5 comments about The Far Traveler: Voyages of a Viking Woman.

1. I am just a general reader who happens to enjoy well-written history. I've never read much at all about the Vikings but the NY Times review of THE FAR TRAVELER was enticing and I was not let down by its promise. Nancy Marie Brown has reached back to a place and people obscured by time, doing a decent job of erasing some of the fog and cold desolation that obscure the Dark Ages and Medieval Epoch in Iceland and Greenland. She also succeeds in revealing a lot about contemporary archaeological practice and thought.
   
   Brown turns first to the Sagas, the 10th and 11th century tales of Vikings, for inspiration. Though embroidered, the Sagas, written down some generations later, are regarded as holding historical memories. Brown focuses on one woman who appears in both the Eirik the Red and Greenland Sagas as her guide, Gudrid, who traveled from Iceland to Greenland to Vinland, back to Iceland and remarkably, in later age, on a pilgrimage to Rome. Her son Snorri was very likely the first European child born on North American soil, circa 1005. Her personal story reveals much about religion, economics, gender relations, values, world view and other aspects of her culture. Born late in the 10th century AD, she witnessed the spread of Christianity and the fading of the violent marauding male economy as the domestic textile industry spun by women on the farm began to reposition Iceland in the world trade scene. Brown travels to all of the places Gudrid did, reads scholarship on her topic and participates in archaeological digs and recreation of weaving studios.
   
   The digs at L'Anse Aux Meadows, Newfoundland, have been reported on before, but Brown brings a fresh fascination to them in the context of Gudrid's life. She provides strong descriptive passages of the places she visits and there is one map in the front of the book. It would have been nice, however, to have had some illustrations. I would also like to have known a little more about Brown's own context and interest in this subject.



2. Brown gives us a lot of interesting information about Gudrun's life and times in "The Far Traveller." But what is even more interesting is her description of being on archaeological digs in Iceland, describing what archaeologists have to do to torture more information out of the physical remains of the past. Brown's focus on what archaeology has contributed to our knowledge of the Vikings, as well as archaeology's limitations, make this a more fascinating read than the account of what we think we know about Gudrun could have done.



3. This book enlightens a period of history not well known to date. It is very interesting reading, especially for anyone with Scandinavian roots. The research the lies behing this work is remarkable. I highly recommend this book.



4. This is an extraordinary acheivement. The author follows the character of Gudrid throughout her journeys through in Viking world of the late 900s and early 1000s and, along the way, paints a vivid picture of life at that time. The writing is engaging and apparently effortless, but the research that supports it is massive, as described in 35 pages of footnotes and references at the end of the book. The author's passion is clear throughout, and further evidenced by her having worked as a volunteer archaeologist one summer in Iceland to excavate Gudrid's home. This is essential reading for anyone interested in the Vikings.



5. Fascinating!!
   
   I only wish more photos, diagrams and website links and/or information (on those specific archeological discoveries and digs) would have been provided, so that we could have researched it a bit more, and tracked any furhter progress.
   
   The listings of the incredible array of artifacts found in these archeoligical digs would have also benefited by some drawings and photos.
   
   That being said, this is a wonderful book that brings the action to life -- I can almost see the ship rise and fall with the waves. The natives (skraalings) and the landscape of the new world is rendered in vivid word pictures. The descriptions of the Viking farms in Greenland and the hazardous trips sometimes needed to be made to reach those farms, gives me a sense of the tremendous resiliency and resourcefulness of those heroic people way back then.
   
   Exceptional -- but would definitely benefit from photos, diagrams, links, -- even a rendering of what Gudrid may have looked like.

2 comments about London Style: Streets, Interiors, Details (Icon (Taschen)).

1. This book is an excellent viewbook if you want to get a taste of contemporary London interiors. It has very modern, a bit more classic and very simple interiors as well. There is very little text in the book, but the photos are all full page and very well made, high quality. A fun book to flip through and get inspiration from!



2. Artsy black & white pics show London street scenes in the first (small) section. Then the large sections of excellent color photography illustrate a variety of interiors, then decorating details.
   
   Most of the space is given to the pictorial, as befits a book on how things look; what little trilingual (English-French-German) text exists is poetically descriptive.
   
   Styles represented tend toward the spare and eclectic - we're not talking about conspicuous consumption or Martha wannabes here - probably "urban bohemian" is the general trend. Architectural details are proudly and blatantly incorporated into the overall scheme of things... It's a work well worth inclusion in your library

5 comments about Florence: A Portrait.

1. This book is a wonderful, "behind-the-scenes" history of Art and Life in Florence during its Golden Period. Levey has synthesized historical and personal accounts of the period and it results in a Historical text which is very readable. He gives life to the great artists of the time and some of the 'dirt' too. Levey not only discusses the achievements of the Masters with authority, but also provides interesting background information, including motives, jealousies, intrigue and favoritism. Despite its weight, this is THE travelogue on Florence I will take with me.



2. The book is wonderfully written, but reading it presents the same challenges as following a university lecture on the subject. Mr. Levey does not dumb down his subject or choose words he thinks most people will understand. You must keep up with him, and it would be helpful to keep handy a dictionary and a book on art history (or at least be near the internet).
   This is a fascinating and insightful work, but not one you'll want to read a couple of pages of while your spouse watches Letterman before bed. You'll want to be paying strict attention as you read. If you do so, you'll find yourself well prepared for a visit to this amazing city. Rather than questioning your tour guide, you may well be able to teach her a thing or two on the subject.



3. It is as though we are moving through the streets of Florence with Mr. Levey at our side telling us fascinating stories about the people and places of the city by the Arno. Anyone with an interest in Florence will find this volume a wonderful companion to the larger histories and art books. We are the beneficiaries of the author's lifetime of experience and understanding in the matters of the Renaissance and its center, Florence. Highly recommended.



4. Having read Michael Levey's From Giotto to Cezanne and A History of Western Art, I approached Florence - A Portrait thinking I knew what to expect. I did find the attention to detail, the keen critical evaluation and aesthetics that I expected. I did not envisage the book would turn out also to be quite the gargantuan work of scholarship and erudition that it is. Florence - A Portrait is much more than a history of art in the city state. It is almost a biography of the place, replete with historical, economic and political detail. What is missing, of course, is a picture of Florentine life from the point of view of the ordinary citizen, but we cannot criticize Michael Levey for not including what probably does not exist.
   
   I visited Florence thirty years ago and have never returned. At the time, memories of Kenneth Clark's Civilisation were very clear in my mind and I focused on renaissance Florence, almost to the derision of the rest. Even after such time I found my memories of the architecture, paintings and sculptures were still fresh, however, when I read Michael Levey's descriptions. But his descriptions do more than merely list a presence or critique a style. He offers context, critical evaluation, origins and influences when he considers these - and any - works of art. He identifies flattery or criticism, idolatry or satire where an untutored eye would see only colours and shapes.
   
   The book is presented chronologically. It walks us through the early years of the renaissance and deals with the extent of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries in minute detail. Then, as a more anonymous baroque era dawns, the account speeds up somewhat.
   
   Michael Levey also makes crucial and important points about the nature of Florentine government in this later era, an era that is so often dismissed as decadent when compared to the golden age that preceded it. The account is comprehensive, detailed and illuminating, but is written in a lively style which is never dull. It's a book that would be more interesting after a visit than before and would not work as a guide book on grounds of size and weight! But it is a truly rewarding read.
   
   It is noteworthy in its treatment of the baroque era. Most visitors to Florence are there for the renaissance, and this later work is often dismissed as over-ornate, opulence for opulence sake, over-stated, crass bad taste. Michael Levey corrects this view by evaluating this later period in the context of and as a development of its precursor. While reading his account, I was interested to learn just how much those who commissioned works simply wanted to make a grandiloquent statement about wealth and power. So Damien Hearst's skull is conceptually right within the tradition of Western art. Michael Level, incidentally, also pointed out that late medieval and early renaissance artists were often pressured into using greater quantities of gold leaf to endow as much value as possible to their work. There is, after all, very little that's new under this sun.



5. This was a required book for my study abroad which I took in Italy. This was a great book, although it is quite extensive, so with that it might be better used for a more in depth study then a simple read.
   
   The book provided a great resource for papers (yes plural) on many aspects of Florence and it really does make a great portrait of Florence. It's a great city and a great book!

3 comments about Streetwise Munich Map - Laminated City Street Map of Munich, Germany - with integrated metro map including S-Bahn and U-Bahn lines and stations.

1. I travel to Munich and a few other European capitals a few times a year -- I recently bought a bunch of the Streetwise Maps. The Munich one is rather weak -- it contains just the city center and leaves one in the dark about the suberbs, airport, and surrounding towns. Also it fails to include much the business areas and Olympic Stadium.

   The small U-bahn and S-bahn map is also cropped in a way that excludes many important places, this map would be good only for the day tourist to the city center.




2. I was extremely disappointed in this map, which is incomplete, inadequate and even inaccurate in spots. If you're a casual tourist who is only spending a day in the Bavarian capital, then this map would probably fit your basic needs. But if you're planning on spending a week or more in the city, or if you want to see more than the city center, then avoid the map at all costs.

   The map shows only the inner city, with few streets shown beyond Briennerstrasse or the Isar. This is simply not acceptable, especially if you want to see anything of the city beyond Marienplatz. There is also some outdated information on the reverse, giving U Bahn stations on the wrong cross streets. This could present clear problems for travelers. I do not recommend this map to anyone unless you're restricting yourself to a small area in the pedestrian-only zone.




3. The people at Streetwise should be embarassed to even sell this map. Its poor design is EXTREME. I was so shocked at its terrible quality because OTHER Streetwise maps have always been so useful. Not this one. Streetwise Munich is missing a majority of Munich, it doesn't include an U-Bahn or S-Bahn plan, and is so difficult to read that you'll be more confused than aided by it. It is a total failure.
   
   This map does not live up to the Streetwise name. I don't recommend this product at all.

1 comments about The Tour of Mont Blanc (Mountain Walking).

1. Although you can comfortably carry this book in a larger pocket, it contains almost every information you need while doing the Tour de Mont Blanc. This comprehensive guidebook describes the tour in the both clockwise and anti-clockwise directions. The suggested itineraries would suit most hikers. Since the book focuses on the Tour of Mont Blanc itself, it includes only few side trips. If you have time for more side trips, you should complement this book with either a local guidebook in French or a good topographic map.
   
   Maps in the book are simple, but useful. I have found them sufficient for most parts of the tour, but they did not help much in few rather confusing places. That is why I sometimes used a real topographic map along with the ones included in the guidebook. Description of trails could be more detailed, but there is an obvious trade-off between the amount of information and the weight of a book. I think the author chose the most practical solution of this trade-off.
   
   The book also offers useful information on accommodation. Both brief descriptions of the "refuges" and the phone numbers (or e-mail addresses whenever available) are up to date. Prices are missing, but you will need to call those places in advance anyway because booking is strongly advised on this popular trek.
   
   Finally, the book also covers various interesting topics, from weather to ATMs. My only criticism here is that the author had mostly the British readers in mind while writing about flights and health insurance. Since the book has become the most popular guidebook among the English-speaking hikers, I hope the next edition will be slightly more international.
   
   I gave this book five stars because it is the most helpful and comprehensive guidebook about the Tour of Mont Blanc I have ever seen. If you try this trek for the first time, "The Tour of Mont Blanc (Mountain Walking)" will make it much easier and more enjoyable. Given that, the price is ridiculously small.

5 comments about Loire Valley (EYEWITNESS TRAVEL GUIDE).

1. This is a great book for people who like lots of pictures and maps. It not only provides you with tips on travel (phonec calls,money ect) but it gives you insight into the different sections of the Loire. Each major attraction has one or more pages dedicated to it. The book really gives you a feel for what you will be seeing. It is one of the best guide books i have ever bought. I liked it so much i bought the one for Paris.



2. I rode my bike in the Loire Valley. This book helped me in planning the route (along with Michelin Green Book). Wonderful, alluring pictures! Wonderful color code/guide system. Interesting information on the differences on the variety of castles/chateaux and churches & abbeys. Detailed yet concise history. Provides different themed tours for walking or driving. Nice pictursque maps of old towns with interests. It helped me decide which villages to stop for the night. I highly recommend this book! I also have Eyewitness Travel Guide of Paris, London, and Amsterdam. I plan to buy more books on Greece and Italy for my next trip!



3. This book is almost great. Almost. It tries to give you the best of all worlds-- in depth tours; some local knowledge (restaurants and such); and pictures. As one might expect, the scope becomes to broad to do any of it well. I was disppointed with the tours it gave; it seems like it missed much-- so much so that I bought the Michelin Green guide while there. One of my main gripes is the size of the book-- its too big to fit in any type of pocket. It does however have a slick rain-resistant cover, and the cover folds to become a useful bookmark.



4. Whenever I'm getting ready to take a trip, I check to see if there is an Eyewitness Guide for my destination. My husband and I spent one week of a two-week 25th anniversary trip in the Loire Valley and this book was our guide. I love that everything is divided into regions and that you get so many pictures so that you know what you're really going to go see. My main complaint with a lot of other guides is that you have to rely on a short written description and often when you get there, it's nothing like you expected.
   
   There are numerous maps with the sites marked. They also include restaurants and hotels rated by price and region. There's a history of the region in the front of the book.
   
   All of their guides follow the same basic format, so if you travel a lot, there's no surprises between the books.
   
   My star ratings:
   
   One star - couldn't finish the book
   Two stars - read the book, but did a lot of skipping or scanning. Wouldn't add the book to my permanent collection or search out other books by the author
   Three stars - enjoyable read. Wouldn't add the book to my permanent collection. Would judge other books by the author individually.
   Four stars - Liked the book. Would keep the book or would look for others by the same author.
   Five start - One of my all time favorites. Will get a copy in hardback to keep and will actively search out others by the same author.



5. I have purchased a number of DK Eyewitness guide books over the years, and this has been another disappointment in a long line. First, the books are heavy to carry (and pages can't be easily torn out). Second, the indexes are unreliable; some popular topics and landmarks are there; other equally-popular ones are not. Third, the pictures are pretty, but small, and the text description too little even on famous chateaux. Not much history, not much description, not much indication of why we should visit the place. The driving and walking routes plotted are no better than many others that are available, including on line, and much worse than some. The hotel and restaurant information is minimal, and tucked away in the back in a separate small section.
   If you want basic touring information, go with Frommers. If you want more detail on history, art, and architecture, go with the Insight Guide which I loved (though they ought to be updated more often)--that makes a great on-site guide. If you want the ultimate in history, architecture, and detail, buy Michelin Green.

5 comments about AA Road Atlas: Ireland (AA Ireland Road Atlas).

1. I will first comment that I have not yet used this atlas in Ireland so I presume information to be accurate. I ordered this as an extra item to the two fold-out maps I was primarily interested in to qualify for free shipping, but will be leaving the maps behind. The scale (1:200,000 or 1" = 3.16 miles) is 2x the scale of the better of the two fold-out maps (Michelen Ireland #712). I will be using it both for driving and for reference in traveling by bus/train. At 8-1/4" x 11-5/8" x 1/4" thick it fits nicely in the outer sleeve of my backpack. I find the Michelen Ireland #712 fold-out map, while a nicely detailed map, somewhat thick and cumbersome to fold. This bound atlas handles nicely.



2. This atlas was absolutely useless during our trip to Ireland. It did NOT provide detailed maps of the cities, and the layout and organization was horrible! The free map we got from the Rental Car Agency was of more use than this atlas. Do NOT buy this product!



3. I am planning a trip to Ireland where I will rent a car to tour the places I wish to visit. This promises to help navigate the country.



4. AA Road Atlas: Ireland (Road Atlas)Just returned from a road trip in Ireland with my girlfriends, this was invaluable, very easy to read, a must far all attempting to drive the roads in Ireland!



5. This atlas is inferior to the Ordnance Survey Atlas (ISBN 978-1-905511-40-2). We bought the AA atlas before our Ireland trip and found we needed the Ordnance Survey atlas once we got there.

No comments about Frommer's Eastern Europe (Frommer's Complete).

2 comments about Czech & Slovak Republics (EYEWITNESS TRAVEL GUIDE).

1. Eyewithess Travel Guides give the best overall overview of any travel book or other product on the market - good organization; great pictures, maps and other graphics; interesting & and concise text about history, food, etc.; good suggestions for lodging and eating. This guide was very helpful to understand and enjoy the Czech & Sovak Republics but I also purchased the more detailed guide for Prague.



2. This is just what I need before our tour in May. Thanks for a speedy delivery!

5 comments about The Rough Guide to Ireland 8 (Rough Guide Travel Guides).

1. I was weaned on the Blue Guides when I first did international travel. I loved the detail about towns and historic sites in those guides along with the suggested tours. The Rough Guide lived up to this standard for me. It provided a good level of detail to enjoy our touring with an organzization of the information that made sense.



2. This was the 3rd "Rough Guide" I've used, and in my opinion they are the best resources for travel to new countries. They not only cover the "standard" areas and sites in detail - including a good range of lodging and dining options - but also take you off the beaten track, exposing nice gems not covered in other books.
   
   If you like to really EXPLORE a country, rather than find the next good shopping area or find the most economical place to sleep, this book and ALL of the "Rough Guides" are for you!



3. This is the first Rough Guide I've purchased, and I'll be looking for more in the series. I like the way the guide is structured, by county and town/smaller area, with attractions described in detail enough for a reader to decide whether or not to see them.



4. I used this book for a 10-day driving trip around Ireland with my mom. My mom had brought Frommer's and Fodor's guide books, and we kept coming back to the Rough Guide. I'd used my first Rough Guide in Ecuador and loved it. What I love is that they cover everything, not just the tourist traps that the "mainstream" guide books do. The book's recommendations are right on and they have information on even the most out-of-the-way places. The book's best suggestion was climbing Mount Errigal - quite a hike, but so worth it.
   
   Even the maps in the book are excellent. We ended up using the Rough Guide maps combined with a tourist map we got at the aiport for a large-scale view of the country. The Michelin driving map we brought ended up being too complicated to use.
   
   After several great experiences with them, Rough Guides are now my guide book of choice. You won't be disappointed with this one!



5. I am traveling to Ireland soon, and found myself in need of a Rough Guide-- because no one else does it better. So far its been instrumental in planning my trip: from arrival in the Southern port cities to a trip around the Ring of Kerry to our planned stay in Dublin, its the starting point in accounting for lodging, restaurants, and activities. No guide can encapsulate the entire country they're "guiding" you through, but the very best give you a great sense of where and how to begin engaging with the country or countries in question and the Rough Guide typically does this with aplomb. I'm also headed to Britain on this trip too, and trust-- I've got the Rough Guide for Britain, too. Laurence West