No comments about Time Out London for Children, 2007/08 (Time Out Guides).

4 comments about A Cruising Guide to Narragansett Bay and the South Coast of Massachusetts: Including Buzzard's Bay, Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard, and Block Island.

1. I always wondered what those old ruins were hidden on overgrown islands, the history of secluded anchorages.... Great naturalist, along the shore information. Excellent cruising guide!



2. I lived and sailed Narragansett Bay all my life and never knew the history behind all I was looking at. Excellent book and great fishing section!



3. Being very familiar with boating on Buzzards Bay i was drawn to expand my sea ventures. This book gave a great dipiction of the waters along the south coast of Mass and RI. I have already traveled to many of the destinations the book discussed. what a great service the author has done for the boating community



4. Great guide to all the inlets in Narragansett Bay and surrounding areas. The book has all the place we know of and we agree totally and we can't wait to try out the places we didn't know about.
   Thank you for a great book.

2 comments about A Traveller's History Of England (Traveller's History).

1. Since I was going to study abroad for a semester in England, I figured I'd read up on the history.
   
   Below are my specific opinions, but in summary, it's a decent book if you want to brush up on English history and not be weighed down with it.
   
   The good:
   -The book is short despite England's LONG history.
   -It's comprehensive. Not only does it talk about England's monarchial and wartime history, it also includes major writers, artists, and thinkers.
   -It has a rather fine index that includes, but isn't limited to, monarchs, major battles, and cathedrals.
   
   The bad:
   -The writing's poor. Not only does the author use incorrect grammar, he uses it blandly. Whereas I normally would finish a 300 page book in a day, this took me a week.
   -The book's short. Now, I know I put this in the good category, but it also works against the book. Since it's so condensed, the author glosses over some interesting bits. The War of the Roses is cut down to a page; it's never mentioned why the Boer Orange Free State was named as such.
   -It's confusing. Since hundreds of years of history are condensed into just a few pages, new names appear in every sentence, and it's hard to keep up.



2. This is an excellent single volume review of English history that makes for a great introduction for travellers, and interested readers alike. Almost by definition this relatively short volume leaves the interested reader wanting more, but it does cover such a wide span of time and topics admirably well (the ample bibliography will help interested readers to "dig deeper"). Highly recommended for travellers (it was a wonderful introduction for my 1st visit to the country, and even added intruiging insights for my spouse who had lived in London for several years).
   
   As a follow-on, consider reading Smith's English History Made Brief, Irreverent, and Pleasurable. A wonderfully insightful and funny read once you understand the rudiments of English history from the "Traveller's History".

1 comments about Sea Kayaking Coastal Massachusetts: From Newburyport to Buzzard's Bay.

1. I really liked this book. Not only were there a large number of well-researched trips, but there were lots of extras that made the book a great resource.
   
   The first section of the book is a review of basic kayaking information. Having read this type of information before, I nonetheless found Ms. Evans' text easy to read and helpful. I particularly liked her treatment of hypothermia, one of the main hazards of sea kayaking.
   
   The main section of this book consists of 42 of carefully detailed trips. Each one begins with a overview of important information about tides, local hazards, and NOAA charts. One of the things I liked about the text is that Ms. Evans wasn't afraid to include a few subjective statements such as: "Nauset Marsh is one of the most beautiful places in Massachusetts for paddling serene, unspoiled, and protected water." I found these comments helpful in making trip choices.
   
   In addition to trip details, Ms. Evans includes quite a bit of information about local access, conservation and environmental issues. Information such as why horseshoe crabs are important, why over-development harms local waters (nitrogen overloading causes oxygen depletion), and why the preservation of salt marshes is so important (they give food and shelter to 2/3rds of all commercially valuable fish and shellfish). It makes sense that Ms. Evans knows about these issues since she practices environmental law in Boston.
   
   All in all a valuable resource for Massachusetts paddlers.

2 comments about Fodor's Around Boston with Kids, 3rd Edition: 68 Great Things to Do Together in the City and Beyond (Around the City with Kids).

1. This book offers up an alphabetical list of different museums, events, parks, shows, and more to do with kids of all ages. Each item has its own two-page spread in this pocket-sized book, with all of the information plus a nice description. Most entries also have information about the surrounding area, including other attractions and local kid-friendly restaurants.
   
   The reason I knocked this review down to 4 stars was because almost every restaurant mentioned is a huge national chain. I didn't really need to be told that the Uno's next door has a kids menu... what about good local restaurants? Boston is full of small cafes, pizzarias, and local bistros... why is it assumed that the only place a child will eat is at Applebee's?



2. I think the potential buyer of this book would do better buying Frommer's Guide, as I used that rather than this guide on a recent family trip to Boston. This book was just too limiting. When I originally purchased this, I thought it might have been more "kid-friendly," but none of my three children were interested at looking through it. It is really meant more for adults to see what's available in Boston and families. Another disappointment was that there were no maps nor any rhyme or reason as to how they listed the 68 "great things to do together." They were not put into any sort of geographical organization, which hurts the book as well. Yes, the descriptions given in the book were fine, but once more, I think a more complete guide (such as Frommers) would be the more worthwhile investment.

5 comments about The Amateur Historian's Guide to Medieval and Tudor London (Capital Travels).

1. I've never known a lot about medieval and Tudor history, but a friend gave this book to me to help me plan a trip to England. Now I can't wait to see the places described in the book. These authors have a fan in me.



2. I've never known a lot about medieval and Tudor history, but a friend gave this book to me to help me plan a trip to England. Now I can't wait to see the places described in the book. These authors have a fan in me.



3. For anybody who wants to know more about the history of places they want to see in England, this is the guide book for them. I learned alot of interesting things and had alot of fun reading this book. I like the authors' style very much. They make the history easy to read and understand.



4. Travellers on the trail of history in London know how frustrating it can be to locate Tudor and medieval places still in existence in that busy, crowded, vibrant, thoroughly modern city. Last year we spent a week with this guide in hand, feeling a bit Sherlockian in our quest. Even with the detailed directions provided by the authors, finding most of these hidden, nearly forgotten sites was a challenge. But with persistence and patience, our efforts were rewarded. What fun! Couldn't have done it without this guide. But if you aren't particularly interested in the places, the era, and the difficult pursuit, better not bother.



5. I very much enjoyed this book for many reasons, not just that it provides information you will never find anywhere else. The book covers many sites that I was familiar with and many that I have heard of and didn't know were accessible and many that I have never heard of. I will definitely take it with me on my upcoming trip, my 18th to London.
   
   I like the style of the book, just casual enough to let you know the authors are real people (and have really been to the sites), but not overdone, which can get annoying with other authors. In fact, I skimmed through the entire book at one sitting, reading many parts entirely, as I found it interesting.
   
   I have a few minor criticisms. (I'm still giving a five-star rating, especially since there is no other book quite like this, so invaluable.)
   
   A few things people should know in advance: there is one general map at the beginning -- the authors state you need to pick up a map in London as this is not an easy city to navigate (I use London A-Z) -- and there are no floor plans of the sites. This is good (smaller size and price) and bad (toting and flipping from book to book or purchasing high-priced on-site guides). I'm sure it would be impossible to locate a floor plan for some of the more obscure buildings, so really can't blame the authors.
   
   My main complaint (not major) is there is not a rating system, formal or informal, for sites. I know a lot of what is "worth seeing" depends on a person's individual interest, but, well, just because a site exists doesn't mean it's worth taking time out for if you just have a week or so in London. There's a big difference between "don't miss this hidden treasure" and "seek this out if you are in the neighborhood" or "best for those with a special interest in Edward IV, or stained glass windows, or gothic arches, or whatever."
   
   Once again let me state that a major plus is the feeling that the authors have really been there and know what they are talking about.
   
   By comparison, many years ago I bought a guide to London by a very well known guidebook publisher. I made a bed-and-breakfast booking on their recommendation of a charming hotel with a bright, cheery breakfast room. I won't tell you the full horrors of the place, other than to mention the tiny rooms with plywood walls and door, and the very dark basement breakfast room done up like a dungeon, complete with instruments of torture on the walls. And one shared toilet per floor, which sometimes actually flushed. I didn't just check out -- I escaped. It was very obvious that the authors of that other book had never set foot in the place, and I have more or less ignored mass-produced guidebooks ever since.

2 comments about Best Bed & Breakfast England, Scotland, Wales 2008-2009 (Best Bed and Breakfast in England, Scotland, and Wales).

1. We purchased this book in anticipation of a trip to UK. While the pictures were lovely, we didn't find many listings for the areas where we planned to visit, and I didn't find the book real easy to use...maybe it is just me. We ended up leaving it with our kids who live in UK, hoping they might find it helpful for a weekend getaway in the future.



2. I am disappointed in the subject book because the print is so light that it is extremely difficult to read. The content is excellent as usual, but I cannot understand why the print is so faint. I have purchased this book in years past and never had this problem. I would like to know the reason for this change.

4 comments about Moon Handbooks Hudson River Valley (Moon Handbooks).

1. This book is the best guide to the Hudson River Valley that I've seen. It was a big help for planning weekend road trips and it also let us find cool new things to do. I think it'd be a great guide for anyone who visits the area often and is looking for something different than the same old thing. The writer really knows her stuff. Great book!



2. The guide not only offers wonderful suggestions for dining and lodging, but insight into activities and off the beaten path exploration. Clearly, the author's love and knowledge of the region resonates through the book. A very helpful tool for planning a weekend getaway, or a longer stay in this beautiful region of New York state.



3. If you have access to no other guidebook on the Hudson River Valley, the Moon Handbook provides an adequate roadmap. The descriptions of attractions are fairly detailed, the maps are easy to follow and the layout of the book is clear. It is dry and descriptive, however, and lacks the kind of personal evaluations that make other guidebooks so inspiring. It reads more like a government pamphlet than a travel book.



4. Compared to the 6 other Moon Handbooks I have (and have used extensively with many recommendations given to others), this is the least informative and I'm kind of surprised about that since it's focused on a very specific region of New York State. The New York State Moon Handbook gave far better more information on this region than this book did and I'm glad I had both of them on my trip. The book isn't a complete dud though and it certainly beats the travel book published by the nationally known auto travel club.

1 comments about Weekend Walks in Rhode Island: 40 Trails for Hiking, Birding & Nature Viewing, Fourth Edition.

1. This book provides detailed and accurate suggestions and advice for weekend rambles. It was a great way to introduce my 5 year old and 3 year old to the outdoors, and a good introduction to the lovely countryside of Rhode Island as well. Much better than some other similar guides which were not well researched and suggested trails that got us lost!

No comments about The Berkshire Book: Great Destinations, Eighth Edition (Berkshire Book).