5 comments about Ireland (Eyewitness Travel Guides).

1. The ET Guide combines good, accurate detail on a wide variety of locations with lush, color illustrations throughout. The close-up maps of prime tourist destinations were particularly good. It's not as good as Lonely Planet in covering secondary destinations, but its coverage of the major destinations, such as Dublin, is more focused and more useful for those on short trips.



2. After using my DK Germany guide while in Germany I will never travel to another country without having bought the book for it. DK Publishing is true to their rich informative heritage with this Ireland guide and offer an expansive amount of information in a compact and retainable form. This product is a must-buy if you are heading to Ireland any time soon.



3. Bought this guidebook for our trip to Ireland in 2007. Incredibly useful for picking out things to do/see, places to visit, what to avoid. There were even maps of the floorplans for historic buildings! This book was dog-eared long before the trip and carried in the totebag every day. Dublin seems to have a phobia with street signs so I used the hotel listings in the back to determine how much further was the walk from that hotel to Trinity College - worked like a charm! Galway was far and away the best part of the trip due to the extensive recommendations. And County Meath - we would never had gone to the mid-lands if not for this book and I am so glad that we did go. Trim was quaint and charming and convenient for traveling around castle gazing and visiting the Bru na Boinne and Tara.
   
   Best advice from this book: ride the Iarnrod Eireann (train) cross country rather than driving - it's quicker, hassle-free and cheaper than car rental and a tank of very expensive European gasoline (buy tickets on-line while in America to cut down on the fees for turning dollars into the Euro). We also hired a driver for the day we spent traveling about the Bru and the fee was cheaper than renting a car. Not to mention you don't have to worry about getting lost on those very narrow, very winding roads. I still thumb through this book remembering how great our trip was....



4. This guide is very informative and very visual. It makes it a lot easier to know what to expect when you get to Ireland and gives some great suggestions. Most important to me is the thumbnail history of Ireland... up to now my interest in Ireland has been indirect; in other words, it has always been about Ireland in relation to England the the British Empire.
   
   I'm looking forward to using this book during our summer vacation this year!



5. Ireland worth a visit and this guide will be very helpful. Great country and great people! Dia duit!

5 comments about We've Always Had Paris...and Provence: A Scrapbook of Our Life in France.

1. Let me start by saying that I have copies of all of Patricia Wells's cookbooks and generally like them. "Bistro Cooking" is a particular favorite. This book, however, was a chore to read and rather than enhancing my opinion of her as a person it nearly negated everything. The book is co-authored with her journalist husband--with each taking turns with alternate chapters. They come off as very shallow, self-absorbed, and self-serving people. The book is riddled with black and white photographs--most looking canned and posed as if for an advertisement for her cooking school. It was just too much to hear about her beauty and exercise regime--eyelash curling and all. Upon seeing a woman in the street that looked haggered and spent, her husband turns to her and applauds Patricia's efforts in not letting herself go as this woman obviously had. Just too awful to bear reading this stuff. I don't know what I expected this book to be--but certainly not this. If it weren't so much trouble I would return it to Amazon.



2. What a delightful book! As a browsed through the bookstore, I wasn't sure what to pick up. The title intrigued me and I sat down to browse the book. 95 pages later, I had to buy the book. I couldn't put down the wonderful love story that weaves throughout the book. I most of all love the sense of humor for love, fashion, food, and Paris! My time is limited when reading for pleasure and this book is on my top 5!



3. This was my introduction to Patricia Wells, about whom I've heard and read so much over the years. Her cookbooks may be wonderful, but the writing in this book certainly is not. The language is uninspired and the details she and her journalist husband choose to share about themselves are almost embarrassing. There also wasn't a single recipe that sounded appealing. The descriptions of Provence were lovely, and it's nice that they've made such a happy life for themselves, but somehow the way they present it all just comes off wrong. Readers would be much better served by picking up Jacques Pepin's charming memoir, The Apprentice.



4. some of the anecdotes are interesting, i found overall the book was a featherweight and self- aggrandizing.



5. The book is a charming account of a life in France.
   It might seem self-indulgent, but one should note
   the humble origins of the authors.

1 comments about Michelin Red Guide 2008 France: Restaurants & Hotels (Michelin Red Guide: France).

1. An invaluable guide to good accommodation in France
   Reliable also for the best resyaurants in the country a useful purchase

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

1. A very helpful, reliable and up-to-date guide book. It's clearly and concisely written with enough information to help you decide what you want to see in the area. It provides maps of major areas for those navigating by car to find tourist sites.



2. It had guides on where to stay and how to get around... didn't offer much in the way of background information/history that actually makes the site-seeing interesting!
   
   Also, most of the 3-star rated restaurants or high-rated hotels, I would downgrade a bit. I'm not sure they lived up to all of the hype.



3. I found this latest guide to be just what I was looking for. This covered all the areas of interest to me and gave specific info as to accomodations, travel time, and helpful hints. It has enough glossy photos and the layout was easy to follow. A good purchase!



4. Took the Lonely Planet (published in 2006) and Frommer's (published in 2008) to Greece. The somewhat out-dated LP is so much better than the Frommer's and we used LP almost exclusively after the first 3 days. The Frommer's maps are frustrating and misleading. There is no (bus) directions for day trips out of Athens so you must either drive or join a tour. The information (history, background, etc) is fine but you can find similar information on the LP too.



5. If you're going to Greece, buy this book. I booked my hotels and got all my travel info from this book! The book is complete and current!

5 comments about Italy (Country Guide).

1. My friend bought this guide for our trip through Italy this summer. Our trip went through Venice, Florence and Rome, with side trips into Tuscany and Naples/Pompeii. This book contains information on so many different places that it does not provide much useful information on any one city. We felt so lost in Venice and Florence with the scant information provided in this book that we ended up buying the LP Rome City Guide when we got to Rome. You would be much better off buying individual city guides before you leave the US though because travel books are very expensive once you're in the city. I have used many LP books over the years for both domestic and international travel, but I would recommend city books from now on.



2. This book tells you everything you need to know about Italy. Anyone who is planning to visit Italy should read this before they go. It is full of good information and will help you to get the most from your trip.



3. Decent range of information, though some more specificity would be nice-especially in Venice. They had very little on accommodations or dining there.



4. I bought this book before I went to Italy and planned to use it to guide me around. When I was there, I found the book is good for reading, but is not useful at all when you need to rely on it to go around. The very few maps in the book are very general and lack of details. You can't tell where you're and what you're looking at if you only have this book. I had to buy some other books there so that I don't miss the great things at the places I visited.



5. I did a multiple country tour across Europe and I will preface my review with the disclaimer that I only ended up seeing Venice while I was in Italy so all my comment pertain to the Lonely Planet's section on this city.
   
   The section on Venice was not as helpful as other Lonely Planet guides that I have had the pleasure of using with my travels. The maps, while accurate and useful for approximate locating, will need to supplemented with another map (either the Lonely Planet's or one purchased when you get there).
   
   The hotel reviews were good, but I would also use the internet more as I found a nice cheap hotel not listed in their guide just walking through the city. Their review of the usefulness of the Venice Pass was also spot on - ie you will have to work hard and smart get your money's worth.

5 comments about Rick Steves' France 2008 (Rick Steves).

1. We've used other books of Rick Steves to travel by and not been disappointed, so we're looking forward to all of the helpful advice that he has to give us. We're not traveling until the fall, so I won't know if the advice is good or bad.



2. Rick's latest book on travelling in France has already proven quite valuable as we plan our 2009 trip to France. He is knowledgable and his books provide a variety of easy to understand and implement options for touring and for overnight stays. I appreciate his honesty and suggestions. Thanks Rick!!



3. Pretty comprehensive. But the prices listed are not quite accurate, however it is a good starting point for bargaining. This a good guide to start with at home, combined with a couple of others one can really safely plan a trip to through France.



4. Having used many guidebooks, I think these are the best. Granted, the Rick Steves books are unique in that they are selective in the areas that they describe, but these areas are described well. With his guides, you feel like Rick is on the trip as your personal tour guide. Most guides (Frommers, Foders, etc.) give you a superficial overview of the whole country. Rick lets it all hang out. He tells what he thinks is a worthwhile stop and what isn't. Most of what "isn't" doesn't make it into the guidebook at all. Thus, I suggest taking another more comprehensive book (Lonely Plantet, Rough Guide, etc.) to fill in any gaps should you find yourself in a location Rick doesn't describe. On the whole though, I love his itineraries. Most people traveling to Europe have limited time (1 month or less). There's only so much you can see; why not have someone boil it down and provide a straight forward opinion as to what to see and do? In his books there is easily enough to keep you busy for two months. The real question is whether you are the type of traveler that would like Rick's suggestions. Here is a test. If you can answer "yes" to most of these questions, buy the book, you'll love it. 1)Are you a value seeker? 2)Do you want to venture off the tourist trail? 3)Are you an adventurer? 4)Do you appreciate tidbits on history and art 5)Do you have the stamina to tour a new town/city every 1-3 days? 6)Do you try to avoid tourist traps like the plague? 7)Is your idea of fine lodging simple, homey places in good locations, with moderate prices? I would not suggest this book for people who want to spend their vacation walled up in a luxury hotel, venturing out only to shop and tour the biggest of sights.



5. We just got back from France a couple of months ago. I have to say, this book gave us the best 4 days outside of Paris during our entire trip.
   
   Although I went in reverse order, I took his advice and went to the Loire Valley, then to Mont St. Michel, and then to Normandy. Rick Steve's map for the driving distance was right on target, so that helped us budget our driving time properly.
   
   Another great investment if you plan on going overseas. Our collection of Rick Steve's is getting pretty big. We also bought his book on Paris, which we used enough that i felt it was worth it, but there is certainly a lot of overlap.

5 comments about Notes from a Small Island.

1. When Bill Bryson decided to leave England after 20 years and go back to America, he embarked on the good-bye lone trip, which resulted in "Notes from a small island".
   
   Starting from France and taking the ferry from Calais to Dover (and, of course, taking this opportunity to make some funny comments about France as well), Bryson went to places where he used to live and compared his memories with what he saw during the trip; he traveled to famous tourist resorts, but he also visited remote, obscure villages and hamlets he read or heard about (mansions of eccentric aristocrats, mining towns, forgotten jewels of the British countryside). He has tender feelings for the country where he spent the big part of his life, and knows how to shows them in a really British style!
   
   I like Bryson's sense of humor, his eye for detail, his brisk, intelligent prose which makes his books so much more than dry reports and guides (which they could easily become, given the subject). In this book, I especially liked his linguistic adjustments to the British colloquialisms (and the glossary at the end). They sound very natural!
   
   I loved the story of the mosaic, of the painting miners, of the lord hiding from people's sight. I followed him with interest through the parts of Great Britain which I know well (especially Wales), I returned with pleasure to one of my favorite cities, Edinburgh, I was glad he has similar opinion as I about Blackpool and Manchester, and I resolved, sometime, to visit Durham, more of the South of England and more of Scotland.
   
   Of course, I was slightly disappointed when I did not find some places I wanted to read about, like my ever-favorite York, the Welsh towns I know best - Bangor, Holyhead (and Llandudno is so close...), but I understand that this is licentia poetica and Bryson's choice for his book. I loved his observations about the British society, the trains, the architecture...
   
   The only thing I found annoying and a bit boring, is the repetitive, schematic comments about pubs, tourist housing and restaurants. To be honest, there was too much of the same thing (was it deliberate, to show the reader, that really they are the same in Britain? I am not sure). I will remember "Notes..." but I do not plan to return to it, like I would to "A walk in the woods", and, although it is a good book, I do not feel that this is one of Bryson's best.



2. A witty insight into the nation that gave us Harry Potter, P.G. Wodehouse and Shakespeare - and you can see traces of all three genres in Bryson's writing. Two thumbs up for both the entertainment and the poignant insights it gives into contemporary British life.



3. After a lengthy residence in England, journalist Bill Bryson and his family had reached the decision to move back to their native USA. Before leaving, Bryson pulled out all the stops and embarked on a freewheeling 7 week whirlwind tour of England, Wales and Scotland. Shank's pony, bus, train, and the occasional rented car were his only modes of transportation. Of course, as one would expect, the journal from that trip formed the core of a book about the English people, their habits and customs, their towns, their buildings, their history, and the countryside and its landscapes.
   
   Fresh from a reading of Bryson's brilliant Appalachian travelogue, "A Walk in the Woods", I was psyched and I had enormously high expectations for "Notes From a Small Island". But, in the words of the Britons whom he had lived amongst for almost 20 years, "it were a bloomin' disappointment wot didn't come up to snuff!"
   
   Oh, to be sure, there were moments of unutterably funny comic brilliance! But I found that on far too many occasions, Bryson used the book as a platform to preach and whine, over and over again, about the loss of British architectural heritage to the ravages of much more boring 20th century buildings and lack luster store fronts. And, please don't misunderstand me ... I couldn't agree more! To tear down some of these beautiful structures that are hundreds of years old or to raze a hedgerow for no other purpose than to erect a mall filled with a Boots, a Marks & Spencer and a MacDonalds is an unforgivable travesty. But, bless me, Bryson seemed to go on and on ... and on again! And, truth be told, if I had to listen to one more nearly endless string of cutesy British village and town names, I swore I was going to throw up and give him a real life version of the plastic vomit he was so oddly intent on purchasing as he traveled through Inverness.
   
   In my review of "A Walk in the Woods", I commented that Bryson's unmatched humour took every possible form imaginable but, in "Notes From a Small Island", a far larger percentage of the time was spent trying to generate laughs with Don Rickles' style of humour that always seemed to come at someone else's expense. Somehow, it all got tiresome and simply stopped being funny.
   
   That Bryson has an eye for history, geography, and the quirky bits of local social life that can make a book like this so interesting is beyond doubt. Likewise, there is no question that he has a flair for comic delivery of his material. But "Notes From a Small Island" was a long way below the standard that I enjoyed in "A Walk in the Woods".
   
   Paul Weiss



4. Ok, may that was a little lie, but "Notes from a Small Island" was that good. I laughed out loud so many times I cried. He hits the countries mannerisms spot on. Having lived in the UK for many years I enjoyed all of his rants and raves. Sure, some of them may have been a little preachy or exagerated, but the point was to show the differences and he came through with flying colors (or should I say colours). His witty observations remind me of things we all think but never remember to put to pen. Instead, he sees it and writes about it and then delivers it in a poignant, yet loving way.
   Most Brits that I know love his works and this book is no exception. In fact, a Brit recommended him to me as an example of a great writer writing about the UK.
   
   Good for you Bill.
   
   Sam Hendricks, author of "Fantasy Football Guidebook: Your Comprehensive Guide to Playing Fantasy Football" and "Fantasy Football Almanac". Coming in May 2008-"Fantasy Football Almanac 2008"



5. Bill Bryson travels his adopted homeland of Great Britain and his observations about the people and places take the spotlight in this travel diary.
   
   This is classic Bryson. Lots of acute observations, some dry humor along the way, and many adventures. While I enjoy Bryson, his writing is not for people who have not been to the place he is talking about. I enjoyed his other book "Neither Here, nor There" much more as I had been to Europe and the places he had been to in that book and therefore found his observations much more amusing than in this book.
   
   I actually put this book down. It was entertaining for sure, but I just got sick of hearing about England after awhile. I will of course read Bryson again, but this one was just not a fave.
   
   three Stars.

4 comments about That Summer in Sicily: A Love Story.

1. I fell under Ms. de Blasi's spell with the trilogy (1000 Days In Venice, 1000 Days in Tuscany and The Lady In The Palazzo) and here is another book of delicate prose woven with insight and beauty. This type of writing probably isn't for everyone. One reviewer of a book she wrote was shocked that she could write about food without having step-by-step photos of preparations. How sad for that person that the whole purpose of her writing isn't about how to cook but how to enjoy cooking, how to enjoy the friends that will eat your food and how to enjoy life. This is a book by a writer who will transport you into another world - if you give her your time and hand.



2. I have enjoyed De Blasi's previous books, but this one is boring and, probably her storyline is fiction under the guise of being told by Tosca, a Sicilian woman. In fact, I just got the book a few days ago, and about five minutes ago, threw the book in the trash. Life is too short to read boring books.



3. I have read and re-read A Thousand Days in Venice, A Thousand Days in Tuscany and The Lady in the Palazzo, so was delighted when That Summer in Sicily was released. It is another exquisitely-written, tender story of love and food in Italy. Di Blasi replaces the on-going love story of herself and Fernando with the stories of Tosca and the Last Prince and Tosca and The Widows. It is not only di Blasi's ability to create visual images with her words but more to evoke an atmosphere of timeless, genuine romance that draws one in. This is a woman totally seduced by food who can fall completely in love with an Italian man, whose idea of cuisine before they met was under-cooked pasta paired with over-cooked chicken breast and jarred sauce. This is a book in which to appreciate, understand and share the true joy of love. I can't wait for her next book.



4. That Summer in Sicily is the fourth Marlena de Blasi book I have read. When I picked up the first one, A Thousand Days in Venice, I didn't take to it right away. I am a Texan who writes exactly the way I speak, and I am irritated by flowery prose. However, I am also a sensualist, in love with taste, aroma, color, texture and sound. These elements--these things that define a particular place--come alive for me in these books.
   
   Unlike her previous three memoirs, this story is not really about American Marlena and her Venetian husband. It is an almost unbelievable love story, a story about what it means to be Sicilian. As with most other adventures in her life, this one began with a writing assignment. Marlena was asked by a scholarly magazine to write a seminal piece on the interior regions of Sicily. Several people had already turned the job down, and soon she discovered why. Despite a meticulously drawn route and prearranged interview appointments, she was met at every turn with "misanthropic silences, closed doors and epic heat." Eventually she gave up.
   
   Marlena's husband had come along for the ride, and before wending their way down from the mountains, they decided to take a day or two to recover. Finally, a policeman responded to their numerous inquiries for a place to stay. "There is a woman called Tosca. Her place is Villa Donnafugata (house of fleeing woman), although there's no sign to tell you so."
   
   When they entered the gates they found what looked like a castle with sweeping gardens. In fact, it was nothing more than a hunting lodge, once belonging to the last Anjou prince in Sicily. Everywhere, they passed groups of women in long black dresses, laughing and singing as they went about their daily chores. A beautiful woman dressed in jodphurs and boots approached them. "I'm Tosca Brozzi. We'll be sitting down at one. I'll let you know later if there's room for you to stay."
   
   From one of the other women there, Marlena learned that Tosca had inherited the villa from the prince, whose ward she once was. Bit by bit, she had restored the place. For more than thirty years she had lived there with an assortment of villagers who had found themselves alone, and in need of other people. This sort of communal life helped them to stay well, to stay young. Babies were born there, some people died there. "We are all related by affection," they said. "We are part of one another's history. We are Sicilian." They grew and prepared their own food, cared for the animals and for each other. Though there was much work to be done, it seemed to be merely a diversion to fill the hours between meals. "We eat often and well here, signora," Marlena was told. It was a society she never would have believed could exist.
   
   "We never decide to stay but simply get caught up in the imperishable rituals and rhythms of the villa," wrote Marlena. One day Don Cosimo, a seventy-six year old priest, approached Marlena. He told her that he'd been the household's resident cleric and the prince's chauffeur when, fifty-six years previously, the prince had taken Tosca to live with him in the palace, a few hours drive from the lodge. "She was, even then, of that splendid arrogance. Leo claimed her when, I think, she was nine. Her beauty was already fearsome," he recalled. It was a common enough feudal custom, this sanctioned purloining of the children of one's peasants. Most people believed that the prince had requested Tosca. However, it was Tosca's father who'd offered her to the prince, in exchange for a stallion he coveted. And so Tosca was schooled by a French governess with the prince's daughters, tamed, formed, refined.
   
   Later, it was Tosca who approached Marlena. "I'd like to tell you a story, Chou," she said. "Oh, I don't mean right now, of course. But soon. It's a long story, you see... It might take a few days. A week... I want to try out my story on someone from another place. I want to tell it to you, leave it with you, I guess, knowing that you'll go away." And so it began, the unfolding of a saga that spanned decades. It is a story that explores the ravages of war, poverty, the origins of the Cosa Nostra, the responsibilities of wealth and privilege, the cost of defying rigid traditions, the meaning of love, and finding one's true place in the world. It is also a story of miracles.
   
   by Becky Lane
   for Story Circle Book Reviews
   reviewing books by, for, and about women

5 comments about 13 Little Blue Envelopes.

1. A charming coming-of-age story with an interesting plot that contains good twists and will leave the reader wondering what will come next. The author does a good job in describing setting, places, and people. By the end, I found myself itching to go on a trip to Europe. What I feel this book was lacking was depth to the main character's relationships with others. While the absence of such deep relationships further enhances the main character's individual growth and change, it leaves the story itself feeling a little flat and underdeveloped. Overall, this is a good read, especially for those who are interested in what it takes to "find yourself."



2. One day, Virginia Blackstone, or Ginny, receives a letter from her dead aunt with instructions to go to a Chinese restaurant. There, Ginny receives a bundle of twelve letters, for a grand total of thirteen, thus naming the novel. Four simple rules are laid down by Peg, Ginny's aunt, and there are more instructions enclosed in each letter, to be opened at a specific place and time. All Ginny needs to do to begin her journey is fly to London. And so she does.
   
   Ginny embarks on a crazy, all-over-the-place trip that takes her around Europe, to places that were significant to her aunt Peg. Along the way, she meets a playwright and used-to-be-thief named Keith, who she maybe falls in love with, many old friends of Peg, some new friends in various cities, and even an uncle she never knew she had. And during this journey, Ginny learns a lot about herself and her aunt Peg.
   
   I found 13 Little Blue Envelopes to be a very well-written novel. Maureen Johnson is an amazing author and has proved herself again. I especially liked traveling with Ginny to all those amazing European cities and feeling like I was there beside her. Ginny's relationship with Keith is especially cute too. There were some parts of the book where I was a little confused, but the issue was always cleared up soon after. The idea behind the novel is original, and I found myself wishing I had a crazy aunt to send me on a strange trip to Europe. This was a realistic and very enjoyable read. I highly recommend this, and other Maureen Johnson books.
   
   reposted from http://thebookmuncher.blogspot.com



3. Summary:
   Ginny's Aunt Peg ran away and then died of a brain tumor. One day Ginny recieves a letter from her, the first of the 13 little blue envelopes. Shes told to go to New York City, to 4th Noodle. A Chinese resturant under Peg's old apartment, there something would be waiting for Ginny. But also buy a plane ticket to London. And a few rules: she can only take what will fit into her backpack. She can't take guidebooks, phrase books, any foreign language aid or journals. She can't take extra money and she can't take electronics, she can only write letters and postcards to people back home. So Ginny sets off the 4th Noodle where she gets the rest of the envelopes, that she most open one by one, after the task in the one before is finished.
   
   Why I LOVED this book:
   It's funny, alot of books are just mysteriouis or adventurous and no funny. This book mixes it all! It's an adventure, sort of a mystery and funny.
   I learned about other countries and foreign places
   Maureen Johnsonn doesn't sit and write every little thing out. After Ginny reads an envelope she doesn't say she went to the train station and boarded a train to a certain place. Nope after she reads an envelope she's in that certain place.
   
   I think it's more of a girly book



4. My friend did a book project on this and the idea of the story fascinated me. Overall it was a good not great book. It was wordy in all the wrong places and any problem Ginny faced didnt seem real or likely. The author had a tendency to gloss over the details.Sometimes the entire thing seemed unrealistic. So many things could have gone wrong with an unsupervised minor trekking acorss Europe but none of those issues were addressed. At the end of the book I felt muddled and tired just like Ginny. Considering the kinds of book I have read in this genre it was an excellent book and i recomend it but I think there are better, more detailed books out there.



5. Great plot, but, the author didn't know how to make a good "adventure" ou of it. It could've been a "i can't put this down" kind of book, but instead it was more like a "let me just finish this to get it over with".
   SPOILER : I hated how she loses the last letter or whatever. I was like ? what the hell? this is the whole reason why you're doing this! She should've been more careful with them. Even though everything works out in the end..
   I don't like how her romance with the kid she met kinda fades away by the end of the novel..
   Not terrible, but not great.

4 comments about Rick Steves' Florence and Tuscany 2008 (Rick Steves).

1. I spent 9 days this spring in Florence and Tuscany & found this book to be absolutely wonderful--full of great tips to get the most of your trip. Obviously, a lot of other people found him useful too, as everywhere we went, we saw people toting his book around! My German sister-in-law found it comical!
   
   I am so glad that my friend introduced me to Rick Steves! I now own 3 of his books and am actually shopping for a couple more to use in the coming year!



2. We lived by this book for 4 days around Florence. The restaurants Rick suggests were really great (we tried 6 places), map is detailed, museum guides are adequately informative. He was wrong on a couple of museum prices - sometimes by 50%. I'm not sure if they are anticipating fee decrease in 2008 (we were just there last week). There are other guidebooks with color pictures and more detailed descriptions of sights - might also want to have those if you are not going to do a guided or audio tour. His suggestions on side trips to the hill towns were great. We went to Siena, Pisa, San Gimignano and Volterra by car. We are really glad to have had this book. Definitely recommend and will definitely buy Rick Steves books for our future travels.



3. We just returned from a tour to Florence and Tuscany region, and feel this book is inadequate for the Tuscany region in general. It was very helpful for Florence, but many of the cities we visited were not even listed in the book. Therefore, I would consider this mainly a Tuscany guide book.



4. came across this in an apartment in Florence, wisely jettisoned by a traveler who had more useful things to carry in their luggage.
   
   Steves' book IS quite good at the very practical nitty gritty of Florence: for example precisely how one collects pre-reserved Uffizi tickets, but his comments on cultural aspects are at best token and often stupid. Not everyone will want, like me, to know all about as much of the art as possible in a book about Florence, but for a travel guide to cover, say, Santa Croce and make reference to only one painting when the place is full of the most glorious and important fresco cycles by major figures is inexcusable. If the information is there, one can ignore it, but if it isn't, you might return to the US (the prime market, I imagine) and realise that you have been within yards of great paintings but the guide book didn't GUIDE you to go and look at them. Instead, in Santa Croce, he refers to admittedly interesting monuments, but fails to refer to the finest (Bruni's), he's only interested in the famous names.
   
   His grasp of the art is very poor and he seems to address his readers as though they are 12 year olds needing asinine jokes to keep their attention. For him medieval painting is a world of never-neverland (his phrase) where the poor painters are struggling desperately to paint realistically but just can't do it! Simone Martine's Uffizi Annunciation is patronised: he can't see its beauty and sees it as a mere stone on the pathway to realism. Mary 'doesn't look too impressed': a good point if he only had the wit to see that perhaps the responsibility of her role is frightening and overwhelming - it's a very moving and human piece, but his approach seems to be,'Why try to elucidate when you can be folksy and jocular'. An early crucifixion is mocked for having Christ's head raised as on a wedge as though this is a pathetic effort at three-dimensionality when it is pretty obvious that the angle would enable viewers to see Christ's face (and suffering) more clearly from ground level and has little to do with aspiring to realism. He also says that the Siena Pinacoteca (a gallery full of wonderful Sienese painting) would tempt him in only if there was a downpour! (I dread to think what nonsense Steves writes about, say, Picasso, if REALISM is the criterion by which all is judged.)
   
   A cardinal sin, for me, is the advice to 'leave this guide face up' in a number of restaurants to gain a reduction. When I travel I like to try to be as little like a tourist as possible, while still obviously being one. I know I stand out like a sore thumb, but Steves seems happy to be as obvious as an amputated leg. And what sort of arrangement leads a guide book writer to 'negotiate' deals for his readers? All very sad, especially as Steves seems to be the Guru of European travel for Americans. Perhaps he suits those, like the previous reviewer who praises Steves for enabling him to 'do' Pisa in 45 minutes and not miss anything, though how he would know he hadn't missed anything is beyond me.
   
   The Rough Guide does everything Steves does well just as effectively, while the cultural stuff, whether great art, architecture etc or jazz clubs, bars, cinemas, clubs - is in another league. If you want a detailed guide to the art and history of the city, see American art historian Eve Borsook's Companion Guide: it has the art, the history and is a really good unfussy read, but most travelers don't want to carry a library with them so they need a book that covers the practical and the cultural at least competently.
   
   And if you want to get a guide to the UK, PLEASE don't buy Steves': I dread to think what rubbish he writes, on the basis of this offering.
   Not even worth the one star the site requires me to give!