No comments about The Carnival Never Ends.

No comments about Cuba: Mi Amor.

1 comments about Tropical Family Vacations: in the Caribbean, Hawaii, South Florida, and Mexico.

1. Tropical Family Vacations gives a nice introduction to family travel in Florida, Hawaii, the Caribbean and Mexico. For each island or place, the author provides an overview with a description, visitor information, language and currency. All the listings--resorts and attractions--are oriented toward families. I was pleased to find both 800 numbers and web addresses. The descriptions are writtenin a pretty objective fashion. Expect description rather than evaluation. If you (and your kids!) know you want a warm vacation, but don't know where to go, this is a good first step in planning.

2 comments about Fodor's Pocket Bermuda, 1st Edition: The All-in-One Guide to Fun-Filled Days and Nights Packed with Places to Eat, Sleep, Play, and Relax (Pocket Guides).

1. This book is composed of listings from businesses who have CLEARLY paid off Fodor's editors. Every single establishment that it recommended was described inacurrately, in an obvious attempt to make restaurants and hotels sound better than they are. This book RUINED our vacation, because I was stupid enough to trust it. DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY.



2. My husband and I used this travel sized book for our first trip to Bermuda and found it very useful! It seems to be difficult to find any travel book or publication that has every detail completely acurate and perfect due to how quickly some things change. We travel quite oftena nd to various locations and found this one to be as reliable as any Auto Club or other Fodor's publication. SInce it can be very frustrating to plan an activity based on a travel book and then find it unavailable, we've found that a good rule of thumb is to always, always phone ahead to make sure of availability.

2 comments about South America Mi Hija (Pitt Poetry Series).

1. The poem covers a journey of the poet with her daughter from North to South America. As they travel, the poet attempts to come to terms with her relation to her past, her daughter, and to men. She does so with fresh and striking language, and an unevasive honesty which does not fool itself with the poses of so much contemporary poetry. Doubiago does not write about how people are supposed to feel; she writes about how they do feel, in real and human situations. I highly recommend it.



2. Doubiago does an excellent job at bringing the macrocosm of feminism vs. patriarchy into the microcosm of a mother/daughter relationship, in the setting of a trip to South America. The book is actually a long, narrative poem in and of itself, superbly sustained throughout with deep, emotional images. Well worth the read any day! I have actually written my Masters thesis on this book.

No comments about Histoire Naturelle Des Indes: The Drake Manuscript in the Pierpont Morgan Library.

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 Bimini: Tales of an Island Getaway.

5 comments about Passporter's Field Guide to the Disney Cruise Line and Its Ports of Call: The Take-Along Travel Guide and Planner (Passporter's Disney Cruise Line & Its Ports of Call).

1. As first-time cruisers, we had much to learn. This guide explains everything, answered all of my questions and provided a wonderful overview of the cruise. This book is a must if you're taking the Disney cruise!



2. Once again, Jennifer Watson and Dave Marx have done an outstanding job with the new edition of the Passporter Field Guide to the Disney Cruise Line! This volume is comprehensive, informative and easy-to-use. The authors are genuine Disneyphiles and their affection for all things Disney is evident in every page of this book. However, they are not blind to its (few) flaws and are careful to let readers know aspects of their trips did not meet their standards. This book is very carefully researched, right down to which meals and restaurants are the best, which cabins are quietest, which cabins have "secret" portholes and which on-shore excursions are best value for the money. Readers will really appreciate their insider tips on how to get the most from their Disney cruise. And the information in the book is regularly updated on the authors' website. I have been vacationing at Disney for decades and Passporter has been my vacation guide ever since they started publishing it. You're going to be spending thousands of dollars on your Disney cruise...spend a few dollars more and you'll be investing in a book that will really help you get the most out of your vacation. Passporter is outstanding and worth every cent!



3. Don't bother buying both. This one is much more useful and easy to use. I agree with the comments above. Start your cruise early by buying this guide and really get the most for your money! I feel like it is stretching the experience and giving me a head start by familiarizing me with what to expect.
   
   Do consider ditching your nice luggage for nylon totes/something easily compactable or at least nesting - we are bringing the ones we use to pack our camping gear in when we travel because they are thin, strong and hold a lot, plus they collapse completely and will take up much less space in our cabin.



4. This book was an excellent resource in planning my second Disney cruise. I like to research as much as possible before taking a vacation and this guide gave me lots of information I needed. I especially used the reveiws and ratings of the shore excursions to help select which ones were best for my family. They also offer great budget and planning information and offer a behind-the-scenes look at what fun activites there are to do on the ship. I would never have thought to participate in the treasure hunt on Castaway Cay without them. The links to other websites to find more information was also a big help. Finally, they have a great website where you can get the most recent updates to whatever your edition is missing and color downloads of the ships deck plans. Overall, it's an excellent resource!



5. BEST guide book you could ever want to have in your possession before, during and after your cruise!!!!
   These guys really have done their research and we are glad they did so we could have a wonderful, relaxing and informative cruise.
   Thanks!!!!!

1 comments about Cuba Travel Map (Globetrotter Travel Map).

1. "International Travel Maps: Cuba" (ISBN 155341184-6) is the best of the three maps. It's the largest scale (1:650,000) and has the most detail. It's also waterproof. The only downside is that it lacks city maps, showing only Santiago and Havana. But the same company has an excellent map of Havana (ISBN 155341643-0), so I recommend buying these two maps, plus a guidebook with good maps of the smaller towns, such as the Moon Handbook, by Christopher Baker.
   
   "Nelles Map: Cuba" (ISBN 978-3-86574-022-9) is a close second. The scale is smaller (1:775,000) but you still see good detail. The topographic coloring is better than the ITMB map, shwowing the mountains more clearly. And it has more detail maps of the smaller cities.
   
   "Globetrotter: Cuba" (ISBN 1-84537-310-3) is the worst. The scale is 1:1,380,000 (that's one million, three hundred eighty thousand). Little detail is shown, and no topographic coloring. It has many city maps but they aren't as good as the city maps in the Moon guidebook.