3 comments about The Antique & Flea Markets of Italy.

1. I have used other books of this kind in the past for other countries. This one seem to lack the fundamentals for this type of informational book. #1 You must write this book for someone who is not familiar with the local surroundings or the languages. #2 In the years that will be called the new millinneum people want to just blow in and blow out. When I travel I have a limited time and budget to see the flea markets available. In this book there is alot of leg work the author could have provided but for some reason did not.#3 If you speak fluent italian you can call all the phone #'s provided if they are still current. I on the other hand will have to hire a translator. If the author would provide maps, locations to trains, location to major city monuments, and make things easy for the reader to find, the hidden treasures she has found would be available to her reader, which should be her goal. When I travel many times I have up to 5 days in which to find this type of treasure. With this book it would be difficult to accomplish what I would like, but with more effort from the author this book could be a complete guide for any traveler.



2. This slim volume lists all types of markets by the day of the week or month and location. There's also usually a contact number for more information. If you're going to be in Italy during the first weekend of the month, or the second Tuesday, say, you can check the listings for that time period. There are a few blank pages at the end of the book to write your own personal market notes!

   No doubt people will need local maps and/or guidebooks to help locate the markets; this book will work best in addition to other guidebooks - not as a replacement.




3. I got this cute little book as a gift for my mother who loves antiques and is traveling to Italy this summer.
   Unfortunately, the information is organized by day of the week - and not by location. There is no index that cross-references by location (i.e. city, region). So you end up reading through every single entry for "2nd Sunday of the Month" just to find a market that's taking place that day in Firenze.

2 comments about Italian Riviera (EYEWITNESS TRAVEL GUIDE).

1. We never go on holiday without buying an Eye Witness guide for the area we are visiting. This one was invaluable for our recent holiday in Santa Margherita Ligure from finding a restaurant to getting on a bus.



2. I was a little disappointed by this book, for there are less maps and photos than I expected. It is unlikely for "Eyewitness Travel Guides." I usually believe maps will be greatly appreciated especially for small towns which don't have the tourist information center. However, I appreciate the concept that this publisher makes this regional guidebook, so I give one start for it. Another star is for the reasonable price at Amazon.com: $13.60 (regular $20) as of 11/3/2006.

5 comments about Kids Europe Italy Discovery Journal.

1. My boys used this journal both times we went to Italy. It gave us a lot of ideas and sparked some that were not in the book. They liked that they didn't have to bring the entire journal around with them; they could just take out the pages that they needed. Even my teens took some ideas, like charting gelato flavors. (Same flavor changed from place to place.) The journal made some of the lesser kid-friendly activities more enjoyable for them, therefore, more enjoyable for us. We are looking out for journals for more countries.



2. Pat Bryne provided the personal attention we all hope for when conducting an internet transaction. Her book, Italy Discovery Journal, is both entertaining and informative for a child's natural curiousity. We gave them as gifts which were well received and, reportedly, heavily utilized prior to, during and even following our nephews trip to Italy.



3. My kids (and I) think this book rocks. We happen to live in Italy but, even after 18 months here, we still find things in this book that surprise us. The book makes historical sites interesting and fun by pointing out things that kids would find fun and interesting. We have explored "Strange Parks" and located almost all of the license plates and cars listed as we travel around Italy. I'm always surprised as I read it to find more information that I didn't know, more things to try and places to go. We hope to go to Paris soon and I'll be ordering a copy of Pat Byrne's Paris book first.



4. I travel to Italy a lot on business and I'm taking the whole family for the first time. We've been reading on the internet and other travel books in preparation, but came across this one and thought we would give it a try. It's excellent. In addition to being full of good travel advice and things to look for that are fun for kids of all ages, it is also a good "study guide" of sorts. We homeschool our children and this is the kind of book that is perfect to help teach them about a new country and culture. I highly recommend it.



5. This book is exactly what we were looking for. Little tidbits of cultural and historical information packaged in a light-hearted, fun manner yet not overly dumbed-down.

3 comments about An Italian Education: The Further Adventures of an Expatriate in Verona (An Evergreen book).

1. This is the second time I've purchased this book. I enjoyed it so much (along with the sequel, Italian Neighbors) that I loaned it to my friends and it was never returned. An entertaining account of the experience of marrying into an Italian family, with all its internecine conflicts and quirks, and moving to Italy with all its governmental and religious idiosyncrasies. Well written and funny. It doesn't take an Italian to recognize the eternal struggle to find a place in a strange society....and the Italians can be very strange.



2. This book was required reading for an Italian Culture course I'm taking. What wisdom my professor has shown in assigning this book! In addition to gaining valuable insight into contemporary Italian culture, I was also very moved by this story of an Englishman raising his half-Italian children in Italy. He observes how Italian his children are and how early they recognize that he is not one of them. He explores such features of Italian culture as Mother Worship (Mammismo) and the curious fact that this most Catholic country of Europe also has Western Europe's lowest birth rate. All Italians talk about the "sacrifice" of having children. To have more than one child is madness from their point of view because Italian children must have the best everything for the entire lives of their parents. The parents "sacrifice" so that their children can have the best schools, the best toys, the best clothing. The parents pretty much support them their entire lives, even buying their houses for them when they finally leave home and marry. He sees the blatant sexism of the Italian culture wherein gender roles are inculcated into the children from the cradle. The Italians see something wrong with his giving his son piano lessons and letting his daughter participate in "boys'" activities. (There is also a certain schadenfreude at a someone's having no male offspring, especially if that someone is your landlord.) But he endures it all good-humoredly and takes great delight in watching his children grow up "Italian." He takes them on walks and bike rides where they discover shrines to forgotten saints in the middle of the wilderness. He takes them to the beach where the kids get an unexpected introduction to the facts of life when they come upon the lifeguard and his girlfriend in flagrante delicto behind some rocks. The book is very funny as well as insightful. I laughed many times throughout the book and was unexpectedly moved in the oddest places, such as when their children find out that it's really their parents who bring their Christmas presents and not "Santa Lucia," the local version of Santa Claus.
   
   But the real star of the book is gloriously beautiful and ageless Italy, so gorgeous you just want to gasp. I loved this book and would recommend it to anyone who is a parent and/or loves Italy. Four and a half stars rounded up to five.



3. I recently reread this delightful book and enjoyed it all over again. It was one of the first memoirs about Italy I read, but it has held its appeal. It is unique in that it is from an involved father's perspective--less romantic than others and more realistic. While it's lovely to swoon over the glowing descriptions of Tuscany from the patio of the finally restored abode, drinking homemade wine, it's also great to get the nitty-gritty of day-to-day life in the city. Tim Parks's slightly acerbic view is funny and down to earth and gives a crystal clear eyed interpretation of Italian life from an Englishman's perspective that makes you feel right at home there. Well worth the read, and reread.

5 comments about The Rough Guide to Florence & Siena Map (Rough Guide City Maps).

1. After using the excellent Rough Guide map of Barcelona, I purchase
   Rough Guide maps when ever they are published for my destination. What I love
   about these maps is that they are complete, accurate and very
   tough. You can carry them around in your pocket, bend them and
   sweat on them and they still remain as usable as ever.
   
   This map has Florence on one side and Siena on the other (there
   is a certain historical elegance for this choice). I did not
   get a chance to test the map in Florence, but I did use it
   during the five days I spent in Siena in April of 2006.
   
   Siena, which competed with Florence for centuries, was finally
   crushed by Florence and it took centuries for the city to recover.
   As a result, Siena never developed the way Florence did and
   much of the character of the old city remains, including the
   original walls and the twisty streets with four or five story
   brick buildings. This gives the streets of Siena the feeling
   of a maze, since you can rarely see landmarks like the Siena
   Duomo (cathedral). I constantly found myself going the wrong
   direction. Even though Siena is small, I constantly used the
   Rough Guide map while I was there.



2. This was the best map of Florence for our trip. It's waterproof and rip proof. The sleeve it comes in is also really helpful to carry it around in your bag or pocket. I used it in conjunction with the Florence and Tuscany (Eyewitness Travel Guides) and was extremely satisfied with both.



3. The Rough Guide map of Florence and Sienna was easy to use. I could fold it anyway I wanted and when finished, fold it back to its original position. Rain made no impact. After lots of use, it still looks brand new.



4. Used the Rough Guide maps for Venice, Florence, and Rome and found them to be top notch. They have far more detail and accuracy than the maps handed out by hotels and local TI offices. The paper is coated so that it withstands serious abuse, fold, refold, stuff it in your pocket in a wad, it always comes out with all the print intact. The coating adds negligible bulk, more than worth it for the durability.



5. I take small groups of people to Italy and I am very picky about maps. I have searched hard for the very best map(I have looked at over 30 and comparing for 2 years) for Florence and for me, this is it and I give it all members of my tours. Here is why
   1) It contains Florence, Siena and San Gimignano so we have 3 in one and the zoom in of central Florence is especially good
   2) Very good use of colors which are crisp, well defined and very helpful in making the map easy to read. Buildings of significance are in purple, gardens in green, pedestrian only streets in yellow, etc.
   3) All of the street names are present and they are easy to read
   4) It is very durable and waterproof. Mine has been to Florence 7 times and it looks great and has been folded and stuffed.
   5) All of the extras clearly marked - Parking, taxi stands, one way street directions, bus route numbers - all of this and still easy to read for even my poor eyes
   If you plan on wandering the streets of Florence or Siena this map is a gem for never wasting a minute getting lost or finding a place.

3 comments about Lonely Planet Tuscany & Umbria.

1. 
   My partner and I used this guide for our trip to Tuscany (Toscana) in June 2006, and we found it very serviceable. The places we visited were Siena, Florence (Firenze), Assisi, Perugia, Orvieto, and Volterra, among others.
   
   Lonely Planet's guide gave us all the options available for getting to and from each city and town in the region. Whether by train, car, bicycle, or foot, it provides enough information to help you get there and back without too much trouble. This is in contrast to the Let's Go guidebooks which provide more information about staying in the towns themselves than about how to get there. This guide helped us with taking the train from Rome (Roma), and renting a car in Siena and making daytrips to Assisi, Perugia, and Orvieto.
   
   The information on hotels is sufficient but I'd recommend doing a little research online about places to stay BEFORE you leave. LP guides give you a sampling of hotels and inns and a little blurb about each, but don't expect too much information on them. The quoted price ranges can be a little off, but LP assumes one is travelling during the peak season (July-August).
   
   The information on restaurants is okay, and LP provides a decent listing of places to eat in whatever town you may be. It was either hit or miss for us. A few of the places LP recommended turned out to be duds but a few were spot on. One of the hits was a little taverna in Assisi that served linguini with black truffle sauce--yum!
   
   As far as sites and attractions go, don't expect a wealth of information. LP gives a brief history/description for all the major sites but a lot of minor ones are either only touched upon or passed over altogether. One would be better off using the Michelin Green Guides for more detailed information about specific sites and attractions, as those provide a plethora of names, dates, and events that make them more akin to history books than travel guides.
   
   The maps in the book are really good; they are accurate and easy to read. For all the major cities and towns covered in the guide, LP plots out the locations of all the hotels, restaurants, and attractions they mention. In this regard they are exactly like Let's Go (and all other guides, I imagine).
   
   In my opinion this Lonely Planet guide is not the definitive book on Tuscany, but when used with other guides it can be an invaluable resource for your trip to this wonderful region of Italy. Pack it with you when you go--and don't forget the sunscreen!



2. This is a decent overview, but lacks in-depth directions and full details of the area. I found key areas and towns missing. Also, not a lot of hours are printed in detail. Lack of editorial reviews or even hints as of what is good and what is not. I'm getting a second book to supplement this.



3. Upon traveling to the Tuscany and Umbria regions I brought two travel guides, one of them Lonely Planet. The LP became my travel bible, since the other guide was difficult to follow and lacking in critical information. Overall, the Lonely Planet saved us a great deal of travel time because the maps were accurate, the restaurant recommendations were bang on, bus and train routes were efficient, and the sight guides were adequately informative.
   This is essential guide to anyone traveling to this region.

1 comments about Bologna & Emilia-Romagna, 4th (Country & Regional Guides - Cadogan).

1. We traveled to Bologna and Emilia cities and Appenines in September 2008. We loved every minute of it- great food, nice people, and beautiful scenery. This book gave us the best recommendations for restaurants and hotels, with interesting historical background. Well written and fluent.

No comments about Blue Guide Central Italy with Rome and Florence, First Edition (Blue Guides).

5 comments about Trieste and the Meaning of Nowhere.

1. Morris' perspective on Trieste is unique on several counts: a seasoned and sensitive traveler, she has a deep affection for a city that doesn't rank high on most people's lists of favorite places; she's experienced the city as both a young man and a middle-aged woman; and she's well-read about the city's history and literary associations, but she uses her learning as the backdrop for direct experience of life in Trieste, rather than as an end in itself. I thoroughly enjoyed the book, both as an appreciative visitor's impressions of the city and as an account of Morris' elegiac musings late in an eventful life. On the other hand, having recently read Claudio Magris' "Microcosms," I was forcibly reminded that this book is Trieste from an outsider's perspective. It's a beautiful book and well worth reading, but, for the Triestine mind in action, read Magris.



2. Trieste and the Meaning of Nowhere is quite simply one of the best books I have ever read. Reading books like this is what makes life worth living. Jan Morris is a wonderful prose stylist. Her every sentence is a delight. I learnt so much about Trieste, from reading this book. Before I picked up this book, I didn't know anything about Trieste at all. When it was finished, I had learnt a great deal about it... in the most delightful way.
   
   If you want a delightful few hours, read this book. Indulge yourself in the quirky characters and the old world atmosphere Jan Morris brings so delightfully to life. Yes, Jan Morris work is elegiac, and for a Welsh nationalist and self described anarchist, she has a bit of a thing for empires. But that makes this a better, not a worse book. I very much enjoyed this book, and I would heartily recommend it to anyone.



3. It struck me, as I read this book, that everything recounted could, with a slight and proper change of name, direction, be applied to any hell hole on earth: Swansea, Des Moines, Sudbury. The modest yet empty fireworks of the prose conveyed no feeling, evoked no atmosphere, muddled every anecdote, and left one with all the symptoms of a severe Aspertaine overdose.
   is anyone really drawn into this twaddle by means of the outlandish pseudo-intimate supposed dialog? It is as revolting as the rubbish written by for so many years by so many sensitive housewives in suburban Manitoba and mailed in to be read aloud on Morningside.
   Trieste, one cannot help thinking, must really be an interesting and place; lost in some eddy of time and circumstance. But it is impossible to tell for sure from this book. If I did visit I would avoid Ms Morris, should I meet her.
   Could having read Evelyn Waugh's travel books just before have prejudiced me? I hope so; in fact I re-read When The Going Was Good as an antidote to this.



4. I actually know where Trieste was before I read this book. Unfortunately I have never visited the city. I wanted to read this travel book about this famous city, but after a few chapters, I wondered where the book was going to. After the final chapter, I still do not know what the author's intentions was with this book. Perhaps I don't read too many travel books. Obviously the city means a lot to the author, but she did not express it clearly in her writing. I was scratching my head at the end, and wondering what I read.
   I learned a little about the city, but not in relation to the amount of time I spent reading this short book. The city of James Joyce and Maximillian. The imperial port of the Austo-Hungarian Empire. The meeting point of Slav, German, and Latin Empires. One of the ending points of the Iron Curtain. This city breeds interest and yet the author took us on a round about journal that confuses the reader. I am sure the author's other books are good, her last one was not the greatest.



5. Before this I had never read any of Jan Morris's works. I think I missed a lot because reading this one brought me enormous enjoyment. I had seen her on C-SPAN a few months ago and found her charming even though I didn't get around to reading her till now. Her personal charm comes through in her writing. She goes about her work with large quantities of gentle wit, impressive erudition and wisdom, taking neither herself nor her subject too seriously. I am old enough to remember the day Trieste became part of Italy after the Second War ... for a while it was a toss-up as to whether it would go to Italy or to Yugoslavia. Being part of Italy is probably a good thing even though the city and its environs have great numbers of assorted Slavs, Hungarians and Germanic types, probably a wonderful mixture.
   Let me start toward the end of the book, where Morris says "Here more than anywhere else I remember lost times." And what does that make us think of?? Right ... and like M Charlus declaiming and lamenting in the park she counts off people she has known in Trieste and announces each one's fate: in every case it is a rough equivalent of, "Dead and gone."
   Also in these last pages Morris underscores decency and kindness as the reigning virtues in Trieste. For me that would be quite enough to recommend any city ... or country. Other features of the Triestino character: "When you are among them you know you will not be mocked or resented, because they will not care about your race, your faith, your sex or your nationality, and they suffer fools if not gladly, at least sympathetically. They laugh easily. They are easily grateful. They are never mean."
   Like most parts of eastern and southern Europe unable to defend themselves Trieste became became part of the Habsburg Empire, which needed a seaport. Just down the coast lies Istria which brings to mind Modern Greece's first president John Capodistria, whose surname is a hellenized version of Capo d'Istria.
   The very short chapter titled "Love and Lust," suggestive in a highly civilized way and extremely cerebral (I suspect Morris gets most of her jollies above the eyebrows) seems to adhere to Jungian thought even though Freud is the psycho-anthropologist who gets mentioned here -- along with James Joyce, who lived in Trieste for some years and expressed a clear preference for certain of the city's cat-houses as against others. In a chapter called "The Nonsense of Nationality" the author shows that Trieste, containing so many ethnicities, can be taken as a case-study or laboratory to give the lie to all the insane claims of nationalism. This ethnic mix may help explain why the typical Triestino is so civlized. There is a meditative, lovingly written chapter on the histoy of the Jews in Trieste in which the author suggests that during all the domination by Austrians, Nazis and Italians, the Jews have provided the spiritual and social energy to fuel the city's intellectual and artistic life through most of its history. Another section full of melancholy and tristesse treats of the ill-starred Castle of Miramar, which "stands on its promontory weeping." It was built by Maximilian and Carlotta, who lived in it before Napoleon III sent them to Mexico to oust Juarez and mess around with the Monroe Doctrine.
   Interestingly planned and written, this book starts out by giving an almost negative, surely uninspiring vision of Trieste, a "nowhere" impression (as in the title) but as you keep reading you discover all the reasons why it is a place you really do want to see and know, perhaps for a few days, maybe for a lot longer. On the two-hundredth page of the book Jan Morris says, "Much of this little book, then, has been self-description." Actually, I didn't need to be told that. I sensed it shortly after starting to read. Both Jan Morris's inner life and this little book are delightful to know.

No comments about Karen Brown's Italy Hotels, 2009: Exceptional Places to Stay & Itineraries (Karen Brown's Italy Hotels).