5 comments about Rick Steves' Italy 2008 (Rick Steves).

1. I just love Rick's travel books....having used many others over the years, I find his to be highly readable and entertaining, and full of essential information for the unwary traveller. Top marks once again!



2. I bought the Rick Steves' Italy 2008 book several weeks ago, It has helped alot with my preperation for my trip to Italy. I plan on taking it with me, I know it will be very helpful. I have booked hotel rooms and B&B's for our trip, as well as planning our agenda. I know I could not have planned this trip away from a tour group with out it. AJ



3. The book is of average quality when compared to other Italy travel books. It comes with the standard "Rick Steves Advertising" throughout the book. The issue which brought me to return the book was the omission of Sicily from the book. As far as I know, Sicily is still very much a part of Italy and thus should have been included.



4. I have bought about 10-15 guidebooks for an upcoming Mediterranean Cruise and have read each one. This one is my favorite - Rick tells it like it is, I've learned very interesting facts that weren't in any other guidebook. I also appreciate that he reviews from budget to luxury options, so you can choose based on your day's plans - for example, where to eat. Many guidebooks only review sit down restaurants when you might only want a quick panini if you are going to be touring all day. He also offers walking tours of several of the major sites. He lists things to do if you only have a day in one place, which is great for cruisers. There is also a useful appendix. The paper is very thin, so highlighters will bleed through to the opposite page a little bit. However, this book is very compact for the information that it contains. It's 800-900 pages and only about an inch thick. I will actually take this with me and carry it around on my trip.



5. if you're staying in certain cities, it'd be better to get his Rome, Florence and the Tuscany region and the Venice book.
   
   We used the Italy book, it had nice recommendations on food, hotels and such. They were excellent. Had recommended sights. But the tour guide section found in his Rome book were missing from the Italy book. Because you really can carry around a huge book. If I were to do it again, I would have gotten individual books. But if I were to go to multiple cities, this would definetly be the book to get.
   
   On our trip we went to Rome and Florence.

5 comments about Streetwise Paris Map - Laminated City Street Map of Paris, France - with integrated metro map including lines and stations.

1. My husband used this map to memorize the layout of Paris before our trip a few years ago. It was wonderful, lacking nothing. We were able to maneuver Paris like locals because of this map.



2. If you are a tourist this map may be adequate but for finding your way around Paris it is a disaster. Entire neighborhoods are completely left out.



3. This map came with us every day as we walked around Paris. It was very easy to orient ourselves when opening the map because of the colored pictures of landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower. The laminated format is a must with Paris's frequent sprinkles as well as it makes it much easier to handle in the wind than a paper map. While Streetwise does have the Metro stations marked on the street map and does have a separate Metro map showing all the routes, I found the Metro map in Frommer's Frommer's Paris 2008 (Frommer's Complete) easier to read.



4. People stopped us and asked if they could use our map because it looked so much better then theirs, and it was!!!!!!!!!! Won't go anywhere without one of these!!!!!!!!!



5. This map was by my side the whole 10 days in Paris and I pulled it out constantly! I love the lamination and heavy duty construction. The only reason why I didn't give it 5 stars is because the most northern, southern & eastern sections of Paris seem to be missing from the map. I would prefer the map to have the whole complete city, including a tiny piece of the outskirts because there were times when I traveled to the outer edges of Paris and the map couldn't help me. But, I will say that the detail on this map is excellent! It was the only map we saw that had every little tiny street name on it which is very important in a crowded place like Paris. I highly recommend it!

5 comments about 1,000 Places to See Before You Die: A Traveler's Life List.

1. I was really excited when I got this book, but upon reading it I was very disappointed. The author is very biased towards certain regions of the world, and seems to think that the most important things to see when traveling are fancy hotels. The author seems to have a very commercial view of travel, where expensive hotels and restaurants are the most important thing to experience instead of the people and cultures of the region you are in. Very disappointing book.



2. Spiritless....A true travel guide for the Starbucks generation.
   
   If you enjoy the "road less traveled", this is not the book for you.



3. This book should be titled "1000 hotels to stay in before you die". There are so many wonderful places and people to visit that are not even mentioned in the book.



4. I was prepared to dislike this book. It was given to me as a present. The whole thesis seemed dangerous. If everyone tried to visit the same 1000 places they would be overwhelmed with tourists. Then who would want to go? Also, the very idea that everyone would like the same thing seemed over simplified. Last, how could a mere travel agent understand my sophisticated preferences?
   
   In the sense of full disclosure, let me say that I received this book when I was 68 years old and had already traveled widely. My wife and I like a wide variety of things: from elegant big city hotels to camping in the wilderness. Museums, symphonic music, opera, and ballet are important. So is trout fishing. Last, we are unabashed foodies that plan restaurants carefully in advance.
   
   When I picked up the book and started reading it, I was surprised. When I read about places I knew well, I had to admit that the things mentioned were the most interesting, not to be missed, things. For the last four years we have been consulting 1,000 Places before taking overseas trips. It has given us some ideas that we would not have had otherwise and they turned out to be very good ideas. Also, the places we visited were not over run by zillions of people who had read about them in 1,000 places.
   
   Yes, it is a good hotel book. What do you want, a bad hotel book? It is always best to double check with Michelin if possible, but if a hotel is good it will probably not change too quickly. Restaurants are a different story. They can change overnight and 1,000 Places limited restaurant coverage can not be relied on.



5. I don't know, I guess I must be a different kind of traveller. I like to visit places that are astonishing yet not highly visited. I'm the kind of traveller that goes to those "best-kept secret" desinations to see things that most people don't even know about. I mean, who goes to Moosonee for vacation?
   
   I bought 1,000 places hoping it would recomment places of great beauty, off the beaten track, where culture and ambiance haven't been homogenized into modern life yet. Sort of life Globe Trekker, only in book form.
   
   How disappointed I was to find out it was recommending tourist traps, five star hotels, expensive tourist haunts and so on instead of giving us insider info on where the little-know best places are.
   
   It's not a bad book, it's just full of places you are bound to see if you visit the major tourist places anyway. So much so that it seemed as if the author might have gotten her info from visitor's bureaus instead of from personal experiences.
   
   Yes, the sites she recommends are wonderful, but a little too obvious. It's like saying, when you travel to NYC for the first time, be sure to visit the Empire State Building. You know all the tourists are going to go there anyway, so why bother putting that on a list of places to see before you die?
   
   But that's just me. I don't like resorts as much as I like little penizons in Slovakia.

5 comments about Maui Revealed: The Ultimate Guidebook (Maui Revealed).

1. This is the book that you will want for your visit to Maui. Plenty of information. You need to read it before you go. Loaded with tips and secret places that not many people know about. Highly recommended.



2. I bought this book based on all the positive reviews on Amazon. The book did not disappoint. I used it every day on our trip to Maui last week and consulted it on everything from directions to where to go and where to eat.
   
   We were stuck on the island an extra day due to the Aloha, ATA airlines mess and the hotel section in the back was convenient in being able to call up different hotels for availability that last night.
   
   We pretty much followed their restaurant recommendations and advice on whale watching companies and Hana sights.
   
   I really appreciated their honest feedback and I highly recommend this book. I heard other tourists on the island who also recommended the book.



3. This book was so helpful in finding the best spots on Maui!!! It gives excellent tips for the most beautiful beaches. I wouldn't go to Maui without it!



4. Maui Revealed is a great book with lots of important information for any one planning a trip or just wanting to more about the Island of Maui.
   We loved it and will take it with us when we visit!



5. This is the best book on Maui by far!! I've gone through many others and they were not nearly as informative or entertaining.

1 comments about Clotilde's Edible Adventures in Paris.

1. This guide is just perfect for a foodie. Clotilde not only provides suggestions for all types of restaurants, she goes even further to give information on every food-related aspect of a vacation in Paris. With this book we will now be able to shop the best farmers' markets we otherwise might have missed. We're looking forward to experiencing the different neighborhood streets and markets, each with their distinct characteristics. We also now know the very best bakeries and shops for chocolate, pastries, candy, ice cream, spices, cheese, specialty food items, cured meats, prepared foods, fish, gourmet products, tea, coffee, wine, books, cookware, tableware, and even food shows. There are also great tips on French phrases and customs that will allow us to enjoy our trip to the fullest. This is the only guide of its kind.
   
   Although comprehensive, I only wish there was more. However, that would probably just require additional and lesser suggestions. If we asked a friend for recommendations, this is just the guide we would want. Unlike most guides, there is not a long list of lackluster destinations taking up space with descriptions of why they are not recommended. Only recommended spots are listed, which is all we really need and allows the book to be a good size and easily referenced.
   
   Clotilde boils down the city to its essence, providing only the best information in a well-organized format. The book is a good size to carry around. There is also more content on Clotilde's blog. We can't wait to put all of this information to good use in a few months when we're in Paris!

5 comments about The Milepost 2008 (Milepost).

1. If you are heading up through Canada to Alaska...this book is a must.....almost EVERY Alaskan has a copy as a means to plan their in-state trips. Once you get and use this book, you wish every other region in the world had the same format. A MUST HAVE BOOK.



2. The Milepost as always is a must have for the Adventure Motorcyclist. I contains all of the basic information for a trip through Canada and to Alaska.



3. This book is the best information I have found for helping to plan a trip to Alaska. Very up to date information.



4. Background - we have been planning a 2 month RV trip up the Alaska highway and around Alaska (Denali, Anchorage, etc) - we leave on May 15th but have been doing the planning for more than a year now. And I have been looking for all the info I can get - to help me prep for this wonderful event - hopefully the first of several trips to Alaska. We must have a dozen books that we have purchased read and used. And we first bought the 2007 to start our reading and then purchased the 2008 to have the most current informtion for our trip.
   
   There is nothing like the Milepost. Every mile, every highway, every trash can / pullout / restaurant / gravel section / etc. As close as you can get to someone who has driven every mile of every road and is telling you what you will experience - steep grades, gas stations, etc. Now, you have to read a lot - mile by mile by mile by mile - to catch references and hints at what interests you. But in the process, you also are made aware of confusing intersections, areas where Grizzley bears frequent, long (50 mile) stretches without any fuel stops. etc.
   
   I have 2 "weaknesses" about this book.
   1. You will work to get the information out of this "telephone sized" book. There is no big index section that will tell you about all the RV camps - nor all the BC parks, nor ... anything. You have to read mile by mile by mile to find what you want. The information is there and there is no other book like it.
   
   2. The only other omission in the Milepost is that it (by design) only covers attractions, events, that are on the highways. So if you want to do something that is not on a major highway, it may not be in the Milepost.
   
   Still, bottom line, if you are driving any of the Alaska, Yukon, BC highways, you should get this book and carry it.



5. We live in the lower 48 and have driven to Alaska four times over the past 19 years, but when we were getting ready to drive up again, we didn't hesitate at all, we purchased the "Bible" of travel to Alaska....The Milepost. We cannot even think of driving up there again without it in our truck. It is excellent. The material in this book is the best that there is. Period.

5 comments about Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia.

1. Her unhappy marriage came to head when she knew she didn't want to follow the "script" which is imposed on us so much as women: the script that says we need to be wives and mothers. It's a brave thing to admit that you do not want this! The drain of her divorce coupled with her painful split from David is something a lot of women can relate to; who hasn't been through the heartache of a breakup: rollercoaster moods, the phases of anger,the sadness, guilt, fear and lonliness? I found I could relate to her in a lot of ways, but unlike her I do not have the opportunity to travel, so it was fun to travel vicariously through her. Her anecdotes about the people she meets are very amusing, and what better way to feed the body, mind and spirit than the way she has? Hers is a great example to follow!



2. I loved this book. In the beginning I found it hard to get into but once I got to India it was fablous. My favorite character was Richard. There were so many "points" brought out in this book. The book is about a woman who is trying to find herself after a failed marriage and relationship and the strength and courage she had to pick herself up and go on this self perserving journey. The author did a great job in describing all of the characters and gave you a sense of who they truly were. The ending was a little disappointing but since it is based on a true story you can't change the facts. Would definitely recommend the book



3. Excellent story. It is a shame that we all cannot do what the author did, it would make us all better rounded people.



4. I honestly don't know what all the hype for this book was about. It was the worst book I have ever read. I have read better books as a pre-teen (heck, the Baby-Sitters Club and Goosebumps series are wayy better than this book). It was definitely a waste of my time. In fact, it was so painful to read, I didn't finish the book. I stopped at the beginning of her Indonesia trip. Whoever paid her to do this book deserves pity.



5. I really like this book that I bought an extra edition for my friend in Sweden. The book is refreshing and funny in a very girly way (sex and the city way). The middle part of the book however, her trip to India, is really long and super boring. I almost stopped reading the book at that point but make it through because it picks up again in the third portion when she goes to Bali.

5 comments about SAS Survival Handbook: How to Survive in the Wild, in Any Climate, on Land or at Sea.

1. Very cool book. Very informative and it even tells you that some techniques should only be used in dire need situations, as they can be against the law.



2. This is a nice book for everything from scouting trips to real life survival situations.



3. Simply put, this is the best survival guide on the market today. Bar none. I am a veteran of the U.S. Coast Guard, and U.S. Army. Even the US Army Survival Manual is not as comprehensive as this guide.



4. SAS world famous for their skills. Now you can be one of them. All you need to know in a pocket package.



5. This book is a perfect addition to any camping pack. Filled with things as simple as the best ways to start a fire and identifying edible foods in the wild, to constructing shelters and first aid, this thing has everything.
   
   It's a valuable resource that has lots of information, and if you ever found yourself in a bad situation, you would be happy to have it with you.

5 comments about The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World 2008 (Unofficial Guides).

1. This is a fantastic book. It gives an organized, thoughtful overview of every aspect of Disney World-- hotels, rides, food, events. Visiting Disney is NOT an inexpensive trip, and we wanted to see the things that were most important to us and not waste time on inappropriate rides or long lines. The Unofficial Guide gives great touring plans that you can modify to fit your particular needs and wants. THESE PLANS WORK! We weren't militant about them, but used their general guidelines. I have a 3 year old and a 7 year old, and the suggestions for age-appropriate rides and shows are quite accurate. Our trip was 2 weeks ago, and we are still basking in the glow of a succesful vacation. DO follow the book's recommendations to make reservations for the Fantasmic! show and for Cinderella's Table. Great book, don't go to Disney World without it.



2. Want tons of information about everything you need to know before going to DisneyWorld? Then this is the book you need. It details every aspect in a well layed out format that allows you to read as much/little as you want. What you will find is you read more than less due to the wonderful tips that will help you save money and spend your time wisely. Great information on the parks, the restaurants, places to stay (on and off campus) and a wealth of other information such as: only have one day for a park? there is a rip out map to show you how to maximize your time! Want a specific type of food? the restaurants are listed categorically. (TIP: set your reservations months in advance!) Need a direct phone number to pretty much anywhere that takes calls in the parks? its there.
   
   The only 'con' i will throw out is that the pictures are few and then not in color. This is more by design than a real flaw. Plenty of other park books have full color pics if that's what you want. I ended up ordering both types as my 10 year old daughter wanted something to look at too. (I stuck with this one, she loves her book.)



3. This book has been a great resource in planning our upcoming trip to Disney World this fall. Without this guide, we would have missed out on some great deals and opportunities, and probably ended up with a far less enjoyable trip than what we have planned. Definitely required reading for anyone anticipating a Disney getaway.



4. This is a really great book!! I've been to Disney twice before with my 2 children who are under the age of 5. This book offers great tips on things to do with children while waiting in line, what to do about strollers, etc. Lots of things I hadn't thought of before. I wish I had bought this sooner. There is a ton of info in here all in one place. As far as the touring plans, I think you just need to take those in stride...if you have a family that will follow them...great...if not then try to follow as closely as possbile. I think as long as you are armed with information, your trip will be much more pleasant than if you just show up and wing it! Love the comparisons on Character Meals and also on the Hotels on Disney Property. There's even info on hotels and restaurants other than on Disney Property. Again...great source of info all in one place.



5. If you are new to Disney vacations...it would be extremely helpful to read this book! Disney can be very overwhelming - and some tips can mean the difference between a so-so visit and an extraordinary one (like making character meal reservations way in advance).

3 comments about A Voyage Long and Strange: Rediscovering the New World.

1. A delightful historical narrative! And quite refreshing in this age of disinformation.
   
   While our public schools continue their relentless rewriting of history to fit the agenda of special interest groups (such as the criminal protection lobby's removal of firearms from image of Washington crossing the Delaware), it's good to come across a book based on open-minded research. Turning the conventional pattern completely backwards, Horwitz seeks information and then forms conclusions. That approach made this book a "keeper." In fact, Horwitz deftly defrocks a long list of myths, half-truths, and utter fabrications that are almost canonical today.
   
   He defies another convention by staying on topic. If you've been offended by books the author uses to segue into political side issues, you'll be pleased at Horwitz's not doing that.
   
   Tony Horwitz follows the centuries-long European discovery of the new world. This discovery didn't, as popular myth holds, start at Plymouth Rock. Nor, as we are told during Thanksgiving each year, did European settlement begin with the Pilgrims. In fact, those folks didn't call themselves Pilgrims--that's a label fabricated for them in much later times.
   
   The discovery, exploration, and settlement occurred in fits and starts. It was more stumbling and bumbling than it was heroic conquest. And it was more often brutal than it was noble.
   
   While reading this, I frequently laughed aloud. Horwitz has a knack for keeping things lively with quips, barbs, and acerbic wit. His own adventures while visiting the many places discussed in the book sometimes produced situations that were farcical enough for a few chuckles. At other times, the people he ran across were, themselves, hilarious. As entertaining as it is, the real value of this book its actual information. Horwitz doggedly pursued answers to questions, and while that pursuit provided ample basis for comedy, it also provided answers that are worth knowing.
   
   In some cases, that research didn't provide an answer but merely proved the official propaganda wrong. There are some things we simply do not and cannot know. When a work purports to be nonfiction and yet has answers to everything, you can be fairly confident that work isn't reliable. Horwitz voyage produced some frustrations for him and left unanswered many questions that would have been nice to have answered. The fact he doesn't just plug in an answer he likes makes me fairly confident this work is reliable.
   
   This book is about 400 pages long and contains 15 maps.
   
   The Prologue explains why Horwitz embarked on this quest. Despite his extensive background in American history, there were large gaps. And he got to thinking about this. He shares some of those thoughts in the Prologue.
   
   This book is divided into three Parts:
   
   1. Discovery.
   2. Conquest.
   3. Settlement.
   
   Part One consists of four chapters, one each for Vinland (mostly Lief and related Eirickssons), 1492 (Columbus, et al), Santo Domingo (Columbus again), and Hispaniola (lots of laughs and oddball characters).
   
   Part Two devotes five chapters to the conquest. Each chapter covers a separate geographic area: Gulf Coast (an assortment of Spanish explorers, dandies, and conquistadors), Southwest (to the seven cities of stone), the plains (the sea of grass that seemed to swallow up many explorers and potential settlers), the South (De Soto does Dixie), and the Mississippi. On that last one, I have always wondered how this river got such an ungainly name. Horwitz reveals the answer.
   
   Part Three contains four chapters, each of which provides insight into the settlements in St. Augustine (and other Florida places), Roanoke (and other Virginia places), Jamestown, and Plymouth, respectively. The chapter on Plymouth rips apart several myths, including the many that surround the Thanksgiving holiday.
   
   The source notes and bibliography are extensive, which would be expected of a book that is this well-researched. What those reference don't reflect is the sheer footwork Hortwitz did. And I don't mean figuratively. He actually walked where these explorers, conquerors, and settlers walked. He visited sites, spoke with other researchers, and interviewed people who had starkly different views of what occurred.
   
   All of this research contributed to a credible work that is also quite funny in places.



2. Upon a visit to Massachusetts, Tony Horowitz is awed when he sees Plymouth Rock; not out of it being grand sort of an American Gibraltar, but to realize it is not much more than a pebble. As one child points out, the Pilgrims must have had small feet to land on that rock. Tony reflects on what he knows about American history only to draw major blanks for over a century and half; from Columbus until Jamestown. What frightens Tony is that he graduated with a history degree. Thus he vows to track the story of the European explorers who traveled American even before Columbus. Starting with the Vikings and following with the French and Spanish, Tony tracks those who came before Jamestown.
   
   With a nod to Mr. Wuhl's HBO special Assume The Position, Tony Horowitz goes on a reverent journey tracing the paths traveled by European explorers between 1492 and 1607. On his trek, Mr. Horowitz meets many people with a differing interpretation of events like the Spanish (St. Augustine was founded forty-two years earlier than the Plymouth Rock landing) came before the Pilgrims so America should celebrate Thanksgiving with Chili. This is a fun travelogue as Mr. Horowitz' enthusiasm and energy add to the enjoyment; quoting Mr. Wuhl: "I shit you not".
   
   Harriet Klausner



3. Some of my favorite books are those in which the authors recreate historical voyages. Thor Heyerdahl's Kon-Tiki and Ra journeys, Colin Tubrin's pilgrimage along the Silk Road, Dayton Duncan's re-tracing the Lewis & Clark path: I love reading that stuff. And now Tony Horwitz has contributed to the genre with his A Voyage Long and Strange, a book in which he "roams the annals of early America" (p. 7). Readers who remember his Confederates in the Attic can well imagine the insight with which Horwitz explores the history of the New World's discovery and the wry sense of humor he brings to his personal rediscovery of ancient routes.
   
   Horwitz set out to explore all the points in the New World "discovered" and described by early explorers. Focusing on the three categories (that frequently, in reality, overlapped) of discovery, conquest, and settlement, Horwitz narrates the history of, for example, Coronado's search for the Cities of Gold (pp. 134-164) or the settlement of Roanoke's "lost colony" (pp. 293-325), and interweaves in the narration accounts of his own travels over Coronado's route and his exploration of the Carolina peninsula where the lost colony once flourished. The mixture makes for exciting reading, lending a contemporary vitality to the historical descriptions.
   
   I was especially intrigued by Horwitz's account of the Spanish exploration of the New World (chapters 5-9). It's as good a short account of the conquest of the southeastern coastal regions, the southwestern deserts, and the plains west of the Mississippi, as any I know. Chapter 9, which deals with de Soto's rather aimless trek north of what today is Louisiana into Arkansas, Mississippi, and Texas--which Horwitz describes as "wandering blind, deaf, and mute in the middle of the continent" (p. 255)--is particularly interesting.* It really does underscore just how much of a leap into the unknown the early visitors to the New World were making.
   
   All in all, an interesting read with a good bibliography and several helpful maps. Highly recommended.
   ________
   * While trying to recreate de Soto's confused ramblings, Horowitz makes his way to Arkansas City, where he's been told he'll find de Soto's coffin. But Horwitz discovers he's been on a wild goose chase. As a city elder tells him, "Young man, I do believe you've been led on. Just like those Spanish, always chasing their gold" (p. 259). In more ways than one, then, Horwitz walked in the early explorers' shoes.