower. Maybe that suits budget travelers, but at $60/night I doubt it.



4. This is a great guide we have been using now for the last two editions. We have looked at other guides, and so far this one is the most comprehensive for folks who want an unbiased guide to travel and learn the local flavor, locations, and habits of the people of Cancun and the Yucatan. If you are an "all-inclusive" type traveler who stays in one of those mega-resorts, this guide may enable you to see what you are missing by not venturing out on your own outside of the "packaged" trips controlled by the mega-resorts. If it had more information on local shopping areas like Mercado 28, Mercado 23, etc. and more local street restaurants, I would have rated it a 5.



5. This is a great guide. I've been to the Yucatan and Cozumel many times, and have family who live there. Still I found new places to go and things to do using this guide. I recommend it over the other guides out there. Some of the other guides claiming to be for the current year (2007-2008) list restaurants that closed down 2 or 3 years ago as favorites. It doesn't seem like the reviewers have actually been to the area. This guide really does seem to be from first hand experience. The descriptions are honest and informative.

1 comments about Underwater Caribbean (Secrets of the Sea).

1. The title of this book may have been re-worked but the product is still the same. What a pity these publishers do not take notice of constructive criticism. The book simply fails to reach the standards demanded by today's discerning Scuba Diver on just about all fronts except photography. Furthermore, this is not a book about the "Caribbean" at all - just a selective number of destinations the author happens to have visited - in some cases not even recently. Once again, therefore, the title of this book fails to match the product itself.
   
   The content is a poor attempt to cover 28 dive sites from 9 countries. Not only is the choice of country questionable for a "Diving Guide," but not only the very best diving from each chosen location is included.
   
   This book appears to have been thrown together from whatever material was available from a number of contributors and the result is a very disjointed effort. It would have been far better to send those contributors out into the Caribbean with a firm plan of action in order to ensure all destinations were covered and the information was up to date. Instead, the cheaper option was preferred and it shows.
   
   The book commences with a very disappointing selection from the Bahamas - which avoids all mention of the world-famous Blue Holes (as though they do not even exist), followed by a brief trip to the Florida Keys. Since when were either the of these destinations "in" the Caribbean?
   
   A trip to Cuba, which includes 3 low-grade sites (maximum depths of 20m, 15m and 10m respectively) is followed by Cotzumel (sic) where, yet again, the best sites are avoided. Four sites from the Caymans - predictably including "Stingray City" (yawn.), are followed by three in Belize - where the Author attempts to rename the "Great Blue Hole" the "Giant Blue Hole." After yet another disappointing visit to Honduras, the reader is treated to a 1,600 mile journey to Guadeloupe and Martinique for 2 dives each before rounding off the diving in continued disappointing fashion with the last 2 underwater sojourns being a further 500 miles away in Curacao.
   
   This book is supposed to be about Diving in the Caribbean but destinations such as; Aruba, Barbados, Bonaire, BVI, Cayman Brac, Grenada, the Grenadines, USVI (to name but 8.) are not mentioned at all.
   
   As already suggested, the photography is generally very good although a number of images are under-exposed and not up to the standard expected in this day and age. Quite frankly, if these publishers start using inferior photographs there will be no point in considering their products at all.
   
   Altogether a book which is of little value to any serious diver.
   
   NM

5 comments about Cuba on the Verge: An Island in Transition.

1. Hey, how is it that all the reviewers are from the United States, where it's citizens are not allowed in Cuba? Just curious from someone in Canada who's been there.



2. If you look at something from enough different angles, you begin to sense what it is truly like. That is the overarching strategy of this wondrous book. Multi-faceted Cuba is seen through the eyes of greatly gifted writers and photographers, each with his or her own unique relationship with and idiosyncratic take on the island. The strategy succeeds brilliantly. Paradoxes and trade-offs are subtly explored, for example, between the blessings of free education and health care versus constraints on the ability to pursue dreams. You get not only to understand but also to feel the sensuous physical beauty of the place and the strains of Cuba's love/hate relationship with the U.S.. After spending time with this book, I feel as if I had actually been there and am left with a longing to go.



3. I bought this book for a Cuban friend of my, who is very knowledgeable about his country. He loves Cuba but is realistic about it as well. He was so thrilled with the amazing pictures in this book, he still thanks me. An as a photographer, I agree that the life and passion of Cuba is conveyed beautifully. As for a previous review: Just because people currently live in the US doesn't mean they haven't lived and traveled elsewhere.



4. As a traveler who has been mesmerized by Cuba through literature and film, I am filled with images of the country's idiosyncratic, seemingly incompatible mix of a totalitarian regime and a life-loving people. Editor Terry McCoy has done a superb job of capturing the precarious balancing act pervasive in contemporary Cuban life with this coffee table tome of photographs and essays. She thoughtfully organizes an intensely complex subject into themes relating to the country's art, music, ethnic makeup and local customs. Contributors range from novelist Russell Banks and playwright Arthur Miller to Cuban poets like Nancy Morejón and Reina María Rodríguez.
   
   Some essays are memory pieces, while others are more objective observations. Yet, all add up to a vividly rendered tapestry complemented by the stunning photographs. Among my favorite sections are Pablo Medina's "A Brief History of Exile", in which he discovers his Cuban identity, and Carrie Mae Weems' combination of poetry & photos, "Ritual and Revolution". This book has a particular resonance given the ongoing effects of the U.S. trade embargo on the Cuban economy. For over forty years, Cuba has had to make do with native ingenuity, a powerful sense of life affirmation and a quiet but palpable sense of desperation. All these elements are captured with acuity in this evocative book, probably the next best thing to being able to visit. I recommend reading Richard Gott's "Cuba: A New History" as a complementary piece to give you a fuller portrayal of this endlessly fascinating country.



5. The book is fantastic! I traveled to Cuba as a student for six weeks in 2003, and I am always looking for photos and literature that capture today's Cuba in the truest light. This is one of those...
   (FYI: It is only very recently that almost all travel for US citizens to Cuba has been restricted, and many people still manage to go illegally. Like I said, I went in 2003 as a student with permission from the US government...and now I search constantly for a way to go back, but so far I have not had any luck.)

No comments about A Cruising Guide to Trinidad and Tobago.

3 comments about Escaping the Rat Race - Freedom in Paradise.

1. This book looks wonderful and it's a great, very personal record of people who are familiar with the area, telling their stories.



2. Poorly written and edited, nevertheless there are some gems of insight here if you are considering a move to Belize. To bad the writing style is that of a fourth grader. Then again, there are those pieces of inaccurate info or editor's bias to contend with..



3. Reviewed by Deb Shunamon for Reader Views (6/08)
   
   If you are seriously considering moving to Belize, Helga Peham's "Escaping the Rat Race: Freedom in Paradise" will have you feeling a part of your new home in no time. The book is a series of interviews with both transplant and native locals from various age groups, educational backgrounds, income levels, and reasons for living in Belize. Their candor and the personal information they provide is sure to be the start of many conversations with strangers who have read Ms. Peham's book.
   
   Formerly known as the British Honduras, Belize gained its independence from Britain in 1981. It still has functioning army bases and is a part of the British Commonwealth, and the fact that it is primarily an English speaking country is emphasized throughout the book. Chapters discuss business and real estate, children and the aged, the arts, and the tourist trade among other things, but each interview generally includes insights, opinions, and advice on several aspects of Belizean life at once. The author has also ensured that the information is well-rounded, including thoughts on personal safety, hurricanes and environmental degradation, government interference, and youth and drugs. Those interviewed generally agree that Belize is a lovely place to call home, and express very strong community feelings. However, they do not spare their words to possible newcomers regarding it being a foreign country that has its own way of doing things, which needs to be respected.
   
   This book would not interest anyone who does not enjoy reading biographies. The writing is also a bit choppy and repetitive at times, with an overabundance of invitations to e-mail the author for more information. However, the generous margins and large, clear font will be appreciated by older readers. Television travel shows and books such as this are bound to generate further interest in the country. If a move to Belize is being seriously considered, take some advice from the people already living there and do some research first, which should definitely include reading "Escaping the Rat Race: Freedom in Paradise" by Helga Peham.

2 comments about Landmark Visitors Guide Cayman Islands.

1. One of the best travel book series, with attention to detail, plus numerous color photographs and fine maps. Lots of instructions regarding practical travel matters. (Travel Books
   Review)



2. If these delectable guides' plentiful pix don't get you drooling to explore, you need to get your salivary glands checked. The text is also noteworthy