1 comments about Frommer's Florence, Tuscany & Umbria (Frommer's Complete).

1. While we found the guidebooks useful in some ways, the restaurant recommendations were extremely disappointing. We ate at two of the recommended restaurants (one recommended by the Frommer Tuscany guidebook, the other by the Frommer Rome guidebook) during a week long stay in Italy. They were the most average meals we had - certainly they were not worth the stars they were given by Frommer. The Rome guidebook also recommended a restaurant (Insalata Ricca) near Piazza Navona without mentioning it was part of a chain. We walked several blocks to this location with family who wanted a light meal before catching the train (we didn't eat there ourselves) and later discovered that there was another one right around the corner from our hotel. I do not plan on buying a Frommer's guidebook again, because I can't trust their recommendations. The facts and history are available in other guidebooks too.
   
   I should also mention that the guidebook claimed that parking in Siena was exorbitantly expensive. Perhaps that is true if one parks the car and stays in a hotel in the city for several days. We visited the city for about 8 hours and paid about $15 which didn't seem too bad.

1 comments about Authentic Piedmont-Aosta Valley (Authentic Italy).

1. Written by the Italian equivalent of the AAA, this book gives an Italian view of the regions and important sights and attractions. Some Americans may find some of the selections (i.e., why include this, or why emphasize this) questionable or confusing but working to understand those "why's" gives additional insight to Italian culture.

5 comments about Wicked Italian for the Traveler (Wicked Series).

1. This laugh-out-loud booklet opens wide a window on modern Italian culture. Step on in and take a gander. Never mind that you will never remember the right phrase at the right time during your visit to Italy; at least you will be traveling with the right attitude.

   Harold Tomb writes with Dave Barry-esque wit. If you have a sense of humor and even a passing interest in Italy, then "Wicked Italian" is for you.




2. Its is good for those who are interested in learn some expresions and a little it italian. Its a perfect book for travelers.



3. Don't look here for grammer tips. If you have no sense of humor look elswhere. This book is a hilarious running gagline, a farcical look at Italian culture. I have given it to my wittiest friends so we can all howl together, a terific gift or party favor. Worth every penny!



4. I bought this book for a kid who was going to Italy. It was more to relieve the fear of traveling then to be actually used in Italy. We read these phrases out loud around the dinner table and were amused. But really for $5 what did you expect? I bought a real phase book to go along with it.
   
   Great as a gag gift.



5. to this wicked series. not because it has anything to do with learning a language, but because the two i've read so far are just good,sleazy, low-class fun.
   in fact, my experience of italy as a foreigner who speaks the language is of a country of relatively good manners and i find it hard to imagine any of the italians i know ever saying 'shove off, garlic breath'.
   no matter, this is a funny little book and a great casual gift. i also laughed hysterically at Wicked Irish
   
   
   lynn hoffman, author ofThe New Short Course in Wine

1 comments about Moleskine City Notebook Firenze (Florence) (Moleskine City Notebook).

1. Moleskine City Notebook Firenze (Florence) (Moleskine City Notebook)
   
   Moleskine City Notebook: Roma
   
   I really liked the design of these notebooks but found that as small as the Rome and Florence books were I needed somehing smaller. So, after agonizing for a minute, I tore them both to peices. They came apart nicely if I paid attention to cutting the bound bundles of pages. I inserted the Florence map behind the Rome map discarded some of the tabed pages and saved the plain note book pages to make the one notebook I will carry to both cities. So far the glue is holding.

No comments about Italy (Eyewitness Travel Guide).

5 comments about The Colosseum (Wonders of the World).

1. This is a rather specialized account of the Colosseum, and any student intending to visit the structure should read it. It debunks some myths about the place, but shows that it is a fascinating world wonder which deserves the attention of all visiting Rome. The research seems impeccable.



2. The Colloseum in Rome is arguably one of the five most famous buildings in the world but there are very few books about it. At least I have found that to be the case, as I have always had a fascination for the place. May this is the macabre side of me coming out. But it is not just the gladiatorial contests and many other blood letting contests that went on including wild animals fighting both humans and one another or the naval battles that were fought there. Yes naval battles, with real ships and the arena flooded with water. I readily admit that I find these interesting and have done for many years.
   
   However the main attraction of the Flavian Amphitheatre, to give it its correct name is its architectural beauty. It is a building that we would be hard pressed to replicate today, even with all the modern building techniques that we now possess. A building that could fill with people and empty at the end of the games quicker than most modern football stadiums. A building that has stood the test of time. It is only vibration and pollution from modern day traffic that is now affecting the building more than the last two thousand years ever have.
   
   A building that had more happening underground than ever happened above ground. Gladiator quarters, infirmaries. Lifts and hoists moved by an intricate network of pulleys and cables, that allowed wild animals to be brought up to the arena level.
   
   This book tells you everything you need to know and more. It is well written And has some illustrations, but these are secondary to the excellent text.



3. This is a scholarly analytic type book that investigates not only the colliseum building itself,but the spectacles that took place inside.The book also describes why the Colliseum was built as well as how it was bulilt.The Colliseum according to my read of the book was an important propoganda and public education tool of the Roman rulers.It showed the populace that not only had Rome conquered,but that all the beasts and "savage peoples" of the world were Roman possesions for amusement.The building may have also served as a warning,"you too could end up here" and was an outlet for high risk takers to make a name and a fortune. Also alot of these gladiatorial spectacles were actually public executions of criminals,the sword of a gladiator maybe no worse than the electric chair or gas chamber!Unfortunately no work on the Colliseum has covered the gambling on an immense scale that must have gone on at these events.For one I have always thought that the Gladiatorial helmet that is always used in movies and art appears awkward. It seems as if the fancy ornate designs and rims would block not just the peripheral view but about every other one as well.The author points out that these helmets that were found in the buried ruins of Pompeii may have actually been "parade helmets",used for the pre-fight spectacle to identify and give status to the Gladiator.In the arena he may have found such a helmet in fact a great disadvantage. That's the kind of research contained in this book.In regard to the wild animal fights the author spends alot of time breaking down and analyzing the industry that was involved in transporting "wild beasts" of all descriptions from various parts of the world. It must have been a great part of Rome's GNP.The author also questions alot of the traditional source material for acounts in regard to the Colliseum and its spectacles.It seems in times past that writers may have been as prone to exaggerations as they are today.You'll leave this book with a good knowledge of "the Games" and realize that alot of them were anything but "fair contests" between men and beasts.Rather alot of stage theatrics and "smoke and mirrors".Could it be that the the Roman popes banned these spectacles not only for the brutality,but because they were just plain boring.In fact these games were continued on well into the Roman Christian era,so there may not have been an initial Christian "moral outrage" when Rome was Christianized under Constantine.Anyway,I got my tickets to my first(and last) game from a scalper who had "copped them" free from a "charity organization"On the final page I seriously believed that the Retiarius Gaius was using steroids,and someone had spilled their greasy nacho cheese on my"Gladius" t-shirt.I also had to move 2 seats over because I believed the man next to me was coming down with a case of "bubonic plaque"That's how real this book is.



4. Small though it may be, this wonderful book contains a wealth of information on the Colosseum. The authors - scholars in this field - very ably guide the reader along this amazing structure's long journey through the ages up to the present, debunking myths along the way. Although details on the formidable challenges faced by those who built the Colosseum are relatively few, its history and archaeology, as well as snapshots of the lives and times of those who used it and performed in it, more than compensate. Occasionally, the authors challenge the "generally accepted" interpretations of some of the often-sparse archaeological and historical evidence and offer alternative views. Near the end of the book, useful advice for the potential visitor is provided, followed by an extensive bibliography. The writing style is clear, friendly, authoritative and quite lively. This book can be enjoyed by anyone, but especially by those fascinated by ancient history and archaeology.



5. All the reviews here so far were written on the tourist side, not the scholar's. The great merit of this book, in my view, is that it fits both audiences in a very nice manner. Scholars would of course expect a more exhaustive treatment, but it's striking that there are almost no other academic books devoted to the subject of the Colosseum. Many studies on this building and other amphitheatres concentrate on technical, architectural issues, but this book offers concise and clear analyses on social aspects of gladiators, the interpretations of the Colosseum through the ages (a fascinating part!) and other varied issues. Profs. Hopkins and Beard are two leading authorities in Roman History, but their text is lively, fluent, good-humored and very pleasant - I wish all scholars could write like this! Therefore: for specialists, it's not a thorough book, but very welcoming all the same.
   
   As for the occasional interested tourist, as others here have also said, this book is as useful, appealing and enjoyable as it can be. Having been to the Colosseum myself, though, I don't agree with the advice of getting there one hour before it closes (last entrance allowed is at 3PM). Packed crowds of tired tourists with noisy kids are better to be avoided if you want to take your time inside, so get there as early as you can. Also, like the authors, I strongly recommend a visit to the nearby Palatine - but get a good guide, so that you can understand the ruins you're seeing (use Oxford Archeological Guide, Coarelli's book, or even Blue Guide Rome).

No comments about Travel + Leisure's Unexpected Italy (Travel + Leisure Unexpected) (Travel + Leisure Unexpected) (Travel + Leisure Unexpected).

No comments about Italian Language Phrases: Learn to Speak Italian.

5 comments about Tuscany: The Beautiful Cookbook.

1. This is a book that lives up to its name in all respects. The color photos (250) are warmly, rustically lit. These carefully composed still lifes entice the earthier senses with taste and aroma and give the reader a yen for this beautiful region.
   
   And the recipes, arranged by course, highlight regional dishes from the simple -- Chicken in Red Wine, Chestnut and Rice Soup to the unusual -- Salt Cod and Mint Soup, Spaghetti with Sea Urchin Sauce to the sublime -- Snails with Sausage and Tomato Sauce, Pheasant Broth, Ricotta Tart.



2. I received this book as a gift a few years ago and have used it often. The recipe's are imaginative, easy and always well recieved by family and guests. The recipe's ingredients are basic and credible. And of course, the presentation in this book is a knockout! The food, the scenery, the dishware. All top drawer.



3. A large, attractive book that I gave as a gift. Nice pictures of the food and the recipes looked interesting and not too difficult.



4. I received this book as a gift when the Frances Mayes Tuscany book (ugh!)was all rage. I flipped through it thinking "what a dumb format for a coobook" then slipped it into a bookshelf where it lay buried for a couple of years. I did however remember seeing in it (& liking the idea of) a recipe for "Elder Flower Flat Bread" (p.34) and I had an elderberry shrub in bloom so I dragged the book out, plucked the 1/2 cup of elderflowers and made the bread. It was good. I started actually looking at the photographs and then read through it. I kinda liked it. Then, to go on an antipasti (as Lorenza suggested) I made the "Stuffed Eggs with Tarragon" (p.35). Big hit! I tried, like an earlier reviewer, the "Chickpea Flat Bread"(p.45) Big-gloppy -mess- disaster! But, Lorenza had my attention with her great commentary on the culinary regions of Tuscany and the food styling is so irresistable and appetizing I forged on. Also VERY LOVING photographs of Tuscany. I've tried: "Naked Ravioli" (p78) Great! "Meatloaf of Arrezzo"(p.148 ) Nice suprise. "Fennel Cake" (p.242) Indispensible, I bake one a week! Light Apple Cake (p. 246) Delicious! So, long story short I really enjoy this book. The format is very large, rather absurd for the kitchen but I just slap it down on the counter, keep it open with a marble pestle and happily cook away.



5. This book is excellent at taking you around Italy showing food from the different regions with easy to follow recipes!

4 comments about Blue Guide Sicily, Seventh Edition (Blue Guide Sicily).

1. A lot of interesting info you do not get from the other sources. Although you have to get an additional guidebook with all the "practicalities", like Rough Guide.



2. I envision using this book more after arriving home and revisiting places we saw during our vacation. This blue guide explains the history and political situation of all Sicily, including pointing to pictures of museums and churches we visited. I will enjoy perusing this book to remember our trip.



3. We spent 2 weeks in Sicily in Oct 2007. After looking through all the major guides at a local book store, we purchased the Lonely Planet Sicily (3rd Edition) and the Blue Guide Sicily (7th Edition). Lonely Planet covers the all the major sites, cities, and towns. Its city maps, with the locations of restaurant, hotels, etc. are extremely helpful. However, it is missing some of the smaller towns and sites, and offers sparse coverage of the east coast of Sicily. The Blue Guide is far, far superior in terms of its comprehensive detail, and quality of information. Indeed the Blue Guide is one of the best guide books I have ever seen on any region: its intelligence and depth are extraordinary. On the other hand, the Blue Guide city maps, while graphically excellent, are lacking the markers for restaurant and hotels that Lonely Planet has. And there were days when we did not feel like lugging the Blue Guide's 512 pages around. So ultimately, we were glad to have both.



4. Superb guide to history, culture, geography, cuisine of Sicily with interesting sidebar vignettes, detailed maps and good photography. A bit heavy to travel with, however, but excellent reference to prepare for trip. This, combined with the more portable Frommer's, are a good bet.