3 comments about Kaua'i (Lonely Planet Travel Guides).

1. Please relate to my comments on the other guidebook about Queensland.
   Kauai Guidebook was not as deceiving as that one, may be because being so thin, we didn't expect very much from it, and... come on!!! Hawaii anyway!!
   We got an address for a place to stay, the rest was decided either thanks to comments from colleagues who had been there already, or from the REAL guidebook series for Hawaii, the blue series. A colleague loaned it to us. At the beginning, being so used to Lonely Planet we thought we will sticked with it. Truth is we, never used it there, only the blue book which offers detailed descriptions, interesting comments and very useful maps.



2. I'm just back from my first (and not my last) trip to Kauai. I bought 7 Kauai travel guide books to plan my trip (yes, I was overly excited). Of the 7, this and one other were head and shoulders above the rest. I strongly recommend it.



3. This book is thin and not as well done as other lonely planet books. For a trip to Kaua'i, I'd recommend another publisher's travel book. I purchased this book along with "the blue book" on Kaua'i. I found the blue book to be much more comprehensive as well as more entertaining to read.

5 comments about Living and Retiring in Hawaii: The 50th State in the 21st Century.

1. Yes, say the Smiths, authors of this excellent resource to our 50th state, yes it IS possible to retire to Hawaii, but please be sure to do your homework first. Luckily, the Smiths give you a wealth of information in these pages to help you get a good start in making a decision that is truly right for you. They try to cover as many bases as possible: What its like to live on each island, what to expect in the way of nightlife, activities, medical resources, and senior resources. They also cover the question of buying and/or renting, both apartments and condos, and thankfully, their info INCLUDES PRICES (a few years out of date, to be sure, but at least they give you a ballpark idea of what to expect) and even gives sample budgets to show what a typical retired couple might expect to spend in a given month (Warning: Be sure to notice the Assumptions connected with each budget!). The Smith's Top Ten Places to Retire in Hawaii is also listed (with particular emphasis on Oahu and the Big Island). They even consider the possible impact of the Hawaiian Sovereignty movement on tourism and politics. (This final chapter, Wither Hawaii, starts strong, but the ending is rather confusing: the Smiths don't make a definitive conclusion or even a conjecture about how much the Sovereignty movement may impact tourism. However, if you go back through the entire book, they really have made a very strong case that retirees in 21st Century Hawaii will form such a strong voting block that any official/unofficial movement to make the state less welcoming to Mainlanders will probably be thwarted at the polls.) In any case, this book is a must purchase for anyone (especially retirees) planning to make the big move to the Aloha State. Get it today! Such a move may not be easy or in everyone's best interest, but thanks to this wonderful book, a move to Hawaii may be in your future someday if not sooner!



2. If you are over 80 and prefer the large type Readers digest, this is the book for you. Really nothing new or informative in this book for a young person or family looking to move and work in hawaii. The Polancy book was more informative for someone more interested in getting a job versus finding a hospice.



3. What is the net worth required of a retiree couple in order to purchase the minimum 800 sq ft STARTER home in the volcano-prone zone of the Big Island? The STARTER homes there are listed at $500,000. How much of a multi-millionnaire must one be to move to Hawaii?



4. The authors of this book obviously conducted a lot of research and cared a great deal about their subject. As other reviewers have said, it does contain a lot of useful information for someone thinking about retiring to Islands. Unfortunately, however, the book suffers greatly from two serious flaws. First, it is incredibly poorly proofread; it is replete with distracting and annoying spelling and typographical errors. (One wonders what the publisher was doing!) Second, large portions of the book provide information about matters that change very quickly. In particular, the prices cited are already wildly out of date. I think it would be great if the authors, perhaps with some help from an editor, updated the information and cleaned up the text.



5. This book is worth reading for people seriously interested in moving to Hawaii for retirement. The authors provide lots of economic data on how much it costs to live in Hawaii but it is accurate for about the year 2000. It is a thoughtful book written like an academic paper (with footnotes all the way to clxxxv!).

2 comments about A Pocket Guide to the Hawaiian Language (Things Hawaiian) (Things Hawaiian).

1. This is an excellent pocket guide. The Hawaiian language chapters for the alphabet and pronunciation are easy follow. The Common Words and Phrases are grouped into logical chapters with brief, helpful hints.
   
   I would have given it five stars except that it lacks an index. Because of the layout, a Glossary or an English index isn't necessary but it would have been helpful to have a Hawaiian word index.



2. Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R2X2L81ZQ9QEI *****
   This book is a terrific, non-overwhelming first book for newcomers to the Hawaiian language. It is a tremendous value, easy to use, usefully organized, and portable (if you're planning on taking it to Hawaii on vacation). Here is a video about my experience with this book. It is about 2:21 long. Kindly overlook my newbie videocam skills if you don't mind; I really wanted to show you this book even though I'm not great with the camera or the software yet!
   *****

3 comments about Hawaii Atlas & Gazetteer.

1. I hesitated in purchasing this Atlas since I had looked it over once before and had been unimpressed with its depth. The contours are at too low a resolution to be useful, trails, ridges and many peaks are not named as well as many dirt roads. The urban features are good though and most roads are drawn. What finally convinced me to purchase this Atlas was that it was convenient and nice to have all the islands in one book, instead of juggling multiple topo and sectional maps. The grid and scale systems used, as well as the rulers along the x and y-axes of each page make it easy to estimate distance and find features. The GPS Grids and Recreational Guides are also handy. Overall it is a good purchase but not a complete reference. It is especially weak as a reference for the backcountry traveler since it paints an inaccurate and overly tame picture of the precipitous terrain I, as a resident hiker, have come to love and respect.



2. Yes, it has the roads. But I found it very difficult to determine exactly where I was on the map and found myself turning over and over again to the Nelles.



3. Just what we need for our 10 day visit to the big island. Our daughter lives there and she told us that its a must have. We agree!

No comments about Reference Maps of the Islands of Hawaii: Maui, The Valley Isle.

No comments about Tourism and the Economy: Understanding the Economics of Tourism.

1 comments about Mobil Travel Guide 2008 Southern California and Hawaii (Mobil Travel Guide Southern California (South of Fresno)).

1. As one who has used Mobil guides since they began, I find this the most disappointing. The format makes it hard to locate areas in Los Angeles. (There are no running page guides.) There are also some odd reviews and omissions: no mention that Musso & Frank is the oldest restaurant in Hollywood, a draw (along with the food) for most tourists; saying the Belvedere "may be the best hotel restaurant in the country" but saying nothing about the food; and omitting any mention of the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, a handsome and convenient landmark.

2 comments about Map of Kauai; Island of Discovery: Reference Maps of the Islands of Hawaii; Full Color Topographic.

1. I bought this map on Amazon and it was a good basic starter map for our 10 day trip to Kauai. Ironically, it was the only map we saw available when we first arrived and in many cases what I paid on Amazon was much cheaper then the price for the same thing on Kauai itself! However, if you really want to travel around Kauai and are going to be looking for specific streets, you need something much more detailed then this map has to offer.



2. The map is good for carrying around while driving since its small and compact. It shows the main roads but does not show mile markers which would be quite helpful on the island.

1 comments about Place Names of Hawaii (Revised).

1. This book is a treasure. "Place Names of Hawaii" is an exceptional and important reference book for anyone who is interested in the Hawaiian language or anyone who just wants to know the meaning behind the names of streets, towns, valleys, land sections, fish ponds, craters, mountains, streams, islands, churches, buildings, et cetera. Every entry has an English translation of the Hawaiian name (when possible) as well as background information. It is invaluable reference book for any Hawaiian language student, but "Place Names" should also be in the library or book collection of everyone who lives in Hawaii who has a library or book collection.
   
   Place Names of Hawaii, and Supplement to the Third Edition of the Hawaiian-English Dictionary. was the 1966 first edition, it had about 1,125 entries and was described as a "Supplement to the Third Edition of the Hawaiian-English Dictionary. The Hawaiian Dictionary: Hawaiian-English, English-Hawaiian is perhaps the most important reference book on the Hawaiian language and "Place Names" is a product of the same team of Pukui/Elbert. This is the "revised and expanded edition" with about 4,000 entries. It should also be considered a supplement to the UH Hawaiian Dictionary, although it is also a stand alone reference and can be used and enjoyed all by itself.
   
   The revised and expanded edition of "Place Names" has been available for more than 30 years and I can not understand how it is that I am the first to write a review for Amazon, considering how important this book is to Hawaii and its language. If you like this book, I also suggest Hawaiian Street Names: The Complete Guide to Oahu Street Names. It lists many streets that are not listed in "Place Names". Make sure you get the updated edition.
   
   The Hawaiian language lives not only in its spoken language, books, songs and chants, but also in its place names. I live on Oahu and find it curious and confounding that many people who live here have no understanding, curiosity or appreciation about the place names that they deal with every day, like the street they live on or the town they live in. Many do not even correctly pronounce Oahu or Honolulu. The island is not "Awahu" nor is it the city of "Hanalulu" or "Hanolulu". Get this book so that you can learn and understand what those Hawaiian place names mean and help keep Hawaii a special and beautiful place.

No comments about Fodor's Big Island of Hawaii, 2nd Edition (Full-Color Gold Guides).