3 comments about Imperial Eyes: Studies in Travel Writing and Transculturation.

1. Mary Louise Pratt has a lot of fresh and important things to say, but her writing style makes this book tough to read. I consider myself a good reader, I can usually pick out main ideas and meanings quite easily, but I found this book really frustratingly hard to read! Pratt flip-flops between a readable, clear style and one in which she employs almost indeciperable sentences. I think her message is really important and structurally, "Imperial Eyes" is smartly organized, but it takes a lot of patience and re-reading to understand it.



2. While I understand this book presents a challenge to the reader, it is a seminal book in several fields: Mary Louise Pratt's prose is clear for a literary theorist and her vocabulary/jargon is appropriate to the subject. _Imperial Eyes_ takes the reader through several stages of European travel writing, and the effects these works have upon European representations and constructions of the "other." Pratt's strongest arguments deal with Mary Kingsley and Africa, in my personal opinion, but her work on Linneaus is important and relevant to history and to identity studies as well. As a professor, I would assign this book to an upper-division undergraduate course, and would expect students to have the ability to grapple with her argument and her prose. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to have a better understanding of the formation of modern European identity, the ideological underpinnings of colonialism, and the construction of the "other."



3. Vituperative, scathing truths about the world they don't teach you in high school make this an excellent book for anyone who likes to uncover the scandal beneath social, economic, and political realities formed in history. Pratt's poignant and stinging language drives home every point in a very sophistocated and flowing discourse. If you haven't taken a college course in Sociology, Africana, or Latin American Studies or similar, this language may be new to you but Pratt makes it as easy as watching an on-the-edge-of-your-seat sports match.

No comments about Insight Guides Barcelona (Insight Guides).

5 comments about A Pilgrim's Guide to the Camino Portugues: The Portuguese Way of St. James Porto to Santiago de Compostela.

1. The "Camino Portugues" has managed to provide the most integrated and concise travel guide that I've ever come across (and I've used plenty). It manages to provide a complete picture of this lesser known pilgrimage route with an easy to follow step by step process complete with pictures and colorful maps. It loads up on all of this practical information and somehow doesn't become sterile. It's a great read as part of your pre-travel preperation. There are even places that I'm using for additional notes (reserved as "reflections" for those that want to use it as a summary journal).
   
   There are no other updated English guides for this Camino, and as it turns out, with this book, you don't need any. It's the complete package.



2. As a frequent Camino walker, I have used many guide books. This book on the Portuguese Way from Porto to Santiago is a total "must" for a succesful pilgrimage.
   The maps for each stage are clear, possible detours are included.
   Also for each stage, contour outlines are given and the distances are adjusted for height.
   Accomodations and restaurants are listed with phone numbers .
   Description of each stage is broken down to "The Pratical Path, "The Mystical Path" and "Personal Reflections" Some might be skeptical about the last two but it adds an emotional factor to the walk, something I have not yet seen in any other guide.
   Photo's are plenty. over 200 photos. The author suggest not to bring a camera because the photo's you need are already in the book. It saves weight......
   With all the suggestions for planning of your trip, this guide will keep you on the right track.



3. This guide follows the format of Brierley's Camino Frances guide: very pleasing to look at: glossy paper, colored photos almost every page, multicolor maps and trail profiles, parts of text set off by shading. It has the information the walker needs, where the alburgues are, how many beds, alternate choices. There is an introductory section with introduction, overview, followed by planning and preparation information. The main body of the guide follows, organized in 11 stages where each stage corresponds to a typical day's travel. Each stage has a map and a trail profile.
   
   The planning section is very useful - detailed equipment list, travel info, essential phrases in Spanish and Portuguese and a short history of the Camino
   .
   This guide also makes a serious effort to address the spiritual or inner path side of the journey. In addition to the map and profile, each stage begins with three paragraphs - the Physical Path - a narrative overview of the day's walk, the Mystic Path - to awaken you to the spiritual potential of the day's walk, and Personal Reflections - a quotation from the author's reflections. In each stage there is a page with blank lines for the walker to write in their own reflections. The mystic path, and blank reflections page didn't work for me, but that is personal preference.
   
   For me, the colored maps, elevation profiles and photos are the strong points of the book.
   
   The Camino facilities change from year to year, and inevitably publications will have typos and errors of fact. Do future pilgrims a favor by emailing the publication's website if you find errors in the text.



4. I used this book and the similar Fisterra book for my pilgrimage in April 2006. They are both superb. I followed Brierley's suggestions pretty much to the letter. The book contains excruciating details as well as a longer and spiritual view.
   
   I think of the book as a personal gift to each of us pilgrims. Brierley obviously loves his work and the Camino. He kept me on track, put me to bed early and awake early when it was important, encouraged me to appreciate the wonderful people and sights along the camino. He offers history lessons, lists of practicalities, maps and directions. This book is all you need!



5. Very thorough review if the Portugues Way. Will test it's accuracy next Spring.The French Way is much more frequented and pilgrim's catered for, so a good guide for this less popular walk is essential. John Brierley's work 'A Pilgrim's Guide to the Camino Portugues' will be my bible for the journey.

1 comments about The Rough Guide to the Lake District 4 (Rough Guide Travel Guides).

1. I used this book extensively both in preparing for a week spent in the Lake District. It proved to be very detailed and accurate, as well as very up-to-date as regards prices / website addresses, etc. I have been to the area several times in the past, and this guide really brought back all the memories and had me chomping at the bit to return. While there, I used it constantly, and not once did it provide any inaccurate information. A good guide book is essential for any trip - and this is one of the best I have ever used.

5 comments about The Xenophobe's Guide to the Swiss (Xenophobe's Guides - Oval Books).

1. I am just finishing up my third year of living in Switzerland part-time (6 mos./yr). This little book is a nice easy read and is not only enjoyable but seems to be pretty accurate in terms of encompassing the 'Swiss Mentality'. Possibly some statistics and technicalities are not 'dead-on' but most of them match what I have already heard. The humour in the book is great and is probably most appreciated by those who are non-Swiss and who live amongst them or know them well. (I'm sure most Swiss would struggle to find any humour in it.) Being able to read about things writen by someone else, that you see and experience in daily life yourself adds to the humour. I'd say a good read for someone who is going to be in Switzerland for any length of time.



2. I have lived in Switzerland for the past 9 years and this little tongue-in-cheek booklet is spot on - note that it was first published in 1995 and preciously little has changed since then.



3. This book is laugh out loud funny and has many truths, though the Swiss may not want to admit it. All countries have their quirks and Switzerland is not immune either. A a Swiss dual national married to a Swiss, I heard about all these little quirks that all cultures and countries have and always teased my spouse that he was exaggerating regarding Switzerland. Then I spent time in the country and just recently I experienced the "self sustaining bureacracy" at work when the Swiss Govt. charged me $50 for a very fancy piece of paper to tell me what my address is, the state in the US I was born, the date when I got married and who my parents are-that's it, no really that's all it says-nothing more. I am convinced that the $50 was to pay for the fancy paper-that's how fancy it really is. So as the author himself notes on this very subject of family papers...I guess it's in case I forget these facts about myself. Needless to say I howled over this.
   
   Read this book with humor and take into account that it isn't a traditional travel book nor an ultra accurate account on Swiss manufacturing and tourism or the countries stats. But there are some real truths here relayed with great wit. The author himself is Brit married to a Swiss and has made some genuinely funny observations on Swiss culture. I finished reading this book thinking the author genuinely loves and respects his adopted country, but gosh they do some funny things sometimes. A little joshing and humor never hurt anyone-even the staunch Swiss. We should always be able to laugh at ourselves and that's what this book sets out to do, and to my thinking, it succeeded.



4. This is a short simple to read book about the Swiss. I am Swiss, born there, but did not grow up in this very clean state. My wife who is a U.S. citizen bought me the book for my birthday. Because of my rowing career we traveled to Switzerland a fair bit and I observed the Swiss way through the eyes of my wife. I think this book is great for Swiss who live abroad because it reminds them why they miss Switzerland and why they don't. This book is great for Swiss who live in Switzerland and need motivation to go see other corners of the world. Since we have friends of different nationalities, Swede, Dutch, and German, we offered them their respective Xenophobe's Guide. They all loved their new booklet.
   Happy reading, XENO www gorow com



5. I bought this book because my husband is Swiss and I thought it would be fun to read together. While reading it, I laughed out loud because some of the cultural differences are pretty accurate and also funny... especially if you are married to someone with a difference of opinion about saving versus spending money. Well, my husband was not so amused and found it all very insulting. I guess this book is good for those who just need to know there are other people out there who notice the peculiarities of the Swiss and need to commiserate. :-)

No comments about Moleskine City Notebook Venezia (Venice) (Moleskine City Notebook).

No comments about Michelin Great Britain & Ireland Tourist and Motoring Atlas (Michelin Tourist and Motoring Atlas : Great Britain & Ireland).

5 comments about Rick Steves' Germany and Austria 2007 (Rick Steves).

1. In selecting this book, I indicated I wanted a book about bicycling in Germany and Austria. I did not manage to get a thorough look at the index, but saw some rivers & towns mentioned and assumed that the book would cover the area that I was interested in.... it does not!



2. This guide provides two things that I really like and miss in other guides, off the beaten path sites/activities and adjustable itineraries based on the length of your trip. This book provides itineraries of what to do, what to see, how to do it and in what order. I highly recommend this book along with a standard "travel" guide for those occasions that you stray from his "plans". The days we followed his "guided" tours exactly, were the days my family enjoyed the most. We have been to Austria/Germany several times before this last trip when we used Rick's book. This book is like having a tour planned for you for $20 instead of thousands.



3. We used this book to travel to southern Germany and Austria this past summer. We visited the medieval towns along the German Romantic Road including Rothenburg. At Mad King Ludwig's castle, we were surrounded by a sea of Rick Steves' guidebooks. Rick's tips were helpful as always. My only quibble with the book was the estimated drive times between destinations were very optimistic.



4. If you go anywhere without a Rick Steves book you are missing out. It has great directions, maps, and information about tourist attractions as well as restaurants and tours of the city. I would imagine a younger person would like more information about nightlife. Young or Old, the traveler will get tons of information for sites and dinning. Wouldn't go to Germany without it.



5. On our two week trip, the book was always with us. Being originally from Berlin, I still needed the updates form my time. In the Rhine and Bavaria areas we just followed Rick's advise and had a great time.

5 comments about Concentration Camps: A Traveler's Guide to World War II Sites.

1. This is THE book I've been looking for. Finally, someone did a very good job. Marc Terrance has included the most necessary data that you will need to visit these relevant sites. Thanks, Marc. You did a great job!!



2. an excellent guide. if you've been looking on the interweb for how to get to these places, you have probably been driven to despair. I wish I'd found this book 5 years ago when i started visiting these important sites. A thoroughly useful and informative book.



3. This volume is extremely helpful for visiting the more out of the way or forgotten Holocaust sites. The author has done a great service in this respect, and the book is a "must" for those who wish to visit these sad and terrible places. Some who have reviewed the book have criticized the author's imperfect editing, occasional errors in grammar, etc. This is true, the book has a few minor glitches. But who cares, really? The information contained in it is accurate and really useful and I can easily overlook the other stuff(which is quite minor anyhow).
   I used the book when visiting central and eastern Europe two years ago and it proved excellent. I would never, ever have found the Plaszow camp site without it, that's for sure. I plan to bring the guide along every time I go to Europe.
   Bottom line: Sure, the production might leave a little to be desired in places (though as I have said, it isn't all that annoying) but this guide is the best out there - at least that I have discovered - on this subject and is therefore indispensable to the WW2 or Holocaust tourist.



4. For the military history devotee this is a "must book" which I plan to use with 20 friends next April "on site". Well researched, easy to locate the camps on the maps and an honor to the victims that their misery and deaths will not be forgotten and be a reminder that this is still happening around the world but we ignore and stand impotently by doing nothing. How could such a sophisticated country as Germany be so mislead?
   Therefore it can happen anywhere.



5. Great little book with both basic and extra helpful tips. Especially good for those that travel by train. If you want or expect more than that, do your own research and write another book....I think the author has done a STELLAR job.

5 comments about England's Thousand Best Churches.

1. This is an absolutely fascinating book that is indespensable if you are touring around England and want to see some amazingly lovely off-the-beaten-track places.
   
   Mr. Jenkins has compiled a listing of one thousand churches throughout England that he feels are worth seeing. Each church is given a description, including a specific reason why it ranks among the top thousand. There is such a splendidly wide array of reasons: from architectural details, to unique contruction tecniques, to interesting historical context, that it never gets dull.
   
   My parents are taking the book quite seriously, and are trying to visit each of the churches (I think they are a quarter of the way through, and their copy of this book is alrady completely covered with marginalia!). I have visited several of the churches with them, and always find the experience enlightening and interesting. Each church truly is unique, and it is always fascinating to see how.
   
   Since the publication of the book, many of the churches that are on the list have taken an active interest in their own history. When my parents first started touring the churches, they were usually met by blank stares and a "why on earth do you care about our little church?" from the locals... but a few years later they find that frequently the whole community has rallied around the idea that they had an undiscovered treasure in their midst, and something to be quite proud of. For that reason alone, I think it's a great book.



2. This is a well-written and well-organized compendium of interesting churches throughout England. Useful for the those looking for the road less traveled (by other tourists.)



3. The historical background is good; very helpful as a travelogue. Author should have lessen his personal architectural taste. Splendid photos, specially the details. Good general information; but not so helpful for my purpose of getting ideas in designing small chapels.



4. I lived in England for a couple of years and travel back with regularity. On every visit, I make time to visit some of these ancient churches so, to put it mildly, I'm very biased in favor of this subject. Almost nothing compares with going to a weather worn parish church and finding the font where your ancestor was baptized some four hundred years before still in use - an experience I had some years back. With this background in mind, I'll simply say that Mr. Jenkin's work here is monumental and I don't use that term lightly. There are of course church's noticeably absent and one wishes the author could have found a way to include some of England's cathedrals but that does not diminish his achievement. The English church is inextricably linked with English history and he has done them both a great justice by writing this book.



5. ....on the history and architecture of England's Best Churches.
   
   The main purpose of purchasing the book was to explore the architecture of these churches. The book is crammed with so many wonderful and descriptive pictures, it just makes the mind soar to new heights.
   
   The imagination and engineering that went into these classic buildings is nearly incomprehensible.
   
   If you love the beauty and the history of these majestic buildings, then this book is a must.