No comments about Eastern Europe: Lonely Planet Phrasebook.

5 comments about Venice for Pleasure (Pallas for Pleasure).

1. Terrific read for those intent on seeing the Venice that lies beyond Piazza San Marco and the Rialto Bridge. Whether you follow the author's routes on his strolls thru the sestieres, or just use his walks as a source of inspiration (as we did), this book is an indispensable addition to the library of anyone planning a trip to Venice. Thanks in large measure to encouragement offered by this book, we ventured into some of the nooks and crannys of this amazing city... we'll see St Mark's Basilica next time we go.



2. Fantastic Book!!! I bought this for my wife as a memento of our 25th Anniversary trip to Venice. It was perfect. I highly recommend it to any armchair traveler who wants to "visit" the world's most romantic city. David



3. Venice for Pleasure is an off the beaten path sort of guide, filled with anecdotes, character sketches, and historic photos. Links takes his readers beyond the famous facades and brings the "theme park" to life. Fun to use then to keep and reread for reminiscence afterwards.



4. What a strange and wonderful little book!
   
   Venice for Pleasure is essentially four walking tours told in a charmingly conversational style by an author who is clearly in love with Venice. Stopping in a Venetian cafe to read a passage is like having a friend leaning over your shoulder to recall the local history and gossip, point out fascinating details that you probably wouldn't have noticed, and make you smile with his dry wit.
   
   We did all four walking tours and thoroughly enjoyed Links' companionship along the way; I can't recommend it highly enough if exploring Venice on foot is your aim. We also found the directions infallible.
   
   Please note that this isn't a conventional guidebook, so you shouldn't expect logistical information.



5. If there is no such thing for you as having too much information, then think about buying this book. This book has walking itineraries including places to stop for rest and refreshment, and wonderful details on things to look at while you are walking and even while you are sitting down. This book is not useful for restaurants or hotels or hours that sites are open. Includes history, and comments on Venice from famous writers of the past like John Ruskin. It is to be savored.

No comments about Wallpaper City Guide: Cairo (Wallpaper City Guides (Phaidon Press)).

5 comments about Insight Guides Great River Cruises Europe & The Nile (Insight Guides. Great River Cruise Europe).

1. Full of useful information, many excellent photos, maps, ratings, and every detail imaginable relating to river cruising.



2. If you're contemplating a cruise in Europe, don't leave home without using and taking along Great River Cruises: Europe & the Nile: it packs in photos, color maps, tips on booking itineraries and historical background on all major ports of call and river cruising opportunities in the region, offering 'can't miss' tips for selected, recommended trips. From excursions, castles, hotels and sightseeing to the course of the river and boat rides, it's the item of choice for any journeying to Europe.
   
   Diane C. Donovan
   California Bookwatch



3. This is a comprehensive guide for destination information as well as information about river cruising. It is well worth the money!



4. Bought this for the in-laws to investigate going on a river cruise in Europe. This concept was completely outside of their comfort zone prior to recieving this book. After a couple of days reading it, they are now ready to go and have in fact already purchased a cruise. This book is full of wonderful photographs, maps, and destinations of many of the cruises. This book was instumental in helping them decide which cruiseline to take (Viking) and which trip to take. If you are even remotely considering a river cruise in Europe, this book is a must read. And although the in-laws have not yet taken their trip, they fully intend on taking the book with them. Bon Voyage!!!!



5. We bought this for more information on a Rhine river cruise and that section of the book is only a few pages. The information presented seemed accurate.

4 comments about A Traveller's History of Paris (Traveller's Histories Series).

1. Like most people, I didn't pay a lot of attention in world history class. If you ever slept through a lecture on the French Revolution, you should read this book. It looks dry, but is actually very witty; the author has a fine sense of irony. You can't help but snicker at the author's detail of the revolutionaries storming the Bastille, only to find just 6 people locked up... or finding out how Robespierre received a substantial award in college for excellent academic performance. A good overview of Parisian history from 53 BC to the present. The book also includes a section on the history of major monuments and museums, such as Notre Dame de Paris and the Eiffel Tower.



2. I first encountered this book in a college bookstore among the texts. It was required reading for a curriculum-based trip to France. I was surprised to find that though nestled among texts, this book was a refreshingly light read with insightful tidbits into Paris' grand history. Punctuated with simple sketches for illustrations, the book offers a great deal of behind-the-scenes information which enriches any trip to Paris let along anyone with a crush on the City of Light. I frequently include the book in my packing for overseas trips because it makes fun reading among travel companions as we tour the city or to discuss over a cup of café. The history in this book is simplified enough to be a pleasant read (not overwhelming or at all like stereo instructions), but in-depth enough to make you feel like an expert. It really enriches any visit to Paris to understand the city's history and this book is a great way to get an overview of what Paris has gone through over the ages.



3. The first 90% of the book is an unevenly written 2000 year chronology of the city. The chapters proceed from pre-Roman to modern times. This makes it very difficult to find information from different eras on specific landmarks. The style is also very dry. My point is that the information isn't presented in a way that a traveller would want to access it--'I'm in Place de la Concorde--what's happened here over the centuries?' Other books I've read like this will take you through suggested walks in different neighborhoods talking about their history e.g. 'Turn left down this street and you're looking at Napolean's house etc...' The book also ignores or barely mentions the historical basis for many popular characters of Paris historical fiction. The musketeers get half a sentance and Victor Hugo's stories don't fare much better. The last 10% attempts to give some more detailed information about Notre Dame and a couple other landmarks but it's too little, too late. I did learn a lot of interesting material about the city. But I would recommend spending your time with a Parisian's memoir or work of fiction based in Paris. I think you would get much more enjoyment for your investment.



4. like a previous posting, i was gratified by some of the details included by the author. however, i generally found the writing to be sloppy, and dry. the overall feel of the book is also uneven-- for example, the princess diana section towards the end seems it fit to tell us the origin of the word "paparazzi", yet there is very little about the continuing mayoral politics, the rise of anti-immigrant feeling in paris, etc.

1 comments about Paris and Elsewhere (New York Review Books Classics).

1. This collection of Cobb's essays is another book in the NYRB series which I did not want to finish reading. These essays are about more than Paris or Normandy or even Europe; here is a record left by an Englishman who passionately loved a place, a bi-cultural historian and writer who grew his soul between the rare archived records of France and the living streets he loved.
   
   Richard Cobb has shown me that writing a memoir of place is a sensory experience. His essays are so rich in textured intimacy that I feel "le Cobb" is living still. One can find him strolling down an avenue observing every alteration of the weather, every change in the pavement, in the passersby, their clothing and language. I imagine Cobb still sitting in his favorite haunt, the late night and early morning caf?, sipping the 4:00 a.m. calvados, or apple brandy, as he watches the barges come up the river. From his youth, to his late travels, Cobb had found that one cannot write history without knowing the living. Le Cobb called himself a "prisoner of habit" (301), and this, I believe, is the key to the depth of detail in his writing. He frequented the same places, the same towns, kept in touch with the same French and Belgian friends. But there is also something exquisitely lonely about Cobb, the solitary observer, that appeals to the wounded romantic in every traveler.
   
   I'm concerned that the general reader will not pick up this book; the density of language in Paris and Elsewhere appears to be for the intimate specialist only. But the essays are about desire for a place, about human interaction in that space, how people create each other's lives, and the anger and grief one feels when a beloved city or village is altered forever--phenomena and feelings which anyone can apply to anyplace in the world. I highly recommend this book for people involved in city planning, the New Urbanists, any reader wondering why the French no longer wear berets, or any reader looking for a context or background as to how or why the recent riots and rebellions occurred across France in the past year.
   
   Cobb loved France enough to criticize the French particularly in the decades from the Baron Haussman in the mid 19th-century to Georges Pompidou in the 1970s when so much destruction was visited upon Paris in the name of `architecture.' Cobb shows that Brussels and Paris sustained more damage after World War II than before: "The damage which has been inflicted on these two cities is not, then, the result of enemy--or Allied--action" (200). In Paris distinctive neighborhoods were destroyed by the French themselves with no concern for how people's lives were being altered or the monoculture being created. Well, Monsieur Cobb, this vandalism to intimate dwellings, social settings, tiny restaurants, private gardens, the homes and boulevards of experience, is now a global condition. Thank you so much, Professor Cobb, for such beautiful writing on such a bittersweet topic.

4 comments about The Riches of Paris, 2nd Edition: A Shopping and Touring Guide.

1. One has not travelled until you have visited Paris. It is a city of wonder, history, romance, excitement and fashion. I studied for a short time in Paris many years ago and fell in love with the city. It also fell in love with my pocket book! The cafes, exquisite boutiques, and Epicurean cuisine will forever be a cherished memory; however, the first-time traveller to Paris should be forwarned; it can be a VERY EXPENSIVE city to enjoy, particularly if you do not know where you will get "the best value for your dollar." As this book clearly points out, most of the better hotels are luxurious and quite costly, as are the better known, finer restaurants. You definitely will not want to leave home without your trusty credit card! I purchased a Chanel Tee-shirt and for the same price, I could have purchased an entire rack of tee-shirts in my country. However, the joy of Paris is for many, a once-in-a-lifetime experience and one you will never regret no matter what the cost. The book is not complete; however, many of the special places of interest are not included in the book, which was rather disappointing. There are also some excellent more affordable restaurants and places to stay in Paris which are not listed here. The book was interesting and informative but did tend to patronize basically the higher-end, upscale facilities.



2. ...is evident in every page. Even if I hadn't been planning another trip to the city of lights, I would have been on the next flight!
   As shown in her other books, Maribeth Clemente has a wonderful way of not only giving you the information that you need, but getting you excited about your exploration with every word. She covers the "unique" of Paris with a fresh, honest perspective. I feel like I'm walking down a lovely boulevard with her as my guide. When I've checked the "reality" of other travel books, I've found a real mix--what I read was not always what I got. It seems like reviews were completed by multiple sources with multiple perspectives of what would entice. Maribeth Clemente's insight/personality is consistent, elegant, fun and unexpected. And yet...she always seems to leave a little bit to your own exploration. I trust her to route me to the best--especially if I don't have a lot of time. This book is also an improvement from prior releases in it's organization--making quicker, easier reference to the user "on the road". Thanks!



3. Most of the Paris guides available give plenty of information on using the Paris Metro, the museums, and taking a taxi. However, what they lack is information on the very things that make a visit to Paris memorable and personal. Maribeth Clemente's "The Riches of Paris" provides key information on a wide variety of shopping interests. Are you into antique books?-the book has it....Are you into food stores, children's boutiques, or flowers? - the book has it. How about the best place to get a couture scarf, a pen, a cigar? - Again, the book has it. What I especially found useful was my ability to plan my shopping excursions before I got onto the plane...when I arrived I was able to fit in both the best sightseeing and museums AND the shops I knew would be of interest to me. My time was efficiently planned and I was able to fit many more memorable experiences into my trip. Ms. Clemente's index is especially useful in personalizing your trip...seperating shops by like categories, and presenting them in the book by area. This categorization takes the work out of planning a day....one day I planned to visit a particular area...I was set because of the book. Another day I decided to visit all children's toy stores...no problem again because of the book! A must have for getting the most out of your time!



4. I am sitting here looking at 7 different travel books of Paris that I received as gifts prior to my trip to Paris. Now this was my 2nd trip; the first one was in 1966 and I was in high school so I don't think it really counts. I felt like I was starting over and I really didn't know where to start. While some of the guide books were helpful, I really wanted to get a few very special momentos of the trip - especially scarves - so I was just thrilled when I happened upon Maribeth's book at Shakespeare and Co. when we were already there. I devoured the book that night and from it easily found several wonderful shops that I never would have seen were it not for her shop. I look forward to using it to an even greater degree as I plan a trip back next year.

1 comments about The Rough Guide to Brittany & Normandy 10 (Rough Guide Travel Guides).

1. Excelant information on places to eat.
   The usual excelant information on places to visit.

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.

No comments about Frommer's Portable Paris 2008 (Frommer's Portable).