1 comments about Ireland: From the Air.

1. 
   This is another one of those awesome books of photographs by Antonio Attini called Cube Books. It is 640 pages of top quality photographs,printed on excellent glossy paper,using excellent color reproduction and printing techniques. It's hard to imagine how these excellent photographs could be printed any better. Oh,I suppose these photos would be even better ,if larger,but there is a limit to it all.Besides can you just imagine the size of book you would get with over 500 pictures if they were all five times as large?
   I have visited Ireland 3 times and it has often occurred to me that ,no matter where you look or what you look at ,a beautiful picture could be taken. There is no limit to the landscape,buildings, water,people and history that is spread before you at every turn. I have often thought what wonderful views there would be, if only one could get up in the air,like in a hot air balloon and float above it all like on a magic carpet. Well,that is just what Attini has attemptd to do. In this book he gives us just a miniscule taste of it all;and what a taste it is. In reality,a taste is all that is possible because the scenes that await one are endless.All one can do is just sit back and thumb through the book and enjoy it all and wish you could see even more. It is just impossible to be satisfied with it all.
   There is just one small problem with this book,and others like it. The weight of all the pages impose a big challenge on the binding and spline of the book ,and if not handled with care,and shudder the thought the book should be dropped;it will surely be damaged.
   No book of this nature can begin to cover all of Ireland and you will find only a very few pictures of places you have been,but the few that are included will be from a totally different perspective.
   It's one thing to sit at the top of the Cliffs of Moher,and even dangle one's feet over the edge;but what a sight it is from the air, as we see on pages 268 and 269!
   Besides;if you've never visited Ireland,and wondered about the expression,"Forty Shades of Green",this book will show you that never mind forty, there are literally thousands. And did you know that it was the great Johnny Cash who wrote that song when he was inspired by it all,from the window of the plane as he was leaving Ireland, after his visit.

5 comments about Escape to Murray River (Adventures Down Under #1).

1. This book starts getting exciting in the FIRST chapter! Patrick's father, John McWaid, is convicted of somthing he didn't do and is getting sent on a prison ship to Australia. The rest of the McWaids follow only to get in deep trouble when they find out that the man that wants John McWaid dead, Conrad Burke, followed them TOO!!

   This series, Adventures Down Under, is full of adventure.




2. Jessica 4/10/00 This book is really awesome. If you like adventure,you should read this book. It`s filled with excitment, suspence,and a little romance. Robert Elmer puts very good details in his stories. Patrick, the main charecter is seperated from his family. Along with his new friend Jefferson. Patrick struggles to find his sister Becky ,his brother Micheal,his mother Sarah McWiad,and his father John McWaid, who was sent from Dublin to Australia. John McWaid was framed for being a Fenian in a bribe scandle, by Mr. Burke and head of chief police. Now Patrick tries to find his parents. So hold on to your seats and enjoy the ride with Patrick and everyone else.



3. We think Escape to Murray River is a great book for almost all kids. It makes you want to read more and more,you never want to stop reading once you start. It really makes you think that this is really happening to you. We think you will really like this/these books.



4. I recommend the book Escape to Murray River to any one wholikes adventure.The book Escape to Murray River is foll ofsurprise.The only character I did not like was mr.Burke.I did not like mr. Burke because he framed Patricks father and said that he would help him in court.



5. I Really liked the Escape to Murray River book. I liked it because I love to read.It was fun to read because it is mysterious.

3 comments about Ireland, a Bicycle and a Tin Whistle.

1. I've been to Ireland twice and when I go I never have a hotel reservation, a set itinerary or a care in the world. I immerse myself in the culture and people of Ireland and go where the locals/journey takes me.

   Before I go I like to read about similar journeys through the greatest country on the planet. Mr. Wilson has captured what it's like to travel through the countryside, cities and coastal villages of Ireland. It's not just the scenery that endears people to the emerald isle... it's the people, their sense of humor, outlook on life and how they spend their day.

   If you want a book that puts you in the middle of an Irish pub with a "three-pint-buzz", listening to traditional music with perma-grin on your face... then grab Mr. Wilson's tale of his Irish Journey. A great read for the plane ride over.




2. Lucky for us, Mr. Wilson stops drinking enough for most of the trip to tell us of his musical journey round the coast of Ireland. He writes well and integrates some Irish history into his personal experiences. Best of all he seems to hit all the musical hotspots on the west coast from Donegal, where he hears Altan, past Sligo and Westport and Matt Molloy's pub to Clifden, where he hears Kevin Burke and Andy Irvine in a pub session, down the coast to the once wonderful Doolin where he hears a loser singing James Taylor songs, then on to the traditional music mecca of Miltown Malbay and the Willie Clancy festival. His descriptions of sessions are great and he knows his tunes. He works in some history of Irish music as he pedals his bike through potholes, up hills in blasting rain, and across sunny vistas. There's some laugh out loud humor but he doesn't imitate the Dave Barry style (as in McCarthy's Bar). Too often he descends into drunken oblivion and tells us all about it, as if to make sure we appreciate the truth behind the stereotype of the drunken Irish. Minus a star for the hangovers.



3. "Cycling around Ireland in search of traditional music, David Wilson follows the coastline from Presbyterian Islandmagee to Gaelic Cape Clear and back up north from Dublin to Belfast. Ireland, a Bicycle, and a Tin Whistle takes us on a journey across wild open spaces and through crowded pubs and festivals that pulse with energy and life. This is the Ireland of... More fiddles, harps, and flutes, butterflies on bog roads, Country-and-Irish songs, Ulster Fries, storytelling, yarnspinning, and jigs and reels to the crack of dawn. As he travels through the North, Wilson gets beneath the surface to portray both the tragedy and comedy of everyday life inside the Protestant and Catholic communities. Aware of the polarized image that each side has of the other, he emphasizes the importance of finding common ground and asserting the middle against the extremes. Just as traditional Irish music is characterized by ornamentations and elaborations on a melodic theme, Ireland, a Bicycle, and a Tin Whistle is full of variations and wanderings on the theme of the trip itself. And just as traditional Irish musicians will follow a sad slow air with a lively foot-tapping reel, Wilson's mood ranges from the nostalgic and reflective to the irreverent and mischievous. If there is a lament in one ear, there is always a song in the other." (review from MSN Shopping site)
   
   "Ireland, a Bicycle and a Tin Whistle is part travelogue, part social commentary, with a bit of history, a lot of Irish character and a strong thread of music running throughout. Wilson's colorful, descriptive prose at times approaches poetry in its style. Read this book for a real slice of Irish culture; it will sharpen your desire to see Ireland and its people for yourself, or it will bring your own memories of Ireland into distinct and vivid focus.
   Whether or not you've been to Ireland, whether or not you ever plan to go, you could do much worse for yourself than to see it through Wilson's eyes." (review from Rambles - A Cultural Arts Magazine)

No comments about Fodor's Dublin's 25 Best, 4th Edition (25 Best).

No comments about Panorama of Paris: Selections from Le Tableau De Paris.

No comments about Among the Pilgrims: Journeys to Santiago de Compostela.

3 comments about Dances With Waves: Around Ireland by Kayak (Another Ireland).

1. This is a wonderfully athmospheric book of solo kayak travel around the wild and windswept coast of Ireland. Brian experiences whirlwinds, friendly dolphins (photos included), pirates and meets many unusual and friendly people on his 1200 mile trip. Experience the Irish weather and coastal communities as they really are. A really enjoyable read.



2. An enjoyable account of Wilson's epic journey around the Emerald Isle. Fascinating background info on his compulsion to tour and his quest for sponsorship, followed by a vividly written account of the trip itself, including abduction by "pirates", the theft and return of his kayak and an unforgettable encounter with Fungie the dolphin. The author's genuine affection for Ireland and its fascinating culture permeates the book, and he includes snippets of history and myth that make the towns and islands he passes come to life. There are many laugh-out-loud anecdotes and encounters that you will feel compelled to read out loud to your spouse/roommate/dog. Wilson is an accomplished adventurer and a talented writer as well.



3. An excellent read- which together with the authors first book, got me hooked on sea paddling. Not just a descriptive dairy of a journey around the coast of Ireland- but a great story of the people he met and the adventures he got into. In my view, the only sea kayaking book which is better is Blazing Paddles also by Brian Wilson

No comments about The Mine of Lost Days.

No comments about Hadrian's Wall.

1 comments about Tommy Makem's Secret Ireland.

1. I ordered the book because of the author. I have long enjoyed his singing, and admired his song writing ability, so expected to enjoy the book. I was not disappointed. Makem gives us a tour around his favorite spots in Ireland, taking us to less familiar places. The travelogue is interspersed with anecdotes about his own experiences in these places. The book is well-written, enjoyable reading. Anticipating a trip to Ireland in the near future, I have just ordered my fourth copy of the book.