1 comments about Michelin Portugal Madere/Portugal & Madeira (Michelin).

1. We spent the last two weeks traveling by car in Portugal from Lisbon to the top and northeast corner of the country; over 2500 km.

   This map was vastly better than the smaller maps we had. It worked particularly well in giving us a clearer picture of what the routes would be like. We discovered no errors.

   It also contains an index of cities and villages.

   Not 5 stars for the following reasons: many small villages not on the map. (To an extent this is unavoidable given that there are so many small villages.) Also, there's no cross milage chart.

   Even more valuable would have been a chart of estimated driving times between major cities. It was all too easy to get stuck behind (very) slow moving trucks in the hilly areas. The 'N' roads, which look like major highways on the map, usually have just one lane in each direction. In addition, they can be endlessly twisty, leaving little opportunity to pass.

5 comments about The Alhambra (Wonders of the World).

1. This little book is packed with the author's detailed opinions about the history of this marvel. It's good reading to prepare one for a visit, but it left me wondering if the legends that the author debunks may not be a prophecy of what tomorrow's scholars may think of this work.



2. Visiting the Alhambra is a once in a lifetime, must do event. See it first from the plaza adjacent to the little church of St. Nicholas across the valley. And when you do finally go in to the Alhambra, bring this guide.
   
   It's the sort of guide one might have had when visiting this place two hundred years ago--more Baedeker than Lonely Planet. It emphasizes the wonder of the place rather than entrance prices and opening times. Written in a narrative style that plays up the history of this magnificent palace, it is a joy to read both before and during one's visit. In fact, a careful reading of the book prior to visiting the Alhambra is bound to enhance the visit tremendously (as, after all, the Alhambra is so popular you'll be limited to a 15 to 30-minute window to make your entrance into the most stunning part of the complex, the Nasrid palace.) For that reason you'll want to know ahead of time what you'll be looking at, because once you're inside the rooms and courtyards go by in a blur--a gorgeous procession of delicate columns and sparkling fountains. If you're trying to read your guidebook for the first time in the midst of it all, you'll miss most of it. Once you are inside, you're much better off just using the book for a quick consultation as you enter each new room, gallery, or alcove.
   
   Irwin's 'Alhambra' tells you what you really need to know about this place (one of Europe's most magnificent palaces) including the unfortunate fact that much of what you will see (or are seeing) has been recreated; the presumed use of each area of the palace is at best an educated guess (and at worst, a shot in the dark). Even some of the carved inscriptions are misleading (assuming you can read medieval Arabic). As Irwin notes: "...Contreras, who knew no Arabic, rearranged them [the inscriptions] in such a way that it is no longer possible to make sense of them" (p. 47, hardbound). Regardless, there is beauty in this truth, and this book has it in spades. Your standard tourist guidebook will not confront you with such sincerity (although you'll need it for the basics mentioned above: entrance prices, opening times, etc., as Irwin is not concerned with those).
   
   The hardbound version of Irwin's 'The Alhambra' makes a great keepsake to remind you of your visit, and you can put it on your shelf next to the copy of Washington Irvings' 'Tales of the Alhambra' you picked up in the gift shop. Bottom line--if you are going to visit the Alhambra, do it right: bring this book, and read it ahead of time.



3. The good: debunks some of the myths, gives a good background to some of the names and how the appearance was radically altered by perceptions of what people thought (and what they wanted to think) represented Moorish architecture.
   
   The bad: He spends so much time explaining why this or that is not true that we almost learn about the Alhambra by what it is not. He never really gets has a together, narrative history here, which makes it difficult to get a 'grasp' on the place by just reading this book alone.
   
   Also He unfairly criticizes Irving's Tales of The Alhambra (apparently Washington Irving was at once dull, but too imaginative, prejudiced against Moors but sympathetic to Bobadil, cheering for the Spanish yet anti-Catholic - and yes Irwin contradicts himself on the same page!) while (strangely) praising movies like the 7th Voyage of Sindbad (which was filmed there). Shows a lack of understanding or depth about Orientalist Art, which doesn't stop him from talking about it.
   
   The guide he suggested to buy, available at the site and in Granada, is far better- (unfortunately not available in the US) its published by Ediciones Edilux, called "in focus' in English and available online if you google it.



4. The book gives a good overview of the history of Alhambra palace and Islamic Spain. Some minor translation problems as the author try to root some of the names of the various rooms in the palace to its Arabic origin. Nonetheless, the book is well written, and is an excellent source for beginners on the Alhambra palace.



5. Page one, paragraph one has two glaring errors. First, there are indeed figurative paintings in the Alhambra. They are painted on leather decorating the ceilings of the recesses in the Hall of Kings. Second, Columbus did not present his plan to cross the Atlantic to Ferdinand and Isabella at the Alhambra but at Santa Fe, their encampment several miles outside of Granada.
   I didn't bother to read further. This book promised to be worthless.

1 comments about A Journey to the End of the Russian Empire (Penguin Great Journeys).

1. Anton Chekhov never sat down and wrote a discrete book titled A JOURNEY TO THE FAR END OF THE RUSSIAN EMPIRE, but he did take an eventful journey from Moscow to the island of Sakhalin, the eastern most reach of the empire, in 1890, which he recorded in letters to family and friends and in the report he was commissioned to write regarding the island settlement. Penguin editors have excerpted the letters to describe Chekhov's journey to his destination and draw on the report for what he found at his destination. Together, these parts create a satisfying, often astonishing travelogue and social statement.
   
   Chekhov left Moscow in April and the letters begin with his arrival a month later in Tomsk, on the western side of Asiatic (Siberian) Russia. The letters are full of the humor, insights, wonder and conventions that are prized in the genre. Chekhov's narrative voice is addictive. It becomes clear that the route he follows, first by land and then by boat on the Amur, the river that borders China, that late 19th century Asiatic Russia had more than a little in common with the American Wild West of the same period. The Russians pushed eastward usurping land and natural resources from native tribes. Sakhalin, a long desolate island north of Japan, was taken for penal colonies and its coal deposits. In his report, Chekhov ehcoes Dickens and presages Orwell as he considers the condition of the prisoners, those who imprison them and the native Gilyaks. It is an incredible statement about humanity and inhumanity in an inhospitable place far from civilization.

2 comments about The Little Black Book of Paris (Little Black Books) (Little Black Books).

1. Beautiful little book that gives you the basics. The recommendations are mid to high end so don't expect lonely planet suggestions. The book also has a complete set of maps of the city as well as the Metro map. It is also very small, like a moleskine notebook, so it can easily fit anywhere. It's an elegant gift for anyone going to Paris, whether it's the first time or return visit.



2. I found this book on a shelf in a Parisian rental apartment. What a great discovery!! Of all the general tourist guides to Paris that I've read over the yrs, this is the at the top--clear, great info and suggestions not found in other guides, very lightweight which makes carrying it easy, a convenient elastic to bookmark. I love its size and information.
   While I don't care if I look like wahat i ma--a tourist-fFor those who are somewhat afraid of looking too obviously like a tourist, this book is so small and discreet, youcould be perusing anything !
   Hopefully it will eventually be released in a 2008 or 2009 edition, although its suggestions are quite current (i.e. restaurants, tour sites, etc) and extrememly useful in the 2006 edition.
   
   Thank you, Vesna Neskow!

3 comments about The 25 Essential World War II Sites: European Theater: The Ultimate Traveler's Guide to Battlefields, Monuments, and Museums (Greenline Historic Travel).

1. Looking for detailed information on the Normandy area and the resulting battles of D-Day. The information seems to be very well written and consise. Not sure of the accuracy since we will be using the book for an upcoming trip in late 2008.



2. Having traveled to and written about battlefields in Europe and in the Pacific, I have read with interest and admiration Chuck Thompson's several books on the subject. In short, he's an excellent writer, guide, and historian. The chapters on various battlefields are concise, practical, and informative. His maps are useful and precise. Each chapter also has suggestions for further reading. He is neither a cheerleader nor a nihilist, but a man of balance, judgment, and insight. I have several of his books on my bedside table, and before dropping off to sleep, I dwell on places like Buna, Stalingrad, and Anzio. Most guidebooks are like prerecorded messages, but Chuch Thompson supplies just the right quote, fact or suggestion. Use him whenever you can, and get these books. Without writers like Thompson, history will pale.



3. First rate guide to the many sites on WWII in Europe. I have been to many of them and agree with his opinions. He doesn't mince words and has lots of great tips. I wish he had written this years ago!

5 comments about Sandra Gustafson's Great Eats Paris.

1. For almost two decades I have been guided by this book and its earlier editions. In quantity and quality I have loved Sandra Gustafson's choices. I miss the "Cheap Eats" of her earlier years, but she still suggests many restaurants that have excellent food at reasonable prices. Her detail work is great: days open, hours open, Metro stop, menu suggestions, etc. To drop a name, I recall mentioning a favorite "Cheap Eat" to Claudette Colbert, with whom I was working at the time. "Oh, darling," she said, "that's one of my favorite restaurants, too." This book is not for diehard foodies. It's for real people looking for truly memorable meals in Paris.



2. This book is out of date. I was in Paris in July 2006- both restaurants I tried to go to were closed- La Cameleon and I can't remember what the other one was. Ms. Gustafson's descriptions are nice, but wait for the next edition (I had 2004's 10th.)



3. A perfect companion to Gustafson's hotel book. Take this one with you for reference. Her info is correct, clear and useful. She will give you good value for price.



4. Gustafson's book can be helpful to most travelers. Besides listing interesting spots to eat on a budget,she includes in-depth info about French cuisine,dining customs,and manners, as well as decent maps.With all of the new airline weight restrictions,it would be even better if it was a smaller size.



5. I just returned from Paris, and this book was invaluable. We were able to find great restaurants in every neighborhood we visited. Only one was a dud (I believe ownership must have changed.) The rest were wonderful, and learning about Stoher's Pastry alone was worth the price of the book! This was my fourth trip to Paris and we've never eaten so well. I highly recommend this book.

1 comments about Autumn in Piemonte: Food and Travels in Italy's Northwest.

1. This intensely personal book on the Piemonte is a delight. It is a gorgeous pictorial survey of the entire region. The narrative brings a nice personal touch. And the recipes seem to be delicious. I plan on cooking several.
   
   The Piedmont is the one region north of Rome that we have not visited. I am already planning my next visit to Italy based on this book.

5 comments about Paris: The Biography of a City.

1. Being from Paris and now living in the US, I looked forward to this book. I thought I would get a review of history and maybe find out new things. The history is OK but very slim in many instances. What disappointed me the most was that there were almost no pictures. It would have been fun, for example, to have both historical illustrations and modern pictures of an area being described in this book. Many things are described but it just is not the same as seeing it in pictures. Most illustrations were obscure and not explained within the context of the book.
   
   All in all, better to get two books - one on history and the other on architecture. Trying to do justice to both does not work.



2. This book is terribly organized. I'm not sure what happened in writing this book, but it seems clear that Professor Jones did not compile this in the chronological order that it is printed in.
   
   My main complaint is that rather obscure concepts/people/events are repeatedly referred to, and then only later does Jones bother to define them. (I would almost prefer that he not define something at all, rather than offering a definition 100 pages after his first reference to it!) The fact that the book has an index only further infuriated me - clearly the author/publisher knew where all these terms were located throughout the book, yet did not bother to offer a definition in the appropriate/first reference to the concept.
   
   Examples are numerous, but here are a few:
   **robe nobility: referenced on pages 139, 152, 183. Defined? (pg. 183)
   **sans culottes: first referenced on page 189, defined on page 231.
   **Louis-Sebastien Mercier: referenced on pages 11, 138, 178, 189, 200, 204, 212, 213. When did Jones provide information (that he was a "journalist, dramatist and observer of Parisian mores") on just WHO Mercier is? Page 215.
   
   Aside from that, there are some plain old errors. One such is in the text box on Saint Genevieve. Jones mentions that she negotiated with Frankish military chieftains in the 570s and 580s. She died in 512AD, so the negotiations seem improbable. (470s & 480s would be correct, but I should not have to figure that out.)
   
   The redeeming quality of the book is that if DOES offer information on Paris if you are willing to sift through the above mentioned annoyances. And Paris is not such a bad subject.



3. I understand now that the "biography of a city" genre means, literally, what happened to the city in question throughout its existence. This does not mean the reader will get a historical survey of events within the city. It means the reader will get a more-or-less chronological account of building programs, road building, and changes in sewage infrastructure.
   
   In short: dry reading.
   
   I bought Paris: The Biography of a City on the eve of my trip to Paris, thinking a history of Paris would give me a sense of context. However, history involves people and events. Needless to say, I was sorely disappointed by what I got, and instead read John Roberts's excellent book, The French Revolution. But driven by an obsession with finishing every book I start, I finished reading this book on my return to the U.S.
   
   Taken for what it is, this book is a decent and apparently accurate catalog of Paris's growth since its early years. However, Jones merely mentions in passing major events like the St. Bartholomew's massacre and Napoleon III's coup d'etat, and people like Robespierre and Napoleon Bonaparte, as if the reader already knew all about them.
   
   A city without people is not a city. Likewise, a biography of a city that goes into almost no detail about the people who lived in that city through the ages is hardly a biography. Or at least, hardly a biography worth reading.



4. I found this book disappointing for other reasons than reviewers have already cited. Namely, it's a very poorly-chosen title. It miscues readers that the story will be told in a alternative way. i.e. Paris (a physical place) has a bio, that is literally comprised of the stories of the objects that compose it. I wish Jones had scrapped this book and written that one instead. That one sounds like fun.
   
   I have no idea how the one review below picked that sentence as typical. I couldn't find a similar sentence anywhere in the book. It's not a difficult read at all.
   
   It's also not an compelling one. The title hints at a book where Paris and it's objects will become protagonists: the story of Paris will be told through artifacts. That's some hook! But the book has little to do with relating Paris' `biography' as such. Instead this is just a conventional history of Paris, with multiple pages devoted to incidents that were long ago sufficiently mythologized, and thus well-known. Paris Commune, Eiffel Tower, Sacre Couer, Haussmaninzation etc. Jones covers every topic as `history' leading to a final few sentences about the artifact that remains. It's unfortunate. Simon Schama's history of the revolution (Citizens) is not very different from this, not a city. It's conventional. This is how histories have been written for the entire 20th century.
   
   It also seems like you can't talk about spaces and buildings without talking about architects too. There's barely a word about anyone other than Haussmann. You can't talk about the Pompidou Center without mentioning Archigram, unless you're writing at the level of "travel pamphlet." It's just not possible.
   
   The topic of Paris is aching for someone to discover its hidden humor. I love Paris but it takes itself so seriously that all who deign to describe it unfortunately become humorless themselves.



5. This books greatest strength and weakness is that it is one of the most thorough overviews on the city of Paris history that has been written yet. Unlike many it goes into wonderful detail on the early years of Paris and the build up on the Isle de cite. One of the other drawbacks is that the maps of Paris in the back are just okay but if you have a Paris travel book with good maps you will be better served for following the authors descriptions. The downside to the detail is that you can get bogged down very easily and lose the authors main point with all of the detail. The book tends to glaze over the post world war II era and I would have liked more explanation of the reconstruction efforts.
   Overall it was an excellent summary of Parisian history and put Paris in the context of the entire country. There are many books like this that offer the biography of the city and I would put this one in the middle of those. It is hard to have a very strong opinion of this book since it was neither amazing nor terrible. For those looking to learn some more about the history of the city or those who want another perspective on French history it is probably worth a read but for the general consumer on European history it is probably worth a pass.

1 comments about Wallpaper City Guide: Rome (Wallpaper City Guide).

1. This is an inexpensive guide for wannabe Beautiful People with a lot of money to spend in Rome. Interesting tips on contemporary design, however.

1 comments about Ideo Eyes Open: London (Ideo Eyes Open).

1. I'm posting similar reviews for this pair of Ideo Eyes Open guides, one for Ideo Eyes Open: New York and one for Ideo Eyes Open: London, because they were released at the same time and share a common approach, with some promise of more guides to follow in the series.
   
   Ideo is a design and image consulting firm that has created this series incorporating some of its more general design approaches and hoping the reader will slow down and look at usual things in an unusual way: "It's really just a matter of getting out there and opening yourself up to it all." Both books are beautifully designed, handy in the back pack or purse, with some clever "for your comments" stickers to highlight your own favorites.
   
   The firm made its name in designing products, including the Palm V, but more recently has focused on environment design. Fred Dust is team leader of Smart Space, the company's real estate division and the editor of this series. One of Dust's first projects was Dilbert's Ultimate Cubicle designed in consultation with Scott Adams. It featured a boss monitor, an electronic window, a fold down Murphy chair, an Aquarium module and a roll up hammock.
   
   In their projects, the team the starts with a "deep dive," during which "Smart Space designers, anthropologists and researchers spend days -- sometimes weeks -- shadowing people to observe how they live: when and where they eat, what time they go to bed, what their hobbies are, how they spend their money." The Eyes Open website and guide books follow the same approach: they publish unique experiences shared by IDEO staff and friends, and offering site visitors the opportunity to submit their own unique experiences in text and imagery.
   
   Here are a couple of examples from the London guide of suggestions:
   
   "Instead of taking high tea at a hotel lounge, go to Coffee@157. The light fixtures in this coffeehouse, as you can see, are made of to-go cups. Outside, a yellow vending machine dispenses artworks for less than 5 pounds each."
   
   "Crumbs and Doilies is a boutique cupcake shop in the Sunday UpMarket, which is a spontaneous gathering of people selling arts and crafts and playing carom."
   
   I'm not entirely sure who these guides will appeal to; there is precious little of the traditional guidebook information about prices, opening hours, travel directions, etc. But the goal is certainly worthy: opening yourself to your surroundings while traveling can be a wonderful experience. I remember once sitting in a shady cave high above a canyon in Utah one hot summer day enjoying the scenery. Suddenly, I realized my body fit the hollow perfectly, and saw to my surprise that the rock had been hollowed out to make a comfortable seat. All at once I was engulfed in a culture several hundred years old, re-living the life of sentries watching for approaching enemies.
   
   These guidebooks promise the same flashes of discovery, and so far they have delivered on a couple of occasions in New York City. I can hardly wait to try out this edition in London later this year.
   
   Robert C. Ross 2008