1 comments about Shorter Walks in the Dolomites: 40 Selected Walks (Cicerone Mountain Walking).

1. I was pleased to find this book about shorter walks in the Dolomites, written in eloquent English. This is a wonderful area of German and Ladino-speaking Italy with many hiking options. I was completely unfamiliar with what we might encounter and this book gave ideas on where to go and what to do. There are many lifts and gondolas that run during the late spring, summer, and fall to take hikers from the main road to higher elevations to start hiking. There is nothing like this in the US so it was difficult to envision. The author gives an overview of the area and then describes each numbered hike (location found on large scale map) in exquisite detail, including directions to the trailheads, mileage, elevation gain (in meters), and walking time. There are beautiful color photos and small-scale maps of each hike. I emailed the author prior to our trip and she answered immediately with suggestions on which hikes to do given the location of our lodging.
   
   We had no idea how long it would take to drive even a short distance on the map. As it turned out, we stayed within a very small area as the roads are narrow and winding and we wanted to spend more time hiking and less time driving (although the scenery was spectacular!). We also had no idea how much the various lifts cost. It depended on the type of lift, location, and whether going one-way or round trip, but the ones we went on ranged from about 8-15 Euros per person. That can add up. Another thing we learned the hard way is that lifts close in the late afternoon and might be closed mid-day while hikers are at elevation and not yet ready to go down. You can always sit at the upper station, which likely has a cafe, and enjoy the scenery if they are not yet open for the descent. Be sure to check the closing time and make sure you beat it or it might be a painful, steep trip down.
   
   The rifugios, or huts, are a delight. Again, coming from the US we had no idea what they would be like. They are much bigger and have more services than expected. You can get some great food and hot and cold drinks. They have restrooms which they prefer you to use rather than the countryside. We would have enjoyed spending nights at them had we known how to go about doing this. We look forward to returning!
   
   Gillian Price has done an excellent job at putting together a rather comprehensive book of day hikes in the Dolomites. Note that there are many hikes available that are not mentioned. She picked a smattering of the best, and there is great variety.

5 comments about Berlin: Portrait of a City.

1. I left Berlin, early in 1937, aged five and a half, not to return until 1983, as a visitor, but I have childhood memories of the city, some of which go back to before I was three. Reinforcing those memories were tales I heard from my parents and the occasional, non-war-related movie. To see pictures of the streets and the faces, the clothing and the shop displays going back to before the First World War has been a source of continuing fascination for me. As is only proper in a book of this sort, the horrors that beset Berlin under Hitler and during the Second World War are also given their proper place in this book, a reminder that even one of the world's most sophisticated cities can be all but destroyed in degeneration and nevertheless, with appropriate assistance, as, for instance, the air lift, be resurected and restored. The photos were excellent, and the commentary, in English, German and French, insightful and instructive. Priced in the mid-thirties, the book sold at a substantially lower price than it did at New York's Museum of Modern Art.



2. I purchased this as a gift for my little (20 yo) brother's birthday. He was born in Berlin. First of all this book is HUGE! I love that the explanations of the pictures are written not only in English, but in German. What a fantastic masterpiece.



3. What a book! My mother as well as her sisters were born in Berlin during and after World War II, so I grew up hearing family stories of this amazing city. This book provided a tremendous visual aid to all these stories. Looking at the images I could picture my grandmother as a young woman, and my aunts and my mother in the postwar years.
   If you have any connection to this amazing city, this book will bring tears to your eyes, for all the hardship and challenges it has faced, and with what fantastic grace it reemerged like phoenix from the ashes.



4. This is a beautiful book! The photos are not only outstanding but they have zero pixillation. You can discern details such as the company name on the back of a horse drawn cart in a crowd. The turn of the century through the 1930's I thought were the best. You can stare at one and with out much effort find yourself slipping away into the photo.
   
   The National Socialist period is not covered in depth nor do I think it needs to be. There are far an away plenty of books for that on the market. This is a book that can not be digested in one sitting. Take your time and look at each photo. The small details are fascinating.
   
   My only problem with the book is the blue page stock that some of the entries is written on. It made it difficult to read the text. That is a minor quibble, especially in a book like this. If you buy a used copy make sure you check the price of shipping as this book weighs as much as a small childs school backpack.



5. A great book and great pictures. Berlin has deeply changed in the last 150 years and all this has been documented precisely by great photographers: this the easiest way to show how. Texts are exhaustive too into describing "typical" life of a city.
   Maybe Berlin has changed more in the last two decades then ever before: the last chapter of this book could be more fascinating and explorative, including the fact that there are a lot of pictures about it but it'd had took another book, perhaps. Maybe Berlin has changed again yet and is changing again now... so I'm waiting for a second edition.

4 comments about Coast to Coast Walk: A Pictorial Guide (Wainwright Pictorial Guides).

1. A great book for planning and walking across England. It has all the details necessary and is written in a humorous vein. The personal drawings and asides add to the light-hearted approach. Really necessary for the details of the walk.



2. The content in this book is terrific. Unfortunately, the text is ridiculously small. I cannot conceive of why. If the text were a reasonable size, I would have given the book a 5-star rating.



3. This beautiful guide to England's Coast to Coast walk is a rare thing... a very practical and reasonably up to date guide by the man who originated the route together with the original drawings and maps Wainright did to accompany the original edition. It is a beautiful book. The photoreproductions of Wainright's original handprinting give the book the feel of an historical artifact; a work of art from a different era.



4. this is a great reprint of the wonderful original coast to coast guide.
   its a must for anyone wanting to do all or part of the walk across Britain. can't wait to use it myself on the trail later this year.

5 comments about Eurydice Street: A Place in Athens.

1. Ms Zinovieff has written an entertaining journal-style "letter from Athens" about moving her family from the UK to Athens and integrating herself and her family unit into contemporary urban Greek life, circa 2002. There are certainly parts of the book that dragged, challenging the reader to continue. For example, her reflections on her earlier trips to Greece with her boyfriend as a graduate student were actually quite boring and her reminiscences as a late adolescent lend little to the experience of reading this book. A prepossessing style when you have little to say is actually quite hollow. On the other hand, the last chapter, in which she travels to the countryside with her husband and daughters to view her late father-in-law's home and confronts the question of whether or not she will make the long-term commitment to keep it and repair it is quite touchingly rendered. Ms Zinovieff, like many "ex-pats," highlights the many negatives in Athens life, but she makes a fine attempt to highlight some of the positives, too. She is best when she leaves her English anthropological interpretations aside and gives direct quotes from real Athenians -- something she does quite a bit. If you are thinking of an extended stay in the city of Athens I would recommend this. As a history of the capital of the modern Greek state, as a tourist guide, or as an "anthropological study," I would not.



2. I read this book on the strength of the reviews. I did not find it a bit charming after the first chapter. What I found it to be was startlingly Anti-American. And what is worse, I found it incredibly boring after the initial chapter. I found myself skipping pages, then chapters, trying to find something "charming" or remotely interesting. Save your money on this one.



3. Good book, well-written, broad in its scope of the mass of contradictions we call Greece. The author describes her first year in Greece, where she and her daughters and husband have taken up residence. She describes the key events during this year and uses each as a launching pad for forays into various aspects of Greek life. There is a fairly strong anti-American and anti-Brit tone always beneath the surface -- some legitimate, stemming from western support of "The Generals", the junta which unpopularly ruled Greece for a period. But I sense that the author is at heart a lefty who wants to take a few ideological shots as she goes along. Zinovieff is a masterful writer, who knows when to be blunt and when to be lyrical. Her anthropological insights serve her well -- well enough to dampen some of her left-wing passion.



4. An expat in Athens myself, I eagerly devour any accounts written by others in hopes I might find a kindred soul or nuggets of wisdom I've somehow overlooked. I did not find either in this book.
   
   Consulting with other expats whose opinions I value, they concurred that this book was boring and the author used every opportunity to name drop or prove how connected she is, so I was shocked to find so many glowing reviews here. Everyone I know tried in vain to get through a chapter at a time, nodded off, then put this book down for good. That's what I did. The only person I met who liked this book is a trailing spouse of a wealthy Greek with children, much like the author who comes from a well-to-do family and is married to a diplomat. This is not how the majority of real people live in Athens or anywhere in Greece; this is an account of a privileged life in which the bureaucracy and infrastructure so ingrained in Greek society have been removed.
   
   I know how difficult it is to write a book and really wanted to like it, and I'm sure people will vote 'no' on whether this review was helpful to punish me, but I believe in being honest nevertheless. This was not a page turner and will end up being sold since I never intend to pick it up again. Sorry!



5. Brilliant!! I was raised in America of Greek parents. I too went to live in Athens as an adult. This book is well written and spot on. Captures the Greek psyche, way of life and ethos. Truthful depiction of life in Athens and its populace. An unbiased, concise history of modern Greece. Tackles all the historical and modern issues relevant to an understanding of today's Greece and its people. Doesn't avoid the touchy issues of attitudes towards Americans, Turks and Albanians. Reintroduced me to the many traditions of my childhood but added rich cultural and linguistic underpinnings and significance. I loved the etymological explanations of common expressions and words - so many of which I use but now have a deeper understanding of them. All that and a great read too. Bravo!!

No comments about Let's Go London 16th Edition (Let's Go London).

No comments about Moleskine City Notebook Roma (Rome) (Moleskine City Notebook).

2 comments about Laminated Copenhagen Map by Borch.

1. This is a nice laminated map of Copenhagen with all of the major attractions, streets, neighborhoods, hotels, etc notated. However, be forewarned, none of the map is in English. Of most note is that the attraction names are a little confusing because most guidebooks refer to their 'English' name versions. You can figure it out pretty easily with the use of a guidebook but don't expect anything on the map to be in English.



2. This map is outstanding! I almost could have gone without my guidebook with this map. It has all the Copenhagen highlights clearly marked (including Stroget, which most maps don't include), all the hotels (VERY helpful) clearly marked, all the train stations - inlcluding lines, etc. It's very easy to follow - it was a lifesaver for me! It was also nice that it was laminated, yet it wasn't plastic, so I could bend it to fit in my bag. I never thought I would be so impressed with a map!

1 comments about The Irish Bed & Breakfast Book.

1. Nothing can give you that home away from home feel like a bed & breakfast. "The Irish Bed & Breakfast Book" is a comprehensive listing of over one hundred and fifty great bed & breakfast locations throughout the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Touting the lodging provided by these locales may be incentive enough to invite people to visit Ireland! "The Irish Bed & Breakfast Book" is a strong consideration for anyone planning a vacation or business trip to Ireland.

3 comments about A Traveller's History of Poland (Traveller's History Series).

1. The history of Poland is complex and convoluted...An amazing story shaped by those inside and outside of Poland -- and those with Poland's best and worst interests at heart. Western Europeans and North Americans have, for the most part, received a disorganized story shaped partially by the real events, but one also framed by various conquerors, suitors, allies, enemies, the well-intentioned, and the truly evil at heart...with a little myth and pure B.S. thrown in for good measure. Many readers, for example, will discover that the events in and about Poland leading up to and through WWII did not really come about as we were taught in school. Centuries ago Poland set out down a path of more representative forms of government -- another historical context we typically don't hear about.
   
   There is no way that a book of barely 300 pages can deliver a comprehensive study of (in the words of historian Norman Davies) "God's Playground". But this volume does a good job of providing historical context for both visitors and the geographically/politically curious. Author Radzilowski may seem to run through the centuries at a fast clip -- and at first I was wondering if his bullet point facts would end up being just a part of some historical list. But as you read along you come to the understanding that he is plotting out a trend line for you to follow. Maybe you can remember all the Polish monarchs and their external allies and foes...I'm not that good at names, dates, and battles. But you should be pleased to come away with a better formed generalized understanding of the country and its people.
   
   I have been extremely fortunate the past few years to have "acquired" some wonderful Polish friends and colleagues. This has fueled my curiosity about Poland, and lead to my first trip there last year. I'm planning a second trip soon, and this book, along with several books on more contemporary Polish history and events, has been a real asset.
   
   I give the book five stars not because it is the best history of Poland, but because it accomplishes precisely what it sets out to do.
   
   In the back of the book there is a nice historical chronology, a listing of Polish rulers, a list of English language sources for Polish history, and a historical gazetteer.
   
   The book ends on this note: "The Polish people have taken everything fate has to throw at them, including the worst crimes of fascism and communism, and have not succumbed. Though its position in the world is not certain, Poland is no longer a plaything of the great powers. Poles earned the right to govern themselves and make their own mistakes and at last to write their own history."
   
   Enjoy!



2. Written by Poland history and culture expert John Radzilowski, A Traveler's History of Poland is a primer of Polish history written for anyone looking to better experience and understand the nation's culture and legacy during their visit. From Poland's origins, to the end of the Commonwealth, war, occupation, and the Holocaust, the all too often violent rule of Communism, the ascent of Polish pope John Paul II and the dawn of modern Polish independence, A Traveler's History of Poland succinctly surveys history and does not whitewash the sufferings and atrocities that all the different ethnicities of people in Poland have endured across the decades. A highly readable, enlightening, even-handed and accessible account ideal for readers of all backgrounds.



3. Even if you're not traveling, you can travel in your armchair with this history. A great way to make your way through the fascinating story of Poland. Highly Recommended!
   James Conroyd Martin, Author of PUSH NOT THE RIVER Push Not the River and AGAINST A CRIMSON SKY Against a Crimson Sky: A Novel

5 comments about On Rue Tatin: Living and Cooking in a French Town.

1. Having been a student in France in the 1970s, this book brought back a lot of good memories. Ms. Loomis is an excellent writer and tells a good story making me feel like I was there. I could easily imagine all of the situations and think any person with an interest in France or cooking would enjoy the book. It'll be kept in my library to reread in the future.



2. Very disappointing, the only good thing in it is the food. It's terribly condescending and author's ego is all over the place. But the most annoying part is that while it claims on the back that this is a book about a cooking school and anyone about to open a small business should read it, this is not the case at all. She only talks about the school a bit at the beginning and then we are just left with her life, her view of the French, which is not very exciting, and an awful lot of adjectives.



3. This is not a cookbook, but a memoir with a scattering of recipes. The story is a familiar one: American becomes enthralled with France (or Italy as is often the case), manages to buy and restore a delapidated country house, and lives to write about it. It is hoped that the proceeds from the sale of the resulting book will defray the costs.
   
   I am sure that Susan Loomis is a nice person, but she is a mediocre writer. Her tale is written in a self-absorbed style that just detracts. The writing is ponderous and irritating.



4. I took a cooking class with Susan when she made one stop in California. I learned alot and so I read this book to see how she ended up in France. It was a delight. It made me want to pack up and visit the town where she lives. I loved reading of the people who live there and the recipes she shares. Very enjoyable.



5. This book is bad in many ways. Like many readers who have pointed out, its writing is just awful. Then, the author seemed small-minded about French culture at times which makes me wonder why did they move to France? She never properly explained it other than saying 'I just Love it there'. One example is when she wrote how she felt uncomfortable with the French way of 'by-passing' the system. She gave the impression that she felt it's wrong to do such things, then gave several examples of how they got their parking tickets waived because they knew this friend and how they bought stuff at cheaper prices because they knew some other friends - in other words, how they cheated the system themsevels while feeling this 'French' way is wrong. This is just hypocritical and condescending.
   
   This book is NOT about living in a French town for the most part, rather, about the author's own life, a quite boring one, that is. The author went into great length into describing every little detail about every little thing. Describing their housekeeper's habbit of cleaning in the dark took 2 pages, then another paragraphy about how the housekeeper doesn't clean the cobwebs very well, then another paragraph of how she's not complaining and 'the world still turns'. It is just painful to read.