5 comments about iVideo French: Video Learning for the Igeneration (Ilearn Anywhere).

1. Here's what this disk is for. If you have a basic knowledge of French or a memory of having learned it back in the once-upon-a-time, this will refresh your memory in preparation for a trip. The disk is easy to install and use on both MacBook and iPod, although you'll have to provide your own case for safe-keeping.
   This would probably not be of much help if you were starting from no knowledge at all- at best it would tune your ear to the sound of the language, although the demanding and fussy pronuciation of French might overwhelm this simple disk. It certainly wouldn't work if you wanted any understanding of the structure of the language so that you could apply it in a real setting.



2. The ivideo language program is a great way to brush up on a language you studied many years ago or to learn enogh odf a new language to make yourself known in a foriegn country. Too often we Americans expect others to learn our language while we never try to learn theirs. This program can help change that impression. Try it!



3. Having studied French for five years in the British education system I decided to check this out to see if this would enhance my understanding of the language. While this program is fine for those preparing to travel to France it lacks the comprehensive quality that I was looking for. It, like its Italian cousin, seems largely geared to the casual tourist and if that is you I recommend it.



4. I returned, within the last month, from a trip to France. I took Spanish in high school and some Italian post-college, but beyond "parlez-vous anglais?" and some other basics, French isn't my language.
   
   In preparation for my trip, however, I downloaded many episodes of a free podcast called Coffee Break French. It was not a video cast unless you subrscribed with a fee for their service, but I find them vastly superior to this program even just doing the free (non-video) subscription.
   
   There is no introduction nor explanation in the beginning of the lessons, suddenly people are just repeating phrases (and not useful ones, in lesson one, I might add.) Another review mentioned some dubious pronounciations and I have to agree - based on what I heard in France and based on my other lessons.
   
   I am a fairly quick language learner - I feel that I did well enough in France - but this program wouldn't have helped me near as much as my free podcast did. It just doesn't have the oomph needed to keep people interested, and in fact isn't terribly helpful. Don't waste your money if you're a beginner. I'm not even sure it would be great as a review, as it's so completely boring.
   
   I guess I would look for just a little "more" - the free podcast I used had very personable people, who gave a lot more explanations about what you were saying and why, along with personal examples, differences for what a guy would say or what a girl would say, much more grammar explanations, etc. Watching two people repeat disjointed phrases just doesn't do it for me.



5. iVideo French is a DVD in a plastic case which does not have anywhere to store it once you have opened it up- the original case it comes in is too flimsy, so you had better be sure you have another hard case to store it in if you order this.
   
   When it first comes up on the screen (I ran this in a DVD player on a TV), this is what you will see:
   
   INTRODUCTION
   
   1. Greetings
   Basic words and phrases. A man and woman take turns pronouncing each word twice while the English is on top and the French spelling is on bottom of the screen. You have the option to repeat the section if you like on screen. This is followed by a simple conversation between the man and woman, with English on top of screen and French on the bottom.
   
   Special topic of formal and informal pronouns and verbs. Explains the simple differences.
   
   
   2. Introductions
   How to introduce yourself and meet others. Two women say the simple words = again same format as before which is carried through the DVD.
   A short conversation illustrates how two people meet each other.
   
   Special Topic
   Gender and Grammar - simple explanation of the gender of simple words.
   
   
   3. Do You Speak French
   A man and woman use simple words of description which might help to determine speed, and other words that would be helpful to communicate if you want to find someone who speaks English because you can not understand much French. Bathroom words are included here. Also phrases are included to help you understand if someone is trying to tell you that they don't speak English at all or just a little. Also words to help you tell someone to slow down a bit if they are talking too quickly.
   
   This section is quite long compared to the previous sections. A lot of information is covered here so it will be necessary to repeat this quite a few times.
   
   A simple conversation happens between the young man and woman to help find someone that speaks English and find out some basic important information. (Bathroom)
   
   SPECIAL TOPIC
   French verbs and verb forms are briefly covered here. This is VERY basic.
   
   
   4. Directions
   ASking for and understanding directions. Two women will lead you through simple words and phrases to help you find out how to get somewhere and how to find something. This section is pretty well laid out for most things that you might need to address if you are trying to get directions. The two women stage a conversation of someone who is lost and needs direction from the hotel to a park.
   
   SPECIAL TOPIC
   Finding conveniences. The terms are different for things that we know in the US. Directions are given using landmarks and numbers so be aware of this.
   
   
   
   5. Meeding, Wanting, Having
   Terms and phrases to tell someone what you need or have. There are some verbs shown in their base form and some phrases with the verbs already put into the proper form for the speaker. Family terms and more restroom phrases included here. This section is on the longer side as well. A man and woman have a conversation which you can fill in the blanks to tell someone what you need, want, or have. It allows you to learn the basics.
   
   SPECIAL TOPIC
   Plurals and how to make them. This is very simple and basic.
   
   REVIEW 1
   
   Phrases from all five lessons are taken and you have some time to think of them on your own, they will then tell you the answer and allow you to practice. The viewer is not urged to continue on in lessons until the first five chapters have been mastered.
   
   There are no people visible here, just the words show on the screen to allow you to think more clearly without distraction.
   
   6. Travel
   Airports, cars, passports, trains, and taxis. Words that you need to know to allow you to take transportation. The conversation that is in this section allows you to discuss your documentation that you need to present in order to travel.
   
   SPECIAL TOPIC
   Travel Time, how to talk about time.
   
   
   7. Hotel
   Vocabulary you need for lodging. Words and phrases to get reservations and such for lodging. Conversation shows how to check in for a reservation using your full name.
   
   SPECIAL TOPIC
   Type of lodging that you will find in France. Discussion of different manners of lodging- looking them up on the internet first- not much info here.
   
   
   
   8. Restaurants
   Some words relating to food and eating out. The conversation between two women is a dining out situation in a restaurant with a waitress.
   
   SPECIAL TOPIC
   Restaurant bills and tips.
   
   
   9. Shopping
   Essentials for finding souvenirs and words and phrases so you can do basic shopping. Conversation is a man and woman shopping for souvenirs to bring home to family.
   
   SPECIAL TOPIC
   Currency- how to understand Euro and credit cards. Very brief.
   
   10. Emergency & Pharmacy
   Basic emergency terms. Theft, medical emergency, and loss words are in this section. You can also find more words of this type on the audio appendix. Conversation is between man and woman but they are both acting out different conversations- one is a heart attack and the other is a stolen purse.
   
   SPECIAL TOPIC
   Medical and Law Enforcement. Differences between France and US approach.
   
   
   REVIEW 2
   
   Same process as the first review section.
   
   Credits
   Lesson Menu
   
   
   WHAT IS THIS PROGRAM LIKE?
   
   Nice music reminiscent of Mr Rogers Neighborhood- rolling piano music- comes on and you are given a brief introduction of what to expect when you use the program.
   
   There is an audio appendix and a self-print guide that you can print out via computer.
   
   
   COMMENTS
   
   You can not use the search button to speed forward through the lessons- you have to listen to each lesson completely through if you want to repeat it. That is rather frustrating. I would prefer to be able to forward through the lesson to get to words that I wanted to review.
   
   Also, another thing about this program is that the people that act out the words and conversations are kind of stiff and not as fun to watch with as the Spanish program is. It is a decent program for those who want to quickly learn French enough to survive in France for a trip.
   
   The other advantage is that this program can be used on an Ipod. Supposedly it can be used on MP3 too, but I have not been able to do it, so I am going to say it does not work. If I figure out how to do it, I will update this review, if possible.
   
   
   I wish that this program came with a case, but I think that it is a decent introductory program to learn VERY BASIC essentials of French.
   
   If you are looking for something more substantial, then I would look for something else like Rosetta Stone program or other more foundational French programs.
   
   There is very scanty information on things as far as understanding the language, and I think that it is primarily repetition and learning of basic things trusting that it is going to be correct enough to get you through a trip. If you want to learn how to translate words and such- this program will not help you.
   
   I have given it 4 stars. It is good for what it is, but I am not WOWed by it.
   
   I like the fact that you can use it on portable media so you can take it with you while you travel.

1 comments about The Rough Guides' Madeira Directions 2 (Rough Guide Directions).

1. I bought this Rough Guide for my next holidays, before it was even printed, knowing I would risk not to receive it in time for my departure.
   In the meantime it started popping up unto the shelves of my favourite bookshop, while all of my friends joked me about my pourchase, which I would have needed to resell coming back from holidays.
   But Amazon surprised me again and they delivered it before the scheduled date and I am so far studying it!
   I believe Rough Guide Directions are an even better tipe of guides, for the tourist who wants to grab a good bite of the place with an indepth knowledge without all the fuss of a boring lecture.
   Thanks for asking me. Bianca

No comments about Insight Compact Guide Italian Riviera (Insight Compact Guides Italian Riveria).

5 comments about Seasons in Basilicata: A Year in a Southern Italian Hill Village.

1. I bought this book with high hopes...my husband loves the book "Christ Stopped at Eboli", we've lived in southern Italy for over five years when you add it up (thank you, U. S. Navy!), and the reviews were promising. I have to admit that I was disappointed, and my husband couldn't even bring himself to finish the book. What bothered me most was that the author, who is a veteran travel writer, took himself off to Italy for an extended stay and didn't bother to try to learn more than tourist Italian before he got there, and then didn't manage to improve his language skills once he was settled. Most of the interviews and conversations he describes in the book were translated for him by someone else. Now, I am the first to admit that Italian is a fairly complex language, especially when it comes to verbs. However, I can attest to the fact that it's possible to learn basic Italian by living in Italy and trying very, very hard to speak with everyone, read newspapers, watch TV, etc. The author's failure to do this results in some assessments of southern Italian life that are a little off kilter. For example, his reference to "colpo grosso" in the section about Italian eroticism and TV shows misses the fact that the game show he was watching was a well-known game show with that phrase as its name. (It's now syndicated.) It isn't a genre of TV shows at all.
   
   I did love the author's sketches of the Basilicata region. I wish he'd sketched more and written less, because I would have liked the book a great deal more. Basilicata is indeed a wonderful and under-rated region of Italy. It has much to offer; it's mysterious, beautiful, remote and unique. It's nice to see that publishers are interested in bringing out books that reveal the secrets of the "untouristed" Italy.
   
   In summary, I got the feeling that Mr. Yeadon would have loved his time in Italy even more than he did had he been able to understand more of what people were saying around him, and the fact that he didn't appear to try (based on what he wrote in the book) to learn Italian, or even to get a tutor, really bothered me. He missed out on a lot of the subtleties of Italian life by not learning more of the rich, musical Italian language. Living in Italy is a complicated, rewarding and frustrating experience, but it can be life-changing. The author would have experienced more of the true Italy had he been able to talk more with the people he saw each day.



2. I was attracted to this book because of my recent trips to this region. I commend the author for some of his encounters and descriptions, but I had the constant feeling when he talked about situations without involving himself. I guess this comes from not having a good command of the language. For example, he talks often of the men that gather daily in the square, yet he never seeks them out to discover their histories or conversations. I wanted to push him of his balcony. Forse troppo caffè corretto . . .



3. I picked up this book because I haven't read much about travel in southern Italy. The snippets I read in the bookstore seemed promising. Unfortunately, Yeadon's run-on sentences, excessive use of adjectives, and spelling & punctuation mistakes quickly turned me off. Yeadon is in love with heavily ornamented writing, but does not have the skill needed to make his literary curlicues interesting. The book was at the same level as an amateur's travel blog.
   
   The firm hand of a skillful editor would have made all the difference. The book's topic, many (but not all) of the drawings, and the people and places he describes all have merit. In spite of these things, the book was so bad that I didn't finish it.



4. My sister and I are going to Italy in September of this year and I have been doing research with regards to my Grandmother's village in Missonella, Basilicata, Southern Italy, and I had found nothing at all regarding her village until David Yeadon's wonderful book and sketches, he had sketched two pictures of my grandmother's village. I love his book and I have to admit his descriptions of the food and people were fantastic. He made you want the food so bad you could almost smell it cooking. David should think of writing a cooking book. From David's description of my grandmother's village it is a goat trail on the side of a mountain. And my sister and I are not that adventerous, we are going with Perillo Tours, because we have never left the United States and need our hand held....maybe another time, the closest we will be is Naples and that is where she left from, so we are happy and so pleased with his book, I bought copies for all my sisters, brothers and children, 8 copies so far.... thank you so much for the sketches, I would have loved to see his photographs of the region so I would know some of my heritage. Denise Philley



5. Actually 2.5 stars. I was given the book by a friend. The two of us went to Italy in 2000, and having family roots in nearby Calabria, I looked forward to reading the work. Unfortunately that desire was short-lived. Now the author, Mr. Yeadon is a good artist. His sketchings of the land of Basilicata were fantastic. They made his descriptive words about the region come to life.
   
   But his words were less than what I hoped for, in the work. I feel that quite often his descriptions of Basilicatans come from his looking down his nose at the people. I believe that he was quick to point out their foibles and brokenness. That is fine if there is a concomitant description of their giftedness. He spent too much time writing on the dark side of "these Italians", and the "Italian way of life". It sure could make one look elsewhere for a vacation. I believe that Carlo Levi was more sympathetic.
   
   I feel that Mr. Levi was quoted way too often. His name was dropped here, there and everywhere. One gets the feeling that Basilicata is worthwhile only because Carlo Levi stopped by.
   
   There is a tendency in the modern work--fiction or non-fiction--to denigrate the Catholic Church. Mr. Yeadon is no different. Why is that? While Mr. Levi was held up as a model, and the "pagani" ways supported, the Church was ridiculed. I don't think that is fair, because the Church does a lot of good for people, despite her foibles.
   
   There is just a little too much of Mr. Yeadon in the book, he plays too large a role, and seems to be unable to be objective in his account. I don't know if I will read another of his works. Maybe.

No comments about Italian Bed and Breakfasts: A Caffelletto Guide (Italian Bed and Breakfasts).

5 comments about Climbing Brandon: Science and Faith on Ireland's Holy Mountain.

1. Raymo does it again! As in his book: "Skeptics and True Believers", his continuing search for harmony between religion and science leading to universal admiration and awe of God's creation, he writes a compelling argument for removing the detritus of dogma and the sterility of science- not that easy for a person who was brought up on Catholicism and schooled in science (physics, astronomy) where he started to articulate his personal misgivings about strict dogma and contradictions.
   
   Climbing Brandon was written at his part time home in Ireland on the Dingle Peninsula near the foot Mt Brandon where pilgrims/tourist come from all parts of the world to walk the paths and visit the contemplation centers of long passed saints and monks, i.e., St Patrick, Brendan, et al.
   
   With geographical descriptions, especially those garnered from various view points in the surrounding mountains where past contemplatives meditated/prayed, poetical/prayerful/anecdotal/scholarly treatments of Irish/Celtic religious history, including numerous citations, this beautiful book comes off as part: Travel Guide (and watch out- after reading this book, one might be compelled to drop everything and go tour the region!), a crash course in Irish/Celtic cultural history (Paganism, Pantheism, Christianity, etc.), Religio/Science dissertation, etc.
   
   The premise that God is in all and not the exclusive property of humans (anthropomorphism) is cited in an early Irish poem attributed to one of the "Milesian" princes, Amergin: "Song of Amergin" or "The Mystery". Think of everything that exists and the poem covers it- this is God. Same notion as in the sermon of St Columbanus which ends with: [Those who wish to know God, he says,] "must first review the natural world". This same notion is put forth with citations from: Thomas Berry , E.O. Wilson, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin and many others. Thanks again to Chet Raymo for another beautiful, thought provoking book!



2. I only recently reencountered the writings of Chet Raymo. For some number of years a first edition copy of HONEY FROM STONE has graced my bookshelf. This summer though I picked up a copy of NATURAL PRAYERS and THE SOUL OF THE NIGHT the latter of which was my favorite, that is until I read CLIMBING BRANDON.
   
   For anyone with a passion for Raymo's dense yet wonderfully expressive writing style so reminescent of Loren Eiseley's best, for anyone captivated by the tensions posed by the mysteries of science and faith, and for all of us who are fascinated with things Celtic, you can't do better. This is a prayerful book -- there is no better companion to climb and discover the mysteries of Mount Brandon with than with Chet Raymo.
   R. Bruce Craig



3. Climbing Brandon by Chet Raymo was a little bit of a disappointment to me. The last book I read by Raymo, Walking Zero, felt like being in a college science class with a great, enthusiastic instructor. This book just wasn't as engaging. While Raymo does a good job with his descriptions, they tend to be a bit dry. If ever a book called out for pictures or illustrations, this is it. I'm not familiar with all of the terms for parts of mountains so when he talks about a corrie or a moraine, I'm lost as to what I should be picturing in my mind. The book is supposed to trace Irish faith with the history of Mount Brandon, and I felt that Raymo wandered from that goal a bit often as well. He says over and over that the Celts infused their brand of Christianity with their naturalistic beliefs, but he never gives any examples of it. Ultimately it seems that the book is about Raymo's own search for faith and God, and I ended up feeling a little sad for him. He decries the belief in a transcendant God who answers intercessory prayer and cites double blind studies proving that it doesn't work. But then he offers prayer himself to a immanent God who exists in all of nature and is worth of praise and thanksgiving for the beauty of creation. Raymo is missing the most important part of God: the personal relationship and joy of talking to a God you know is listening. I get the opinion that Raymo isn't done with his search, and I hope that he finds what he's looking for.



4. Mr. Raymo has a seasonal home near Mt. Brandon, has climbed the peak dozens of times and clearly loves the region and its history. The author interweaves tales of local natural and human history - both documented and legendary - with religious history, a smattering of Irish literature and his personal experiences on Mt. Brandon. But this book fails, in my opinion, to capture the feel and atmosphere, much less the spiritual aspect of the region of the Holy Mountain.
   
   Instead the author focuses on how his interpretation of pre-Christian and early-Christian Celtic spirituality - mostly conjectural due to absence of contemporaneous written records - contrasts with what in his view is the rigid, obsolete, anti-human, anti-science Roman Catholic dogma that came to dominate pre-Enlightenment Europe as well as Ireland. That's the same dogma taught to Raymo in his alter boy childhood, a worldview he totally rejects in favor of the "truth" of contemporary western science which Raymo asserts is only reasonable modern worldview (Try telling that to the mullahs!).
   
   At the same time Raymo keeps referring to the need for the scientific world view to incorporate "mystery" as a means to meet what he acknowledges is an innate human need for spiritual matters. But the religion-rejecting author never explains how this can be done. As near as I can tell he endorses - seeming for others but not himself - a return to a sort of pantheism that encourages people to replace prayer - demonstratably meaningless according to Raymo - with exaltation and celebration of daily natural phenomenon such as a mountain sunrise. In the single instance in which Raymo tells of a semi-supernatural personal experience - a solitary night vigil in an ancient Christian church in which he becomes "spooked" by his sense of an unseen "presence" - the entire experience is explained in the light of day - to himself at least - by the discovery of a bird's nest with newborn birds just above where he sat in the dark during the night. Mystery solved, once again, by science. Apparently Raymo thinks only other people - those too weak-minded, unlike himself, to boldly live in the "real" world where human logic and reason reign supreme - should experience or even believe in the possibility of mystery.
   
   Finally, Raymo's obsession with Roman Catholicism's supposed blight on human thinking and history limits his ability to assess the reasonable proposition that a lot of the early Irish Christian church's supposed (superior) Celtic spirituality actually came, at least in part, from its documented historical connections directly with what we now refer to as Orthodox Christianity as opposed to the Roman variety.
   
   There's an excellent generalized map of southwestern Ireland opposite the title page (a much needed map of the Mt. Brandon region is lacking), some nice sketches of local scenes illustrate the start of each chapter and there are reference notes and an index. The most interesting hisorical tidbits involved the author's version of the origin and practice of celebrating "cross dates" that evolved into Groundhog Day, May Day and Halloween.
   
   Recommended to those who enjoy one-sided arguments for Mr. Raymo's worldview, but of limited interest for those seeking information to explore the Dingle Peninsula and its fascinating history, landscape and residents, much less, may I say, its spiritual aspects and opportunities.



5. Mr. Raymo has a seasonal home near Mt. Brandon, has climbed the peak dozens of times and clearly loves the region and its history. The author interweaves tales of local natural and human history - both documented and legendary - with religious history, a smattering of Irish literature and his personal experiences on Mt. Brandon. But this book fails, in my opinion, to capture the feel and atmosphere, much less the spiritual aspect of the region of the Holy Mountain.
   
   Instead the author focuses on how his interpretation of pre-Christian and early-Christian Celtic spirituality - mostly conjectural due to absence of contemporaneous written records - contrasts with what in his view is the rigid, obsolete, anti-human, anti-science Roman Catholic dogma that came to dominate pre-Enlightenment Europe as well as Ireland. That's the same dogma taught to Raymo in his alter boy childhood, a worldview he totally rejects in favor of the "truth" of contemporary western science which Raymo asserts is only reasonable modern worldview (Try telling that to the mullahs!).
   
   At the same time Raymo keeps referring to the need for the scientific world view to incorporate "mystery" as a means to meet what he acknowledges is an innate human need for spiritual matters. But the religion-rejecting author never explains how this can be done. As near as I can tell he endorses - seeming for others but not himself - a return to a sort of pantheism that encourages people to replace prayer - demonstratably meaningless according to Raymo - with exaltation and celebration of daily natural phenomenon such as a mountain sunrise. In the single instance in which Raymo tells of a semi-supernatural personal experience - a solitary night vigil in an ancient Christian church in which he becomes "spooked" by his sense of an unseen "presence" - the entire experience is explained in the light of day - to himself at least - by the discovery of a bird's nest with newborn birds just above where he sat in the dark during the night. Mystery solved, once again, by science. Apparently Raymo thinks only other people - those too weak-minded, unlike himself, to boldly live in the "real" world where human logic and reason reign supreme - should experience or even believe in the possibility of mystery.
   
   Finally, Raymo's obsession with Roman Catholicism's supposed blight on human thinking and history limits his ability to assess the reasonable proposition that a lot of the early Irish Christian church's supposed (superior) Celtic spirituality actually came, at least in part, from its documented historical connections directly with what we now refer to as Orthodox Christianity as opposed to the Roman variety.
   
   There's an excellent generalized map of southwestern Ireland opposite the title page (a much needed map of the Mt. Brandon region is lacking), some nice sketches of local scenes illustrate the start of each chapter and there are reference notes and an index. The most interesting hisorical tidbits involved the author's version of the origin and practice of celebrating "cross dates" that evolved into Groundhog Day, May Day and Halloween.
   
   Recommended to those who enjoy one-sided arguments for Mr. Raymo's worldview, but of limited interest for those seeking information to explore the Dingle Peninsula and its fascinating history, landscape and residents, much less, may I say, its spiritual aspects and opportunities.

No comments about Europe Made Easy: The Best Walks of Berlin (Europe Made Easy).

3 comments about eat.shop.paris: The Indispensible Guide to Stylishly Unique, Locally Owned Eating and Shopping (eat.shop guides series).

1. If you are sick of all the Frommers, Lonely Planet Guides etc, - or you have absorbed all they have to give you, have a look at this gorgeous little guide. Great photos, brief but informative and personal narrative. I have been to Paris several times, but plan to take this guide with me next time - just to find those little shops that you might not go into without a nudge, and actually ALL of the cafes look good!!



2. On a recent trip to Paris, this was the only "guide book" my husband and I used...and each recommendation was a pleasant surprise. Unique locations in each arrondissement and a variety of meal options from traditional French dinners to low-key drinks. The shops were unique and interesting as well. This book fills a void for those looking for something off the beaten track and with a strong dose of French flair. I will highly recommend this book to my friends traveling to Paris!



3. Beautiful photography, concise writing, enticing descriptions---I already have the basic travel guides telling me how to exchange money and get around on the train, this guide tells what to do to have a truly Parisian experience. If you love locally owned restaurants and boutiques, this is like pornography. Absolutely yummy.

No comments about Barcelona Then and Now (Then & Now Thunder Bay).

No comments about Fodor's Spanish for Travelers (Phrase Book), 3rd Edition (Fodor's Languages/Travelers).