No comments about Mexico (White Star Guides).

1 comments about Cruising Guide to the Caribbean.

1. This book, originally published in 1976 is just to dated I.M.O. for anybody looking to cruise the caribbean. I must admit I don't know of any other book that covers all of the carribean the way this one does, but I would rather spend my money on more up to date guides. Would I buy again? NO.

3 comments about The Cayman Islands: The Beach & Beyond.

1. The book is O.K. if you just want to know about the Caymans, but if you're planning a trip, it's weak on practical information. There are no names or phone numbers for any rental car company, hotel, condo, or restaurant, but many pages of organizations (with phone numbers) such as the Cayman Islands Dominoes Association (yes really). If you are able to find a car rental company there is a chapter on exploring the island, and if not there are chapters on hiking, running, bicycling, horseback riding, kayaking, and swimming



2. Like the previous reviewer, the book is a compilation of interesting places and finds on the Island, rather than a travel-itinerary. Maps of trails, hidden beaches and brief historical quips throughout, it is entertaining but not "fact-filled". I also believe that, in comparison to other Cayman books, it is a bit over-priced at $19.95.



3. I would have to disagree with what the first reviewer has to say about this book. First of all, it is NOT out of print, and is readily available through Amazon or through Martha K. Smith, herself. Also, there are tons of phone numbers included in this book for everything one would possibly want to know about the true culture of the Cayman Islands and how you, yourself, can interact with the people of this culture through adventure and recreation. In fact, playing dominoes is a very popular national and regional pastime integral to the culture of the islands.

No comments about Herbal Plants of Jamaica: Bush Teas, Bush Baths, Flavourings and Spices (MacMillan Caribbean Natural History).

No comments about Turks & Caicos (Bradt Travel Guide).

3 comments about The Nature of the Islands: Plants & Animals of the Eastern Caribbean (Chris Doyle Guide).

1. I wasn't looking to study a huge encyclopedia type book, but I did want to know more about the plants I encounter on St. Thomas. This book was the perfect introduction providing not only visual references, but also practical information on where certain species are likely to be found, i.e. road sides, beaches, etc. Now that I have read through it, I find the need for a more thorough book, however this was the perfect start - just what I was hoping for.



2. This short (150 page)book gives the reader an excellent introduction to the animal, plant and bird life of eight different types of habitats found on the islands of the Eastern Caribbean. The photos and illustrations are very good, but the text is what surprised me the most. Rather than simply providing a dry list of data points usually found in field guide species accounts, just about every species description is remarkably fascinating reading. The book's extensive bibliography shows that the naturalist author drew from a wide range of primary scientific sources to weave together uniquely interesting information regarding the inter-relationships of organisms in these neo-tropical environments. Most readers will welcome these brief but intriguing natural history accounts, and will be pleased that the author selected to describe only the most abundantly observed species. Personally, my only regret was that the book wasn't considerably longer. I have tried hard to find other, more in-depth, guides to the natural history of this region, but there simply don't seem to be any. To learn more about the region, one would have to research primary scientific sources, as this author has (thankfully) done for us, and beautifully synthesized her findings.



3. I've been meaning to review this book for some time now. I've been travelling to the Eastern Caribbean for over twenty years; for the past few, it's been yearly. This book is one of the essentials for my journeys, like sun lotion and a passport. I swore at myself last year when I forgot it.
   I travel for the sun and heat, of course, but rather than see the sites and take part in all the activities, I am happy just to be in the place, to see the islands, the people and their environment. Virginia Barlow's sweet book helps me ground myself every time I return. It's small and easy to carry and is one of the first books I turn to when I arrive.

5 comments about Golf Digest's Places to Play, 5th Edition: The Latest Player Ratings of More Than 6,500 Public and Resort Courses in the USA, Canada, Mexico, and the Islands (Special-Interest Titles).

1. A great book which allows you to book tee times all over the U.S. Information is correct and reviews are interesting. Reviews seem to be very accurate in the courses I have played. A book a true golfer cannot survive without.



2. This is a truly excellent guide. I would recommend this to any golfer wanting to try new tracks. Having taken up golf again six months ago and having just moved to Oklahoma from Mass. I needed a solid review book to begin exploring my local environs. This book has come up trumps again and again - providing an accurate overview of courses in my area, throughout the rest of the state, and all over the country. I wouldn't agree with every course review but that is part of the fun, and course conditions and upkeep can change in a short period so it would be churlish to nit-pick. Thanks to this sterling guide (my only complaint - some of the distances form major cities are off) I've played some great courses I would never have come across. Indispensable and superior, by a long, long way, to anything else out there. Bravo Golf Digest!



3. First let me state the obvious: All praise you have heard about this volume is merited. It is truly the "don't leave home without it" golfers' equivalent. Its scope is comprehensive, its selection of comments concise and illustrative. Now for the bad part. From the last edition to this it seems as if all the courses have improved a half-star. Having found the previous ratings dead-on, I was stupefied by the number of "solid" courses being awarded four stars, which in the editor's judgment stands for "Plan your next vacation around it." Sorry, but the ratings are far too liberal this go around.

   Still this book is most impressive for its geographic consistency. Thinking that a course deep in the heart of nowhere can't possibly be examined accurately? Think again. The reviews are always accurate. The negative comments are soft-pedaled, but they are there and after awhile you can discern them quite easily.

   If you have golf wanderlust, you'll become quite attached to this book.




4. First let me state the obvious: All praise you have heard about this volume is merited. It is truly the "don't leave home without it" golfers' equivalent. Its scope is comprehensive, its selection of comments concise and illustrative. Now for the bad part. From the last edition to this it seems as if all the courses have improved a half-star. Having found the previous ratings dead-on, I was stupefied by the number of "solid" courses being awarded four stars, which in the editor's judgment stands for "Plan your next vacation around it." Sorry, but the ratings are far too liberal this go around.

   Still this book is most impressive for its geographic consistency. Thinking that a course deep in the heart of nowhere can't possibly be examined accurately? Think again. The reviews are always accurate. The negative comments are soft-pedaled, but they are there and after awhile you can discern them quite easily.

   If you have golf wanderlust, you'll become quite attached to this book.




5. Compehensive unbiased very helpful guide.MAJOR drawback is next to useless listing by state rather than by city or metropolitan area. Who cares about courses in San Francisco if you're vacationing in Palm Springs!

1 comments about Diving and Snorkeling Guide to Jamaica (Lonely Planet Diving & Snorkeling Great Barrier Reef).

1. I had purchased a Pisces Book once before so was expecting the same informative style. The Smit's book surpassed my expectations. The descriptions of the dive sites are very complete with specific details about how you should approach each site. For example: when giving information about one site they said, "...keep your fins away from the bottom because it is covered with fine sediment, which when disturbed will immediately reduce visibility."

   I found the section on Potentially Hazardous Marine Life fascinating and quite blood chilling. The method for staring down a barracuda was gripping but not something I want to try.

   The photographs are absolutely marvelous. They really make the book a treasure.

   The only criticism I have is that I would like a little more detail on the maps. I also would have liked some background about the geological history and environment that has spurred the fantastic coral growth.

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.

No comments about Near A Far Sea: A Jamaican Odyssey.