No comments about StyleCity Paris, Third Edition (Style City).

1 comments about Swiss Bernese Oberland - New 4th Edition - A Travel Guide with Specific Trips to the Mountains, Lakes and Villages with New Section Walk Zurich by Philip and Loretta Alspach (Paperback April 2008).

1. A beautiful landscape like no other, unlikely to be topped anywhere in Europe - "Swiss Bernese Oberland: A Travel Guide with Specific Trips to the Mountains, Lakes, and Villages" is a complete and comprehensive guide covering this gorgeous region. Focusing on the needs of the independent traveler, with advice on catching a train through the highest track in the world, hiking through the snowy yet beautiful world, plodding through the cold freshwater lakes, all leading to one of the prettiest sites of all - the sun setting on the snowcapped mountains. Enhanced with over forty full color pictures, countless maps and suggested itineraries, "Swiss Bernese Oberland: A Travel Guide with Specific Trips to the Mountains, Lakes, and Villages" is a must for any traveler who wants to plan a sensual overload in their trip through nature when going through this region, and for community library travel collections.

3 comments about Access London 10e (Access Guides).

1. I just got back from a weeklong trip to London and this was one of several guidebooks I took with me. The positive is that there's a lot of information listed and from talking to London friends, it's fairly good information. The hip happening restaurants are in there. I didn't like the format -- everything is listed by neighborhood but within each section, it's mixed so for instance, you cannot simply find a list of all their restaurants in Mayfair, you must flip through the entire Mayfair section to see the restaurant listings.
   
   Ultimately, I found I used some of my other guidebooks a lot more.



2. i have travelled extensively for 30 yrs. i never go anywhere without 3 books: 1. Access guide for neighborhood details, a sense of where things are, and locals' favorite places. 2. Michelin's Green guide for an erudite perspective on history, culture, arts, etc. and 3. Frommer's for their "best of" pages.
   
   when i lived in London, i took out my London Access book every week to plan where i would go that weekend. Every time i move to a new city i buy an Access guide to help me become a local. It is a great resource for travellers and new residents.



3. My Access guides for Paris and Rome are invaluable, but this one is pretty disappointing. London is just too big a city, only the central London areas are covered. It does a good job with the neighborhoods covered, just not enough of them.

1 comments about National Geographic Traveler: Piedmont & Northwest Italy, with Turin and the Alps (National Geographic Traveler).

1. This bookguide focuses on Turin, Piedmont, The Aosta Valley and Liguria.
   
   It includes one walking tour of Turin's historic center and three driving tours: The Langhe Region, Lake Maggiore and The Aosta Valley. It also includes articles on interesting facts: Cafe Life, Fiat, Contemporary Art, The Slow-Food Movement, Truffels, The Gardens of Lake Maggiore and Giuseppe Mazzini.
   
   I didn't give it 5 starts because I think it should've featured at least one more walking tour of Turin and maps of other cities (Aosta and Genoa for example). Besides, all the hotels listed are rather expensive, so this isn't a bookguide for those who travel on a budget.
   
   In general, it's quite good, so I highly recommend it.

No comments about Sunflower Guide Sorrento, Amalfi & Capri: Car Tours and Walks (Sunflower Guides) (Sunflower Guides).

5 comments about Revolution in Hungary: The 1956 Budapest Uprising.

1. The photos in Revolution in Hungary really give a good look at the events in Budapest in 1956. This is a nice sized book approx 12in x 12in. As a current resident of Budapest and someone who is gradually learning Hungary's history, I really appreciate the numerous photos in this collection. The essays are also well written giving a very good overview of the uprising and the writers' impressions of the 1956 uprising. One additional note, as of this writing Revolution is only $10 + Free Super Saver Shipping. This is a steal at $40 less than the listed price. I highly recommend this book for those with an interest in the events in Hungary in 1956.



2. Anyone who has traveled to the newly democratic and capitalist Eastern Europe in the past 15 years might find it hard to imagine the darkest days of Communist dominance and repression in the 1950s and '60s. This book is an excellent visual record of a brief moment in Hungarian history, one which every Hungarian knows simply as "Fifty-six," and one which had such dire and long-lasting consequences. Many of those consequences will not disappear either soon or easily. Compare the rubble-strewn streets in these photos to the prosperous and crowded streets of today's Budapest. When the Soviets crushed the '56 revolution, they installed János Kádár in power, where he stayed for the next 30 years. In the spring of 2007, his grave was desecrated and his skull stolen.



3. The book is rather large, so difficult to read as a historical text, and may arrive slightly damaged at the corners due to its size. It gets 4 stars because the size yet low price balance each other out.
   
   It's a good coffee table book or discussion piece, rather than an official historical review of a difficult period in Hungary. The photographs are plentiful, but if you are looking for photos or armor "in action" during the revolution you will likely be disappointed as most of the photos are of politicians, people and places. There are however, some photos of T34-85s and T-54/55s.
   
   If you are looking for historical photographs of the events leading up to, during and after the revolution this is a great book. Some of the pictures may be disturbing to some, but that is one of the advantages of the book: it paints the revolution as it was, messy with casualties on both sides.
   
   If you are interested in photography or historical photographs, this book may also be for you. It would also be a good book as an accompaniment to a more readable historical text.



4. This is a stunning book. The photos tell the story. The written parts
   accurately describe the events in an easy-to-read style.
   My wife and I lived through the revolution and this book brought back all
   the memories.



5. Being of Hungarian descent, I was interested in knowing a little more about the history of the Hungarian Revolution. This book is perfect in that it not only gives you information on the 1956 uprising, but it has a pictorial detail of the event. Truly an excellent book to have for anyone of Hungarian descent or any history buff. This book isn't just about Hungarians, I look at it as a portrayal of the strength the people have when they fight for freedom. Truly remarkable!

2 comments about The Essential Driving Guide for France (Essential Driving Guides in Europe) (Essential Driving Guides in Europe).

1. The best guide I have ever read in all my travels! It was very useful and accurate. Merci beaucoup!



2. Oro Strandoo's guide, Essential Driving Guide for France is an excellent source of routings and itineraries, points of interest and other pertinent information. This guide is a must have if you really want to see France. The maps are clear and easy to read and his suggestions are to the point. Patsy and Gerry Donegan, Oro Valley, Arizona

5 comments about MapEasy's Guidemap to Paris.

1. As with most Mapeasy maps, this one is great in helping you find not only the streets, but the stores, the restaurants, the hotels and other worthy places.

   Granted, it may not have the most detail when it comes to little streets and alleys, but it will get you where you need to go.




2. If you are going to Paris, especially if you haven't been there before, you will probably want to get a couple of guidebooks and maps to help plan your excursions. I had used the MapEasy guide to Rome in the past, and found it to be an ideal blend of detail and narrative for navigating the city. When I needed a tactical map of Paris, I turned to the MapEasy Paris guide, which I also highly recommend.
   
   There are better and more detailed maps and books more suitable for planning a trip to Paris, but the MapEasy Paris map is the overall best choice for navigating the streets and sights once actually venturing around the great French city. The major streets are well detailed, and not only are historical sights depicted in an easy to interpret, three-dimensional manner, but they also have brief descriptions to help direct your focus to places of interest to you specifically (for example: "Musee Gulmet: Vast collection of Asian art and research library.") Important or noteworthy shops, hotels, and restaurants are depicted, and in the case of restaurants a symbol representing how expensive the food is is also included. Of course all the famous sights such as the Eiffel Tower, Arc De Triomphe, and Notre Dame are especially well detailed, and there are several inset maps on the opposite side of the main map detailing the Parisian periphery, Montmartre, and suggested short driving trips.
   
   The map is a great value, and is printed on a unique rip-resistant and water-resistant paper that is both durable, yet pliable (unlike many of the laminated card stock maps available.) For navigating the streets of Paris this is an ideal choice for tourists or those new to the city. I highly recommend the MapEasy series.



3. I own 8 of these, so see my review under "Rome." They're great!



4. MapEasy maps are the best! It is so much easier to navigate when you have a map with landmarks for restaurants, shops, etc. I never travel to a new city without them.



5. We LOVED this map of Paris for our trip. All of the major sightseeing attractions (the monuments & buildings) are drawn in 3D and to scale. This was VERY helpful to be able to plan a day of sightseeing. Metro stops are shown and helpful info about sights and stores are right on the map. Highly recommended!

5 comments about City Secrets: London.

1. LONDON CITY SECRETS is a little book of good places to visit the next time you're in England. The authors describe their book as a "highly subjective" collection of recommendations, not an all-inclusive list of places to eat, sleep, visit in London. The folks making the recommendations are artists, writers, historians, and others who live and work in London. They share favorite spots to eat; favorite paintings, sculptures or museums; favorite walks, historical houses and other spots discovered over the years.

   LONDON CITY SECRETS is divided into 13 areas: 1/ Trafalgar Square, Soho and Covent Garden; 2/ St James, Westminster, & the Embankment; 3/ Hyde Park & Chelsea; 4/ Oxford Street and Mayfair; 5/ Regent's Park & Camden Town; 6/ Bloomsbury & King's Cross; 7/ Islington & Clerkenwell; 8/ The City (of London); 9/ The South Bank; 10/ Notting Hill & The West; 11/ Hampstead & The North; 12/ The East End & Beyond; and 13/ South of the River.

   Because the selections are subjective, the National Gallery and the Victoria & Albert Museum are mentioned, whereas the National Maritime Museum is not. Fortnum and Mason is included, Mark's & Spencer is not. Scrubb's prison is listed, the Tower of London is not. Plenty of good places to eat are listed, no good places to sleep are included. Never thought you'd visit Islington? You might find yourself eating at the Smithfield Market, Moro's, or the Quality Chop House. Think the East End is a dump? You might discover a science fiction ride on the nighttime tube.

   Symbols are placed next to sites with London Underground stops and places to eat. Plenty of bars, pubs, and other assorted oddball watering holes are included. The various authors, artists, etc. also recommend plenty of additional reading material about favorite spots. LONDON CITY SECRETS is eccentric, esoteric, and entertaining.




2. You will need time to make the purchase of this book worthwhile. London is gigantic. It's difficult enough to hit the very well documented high points. If you are making your first trip and/or have less than a week, stick to Eyewitness. If you are a repeat offender, disinterested in the main tourist attractions, or have a lot of time, you will not regret this purchase. This guide will get you off the beaten track and provide advice about how to avoid being trampled when you are on it.



3. This is the quintessential guide for anyone who wants to visit the rare and cool side of London. I found a lot of really wonderful ?off the beaten path? kind of places via this guide. It has great, quirky restaurant suggestions, and tips on getting into strange museums (like the type museum!). A must have for those of us who like to pretend we?re locals and know all the ?secrets? of the city.



4. The "City Secrets" series is based on contributions solicited from expats and locals living in the city of interest. This distinct approach has two very pleasant benefits to the reader: first, the recommendations are written with style and panache distinct to each contributor (the artists recommend arty stuff and describe how things look), and second, the recommendations are the sort you get from people who live and breathe in the city rather than just the rest of us, who just run-in-see-the-sights-turn-around-run-home.
   
   City Secrets: London is even better than other European entrants (say, the Rome book), because virtually everyone writing for the book seems to be a permanent resident, rather than a on-and-off-again visitor.
   
   So, rather than hotels and a greatest-hits list of museums, you get favorite places to walk, nice places to have a cuppa on the way, museums you would discover only on the third walk down the street. Not all of them are "secrets" in the sense you wouldn't otherwise have known about them, but all of them are worth knowing.
   
   There is a slight tendency toward redundancy, when multiple contributors mention the same destination. But this is a very minor complaint. This little gem of a book should be slipped into your pocket for the plane ride over; it will add more to your vacation than any number of more traditional guides.



5. Of course few places inspire such passion as Italy, but I've read the NYC version as well and found it much more intruguing than this one. It seems as if most of the entries concern Georgian architecture and stodgy gardens. Did Thatcher kill lively London?

No comments about Frommer's Irreverent Guide to Paris (Irreverent Guides).