No comments about MapEasy's Guidemap to Germany.

5 comments about The Xenophobe's Guide to the Germans.

1. It is concise, funny and true for the most part. I can recommend it to foreigners as well as to my own people. A visitor/tourist can use it as a valuable supplement along with a regular travel guide. For someone knowing Germany and Germans well enough some examples seem to be out of date, inaccurate and do not reflect the current situation.



2. The Xenophobe's Guide to the Germans is a small and concise paperback that I've read more than once. It talks about many aspects of German society. It's been written by two authors: Stefan Zeidenitz and Ben Barkow. This useful, gratifying guide is 64 pages long and covers a total of 17 topics--examples of some of these are beliefs and values, leisure and pleasure, culture, conversation and gestures, custom and tradition, health and hygiene, government and bureaucracy, and business. Subjects discussed that I especially find to be engaging are the ones dealing with Christmas, television, and eating. Anyone who's interested in learning about Germany, or planning a trip, should find this book to be worthwhile and helpful. The Xenophobe's Guide to the Germans is a good reference publication that I'm glad to have; it's one that I plan on reading again.



3. I have read a few of the Xenophobe's Guides, and this so far is the best and the funniest. Maybe because I have lived here for the last two years, and experienced all the wonderful quirks and traits of the locals that I could relate to this book, but really, it is for everyone who plans to visit or live here, and of cause for the Germans themselves.

   Natually, I didn't agree with all of it, especially the working atmosphere... It's really not as formal as written in the book, at least not these days, but much of the rest runs true.

   A bit expensive for only 64 pages, but worth it for the laugh.




4. If only this book were longer. When it arrived I was rather taken aback - just 60 pages? Surely not! What can I learn about the Germans in 60 pages?
   
   Quite a lot, as it turns out. This book launches straight in with a very amusing look at the Germans, giving a brief discussion of their history and how the German nation came to be and then detailing many of the quirks and habits of this fascinating nation. The authors give a few ideas how the Germans have been so successful, particularly in terms of literature and music (Goethe, Bach, Kant) but also show some of the angst and problems that the German nature can cause for the people.
   
   The authors are both German although I wouldn't know that from their writing which is excellent, funny and seems to understand the Brits very well. They are also very able to poke fun at their own country (although they say this isn't something at which Germans are very adept).
   
   With such a short book you can only really get a very brief introduction to German people but it's a very amusing overview and certainly made me think a number of times. We tend to think of the Germans as probably the closest to Brits in terms of personality and nature than other Europeans - this book shows that we might well be wrong in that opinion and it might just help us to understand them more when we visit.
   
   Oh, and if you want a view of the Brits (and a much larger book) I can heartily recommend Kate Fox's "Watching the English".



5. I am a huge fan of the "Xenophobe's" series and I just read the German one, since I am German. I found it to be very true and yet there was one mistake: the part about animals I find to be untrue .. At least in my region of Germany, no one has a dog and dogs are not liked in public places like restaurants either. Many have small pets like rabbits, guinea pig etc but not dogs. They are too loud and smell ..

1 comments about Jiffy Travel Pack German (Book & Cassette Edition).

1. I carried this little book with me when I traveled Germany last year. It was very helpful, all the more so because of the tape.

No comments about Wallpaper City Guide: Frankfurt ("Wallpaper*" City Guides) ("Wallpaper*" City Guides).

No comments about Berlin Breakout (Z Graphic Novels / TimeFlyz).

5 comments about Time Out Vienna 1 (Time Out Vienna Guide).

1. Being Viennese and a lonely planet fan, I must clearly say, that this is "the best" travel guide for Vienna, I've ever browsed through.

   Granted, information about the rich Viennese history could fill bookshelves, but this guide does not only provide a brief, but sound historical information, but also a bunch of contemporary hints.

   Moreover, it tries to go a little off the beaten path, by not only focussing on the "hardcore must visit" spots. I could not have described some places/cafes/clubs better to my foreign friends than this book.




2. If you only purchase on guide book to Vienna get this one.

   It's very detailed and very honest. It's fun to read even if you're not going to Vienna

   Highly recommended!!




3. The Time Out Vienna guide made my trip much more enjoyable with it's insider tips and witty humor, even through it was published over 2 years ago.
   The information in the guide was even informative to my travel partner who has been to Vienna hundred's of times over 50 years.
   I will ALWAYS travel with a Time Out guide in the future.



4. Captions are sometimes nonexistent for the photos and graphics, and often too smarmy and cute to be anything but misleading. Discussion of Vienna's museum of criminology included a shockingly gory photo of a dismembered corpse that took up 1/3 of a page: nothing I'd want to encounter again.

   I threw this book away and bought the Eyewitness Travel Guide to Vienna instead: a very elegant, richly graphical, dependably tasteful series. I will never buy Time Out again!




5. This book has been produced without due editorial care and attention - the index is arbitrary and incomplete, and I found many incorrect cross-references. A factual inaccuracy: Arnold Schoenberg's grave in the Zentralfriedhof is not in section 33C, but in 32C. Nor is it organised in a way that makes it particularly easy to use; in my view, the principle of organisation used in Michelin Guides is superior.

2 comments about Czech & Slovak Republics Guide: 2nd Edition (Open Road Travel Guides Czech and Slovak Republics Guide).

1. Eastern Europe, once off limits to the West, has become a tourist mecca in the last decade. It has also become the focus of many travel guides, from the factual/impersonal Blue Guides and Michelin series, to the commercial/commonplace Fodor's/Frommers guides, to the Lonely Planet/Rough Guide user-friendly types. The Czech & Slovak Republics Guide by Ted Brewer falls in the latter category. Mr. Brewer is not afraid to state personal favorites in all categories-a method of guide-writing which I, personally, have found to be extremely useful in my travels. This guide, as all Czech/Slovak guides are, is very Prague-heavy. However, Mr. Brewer did devote over 100 informative pages to Slovakia-considerably more than many other guides of this area.The "Practical Information" sections for each town/city addressed are also extensive. And the "Finds & Favorites" box at the beginning of each new chapter bring focus to many items which the casual traveler might miss otherwise. This guide is definitely money well spent.



2. After being escorted through the wilds and wilderness of Utah by Ted Brewer's guide a few years back, I made a note to look for him again on my next trip. When some friends and I went to Prague in December of last year I was pleasantly surprised to find his guide to the Czech/Slovak Republics. This guide distinguishes itself from most other guides by not containing much in the way of pictures. I was a little concerned at first, but discovered that this was actually much better, in that I didn't have any preconceived notions about what the castles and countryside was supposed to look like.

   Brewer brought a unique wit and insight into his Utah book, and its present here in this guide. Many books just present information, but Brewer gives out advice and personal recommendations which I generally found excellent. Prague can be a little overwhelming and his guideposts and instructions were a welcome lifeline.

   All my other friends brought different copies of various travel books, and I thought this one was clearly the best.

2 comments about Just Enough German, 2nd Ed. (Just Enough).

1. This is a compact book that provides a big service to the traveler. It is easy to carry, which is no small matter when travelling. The book's sections are divided by types of conversations and/or day-to-day scenarios in which a traveler would likely find him/herself. Examples of sections include: transportation, shopping, accomodations, dining. It is easy to read and has all the basics to get you through your travels in Germany. The only downside is that it lacks a dictionary section, making it difficult to look up an unknown word quickly. As the title implies, this is not a comprehensive guide, but it will get you through most travel situations.



2. I had previously bought the "Just Enough Dutch" book, which was great because I haven't heard enough Dutch spoken to truly get the distinct sounds down pat - as you know, there are certain nuances in every language that you really have to hear to really get the language - and the phonetics used were fantastic. Well, I HAVE heard German spoken, so I have quite an idea as to how it's supposed to sound; when I was at a local bookstore, I browsed this "Just Enough German" book - and was pleased at how closely it captures the true German sound.

   For instance, in most "teach yourself German" books, you'll read some rather vague (if well-intentioned) explanation as to how the "ch" sound is supposed to sound. Well, it's not easy for most English speakers to really get unless you hear it; it's not exactly a "sh" sound, but it sounds closer to "sh" than most other sounds we use. And THAT is how you'll see words like "Ich" or "mochte" (forgive the lack of umlaut dots over the o) represented phonetically in this book. So, while you won't EXACTLY capture the sound of Standard German used officially in Germany today, you'll get the sound closely enough to be well understood (and, by the way, I once spoke to a fellow who had resided in Germany for several years; he informed me that, in certain dialects in German, the exact "sh" sound IS used!)

   Well, in any event, I'd recommend the "Just Enough" series for anyone who wants to learn a language that they're interested in but not all that familiar with. These folks really get the sounds and grammar down on paper in a way that you can easily grasp.

No comments about Berlin (Eyewitness Travel Guide).

1 comments about Touring In Wine Country: The Rhone (Touring in Wine Country).

1. When I was planning for a wine trip to the Rhone a few years back, this was one of the many references I used. And it turned out to be the best. For travellers who want to visit the most interesting vineyards, stay at comfortable hotels, eat in excellent hotels, without robbing a bank, don't leave home without checking out this book first!

   Since then, I have used books Hugh Johnson and Hubrecht Duijker for other forays to different appellations around the world. And I am still having a whale of a time ...