5 comments about The Clumsiest People in Europe: Or, Mrs. Mortimer's Bad-Tempered Guide to the Victorian World.

1. This woman surely must have been mad to have written some of these things. I can only say that it has to be read to be believed. It's completely hilarious.



2. I quite enjoyed this little Victorian traveloge. I picked it up expecting it to be more humorous, and although I found the writer's style quite dour and pedantic, I became more interested in understanding her perspective than laughing at her views. I imagine that there were many folks in her day who felt exactly the same as she did about any country that was not England. The editor makes a pretty terrific comment in the preface to this edition, however, in that the stereotypes that this book espoused back in the days of Queen Victoria or not all that different from the unfortunate and xenophobic views that so many people in today's world ...there is definitely a lesson to be learned here.



3. Now that we live in the 21st century, 150 years since Favell Mortimer (nee Bevan) wrote her descriptions of the rest of the world, I guess it is safe to give this book five stars. On the other hand, if I thought that the contents of the book were going to be taken as, um, gospel by the readers, I would give it only one star. The five stars are basically for Todd Pruzan, not for Favell Mortimer.
   
   Just who are the clumsiest people in Europe? According to Mortimer, the Portuguese! Didn't you all know that? I sure didn't. And what's the most beautiful city in the world? Well, it's Edinburgh. That green hill with the castle on top surely gives it an advantage over, say, Copenhagen!
   
   And what is the wickedest city in the world? It certainly gives a different meaning to the line "I left my heart in San Francisco."
   
   Which people are the drunkest? Oh, never mind.
   
   You can find out so much about all sorts of, um, strange and faraway people. Such as Icelanders, Greenlanders, Sicilians, Ostyaks, Tartars, Affghans (I'm using Ms. Mortimer's spellings here), and so on.
   
   Yes, it is an amazing book. Still, it has its share of facts to go along with the nonsense, all stated by Ms. Mortimer with an air of supreme confidence in spite of her actual failure to have visited any but a couple of the places she describes. In addition, it has a constant viciousness that leaves an unpleasant aftertaste, especially when one takes into account the fact that this material was originally designed to be consumed by young schoolchildren. I think we would all do well to realize that it really is wrong to come up with such works and feed them to impressionable children.
   
   When I lived in England, over fifty years ago, I did have a look at a number of books about the rest of the world, including some children's books. Some of the books had been written as recently as 1950, but others were from several decades earlier, and the things they said about the United States were often pretty funny. I can see how this book fits in with some of what I saw in England back then, and I can also see how it can help give misleading impressions about foreign nations to plenty of youngsters. Even though we do grow up and learn more accurate information about places, some of the overall attitudes we may have about other nations can be greatly distorted by the things we're told when we're very young.
   
   Should we be careful not to produce works of our own that have the same sorts of problems as those which Ms. Mortimer wrote? Absolutely. And I hope that in the year 2150, the works of, say, Ed Said will be read with the same roars of laughter that now accompany the readings of Ms. Mortimer's contributions.



4. Todd Pruzan's introduction and commentary on Mrs. Mortimer's weird take on the peoples of the world left me wanting more -- although sixty pages on Madagascar might have been too much to swallow. I particularly liked his summary of each nation's or region's state of culture and accomplishments before letting Mrs. M have her say.



5. Here's a tip ... Google Books, advanced search, author: Favell Lee Mortimier ... presto! All the titles, in full, without modern repackaging and obnoxious p.c. presumption.

No comments about Berlitz Copenhagen (Berlitz Pocket Guides).

No comments about Insight Compact Guide Italian Lakes (Insight Compact Guides Italian Lakes).

3 comments about The Traveler's Key to Ancient Greece, New Edition: A Guide to Sacred Places.

1. The Traveler's Key To Ancient Greece: A Guide To Sacred Places is the ideal guidebook for exploring sacred locations that once were home to the secret mysteries at Eleusis, the oracle at Delphi, the Labyrinths of Knossos, the vast theater and healing center at Epidauros, the perfect symmetry of the Parthenon, and more! This unique and very special travel guide offers informative and expert commentary on the Hellenic world's palace and temple cultures and sites; Greek drama, philosophy, art, and sculpture; sacred geometry and architecture; and gallery collections in three major museums. Whether you are an armchair explorer or plan to be an on-site visitor, The Traveler's Key To Ancient Greece is a compelling, informative, superbly written and flawlessly produced introduction to understanding as well as visiting these sacred sites of antiquity.



2. This book is an excellent starting point for
   anyone remotely interested in the ancient Greeks --
   not merely the most famous ones of the 6th and
   5th centuries B.C. Here interweave myth,
   mystery, knowledge, mysticism (Pythagorean and
   Orphic introductions), plus excellent explanations
   of attributes and psychological aspects related
   to the gods.
   [here is a section from the "Introduction"]
   Each site has its "myth," a term which means
   a story of the life of a place, human being, or
   god. All myths have meaning, and the task has
   been to translate the myth into the myth-language
   of our own era. For the most part, the language
   of our mythology is the language of psychology.
   And of course there are several styles of
   psychological language: Jungian, Freudian, Adlerian,
   and so on. In this case, the language goes back
   to Plato and has been brought to the present
   idiom through the work of Paul Diel, the late
   Austrian psychologist.
   Plato, the great voice of the journey of the
   human soul, was the first Western writer to speak
   of the idea of spiritual development, the idea
   that a human being might lead his life in such a
   way as to AWAKEN [my caps] within himself the
   divine life. The possibility of such a discovery
   makes Plato's works a psychology, or a study of
   human behavior in the physical, intellectual,
   and spiritual sense. Plato was indebted to the
   voices of his own culture and his predecessors in
   philosophy, both Eastern and Western [Orpheus;
   Pythagoras]. These fragments from the past form
   a living mythology which still has power to
   transform lives. -- Richard G. Geldard.
   *The Traveler's Key to Ancient Greece.* (1989).
   * * * * * * * * *



3. If your intention in Greece is to explore the wonders of the ancients, this is the best book to take. Of the several books I had with me, it was the most complete, detailed, informative and enjoyable--it was the one I came to trust and refer to the most often. Small enough to stuff into a pocket, it allows you to sit at the sites and read while looking at the ruins. The facts and suppostions were generally supported by other sources, so being able to rely on its accuracy is another plus.

No comments about Daytrips Holland, Belgium & Luxembourg: 40 One-Day Adventures by Rail, Bus or Car, Fourth Edition.

5 comments about Dublin (Eyewitness Top 10 Travel Guides).

1. This guidebook is great for its pictures and detailed diagrams of major sites, neighborhoods, and buildings. The book is absolutely filled with brilliant photos that help visitors (especially first time visitors like myself) what the sites look like. It also has photos of practical things such as roadsigns, the euro currency in all denominations, police cars, telephones, and even food. This might seem silly, but it's very helpful to know how to use their telephones and to learn which coins are which before going over there. It has a limited list of places to stay and doesn't go into detail about how to get to all the sites they cover. This is why I think this shouldn't be the only guide you buy if you're planning a trip to Ireland. It is definately one of the ones to buy, however. Another note: if you're like myself, and plan to travel light to Ireland, keep in mind that this book is rather heavy because of the thick, glossy pages - they're great for the pictures, but they'll weigh down your bag. Hope this helps!



2. Want a great guide that gives you the information you need to know in a easy to reference way? Want a guide that is also a great souvenir? Go for this one! The main caution is to be sure to get a current edition -- Dublin is a city that is changing fast!



3. A pleasure to read as an armchair travel book and very useful on the streets of Dublin on a recent trip.
   Illustrations are scrumptious, information on specific sites informative but concise and it is pocket-size - what more could one want?



4. I bought this book based on previous DK purchases I had made and found it to be terribly out of date! This book was bought for my fiancee who was travelling to Ireland from the USA to visit myself and my family. Being Irish and living and working in Dublin I found the most basic information to be incorrect, most notably the currency which has been the Euro for the last 6 years. Other transport information also should be ammended in relation to the new overground rail system, called the Luas, that has vastly improved commuting for one side of Dublin to the other. on the whole this book does manage to portray Dublin as a city with an historic background that has to been seen to be appreciated. Also some of the references to attractions outside Dublin appear to make the rest of Ireland look less modern which gave the impression to me that it is more rural and agricultural than it actually is and may not be the most appealing to visitors! Anyway I hope this review just helps to point out some glaring mistakes that should be fixed. On the whole the quality of this DK book was well above other publications that I have read.



5. If you are planning a short trip to Dublin this is a must have book. It covers excellent restaurants and wonderful places to stop and shop. The essential sights are all listed by region and are explained in enough detail for one to decide if they want to visit. If you are going for a longer period of time I would recommend a bigger guide but I would still get this one to walk around with.

5 comments about The Bounty: The True Story of the Mutiny on the Bounty.

1. Popular histories sometimes (not always, but often enough to notice) suffer from one of two things: a deliberate paring away of detail--be it description or incident--to make for easier reading or a slimmer volume, or a concerted refusal to acknowledge or explore information that does not gird the author's thesis. Caroline Alexander's The Bounty has neither condition: it is as exhaustive an examination of a single moment of history as anything I've ever read.
   
   Which is not to say that the reading is not compelling. Alexander goes to some pains to strip away the romantic veneer covering over the facts of the mutiny and those culpable in its execution. Nor does she provide complete exoneration to Captain Bligh, who is revealed as an able, conscientious and decent man, whose few failings were amplified by a flawed crew and lack of support (mainly in the absence of marines on board The Bounty) from the Admiralty. Oddly, but appropriately for such a scholarly work, Alexander pieces together much of what is known about lead mutineer Fletcher Christian from the extant evidence, which in most cases is second hand.
   
   The exhaustive nature of the book does tend to drag in places. The build up to court martial introduces the tiresome (no more here though than she was doubtlessly so in life) Fanny Hayward, along with detailed explanation of the members of the court martial. Interesting and ultimately useful in sorting out the fractured loyalties that defined these men and their subsequent actions, it does get to be slow reading.
   
   But more than a story of one mutiny in the Pacific, it is a tale of a changing world, where the virgin paradise of Tahiti is imbued with the failings of the British Empire, where Nelson's final words, "thank God I have done my duty," are not the anthem of a subsequent age but an epitaph for a waning one. An epic worth reading.



2. Very well researched audiobook with excellent narrative. Many historical points rarely mentioned by other historians of the event with a very good all round history of the events themselves. Narrative also never ceases to bore, a very important aspect of any audiobook.



3. Alexander gives a gripping, colorfully written true story of the mutiny on the ship Bounty in the late 18th century. Bligh's journals, along with the mutineers, combine to help tell the tale. It is a part of history I have been drawn to since I can remember. Hollywood brought it into our optic nerves. But the movie tended to romanticize how it portrayed the mutineers; almost apologetic.
   
   The bibliography and source reference is massive. There are times where the author does not help us in understanding dialect and the meaning behind actions.
   
   Alexander decides to begin with a summary, and the hunt for the fugitive mutineers (by the ship Pandora). We are then introduced to the Bounty (long delays leaving England's harbor) and the journey to bring back breadfruit (initiated by botanist Sir Joseph Banks). She gives us a brief background and early life of Bligh, the shipmates and the ship itself. Bligh proved to be intelligent and a good leader. Fletcher Christian (the lead mutineer) also had a promising career ahead.
   
   There are perhaps dozens of reasons for the mutiny; the accounts vary. But the officers decline in leadership and the corruption at Tahiti are strong ones.
   
   The final mutineers defense and sentence at the court martial draws the reader in, especially the writings of seventeen year old mutineer Peter Heywood. We find ourselves sympathizing with him. I find that even these young men had a superior intellect compared to today, and were considered "responsible" at a much earlier age. The escaped mutineers adopted an island, later to be discovered by a U.S. ship:
   
   What they find on the island is more a garden of Eden. The descendants are Christian in faith, they are hard working, prosperous, and loving. Over time, the myths and falsities of the lives of the men of the Bounty are slowly being worked out.
   
   "What caused the mutiny on the Bounty? The seduction at Tahiti, Bligh's harsh tongue----perhaps. But more compellingly a night of drinking and a proud man's pride, a low moment on one gray dawn, a momentary and fatal slip in a gentleman's code of discipline----and then the rush of consequences to be lived out for a lifetime."
   
   Wish you well
   Scott



4. The author is a great writer. She's done a masterfull job of telling the true story. Apparantly much 'bounty' myths were often newspaper gosip & misinformation to appease powerful forces.



5. Ms. Alexander's work is carefully researched and beautifully written. She also has clear biases on events and people but I'd prefer to have had her own opinions more boldly written. Nevertheless, this is a "must" history for Bounty fans.
   
   Bligh--a man of tremendous strengths--had at least one glaring weakness. He was a man with a red hot temper. Granted--like many people given to "blowing their tops"--he got over it quickly but, unfortunately for him, some people targeted by his flare-ups had difficulty forgetting his insults. Perhaps amazingly, his crew--largely composed of very young, no doubt immature men--went through great trials before they finally broke. Even then, the majority of men remained faithful to their fallen leader, to the point of sailing with him into almost certain death.
   
   Somewhere here we are missing some of the most important psychological aspects of the story. I try to place myself in the role of "loyal" crewman and wonder what I would have chosen on the day of the mutiny. Would I have elected almost certain death in a leaky skiff over probable survival in the Bounty? I don't really know but it would have been one Hell of a decision. Still, the majority of crewmen remained loyal and tried to pile into a rowboat with 7 inches of freeboard!
   
   At the same time, despite Bligh's navigational skills and despite his courage, his must be regarded as a failure in leadership. I'm not sure where this failure occurred but it probably happened on Otaheite. He should have--in retrospect--been less lenient with his "men". Most of these were very young people, many only teenagers, some of whom were permitted to live amongst the Polynesians. It must have been a heady brew. They received respect that they'd never experienced in England. They obtained women, even wives, and were tatooed in displays of tribal honor. It was simply too attractive to many of these boys. Twenty-three year old Fletcher Christian should have known better but--suffering from alcohol and the pressure of obligations he no doubt felt to his Polynesian brethren--he cracked like a spoiled egg. Nowadays, psychologists would probably diagnose clinical depression and I have little doubt that Christian had "been in Hell for weeks", just as he described.
   
   I'm not sympathetic with the mutineers. Captains--men of flesh and blood--weren't perfect and the Admiralty recognized this fact. The crew were supposed to be loyal and beyond provocation. Period. The mutinous members of the crew paid for the sins one way or another--just as they deserved. It is unfortunate that some loyal crewmen paid their price, too.
   
   Ron Braithwaite, author of novels--"Skull Rack" and "Hummingbird God"--on the Spanish Conquest of Mexico

2 comments about The Spiritual Traveler: The Guide to Sacred Sites and Pilgrim Routes in Britain (Spiritual Traveler).

1. This book covers all types of sacred sites. From stone circles like Stonehenge, to Cathedrals and the legends surrounding Glastonbury. Gives great historical background. I gave this book 4 stars because I would have liked to have seen more photos. Otherwise a wonderful book for people planning to travel to Britain or those who want to learn more about it's sacred sites.



2. If you are interested in medieval religious sites and traditions in the British Isles, check out The Spiritual Traveler. This fascinating book covers it all, beginning with the spiritual history of the land, from prehistoric times, progressing to the landscape and its features, such as holy wells and pilgrim routes, and finally giving detailed itineraries with highlights and lesser known points of interest. More than a simple guidebook, it can take you to stone circles and megalithic tombs, abbey ruins, medieval synagogues, majestic cathedrals, and dozens of places in between. It also provides explanations of different customs, myths, and traditions. Illustrated with line drawings and photographs, perusing this compact volume will make you want to book your flight and pack your bags. Don't forget your camera!

3 comments about Frommer's Paris 2007 (Frommer's Complete).

1. All you need to know and more...This is the definitive guide to Paris. Easy, clear and concise.



2. I have been using the Lonely Plant guide books in my last few years of traveling. I bought Frommer's for a change, just to see what other guide books have to offer. I was completely disappointed. Here is why.
   
   - Terrible maps
   1) The maps are scant in details: it does not have a lot of the smaller rues (streets) in Paris and the small and winding rues on the left bank are (in)famous. Consequently, you will frequently be unable to figure out where you are or where you are going to as there is no cross road as a reference point.
   
   2) The fold-out map only include the areas closest to the Sein on the left and the right bank. If you want to find out about the other Arrondisements, good luck. For example, the 14e and 15e are almost entirely missed out.
   
   3) The major landmarks are not clearly marked on the map. I believe most of us would love to have some graphical representation (icon) of the major attractions on the map. It makes it easy to figure out a lot of things, i.e. how much area are you covering, where you are relative to the Louvre, etc. The fold-out maps chose to use words, instead of icons, to tell you where the major attractions are. You have to read, among the street names, the arrondisement names etc. to find the attractions - a waste of time.
   
   4) There are SEPARATE maps for attractions, restaurants, markets and metro/RER stations etc. It is very time consuming to figure out where to eat after seeing the attractions. I understand that it may be too much details on one map with all this information. But with Frommer's maps with scant details, I don't see why this cannot be done. By the way, the Lonely Planet guides seem to be able to do this very well, and with more details.
   
   5) There is not enough map. There should be a detailed map for each of the major arrondissement. For example, the book mentions that one should take a walk in Montparnasse. But where is the map?? How do I get there??
   
   After 2 days of frustration with the Frommer's maps, I got a free map from my hotel. Everything was clearly marked, including the smaller and more ambiguous rues that even the locals had trouble finding. And it was completely free!
   
   - Illogical Organization
   1) After the book mentions about a place, it does not tell you where it is marked on the map. Instead, it gives you an address so that you have to find it yourself on the map. This is a time wasting exercise. Further, many times I found the address could not be found on the maps provided by the book, either because the rue is too small and thus omitted by the book, or because the arrondissement is not included.
   
   2) After the book mentions a place, it tends not to tell you how to get there. For example, it mentions Versaille is a must go and you can get there by RER. But which line?? How often is the service?? It also fails to mention that the RER offers a package deal including return ticket and admission to the palace - it would save a lot of time (at least 1 - 1.5 hour) waiting in the queue.
   
   3) After the book mentions a place, it does not tell you how to pronounce it in French. So you will struggle when you get in a cab, or try to get help from the locals.
   
   There are so many imperfections in this book, making it close to worthless. For example, I would really appreciate some more write up about the cultral backgroud, etiquette etc. in France. The restaurant recommendations were not great, either. Some recommended restaurants were closed for the season, some do not serve coffee at a certain time (yet the book fails to mention).
   
   I finally went out of my way and found a recommended spot, that was open and serving food. The food was good, but not significantly better than the random walk-ins that I found when the book's recommendations failed to deliver. And it was expensive. I also noticed that in that restaurant almost all diners were international travelers, many with a Frommer's - obviously not a spot enjoyed by the locals.
   
   On the inside cover of the book, it quoted Des Moines Sunday Register's somewhat indifferent remarks ("Hotel recommendations are close to encyclopedic"). I guess that the hotel recommendations would really help one navigate the city! Further, that newspaper only has a circulation of 250,000 (by comparison, USA Today has 2.5 million circulation) - hardly an authority on anything. But wait, where the hell is Des Moines?? Bill Bryson, one of my favourite comtemporary writers, once honestly wrote about Des Moines, his home town in Iowa, as "nothing really happens... every one just wants to get out of there!" I should have been alarmed when I saw a book quoting from such a newspaper!
   
   Enough ranting. The book is written by some supposedly famous writers, but good writers do not equal good travel writers. And this book has evidenced that. I believe a good guide book should present clear and accurate information about a location in a user-friendly way. This book is anything but. So it will be my first and last Frommer's. I hope it would not be your first.



3. All in all, this is a useful resource. However, there are some problems.
   
   First, the maps--especially the tear out map--are not optimal. The tear out map only includes a portion of the city. Since some of the parks at the outskirts of Paris are mentioned as places to visit, it is not very helpful that the Bois de Boulogne and Bois de Vincennes are not on the map.
   
   Second, some detail in the maps is missing. I could not find the street on which a delightful hotel at which I stayed some time ago was located.
   
   Third, as with any travel guide, one might question why some hotels, restaurants, attractions are included and others not. However, I have no major problems with the selections.
   
   There are some nice touches to this work. The various walks laid out are helpful (although there is some repetition from section to section). The writing style is sprightly and witty. Some inserts, such as "family friendly restaurants" can be helpful to tourists.
   
   So, although there are some problems with this work, overall it is a useful addition to the body of work on navigating the City of Light.

5 comments about Spanish Recognitions: The Roads to the Present.

1. This is a lovely account of one lady's tour through a country with which she so rightly tells us "no one in this new millennium should ignore... it was one of the first places mentioned as being stolen from the Muslims in an early televised Osama bin Laden tirade of bitterness and intent. ... Al-Andalus. Andalucia. Spain. Few in this country knew what he was talking about" (255). I (unknowingly following in Mary Lee Settle's footsteps) decided to find out.

   Yet it was so difficult to discover any information about post-1492 Spain. I had a hard time finding books telling me about Knights Templar's history and tragic end in Il Torre Sangrienta (the tower of blood); giving me an intimate portrait of Black Virgin's of Guadalupe's haunting eyes; telling me of Unamunno's dramatic defiance of Franco's regime; or telling me the scandal in Zamora. And I had no joy at all in finding a book that tells the story of the many Spains (for in truth as Mary Lee Settle makes clear there is not ONE Spain but many) as though all its rich history grew up naturally--from the stones in the ground. As though this history were but part and parcel of the sights, sounds, and smell of modern Spain. Until, of course, I found this book.

   For Mary Lee Settle's book does all of the above. She tells her and Spain's story from the vintage point of an often lost and eternally fascinated traveler. A traveler who romps through the physical Spain and through Spain's history equally and who manages to construct an immensely readable and thoroughly enjoyable book interweaving both journeys.

   It is not, however, a history book and it freely admits this. Indeed, perhaps one of the most precious (to me) parts of this book is the frequent history book recommendations. Mary Lee Settle's Spanish Recognitions is thus the ideal book for someone like me: someone who wants to read about Spain's rich history and who would like to travel there armed with historical and cultural knowledge but who is not sure how to get started.

   I highly recommend it.




2. An 82 year old woman from an American coal mining region heads out to explore Spain on her own in a rental car, with very little Spanish, but a wealth of information she has read before hand. Her notes and thoughts through the journey are fascinating and revealing. Her insights into St. Theresa are original and enlightening, her discussion of the Roman remains in Merida are very interesting reading. In a few short paragraphs lays out why the Muslin religion took hold so well when it did, a description that is simple that I have not seen anywhere else. She takes her facts and transcends them into clear understanding in an impressive way. Without speaking the language she has the feel for the people and conveys it quite well. The last couple chapters tail off in strength, but the book is a definite read for anyone who has been to Spain and is in love with the country. Remarkable piece of work.



3. As an aficionado of Spain and (almost) all things Spanish, I have read Mary Lee Settle's book with pleasure. Although she covers a lot of well-trodden ground, she also introduces the reader to some less-known places, such as Zamora, Guadalupe or
   Jerez de los Caballeros. Her writing style is smooth and evocative, and her personal, opinionated way of seeing things quite enjoyable (unlike some other reviewers, I do believe that good travel writing must be personal and opinionated, otherwise it is just guidebook writing.)
   
   However, "Spanish Recognitions" suffers from several evident shortcomings and faults. Its editing is rather poor: numerous Spanish words are either misspelled, or have their accents misplaced or completely omitted (but it is worth pointing out that Ms. Settle always uses the correct expression "auto de fe" instead of the Portuguese "auto da fe", so irritatingly common in other books about Spain.)
   
   The text also contains a substantial number of factual errors and misunderstandings. For example, Goya never created any "black prints", only "black paintings" (p. 21; the prints in question are called "Los Caprichos"). Goya's famous painting showing the execution of Spanish insurgents in Madrid is called not "The Second of May" but "The Third of May, 1808", while the canvas referred to by Ms. Settle (not incorrectly) as "The Attack on the Mamelukes by the Madrilenos" is also known as "The Second of May" (that's why so many streets in Spain bear the name "Dos de Mayo"; both examples from p. 24).
   
   On the same page, Goya's series of etchings is referred to as "The Horrors of War" instead of the proper title "The Disasters of War". Also, Goya did not arrive in Madrid in 1780 "with the dung of [his] village still on his boots" (p. 19-20): he had been by then already well established in the Spanish capital, working on tapestry cartoons for the Royal Tapestry Works of Santa Barbara. Even before that, he had executed several important commissions in and around Saragossa, and stayed for some time in Italy.
   
   On page 29 Ms. Settle states unambigiously that the model for Goya's twin paintings "The Clothed Maya" and "The Nude Maya" has been the Duchess of Alba but this identification is completely unsupported. Finally, pages 28 to 32 are devoted to the Ermita de San Antonio de la Florida and its famous frescoes by Goya without mentioning the fact that this church is the resting place of the painter himself.
   
   On pages 63-64 the author seems to state that Emperor Charles V (1500-1558) was still alive and in charge during the Thirty Years War (1618-1648). On page 25 we find the following, obviously untrue, statement: "There had been an earlier attempt at democracy in 1931, but it was soon put down by a dictatorship." Page 150 includes a mention of the "cathedral" of St. Peter in the Vatican (which is actually a basilica.) On
   page 149 the date of Martin Luther's posting of his famous 95 theses in Wittenberg is given as 1516 instead of 1517. On page 182 the date of the founding of the Knights Templar is also one year off (1119, should be 1118). Similarly, on page 180, the fall of Jerusalem during the First Crusade is said to have taken place on July 15, 1087 (the correct year is 1099).
   
   On page 185 Damascus is wrongly listed among the Crusader possessions in the Middle East. The statement on page 198, to the effect that "Augustus Caesar... appointed himself a god", is also not true; in fact, Augustus - from 42 BC on - called
   himself "a son of god" (i.e., Julius Caesar's who was deified in that year) but he very carefully avoided the Oriental custom of deifying living rulers. On page 213 the author makes a mistaken assertion that "Islam... has billions of followers, more than
   Christianity" (in September 2002 the approximate estimates were 2 billion Christians and 1.3 billion Muslims worldwide.) Prophet Muhammad did not "chose" the name of Islam for his revelations, this term appears in the Qur'an itself (page 214). I am also very puzzled by the precise date of the Prophet's birth - given on page 215 as April 20, 571 - since the best guess by the experts on Islam is "around 570 AD".
   
   On page 263, Ms. Settle describes "a famous Spanish painting of Ferdinand and Isabel receiving a delegation from the Granadian (sic) Jews" in which description she misidentifies not only the subject of the painting (which is in fact about the expulsion
   of Jews from Spain) but also one of its main characters. It was Tomas de Torquemada, the famous - or infamous - Grand Inquisitor, and not Cardinal Jimenes de Cisneros, who accused the Catholic Monarchs of trying to betray Christ again for
   thirty pieces of silver. Incidentally, she elsewhere calls Torquemada "a fanatic Catholic" (p. 61) without seemingly being aware of the fact that the Grand Inquisitor - like so many other officials of the Spanish Inquisition - came from a Jewish "converso" family.
   
   The most disappointing feature of Ms. Settle's book is a tendency to perpetuate specific myths, cliches and stereotypes about Spain. This is all the more surprising in comparison with the parallel (and usually quite convincing) attempts at debunking other, similar myths (for example, the story of Queen Juana la Loca.) Thus the author's attitude toward the Spanish Civil War simply continues the crude, cartoonish image of "good Republicans" and "bad Nationalists/Fascists". There is no discussion of the undemocratic, discriminatory policies of the "democratically elected" Republican government. Republican prewar atrocities, political assassinations and war crimes are
   conveniently included in the phrase "atrocities on both sides" (page 129), and General Franco's role as the defender of traditional Spanish values against communism and anarchy is not even mentioned. Like so many similar accounts, "Spanish Recognitions" seems to imply that the Nationalist side enjoyed no popular support whatsoever, and that it won the war only through terror and brute force, mostly due to the military help of Hitler and Mussolini. Ms. Settle is aware of the absurd character of such a picture: on page 14 she writes, "That was then and this is now, and we know too much about the Spanish
   war, but then, it was simple, a black-and-white war, a right side and a wrong side." Nevertheless, instead of trying to construct a more balanced view of the conflict, she escapes into stubborn nostalgia: "If we were naive, thank God for naivete; maybe it breaks the barriers of cynicism." Maybe. But it doesn't produce unbiased history.
   
   Ms. Settle's views on the Spanish Inquisition, the Jews in Spain and the life of El Cid are also entirely conventional (for more realistic treatment of these topics I recommend, respectively, Henry Kamen's "The Spanish Inquisition", Americo Castro's
   "The Structure of Spanish History" and Richard Fletcher's "The Quest for El Cid".) On the other hand, she seems to have a soft spot for the Catholic Church and she doesn't bash Philip II or the corrida, thus leaving alone at least some of the most
   popular Spanish targets for the politically correct. It is also interesting to observe how, when trying to assess the role of Queen Isabel I, about whom Ms. Settle has written an earlier book, her semi-feminist tendencies constantly clash with her liberal principles.
   
   All in all, "Spanish Recognitions" does not quite measure up to its ambitious title but it is not without merit. A second, revised edition should be even better.



4. This chronicle of a long ramble through parts of Spain by 82-year old (at the time) Mary Lee Settle is far from perfect in its detail and flow, but there is something quite endearing about it. Settle poked into some obscure corners of the country and discovered some fascinating people and places. Her descriptions of each encounter really make readers want to replicate the experience for themselves. The discomforts and limitations of an elderly traveler are unexpectedly interesting. Settle's forbearance and resolve to get on with the trip no matter what are also inspiring. This is an interesting and touching travel memoir that is definitely worth reading, especially if a trip to Spain is being planned by the reader.



5. Mary Lee Settle brings a sparkling sense of wit and passion to this memoir of her journeys through central and southern Spain. Our intrepid traveler made her journey alone, rented a car and drove herself across Spain, not able to speak Spanish. Even more amazing is that she did so at the ripe young age of eighty-two years old!
   
   Spanish Recognitions is generally a pleasant read, although it loses steam in an anticlimactic finale. Settle begins her journey in Spain's capital, Madrid, winds through Castilla (Avila, Tordesillas, Zamora, Salamanca) and into southern Spain (Extremadura and Andalusia). Nary a mention is made of the architectural gems of Barcelona, the quest for an independent Basque country, or the lush green hills and Celtic legacy of Galicia, where bagpipes are the instrument de rigueur.
   
   What Settle brings with her is a keen sense of living history, a touch of the supernatural (one of her visits to a Templar ruin hints at a credibility-straining otherworldly encounter), and decades of traveling experience. She respects Spanish culture and customs, and weaves seamlessly between important (often violent) battles from Spain's past and their effects on the present. Snippets of Spanish legend and folktale round out her explorations of archeological ruins and restoration projects.
   
   Nearly 100 pages are devoted to the Islamic presence in Spain. North African Muslims (Moors) invaded Spain in 711 CE and retained power over a gradually shrinking Spanish kingdom until Ferdinand and Isabel conquered their last remaining stronghold, Granada, in 1492, followed by the expulsion of all Jews and Muslims that same year. This had severe repercussions for Spain, as talented doctors, bankers, craftsmen and scholars were lost and libraries of Arabic texts on medicine and learning, very advanced for their time, were burned during the Inquisition. Settle hints at how the Moorish kingdom was torn apart not by Christian soldiers and mercenaries, but by rival Islamic rulers and increasingly extremist fundamentalists who felt that certain rulers were engaging in un-Islamic behaviors. There is even a mention of Osama Bin Laden, who cited the theft of Al-Andalus (Andalusia) by the Christians in an early videotaped tirade.
   
   The weakest part of the book is by far the final few chapters, which take some of the power away from the excellent musings on Islamic Spain's past glories. There is a sudden, jarring transition away from Granada to theories on Atlantis, of all things. But overall, Settle brings a joyful freshness to a much-written-about destination, with a child's sense of wonder and a love of exploring off the beaten bath. She makes long-lost footnotes of Spanish history come alive in a way that few writers are able to accomplish, and fans of Michener's Iberia will most likely enjoy Spanish Recognitions, as will most anyone who's had the good fortune to travel in Spain.