No comments about iSpeak Europe Phrasebook (Ispeak Audio Phrasebook).

No comments about Hellas Alive: The Best Restaurants.

No comments about Aegean Greek Isle Spiral Guide (Aaa Spiral Guides).

1 comments about Berlitz Athens City GuideMap (Z-Map).

1. I love these little berlitz city maps - they are small enough to fit in my wallet, and have enough detail to suffice even for a city I've never visited before. still, the details are not fine enough to render the tiniest streets on their own, but all larger streets and landmarks ought to be enough help to navigate even the smallest alley. I always buy these little maps when I go to a new city, and I especially like the fact that they are so small.

No comments about Insight Pocket Guide Corfu (Insight Pocket Guides Corfu).

4 comments about A Guide to Ethnic Food in Los Angeles: Restaurants, Markets, Bakeries, Specialty Shops for the Food of Cambodia, China, Ethiopia, Greece, Guatemala,.

1. When this book first came out about 10 yrs. ago or more it was a revelation. In one collection it guided you through EVERY major ethnic community in the greater L.A. region and told you which were the best restaurants, bakeries, markets, etc. I don't know of any other book that comes to close to being this comprehensive & incisive.

   If you ever spend any time in L.A. & you are interested in ethnic food, you must have this book.




2. This is the greatest book on the best ethnic restaurants in LA. Hopefully, the author will put out a new edition. I have it. It's about 10 years old, and I'm not going to sell it. It's better than any new guide out there. Even if you don't go to these places, it's an interesting read.



3. This is a fantastic compendium of ethnic food in LA. It gives you everything you'd ever want to know: best bakeries, best markets, best restaurants. It divides categories by geography (important in LA) & by ethnic cuisines.

   While the 1992 printing will make some info out of date (restaurants for example), this book is one of a kind & the best in its genre.




4. Although 13 years old, much of the info in this book is still relevant. Despite the youthfulness of Los Angeles, there are restaurants and markets that have managed to survive for decades. These places are invariably great and almost institutions in their community. Hence, many of the listings in Burum's book still survive in this megapolis. You'll have fun tracking down that obscure German sausage maker who has had his shop for some 30 years...as well as the occassional let down upon discovering that the old Japanese immigrant, who made fresh tofu daily at the back of his grocery store, decided to call it quits a few years ago.
   
   This book is not only a guide to the ethnic markets in LA, but also serves as an introduction to the cuisine of LA's ethnic groups. Interspersed within the listings, you'll find glimpses into the history of LA's immigrant communities, and what they really eat that you don't get at the mainstream ethnic restaurants. If you're the type that prefers to eat where you're the only one not of the ethnic group the restaurant caters to, get this book. It lets you in on not just the basics of a people's cuisine, but makes you feel comfortable with the unfamiliar (and much more authentic] dishes.
   
   The book is organized into the following chapters, which fairly represents the demographics of Los Angeles:
   China; Japan; Korea; Thailand; Vietnam; Southeast Asian [Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Phillipines]; India; Mexico; Central/South America and Caribbean; Europe; Greece, the Middle East and Africa.
   
   Overall, an indispensable introduction to LA's greatest asset: It's diversity of people and cuisine.

1 comments about Olympia - The Archaeological Site and the Museums.

1. So you've seen a bit of Greece on tv while watching the 2004 Summer Olympics. Or maybe it has always been your dream to vist Greexe, perhaps take a sabbatical there. This book focuses on Olympia, where the first Olympic Games took place in about 776BC.
   
   There is a brief history of the area, as well as the original games, as well drawings and color photos of the area. The sculpture is gorgeous, as well as the reproductions of drawings from some vases. But what is even more beautiful is the land itself. The areas look sunny and bright, even the areas where the ruins are featured. Some of the evacuations of the ruins are detailed in this book.
   
   
   though this book will never substitue for a trip to Greece, it is considerably easier to obtain. It's also easier to enjoy without the hassle of trying to get vacation time off at the right time and getting somebody to feed the bunnies while you are enjoying Greece.
   
   So if you're interested in Greece but can't quite spring the cash or time to nake the trip at this time, read this book. You can be inspired to make the effort to make the trip to Greece.

4 comments about Mykonos, Santorini, Cyclades.

1. This book is not a detailed guide to the Cyclades islands as one might expect. I bought this book thinking it would have loads of information on the island of Santorini but was very disappointed to find only 10 pages or so devoted to the island.

   In fact the book's title is totally in appropriate. Half the book is devoted to Athens (what's that got to do with Cyclades!) and a quarter to General Info on Greece (History, language etc.) leaving only a quarter to islands coverage (hence the brief descriptions).

   A waste of money!




2. Diana has written a witty, informative and grammatically sound tome. Not too much or too little and with a great feel fo the place itself. And how could you desribe the most emphatic and vivid place on earth? The answer is to do it like Diana does: with knowledge, empathy and a deep understanding of colour, history and human nature. She is the Cyclades to me, and one day l will buy her a drink at a taverna while the sun is setting, and we will discuss our numerous anecdotes that we will share - joyfully, warmly and with great heart!



3. I thought Dana Facaros gave just the information we needed to get the most out of our holiday, and because we did spend a couple of days in Athens before we caught the ferry we were glad to find that section there as well. What I most enjoyed were her insights...being of Greek descent myself (my grandparents came from Naxos) I often had to smile in recognition. Other English writers just don't get it guite right. I too would treat her to an ouzaki any night of the week!



4. This books was in the garbage on my third day in Greece. Travel books usually protect you against unscrupulous taverns and hooligans. But this one included a Santorini locale that threw all the underhanded tricks at you: inflated prices and bait-and-switch bar tabs! This book was excellently written, but became usless when I couldn't trust its recommendations for dinner or a night out. If you have it, double-check its recommendations with another travel book. If the other travel book doesn't include the establishment don't go!

No comments about The Treasures of Greece (Art Guides).

5 comments about The Summer of My Greek Taverna: A Memoir.

1. Save your money and read "Extra Virgin" instead.

   In a book about someone opening a greek restaurant, it takes the author half the pages to even begin cooking his first meal. Much of the book is given to the author's whining about money, unfair deals and his struggles.

   And to Tom (the author), thanks for reminding us that you sleep in the nude. That added so much to the book.

   No laugh out loud moments here and the recipes are just really filler to pad the book.




2. As a Greek-American who was born, and lives in the US, but also lived in Greece for 12 years, I am always very interested in reading the experiences of expatriates, especially those from the US. I took some time to read through the other reviews here, especially focusing on the ones with negative things to say. I must say this, because I like to keep my reviews brief: Tom Stone did not produce the perfect book here, nor do I think we should expect that from him---what he did do was absolutely capture both the Greek mentality and spirit, the beauty of the land and its culture, and the very difficult divide in which foreigners who live in Greece full-time find themselves. I highly recommend this book not just for Greek diaspora who want to wax nostalgic of the mother country, but for ANY American heading over for a visit, if not a longer stay. I recently recommended this book to two proteges of mine who were headed to Greece for a short stay, and a semester abroad respectively, and both told me upon their returns that it was a priceless learning tool which enhanced their visits, as well as a very enjoyable read. I cant think of any higher recommendation than that of didacticism and real world, in-country experience. Well done, Mr Stone!



3. Reading these little expat memoirs used to be a pleasure, but now there are so many self-congratulatory accounts that they've long since begun to pall. Greek Taverna is a welcome exception. Stone manages to convey the essence of Greek island life, geography, and ambience without attempting to convince the reader that life in those parts is idyllic and carefree. Indeed, Tom and his family encounter as many problems and stumbling blocks as they might have in NYC, as well as enjoying the beauty and simplicity (all is relative). Reading his experiences is as refreshing as a dip in the Aegean. Bravo to Tom Stone for his honesty, sense of humor, and willingness to remain in Greece despite the bursting of the bubble of his dream.



4. You laugh and then you cry when you read this bittersweet memoir. The Summer of my Greek Taverna is a funny, poignant saga of a naive American, whose Greek friend, Theologos, offers him a "summer partnership" in The Beautiful Helen Taverna, located on the small Aegean Island of Patmos. Although his wife and Greek friends caution him to be aware of "Greeks bearing gifts," Stone jumps at the offer. His life is never the same, arriving home at night, at three or four in the morning, completely spent, with no time for sex or even a cuddle, and up at dawn to start another day at the restaurant, only to have his partner swindle him of the profits.
   Stone captures the essense of the Greek people and writes lovingly of them, the good ones and the not-so-good ones. My Taverna is reminiscent of many excellent books of American expatriates living in foreign countries, all with their own unique experiences. Memoirs of an American Housewife in Japan is one of many. In spite of his trials and tribulations, Tom Stone survives his ordeal and returns to the states. He opens his own successful restaurant in Southern California. At the end the book, Stone lists "The Menu of the Beautiful Helen," with 20 recipes of his favorite Greek dishes in full detail. If the story doesn't stimulate you, the recipes will. A good read, bon appetit. Yassou.



5. The writer has a very straightforward style that I truly enjoyed. The fact that this was a true story kept my interest and made me put the Greek Isles high on the list of places to visit in the next few years.
   The author's sense of adventure and risk taking appeals to me.
   At the end of this book, I felt that i had acquired a good bit of knowledge of the physical aspects of the islands and even more so about the culture.