1 comments about Who Was Marco Polo? (Who Was...?).

1. I agree with reviewers who commented on other books in this series-- these are an excellent introduction to biographies and chapter books. My husband and I have read almost all of these "Who was..." books to our now 11 and 9 year old over the past year. I find them easy to read aloud and appropriately illustrated. They lead our family to deeper discussion of the person or history and politics of the time. Marco Polo is my nine-year-olds favorite bio. I found the Einstein bio to be very interesting, my husband like Darwin, my three-year-old liked Edison, and my nine-year-old son's favorite was Annie Oakley.

No comments about Top 10 Copenhagen (Eyewitness Travel Guides).

5 comments about Molvania: A Land Untouched By Modern Dentistry (Jetlag Travel Guide).

1. "Molvania" is reported by some to be the inspiration for the movie "Borat" - plausible, because there are similarities. Nonetheless, it is clear that "Molvania" itself was inspired as a parody of Fodor's Travel Guides. Included are the usual sections on History, Geography, Religion, How to Get Around, Where to Stay, etc. Every section is replete with jokes, and overall almost makes one want to go to Movania. Unfortunately, Molvania doesn't exist, at least according to my globe and the Internet. (On the other hand, where is the Internet?)



2. A friend showed me one of the books in this series (Phaic-Tan) and it was such a riot that I ordered it as well as others in the series the same day. This is a strange planet, where some countries can send people to the moon and back, and other peoples are still living in the Stone Age, with a whole lot of humanity somewhere in between. That makes for a lot of potential sarcastic humor, which is what we see in these guidebooks to countries that do not actually exist. Humanity, laugh at yourself! If you have ever travelled in the Second or Third World much, a lot of these creative sketches will make it possible to grin over what may have been a painful or frustrating experience at the time. The books are fun... although I sometimes wondered if they were not perhaps made up by escaped creative writers from Monty Python's Flying Circus.



3. A must for all who have experienced in Eastern Europe in the nineties. A sort of mix of experiences from CZ, Poland and the likes. You wonder wether the authors were not sitting at the next door table at Radost.



4. Molvania is one of series of fake travel guides. This one focusing on the fictitious Eastern European country of Molvania.
   
   In "the land untouched by modern dentistry" you can figure out what hotel to stay at, the wonderous historical sites, and the restauarnts and public transports. In the style of Fodors guide, it attempts to even make this disaster of a country sound wonderful.
   
   It is a bit of a one-joke book and a hair repetitive, but the detail in book is really amazing and gives it the perfect feel.
   
   To the few people who were "offended" by the book and considered it discriminatory, I think "what part of parody don't you understand?" comes into play. If you're so tight you won't get the joke, by all means leave this on the shelf. Otherwise, you'll enjoy the detail and depth of the planning of your Molvanian trip.



5. Funny, it is. This is good light reading. You can put it down easily and pick it again later. However, this is pretty much the same joke, over and over. It gets tiring after a short while.

5 comments about Mani: Travels in the Southern Peloponnese (New York Review Books Classics).

1. In this entertaining book, Leigh Fermor describes his travels in the Mani peninsula, the southernmost and at the time of his writing, one of the least developed parts of continental Greece. Like some of his other books, this book describes a traditional society that was disappearing at the time of his writing. Mani combines some brilliant descriptive writing, particularly with respect to landscapes, keen social observation, and a series of historical asides inspired by his travels. All of these components are individually compelling and the quality of writing is unusually good. There are times, however, when some of Leigh Fermor's asides tend to overpower the primary narrative which tends to disrupt the narrative flow.



2. Leigh Fermor has written one (actually,two) of the best travels books in English, "A Time of Gofts" and "Between the Woods and the Water." This is not quite up to them--a bit of the edge has gone off the subject matter--but if you like showy, razzle-dazzle writing from a master stylist and raconteur, this will do very nicely.



3. This must be the quintessential summer read.
   
   While I was a bit put off at first by the exuberant luxury of the prose [at times I felt bludgeoned] and the rampant introduction of cultural terms I'd never heard before, it was also hard not to delight in a mind so cheerfully discursive.
   
   Do you need to be a Grecophile to enjoy an outing with Fermor and Mani? I should think not. But you'll need to bring your own map.
   
   Interestingly, it seems that the covers of Mani and Roumeli on the Amazon sites were swapped for mysterious reasons.



4. What a marvelous book! And written by a true, heroic genius. Fermor, a still living legend, seems to have disdained self-promotion, but upon reading a few pages of this book, you realize you have encountered a rare individual.
   
   First, his writing. Encyclopedic, detailed, sensual, and imaginative. It exemplifies the finest characteristics of travel writing, and best of all, he explores a remote, largely unknown and distinct region of the world, the Mani. This area is a fine example of the fierce, independent Greek spirit. Fermor chronicles it through a bold exploration with his companion and future wife, Joan.
   
   He understands the Greek mindset exquisitely well. The author is a gifted, self-taught linguist, and it is apparent that he concentrates on listening and observing intensely, then transforming his experiences into fascinating, readable prose. He comprehends the heart of the Greek people, and conveys it with an extensive knowledge of history.
   
   Critiques? His fertile mind is so hungry that he tends to over-describe. Better to allow the reader the pleasure of using his or her imagination than recording every little detail with brilliant metaphors. You could also say he rambles, but that is common with travel writers.
   
   Conclusion? A classic, but like most classics, not an entirely easy read. In the end, extremely worthwhile reading.
   
   Reviewed by David Lundberg, author of Olympic Wandering: Time Travel Through Greece



5. I'll just defer to the other reviewers on this page since their views of this wonderful book agree with mine. Fermor is a treasure. I've read all of his books and enjoyed them.

1 comments about Frommer's Lisbon Day by Day (Frommer's Day By Day Series).

1. This book is absolutely fantastic! It's small and concise while still being detailed enough for a short trip to Lisbon & its surrounding areas (Cascais, Sintra, etc). It offers several suggestons for how to spend 1, 2 or 3 days, or even a week.
   
   The book is detailed without being too big (or too small) and includes a great fold-out map. Buying a whole book on Portugal would be more information and bulk than I need.
   
   I highly recommend any book in this series. Nice color without being too much fluff.

5 comments about Europe's Monastery and Convent Guesthouses.

1. We were very pleased with the format of this book. Not only is the book practical (it has the monastery contact information we were looking for), but it also approached the subject from a spiritual perspective - very important. The only disappointment, however, was that it didn't have any maps, which made it more difficult to find out where many of the places were located. But nonetheless, it's been very helpful for us, and we've also loaned the book out to friends who have also found it very helpful in making their travel plans. We give it four stars.



2. I bought Kevin Wright's book before a trip to Europe. The idea behind the book is a winner; unfortunately the execution leaves much to be desired. (Largish) monasteries that do exist are not mentioned, Wright would have at least one monastery be in a town in which it most certainly has not been for the last 500 years; accuracy is not always Wright's strong point.
   
   It's a huge shame that Wright didn't approach the right offices in Rome, as can easily be done done, and assemble a much more comprehensive and authoritative guide to Europe's monasteries and their guesthouses. Instead, he seems to have largely done his research on the web.
   
   It may well be cheaper to buy this book than to do tons of web searches, but before doing so, you ought to be apprised of this book's limitations.



3. I found this book to be very helpful in detailing the options available to travelers in Europe. I know I will utilize it for and upcoming trip to Italy.



4. If you have the time to travel Europe, you can use this book to check out some very interesting, and unusual housing.



5. I bought this book hoping it would be all it promised - the definitive guide to convents and monastery guesthouses in Europe. There are no maps and no indexes. The descriptions are very lazy, nearly a copy/paste. The lack of an area maps with the guesthouses marked makes this guidebook very diffcult to use.
   
   To the author: try to use this book to find places to stay in any given city - you'll quickly see, it's no help. You need an area map with the guesthouses plotted. In the description, tell us how far the location is from the largest, closest city.

5 comments about Rick Steves' Croatia and Slovenia 2007 (Rick Steves).

1. I used Rick Steve's throughout Germany and Belgium and his tips and recommendations were spot on. We are now planning a trip to Italy and Croatia and I am once again, using his money & time saving tips, and recommendations on where to stay.
   
   If you want to be simply a tourist, then Rick Steve's is not for you. If you want to truly experience a culture and have a great time then use his book.



2. Rick Steves knows Europe and how to convey his insightful comments in an entertaining way. I read the book cover to cover without being bored or inundated with any useless data....everything was relevant. Highly recommended.



3. I have used several guide books for each international trip and Rick Steves always has the most useful information for someone looking for a fun but affordable trip. He picks the best values for the money, and always knows where the locals go. The best was a little cafe in Aix en Provence where we went for lunch, and as we were sitting, Rick Steves walked by with his film crew, so we all ran out and had him sign our Rick Steves' Provence books!



4. I was in Montenegro for business and took a 3-day trip to see Dubrovnik. This guidebook was excellent for seeing the town. You don't need any other guidebook. Additionally, it was perfect for touring the "Bay of Kotor" area of Montenegro, which is a popular day-trip from Dubrovnik.



5. My wife and I went to Croatia and Slovenia in September 2007. This was an excellent guide. We loved the fact that it was completely up to date

5 comments about The Paris Shopping Companion: A Personal Guide to Shopping in Paris for Every Pocketbook.

1. This is more than a shopping book....it is the easy way to get the best that Paris offers. The restaurant suggestions have proved to be extrodinary and the selection of hotels allows you to stay anywhere in the city that suits your whims. There is so much in Paris and this book allows you to organize, focus and have more time to enjoy what interests you...to find those special things you want to bring home. A necessity for your next trip!
   Roz Elms Sutherland



2. I was lucky enough to have Winkler's guide with me this past year on a shopping trip to Paris with my mother and grandmother. Truly, Winkler's presence made the trip. Without her insight and advice we would have been absolutely lost. Winkler's book is real insider's guide to Paris that held excellent advice and suggestions for the three generations of women in my family. Based off of my experience, I am confident that anyone looking for anything could be helped by The Paris Shopping Companion. Winkler must be a women with real style!



3. I lived in Paris for two years (2004-2006) but didn't begin to shop until I found this book (recommended by Amazon). Often in Paris, the store windows don't really show much about what's inside, but this book tells everything you want to know before getting on the Metro. Every description was accurate. The shops were where they were supposed to be, the merchandise was as described in the book, and prices were close on the mark.
   
   Every Saturday I mapped out where I would go based on "the book". I found that if I read the shop descriptions, I could tell in advance if I would want to find them, so I would check off my "must sees". Along the way I made notes in the margins about the shops, and also what else was in the neighborhood. I didn't find the restaurant reviews particularly helpful, and wish they were left out to make room for more shops.
   
   An unexpected bonus: looking for "the book" stores often lead me into streets and neighborhoods far from my usual treks, and MORE shops! The sightseeing hints were excellent also. I never went out without this book, and my co-workers borrowed it until it became available at WH Smith. I met Susan Winkler at a book signing there, and she was amazed at my margin notes (and probably at the tattered condition of the book).
   
   Two of the specialty shops Susan praised were down the street (Rue Royale) from where I worked and I went into them at lunchtime at least once a week. My only regret is that my last month in Paris was the dead month, August, when almost every thing is closed, but I burned up the pavements for the six months preceeding. (I bought the book as soon as it came out in February).
   
   Happy shopping!



4. Lots of the shops and retaurants were closed in August which was not noted in the book and two in particular were no longer at the address shown. While all the shops were located by an area it would have been nicer if the shops were along a fixed route.



5. The book itself is somewhat helpful;however, the photos are really bad quality: they look like some taken in the 20's or 30's...

5 comments about The Dark Heart of Italy.

1. This is a cleverly constructed book of several parts and a few recurring motifs. Jones, a Welsh Methodist, Everton FC supporter, London hack and Oxford (Arts?) graduate, goes to live in Parma, Italy where his beloved has established herself. He divides his book into nine separate chapters and tries to weave them together as well as his excellent English and his motifs will allow. The first chapter discusses nuances of the Italian language and he uses those nuances to propound that Italy is a much more nuanced country than England and that its culture is infinitely more refined. An entire chapter brings the nuances of Italian culture to bear on football and he waxes very lyrical about the local youth and whatever immigrants are around playing ball as the sun goes down. The football allows us to place Italian village life in our minds and to empathize very much with it.
   The last chapter is an entire ode to Italy. It is written largely in the second person and it tells of "you" going through the village and everything there appealing to the aesthetic in "you". The English is beautiful and it achieves its purpose in making you close the book with a warm glow. Mission accomplished.
   The chapter on Italy's Catholic religion and its Protestant and other minorities could have done with much improvement. Italy's Catholicism is more complicated than the Padre Pio cult and the Protestants of the north surely have their faults as well. The chapter looks like it came from several previous publications he wrote.
   The politics chapters build on the hypothesis that the fascist and proto communist factions are still at war with each other and that politicians like Berlusconi exploit this for their own nefarious ends. He does a good job of tying the warring World War Two factions in with the protagonists and antagonists of later squabbles. He does not like Berlusconi and his polished prose does not quite hide this fact.
   My opinion of this book is that Jones sat down with his material and tied it all together into a very passable but rather superficial book which is nevertheless well worth the money being charged.



2. When I saw the title of this, at first I thought, "hatchet job". But even the introduction drew me right in. I love to travel, and it's always easy to think the grass is greener elsewhere. That's why now and then I like to get a more critical view of a place. It's easy to be seduced by a place as beautiful as Italy.
   
   This book does a beautiful job of presenting a portrait of Italian life. As an example, the byzantine process of buying a house there left me shaking my head. And the peculiar ways of the government and religious establishment are mind-boggling. Yet, he clearly loves it there, and points out the everyday beauty of life there very well.
   
   Somebody made a fairly sarcastic comment about how Jones thinks Italy is a beautiful place as long as you eliminate the people. To me, this person got it entirely backwards. If anything, Jones is saying that the people, the language, the artisan stores, the conversations, and the amateur football are beautiful, it's the government that ruins the situation, and guess who is at the helm? The guy who owns half the country. No conflict of interest there. But Jones even admits that there are things about Berlusconi that he does like. Of course, I'm sure that many readers can't tolerate a critical view of anything that they have personal feelings for, but that's another woeful topic entirely.
   
   I did bog down a bit in the descriptions of the many political scandals. There are so many of them that one would probably need a timeline or chart to keep them straight.
   
   The many stories of individual Italians are delightful. The very old lady at the football game hilariously stands out.
   
   I suppose he could have been less controversial by calling it something like The Complex Heart of Italy, but I can't blame him at all for having a bold title, and I think it's more effective. All in all, a great read!



3. The dimensions discussed are worth knowing about, or for one who has lived in Italy, worth remembering. All nations are complex. Italy being such a beautiful country one forgets that it has, like any other, a side to it that is not all milk and honey.



4. Tobias Jones's book highlights many important aspects of Italy, but ends up playing the same sterile game that most visiting English writers enjoy, which I will hereby describe in three steps:
   
   1: Italy is extremely enjoyable...
   2: ... but Italians are morally questionable and intrinsically fascist...
   3: ... whereas we Englishmen and Americans, in spite of our occasional roughness and lack of such luscious treasures of art and good life, are ultimately right.
   
   In the end, these books are not aimed at describing Italy, but at reinforcing the English-speaking reader's sense of righteousness and entitlement. Severgnini's "La bella figura" does exactly the same. No wonder they sell so well... Not in my name, not with my money...



5. Tobias Jones' "The Dark Heart of Italy" is an interesting read. I'd categorize it as a combination of two of my favorite books: Peter Robb's Midnight in Sicily and Alex Kerr's Dogs and Demons: Tales from the Dark Side of Modern Japan. I feel like the comparison to Kerr's book is the most appropriate one: here's a foreigner who sees the country with fresh eyes and uses that perspective to make trenchant, well-presented observations about his adopted place. Both Kerr and Jones love their adopted country but are left with a feeling wonderfully expressed by Jones when he says that Italy is "infuriating and endlessly irritating, but in the end it is almost impossible to leave. It's not that everything in Italy is 'troppo bello' ('too beautiful'), or that food or conversation are so good. It's that life seems less exciting outside of Italy, the emotions seem muted."
   
   There are good chapters on Italian television (Jones asks "why is it so bad?") and Italian politics. On the political front, he paints a complex picture of Silvio Berlusconi, calling the former Prime Minister "both fascinating and frightening."
   
   I really enjoyed the foreword of the book, which captures the reaction to the release of the hardcover edition (for this reason, I recommend you get the paperback). Jones notes that "overnight, I was catapulted from near-anonymity in Italy to being a household name." Then he shares some truly thrilling tales of encounters with and letters from Italians who took the time to read the book. As one letter states perfectly: "I have lived in Italy all my life. I love this country. It is obvious from reading your book that you do too. I write to express my gratitude to you because you have been very courageous. You have described...precisely what is happening in Italy in these terribly turbulent times."

2 comments about Adventure Guide Naples, Sorrento, The Amalfi Coast: Capri, Ischia, Pompeii, Positano (Adventure Guides Series) (Adventure Guides Series).

1. Naples and nearby coastal areas offer much in the way of different travel experiences, from fine resorts to street theatre and fishing villages - and Naples, Sorrento & the Amalfi Coast makes the most of the entire region, offering plenty of unforgettable adventures and covering not only walks and places to stay, but night life and historic sights. An excellent travel planner, it can't be beat.



2. ADVENTURE GUIDE TO NAPLES, SORRENTO, AMALFI COAST BY MARINA CARTER is another of Hunter Publishing Company's excellent travel guides. This one has a fascinating introduction which gives not only the history, but also breaks down and explains the art and architecture into specific periods of history, which gives you a thorough appreciation for what you will see and experience on your trip. There is a section of where to go, what to see, places to eat and shop, and sporting activities and entertainment in each area, including phone numbers and websites to contact for each. The book explores Naples with its history and art, then the 60 mile Sorrento Peninsula as a base for exploring other areas and famous for luring sirens to the treacherous rocks, and finally the less accessible Amalfi Coast with its gorgeous scenery one of the most beautiful in all of Europe. Reading this guide will tempt travelers to Italy to venture South of Rome.