No comments about Bermuda Travel Pack (Globetrotter Travel Packs).

1 comments about Cuba : A Travelers Literary Companion (Traveler's Literary Companion, 8).

1. This book really gives you the feel for Cuba without ever traveling there. The stories cover so much terrain- not only in Cuba but throughout the exile diaspora. i thought it was one of the best collections of stories I have read- and is a must for Cubaphiles like myself.

No comments about Lonely Planet Diving & Snorkeling Bermuda (Lonely Planet Diving and Snorkeling Bermuda).

No comments about A Cruising Guide to Trinidad and Tobago.

5 comments about Adventure Guide to Puerto Rico, Fourth Edition.

1. "The most complete book that I have seen about my island. These guys have been everywhere. I'm impressed... " Javier Gomez, musician with Vivanativa, a popular Puerto Rican rock band



2. A down-to-earth guide. Information-packed, offering comprehensive and interesting facts about every aspect of the island.

   Anton Community Newspapers




3. We were fairly disappointed with this book. True, although the information was a bit old (and some incorrect), it was satisfactory. But we had used Adventure Guide to Puerto Rico by Harry S. Pariser and this was supposed to be a new edition. However, much of the information that made the other book so enjoyable was missing. We did discover that Harry S. Pariser has a new guidebook, Explore Puerto Rico. We got this guide in time for our trip and used it as well. It was much more compact and had new information in it. It has much better maps and has more information than the previous editions. We found it to be the best guide!



4. This is a strong guide for active, nature-loving travellers but also includes information on Internet cafes, bicycle rentals, and the bus system in San Juan. We especially appreciated the list of unusual accommodations. Our favorite was Casa Cubuy on the south side of El Yunque. We had a lovely and memorable stay at this guest house thanks to a friendly host, interesting guests, and stunning views of the rain forest. Other accommodations we enjoyed included Hotel Belgica in Ponce and Villa Cofresi, an affordable resort in Rincon. The book also includes detailed information on the Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico in San Juan, live music spots, and the Arecibo Observatory. The volume shortchanges the striking Rio Camuy Cave Park and lists Old San Juan attractions in a confusing order, but it has interesting extras, such as the blurb about the curious Boiling Nuclear Superheater in Rincon and an explanation of a local pirate, Roberto Cofresi. The concise road maps helped us navigate smaller highways while the hiking maps for the Guanica Forest Reserve and El Yunque helped us guestimate the time needed for an adequate visit. We were especially glad we didn't miss the Bahia Fosforescente (Phosphorescent Bay). The tabs along the edge of the book (south coast, etc.), made for particularly quick reference.



5. This review focuses on the section that drew me toward the book, the surf section (page 151). The author seems to have conducted some research about the names of some breaks but completely overestimated surf heights. For example La Marginal in Arecibo never, EVER reaches 25 feet. And if Los Tubos could reach 25 feet, then I'm 23 feet tall (8 foot maximum surf height seems more appropriate). In fact only a handful of breaks around the island legitimately reach 15ft plus. Make no mistake, surfing around the island can be a bit treacherous, specially for the inexperienced, but the book exaggerates maximum heights two fold sometimes maximum heights are even 3 times smaller than reported here. Just thought I'd mention this for the sake of accuracy. For more accurate descriptions on surf breaks in Puerto Rico, you might want to do some research online (many options).

No comments about Rum & Reggae's Puerto Rico: Culebra & Vieques (Rum & Reggae series).

2 comments about Diving and Snorkeling Guide to the British Virgin Islands (Picses Diving and Snorkeling Guides).

1. Our group used this guide in doing dives from our yacht in the BVI. I found it to be comprehensive enough to help us to find the dive sites fairly well without asking too many questions of the locals. There were only one or two sites which we wanted to dive which we didn't find.

   I liked the ratings of the dives from beginner to expert but I think adding a 'star' rating would help people to determine what particular dive to choose when there are many choices. Also helpful would be to include a map of the dive site (some other dive books do this) which would help in planning the dive. These are the only reasons I didn't give this book a 5 star rating.

   This book was also valuable in explaining potential problems with dives such as currents or choppy seas. It also provided the maximum and minimum depths and these were pretty much on target. The book was definitely a valuable asset on our trip.




2. This book picks out the twenty-one best diving sites in the British Virgin Islands and gives a page or two of descriptive text about each. Each dive site has one or more pictures to show the reader what to expect. Each dive site also has some general descriptions such as the typical depth, the current condidtions, how to access the site, and what expertise is required. There is a map on which all of the sites are located. There is a rating system the book uses to inform the diver whether a place is suitable for a beginner or an expert. The book also serves as a general guide to the BVI, including history, food, culture, lodging, and tourist information. The book includes some helpful tips on diving in the BVI and warns about the dangers underwater.

5 comments about Desiring Paradise... a true story of succumbing to the dream.

1. We had just returned from our first trip to St. John. I scoured the internet for books on this incredible island just wanting more, more, more! I was intrigued by the title (feeling much the same!) and ordered.

   It wasn't too far in that I realized Ms. Schlesinger is a very self-absorbed woman - I didn't count the number of references to "I" but "I" got sick of reading about inconveniences - she seemed more to want us to feel sorry for her, having to move to St. John! Get over it! The number of people she inconvenienced along her way to paradise far outnumbered her own inconveniences - I felt sorry for her poor husband.

   The few references to St. John, the island, the beaches, lifestyle etc. were wonderfully refreshing - it was reliving the pure pleasure we experienced on our first short visit.

   We just returned from our 2nd trip and I decided to re-read the book to again relive our trip. I was struck again, even harder this time, that this book is more about the author than St. John. Who cares?

   Skimming through the book to find the few times we are actually introduced to the life on St John, I read every word and enjoyed it all. If someone is interested in learning about St.John this is NOT the book to buy.I gave it 2 stars only because of the references to the island, not her writing skills.

   I would have enjoyed reading this much more perhaps, had it been written by Mr. Schlesinger, who seems far more down to earth and less selfish!




2. Before I criticize this book, let me first say I gleaned lots of useful ideas for my own relocation to the island. As much as I enjoyed reading it, I was put off by the fact that this couple -- and in particular the wife, who narrates the story -- had yuppie written all over them. They struck me as people who couldn't bear to live a day without their cappuccino machine and laptop computers, raising serious doubts in my mind as to their ability to successfully adapt to the vicissitudes of island life. Also, they seemed to have money to burn, as evidenced by their too-frequent jaunts to St. Croix and other destinations, making me feel that on occasion they were losing their focus on their goal of relocating to St. John

   I think this would have been a much more effective story if it had been written by average working-class people whose Continental lives were played out and who held the burning desire to move to a beautiful island to start all over again, and who perhaps had to take on second jobs to generate additional income to make this happen. I didn't feel entirely sorry for Karin and Bob because they were two well-to-do people living a seemingly perfect life in a beautiful New England home with all the amenities they could ask for. They didn't seem particularly unhappy with any aspects of their lives, in sharp contrast to several people I know who have made the move to St. John. The only reason they wanted out was because they wanted a taste of Paradise. Not that there's anything wrong with that; it's a perfectly valid reason. But I would have empathized with them much more had they been down on their luck.

   In retrospect, I must say that Karin and Bob weren't good candidates for relocating to St. John. At times I felt they would have benefited more by vacationing there several times a year instead -- they had salaries and work schedules that would have allowed them this privilege. I felt it impossible to feel sorry for them and at times didn't care whether they made it to the island or not.

   Having said all that, this book scores huge points in the true-to-life parts describing St. John. It really did make me feel as if I was there with them. I've been to the island several times in the past few years, so I was able to validate these experiences.




3. I read this Book in three short days I couldnt put it down but to go to work. I plan on the big move to St Croix with in two yrs. I could realte to this story we are at the same place as the couple in the book was and is unbelievavble on how true to fact it has been. A must read for those who are truly "Desirinig Paradise"



4. I really enjoyed this book. I read it several years ago and often remember it. I was drawn to the book by its cover and because, at the time, I had a close friend who was from USVI. Anyway, I thought this was a really special book written by two people (a married couple) who actually put their dream into motion.

   Their dream? To move to the US Virgin Islands and get on "island time." For people who are not from the Caribbean, making the move to this totally different lifestyle might seem impractical, but this couple shows how they planned out, to the T, their move, complete with saving money, bringing their automobiles to the island, finding work (ultimately setting up their own business on the island), and adjusting to a very different lifestyle.

   There is good advice in this book about making a long-distance and culture-shifting move. It takes planning. After reading "Desiring Paradise" I felt that, if I should ever take up my fantasy of owning a mango farm somewhere in the Caribbean, I could do it. It really is an inspirational book in that way. It's also a great book for armchair travellers. As its nonfiction, there are some great slice-of-life passages about the Virgin Islands, their topography, their people, and the much more humane way in which people live and relate there. Everytime I think about this book, I am filled with warm memories, both of the book and of my visit to USVI.

   I would recommend this book to: people considering moving to the Virgin Islands; people interested in the USVI or modern-day Caribbean culture in general; those interested in a good story about planning and goal-setting and the amazing results it can have.




5. Having been to St.John several time I found this book quite entertaining. We have a dream of retiring to St.John and I found this book very enlightening. I could not put the book down, read it in a day. It's funny, smart, a little disorganized but nonetheless a great read!

No comments about Pan-Africanism Caribbean Connections.

No comments about Fodor's U.S. and British Virgin Islands 2006 (Fodor's Gold Guides).