3 comments about Irish Language & Culture (Language Reference).

1. Judging by the title of this book, you would expect it to be about the Irish language. It's not. Only a meager 14 pages of the book deal with the irish language, and these fourteen pages are filled with errors. You'll find errors in the pronunciation, errors in the grammar and errors in the vocabulary.
   
   If you're interested in the Irish language, I recommend you to have a look at a course such as Learning Irish or other books on the Irish language that keep the promise expressed in the title. This book certainly doesn't.



2. This had me giggle and reading pieces out to my husband who almost tore it out of my hands to read. I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to see the reality of Irish modern Language and culture and Irish English. Although it does miss out on some things for a small book it does capture a lot of Ireland and the Irish. It was interesting to see how sometimes those phrases I take for granted are actually Irishisms.
   
   It has a little bit with the Irish Language but most of the book is actually about English as spoken in Ireland. Most of the Irish/Gaeilge in the book is actually useful conversational Irish.
   
   I would recommend this book to writers looking to capture modern Ireland and Irish people.



3. Caveat lector. Let the reader beware. Not the book you may be looking for.
   
   One reviewer correctly diminishes this little guide for its lack (about ten pages) of attention to the Irish language itself (see my Listmania "Learning Irish Gaelic" for 39 other resources). The other reviewer celebrates how this pocket guidebook gave so much space to the Irish culture, largely through its Hibernicisms rendering into English often many terms and ideas derived directly from the Irish Gaelic. I therefore balance the one-star with the five-star ratings. It's not the book you might expect from the misleading title, but I did find, if you can put up with the relentlessly snarky tone adopted by so many of the Lonely Planet writers when telling us foreigners about how the natives are laughing at us, an array of witticisms and invective that no other printed source could likely provide for the non-linguist...and the clueless or the un-hip reader. Don't know exactly how useful this'd prove for many, but surely it'll lead to surprise or unexpected reactions from any Irish person you corner with these colorful and off-color effusions.
   
   However, every culture should have its own book of such insider codes to turn the tables on each other in our global village, when tourists visit our own hometowns. Fair play to ye/yiz, as the Irish'd say themselves.

No comments about Frommer's Dublin Day by Day (Frommer's Day By Day Series).

1 comments about Walking Dublin (Interlink Walking Guides).

1. I am planning to visit Dublin and I want to walk and explore sites connected to literary figures as well as famous areas. I enjoyed this book
   because it has route maps and they seem to be easy to follow. Beautiful color illustrations of everything I'd like to see when I get there.If you want to appreciate this wonderful city as I do. This is the book I want to have with me.

2 comments about The Palgrave Concise Historical Atlas of the Balkans.

1. * * * Do NOT buy hardcover version! * * *

   Summary:
   Maps: **(*)
   Text: ***(*)
   To be used together with another atlas. (e.g. "Historical Atlas of East Central Europe, by P. R. Magocsi or Cartographia's "Történelmi Világatlasz" (in Hungarian))

   Just like when I first discovered the "Historical Atlas of Eastern Europe" I thought: "At last a specific work on the topic in English!".
   Well, despite the range of the maps - 50, listed at the end of the review - it was quite a disappointment.

   The maps... They can at best be described as of "average" quality, but words like "perfunctory" or "sloppy" could be used as well. There is no excuse for the roughness and distortion of state boundaries, the lack of rivers and cities/towns. And the actual errors to them have yet to be mentioned. Still, since these maps cover a smaller area than their counterparts in the
   "Historical Atlas of Eastern Europe", they are a bit more precise, but far from detailed.

   It must be noted as well that GEOGRAPHICALLY the Northern boundary of the Balkan Peninsula is defined by the Danube - Sava - Kulpa rivers. Thus Slovenia is entirely and Croatia and Romania is partly outside of it. However, while historically Ljubljana and Zagreb is rightly considered Central European, Bucharest is linked to the Balkans. Despite it's acquisition of Transylvania in 1918/20.

   It must be noted that the author makes an honest attempt to be objective in the history telling, by sometimes presenting several versions/views on the same event, BUT I am sure that even this won't satisfy everybody.
   However, the style of the text is sometimes "odd". "Nationalist", is one of the much preferred word used by the author, especially when dealing with newer history. The difference between "nationalism" and "patriotism" is apparently very subjective.

   All in all, the map part of this atlas is suitable for low-level studies of the area only, and the text for high-school studies.

   A last remark: This volume shares 14 - or 1/3 - out of it's 50 maps with the "Historical Atlas of Eastern Europe" from the same series. (Nos. (5), 8, 11, 13, 17, 19, 21, 25, 30, 32, 33, 37, 38, 49 and 50, as observed by the author of these lines.)
   So basically, the "Historical Atlas of the Balkans" - with it's 36 additional maps of the Balkans - is a complementary to the "Historical Atlas of Eastern Europe".

   The Maps:
   1: Physical
   2: Political, 2001
   3: Natural Resources
   4: Demographic
   5: Cultural
   6: The East Roman Balkans, Late 6th Century
   7: Avar, Slav, and Bulgarian Invasions, 7th Century
   8: Rise of the First Bulgarian Empire, 7th-10th Centuries
   9: Fall of the First Bulgarian Empire, Mid-10th-Early 11th Centuries
   10: Rise of Medieval Croatia, 19th-12th Centuries
   11: The Balkans, Late 12th Century
   12: Crusades in the Balkans, Late 11th-Early 13th Centuries
   13: The Balkans after the Fourth Crusade, 1204-1214
   14: Byzantium Resurrected, 1261-1328
   15: Rise of the Romanian Principalities, Mid-13th-14th Centuries
   16: Rise of Medieval Bosnia, 13th-14th Centuries
   17: Rise of Medieval Serbia, 13th-Mid-14th Centuries
   18: Political Fragmentation, Mid-14th Century
   19: Ottoman Expansion in the Balkans, Mid-14th-Early 16th Centuries
   20: Fall of Constantinople, 1453 (and Ottoman Istanbul)
   21: Apex of Ottoman Expansion, Mid-16th Century
   22: Ottoman Millet Organization, Mid-16th-17th Centuries
   23: Habsburg Croatian-Slavonian Military Border, 17th-18th Centuries
   24: The Ottoman Balkans, Late 17th-18th Centuries
   25: Emergence of Modern Balkan States, 1804-1862
   26: The Balkan Crisis of 1875-1876
   27: The "San-Stefano" Balkans, March 1878
   28: The "Berlin" Balkans, July 1878
   29: Balkan State Territorial Expansion, 1881-1886
   30: The Macedonian Question
   31: The Balkans, 1908
   32: Bosnia-Hercegovina, 1908-1914
   33: The Balkan Wars, 1912-1913
   34: World War I in the Balkans
   35: The Post-Versailles/Lausanne Balkans
   36: Yugoslavia, 1929-1941
   37: Post-Trianon Romania, 1920-1938
   38: The Transylvanian Question
   39: Bulgaria, 1919-1940
   40: Greece, 1923-1941
   41: Albania, 1921-1939
   42: The Balkans, 1939-1940
   43: World War II-The 1941 Balkan Campaign
   44: The Axis-Dominated Balkans, 1941-1944
   45: Balkan Cominform States 1945-1947
   46: The Greek Civil War, 1946-1949
   47: Splits in Communism, 1948-1960
   48: Collapse of Communism, 1989-1991
   49: Wars of Yugoslav Succession, 1991-1995
   50: The Kosovo Crisis, 1999

   Review based on First paperback September 2001 edition.




2. If you're looking for maps of how the Balkan borders have been drawn and redrawn between 600-1999 AD, plus a brief textual overview on the facing page, this is the book for you. Several earlier maps also show the general dispersion of the various cultures that inhabited that portion of the Balkans (not always an easy task).
   
   Understanding the Balkans is difficult (well, at least it is for an American like me) ... but this book has helped me more than one time to grasp the often turbulent events that constantly reshaped Balkan countries. As kingdoms and empires grew and shrank, the borders often changed ... and new countries were created and old countries disappeared.
   
   It's nice to have this brief progression through time in the form of the changing geography. It's a reference book that anyone who is interested in Balkan history will find useful over and over. And it's never out of date, since 600 AD will never occur again.

5 comments about The Parting Glass : A Toast to the Traditional Pubs of Ireland (Irish Pubs).

1. When I'm in Ireland -- which isn't nearly enough -- I try to avoid the trendy new pubs and stick to the joints where the local people go, where you're still likely to find a session in the corner, where the food is simple but hearty, and where the Guinness is pulled with pride.
   
   Eric Roth, a Boston-based photographer, pays tribute to the "real" Irish pubs of Ireland in "The Parting Glass." Of course, there are thousands upon thousands of pubs to choose from, and the book had limited space, so after exhaustive research (read: going to lots of pubs) he picked 43 representative establishments to capture on film. Eileen McNamara, a Pulitzer Prize-winning Boston Globe columnist, went along for the trip and provided the text to support Roth's images.
   
   Of course, I have my own favorite spots in Ireland, and sadly, they're not included here. And yet, of the 43 pictured, I've been to only a handful, and they ALL look a delight!
   
   The book includes numerous large, colorful photos of pub facades and pub interiors. Too, you'll find distinctive pub signs and unique pub decor. Better yet, you'll see people manning taps and hoisting pints, people who make up Ireland's traditional pub scene as much as the Guinness-stained tables, peat fires, live music and pleasant conversation.
   
   There are city pubs and country pubs, ornate pubs and plain, crowded and empty. Roth's photos are gorgeous, rich in color, detail and personality. McNamara's narrative is equally colorful, informative and evocative of the pub experience. Combined, they create a desire to dive through the pages, take a seat and order a pint.



2. This book made a wonderful gift for my husband this Christmas. He and I went to Ireland a few years ago to see a U2 concert at Slane castle. To this day, it remains one of my favorite vacations of all times, and this book rekindled those wonderful memories. So much so, that after browsing through the pages together, my husband and I are planning a return trip "across the pond" as a gift to each other! We're even planning some of our itenerary around these cool cities and pubs.
   
   The photos are just beautiful and so are the stories of the owners, the bartenders, the patrons and pub histories. Neat facts are tucked in between the pages, making it more than a photo essay -- I learned that a special place called a "Snug" exists in the older pubs, where the women used to share a pint or two without the company
   of men.
   
   If you are looking for an unusual and thoughtful gift, I recommend this book. It would make a wonderful father's day gift, (or mother's day gift!), it would be great as a birthday present, a graduation present, a coffee table book for a new homeowner, or for any other occassion where you want to raise a pint in celebration. Cheers!



3. This book is for those who want to be swept away on a marvelous journey through a land of incredible scenery interrupted by warm and friendly people invigorated by mouth watering blends of spirits served in the most welcoming places short of heaven.



4. Great photography. Great for Irish conversation. Makes a great gift.



5. Great book if you're planning a trip to Ireland or if you just want to enjoy a pint in your own living room!

No comments about Best Walks in Ireland (Best Walks Guides).

5 comments about Spectacular Ireland.

1. I bought this book because my dad's side of the family is Irish and I'd hoped to one day go. The book is a gorgeous addition to my photography book collection...and my desire to go to Ireland has been upgraded from 'one day hope to go' to 'can't wait to go!'.
   --Vicki Landes, author of "Europe For The Senses - A Photographic Journal"



2. First of all, please note that this is a coffee table-type book. It is oversized and oddly-shaped. So if that bothers you, steer clear.
   
   BUT the size is very appropriate to the pictures! It's a large-rectangular book that fits the panoramic wide-angle photography inside of it! The photos are intensely colored and the paper used in side the book is a thicker, glossy high-quality paper. Some of the most gorgeous photographs of Irelands landscapes, castles and towns are in this book. It also includes a bit of history.
   
   FYI... the book normally comes with a slip-cover that has the same cover design printed on it that the actual book cover underneath has. Nice touch. A lot of books of this fashion do not have the same cover printed on the actual book itself, but only the slip-cover.
   
   Very nice. If you love photography or Ireland...or both....this is the book for you!



3. This is a great book to give to someone who will be traveling to Ireland in the future, has visited before, or is just a huge fan of this amazing country and wants a good coffee table book. The photos are gorgeous and really showcase the beauty of the Emerald Isle. There's also a great variety of photos: not just from one area of the country. It also gives you a bit of historical background. There are several pages that fold out to reveal huge panoramic shots. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves Ireland. It really is spectacular!



4. This is the best photo book of Ireland I have seen over ten years, and the text is excellent.



5. This gorgeous giant book, measuring in at 16" x 12", capture the beauty and uniqueness of Ireland through spectacular photographs. At times in this book, not only do you see a panoramic photograph spanning two 16" wide pages, some actually extend further through a folding flap to measure over 38" wide! In addition to the beautiful photographs the authors have included detailed written descriptions.
   
   People of all ages that are interested in the history, landscape, and culture of Ireland will thoroughly enjoy this book. The list price is $75 according to the inside flap, making it a bargain at the current Amazon price.

1 comments about Birds of Ireland: An Introduction to Familiar Species (Pocket Naturalist - Waterford Press).

1. Great pictures of the Birds of Ireland. Quick shipping. Thanks.

No comments about Daniel O'Donnell's Ireland: Songs and Scenes from My Homeland.

1 comments about Istanbul and the Civilization of the Ottoman Empire (Centers of Civilization Series).

1. He wrote on Turkey for nearly half a century. He also wrote on Middle-East as well but his real expertise is Turkey I believe. in every book of his he zooms into a subject (Turkey) and tells the story like in his other books with more detail. So if you already read one of his books on Turkey or Ottomans you dont need to read this one.