No comments about Puglia & Basilicata (Regional Guide).

5 comments about The Unofficial Guide to Central Italy: Florence, Rome, Tuscany, and Umbria (Unofficial Guides).

1. This guide was very practical and useful in comparison to the guidebook my friend had with her. Hers had a lot of pictures but less practical information. We tried several of the restaurant recommendations - one in particular in Florence was one of our best meals and one of the best prices - half of the cost of any other meal on the trip. One recommended wine shop though was no longer open.
   
   I was also dissappointed that the information on the galleries was not specific about how difficult it can be to get in on certain days - for example, The Uffizzi in Florence is quite difficult to get in to without an advance reservation on a Tuesday because it is closed on Mondays. This was the day I had planned to go and the line was 5 hours long just to attempt to get in.
   
   I think it would also be helpful to include some information on the "after hours" touring options. While pricey, several of the Galleries, including the Vatican Museum have services that can provide a tour after the normal hours of the Museum when all the crowds are gone. This would likely be well worth it if you can afford the option or want to treat yourself to one special tour.
   
   Overall I thought this was a good guidebook and easy to use.



2. My husband and I used this guide on our first trip to Rome and Florence. It was well written and well organized. The book contained some great tips about getting around using public transportation in both cities; the included maps were helpful.
   
   Sights were rated based not only upon how interesting they were but on what age groups would be interested in them, from children through senior citizens. The restaurant reviews and recommendations were right on target. Everything from "inexpensive" to "very expensive" eateries were included.
   
   This book was obviously written using input from a variety of real travelers, not some "high-brow" travel critic! The book included information on many smaller towns, too. The only drawback was that the book was a bit on the large side. It fit into a backpack but with the other things we commonly carried, (water bottles, camera), it was a little cumbersome. However, this book contains so much useful information, it was worth taking along! Read it before you go to Italy and take it on your travels. We were glad we did!



3. On our recent visit to Tuscany and Rome, we found there were two books we couldn't do without, a phrasebook and this.
   This has the best, most comprehensive listings of main-stream attractions and "behind the scenes" spots of all the books I bought or read planning this trip. Some of the prices and hours for museums are a bit out of date, but you'll find places listed in this book that aren't in the others, and you'll wonder how those others could have missed it.
   If your vacation includes Florence, Rome, Pisa, Siena, Perugia, or any of the other wonder cities in Tuscany and Umbria, YOU NEED THIS BOOK.



4. I bought this as a gift for a family member who is traveling to Italy soon. They are raving about it, saying, "I've already highlighted all the spots I want to go to."



5. The only people that are really helped by books of this type are the proprietors of the establishments that are recommended. The problem with almost all travel guides is that they very rarely tell us anything we do not already know. Once a book has been in print for about a year, every restaurant recommended, if not a tourist spot in the first place, is now overrun with people flocking there because of the recommendation. It almost invariably follows that quality declines and prices rise. If the restaurant is truly a good one, then you might get lucky and be one of the first 20 or so to visit after the guide comes out; the rest of you are doomed to reach the place after the decline has started. I've been to central Italy perhaps 30 times in the past 10 years; I've never read a restaurant recommendation that I followed....well, only once and the place was a disaster; nouvelle cuisine, very, very French, in the heart of the Chianti Classico. Want a formula for finding a good restaurant in almost anyplace in the countryside? Look at the parking lot; if it has a disproportionate number of BMWs, Audis, obvious rental cars, stay away. Look for the place that has some beat-up Fiats, Lancias, perhaps an old Renault or two. If the locals go there, it must be good and it must perform consistently, even in February. The authors of this book are undoubtedly well-meaning and they have written a perfectly decent guide. So have about 90 others, with about the same information.

5 comments about Bringing Tuscany Home: Sensuous Style From the Heart of Italy.

1. I was so excited when I ordered this book and so let down after getting it and looking it over. The cover is VERY deceptive. This is NOT a style/decorating book. This is the story of a couple renovating a wonderful old home in Tuscany. It is well written and at times charming and warm. It is also often quite boring reading about what stone to pick for the house and who they visited and what wine they drank. It almost seems as if the author were forcing another book out for publication!! There are VERY FEW photos...barely any really in the book. The photos present are of wine, friends, a few of the house and a few of home decor/furniture layout, and food. The photos are very striking and pretty....if you enjoy seeing their friends and not really getting any basic decorating ideas. There are about 30 recipes and photos of the food, as I said above. Some recipes are nice but I really didn't see anything new and inspiring. A good Italian cookbook would be a better investment. As for the cover....it is very deceptive to say the least since it focuses on a very pretty vignette: furniture, art, pottery and style of arrangement. This is most definitely NOT what this book is about. In fact: I found the cover to be the best part of the book. I decided to return it and look for a better book really focusing on design. The author clearly loves Tuscany and if you want a nicely written and warm hearted book to read about hers and her husband's story of renovation, friends and their love of food, wine and Tuscany then you will like this book. It is not a picture book at all but rather a reading book with a story that seems rather forced and often VERY VERY boring and drawn out for the purpose of publication.



2. This a wonderful exploration into Italian design. Loved it. Highly recommended for the designer or homeowner.



3. Francis Mayes does such an incredible job of bringing Tuscany to the rest of the world. This book includes fun recipes and beautiful photos...a joy to read!
   --Vicki Landes, author of "Europe for the Senses - A Photographic Journal"



4. I read this book first, as I have all Frances Mayes books, from the library. Wanting the great ideas and recipes at close-hand, I purchased this as well as her others. I used many suggestions on my trip last Fall to Italy.



5. Mayes's poetic assemblage of words, captures your attention from the moment you open this book. Accompanied with luscious visualization, her words even further embrace the art of Italian living. The colors and textures of the country melt upon the pages of this book, as Frances's emotional connection with the folks of the sun drenched terrain and their joyful heritage and love for family and food, are celebrated in this work.
   
   I purchased this book along with another Your Home A Living Canvas: Create Stunning Faux Finishes & Murals with Paint and was amazed at the similarities of these two books. Though completely different writing styles, Mayes's book "descibes the essence" of Italian lifestyle, while Heuser's actually "captures the rich color and artistic spirit" of the Tuscan home. Both authors suggests unique ways to recreate the warmth and beauty of the Tuscan country home into your personal life - Heuser's "Your Home..." is an actual how to book, giving the reader over 30 step by step, well illustrated projects on how to easily achieve the timeless old-world atmosphere. Like the Italian inspired murals painted in Mayes's home, Heuser shares the secrets to creating "period" styled finishes and mural detailing throughout every room in your home. Both lovely books are accompanied with unbelivable art photography, with Heuser's packed with unimaginable before during and after shots illustrating the transformation of a 1890's historic home into an Italian paradise. I highly reccomend both of these titles, "especially "if you are seeking interior inspiration for creating the authentic Tuscan look and feel in your home decorating!

3 comments about Top 10 Malta and Gozo (EYEWITNESS TRAVEL GUIDE).

1. In my planning to make a holiday trip to Malta, I bought this book along with the LP book for 2007, which gives me the opportunity to evaluate the two books.
   
   On the plus side, this one is loaded with high quality pictures. And the maps are also of high quality and easy to navigate. It gives very useful suggestions, tips and plans about the destination. One gets a quick overview of all attractions and can easily design a trip tailoring to one's interest.
   
   On the minus side, this book can never be used alone, and must be used together with another guidebook with lots of facts. It is not intended to be one all-included guidebook anyway. What can be absolutely added is hotel information, especially for a matured destination like Malta, there are definitely more hotels at all ranges to evaluate.
   
   What can be also included is information on links to other regional destinations, such as Sicilly and Tunisia.
   
   In general, it is a good handy book with nice pictures to look at. But you won't survive on this book alone.



2. I love DK Eyewitness Guides -- in fact, after the travel, they're the books I keep so I can show everyone really great photos where I've been. This particular guide is the first Top 10 Guide I've used and I found the format excellent for choosing what to see, which hotel to stay in, and where to go. This is not a comprehensive guide, but it isn't meant to be. DK Eyewitness books are full of wonderful photographs/diagrams and so, occasionally, they lack a bit in the discription or required travel information. For an experienced traveler this is not a problem. For the nervous traveler or the new traveler who wants/needs a lot of extraneous general travel information this book is best used in conjuction with a more detailed volume.



3. Nice little guide for a short trip, well organized, but the "10" theme got a little forced at times. The Map is good, although a bit tiny. The hotels and seasonal info is a bit dated as well, but all in all for a relaxed short trip of four days or so, this is a great value guide as it hits the highlights and doesn't bog you down with detail. If you are staying longer and want more detail, then other guides are your better choice.
   
   The pictures are excellent.

5 comments about City Secrets: Rome (City Secrets).

1. I'd actually rate this book as 3 1/2 stars. As other reviewers have noted, the book isn't a typical stand-alone guidebook. We traveled to Rome in November 2004 and used this book as a companion to more a more standard guidebook. The book is very nice quality, attractive, and small. The various authors, which include several notable scholars, provided unique insight that helped us find some cool and overlooked places and also pointed our some particular things about places that we wouldn't have otherwise noticed.
   
   Since the book doesn't appear to be regularly updated, I would say it is much more useful for the insights regarding architectural/cultural aspects, such as the forum or the many public squares, but less valuable as a guide to eateries or shopping areas that are more likely to change. Some of the recommended restaurants and stores were not at the listed address.
   
   Also, one of the writers recommended arriving early and rushing through the Vatican museum so that you can arrive at the Sistine Chapel before the crowds and view it in relative solitude. We did this, but be aware that the museum is arranged as a rather long one-way tour and the Sistine Chapel is near the end. We followed the advice and rushed through to the Sistine Chapel, thinking we would go back and revisit the other sites, but the museum is so large that we didn't have time or feel like going back through it all again. By rushing through, I think we missed a lot.



2. This was a very useful guide. I would highly recommend it to those who hope to learn more about the Rome that larger tours would miss.



3. If you're looking for a guidebook, this probably isn't the best choice. The book reads like a series of short essays and opnions about Rome sights, but doesn't provide much practical information. I wasn't able to get through the entire book even though it's small. The gray print makes it difficult to read in any less than perfect light. There may be some interesting facts in it. I just wasn't able to make my way through the payges to get to them.



4. City Secrets is a jewel. We enjoyed both the content and the style of the authors, all grant winners at the American Academy in Rome. The book directed us to sites and places to eat we would not have discovered otherwise.



5. I don't recommend this book for the average person. The type is teeny tiny and in pale greyscale against a vellum background; very artsy but impossible to read. The content is comprised of personal opinions by academics and artists.

5 comments about Italian Neighbors.

1. This author lived it . . . and writes about it so well. I read this book after a trip to Italy. I wish I read it earlier. It makes my experiences traveling more relevant. I highly recommend it.



2. I think I've over-dosed on the "Briton living abroad" sub-genre of the memoir. The flow of the text seemed to get stuck so often when Parks would go out of his way to point out how different he found Italian culture. I found it quite tiresome after awhile.



3. I bought this book on the advice of my Italian language instructor and have enjoyed it. It seems to be an accurate description of what it's like to live in the northern area of Italy.
   My daughter recently moved to the area and from what I have experienced while there this year Mr. Parks writes accurately of the local culture and special ways of the people. And he writes to include the humorous daily events and quirks of the inhabitants of his little condo building.
   It's not a travel guide type of book but does provide an intersting look into the daily lives of the village and surrounding towns. I enjoyed the book and plan on sending it to my American daughter living above the village of Montecchio noted in the book.



4. This is a non-fiction memoir by Tim Parks who wrote the book after spending 10 years with his wife Rita living in Verona, Italy. Parks, places you in this Italian neighborhood where you learn of quirks and lives of the neighbors. You learn about why the government is an inefficient as it is. You learn about the 3 distinct class structures in Italy and why government employees are considered to be at the top of the food chain. You learn why Italy never seems to dig out of corruption and inefficiency. Yet, family members yearn to live in the same neighborhood for all of their lives and don't really look for their lives to change. This is all interwoven into an interesting story with Parks' usual writing magnificence. I labored at times over the author's environment descriptions but was pulled along waiting in anticipation for his character descriptions and interactions. Here's a nugget of what to expect:
   
   "...despite all the disillusionment, a very profound, heartfelt satisfaction with the way things are and a determination that they should remain so. I plump for it because it has the hallmark of that profound schizophrenia, which is also the charm, of all matters Italian: the Pope adored and ignored, the law admired and flouted, politicians despised and reelected. The gulf between officialdom's façade and private thought that façade is always supported. Nothing changes. Italy, one sometimes things, is as if frozen in the high noon of its postwar prosperity."
   
   This NY Times Book Review Notable Book of the Year lives up to its billing.



5. Overall I found this book an entertaining, smart, and engaging read. Parks has an excellent eye for detail, a great sense of low-key humor and wit, and his very readable style flows extremely well. Parks provides a vivid and intimate image of the tiny village of Montecchio (and its colorful inhabitants), where he lived with his wife.
   
   But at times I couldn't help but be slightly put off by a certain smugness, or sense of superiority that emanates from Parks' voice as he writes in great detail about the wild eccentricities of the townsfolk, and of the ineffective, maddening, catch-22-like contradictions in Italy's mind-bending bureaucratic and political labyrinth. However, I don't think he should change a single word; what makes this tone of smugness apparent is the reader doesn't get a good sense of exactly why Parks *likes* Italy (assuming he does) and why he wants to stay there. Sure, apart from saying he was driven out of London by sky-high rent, he does throw out a few crumbs about things he appreciates or actually likes about the place, but those seem outweighed by an overall tone of subtle condescension, and abundant descriptions of how everyone around him is a total freak. (And oddly, we never learn about how/where he got together with his Italian wife, and if that factors in to his living there). Writing about the insanity and seemingly incomprehensible differences is great (and having been to Italy, I can certainly relate to some of it), it's just that there's not enough love there to balance it, and that's what really makes him come off a bit patronizing. Without more of that "love", it's more of a cheap laugh at the expense of his neighbors.
   
   But overall, I'm getting longwinded here about a relatively small point. It's a recommended read not just for Italophiles or people considering a move to Italy, but for anyone in search of a readable, engaging, sociological study into a foreign town they've never been to.

4 comments about Eyewitness Top 10 Travel Guide to Tuscany (Eyewitness Travel Top 10).

1. Buongiorno!
   I recommend all the Eyewitness Travel guide books to anyone who is planning a trip to Italy. I give this book as a freebie to all my clients who sign up for the tours of Tuscany that I lead each year. They can take it with them to all the day trips - it's light, without compromising the quality of images and useful information on the most beautiful stops in Tuscany.
   
   Being from Italy (Florence to be exact), I was surprised to see how accurate and easy to find the information was, while at the same time, keeping it concise and essential.
   
   If you'd like a more thorough book on all of Italy, I recommend the "Italy" guidebook, which is also by DK Eyewitness travel. However this last one is not light, and you may have to leave it home before going on your trip. Full of useful information.



2. The guide is a good compliment to Eyewitness: Italy, more so than the individual book on Florence.



3. My wife and I love the Top 10 series. We always buy a Frommers or Rick Steves book for the trip's planning, but the Top 10 is a must for the trip itself. It'll fit in a pocket (a long one), and will provide quick and easy references to the most important sights, as well as maps and public transportation routes.



4. If you actually plan to visit Tuscany, don't buy this guidebook. It is a joke. If this is what the Top 10 guidebooks are about, I wonder that they have any audience at all. Information is sparse, descriptions are incomplete, cover blurbs can't be located in the text.

5 comments about Kids Europe Italy Discovery Journal.

1. This is a small publishing production, not very sophisticated in terms of formatting or reproduction, but, guess what? The kids loved it. There really isn't any other guide for children out there; I looked! This is for the kids, tells them about things they might be interested in like pasta and fast cars. There's some subtle education going on but mostly just ideas about wierd history, Italian culture and things kids like to eat. Our two children, a boy 13 and a girl 11, carried their little books everywhere and would point out things to us, the parents, that were interesting or surprising. Good little investment for your travels!
   
   Anna Manna!



2. 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.



3. 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.



4. 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.



5. 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 comments about In Tuscany.

1. This book is quite different from Mayes' first two books about Tuscany, which were more like travel memoirs. This book's focus is photographs, accompanied by some commentary, thoughts, and insights from Mayes, as well as some recipes. Frankly, I didn't read the text at all. I just enjoyed the photographs. I wish I'd had this book when I was reading Under the Tuscan Sun and Bella Tuscany because all the places she talks about in those books are scattered throughout the pages of this book in beautiful photographs. We finally get to see what Mayes' charming Bramasole house looks like, as well as the town of Cortona and the surrounding Tuscan countryside. If you haven't read Mayes' first two books, read them and have this one handy so you can see for yourself just how beautiful these houses, towns, and people are.



2. This book is exactly what we wanted. We have lived in Europe for 7 of the last 9 years and LOVE Italy. We plan to purchase a house there soon and have decorated with all things Italian. This coffee table book was just the ticket. Beautiful pictures and food too!



3. Her books have probably sold millions. Good thing the buyers didn't have to listen to her! Her voice is absolutely not suited for a CD or any other recording. I could only take it for about five minutes before my ears cried out for relief and my strong forefinger punched the eject button. It's a shame because I'm sure the content would have been worthwhile.



4. I have read the other Frances Mayes books on Tuscany, "Under the Tuscan Sun" and "Bella Tuscany". This book is the perfect complement to those works as it portrays the very essence of what Mayes finds so appealing and charming about life in Tuscany. The pictures are gorgeous and recipes she includes are easy to prepare and delightful to behold. I recently gave a copy of this book to a friend who had just returned from the area and she felt it captured the essence of the place.



5. This is another of Francis Mayes books that I have thoroghly enjoyed. I am a bit prejudiced, thought, in that my daughter married and established her family in Florence, Italy, and I have been so very fortunate to have visited and traveled there often in the last eight years. Florence, Cortona and Tuscany in general are so beautiful, and the people have made my family feel so welcome.
   Ken Irons

5 comments about A Day in Tuscany: More Confessions of a Chianti Tour Guide.

1. Dario Castagno is a wonderful story teller, and his gift for painting beautiful pictures with his words really comes out in this book. I laughed, I cried, and I enjoyed every page of this book. Whether you've ever been to Italy or not, you will love this book! I also loved his first book - "Too Much Tuscan Sun" - a delightful and funny read.



2. When I finished reading Castagno's book, A Day in Tuscany, I felt like I had visited the Tuscany region. His ability with Robert Rodi, to bring in interesting and humorous history mixed with sorrow gave me a greater portrait of a portion of Italy I was not familiar with. The people he wrote about came to life and I loved their mannerisms and the way they approached life with each being a delightful individual. You do not have to go to Italy to appreciate this glimpse into life in Tuscany.
   Bettye Johnson, award-winning author, Secrets of the Magdalene Scrolls.



3. I dearly loved this book. I vacationed in Vagliagli, the tiny Italian hamlet and recognized the sites and people the author talks about. When he describes the sights and sounds (the rooster, hunting dogs barking) upon waking, I find myself back at our villa down the way from Cignano. Everyone who appreciates the solitude and the true Italy needs to read this book. Thank you for sharing, Dario. I am a fan of your books.



4. This is a great read. Short, funny and I loved the way he wrote the book. Passed it on to friends and they loved it also.



5. A very enjoyable read that informs and entertains. It feels as if our upcoming trip to Tuscany has already begun.