3 comments about The Wild Life in An Island House.

1. I really enjoyed this book for its hinest, forthright approach to story telling. We learn about the Virgin Islands from the eyes of one person . Sensitive and alluring read. well worth it.
   a book to relax with, and the details make it worth it!



2. The Wild Life in an Island House is a must-read for anyone contemplating to moving to a tropical island.
   
   This amusingly entertaining and informative little book describes the challenges and wonders one experiences in living in such close proximity with nature as one must when living on a tropical island.
   
   Gail Karlsson's personal experiences made me laugh out loud as I read her book. I, who also live on a tropical island, have had many similar experiences with wild life in my home. Those of us who choose to live in "paradise" either love it or hate it based on whether we find our extremely close proximity to nature either a wonder or exasperation.
   
   The whimsical illustrations throughout the book of the cast of characters residing in or around tropical homes adds to this delightful book.
   
   Wild Life is also very informative, interweaving facts, that even I as a fairly long-time island resident, was not aware. I am sure other islanders will find the same.
   
   -John Levering
   Tropical island resident and environmental entrepreneur



3. Just sat down and read this wonderful book right through.
   A perfect little book.
   The tone of humor and curiosity were spot on,
   transmitting an inviting view of how to live with and be
   intrigued by life's daily creatures.
   Would have bought this book for the cover alone.
   The drawings drew me into each chapter with a smile.
   very engaging.

2 comments about Insight Guides Barbados (3rd ed).

1. I have always found Insight Guides to provide an excellent 'taste' of the peoples, cuisine, history, folklore, customs, music and arts and other aspects of a country's culture. The Barbados book is no exception. While it does list places to see, hotels, restaurant recommendations, etc. like other guidebooks, 90% of this book is filled with insightful writing and wonderful photography from a variety of contributors both Bajan and visitors to Barbados.



2. As a Bajan I was pleased when I read this book it goes beyond the typical tourist representation of the island and tastefully and tactfully covers many of the uniques cultural mores and forces that have shaped our island. It gives a brief and acuurate history of the island concerning race relations, politics and culture and even quite accurately explains why Bajans are percieved as smug! : ) Hopefully on reading this book the tourist more informed will be able to enjoy the island many flavors and facets more deeply.

4 comments about Diving and Snorkeling Guide to Puerto Rico (Pisces Diving & Snorkeling Guides).

1. A pretty complete review of the best diving sites around the island with exceptional photographs. It is really a shame that the author did not provide the GPS coordinates information which he refers to on page 9. That would make it an outstanding value!!! José Amador Aguadilla, Puerto Rico e-mail: casagra2@caribe.net



2. This book does have some great tips but when it comes to specific locations it falls short. When I went to several towns looking for the locations mentioned in the book, I fould many locals unaware of them. Some have never heard of them and I could never find the location. Maybe if a specific departure location was givin (city or port) instead of a bay or area, would be helpful. Great photography by the way.



3. The author attempts to cover an island as large as the state of connecticut in only 21 dives. Puerto Rico is so vast that the author should return to cover it better. But he does a decent job in the few words he used. He also tells it like it is, not like much of the travel stories you read in dive magazines.



4. This book provided a pretty good overview of diving and snorkelling in Puerto Rico. We picked two diving sites and one snorkelling site based on it. It over-estimated the difficulty of one of the dives, and did not warn us about several factors that degraded our diving experience.

5 comments about Caribbean Style.

1. I live in St.Thomas, USVI and wanted to build a doll house for my 3 yr old to have as a rememberance of living on a tropical island. Since St. Thomas is a US Territory it is more Americanized, so I purchased Caribbean Style for a better refference. It is now my doll house bible. Now my daughter will have a authentic reproduction Caribbean house!



2. this book was not what i had anticipated.
   it might be great for tourists who want to see the true island living,or doll house makers, however,
   as an architecture student and a caribbean native i was not impressed by the literature, or lack thereof.
   excellent photography.



3. My favorite of the Style books. I purchased this when it came out and glad I did. I still enjoy the beautiful pictures that really bring you back to the islands. To me this is the best of all the style books--with other titles English Style, French Style, Spanish Style. Caribbean Style has remained in print and stood the test of time. Also an excellent reference for interior designers for island style.



4. I purchased this book based on the reviews other people had left here, and greatly anticipated it's arrival. When It got here today, I couldn't wait to look through it. As I turned the pages, I wondered if the other reviewers had been looking at the same book! I was hughly disappointed. The only thing I found worthwhile was about the last 35 pages, which showed architectural details in the form of drawn elevations. It showed the different style of homes most commonly found on each island. This must be what the reviewer who said it was a great reference for an interior designer meant. I am an interior designer and other than those few pages, I would never find this book useful as a reference tool. The majority of homes and landscapes were of the locals and had no "style" whatsoever. Many of the photographs were so small you couldn't see any detail. There was very little text, so I am at a loss as to what all these other people are even talking about.
   If you are interested in what the islands look like once you get beyond the hotels and resorts or what the people native to the islands live like, you might find this book interesting, but if you're hoping to see lush tropical gardens and stylish homes with a tropical design theme, this isn't the book you want. Even if you are looking for some historical aspects of design in the islands I much prefer "Caribbean Elegance" by Michael Conners. If I had been in a bookstore and flipped through the pages of this book I would never have purchased it.



5. This is a colorful escape book with beautiful pictures of Carribean architecture. The photos are interesting and well-taken. A great addition to any coffee table. Sometimes when I feel down, all I need to do is jump into these pages and my spirit is refreshed.

No comments about Enduring Geohazards in the Caribbean: Moving from the Reactive to the Proactive.

1 comments about Insight Guide Instant Dominican Republic (Insight Country/Regional Guides-Foreign).

1. The Instant Dominican Republic guide is really nicely written.The guide is small and easy to carry around.The book features fast facts,top sites, great photography,background of the country,travel tips,and essential contact numbers. The guide was very helpful and the information in the guide is good to know.Anyone going to the Dominican Republic could use this guide book.Its great!

1 comments about Jamaica Underground: The Caves, Sinkholes and Underground Rivers of the Island.

1. A monument! For every caver just dreaming to go caving to Ja this is a must have. Tons and tons of information. Excellent work from Mr Fincham. This is a lives work. Only minor flaw: the many cavemaps have been redrawn to have a uniform style throughout the book resulting in a reduction of detail compared to the original map. But who cares ;)

1 comments about The Treasures and Pleasures of Bermuda: Best of the Best in Travel and Shopping.

1. The Treasures and Pleasures of Bermuda: Best of the Best in Travel and Shopping is a little different from other travel guides. Instead of detailing museums, great beaches, and fun things do to while on the island, this book focuses on shopping in Bermuda. Thus, the entire book focuses on the where, what, and how of shopping for the average person, for those individuals undertaking that dream vacation where they could buy whatever they wanted, and those of us that would just like to dream about this potential.
   
   In addition to the where, what, and how of the Bermuda shopping experience, this book gives a good deal of valuable hints that will save the tourist a lot of time and money. For instance, spending time comparing prices for the best deal is a waste of time as prices tend to be quite fixed even between different parts of the island. Moreover, you need not waste time looking for locations specializing in products for the average person as most shops cater to both high end customers and regular people, especially those at regular cruise stops.

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 2008 Country Profile and Guide to Trinidad and Tobago - National Travel Guidebook and Handbook - Caribbean Basin Initiative, USAID, Port-of-Spain, Energy (Two CD-ROM Set).