No comments about Streetwise Cuba Map - Laminated Country Road Map of Cuba - Folding pocket size travel map (Streetwise (Streetwise Maps)).

No comments about Frommer's Portable St. Maarten/St. Martin, Anguilla & St. Barts (Frommer's Portable).

No comments about Dive the Cayman Islands (Interlink Dive Guide).

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.

3 comments about Habanos: The Story of the Havana Cigar.

1. I thought of this book, as a trip without leaving home. I was at the vegas,,the people homes,the factories and, even the streets of Habana.I really enjoyed the way the author Nancy Stout, put together the history (from start to finish)of one of Cuba's most treasured and coveted commodity-La Habana "puros". When it comes to it's people and their beloved cigars,it defines recognition both in art and history! I give the book a 4-thumbs up!!!!! A must read for a "habanaphile" such as myself.To be read with the accompany of a sweet aromatic habano burning,and perhaps also,with your favorite spirit.Truly a book to be enjoyed over and over again!



2. Wonderful illustrations combined with interestiong text make this more than a coffee table book. For Smokers of Habanos and those curious to learn more behind the cuban cigar this is an excellent book.



3. For a habanophile such as myself this has to be the best book that I have read to date on Cuba and Cuban Cigars. This book not only describes the habano from seed to cigar but explores the history of the cigar and it's relationship with Cuba from Columbus to the old factories. If you want more than just the typical seed, plant, harvest, cure, roll em books on Cuban cigars this is the one for you.

4 comments about Fodor's Caribbean 2005 (Fodor's Gold Guides).

1. Still the best. Comprehensive, well organized, easy on the eyes, easy on the hands, and compact enough to take wherever you go. None of those fancy-schmancy pictures and other graphics that just distract you from what you're looking for. Of course, as with all guidebooks, sometimes the ratings make you wonder what they were smoking at the time; also I could do without those advertisement pages in the middle of the book. DON'T RELY TOO MUCH ON OUTDATED EDITIONS, because of how often places open and close, or are affected by construction, hurricanes, and whatever else, or just change hands (which means the quality can change).



2. Fodor's Caribbean is different from other Fodor's guidebooks; in most cases (Fodor's London, Fodor's Paris) the traveler is beginning with the specific destination in mind. Those guidebooks are geared to get as much as possible out of a given city. Fodor's Caribbean is designed to help the reader to DECIDE where to go.
   
   The Caribbean is a vast area and each island is different from the next. There is something there for everybody. It runs the gamut in terms of cultures and prices. The first sixty-six pages of this book are filled with general information about the Caribbean to help you plan your trip. The "What's Where" section is especially helpful; it gives a paragraph breakdown on each island. This is followed by the equally useful "Island Finder" chart: this is a graph with all the islands arranged vertically and every possible category of interest (price, beaches, golf, night-life, etc.) arranged horizontally. Each island's price and activities are rated to help you determine which one is best for your interests and your budget. The introduction also has a ton of other useful information, such as when to go, currency, events, and various other travel tips.
   
   The bulk of the book (and it is a bulky book) is like an encyclopedia of islands; each island (or island cluster) has its own chapter that tells you everything you could possibly want to know about it: history, location, size, population, activities, events, etc. Of course, all the restaurants and hotels are rated according to quality and price.
   
   For my money, the best islands in the Caribbean are the smaller ones that take more trouble to get to. St. Barth's used to be the best and most inexpensive island; now it is the best and MOST expensive. Then, little-known Anguilla became the "new" St. Barth's; now, it is almost as expensive as the old St. Barth's. Believe it or not, there are still islands in the Caribbean that you have never heard of, which are unique and authentic and make for the best vacations. Take Saba, for example: this is an island so small that the islanders only go by their first names. Saba is simply a volcano rising out of the ocean. There are no beaches on Saba, but it has some of the best diving around. There are other islands out there - this book will help you find them.



3. Truly can not plan a trip to paradise without this book. Fodors is IMO the leader of the genre of tropical travel books.
   
   This 2005 edition is thoroughly up-to-date and crammed full of useful information.
   
   Best of breed!



4. We just pulled out this book again to plan a trip in 2007. It is jam packed with lots of useful overviews and info of the whole Caribbean.

1 comments about The Best Public Golf Courses in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean and Mexico.

1. This book does a great job highlighting several of the better courses in each state (as well as Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean). It does include resort courses, with tips, phone numbers, etc. to help you get tee times with ease - all in all, a great resource for a golfer who travels for either business or pleasure.

No comments about Diving and Snorkeling Guide to Roatan & Honduras' Bay Islands (2nd ed).

No comments about Spanish In Plain English: The 5,001 Easiest Words You'll Ever Learn in Spanish (You Already Know).

1 comments about Stern's Guide to the Cruise Vacation 00 (Stern's Guide to the Cruise Vacation, 10th ed).

1. I was hoping this would help us learn more about things to expect on our upcoming cruise. However, it's more about the ships themselves rather than their itineraries.