1 comments about Havana: A Cultural and Literary Companion (Cities of the Imagination).

1. I knew Claudia slightly when I was resident in Cuba as a journalist from 1993-2000. Her book is well researched and wriiten from the viewpoint of an unbiased and perceptive member of the foreign community of Havana. A must for all Cuba watchers and those considering visiting the most fascinating island in the Americas.

4 comments about Barbados a World Apart.

1. Having travelled to Barbados many times over the past twenty years (and I lived there for a time as well), I have to say this is the finest and most complete "coffee-table" book on the island that I have ever seen. It is large-format, filled with superb color photographs (including a number of aerial shots, as well as some archival photographs of Barbados in the mid-20th century). The text gives you a concise, intelligent overview of the island's history. I've given a number of copies to friends who love the island. The jacket blurb says the author was once a Peace Corps Volunteer, and it shows ... this is a real in-depth portrait, not just "post-cardy" superficial coverage. I have several other books on Barbados, but this one is in a class by itself.



2. Extraordinary photography, combined with intelligent, concise, even poetic text. I am English, but I have lived in Boston for many years. Barbados is perhaps my favorite island in the Caribbean--"Little England" as it is known. This book captures Barbados as I have seen no other book do ... perhaps because it focuses on the small things: flowers, the black-belly sheep, the young schoolgirl gazing deep into the camera ... The picture captions are concise, but packed with information; the author chooses and rations his words carefully! There's also, for those who want it, a complete text which conveys the history of the island. A small quibble: there's no information about hotels, restaurants, etc. However, this is not a guidebook, but rather a coffee-table "documentary" book, and in that department it is to my mind incomparable.



3. The photography in this book is beautiful, and the text is well written. Rather than buing this before your next trip to Barbados, I'd recommend a simple travel guide instead. You may want to buy this book later for your coffee table for when you are feeling nostalgic for the warm air and white beaches.



4. This is an excellent text and touching text which adequately captures the essence of Barbados past present and its future in the global economy. As a Bajan I was impressed that in the choice of topics as opposed to the usual postcard presentation. Well and tastefully done.

5 comments about Cayman Islands Alive! (The Cayman Islands Alive!).

1. Information nuggets... fill the pages of this newest of the Alive Guide series. Authors Permenter & Bigley know their stuff. The book is jam-packed with travel tips that include illustrated dive and snorkel sites, town and regional maps, happy hour beach bars and nightclub options.... Cayman Brac and Little Cayman get plenty of ink as well. Tuck this in your carry-on, alongside a snorkel, mask and sunscreen.



2. I take my laptop with me everywhere. Last trip, I went to Cayman, and took this e-book with me.

   It led me to some great beaches and some awesome snorkeling and scuba diving. There are lots of great shipwreck dives, coral reefs, turtles, fish, and sting rays and the book does a pretty good job of outlining how to get to them.

   The highlight of my trip was Stingray City where the stingrays eat squid right out of your hand. I went scuba diving at sting ray city, but you can also just snorkel. The water was only about 20 feet deep and those sting rays will come to the surface and poke their nose at you for squid. It is pretty amazing.

   I have been scuba diving lots of places, but this island was the best diving I have ever seen. The wall is outstanding. This book helped map out some great companies and starting points for both diving and snorkeling.

   Cayman doesn't have a quaint island feel to it (lots of hotels). But this book did do a good job of outlining restaraunts and things to do on land. I was able to find remote trails and short hikes using the maps and descriptions in the book.

   If you are going to Cayman, this book can make sure you get the trip you are looking for.




3. We did not find much in-depth information in this guide. I am used to Rough Guide books which give more "off the beaten path" type of information. Most of the information found in this book was available in the hotel lobby brochures. We were left hungry for more information.....



4. A good book to take along. The text is punchy, with lots of factoids. A good list of Websites is given. Chicago Daily News



5. "Information nuggets... fill the pages of newest of the Alive Guide series. Authors Permenter & Bigley know their stuff. The book is jam-packed with travel
   tips that include illustrated dive and snorkel sites, town and regional maps, happy hour beach bars and nightclub options.... Cayman Brac and Little Cayman
   get plenty of ink as well. Tuck this in your carry-on, alongside a snorkel, mask and sunscreen." Travel Weekly

3 comments about Adventure Guide to the Leeward Islands: Anguilla, St. Martin, St. Barts, St. Kitts & Nevis, Antiqua & Barbuda (Serial).

1. I just returned from a trip to St. Kitts and Nevis and found this book very useful, from the time I was selecting a hotel until I was on the island and looking for a place to eat. Through this guide, I learned about many out of the way spots that were overlooked by other guides. I am looking forward to using other sections of the book on a trip next year to St. Martin and Anguilla.



2. I have been traveling to Anguilla for several years but just found some new discoveries in this guidebook.



3. I wish I had met this book before I went to St. Kitts & Nevis for the first time. It tells you everything about them and you can count on it. Very easy to find out what to do, where to go, stay and eat. Very organized and easy to read. Many pictures in this book.

No comments about Insight Compact Guide Dominican Republic (Insight Compact Guides Dominican Republic).

5 comments about The Reader's Companion to Cuba.

1. A marvelous compilation and literary review by some of the best writers of our time (and sojourners to Cuba)presented in chronological order from 1859 to the present. Gives the reader an extremely interesting persective of the history of Cuba and the travails of its people. One gets a virtual picture of the political, social, economic, and everyday life of the Cuban people through the eyes of a very diverse range of observers across a wide timespan (from Anais Nin to Tommy Lasorda and Graham Green to Tom Miller, to mention a few). A must read for those who want to visit there and experience the complete kalidescope that is Cuba.



2. Oy oy oy many a fine hooker can be had here at bargain prices. Aye chihuahua! Buy this book man, it's the best thing you've ever done in your pathetic life. Props to LoW.



3. The Reader's Companion to Cuba is one of an excellent series in the Readers Companion books from Harvest. Edited by Alan Ryan, who edited all of the books in this series, this book is required reading for anyone expecting to travel to Cuba or to any student that is studying Cuba to any degree. The book is a chronicle of Cuba from the mid 1800s to the 90s seen through the eyes of various witnesses including such literary greats as Langston Hughes, Amiri Bakari(formally Leroi Jones, poet and playwrite of the such works as the Dutchman ). One simply can not write a book about Cuba without including something about the late legend, Ernest Hemingway. Arnold Samuelson, Norman Lewis, and Martha Gellhorn, one of Hemingway's many former wives fulfill this task beautifully. It also includes an account from sports great Tommy Lasorda who played in Cuba during the off season. There's even an account about mob activities during the reign of Fugencio Batista by Frank Ragano and Selwyn Raab.



4. This is a good book for the "armchair traveler", and represents the Havana experience. For real adventure, Havana-style, read "Holiday in Havana", by Malcom Massey, 0-595-09466-X. It will rock your socks!



5. I bought this book just before my first trip to Cuba and found it a great way to take a historical look at the ways in which tourists have thought of Cuba for the past 300 years. I highly reccomend it.

2 comments about Shipwrecks of the Caribbean - A Diver's Guide.

1. Disapointing, it is not about the Carribbean only about the some of the islands especialy the English speaking islands.
   The spanish, french and dutch speaking islands are not in it.



2. It is a fact that far too many books about shipwrecks which are aimed directly at the Scuba Diving market are poorly researched. In addition, many writers of such books are only too willing to accept previously published information without checking whether or not the original source was accurate. Unfortunately, this book is no different.
   
   The book contains questionable historic data and some of the photographs are actually blurred. Furthermore, according to the publisher's note on Photo Credits, it is claimed that "all unattributed photographs are by the author - Martha Watkins Gilkes." Two of these include the burning cruise liner Bianca C - a photograph taken in 1961, and a photograph of the Antilles a few years after she was wrecked in 1971. I don't think so!
   
   In order to make this book useful to any scuba diver, somebody would have to check and double-check all the information contained within it's pages and then publish a list of what is factually correct and what is not.
   
   This should have been a four-star product but, because the reader will not know which information may be trusted and which may not, it loses another 2 stars.
   
   NM

No comments about Frommer's Comprehensive Travel Guide: Bermuda '94-'95 (Frommer's Bermuda).

No comments about Trinidad and Tobago: Terrific and Tranquil.

No comments about The Everything Family Guide To The Caribbean: A Complete Guide to the Best Resorts, Beaches And Attractions - Island by Island! (Everything: Travel and History).