4 comments about Street Names & Picayune Histories of New Orleans.

1. This small book offers both the tourist and historian insights on little known facts about the origin of street names for the tour of historic New Orleans. It is written with humor and history. Excellent for one's first or tenth trip to this wonderful city. Map of the old city is helpful.



2. Mardi Grais takes on new meaning when you know the history and importance of the places and people of old New Orleans. This pocket size handy guide helps one come away with a sense of the importance of this place in our American history.



3. Every visitor going to New Orleans should take this book along. There is a quick, easy to read history of the city filled with many pictures of important people, flags flown over New Orleans and a map. There is a lot of information put into this small book. I found that it added a lot to read it just before we visited New Orleans.



4. At $7, this is a rip. For just $5 more, you can get the excellent Frenchmen, Desire, Good Children: And Other Streets of New Orleans that will tell you the story of the city and its nomenclature since the Choctaws were first annoyed by the French. I am terribly disappointed in this purchase and will likely return it. Anyone who knows the city will see this slim offering as a tourist bauble.

3 comments about Shanghai Express: A Thirties Novel (Fiction from Modern China).

1. Don't buy this book expecting a fine and fancy piece of literature: that it ain't. Zhang Henshui was the Danielle Steel of early 20th century China, and this, one of his best known novels, has it all. Sex, suspense, intreague, betrayal...a page turner indeed.

   Shanghai Express is an enjoyable if not very edifying read. Like all trashy novels, its hard not to feel guilty for the expenditure of time and money, but its foreign-ness and time frame should assauge some misgivings.

   As 1930s pop literature, though, it does paint an interesting portrait of the manners and mores of its time. Ways of dressing, talking, eating, etc, present an unintentioned history.

   Be advised, though, the book has absolutely nothing to do with Shanghai. It is also unrelated to the American movie of the same title.




2. I would disagree strongly with the notion that this is a "trashy" novel. As William Lyell says in his afterward, just because this was a "popular" novel i.e. one intended for a mass audience, does not automatically mean it is trash.
   
   The story is told in simple and vivid prose, aided by the masterful translation of Dr. Lyell. The author obviously was a gifted story teller. He shows in this novel an ability for evoking the reality of his characters as he simply describes their actions. The story does not exactly evoke the profoundest human emotions but it does do so with considerable skill nonetheless, particularly at the end. In addition, the author's eye for details is quite profound; life on the trains are described with great precision, particularly life in and the denizens of, the train's third class car.
   
   About eighty five or ninety percent of the story takes place on the "Shanghai Express", a train going from Beijing to Shanghai. The novel takes place in the mid 30's, when it was first published. The story takes place over the several days of the trip and involves the eventually successful intrigue by passenger Hu Ziyun to get into bed, a young female fellow passanger, Liu Xichun. Ziyun is a very successful banker and Xichun claims to have married into the family of one of his friends.
   
   The novel is quite drawn out and, perhaps consciously intended for its popular audience, well into the book springs upon the reader, a major twist, relating to the character of Liu Xichun. After this twist is fully exposed, we jump forward about ten years and look at the very profound tragedy of what has become of Hu Ziyun. That evocation of that tragedy by the author is probably the most impressive part of the book.
   
   I was most bothered in the novel by some of the lengthy dialogues about their relationship between Xichun and Ziyun which sometimes seem a little unnatural and slightly abstrusely over-intellectualized. Overall, however, the novel is pretty impressive.



3. During the 1930s, Zhang Henshui (pen name of Zhang Xinyuan --ÕÅÐÄÔ¶) enjoyed the status of China¡¯s most popular author. Born in 1895, Henshui departed for Beijing in 1919 to work as a newspaper editor. His first major long work, Chunming Waishi (An Unofficial Tale of Peking), was serialized between 1924 and 1929. The smashing success of this series established him as the preeminent popular novelist of his generation. His masterpieces include Jinfen Shijia (A Family of Distinction--1927-32) and Tixiao Yinyuan (The Fates of a Marriage of Tears and Laughter--1930). In 1935, Shanghai Express was China¡¯s most read novel by her most popular author. Although Zhang Henshui is associated with the Mandarin Duck and Butterfly School, his later writing took a more serious and political tone. During the anti- Japanese war, he took a patriotic stand and published satirical novels such as Eighty-One Dreams. Always prolific, Henshui had penned over one hundred novels by the time he died in 1967.
   In Shanghai Express, a socially prominent and well-to-do banker¡ªHu Ziyun--falls for an alluring young woman¡ªLiu XiChun--while traveling from Beijing to Shanghai. Henshui keeps the reader constantly moving among the sights, sounds, and smells in all three classes of passenger cars, while allowing the tale to unfold. As the two protagonists move among the three classes of train cars, the author offers insights into the characters who populate the various cars. Through the story of Ziyun and XiChun, Henshui explores the boundaries between past and present, public and private, and self and community. Although Ziyun believes that he got lucky when he met XiChun, by the story¡¯s end he realizes the luck was all hers. Hu Ziyun has paid a heavy price for indulging his vanity, proving how fine the lines between the classes can be and how easily people can move or be moved among them.
   
   Shanghai Express provides an example of the ¡°Mandarin Duck and Butterly¡± style of sentimental social romance novel that was enormously popular during the 1920s¡ª1940s in China and for which Zhang Henshui is notable. Though this style of writing was widely enjoyed, some tried to discredit it as mere entertainment for relaxation on a Saturday afternoon¡ªthe equivalent of today¡¯s movies. The Mandarin Duck & Butterfly School of literature was frequently derided by ¡°May Fourth¡± intellectuals as excessively sentimental and trivial. They were the ones who coined the term and used it in a derogatory way. They found this literary style too commercial and ideologically backward during an age when literature in China was dominated by the leftist politics and Europeanising aesthetics of the May Fourth Movement. Arguably, however, Zhang Henshui tried to dignify the genre by retaining the form and language of the old-style Chinese novel, but assimilating techniques and content from May Fourth writing in an effort to modernize traditional fiction and make it more attractive to the masses. The arguments over maintaining scholarly tradition or making literature more approachable to the masses is ages old, and the same disagreements were happening during the Modern era among scholars and writers in the West.
   
   Though this novel may have been written for the general reading public with a slant toward the literary tradition, it may not suit the tastes of contemporary Western readers. The minutiae and drawn out suspense, which create the book¡¯s merit for many, are the very same factors that will make it move much too slowly for other readers. History buffs, Chinese literature fans, and Chinese culture seekers will find the story compelling and will appreciate its exhaustive, Jane Austen-style level of detail. If you¡¯re building a library of Chinese classics, you¡¯re keen to learn something about one of China¡¯s most popular authors, or a fan of 1930s Chinese culture, grab a copy of this translation off amazon.com.

No comments about The Rough Guides' Maui Directions 2 (Rough Guide Directions).

2 comments about Hidden Big Island of Hawaii: Including the Kona Coast, Hilo, Kailua and Volcanos National Park (Hidden Big Island of Hawaii).

1. I've used the Hidden series before and liked them but this one is not up to speed. I found the pages to be light on information and the places that they recommended were where all the tourists go. In other words, "Hidden" was misleading. Better books are on the market.



2. I recently took this book on a trip to the Big Island. While it was definitely better than not having a guidebook at all, this book provides only basic information. In fact, we referred to the free magazines from the rental car company at least as much as we referred to this book. The writing style is dull, and the book is not organized in a way that makes it easy to find information. Zero photographs other than the one on the cover. In addition, I found some of the recommended restaurants less than satisfactory. If I had a suggestion for the publishers of this book, it would be to add some specific discussion on seeing the lava flows. I think a lot of the visitors to the big island are there because they want to see the lava, but it's not always possible. When we were there, the volcano wasn't doing much and there was nothing to see. A month or so later, they had such a big flow that the Park Service had to shut down part of the park. Seeing the lava is a hit and miss thing, as I found out. I still enjoyed the island immensely, but only after adjusting my expectations.

2 comments about Travelers' Tales Hawai'i: True Stories (Travelers' Tales Guides).

1. When I have been to Hawai'i, I've
   found it's good to go in the off-
   season (Feb.-thru-May), go to the
   Pro Bowl, AFC-NFC Conference Cham-
   pionship game, The Big Island; The
   Volcano(s), Moloka'i; Moloka'i Ranch,
   Ni'ihu is accessable only by helicop-
   ter, Ko'olawe must be gone to by ar-
   rangement by boat to help clean up;
   it was used by US Military as dumping
   ground, 1944-71; Maui has great Harbour
   and Luaus. Kaua'i also has great Luaus
   and Kilaea Lighthouse / Wildlife Refuge.
   Maui is also the burial place for the
   late, great Amer-I-can aviator Charles
   Lindbergh, Jr. NCAA Hula Bowl played
   there every year right before the Pro
   Bowl. Lana'i is the private Isle; only
   two placesa to stay, 2,700 people and
   one town Lana'i City; a great place to
   get away from hustle and bustle of Oah'u.
   See 'Em all. The Aloha State, 'No Ka Oi'!



2. This eclectic collection of essays written by an assortment of travel writers that include Paul Theroux who lives in Hawaii, Englishman, Jonathan Raban, who loves the ocean, but does not like the sand, and a host of lesser known authors captures the spirit of Hawai'i. Each author brings a different prospective and reflection upon the nuances of paradise. My personal favorite is, Travels with Bird, by Hawaiian Sally-Jo Keala-O-Anuenue Bowman who walks in the footsteps of Isabelle Bird an English travel writer who toured the Island horseback in the 1873. I read Bird's account and loved receiving a modern look at her adventure. Birdland: Lullaby of Midway written by editor, Marcie Carroll, lets us know there are much more to the 132 Hawaiian Islands than high end hotels and powdery sand beaches. This unique, thoughtful collection is a fine example of the Traveler's Tales tradition.
   A huge bonus is Rick Carroll's back of the book guide to his favorite places in the Islands.
   www.LindaBallouAuthor.com Wai-nani, High Chiefess of Hawai'i-Her Epic Journey

5 comments about I Myself Have Seen It: The Myth of Hawai'i.

1. The typical one-week trip to Hawaii involves an immersion in lovely sights and scents and leads to a vague realization that this is a very different place from the rest of the United States. If one is lucky enough to spend a month or more then you begin to get an inkling that this is a very complex place indeed. For those who want to have a deeper inderstanding of that complexity this book is highly recommended.
   Susanna Moore , who grew up in Hawaii, nicely blends a short history of the islands with her own experiences going to school there while slowly becoming aware of the "sociology" class going on all around her. For those who want to develop a Hawaiian sense of place this short straightforward book is a good place to begin.



2. Perhaps I had the wrong expectation. The brief amount I heard on NPR made me feel I was going to learn about Hawaiian culture and maybe hear stories. This book was written in the time-honored tradition of one American explaining why other Americans should feel bad about being American. Not that she is wrong or has any of her facts misplaced. But Susanna has written a disjointed, self-serving, whining account of Hawai'i. Maybe she is lamenting the loss of a childhood that she may or may not have ever had. But each chapter is kind of summed up the same way: the noble Hawai'ian, raped literally or figuratively by the Westerner in the name of progress or profit. I am hoping that she has a chance to spend time with her therapist (since she has found reason now to live in New York).



3. I Myself Have Seen It is more than just a travel book. Susanna Moore gives insightful impressions of the Hawaii she grew up in. Through her writing you can see the real and traditional Hawaii which is unfortunately vanishing.
   What is more is you can see the influence Hawaii and its people have had on her earlier novels especially My Old Sweetheart. If you want to understand Hawaii read Ms. Moore's account as she is a real Island Girl.



4. The book is thin fluff. One of the author's '64 Punahou classmates, Laurie Ames Birnsteel, has written a more authentic and satisfying memoir, *Kahala: Growing Up in Hawaii*



5. This book is not worth the effort or the price. The history is shallow and doesn't tie at all into the author's tales of her childhood. There is just this abrupt shift from history to personal life story with no linkage whatsoever. Wierd! Her descriptions of life growing up in Hawaii are even more shallow than her historical chapters. She gets facts wrong. (Okolehao is brewed from the ti plant, not pineapple, for example.)
   
   Moore exhibits limited knowledge of the islands and their people. Maybe she suffers from failing memory, given that she moved away from Hawaii so long ago. However, I suspect she wasn't really paying attention as she was growing up. (One of my friends tells me she was focused on being one of the cool kids in school.) I say all this as a life-long resident of Hawaii who grew up in Hawaii at about the same time she did. On top of everything else Moore's writing is contrived. Don't waste your money.

No comments about Displacing Desire: Travel and Poplar Culture in China.

5 comments about Six Months in the Sandwich Islands: Among Hawaii's Palm Groves, Coral Reefs, and Volcanoes.

1. The steamer Nevada left Auckland New Zealand in January of 1873. Onboard are a number of travelers including Isabella Bird, who is traveling for her health. When another passenger takes ill, his Mother asks Isabella to disembark with them at Honolulu so they are not in a foreign land all alone. Thinking she will be there a short while, she actually begins a six-month journey, which she chronicles in a series of unabridged letters to her Sister back home. For those who have visited Hawaii or those who wonder what the islands were like before being annexed to the United States, these writings are pure joy.

   Isabella arrives as a foreigner, but in a short time learns of the beauty of the various islands and begins to understand the diverse culture of the people.

   She travels as an unescorted woman in a country, which has recently converted from aboriginal customs and inter-island wars, to the relatively peaceful paradise known in modern times. From simple observations of looking down at clouds on Maui at sunrise, to the unexpected earthquakes while standing next to a bubbling caldron of creation itself, you follow her adventures in well-written communications, which inform and entertain.

   As she stood in snow, gazing down at the crater 800 feet below her, she wrote "The mystery was solved, for at one end of the crater, in a deep gorge of its own, above the level of the rest of the area, there was the lonely fire, the reflection of which, for six weeks, has been seen for 100 miles."

   What she witnessed upon King Lunalilo's arrival in Hilo, brought tears to my eyes. Although they were beginning life under a form of government, the natives treated their king to a touching procession unlike anywhere else in the world. Many of the citizens had little or no money for clothes and wore what they had to meet him.

   Some also brought gifts as Isabella writes: "One woman, sorely afflicted with quaking palsy, dragged herself slowly along. One hand hung by her side helpless, and the other grasped a live fowl so tightly that she could not loosen it to shake hands, whereupon the king raised the helpless arm, which called forth much cheering." A poor cripple who had only the use of his arms, drug himself two miles to lie for a moment at his kings feet. He too carried a gift.

   Reading Isabella Birds' letters allows you to see first hand the magic the islands has on a visitor's soul and how easy it is to fall under the spell of the Hawaiian people.

   I highly recommend the book with only one useful hint. That is to find a detailed map and refer to it during the travels. Unfortunately, the maps in the book are not clear enough to use for this purpose.




2. Every book by Isabella is an adventure. This book is wonderful to read during and after a trip to the islands. It makes great bedtime reading and is a book that you can stretch out for a long time and read again and again.



3. Isabella Lucy Bird won fame in her own time as th most remarkable woman traveler of the nineteenth century, and Six Months in the Sandwich Islands, in which she describes her sojourn in Hawaii in 1873, is one of the gems of Pacific literature. It is safe to say that no other book about Hawaii surpasses it in fascination. Much of the charm of Isabella Bird's writing is due to her use of personal letters for conveying her experiences and her impressions. The thirty-one letters that compose the book were written to her beloved sister Henrietta, who dutifully stayed at home in Edinburgh to take care of the household while Isabella was away on her travels.
   --- from summary inside book's cover



4. The 5 star reviews are correct. This book is interesting from several perspectives:
   
   Women's History; she was quite a gal. Single, traveling alone, great adventures on every page. "Rollicking good time!" is the cliche. She is quickly bored by Honolulu "society" and itches to get moving.
   
   Mores of 19th Century Western (European, British, American) culture in respect to women. The changes Isabella makes as she adapts to new lifestyles.
   
   Personal accounts and insight of historical figures, White and Hawai'ian, and her instincts and frustrations with self-serving individuals of all races. She meets history-altering people mentioned in Shoal of Time.
   
   Detailed account of sugar production.
   
   Detailed accounts of the landscape, especially of the Island of Hawai'i, before nearly everything valuable was obliterated. Sense of place.
   
   Detailed accounts of flora and fauna.
   
   Horse riding styles, quality and treatment of horses. Discussion of a variety of methods of post contact Hawaiian transportation. Foot, horse, ship.
   
   Details of a variety of Hawaiian life styles.
   
   Accounts of mission schools and second generation missionaries.
   
   Enjoy and learn!



5. I like the biography on Isabella Bird, "Amazing Traveler, by Evelyn Kaye" much better. Anything by Isabella is amazing, but the detailed way in which she writes her sister can be a bit hard to read at times.

No comments about Hawaii (America Series).

5 comments about The Complete Idiot's Travel Guide to Hawaii (Complete Idiot's Guide).

1. An outstanding overall guide to Hawaii--The best feature is a "quiz" which helps you decide which island(s) you will find most enjoyable. It has general advice on visiting Hawaii, how to get the best deals, etc., followed by a chapter on each of the major islands. It does not cover islands a new visitor is less likely to visit, such as Lanai and Molokai. The specific chapters on each island give useful coverage of major attractions or activities, and very detailed commentary on a limited number of hotels/resorts/B&Bs. I highly recommend the book, but once you have decided to visit, I recommend that you buy specific books covering the island(s) you want to visit. If you want to spend more than a few days on a given island, you will probably want more detailed coverage than given in this book. Despite this, the book is VERY valuable for a first-time visitor who wants to figure out the who, what, where, why and how of a Hawaiian vacation.



2. I bought this book for my parents to take with them on their first trip (50th anniversary) to Hawaii. I've been to Hawaii several times and have had several guide books. I love this one the best. It it easy to read, larger print than some of the guide books, written so that it is entertaining to read. What I love the best is that every page has side bar lists that rank the same things, i.e, most romantic restaurant, restaurants with ocean view, best breakfasts, etc. I came online to re-order myself one (since I keep borrowing my parent's gift back!), only to find that it is out of print. ...



3. Our First trip to Hawaii and this book was the best ever! As a family, we reviewed the topics and what we loved to do while on vacation; we then selected our preferred island; and then selected our accomodations based on Idiot's Guide recommendations. This book hit the mark! We learned a lot before we went and valued its recommendations while there.



4. Great book - and useful information. My wife and I have been to Hawaii now quite a few times and this book still seems to be essential for us. We bring it on every trip. We have been to Maui, Honolulu and the Big Island too with this book.
   
   The book is presented in a predictable yet interesting format. The information about attractions, accommodations and food is accurate and well presented. The maps are useful. Every few pages there are a few key boxes that describe or highlight an interesting point - for example alerts, tourist traps, local culture, advisories etc. Of all the Hawaii books I've seen (and own) this still stands out as one of the most useful and best! I strongly suggest purchasing this book.



5. This book got us through Hawaii. We brought two books with us and definitely found this one the most useful and helpful. We were on the four biggest islands and each island was outlined and easy to use. I recommend this book!