No comments about Love & War in the Apennines (Travel Literature).

2 comments about Top 10 Lisbon (EYEWITNESS TOP 10 TRAVEL GUIDE).

1. I gave this guide to my daughter and son-in-law who were staying in Lisbon for a week and they said it was indispensible. They used it for restaurants, sites, and shopping. She had brought other guides with her but none, she said, were as good as this one.



2. The map and metro sections are nice, but the publication lacks associated background information. While it does list the top 10's in different categories in fairly decent fashion, it lacks data tie ins for transportation and sight viewing decisions. Good, but not great.

5 comments about Fodor's French for Travelers (CD Package), 2nd Edition (Fodor's Languages/Travelers).

1. Having had a year of French in college, I was concerned that this Audio book would be too basic for me, but I found out it wasn't! It does cover some very basic things (greetings, numbers, etc.) which would be more helpful for beginners, but it also covers typical situations in a trip (airport, restaurant, accommodations, etc.), for which the vocabulary and grammar may not be learned until advanced level courses.

   It comes with 2 Audio CD's of about 70 minutes each, broken into 12+ lessons. The book has all the phrases/conversations in the CD's, plus some additional tips/info, as well as a dictionary section with vocabulary targeted for travelers. The book has 260+ pages and it is of very small size, so it is ideal for carrying it around in your trip.

   I listened to the CD's while driving, though I recommend reading the corresponding lessons afterwards or in advanced to listening to the disc, as it helps to associate the spelling to the pronunciation. The CD's mostly have words and phrases in them, but they also have small conversations at a bank/restaurant/hotel/airport depending on the lesson. Each word/phrase in the disc is spoken once in English and then twice in French, so you can't miss it if you're paying attention.

   I strongly recommend this item, even if you already have basic understanding of French, as it will help you communicate and get around in your trip!




2. Get this set if you plan on having a bad time. Barely will you be in to 'Good evening' when the lessons quickly turn to "Stop thief!" or "He stole my watch" or better yet, "I want an attorney" -- all of which are phrases I have NEVER used in France. Fodor's should have had the good sense to give practical lessons first, etiquette, directions, service, culture etc. before launching into rude commands and pick-pocket paranoia.



3. This book is not for someone who just wants to pick up enough French to get them through a trip unless they have a good ear and memory. I found "French in 10 Minutes a Day" much better as you must write what you learn in a workbook.



4. I went through three lessons before canning this CD. The lessons were terrible! Sometimes they stated the French word before the English word and sometimes afterward, which meant you could be learning the wrong word! The pronounciations were nowhere near the way the French speak; they were like what a HS French teacher who'd learned from a book and never been to France would speak.



5. We used the book while we were in Paris quite a bit to help with vocabulary. The CDs weren't the most useful part of the package and were a little boring. We all have some fluency with French. However, if you are completely new to the language, it may be good to hear the proper pronunciation.

5 comments about Orient Express (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition).

1. I find Graham Greene to be almost unreadable. I know that this is going to be considered near blasphemous, since literary critics have heaped such praise upon him and so many reviewers here have done likewise.
   
   However, in a word, I find him depressing. His characters suffer from interminable analysis of their every thought and action. The larger story is merely a vehicle for these internal monologues that, frankly, I don't find particularly insightful or interesting. It was V. S. Pritchett who first remarked about Greene's 'perverse and morbid tendencies'. While Greene is no doubt highly intelligent and capable of a very high level of writing, the end result, for me, is something very unpleasant.
   
   I first read 'The Heart Of The Matter'. God, what an endlessly depressing scene! Nor was there any particular character I could sympathize with or even care about. In spite of my negative reaction to this highly praised work, I thought I would give him another try with 'Orient Express' (a.k.a., 'Stamboul Train'), thinking that in this 'entertainment' as Greene called it I would actually be, well, entertained. Instead, I get a trainload of depressing characters whose every thought is scrutinized to an excruciating degree.
   
   Example (from Myatt's suspicions about his business dealings):
   
   'It was odd. He had chosen the samples with particular care. It was natural of course that even Stein's currants should not all be inferior, but when so much was suspected, a further suspicion was easy. Suppose, for example, Mr. Eckman had been doing a little trade on his own account, had allowed Stein some of the firm's consignment of currants, in order temporarily to raise the quality, had, on the grounds of that improved quality, indeed, induced Moults' to bid for the business. Mr. Eckman must be having uneasy moments now, turning up the time-table, looking at his watch, thinking that half Myatt's journey was over. Tomorrow, he thought, I will send a telegram and put Joyce in charge; Mr. Eckman shall have a month's holiday. Joyce will keep an eye on the books, and he pictured the scurrying to and fro, as in an ants' nest agitated by a man's foot, a telephone call from Eckman to Stein or from Stein to Eckman, a taxi ordered here and dismissed there, a lunch for once without wine, and then the steep office steps and at the top of them the faithful rather stupid Joyce keeping his eye upon the books. And all the time, at the modern flat, Mrs. Eckman would sit on her steel sofa knitting baby clothes for the Anglican mission, and the great dingy Bible, Mr. Eckman's first deception, would gather dust on its unturned leaf.'
   
   Lord have mercy. This stuff is like fingernails on a chalkboard!
   
   William Golding called Green 'the ultimate twentieth-century chronicler of consciousness and anxiety'. This does not, however, make for entertaining reading. Greene's writing is an examination of the human condition totally devoid of lightness, humor (at least as I understand the word) or romance. His characters are an unpleasant, unhappy bunch.
   
   Ultimately all his writing reveals is the real Graham Greene.



2. I have enjoyed a number of Greene's novels, but was disappointed with Orient Express. For a better read and more compelling characters, I recommend Greene's later work including The Quite American, The Comedians or even The Heart of the Matter.



3. Of course far from his masterworks, this novel is still better than most which plague the bestsellers lists today. It is one of the first novels written by Greene, on of which he calls "entertainments", to distinguish them from his more serious novels. Nevertheless, here in an early work his recurrent subjects loom already: hope and regret; the moral loneliness of each individual; the inevitability of fate; the consciousness, or lack of it, of good and evil.
   
   A group of people are travelling from Ostende (Belgium) to Istanbul, each one with their fears or illusions. During the long way they meet and interact, love and forget each other. Carleton Myatt, a young Jewish merchant, is on his way to solve a problematic business situation with his employees in Turkey. During the trip he meets and seduces (through kindness and sacrifice) a young starlet of nightclubs who only dreams of love and welfare. Dr. Czinner (sinner?) a socialist revolutionary from Yugoslavia, is on the same train bound for Belgrade, but he is discovered and harassed by Mabel Warren, a British, alcoholic and lesbian journalist. The interaction between the characters creates an increasing tension which is only resolved, for good or evil, when each one of them meets his or her particular fate. Foremost is the heartbreaking story of the young dancer, who loses love in the middle of a snowstorm and political intrigue of which she understands nothing. In this book, Greene lets us see the great qualities that would later lead him to write his great novels.



4. Orient Express is a time capsule. It was written in the early 1930s and, as such, captures the world of the inter-war period in continental Europe. The book's strengths and weaknesses spring from this perspective. The strength are that Greene shows us a world that was rather bleak and yet vibrant. The downside is that anti-Semitism and class-based prejudices are evident both in the character's and in Greene's attitudes. However, as a time capsule of a lost era, this book is worth reading.



5. Graham Greene the eminent British novelist published this minor, suspensful and entertaining work in 1932. In Great Britain the novel is entitled "Stamboul Train". The novel is short but has a murder and interesting characters to keep your attention. The characters are well sketched and the novel has deeper depth than the typical spy thriller.
   Among the players are:
   Coral Musker-a beautiful but poor chorus girl traveling from England to appear in a musical in Istanbul. She falls in love on the train and becomes involved in the pursuit of a Yugolslavian Communist leader Dr.
   Czinner. Coral is the most human andsympathetic character in the whole business. She is touching, pathetic and deserving of a better fate than the one she receives.
   Carelton Myatt is a young businessman from London. He is on the way to Turkey to cement a business deal. He is also a womanizer who initiates Coral into sex. Later he sets his cap for Janet Pardoe a half-Jewish niece of Mr. Steiner a wealthy businessman. Myatt is a despicable character who seeks his own ego satisfactions not trifling with such things as true love. As the novel ends his future looks bright but we the readers do not like him. Greene chose to make him Jewish opening himself up for charges of Antisemetic caricatures. Much of British society in the 1930s was adverse to persons of the Jewish faith. The novel was written shortly before Hitler became German Chancellor. It should be stated that Greene served bravely in World War II as a spy for the British Government. I do not think he was overtly antisemetic.
   Mabel Warren is a lesbian and obnoxious journalist who is eager to interview Czinner and Savery who is a popular novelist. She travels with Janet Pardoe but when dumped sets her sights on Coral.
   Josef Grunlich is a robber and murderer who flees Vienna escaping to Constantinople. Grunlich is a despicable human being.
   Greene manages to interwine the lives of all these people into an exciting narrative. This is a minor work but is written in the author's cool style with colorful use of metaphor and a good use of mirror imagery. Penguin has reissued this novel in a beautiful edition for the Greene 100th year birthday celebration which was held in 2004. Christopher Hitchns the acerbic critic has a fine introduction to the novel included in the Penguin edition. This book is a good introduction to Graham Greene one of our greatest modern novelist.

2 comments about New York Sketchbook.

1. I purchased this book because I had seen other sketchbooks by Fabrice Moireau, and loved them. I was disappointed in this one,and I believe his others (Paris, Loire Valley, and Venice) are much better than this. Although the sketches are fine, the text is weak.
   
   Jerome Charyn, the person who did the text, may be very knowledgeable about New York City, but I felt something was missing. The other sketchbooks that Fabrice Moireau illustrated, also included a gazetteer that would provide more detail; this one did not. I feel this was significant ommission.



2. 
   On a recent visit to NYC I looked round a couple of bookshops for a sort of visual reminder book of the trip. Plenty to choose from and nearly all were photo books which looked like they had raided a photo library for dozens of ordinary stock shots. Fortunately it didn't take too to decide that the New York Sketchbook was the obvious choice. Fabrice Moireau's excellent watercolors seemed to sum up the city and Jerome Charyn writes some pretty succinct captions to the illustrations.
   
   What I liked about the book was the way its design made it look like a sketchbook. The landscape shape, thick matt paper, illustrations and the handwritten captions all contributed to the overall feel. Moireau's watercolors have just the right casual look though of course his style is very professional and competent.
   
   A very enjoyable book and just what I was looking for.
   
   ***FOR AN INSIDE LOOK click 'customer images' under the cover.

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 A Town Like Paris: Falling in Love in the City of Light.

1. This is a very easy & fun read. I love Paris and enjoyed experiencing it through an expatriate's eyes. I would recommend this to anyone who wants a fun and entertaining experience, especially if you have any interest in Paris or submersing yourself in a culture other than your own.
   Looking forward to book #2.



2. I loved this book. I lived in Paris for a year myself and found Bryce's account of French government, cultural mentality and "on verra" attitude to be very funny and true to life. Makes me miss Paris even more!



3. Absolutely loved this book! I was so sad when I came to the last page....as if I was leaving Paris and the good friends I made there. Corbett has a fantastic sense of humor and tremendous knack for storytelling. Can't wait for the sequel!



4. Found this coming back from Australia, had selected the films I planned to see on the flight and then read A Town Like Paris from cover to cover. Corbett's account of ex-pat life is hilarious, whether or not you know Paris (although anyone who has spent time there will love seeing their experiences so wittily described). Bring on the sequel!



5. I've read a couple of books of this ilk (foreigner drawn to Paris). Bryce Corbett's take is among the best. He doesn't take himself too seriously. He's a good observer - he knows both funny and absurd when he sees it. He inflects his tales with a generous humor that transcends borders. He's respectful of the French people and their culture, but also arches his eyebrow towards what he perceives as anachronisms like the 35-hour workweek and the government-subsidized work lunch. Plus, he pithily articulated what I've always wanted to see in print: The _real_ reason French Women Don't Get Fat. Hint: it has less to do with the specious 'three square meals a day' and 'good quality produce' theories promulgated by Mireille Guiliano, and more to do with nervous energy, 'a packet of Marlboro Lights and a couple of Xanax.' As for what's fueling that nervous energy, well, read the book!
   
   Also, take a look at Corbett's video posted on this Amazon page. It's a nice three-and-a-half minute summary of the book. It also captures the author's winning personality.

5 comments about A Cat Abroad.

1. This is an excellent book for cat lovers. a great series of books. Witty and really fun to read. Very well done and cute.



2. I am a person who really only likes people who like animals. Humans, in my opinion, exist only to be awed by the beauty and mystery of the other animals on the planet. Nuf said? I'm nuts about animals. So I wanted to love this book, I should have loved this book, sadly, I didn't. Mr. Gethers is an entertaining writer, who is an easy and enjoyable read. However, this book is about the author, his travels, his meeting up with famous people, and his robust and endearing love of food. Norton seems quite incidental to the whole book. Certainly, Norton accompanies the author on his journeys, but at the end of the book I felt I knew the author and his friends, but, when I think about Norton, there really is just a blank. Any cats I have ever been lucky enough to share my life with have had personalities I could rattle on for days about. That famous people are charmed that a cat appears in unlikely situations (restaurants, theatres, etc.) seems to be enough to keep the author enthralled with the experience. But having grumped about this book, I will also tell you that it was an enjoyable (if hollow) read. You won't be made angry, depressed, or offended by anything in it (and anymore, that goes a long way for me). This is an entertaining book for a summer's afternoon diversion.



3. When I found Peter Gethers had continued his Norton saga, I was overjoyed to discover that the witty writing had not diminished at all. Now with Norton (and Peter) heading overseas to France, the sweet Scottish Fold endears himself to all of the readers again, as Gethers makes his readers groan with comments about how nice Nice is. A definite must red!



4. A guy friend bought the Norton books for me when I was having a tough day. He said these will cheer you up! I thought it was comical....and they sat on my shelves for awhile. Then I thought he went to the trouble of getting those books specifically for me that I should give them a go. I could not put them down. Norton is intriguing and his adventures are fun to read. Even better is the style, wit and genuis of Peter Gethers. His life is SO interesting. I would ready any book by him any day!



5. I liked this book, the sequel to "Norton, The Cat Who Went to Paris." This beautiful Scottish Fold with the folded ears is no longer a baby kitten, but a playful full grown cat who travels the world with his owner. Here the reader will learn of Norton's adventures in Germany, Italy, Holland, Spain and his ability to win audiences along the way. Wherever Norton goes, he is given the red carpet treatment.
   
   Gethers' first book was worth a hundred stars; however, this book was a step down from that simply because the adventures in A Cat Abroad seemed to be focused more on Gethers and his career than that of Norton's adventures. The book is still a fantastic book, but not quite up to par with "The Cat Who Went to Paris."

5 comments about Michelin Green Guide London (Michelin Green Guide: London English Edition).

1. If you are spending more than a few days in London to "see the sights", then you must have this book. All other tour guides to London are superficial in their coverage of the major museums and tourist sights. This book offers the details the others lack, with well written descriptions of the collections of the major museums including their highlights. The strength of this book is when you want to know more about a particular museum or sight than where it is and when it is open; it is actually most useful when you are in the particular sight. This book does NOT cover hotels, restaurants, etc.; for that information, try any of the other guide books on the market.



2. this book has great maps and many, many suggestions about places to dine. in conjunctions with rick steve's london 2006 all you could possibly need fora great week in london



3. This guide has nice, detailed histories of the all the sights but is so poorly organized and indexed that it is almost impossible to use. God help you if you know you want to visit the War Museum but don't happen to know that its full title is "Imperial War Museum"... you'll never find it in the index or book. Want to go to Hampton Court? That is in the index, but finding the map which shows where it is (mentioned in text but missing from index and table of contents) is difficult. Oh, well, just flip through the book for 15 miniutes, you'll eventually find it, but only a cryptic two words on how to get there. Organization by neighborhood is not, in itself a bad idea, but requires careful indexing. Also, the book seems to assume you will drive through London on your Michelin tires (not advised in London's insane traffic) and provides almost no information on public transport. Pass this one by!



4. This is a premature general review. I am currently going through the guide, the visit in London is projected for end-September.
   
   This seems to be a very comprehensive guide, providing a great deal of historical information.
   Insofar as museums are concerned, I would have preferred more details on artists' works of particular importance and interest, at the expense of the quite extensive background and general information provided in this guide. I cannot imagine being able to take time to absorb such information, even if read on the eve of the visit in the museum itself, certainly not on the spot; I would want then to know what to look for and pay special attention to in specific exhibit.



5. We are just back from a trip which included London. As always, Michelin is the best at having handy maps of districts you are interested in exploring. And the size fits nicely in a coat pocket. But, as my wife said, the descriptions are not inspiring. I find the maps and portability matter while on a trip. But for planning, maybe something else might be better.

1 comments about Slovakia: The Bradt Travel Guide.

1. Being of Slovak descent, I was always frustrated in my efforts to locate a good travel guide on the subject. Lucy Mallows delivers a brilliantly informative, yet concise guide to aid travelers to this, until recently, wonderfully mysterious destination. Reading it, I got the feeling she must have spent a lifetime exploring every town, valley and craggy peak of this magnificent country, and indeed, she has spent a considerable amount of time there. Who better, then, to introduce the world to one of the most vibrant, yet underappreciated places in Europe? Everything a traveler could possibly need to know is here; from which trains to catch to arrive at a chosen destination, to reviews on hotels, interesting things to check out, places to eat, even things to avoid. Also included is helpful information like important telephone numbers, and advice on how to protect yourself in order to better enjoy your trip. I especially enjoyed her own personal comments, which are sprinkled throughout the book. Slovakia is a gorgeous country with a rich history and has suffered centuries of misfortune and domination, part of which is what drove my ancestors to find a better life in the USA, for which I am very grateful. How wonderful to see that this new democracy is free to embrace its own culture at last and to welcome visitors to come and discover its many hidden treasures. Thank you, Lucy!