No comments about AAA 2008 Europe Road Atlas (Aaa Europe Road Atlas).

5 comments about Francesco's Venice: The Dramatic History of the World's Most Beautiful City.

1. John Parker's photographs in "Francesco's Venice" are lovely. However, the historical text written by Francesco Da Mosto, although complete and covering a vast time period, is opinionated, rather cumbersome and replete with self congratulatory statements concerning his family's Venetian heritage. I found the latter annoyingly childish; like a 6 year-old giving a class report wanting to make sure his classmates knew just how important his daddy was. This self importance as a true Venetian with a rich family history may have been the impetus for writing the book but adds nothing to it. In the final analysis, aside from the photographs I was not particularly pleased with my purchase.



2. I enjoyed Venice and Italy while on My Grand Tour of Europe for my 50th Birthday.....and discovered this wonderful author and TV Travel while cruising through the Travel Channel. So fantastic & brings back all of my travel memories. I was the first of my family to discover Italy & now they all want to go!!!!



3. Really enjoyed this book. Beautiful photos and easily readable text. A lot of good information ,history included, presented in such a way that you actually do want to read it and not just look at the pictures.



4. This is the accompanying book to the TV series, but so much more too!
   
   Firstly, the book is replete with stunning photography by John Parker. These in themselves are enough to merit applause, but Francesco's text is a good read and full of personal insight. He clearly is no lightweight historian, but has delved deeply into his own and his city's past.
   
   The book is in five chapters (one more than the TV series) with titles that explain much of the subject they contain: 1. "Water - From the Waters to the City"; 2. "Earth - The Boundaries of Land Enlarge"; 3. "Air - La Serenissima Evaporates"; 4. "Fire - Venice Burns Its Past"; and 5. "Ether - Life under Uncertainty".
   
   There is a healthy dose of scepticism of traditions in relation to the early history of the city adopted by the author, and his own tentative assertions ring true. He is good on this period, whereas other histories skip over it lightly. He focuses on the physical origins of the city and its political beginnings. It was then not a matter of display or grandeur or empire, but trade, commerce and industry, especially where salt and fish were concerned. It was also a healthy sign that Francesco sheds doubt on the blindness of Doge Enrico Dandolo, the scourge of the Fourth Crusade to Constantinople.
   
   He is also good on the Arsenale, which presently lacks any detailed history in English. It is still very much out-of-bounds to tourists, but it would have been nice, though, to have had plans of its development. And I have yet to see in print those marvellous birds' eye view drawings of the naval base before and after Napoleon's conquest. Francesco is also good on the subject of trade, such as the mechanics involved in sailing convoys, as well as their destinations (but, alas, no map, not even any line drawings of how a galley, a galleass or a navi would have looked like).
   
   There is more emphasis on how Francesco's own family history has become intertwined with that of the city: this is, after all, Francesco's history of his birthplace! We learn of its involvement in the Tiepolo plot of 1310 and in that of Doge Marin Falier, the only doge to be sentenced to death, in 1355. Francesco provides personal reminiscences too about the first time he received his first communion in Saint Mark's Cathedral, about his first experience of a Titian painting, about witnessing the fire at the La Fenice opera house, and about his own home, which was the setting for part of Anthony Minghella's film "The Talented Mr Ripley." There is much more.
   
   Many of these recollections appear in the numerous additional textboxes that populate the whole book. These allow the reader to focus in more detail on particular aspects, whether it's the doge's hat, robes and regalia, or the antics of Baron Corvo. Those boxes devoted to the language of Venice proved very useful to me. I always wondered why the Venetians often failed to pronounce the suffixes used elsewhere in Italy; Francesco explains that it is partly down to laziness.
   
   There are, as one would expect, many links to the TV series. He repeats in the book his castigation of the bridge to the mainland as a folly; its name - Ponte della Liberta - he insists is ironical. But there are differences with the TV series too. For example, the painter Turner appears nowhere in its pages, but John Singer Sargent appears in his place.
   
   Francesco's coverage of twentieth century Venice is a pleasure to read, as this is often an overlooked episode in its history, for understandable reasons. And yet, it has a richness of drama all of its own, especially in his family reminiscences of war and peace.
   
   So why only four stars? On the negative side, Francesco mentions books in his introduction, but there is no bibliography to guide the reader further into the details of the subjects raised. And where are the maps? Maps of the lagoon would have been useful for placing the city in its geographical setting and for providing bearings in relation to many places named in the early chapters, such as Torcello, Aquileia, Grado, Ravenna and Chioggia.
   
   This review is of the softback print. Unfortunately, there are errors arising from the reduction in size and pages from the original hardback, for example, the "see above" on page 107 is meaningless, as are the picture credits (although these can be worked out with a little patience). The index is good, but there is no entry, for instance, for either "Messeteria" or "Modone".
   
   How does this book compare with the standard introduction to the history of Venice in English by John Julius Norwich? Although Francesco spends some time to accounts about the city's wars in the east and its political relations with the Italian mainland, there is by far a greater amount of information and history given to the development - architectural, social and economic - of the city itself. For example, space is given by Francesco to the paving of streets and the standard of cleanliness, to clothes and how nobles greeted each other - it would have been nice to have one of Longhi's pictures to accompany these social points; you will look almost wholly in vain for such details in Norwich's history. The downside is that there are only two paragraphs devoted to the role of Paolo Sarpi whereas the more political and wider geographical sweep of Norwich's book devotes a chapter or more to the workings out of the papal crisis of the early seventeenth century.
   
   So, `you pays your money and you takes your choice', but if you are seeking an introduction to the city of Venice as opposed to an introduction to the politics and external relations of the city, then Francesco's must be the better buy. However so great Norwich's history is, it does spend more than half its time on the coasts of the eastern Mediterranean and the plains of Lombardy, rather than in the city itself (see my amazon.co.uk review).



5. I just got back from Venice, at 2AM today in fact, and I am extremely glad that I read this book before the trip. It is very well written and covers a breadth of information about Venice, ranging from history, politics, art, architecture and more. It is beautifully illustrated and contains a number of inset discussions about venetian society and other topics that just add more and more to the book. Altogether, it was a fascinating and easy read, and one that dramatically enhanced my trip. I am thinking of reading it again, or renting the videos, to further the experience. In my opinion, a must read for any traveller to Venice.

3 comments about Michelin Green Guide Sicily (Michelin Green Guide: Sicily).

1. I'm building an internet site all about Sicily. I found this book so useful in my photographic tours of Sicily. It is a book that who love Sicily might not to miss. I appreciated particularly the advices about where to eat. It's simply ... complete!



2. The Green Guide Sicily was added to this series in 1998 and gives you all the information you need for a trip to Sicily.

   Sicily is not just the birthplace of the Mafia that Hollywood has led you to believe. It's a sleepy place untouched by tourist throngs with a wealth of beautiful Greek ruins. I visited in July 2001 and used this book as my main travel book. As in all the Michelin guides the cities and tourist attractions are listed are organized alphabetically without any geographic considerations so you need to refer to a map to find an unfamiliar place. There are limited maps printed at the beginning of the book. Hours of opening with telephone numbers are given at the back of the book for the major attractions. This is critically important; you don't want to drive across the island to arrive at place that's closed for the 3 to 4 hour midday siesta. Tourist amenities are limited in Sicily, I stayed at one of the best hotels in Palermo (according to the Italy Red Guide) and it was awful. In some remote places finding a place to buy cool drinks or snacks is a challenge that Americans used to having convenience stores everywhere will notice. The upside of this is that there are so few tourists that you get a unique perspective on the places you see. I spent 90 minutes at the superb Greek temple at Segesta during which I was the only person there for most of the time. There weren't many people at the Selunente or Agrigento Greek temples either. The guide refrains from gossipy editorializing, sticking to one or two pages of facts and picture or two of important sites. There is a useful system of prioritizing sites; Three stars is a must see, one star for sites worth visiting if you're in the area or have extra time on your hands. I found that I usually agreed.




3. As pointed out in the other review, Michelin books are organized alphabetically. While they may be good for laying out a web site they are frustrating and inefficient to use to plan a trip. Unless you travel alphabetically.

5 comments about As the Romans Do: An American Family's Italian Odyssey.

1. He insults his reader by assuming they have never stepped out of their trailer park long enough to now what "mozzarella" is. In short;
   I don't know how to describe how incredibly inane this book is, so I'll give you the description on inane, which explains this book better than I can...BECAUSE I KNOW I'M NOT A WRITER!
   Main Entry: inane
   Function: adjective
   1 : EMPTY, INSUBSTANTIAL
   2 : lacking significance, meaning, or point : SILLY
   synonym see INSIPID



2. Alan Epstein's As the Romas Do is a terrific book for a reader interested in Rome, since As the Romans Do makes accurate observations concerning the quirks and personalities of the citizens, streets, bars and traffic of Rome.
   
   Epstein has the skill to write clearly about observations we all make, such as: Rome has more "beauty, sensuality and creativity" than most other cities (p. 4); to visit Rome is to be surrounded by "Bernini, Borromini, and Brmanete" along with "Michelangelo, Raphael and Caravaggio" (p. 33); and Rome is a city of "anarchy", always was and always will be, "that nevertheless functions" (p. 54).
   
   I agree with Mr. Epstein that "St. Peter's is the grandest, most majestic building in Rome and perhaps in the world" (p. 60). Cardinal Ratzinger used to take daily walks around St. Peter's and I wonder if he does so now that he is the pope.
   
   Epstein's comparisons between Americans and Romans are insightful. He writes that "Americans devote energy to the accumulation and management of money" while the Romans "devote energy to looking well, eating well, [and] loving well" (p. 67). I miss Rome and Mr. Epstein reminds me why.
   
   It is so true that Roman people are funny. They prefer the activity of ironing to using a dryer (p. 151), detest dishwashers, hate to give out change from the cash registers at the stores (p. 68), and the Romans "cannot decorate a Christmas tree to save their lives" (p. 145).
   
   The scene of the humorous interactions in chapter 1 that take place in Piazza Santa Maria Liberatrice is worth the price of the book alone. And Esptein reveals some of the secrets on how Roman ladies stay so beautiful up to the age of 80 in several chapters (pp. 9, 75, 76, and 131).
   
   I notice that several reviews here are negative which is curious since Epstein's book on Rome is one of many wonderful books that help the reader appreciate the ancient city. My hunch is that the negative reviewers are probably people who love Rome and are upset that they did write a book about their views of Rome.
   
   Because Epstein is a Jew (p. 17) he misses some of the finer points of Catholic Rome, such as a lack of appreciation of the universities in Rome. The University of Rome has 40,000 students and there are 10 other universities in town. Thus, to say that Rome has "very little here in the way of new thinking" (p. 184) is an honest mistake.
   
   As the Romans Do is a delightful book that plan to read and re-read regularly since I miss Rome and appreciate Esptein's ability to highlight the uniqueness of the Eternal City.



3. The product of one man's experience, but it's always better to have your own than someone else's, isn't it? I have heard that he's a WONDERFUL and entertaining tour leader, however.



4. Had I read this book before moving to Italy, I wouldn't have believed all the details...living here now and having enjoyed this reading I find it helpful to know Italy is as I am experiencing it. A fun and entertaining book, well worth reading. Alan Epstein allows you to feel and enjoy the charms of living in Italy as an Expatriate. I highly recommend it to anyone moving here, anyone who knows someone living here, anyone curious at all about living in Italy, and wrapping this up-that should leave out...no one.



5. I just moved to Rome with zero knowledge of the city. I found the book a useful intro, but not very erudite. One of the most glaring errors is the claim that the Renaissance started in Rome. It did not, it was Florence. He also calls punks skinheads, which shows a lack of understanding of subcultures. In fact, you will get little sense of the politics or subcultures of Rome, but an obsession with woman's fashion. I think like many Americans disenchanted with their hypercapitalist homeland, anything that is not American will seem quaint and nice. As a result I find many of the observations very romanticized and generalized, and coming from a rather bourgeois perspective. For example, the claim that men don't wear tennis shoes is wrong. Still, I think this book was a better orientation than no orientation. I don't think it's fair that reviewers attacked his writing style. Yes it's simple, but for many that will be just fine.

1 comments about Top 10 Naples & Amalfi Coast (EYEWITNESS TOP 10 TRAVEL GUIDE).

1. As a frequent visitor to the area I was pleasantly surprised by this very practical and compact guidebook to Naples and the Amalfi Coast. I am pleased that this is a book that I would take with me on my next trip - there is enough here that is new for me, and I'm surprised that the recommendations are, based on my tastes and personal experiences, quite accurate.
   
   I am particularly pleased that the author gives good coverage to the Capodimonte Museum (I had really expected to criticize the book for overlooking one of Naples most important attractions), which for some reason is usually given short shrift in American guidebooks. On the other hand, the allegiance to a "top ten" format can be a little misleading unless the reader is careful: the Capodimonte is listed as a "top ten" museum along with such extremely minor destinations as the "paper" museum in Amalfi (Museo della Carta), but note however that the Capodimonte museum is itself a "top ten" attraction for the entire region.
   
   It's also interesting that the book does not devote much space to such well-known destinations (and typical tourist overnight stays) as Sorrento and Amalfi itself. Quite frankly, I think it's a wise decision: the book is small enough to fit comfortably in a jacket pocket or a purse or a knapsack, and I think it's primarily meant for the traveler who is staying in Naples (perhaps for business) and is interested in what to see in the city and on day trips along the coast, as far south as Paestum.
   
   One minor nit: although the author mentions that nativity scene decorations ("Presepe") are typical souvenirs of Naples he does not mention the street "Via San Gregorio Armeno" which is lined with shops selling them. I personally consider it a highlight destination of the city. Similarly, although he mentions Vietri sul Mare, there's no photo of the town and he doesn't really convey how much fun it is to explore the ceramic shops there. Of course a book this size can't really do more than list the attractions: a careful reader who knows what they are interested in will find much useful information here. Highly recommended.

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!

4 comments about Greek Waters Pilot 10th Edition.

1. If you'e going, get this book. If you've been there hopefully it was already aboard with you. Great reference book: It is the book to have as a sailor in that area. Greek mapping of ATONs etc is not the best and this publication contains the best local knowledge you could have aboard unless your skipper is a highly knowledgeable local sailor. Landmarks, harbor services, native's demeanor, food & supplies, light historical info, phone numbers, even a glossary of useful Greek terms. This was my second trip using this book.



2. This book is definitely a "must have" for everyone sailing in Greece. We have used it now for 4 Years there without having any problems finding the information we need to find. Together with the local charts (which are often not too accurate) You will definitely find your way to the destination safely.



3. I am planning to bareboat in the Saronic / Argolic soon. It will be my first experience in the area, since in previous ocasions I bareboated, I did it in the British Virgin Islands.
   This is why, My first reaction was to compare this guide with the ones I used in the BVI.
   Assuming it covers an area which is dramatically bigger than the BVI, I was not surprised with the size of the book, which, is big and bulky (certainly not a pocket one, or something you can read at bead, you need a table to put it over...).
   I found the book is clearly written, easy to understand, with good diagrams. If I not rate it with a five (5), is because:
   
   - Though it has a general map at the begining of each section, once you are inside a section, reviewing the different places, is difficult to place certain port in the big picture context. This requires going back and forward, which is certainly not easy considering the size of the book. I believe having the ports (or anchorages) diagrams refered to a bigger portion of the area, would be helpful. This would make easier to plan itineraries.
   - Main ports and anchorages are included. But it seems the book lacks of information about secluded places, which may serve as lunch stops between main destinations.
   - Would have expected more "local flavour" in the descriptions of ports, once you are in. Maybe more recommendations on where to go, or what to do. Or that kind of data, which really makes the difference between the so called "milk charters" or a "tailored" one.
   
   This book is the default guide which you will find on board of many of the yachts in the greek area (as I could find out from many quotations I received when planning my vacation). But if you are going there for the first time, I strongly recommend to have the book far in advance, since is not the kind of book easy to use on board (mainly because of it size, you will only use it down at the navigation table, but not in the cokpit). Then, is up to you if you decide to take it with you in the plane... or trust the one you will find on board is in good shape. But the important thing is to be acquainted with it. Having said all this, I am very happy to have this book in my library while planning my vacations.



4. I'm heading for the Cyclades this summer on a yacht. This book has all the information I need for my trip.

3 comments about Frommer's Rome Day by Day (Frommer's Day by Day).

1. Unless you want to hire a tour guide or you have a friend who lives in Rome to take you around this is your best bet. Short and to the point reviews and info on all the things you want to see in Rome. Some of the prices in the book are already out of date. The Leonardo Express train to and from the airport now costs 11 Euros, not 9.50. The map that is included is good enough but lacks some detail. It would be nice if the map included little icons of the more popular sites for ease of reading. That said your hotel will probably have a tourist map for you for free. Using this book I put together an intinerary that was good for me in about an hour.



2. Although this book was published in 2006, many of the prices are out of date and at least 2 euro off. Also, the maps are not accurate. My husband and I spent lots of time searching for items listed and could never find them. After the first day, we carried another map with us and consulted it instead of the maps in the book. Also, be careful with the maps printed in the book, as most of them are not pointing north. We got turned around in many of the walking tours by accidentally turning the wrong way because of the map's orientation. Also, we tried to eat at a couple of the restaurants listed in the book. One was no where to be found, not even the street listed, and two more that we had hoped to eat at were supposed to be open and were not. We will NEVER buy another Frommer's guidebook.



3. we took it with us, and it did provide a lot of good info

5 comments about French in 10 Minutes a Day® (10 Minutes a Day Series).

1. I bought these right after returning from Paris knowing I was going back the following year. I didn't know one word of French before these CD's and when I returned to Paris I felt quite competent getting around. I wasn't fluent by any means, but these CD's focus on what you need to know as a traveler i.e. asking basic questions, making reservations, going to the post office, airport terms, ordering food, menu item names, names of shops and conjugation of common verbs. I learned a tremendous amount just by listening to the CD's. The use of different people on the CD's introduces various accents and helps reinforce pronunciation. The workbook lessons are a nice beginner level and follow the CD's and are good to reinforce the spellings and vocabulary. There is a glossary in the back which is also helpful. I highly recommend this set to anyone wanting a good first step to learning French or just wanting to be able to get around France on vacation. It made a huge difference in my confidence from the first year, not knowing a word to being able to walk into a place asking for a table, ordering my meal and paying completely in French.



2. I doubt that you can learn a language in just ten minutes a day but this one at least gives you confidence to at least try to speak some french as a traveller and people always respond well to the fact that you have made an effort.
   One of the most attractive features of this book is the simple system of pronuncation. Next is the logical way it sets about teaching you ie., the order of gettin to the heart of the matter. Some of the suggested ways of learning vocabulary can be expanded onWell worth the cost.



3. Although I believe the sequence of the training is good, I would have liked the CD to strictly follow the book. The tape also uses several French speakers and they all pronounce the words very differently, which to a beginner like me, is very confusing. The intent was good as they wanted folks to hear people with French accents from all over the world; however, to someone hearing and learning the language for the first time, I personally found this to be frustrating. For my level of expertise (none), I needed consistency in pronunciation and pronunciation I could understand so I could repeat. Folks who already are familiar with the language, may find this CD useful.



4. All I want is to learn to communicate the essential needs of a tourist when I travel to France. This book includes sticky labels to label all sorts of items in your home, flash cards, and other tools that help to learn basic French with less effort. You will need other materials if you want to learn this language more fluently and a CD to help with pronounciation. Regardless, this book can be a helpful tool.



5. i was happy with the book and the phonetic structure that gives you an idea of how the words are pronounced. i have a problem learning a new language and this book makes it easier. the spanish version already has a home in my library and has been very helpful. however, i was disappointed when i put it in my cd player and got no response. i didn't realize that it was a cd rom and not a regular cd.

4 comments about Frommer's Austria (Frommer's Complete).

1. My daughter will be in Gratz,Austria for 6 weeks this summer at the AIMS School for opera. Since I will be visiting I decided to buy your guide to Austria. It has everything you could want to know and more. We lived in Europe for 3 years and it is exciting to go back.The "getting around" section is great as is the information on Music (Mozart etc). I was really excited about the summer music festival in Salzburg. I bought your book on Panama when I visited and it certainly made for a much easier and more interesting trip with your guide. The AIMS school is something your future readers may be interested in-it is a summer program for singers on the road to a career and they have programs on weekends throughout summer. Thank you.



2. This was one of the worst travel guides I have ever purchases. I though so much of this book I placed it where it belongs, in the trash can. If you want a real travel guide purchase DK eyewitness travel guides.



3. Another great book with up to date and pertinent travel information that I just recently used



4. Should have spent more time reading the book before the trip. Some helpful preparation tips. Had some great info and descriptions. The book is separated into geographic regions. If you are headed to a small town (as we were) it is more difficult to figure out which part of the book to refer to. Great for bigger cities and tourist destinations.