5 comments about An African in Greenland (New York Review Books Classics).

1. A man in Africa becomes intrigued with Greenland and finds a way to get there, live with Greenlanders--what a story! He is also clear-eyed and unsentimental about what he experiences. A fast, worthwhile read.



2. One of the most unusual travel books ever written, covering two exotic societies in the eyes of the west: animist West Africa and the eskimos of Greenland. Written originally in french about 25 years ago, and covering events happening in the 50s and 60s, the book starts as Tete-Michel Kpomassie, a teenager in his native Togo, nearly dies in a fall from a tree. After that, his father sends him to a local python cult in the jungle to cure him. In gratitude, the father decides Tete is destined to become a priest in the cult. But Tete has another ideas. While recovering from his injuries, he finds by chance a book about Greenland and became obsessed with the idea of going there. By a sustained effort of will, Kpomassie worked his way through Africa and Europe before arriving in Greenland after several years. Being possibly the first African to visit Greenland, and the first black person most of the Greenlanders had ever seen, he becomes a minor celebrity. He travels up north through the coast of west Greenland, stopping in several villages, where he was invariably taken into someone's home as a guest. He candidly writes about his shock about what he saw as a lack of personal hygiene on the part of the greenlanders as well as their sexual promiscuity. Kpomassie is an excellent observer. The first chapters are wonderful, as he let us see an animist society from the inside. And his travels in Greenland are fascinating too.



3. I loved the premise of this book, and couldn't wait to read it with my book group. However, the book itself wasn't as good as I had hoped. I lost interest before the halfway point, and struggled to finish it.



4. For anyone interested in unique travels and traveler's perceptions, this book is a must read. Thankfully, the author, Kpomassie, devotes several chapters to his life in Togo; it's essential that the reader see what his life was like in 1940's and '50's sub-Saharan Africa in order to judge the contrast between his edge-of-jungle childhood and the world of freezing waters and rocky crags of Greenland. When I first heard about this book, I thought it impossible for a black west-African to even conceive of such a voyage, let alone have interest in an ice-bound place. But the author--as he narrates--shows that all voyages and voyagers are similar: the idea is born in the young person's mind, he envisions himself there, he makes a break with his homeland and family, he finds key supporters in people inspired by his vision, and his French "adoptive father" becomes the sponsor of his voyage.
   
   Kpomassie takes eight years to get from Togo to Greenland, working in Europe along the way. He is not at all disgruntled with the French (or Germans) the former colonizers of his homeland; rather, his ability to speak French enables him to find good jobs as well as the friends who believe in him. "I landed merely by showing my identity card," Kpmoassie writes, "and found that France is a hospitable nation: despite the storm of ill feeling at the time of our countries' [sic] independence, no restriction was imposed upon our entry into the former mother country" . . . . I felt freer in France than on African soil" (58-9).
   
   I feel certain that much has changed in the relationship between black Africans and Europe in the forty years since the author made his travels. For example, today the contrasts between Togo, France, and Greenland are less obvious because of "modernization" and creeping monoculture. In contrast, it seems to me that in the 1960s--when cultures were still quite different--people took their cultural differences less seriously than we do today, despite the spread of said monoculture and the increase of photographs and documentaries that makes the world somewhat familiar to everyone.
   
   What's really unexpected about this book is that Kpomassie finds a Greenland and an Inuit or Eskimo people, who are--it seems to me--in a cultural upheaval. For one thing, the impact of human activity on the ecosystem is not yet understood. Most alarmingly, the impact of Denmark and Danish people on the Natives of Greenland is not yet calculated; there is a crisis of morality, religion, and of old and new ways that--for me--was at times dismaying. The children and the women pay the highest price for this cultural change.
   
   Somewhere inside this book is a great untold story, a book within a book. If it could be told, it would be by an Eskimo about Kpomassie's effects on the Greenlanders. Also, another subtext to this book is that for the author to leave Togo, he had to have an upheaval in his own life. Kpomassie gives us only the surface of his break with his family and Togoland culture. What we know, in retrospect, is that Togo was having its own cultural upheaval: The young Tete-Michel Kpomassie questioned his family's belief in the snake rituals and the jungle priestesses. His growing fear of family tradition conjoined with his discovery of a book on Greenland, planted a seed in his mind that propelled him out into the cold north, the land of very long, dark winters.



5. This book was published in 1981 and centers on the author's adventures around 1966-67 in Greenland, the ice-covered island the size of Europe with a tiny population scattered along the coast.
   
   Born in French Togoland in West Africa, Kpomassie developed a passionate interest in Greenland after reading about it as a teenager. He left home shortly afterward in 1958 and, having little money, spent eight years working his way through Ghana, Senegal, France, Germany and Denmark before finally boarding a ship for his ultimate destination. It appears he was the first black African to visit Greenland, and his descriptions of his reception on arrival there are among the book's highlights.
   
   Landing near the island's southwestern tip, he traveled slowly up the western coast, staying for long periods of time with friendly families who kindly took him in. He'd hoped to reach the town of Thule in the northwest, but made it only two-thirds of the way before deciding to return home to share his experiences with his countrymen. Though he never reached his final destination or got to live in an igloo like he'd planned, he enjoyed many other experiences such as driving a dogsled, seeing icebergs up close and fishing on the ice.
   
   His descriptions of people and landscapes were impressive, bleak though they were at times. There were many scenes of poverty, squalor, boredom and heavy drinking among the locals. On the other hand, nearly everyone was very open and sharing with him. The writer was a good observer and often compared local practices with those of his own culture to find differences and similarities. He was interested especially in how children were indulged, how the adults got along with each other, treatment of the elderly, beliefs and rituals concerning death, prohibitions on killing certain animals, and so on.
   
   Descriptions of some of the people he met were memorable, as were those of things like riding a dogsled, the local diet, the packs of half-starved dogs running around the villages, the absence of trees, the extreme cold and the polar night. One night, he was astonished to see the aurora borealis for the first time, though the locals were so used to it they didn't bother to look outside.
   
   Most admirable to me were the author's good sense, quiet humor and ability to adapt to each new experience. How can you not admire someone who traveled to such a different place and embraced it? And for the most part, the local Inuit people embraced him. A lesson reinforced by this book was that despite all the cultural and language differences, people are people, and they can find ways to relate so long as they keep an open mind.
   
   A sample of his writing from late in the book, after he planned to leave: "Now that I had been sharing these people's lives for sixteen months, their food no longer disgusted me, and I thought nothing of eating a breakfast of seal fat and dried intestines every morning . . .
   
   "'But we'd be glad to have you with us always!' old Mattaaq kept telling me. 'We know you. Do you want for anything here? We have everything a man needs--seals and fish in the sea beyond counting. You know that, because you hunt and fish with my sons . . . But I understand you very well. After so many years away from them, you don't know what's become of your own folk, and you want to go back and see them, don't you?'
   
   "He may have been right. Do people ever know their true reason for embarking on a long journey? So many causes, motives and impulses intertwine to form the semblance of a reason."
   
   As a parting gift, the author's given a handmade necklace made from the tooth and claw of a polar bear. He writes, "My own grandfather would have made the same gesture with the same intention, using the trophies of a leopard; but he would have chosen a remote spot and a twilight hour, spoken arcane words, and enlisted all those minute preliminaries and accessories which, by swathing this simple act in mystery, would have given it increased significance. But here, in the land of the great cold, the daily ritual was stripped of that display. Here life was hard, and the pursuit of food more urgent than in the tropics."
   
   If there was anything I missed in this book, it was more description by the author of his travels' effect on his own emotions and thinking. He described actions, beliefs and other people well, but wasn't really that introspective.
   
   Though the author returned initially to Togo, eventually he went back to France, took French citizenship and lives there. Judging from this book, his perceptions of what it's like to live in France between cultures would surely be of interest. Unfortunately for those who read only English, it appears that nothing else he's written has been translated from the French.

4 comments about Waterfalls and Gorges of the Finger Lakes.

1. I live within a hour or two of all these beautiful spots and am ashamed to have only visited a couple. We will use these gorgeous photos as a guidebook for the Spring, Summer and Fall to make certain we don't miss a one.

   Why did I think I have to travel far for scenery of this caliber.?




2. Splendid. The best of its kind. An exquisite ode to the subtle beauty of this region. This is a photographic essay of extraordinary depth, which whispers the gentle magic of upstate NY. Read it for the sheer love of nature and life, even if you are unfamiliar with this corner of the world.



3. While this is a book of wonderful travel photos that reveals the treasures in Upstaters' own backyards, it's more than that.
   Doeffinger also provides an 8-page introduction to the geology that created these beauties and the history of their discovery and preservation, plus 4 pages of detailed photographic information--he works at Kodak, for whom he writes photography books. And there's a detailed map section showing all the locations and information on 10 publicly-accessible sites. These include hiking difficulty and time, directions (many of these falls are within State Parks and none say just "at the back of the parking lot"), with special highlights to look for.
   I don't think it was meant to be anything beyond what it is: a handsome compilation of the somewhat homey pleasures that Upstate affords to day-trippers, family outings, and homesick ex-pats. It may be too poetic to be the scientific treatise Mordant1 was expecting, and apparantly not up to his photographic standards either, but he does offer some equally deep insights on modern music in his review of the latest Brittney Spears opus.



4. Excellent assortment of waterfall and gorge photos! Great photo composition and seasonal color were well planned into all of these shots. These photos are also great for painting or sewing landscape references which is why I purchased it, besides just loving waterfalls!
   
   Locations of the pictured waterfalls are certainly a bonus, but the pictures themselves are enough reason to own this book - very enjoyable!

No comments about Hagstrom Westchester County and Metropolitan New York Atlas (Hagstrom Westchester County Atlas Large Scale Edition).

5 comments about Storybook Travels: From Eloise's New York to Harry Potter's London, Visits to 30 of the Best-Loved Landmarks in Children's Literature.

1. MY GRANDCHILDREN ARE JUST GETTING OLD ENOUGH TO TRAVEL, AND THIS BOOK GIVES ME A GUIDE TO MANY CHOICES OF WHERE WE CAN TAKE THEM (A FEW AT A TIME!) IT'S GREAT TO HAVE A PROJECT WHEN PLANNING A TRIP, AND IT WILL GIVE ME A SOURCE OF CONVERSATION WITH THEM AND A WAY OF DISCOVERING WHAT BOOKS THEY REALLY ENJOY. READING SOME OF THESE SUGGESTED BOOKS WITH THEM AND MAKING JOINT DECISIONS WILL ALSO BE FUN--THE BOOK IS SO WELL WRITTEN AND INFORMATIVE IT MAKES THE IDEA OF SEEKING OUT LOCATIONS OF BOOKS WHICH HAVE SET OUR IMAGINATIONS SOARING IN OUR CHILDHOODS, AND THEIRS, VERY SPECIAL. THE ITINERARIES ARE ALL THERE, AND TOURIST OFFICES,WEB SITES, RESERVATION NUMBERS---AND IT'S HONEST--NO FLOWERY DISCRIPTIONS OF EVERY LOCATION--I LOVED IT!!!!!!



2. Thirty international locales from books aimed at 3- to 13-year olds are described. Each descriptive chapter includes a few sentences summarizing the overarching experience (with location and age information); a one to two page summary of the book; several pages relating an actual visit by an adult(s) and child(ren); and, one to several pages detailing the specific location(s) involved, including names, addresses, phone numbers and web sites. Also included are a list of twenty-five other literary travel possibilities, including Call of the Wild and Peter Pan, and an index to titles.

   The books and sites included are:

   The Adventures of Pinocchio, Tuscany, Italy
   The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Hannibal, Missouri and environs
   And Now Miguel, Taos, New Mexico
   Anne of Green Gables, Prince Edward Island, Canada
   A Bear Called Paddington, London, England
   The Black Stallion, Belmont Park, Long Island, New York
   Brighty of the Grand Canyon, Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona

   Child of the Owl, San Francisco, California
   Eloise, New York City, New York
   From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City, New York
   Hans Brinker or the Silver Skates, Haarlem Amsterdam and environs
   Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone, London, Windsor and Durham, England
   Heidi, Graubunden, Switzerland
   Hill of Fire, Paracutin Volcano, Michoacan, Mexico
   Island of the Blue Dolphins, Channel Islands National Park, Ventura, California

   Kidnapped, Isle of Mull, Scotland
   Linnea in Monet's Garden, Paris and Giverny, France
   Little House on the Prairie, De Smet, South Dakota
   The Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Gray Bridge, New York City
   Little Women, Concord, Massachusetts
   Madeline, Paris, France
   Make Way for Ducklings, Boston, Massachusetts
   Maybelle the Cable Car, San Francisco, California
   Paddle-to-the-Sea, Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada
   The Pied Piper of Hamelin, Hamelin, Germany
   Ramona Quimby, Age 8, Portland, Oregon
   Song of the Swallows, San Juan Capistrano, California
   The Tale of Peter Rabbit, The Lake District, England
   The Watsons Go to Birmingham -- 1963, Birmingham, Alabama
   Yolonda's Genius, Chicago, Illinois

   You can tell moms wrote this book. It's entertaining AND practical. The material is fascinating, well written, and tells you everything you could want to know (except maybe where the bathrooms are located). The contact information makes this an invaluable resource. I hope the authors will continue to write more of these wonderful family travel guides.

   Highest recommendation.




3. This book is a great jumping-off point for family vacations in the US or abroad. It will inspire you to travel AND read with your family!



4. Thanks to authors Bates and Latempa for their delightful and intelligent approach to traveling with kids. We have used books such as Linnea in Monet's Garden, Eloise in Paris, and the Madeleine books in our travels to Paris, but what's impressive about this book is the way the authors have drawn on so many other children's classics as a backdrop for family travel. I write about family travel myself and highly recommend this book --it's a good read whether you are packing to go, or just happy as an armchair traveler.



5. Decades ago, Robert Benchley wrote that there are two ways to travel: first class and with children. Had Ms. Bates and Ms. Latempa written this book before Benchley made his remark, he might not have said it.
   
   Storybook Travels is helpful in bringing parents and children into the same experiences -- reading together and traveling together -- with enjoyment. This book is a must for all readers and travelers. What better way to engage your children in your travel experience?
   
   Our family gives this book and a few of the books referred to within it as gifts at birthday parties and baby showers. It is always a hit!

5 comments about The Historic Shops and Restaurants of New York: A Guide to Century-Old Establishments in the City (Historic Shops & Restaurants Series).

1. New York can be a shopping paradise or shopping hell. One thing that anyone can always use is a real New Yorker to guide one through the city. That's what this book is. It's like having a best friend show you the way around, to the best places, the best shops you don't find in travel guides or online.

   As a former New Yorker, this book took me back to the streets, the way it is to really experience it -- on foot, not from a taxicab or a rental car. The authors clearly know their way around. From bargains to classics to places just full of colourful history and anecdotes, it's a holiday guide for more than just shoppers. In fact, even New Yorkers will benefit from the pages of info, presented in a fun-filled, rewarding style. There are places I'd gone to for years and yet never knew so much about until reading this book. In fact, it's so much fun, it's like a weekend in New York. Okay, maybe not, but it sure will make you want to get there.

   Now if we could only get one like this for Los Angeles... Oops, wait, that's impossible. I think I'm just missing New York...




2. I am a native New Yorker who has spent the past five years living in other cities, and being a little homesick, I still read the New York Times every day.

   As I was reading the morning paper, I found an ad for this book, ordered it, and immediately fell in love with it! It is beuatifully laid out and wonderfully written. What's more, I always thought that I knew a ton about the city, but I learned so much from reading this book -- I had no idea that some of the restaurants and shops reviewed in the novel were so old. I also read about some really interesting places that I had never heard of.

   I plan to give this book as a holiday gift to all of my fellow New Yorker friends -- both to those who are far away from the city they love, and to those who are right at home!




3. I'm fascinated with the history of New York, and I love the Victorian and Edwardian eras in the city's perspective. This book is packed with great stories about the founders of the said shops and restaurants, quick business histories and what to look for once inside the joint.
   
   Makes an original and very thoughtful gift, and is a great addition to any New York lover's library.



4. The title is misleading. Only the existing businesses are reviewed, not those of noteworthiness that are no longer around but have a place in New York City's history. The book is a pocket edition with the briefest histories, I read the entire book in less than an hour! For the Amazon price of about $11 it was not worth the cost to return it.



5. The listings in this book are like old friends. See them before they all fade away.

5 comments about Invisible New York: The Hidden Infrastructure of the City (Creating the North American Landscape).

1. This book lived up to my expectations with it's beautiful photographs, insightful comments about each location photographed and rich, deep printing. A great book for anyone interested in wonderful black and white location photography, or in learning more about New York City and its' surroundings.



2. I have an obsession with abandoned buildings. They are a place I know I can go to be alone because no one visits them anymore but the spirits of those who brought life to the buildings as more than just concrete and steel still linger.

   It gives one a time to reflect on the temporality of our lives and the finiteness not only of our beings, but of our dreams and visions. It gives us pause to reflect on what is important and profound about life.

   When we are in these places we are really inside of parts of ourselves we don't recognize.




3. "Invisible New York" is a splendid collection of photographs which pay tribute to New York City's technological past. Stanley Greenberg's large format camera yields dignified, poetic images of long-forgotten historic structures throughout the city. These range from beautiful pictures of bridge supports and hidden passageways to a deserted building at Brooklyn's Floyd Bennett Field, once the city's primary airport. Although others have found New York City's architecture to be a rich source of photographic imagery, few have been as tenacious as Stanley Greenberg in creating stunningly beautiful visual poetry. I must commend Johns Hopkins University Press for publishing this beautiful tome of black and white photographs and keeping it in print. I eagerly look forward to seeing Greenberg's next book, which I think may be on a recent project documenting New York City's water supply system. He is surely one of the most distinguished photographers ever to have graduated from New York City's prestigious Stuyvesant High School.



4. Invisible New York is one of the three or four most treasured books in my library. Greenberg's black and white photography is beautiful and lush. To me, the book's one shortcoming is that it's not longer! Greenberg has a sharp eye for reading and presenting spaces. A treat for all of us who wonder what lives down there under the manhole cover or over there behind that fence.



5. Great coffee table book of little-seen aspects of NYC. One warning I'd mention is that not all of the pictures are of things underground/unseen. Some are simply of neglected/abandonded/decaying above ground sites (not exactly what I'd expected but it's still a good collection). Perhaps it would be best to peruse this book at your local bookseller before making a decision on the purchase.

1 comments about Fifty Hikes in Central New York: Hikes and Backpacking Trips from the Western Adirondacks to the Finger Lakes (50 Hikes in Louisiana: Walks, Hikes, & Backpacks in the Bayou State).

1. I found this book to be a great way to learn about public hiking trails in CNY area. It has many details about access, estimated time, and conditions on the trails. One particularly useful feature is that it has a copy of a topographic map of the area with the trail clearly marked. Has a map showing the relative positions of each trail across the region with the table of contents. I like this book because it gives me ideas about new places to explore with lots of specific information.

5 comments about Relocating to New York City and Surrounding Areas : Everything You Need to Know Before You Move and After You Get There!.

1. That should be the title of this book. Although it claims to have everything you should know when relocating to NYC it focus more on advice on moving that are common sense (most part). It may be helpful for first time movers. Neverthless, It doesn't give much information to help you choose the neighborhood. If that's what you're looking for, buy Zany's New York City Apartment Sales and Rental Guide instead.



2. That should be the title of this book. Although it claims to have everything you should know when relocating to NYC it focus more on advice on moving that common sense (most part). It doesn't give much information to help you choose the neighborhood. If that's what you're looking for, buy Zany's New York City Apartment Sales and Rental Guide instead.



3. I'm moving to NYC for the first time and this book has been like my BIBLE! Ellen Shapiro has put together a wonderful book with great advice from real New Yorkers who give great tips on living in the city on a budget and how to catch free shows, etc.
   
   I just want to say that yes, for some this may be common sense, but for people with no relocating experience, it's really helpful. I've been able to give advice to friends based on what I've read here. A second edition would be great!



4. The author has portrayed a very incorrect picture of the city, almost every neighborhodd is mentioned as great place to live, which is not really true.
   I wish author was more truthful, would have saved a lot of people a lot of time.



5. I am planning on relocating in the summer of 2007 and obviously I am researching everything first. This book is a great way to start getting your facts in order and planning your move. It has helped me tremendously. The only thing that wasn't touched on enough were the outter boroughs. She covered Manhattan extensively though! Great book, definately gives you a heads up as to where to go and how to start and finish the move!

2 comments about The Pratique Guide, Soho and NoLIta: Shopping Block by Block (Pratique Guides).

1. The two editions in this exciting new series are the "must-have" accessories for any New York shopping trip. The starred recommendations helped to maximize my time and I felt like I was living my own "sex in the city" experience! Any New York visitor that wants to feel like a local should pack these two on every trip.



2. The Practique Guide was my Bible during my weekend shopping trip to Soho. The map and descriptions were excellent, informative, and accurate. I highly recommend it for someone who is trying to maximize their shopping experience in a short period of time. Including restaurants was also really useful. The only important piece of information that it does not include are price ranges for the stores. Including a pricing key would better help those looking for designer bargains.

5 comments about Secret New York: Exploring the City's Hidden Neighborhoods.

1. As a new resident of New York I was thrilled to find this book. The walking tours exposed me to neighborhoods that I probably wouldn't have explored otherwise, and the "secret" facts about more well-known locations made my visits to these areas even more enjoyable.



2. The greatest thing about this book is that it is engrossing and useful not only to people like me, who grew up in New York, but I imagine also to people who want to get to know and love New York. I can't think of a single restaurant or site or anything that this book did not capture -- both the classics and the hidden gems. It is also much more readable and entertaining than other tour guidebooks I have read. I like to read it just for the fun of reading it -- not just for walking tours. This book is a must-read!!



3. I've now picked up 3 copies of Secret New York to give to friends who think they know everything about our adopted city - they don't! This book captures the essence of New York; it's neighborhoods and treasures that the average Joe would not find on his own. Also, it boasts original photography. If you're looking for a guide book with bullet points and stock photos, buy a Fodor's. If you want a really unique insiders look at our town, you'll love this book.



4. When I received this book as a gift a week ago I was reluctant to even open it, as I've become quite disappointed in the superficial nature of most guide books. This, however, turned out to be anything but that. A captivating collection of well-plotted walks through the city's best neighborhoods, "Secret New York" is also loaded with historical depth rarely found in this genre. Best of all, the prose is very well crafted and reminds one that even a guide book can and should be written by a talented writer.
   
   This book is jam-packed with interesting information about New York. Who would have known that Dutch maidens used to wash clothing on what would become Maiden Lane? I didn't. Or that the Bryant Park hotel is meant to resemble a fiery radiator? News to me. How about the fact that a string quartet performs in the Ralph Lauren flagship store around Christmas time? I'll have to check that out.
   
   Now living in London, I often think back to my days in New York with a sense of nostalgia. This charming book full of great pictures had brought the beloved neighborhoods back to life for me, with rich detail pouring off of every glossy page. My only reservation is that the book does not go into enough detail on the outer boroughs, perhaps due to limited space. Hopefully a second edition with more coverage thereof will soon follow.



5. Within the "secret" NYC book, there is a chapter of "secret" places. These include the Brooklyn Bridge and Ellis Island. Also, the book is very focused on Manhattan, and I was hoping to hear about City Island, etc. Obviously, other people love the book, and it probably isn't a bad book, just disappointing if you're looking for "the City's hidden neighborhoods" rather than Grand Central Terminal.