5 comments about Eyewitness Top 10 Travel Guide to London.

1. My wife and I love the Top 10 series. We always buy a Frommers or Rick Steves book for the trip's planning, but the Top 10 is a must for the trip itself. It'll fit in a pocket (a long one), and will provide quick and easy references to the most important sights, as well as maps and public transportation routes.



2. This book is compact and easy to carry around and has all pertinent information for daily use. Maps are good and the top 10 seemed to agree with my assessment.



3. This is one of the best guides out there, very detailed & full of photos of things worth seeing & comes in a neat, small size so you can easily throw it inside your back-pack.



4. This books gives you the 10 top sites to see and itineraries. I like the itineraries (10), because it's very simple. It reminds you that your on vacation and you don't need to be running around town to enjoy London.



5. Compact, great pictures, well indexed. It won't scream "TOURIST" when you pull it out of your bag. I got this one and the Paris book. Used them exclusively. Barely opened the other ones I got.

2 comments about The Cheap Bastard's Guide to Boston: Secrets of Living the Good Life--For Free! (Cheap Bastard).

1. Very informative, I recommend reading this book if you want to save some money.



2. The Cheap Bastard's Guide to Boston includes every free or very cheap thing to do in the Boston/Cambridge area that I've ever heard of, plus more. The author included almost anything you'd want to do in the city, including places to find live music, dance, and comedy for free. She also details non-shady methods to get in free to see films and live theatre. Other topics include book readings, wine tasting, free/cheap lunch, beauty services, housing, clothing, fitness, newspapers, pets, travel, museums and art galleries, and activities for kids. The book was extremely well researched and easy to use. Each venue has contact information, addresses, websites(if any), a short description of the activity, and details on when and under what circumstances you can get things for free, including any catches such as one-drink minimums and volunteer requirements (which are rare).
   The author also includes items that are extremely cheap (in the $1 to $5 range) and she keeps her promise on limiting these items to activities that are well worth a small amount of cash.
   This book is definitely something you'll want on-hand if you are visiting the city. There are so many entries, I'd suggest purchasing the book even if you are thrifty. It's more than worth the purchase price. As a dedicated cheapskate, I got this book from the library and will be purchasing it after reading it cover-to-cover.
   The only way this book could be better is if it encompassed areas outside the Boston/Cambridge area.

4 comments about Haiti in Focus: A Guide to the People, Politics, and Culture (In Focus Guides).

1. Sometimes it's hard to be an American, and to look out at what we've done to the rest of the world.

   Haiti will soon be celebrating its bicentennial of independence. As the second-oldest nation in the Western Hemisphere and the black nation with the longest uninterrupted history, it should by rights be rich, educated, forward thinking, and a bright light for the rest of the world. However, imperialist forces from abroad, including France, Britain, and most recently the United States of America, have colored its two centuries. Its people have been harangued by Castro's Cuba, Trujillo's Dominican Republic, Bush and Clinton's USA, and even the wildly corrupt Duvalier administration. Its land is stripped, its resources have been plundered, its cities are grossly overpopulated, and its seas are silted. And yet, somehow, Haiti survives.

   In the wake of the 1991 coup that unseated President Jean-Bertrand Aristide and the 1994 US-led UN invasion that restored him to power, much news was made. Haiti was front-page headliner material nearly every day, a prestigious international hot spot. Names were made and broken in political spheres around the Haiti issue. Debate ran high. And then everything just disappeared. Haiti merited a two-paragraph mention on page twelve if the paper needed filler, and then only in large papers that could dedicate themselves to foreign affairs. For most of us, even those of us who maintained our religious interest in the nation, an entire nation may just as well have dropped off the face of the earth.

   British activist Charles Arthur, whose other works on Haiti include "A Haitian Anthology: Libète," identifies himself as a "Solidarity Activist." His latest book, "Haiti in Focus," is subtitled "A Guide to the People, Politics, and Culture," and it lives up to that description admirably. For those interested, the available information is brought up to date through the middle of 2001. Arthur details the current political struggles surrounding the election of Aristide to another term in office; he lets us know about the struggle between Protestant missionaries and vodou adherents for control of the site at which the Haitian Revolution began; and he even gives us pointers on how to tour the country.

   This slim, easy-to-read book is deceptively clear. It focuses on what Haiti is today, and on the forces that have made it so. Arthur posits no blame for what's happened to the country; yet observant reading serves to point out several recurrent patterns. Currently, the United States has been trying to micromanage the Haitian economy to the advantage of America, and indeed has been using the Monroe Doctrine as an excuse to do so for some time. This has been happening in force through the last century, though it can be traced overtly to 1862, when the US recognized the country's sovereignty, and more covertly back to Haitian independence, when the US refused to recognize a free black nation.

   America is not alone in this treatment, however. Britain immediately recognized Haiti's independence, but apparently only for political advantage and access to the profitable plantations. When the plantation economy went the way of all flesh, Britain appears to have just walked away. France held recognition for ransom, offering it only when Haiti paid massive war indemnities that left the country in financial ruin from which it hasn't fully recovered. The United Nations and the Organization of American States have consistently tried to co-opt Haiti's foreign policy and dictate domestic positions, and the European Union, primarily under pressure from France, is now trying to horn in on Haitian self-determination. As Arthur explains, Haiti remains a small force, battered on all sides by winds it cannot satisfactorily resist.

   The country is also riven internally. Though all involved want the country to flourish and thrive, wildly dissimilar ideas persist as to what would make this happen. Christian missionaries, primarily Catholic and Evangelical Protestant, have brought their faith to the country, but even Jesus Himself hasn't preserved the country. Aristide and his coalition have concrete ideas for how to use the government to resolve problems, but his plans are controversial and have stirred up strong negative feelings. Education is usually severely inadequate because of the lack of skilled teachers, disagreements over the importance of French, and the high cost of schooling in a poor nation. Meanwhile, poverty is swelling, illiteracy remains rampant, and nothing is being done about it.

   However, in Arthur's estimation, Haiti remains a culturally vibrant land, a noble nation resisting the homogeneity of Western-styled "globalization." The native art, music, and religion of the land are the most African in the Western Hemisphere, and are a celebration of life in the face of poverty. A full-color photo spread in the middle of the book shows the beauty that accrues to everything in the country-the way a tap-tap driver will paint rainbows on the side of his vehicle; the way rara musicians will dance down the street during a festival. Though this is a country damaged and struggling, Arthur makes plain, this is not a country to give up on, not a country to permit to die.

   This book is detailed enough to appeal to those intimately interested in Haiti, either those who appreciate the whole nation or those interested in one or two aspects. At the same time, it's clear enough in style and structure to reach out to readers who are being newly introduced to Haiti, and to those who know only the horror stories that recur in motion pictures and the news. Though it will date quickly, for the moment it stands as a strong primer for the condition that is Haiti and a land working for healing in a world that only wants to use it as a tool.




2. You'll be fascinated, impressed, depressed, and delighted with Arthur's succinct introduction to the people, culture, and history of a small nation so very close to U.S. shores and U.S. history, yet so very far from our thoughts. From the joyful cover image to photos of brightly-painted buses to the clear maps and tips for travelers, Arthur delivers more than promised--as does Haiti herself. You'll come back for more, once you taste this brief introduction to the famed Hotel Oloffson, tap-taps and Vodou, rara and compa and rasin music, Sweet Micky & Boukman Eksperyans & Tabou Combo, the "little church" and "the flood," peasant movements and death squads, creole pigs and deforestation, poverty and structural adjustment, Toussaint Louverture & the slave revolution, the Duvalier dictatorship and the Tonton Macoutes, poetry and paintings. This book came just in time to enlighten & amaze students in my class on the prize-winning works of Haitian-American author Edwidge Danticat. We all give this little book a two-thumbs-up!



3. This book is helping me to understand the situation of Haiti in historical context. Its information, format and pictures strike me as slightly out of date but it certainly will give you a background even if not covering the last few years. Since there aren't a lot of books like this one about Haiti I would recommend this for anyone who wants to know more about it but does not want to read a long in-depth tome.



4. really comprehensive view of politics and life in haiti. useful tips for the traveler to Haiti including where to buy condoms!

No comments about Fodor's Boston 2008 (Fodor's Gold Guides).

5 comments about James Herriot's Yorkshire: A Guided Tour With the Beloved Veterinarian Through the Land of All Creatures Great And Small And Every Living Thing, Gloriously Photographed and Memorably Described.

1. Having never been to England, this book with its wonderful pictures was a real treat. Herriot gives his own commentary on all the locations pictured. It was very enjoyable reading.



2. I put five stars here because I'm sure the hardcover edition rates it. I thought I was ordering hardcover, but got a very cheap paperback instead. This is a book that NEEDS big pages and color pictures; forget about the paperback edition. I tossed it.



3. This is the perfect book for those of us who are James Herriot junkies! I had just finished re-reading the four Herriot books in the American series, and found it great fun to read Jim Harriot's own words describing so many of the scenes in the books, and in the TV series.



4. Wonderful!It is a lovely description of the sites and it presents splendid photographs.
   I enjoyed it very much.



5. Great book, it was a gift for my father, unfortunatly the pages started falling out it, if it came in a hard bound I would have preferred that better. That is why I gave it only 2 star, because of the quality of the binding.

1 comments about Streetwise London Underground Map.

1. Very sturdy, folding map of London Underground. Lots of famous landmarks are highlighted to help find which lines & stops you will need. Laminated to stand up to lots of use. Price can't be beat.

No comments about AMC's Best Day Hikes in Connecticut: Four-Season Guide to 50 of the Best Trails from the Highlands to the Coastal Lowlands.

3 comments about Moving to Maine, Updated and Expanded 2nd Edition: The Essential Guide to Get You There and What You Need to Know to Stay.

1. MOVING TO MAINE is a great book for relocators that non-relocators can also enjoy. It describes the school systems, weather, housing, and other necessities that people moving there need to know, but it also describes, shopping, cultural, and dining experiences that a vacationer can take advantage of. Whether you're actually relocating to Maine, going on vacation there, or are simply interested in travel books, you should own this book.



2. I found this book to be extremely helpful and it had answers to many questions I had about Maine. The information was very through and covered all bases. The author addressed taxes, renting, housing, shopping, schools, and other important information. I really enjoyed this book.



3. I bought this book for my sister-in-law before she moved to Maine. We all skimmed through it and aquired lots of new information. I am sure that she will glean very valuable information as she starts her life in the great state of Maine.

5 comments about The Park Loop Road.

1. An excellent overall introduction to Acadia National Park and Mount Desert Island. Good overview of geology and natural and cultural history. Provides up-to-date information on roads and hiking trails. A wonderful guide or souvenir of the Acadian experience.



2. After throughly reading this book through 3 times I have come to the conclusion it is a wonderful book full of useful information. The pictures alone are beautifuly taken giving reason enough to purchase this book. Also Mr Thayer is an excellent chemistry teacher and I hope after reviewing this comment he will raise our grades



3. All of the books written by Robert Thayer convey the true beauty of Acadia National Park. Robert is an outstanding photographer/ author and is an inspiration for my own work. I have seen many slides of Roberts work and I am always impressed. I give this book my highest recommendation for any person interested in learning about Acadia, nature, wildlife, and especially photography. He also has 3 other books available on Amazon.com of an equal caliber.



4. I can't wait to get there in late Summer '06!
   This book is great for anyone planning on visiting Acadia National Park.
   If the park is only half as beautiful as the pictures in the publication, I can't wait!
   I've already planned several routes to run and ride (bicycles) while we are there.
   Thanks!



5. I bought this book before going to Acadia Natl Park. It was incredibly helpful. Our exploration of the Park Loop Road was more interesting because of all the helpful info in this book. Loved the pictures. Very representative of the actual places.

3 comments about The Mystery of the Blue Train: A Hercule Poirot Mystery.

1. Agatha, in her autobiography, said she never knew why people liked this book.
   
   It was a charming adventure--great for Agatha fans.



2. The Mystery of the Blue Train begins with the story of an American millionaire obtaining a set of unique rubies despite the attempted interference of a mysterious criminal. From there we meet the millionaire's daughter Ruth and her no-good husband. The story is a bit of a soap opera involving infidelity on both sides, proposed divorce, blackmail, and various other unpleasantness. Later a woman is introduced who has recently inherited a large sum of money. After following her story for a bit, most of the cast boards the Blue Train (along with Poirot) where Ruth is murdered and the rubies stolen.
   
   It is worth noting that the murder does not occur until page 100 and that we see very little of Poirot until then. For that matter, we don't see nearly as much of Poirot after the murder as we typically would. To be sure, there are the typical interviews with suspects but far more time is spent following the other characters around France and England than you would normally expect. This change might be welcome if the characters were interesting, or if the space given to them resulted in real growth and development, or if just about anything noteworthy happened at all. Unfortunately, they mostly seem to listlessly wander about mouthing inanities and doing very little of consequence.
   
   When Poirot at last solves the case, it is much more of a relief to be done with this book than it is satisfying to learn the answer to the crime. This book is such a poor effort that I can scarcely believe Dame Christie really wrote it. The structure feels like she meant it to be a standalone mystery like And Then There Were None rather than a Poirot novel and then perhaps the author changed her mind at the last minute and grafted the little Belgian in to very poor effect. It also feels much more like a crude first draft than a finished novel from a great writer. All the extra space given to the cast is wasted since they all remain little more than cardboard and the story is equally bland. I have greatly enjoyed some of the Poirot novels I've read but this one should be avoided by all but the most devout Poirot completist.



3. This book was published in 1928. One of the things I like about Agatha Christie's books is that things are done the old-fashioned way with messengers, no cell phones, no computers. In other words, with plain old leg-work. Hercule Poirot is his usual amusing self.
   
   I didn't try to guess the murderer and just enjoyed the book! I wouldn't mind taking a trip on the Blue Train myself.