5 comments about Frommer's Switzerland (Frommer's Complete).

1. This was a great guide for us while driving in Switzerland. Frommer's recommendations and descriptions for places to stay and site-see were fairly accurate. When they list a five star hotel as such, believe it. They also included mini walking tours in various cities ... it was great!!! What a fantastic way to get aquainted with unknown spots!!!!



2. I purchased a copy of this book to help with my summer research internship in Switzerland in 2001, and found it to be less useful than the Rough Guides.

   The Fromer book is written as a fairly terse reference book, listing a few restaurants, hotels of various price ranges, and not much else for the different cities. Sure, there are listings of attractions for the different cities, but the way they are presented is not very helpful to plan trips. On the other hand, the Rough Guides have suggestions on things to do for the different places.

   So all in all, it depends on your style of planning but I feel that this book is more suited to business travelers.




3. I find this guide to be well organized and comprehensive.
   The walking tours of the major cities is the feature I like
   best, but there are also descriptions of major attractions
   which help one decide which to see and which to miss if time
   is short. I had an older Frommer's Switzerland guide and find
   the format improved in this edition over the 1994-95 one.
   The one objection I have is that in the listings of side
   trips such as to neighboring villages, too often the only
   directions given are by car. Perhaps there are no other ways
   to get there, but I would have liked it if they had said so,
   such as "No access by train or bus."



4. I have been to Switzerland many times. Recently I sat down with my daughter who has worked at a hotel at Interlaken in Switzerland during her years in Business Administration at McGill - up to last summer - and we went over the Switzerland guides to see how they ranked, and what was currently the best guide in our humble opinions. We are not experts but have certain requirements and preferences. It helps if one can get a feel for the area in advance of a trip, and generally that is helped by good maps and color photos. So those guides do better in our review. We like to make reservations by internet and telephone and just use the Guide as a "guide".
   
   Generally it costs more to publish a book with color photos so when all else is reasonably equal, one feels that they get better value with a guide with photos. Also we wanted to see if the ambiance at certain hotels and resorts was accurately portrayed in the text based on our knowledge. So those aspects of the guides determine our ranking. Incidentally all the books are excellent. When we did our review the new DK Eyewitness guide was not yet available, but in any case it will be short, under 400 pages.
   
   For the Swiss guides we separated the guides into three groups, 5, 4, and 3 stars.
   
   5 Stars (this group has nice color photos plus maps and text).
   
   A. Green Guide to Switzerland published February 2001 by Michelin, 395 pages, $14., ranked 24,380 on Amazon.com, 0.64" x 9.4" x 4.7", lots of photos, maps, text, accurate portrayal of areas. Gives a nice idea of what you will find. Goes right down to small villages in detail even though it is just 395 pages. First choice.
   
   B. Lonely Planet Switzerland published July 2003, 335 pages, $ 14., ranked 29,913 on Amazon.com, .69" x 6.42" x 6.5". Solid effort, lots of good photos and descriptions.
   
   4 Stars (this group mainly text and maps).
   
   C. Rough Guide to Switzerland published June 2003, 704 pages, $13.27, ranked 30,209 on Amazon.com, 1.08" x 7.8" x 6.38". Solid effort lots of things to see and do and best "text and maps only" books.
   
   D. Frommer's Switzerland published February 2003, 512 pages, $15.39, ranked 47,638 on Amazon.com, 1.1" x 8.5" x 5.08". Similar to Rough Guide but shorter.
   
   E. Fodor's Guide to Switzerland 42 edition, published December 2002, 448 pages, $14.7, ranked highest in group on Amazon.com at 3,172, 1.2" x 8.98" x 5.01". The smallest in the group, do not know why it is so popular?.
   
   3 Stars
   
   F. Michelin Red Guide published in 2004, 563 pages but in four languages: Italian, French, German and English so English sections are just a fraction of the book.



5. This is the only book I bought for my trip to Switzerland, and I was able to get by very well with it. I visted Zurich, Lucerne, Lugano, Bern, Interlaken, Zermatt, Montreaux, Lausanne, and Geneva, and found the book to have all the information I needed for each city.
   
   The format is easy to use, with listings of hotels, restaurants, tourist attractions, bars, nightclubs, etc., for each city, and the book includes info on virtually every city and town in Switzerland that a tourist could want to see. For major cities, the book even has maps showing where hotels, restaurants and tourist attractions are located, as well as more detailed maps of proposed "walking tours."
   
   There are no photos of Switzerland in this book, except on the front and back cover. Although the lack of photos doesn't bother me, if you want photos of Switzerland in your guide book, I would suggest the DK Eyewitness guide.

5 comments about No Vulgar Hotel: The Desire and Pursuit of Venice.

1. I agree with the other posters that Judith Martin's tone is self-adulatory to the point of self indulgence. That, of course, isn't my favorite part of this book. However there is new stuff here that I didn't know and I've been returning "home" to Venice regularly for many years.
   I actually bought this book hoping, among other things, to learn about hat etiquette (as excerpted on this Amazon page), since I sometimes wear a hat in Venice and would hate to be doing it the wrong way. I didn't find it, and that's a shame. Advising on such matters is--or ought to be--the author's forte. Imho it's too bad Miss Manners didn't write this book.
   (By the way, another poster mentioned something called the "Venice Card," which is a discount gimmick for the tourists. This is quite different from the city-issued photo I.D. which allows a resident to purchase the monthly vaporetto pass for 30 euro, and this is what Martin was writing about. I didn't find it too awfully difficult to obtain, but maybe that has changed. My own abbonamento expired years ago but the brusque lady behind the counter still honors it every time, bless her heart.)



2. This is a book without a purpose, beyond the self-adulation of the author. It has nothing new which is relevant to Venice nor is it insightful about its history, culture, or physical presence. There is not even anything relevatory about her experience in the city. These are simply Ms. Martin's musings about a city that she likes a lot. Unfortunately, it's hard to care.



3. Cute title. After that this book sinks into the canal. I agree with another poster I do not think Ms Martin wrote much of this book. If she did she should be ashamed.
   
   If you want to read a good book about Venice read CITY OF THE FALLING ANGELS. Or read any Donna Leon book all set in Venice and all excellent mysteries that are filled with the life of the people of Venice.
   
   This book is just boring!



4. Judith Martin ought to be placed in quarantine as the most threatening carrier of a communicable disease since Typhoid Mary. Her 'No Vulgar Hotel' not only threatens to spread Venetophilia (her coinage, it seems) among the uninefected at epidemic strength; it may well render milder fevers than hers terminally virulent. Beware, after reading this delightful book, of the usual symptoms of this incurable contagion -- the urge to buy and repair decaying, waterlogged and insanely overpriced palazzi, the wearing of scary masks other than on Hallowe'en, a fascination with saints and saint's relics, the adoption of Venetian ancestors (whether they're actually ancestral or not), the collection of gimcracks and gismos whose only value is a tenuous connection with Venice, and not least the impulse to go to bad or mediocre movies merely because they have pictorial connections with Venice; and finally, at the risk of drowning, to go into training as amateur gondoliers." -- Edwin M. Yoder Jr., author of "Lions at Lamb House" and other books.



5. I confess. I have a poster-sized repro of the 1500 deBarbari map on the wall of my study and I fly the standard of San Marco at my house. If Venice is in the marrow of your bones as it is in mine, you will probably laugh and cry your way through the meandering narration of this book as I have. However, I would not recommend this book to the novice. There is a bit too much of the esoteric and self-indulgent to be really useful as a tourist guide. You decide.

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

5 comments about Milan & The Lakes (Eyewitness Travel Guides).

1. The eyewitness books are very good guiding books and Milan & the lakes did not dissapoint me. It is going to be very useful when I go to Milan.



2. This book was very helpful to read before going to Milano and Lago Maggiore.
   
   I admit we did not do a whole lot of sightseeing at the lake, as it was a relaxing vacation vs. a run-around-and-see-stuff vacation. However, the information provided was substantial.



3. This is a great travelling guide with all the details I need in a good price.



4. This book has served as an outstanding resource during my one-week trip to Milan, Italy - or should I say Milano? It's very well-organized, to the point, and provides moderate information for multiple neighborhoods along with regular touristy stuff. What I love about DK Publishing, in general, is extensive use of pictures, thick gloss paper, use of multiple colors, and practical color-coding; and this book offers all of these elements.
   
   I personally cannot justify spending a week reading Fodor's for one-week trip. So I love this layout; it's so easy to consume that you can scan it on a JFK->MXP flight, and the book is small-enough to carry in your overcoat pocket. The author covers various aspects of everyday tourist life, such as sight-seeing, commute, dining, shopping, and detailed neighborhood maps.
   
   Please note: it's a city-specific guide, so it may not appeal to many tourists because most tourists would plan on visiting multiple cities on a trip to Italy. If your destination is only Milan and its surrounding areas, I would strongly recommend this guide.
   
   Felice Viaggio!



5. I recently visited Milan and the Lakes and this book was by far my saving grace. It was my first time visiting Milan and I was able to navigate myself around as if I was a local! Some of my favorite things about the book are the following:
   1. The book is broken up by the sections of Milan i.e. Northwest, Northeast, Historic Center etc. This made my daily planning very easy!
   2. Each highlighted historic site has a brief background and summary about its amazing past along with a "visitor's checklist". It was my private tour guide!
   3. A subway map is included to make getting around the city effortless.
   4. A map was included (with detailed street names) for each section.
   5. Finally, a Travel Information section is included to aid you through purchasing train tickets for regional or internal travel. Getting to the Lakes and Switzerland was a breeze!
   
   Overall, I HIGHLY recommend this book and I look forward to purchasing other "DK" books in the future.

5 comments about Germany (Eyewitness Travel Guides).

1. Is this is the first time you 're looking for a tourist guide...don't look anymore, this is the one you want. I was looking for a good guide to go around Germany, while I'm here, and this one just work perfectly me, it gives you a little map of the mayor cities with all the hot spots and an introduction to German history in general and useful travel tips, they also cover all the german states... beautifully illustrated, with a lot of pictures and very useful information. It's an awesome guide!!



2. I have traveled to Germany many times for business, and I can say that this book has all the information that you need. Look no further for your personal travel guide!



3. I purchased this book as a guide, but found it was probably better than any "personal" guide as it is heavily stocked with beautiful pictures, maps, diagrams, and descriptions of castles and other sites.
   
   I like the way the country is sectioned off...by region, etc. At the back of the book are great traveler tips and a list of lodging and dining recommendations.
   
   The size of the book is traveler friendly too with a water-proof cover. This would fit nicely in a woman's purse.
   
   This is a beautiful and handy book to look at even if you don't plan to go anywhere.



4. This is a wonderful book! I gave it to my father for an upcoming family trip to Germany. It provided us with lots of extra information about specific sites and general history of each town. The graphics and photographs are great and add to the usefulness of the book. A must buy for those traveling throughout Germany!



5. I heard about DK guides through several friends of mine.
   
   I visisted Munich and Bamburg. I found the pictures and recommended walks to be very helpful.
   
   I have two major issues with the guide. The first is that it is light on hotels and restaurants. Their idea of moderately expensive is also outside of the range of most younger travelers. Their hotel and restaurant recommendations are, however, very well suited to couples and well-off travelers. Unlike Lonely Planet Guides, DK focuses on the sites and culture of the locations in it. It does not go into internet sites, hostels, laundry sites or rail/bus information. This makes is slightly incomplete for less structured travelers, like myself.
   
   This focus on the cultural aspects of locations at the expense of more extensive travel data, however, makes this book nice and compact and much easier to carry around than the Lonely Planet guide. The cover is tough and durable and has very well designed flaps for marking your location.
   
   My second issue came when I visited the city of Bamburg. I decided to do this at the last minute and so this book was my only guide. I took the railroad and was disappointed when I looked at the map and found that it focused only on the town center and did not show such useful information as to where I was when I stepped out of the railroad station. I had to purchase another map for what was a fairly simple city. I also found my own hotel as the cheapest one in the book for Bamburg was 110 Euros for a single person room. The guide also only gave passing mention to the breweries that made Bamburg famous and did not recommend any or give locations. While I admire architecture and churches, Bamburg is famous for its rauch beer and breweries and these are significant cultural aspects too.

No comments about Time Out Paris (Time Out Guides).

4 comments about Eyewitness: Russia.

1. If you are afraid that you need to read War and Peace to learn about Russia, fear not. Russia (Eyewitness Books) succinctly and beautifully illustrates the life and people of Russia. The content is a bit deep for the audience of 9 to 12 year olds. But there is something here for lovers of things Russian of any age.



2. A few years ago, my father came home from a trip to Russia, he brought some matroyoshka nesting dolls and a gold toned porcelain hand painted serving dish. Now that one of my best friends is living in Russia, I was even more interested in seeing what her new world looks like.

   As the largest country in the world, there is so much to see although I would not mind heading over there to see a Siberian tiger! You will love the pictures of the ice festival in which the winter is enlivened with sculptures carved out of ice. There is also some interesting history to the story.

   This is a journey from Early Russia to the New Russia. While this book is written for children, adults will find it very interesting for the historical details alone.

   Educational!




3. Not so much a travel guide... As a look at Russian history.



4. My teen-aged son is fascinated by all things Russian. I wanted to get him a book that wasn't too little kiddie but also one that wasn't a slog to read through. This book is a children's book but it has lots of pictures and enough information to keep a teen or adult interested. My son has several books in the Eyewitness series and they're consistently good books. Eyewitness Russia is no exception.

3 comments about Dordogne and Southwest France (EYEWITNESS TRAVEL GUIDE).

1. Great book - as usual from DK guides. Very comprehesive, well illustrated - makes you feel you are there.



2. The first of the Eyewitness Travels Guides that did not meet my expectations. Sights and cities recommended were let-downs, and omitting unusual opening hours was a nuisance. Overall it was a disappointment.



3. Like most DK Traveler Guides, this one on the Bordeaux region of France is outstanding for the general traveler. The combination of images and text; the ease of use; and the compactness of its size all argue for being your first choice as a travel guide.

3 comments about Fodor's The Complete Guide to European Cruises, 1st Edition: A cruise lover's guide to selecting the right trip with all the best ports of call (Fodor's Gold Guides).

1. I Purchase for the references to river travel and found the information containded in the book to be highly informative. Well worth the expenditure.
   
   D. P. Richarme



2. So many brochures in the mail, touting this mediterranean
   cruise, but which one is best?
   This is the book!



3. As a first time cruiser doing the Med in June/July 2008, the timing of this book couldn't have been better for me. The profiles of the cruise lines and ships are nowhere near as comprehensive as those in Douglas Ward's Berlitz Guide, but they do provide a reasonable overview.
   
   Where this book comes into its own is in the port profiles and advice section, which should be very helpful for those considering exploring ports of call independently, rather than taking ship's excursions.
   
   The information is clear and concise, and the maps are very handy.

5 comments about Round Ireland with a Fridge.

1. Tony Hawks is a legend. Absolutly brilliant.... one of the few books which have actually made me laugh out loud. Be wary of reading in public places because the constant smile/giggling to yourself can prove to be a little socially akward.



2. 'Round Ireland With a Fridge' is the first of Tony Hawks' two books inspired by a loony bet with a friend. I liked this book well enough, but I think it falls a bit short in comparison with his 2004 follow-up, Playing the Moldovans at Tennis, which I think is pure genius - an inspiring work never to be dislodged from my Top 10. It's brilliant.
   
   In 'Round Ireland,' I give Tony credit for recognizing the role that morning DJ Gerry Ryan had in his success. Ryan literally put the whole country on alert for Tony. He set the tone for Hawks' circumnavigation of the Isle when he called it "a totally purposeless idea, but a d-mn fine one." That Ireland rallied to that call is a testament to a wonderful country and its good-natured people.



3. I plan to order several more copies of this book and give it to many of my friends. It makes me laugh out loud! Very well written.



4. This is a laugh-out-loud funny book. After reading it, I wanted to visit Ireland. Sure, the premise of the book is a bit ridiculous. Traveling around Ireland with fridge to win a bet. However, the author consistently points this out himself. The people he meets are interesting, and his take on them (and the adventure as a whole) is well written and worth reading. As a bonus for those who can't read, there are many pictures in the middle of the book.



5. I enjoyed this book about Tony's adventures in Ireland. Like the cover says--he made a drunken bet no one expected him to keep, kept it anyway, and ended up with this adventure.
   
   I, and several others in my bookclub, have no desire to see the stand up comedian in person. He didn't really come off as a funny guy in the book, particularly because he bombed both times he had a chance to show his stuff, but the book is delightful because it is peopled with quirky unforgettable characters and there's a wry humor in the writing.
   
   SPOILER:
   Tony's success in getting around Ireland with the fridge was definitely due to the call-in radio show that followed him from the beginning. He hardly struggled to hitch. Or find a place to sleep. Or eat. But that never diminished my desire to continue reading. It actually made me want to read more--to see how popular the guy could get. The adventure was fun to follow to the end, which was the funniest part of the book with its wonderfully anticlimactic kitchen appliance parade. I think the Irish people redeemed themselves there.
   
   Don't read this book to discover Ireland--it's not a travel story of that sort. You do get some nice imagery/descriptions, but not enough to make it a standout feature of the book. You get more about the people than the land.
   
   One neg is that I really don't feel like I know Tony Hawks much by the end of the book. You know more about some of the Irish characters than you know about him. Very little background info/motivation for actions, etc. is offered, and I wonder why. A little bit (not a ton) of that would have improved the story for me. Another neg is that the book made it seem as if all of Ireland is drunk all the time. It might be because Tony hung out mainly in bars, but it seemed like an unfair implication (then again, I am very unfamiliar with Ireland and Irish people).
   
   In the end, this is a fun read about a crazy adventure in Ireland.