No comments about Rome Pocket Map and Guide (Eyewitness Pocket Maps & Guides).

5 comments about See You Later, Gladiator (Time Warp Trio).

1. This story is about three boys named Joe, Sam, and Fred. These three boys have a very strange book that, when they say special words, it will transport them to a different time. In order to get back home, they have to find the book which is hidden in Rome, and that is where they are too! When they arrive, they are in a Gladiator stadium! To find out more, read See You Later Gladiator.



2. My son recently wrote the following:

   The Time Warp Trio books contain amazing pictures by Lane Smith and humorous stories by Jon Scieszka (of The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales fame). Time Warp Trio books are entertaining and easy to read and were probably written to encourage kids who don't usually read much to read more.

   In See You Later Gladiator, the three friends find themselves in Ancient Rome, face-to-face with a gladiator about to make short work of them. They pass themselves off as powerful magicians. Their only hope for survival is to find The Book and skedaddle before they encounter any more sword-wielding gladiators.

   Enjoy this "quick" summer read!




3. Anthony C. wrote the following:

   I gave the book 5 stars. I think the book is good. I think I like it when they fight the gladiator. I also like when they go in the colusseum by the king. It is about when three boys get time traveled to the gladiator time. The gladiators go after the three boys because they want to capture them and kill them. I recommend this book to everyone who likes silly books.




4. Michael P. wrote:

   I gave the book 2 stars because I did not like it because it was weird. There was a burping scene and that is why is was weird. It is about 3 boys who are looking for a book to get back home. But first they had to get out of the net that the gladiator threw at them. I would recommend this book to people who like fighting and burping.




5. I gave my book a 2 out of 5 because the ending was too easy and the book was confusing. Then when they had time to go find the book they were looking for they were doing a burping contest.
   The book is about these three kids and they're around a gladiator that wants to kill them and try to talk him out of it but it doesn't work. I would recommend this book to people who like fighting.

No comments about Rome & Central Italy, 2nd (Cadogan Guides).

No comments about Steps Off the Beaten Path.

4 comments about Roman Remains of Southern France: A Guide Book.

1. This book came highly recommended on various chat and message boards for fans of Southern France. I totally understand why. As the South of France and Riviera was a tremendously wealthy Roman area, it is literally full of some of the best ruins and museums devoted to the glory that was Rome to be found anywhere outside of Rome. However, while the Roman areas of Italy are extensively documnted, there is very little on sites in France. This book is the only and best guide to those remains.

   This book reviews unearthed Roman towns, such as Vaison La Romain which is 2nd in the world to Pompeii in terms of intact towns. It maps out both the town itself, and also the layouts of many of the larger mansions that are partially standing, along with various anecdotes about the ruins.

   This book reviews of course, the larger aqueducts, theaters, forums, and the like, with startling amounts of backround information on each, but this book finds many items of interest that are completely off the radar screen, such as chasms carved into rock that brought the water to towns, old Roman pipework, roadside monuments in the middle of nowhere, the best places at which to examine the old Roman roads, etc.

   I have used this book on two trips to the region, and find it amazing. Even at the larger, marked, and serviced monuments, this book can take you just a little farther up the hill, or put what you are examining in a certain perspective so as to get 'the rest of the story' as Paul Harvey says.

   This is an amazingly god book, for the intrepid traveler, the armchair archaelogist, and the itinerant tourist. Pick it UP!




2. This book came highly recommended on various chat and message boards for fans of Southern France. I totally understand why. As the South of France and Riviera was a tremendously wealthy Roman area, it is literally full of some of the best ruins and museums devoted to the glory that was Rome to be found anywhere outside of Rome. However, while the Roman areas of Italy are extensively documnted, there is very little on sites in France. This book is the only and best guide to those remains.

   This book reviews unearthed Roman towns, such as Vaison La Romain which is 2nd in the world to Pompeii in terms of intact towns. It maps out both the town itself, and also the layouts of many of the larger mansions that are partially standing, along with various anecdotes about the ruins.

   This book reviews of course, the larger aqueducts, theaters, forums, and the like, with startling amounts of backround information on each, but this book finds many items of interest that are completely off the radar screen, such as chasms carved into rock that brought the water to towns, old Roman pipework, roadside monuments in the middle of nowhere, the best places at which to examine the old Roman roads, etc.

   I have used this book on two trips to the region, and find it amazing. Even at the larger, marked, and serviced monuments, this book can take you just a little farther up the hill, or put what you are examining in a certain perspective so as to get 'the rest of the story' as Paul Harvey says.

   This is an amazingly god book, for the intrepid traveler, the armchair archaelogist, and the itinerant tourist. Pick it UP!




3. This book proved to be most useful when I was planning a recent trip to Provence. I took it with me and found it to be a wonderful companion guide. The author clearly has a deep knowledge of the subject. Along with his descriptions of the various sites I especially liked his digressions into subjects like Roman theater and spectacles. I think some of the discussions of small local museums could have been cut and the photographs should be of better quality. Also the maps could be adapted for the general reader. Something to think about if they publish another edition. That said, if you are interested in the ancient Roman remains of Southern France, this is the book to have.



4. If you are interested in Roman history, and plan to travel to southern France, this book might interest you, otherwise look no further.
   
   The subject matter is narrow in scope, and rarely is their a diversion in text. Southern France (note Lyon is not included) is saturated in Roman ruins, and untangling the more interesting from the less is a challenge this book helps to navigate.
   
   The maps can be hard to follow when visiting sites. The terminology is at times quite technical (ie. in describing elements of architecture). The emphasis is specifically on the existing ruins and less on the history of the sites reviewed.
   
   This book did help me organize my visit to southern France. I know of no other book on this subject. It took 6 weeks to receive it from an Amazon associated seller, presumably because it is such a rare book.

3 comments about Michelin the Green Guide Rome (Michelin Green Guides).

1. After living overseas for 6 years I have traveled far and wide. I have purchased several other guide book brands (Fodors, Eyewitness, Knopf), and while they have pretty pictures, they lack substance. If you are visiting Rome and want to know the history and small details The Green Guide is an absolute must. It's divided into logical catagories (take the time to acquaint yourself with the set-up of the book - you'll be glad you did) that are alphabetically listed. Sights are rated one, two and three stars and I've found that most ratings are fairly accurate. There are small, detailed maps in each section. You can also purchase a very detailed map book of Rome by Michelin - it's wonderful!

   The book is lighter than most of the current popular travel guides and chock full of great information. Michelin is always the guide I reach for once I'm disgusted with any other guide book - no matter where I'm visiting!

   Bon Voyage!




2. I bought this book but didn't have time to read it until I was on the plane -- my mistake in buying it in the first place -- there are so many other great guides that do such a better job than this ridiculous guide -- the maps are horrible, the entire book is superficial in it's descriptions and the restaurants it recommends were all recommended by other guides -- as if they had plagarized the lists of places to go. Save your money!



3. I took this book on a recent 8-day trip to Rome. It is an outstanding guide to the historical/cultural sights, probably the best in print if you're limiting yourself to one.

   The city is divided into about 15 regions. For each, the book lays out a walking tour complete with an explicit map. Quite a bit of very helpful info is provided for each sight.

   If you have a lot less than 8 days, the book provides a rating of 1 to 3 stars for each sight, so you can make a bee-line to the 3 star sights and skip the walking tours.

   The book is weak on "the contemporary scene", bus routes, shopping, restaurants, and hotels. The focus is definitely on the cultural and historical sights. I recommend you also get a copy of Fodors or Frommers and xerox the chapters on these important practicalities. Great dining experiences can add a lot to the trip; Rome has plenty of mediocre tourist traps.

   Another book similar in scope and emphasis is "Blue Guide Rome" by Alta Macadam. It's also excellent. This author typically says a little more about each sight than does Michelin, but the city is divided into about 30 walking tours instead of 15 and no map is provided for the individual walks. If you don't mind carrying a small library, and I don't, take this along too and whip it out at the major sights to get an insightful second opinion.

   A big issue in sightseeing Ancient Rome is that there is usually relatively little left to look at, as the sites were used as quarries for more than a thousand years. Neither this Michelin Guide nor the Blue Guide provides sketches of reconstructions of the Ancient sites, and hence your imagination doesn't have much to go on. To rectify this, I recommend whipping out the "Oxford Archeological Guide to Rome" by Amanda Claridge, probably the best guide in English on Ancient Rome, but this book barely mentions any site newer than 500 AD and is not suitable as a general guide.

5 comments about Rome Venice Florence, 5th (Country & Regional Guides - Cadogan).

1. This book is more of a novel of these three cities. Don't expect to pick up this book for the first time while you are on the trip and pick out places to see. The sites are buried in paragraph after paragraph of text, which is not very useful when you are there and trying to figure out what not too miss. Read it before you go on your trip and make notes of the places to visit. We were looking for the book to include a bullet list of some type with the "must see" places in each city. With only this book as a reference, we decided to wing it instead of reading.



2. Previous reviewer seems to have missed half their own point. If you are looking for Frommers or Fodors, BUY Frommers or Fodors! The world doesn't need any more of that ilk. That market is well established and those books are good at what they do.

   We're the type of travellers who basically use the Net for more time sensitive things -- the changing food and lodging scenes in any given locale. Anymore, that type of info in a book holds a distinct disadvantage versus online sources. Given that we are already armed with that info beforehand, we don't need to pay for a guide book to resummarize it.

   Once you strip that off, what's left? Info on the sights, changing attitudes, culture. 90% of what is known about the Forum, St. Pete's, etc. doesn't change. That background is suitable for book treatment. The key is distilling this info in such a way that it doesn't come off like an encyclopedia entry (the trap which the Blue Guides fall into - yawn). This the Cadogan Guides manage to do quite well. The writers do have a particular point of view on things, but it is thoughtful one and makes good reading.

   Again, every travel book doesn't apply to every travel situation. If that were the case, maybe we could all get by on Fodors. This book has marked out a different spot on the map and it is doing a very good job in that spot.




3. This book has solid information and is well-written but that doesn't keep it from being BORING! The only pictures provided are in a few pages at the front of the book. The maps are not good enough to travel with. It makes a decent pre-trip read (or to at least browse through when planning your trip). However, don't plan on traveling with this book. The National Geographic or Eyewitness Travel Guides are far better. The best of the best are the Rick Steves travel books which do not have pictures either but are updated every single year with new hotel and restaurant information plus great maps.



4. Reviewed by Olivera Baumgartner-Jackson for Reader Views (12/06)
   
   If you are one of those travelers who like to explore fewer places during your vacation, but get to know them in depth, you will certainly love the guidebook "Rome Venice Florence" by Dana Facaros and Michael Pauls. The authors did a marvelous job presenting those three fine cities, so different from each other in every aspect.
   
   Just make sure that you heed the warning from the introductory section of the book:
   "The prima donna dripping splendour, the agate-eyed goddess of the sea and the proud, clear eyed genius... if this is your first visit, we can only envy you. Rome, Venice, and Florence are in a class all their own, as high-water marks in the saga of human potential, as supernovas among the star places of Western civilization. They can be utterly demanding and make you reel and keel over from a glut of art and beauty - there is even a name for it - the `Stendhal syndrome'. You have been warned."
   
   While I totally agree with the aforementioned statement, I also believe that armed with this guidebook you will feel considerably less lost and clueless. To set the stage, the authors wrote the chapters in the part named "Italy in Perspective,: which introduces the many faceted face of Italy through its history, art and architecture, literature, music and cinema. My favorite part is the "Snapshots of Italy," talking about such important and diverse topics as the Bella Figura, Brick Italy, Marble Italy, Commedia dell'Arte, Pasta and the Pinocchio Complex. Make sure you do not skip those pages - they will make understanding Italy and Italians vastly easier.
   
   Another truly useful chapter is the one on food and drink, which even includes an Italian menu reader. This will make exploration of the fine Italian cuisine more enjoyable for certain.
   
   The `Travel' section covers all of the getting there and around topics, including the entry formalities. This section should be particularly useful for an independent traveler, as should also be the following "Practical A - Z" section, filled with a wealth of information and useful travel tips. The authors even thought of including addresses of the exchange offices which are open on the weekends.
   
   The real delights await you in the following three sections, each of which deals in great detail with Rome, Venice, or Florence. The wealth of the information is amazing and sometimes dazzling, the array of choices staggering and the details remarkable. There are 14 maps included, ranging from a comprehensive map of Italy on the inside front cover to city maps for all three cities along with several detailed maps of places of interest. Useful information in each of the chapters includes such diverse topics as the public transport, shopping, festivals, places to stay and places to eat and much, much more. Comparing the authors' selections in Venice, a city that I know very well, I was pleasantly surprised to find both several of my long-time favorites and quite a few new places to explore during my next visit.
   
   If this book makes you want to learn more about Italy, there is an excellent "Further Reading" list to be found at the very end of it. Read a few before going to Italy and your visit will be even more fun.
   
   I would highly recommend "Rome Venice Florence" to anybody with serious interest in the Italian way of life, their culture, art and history. It is well written and reads easily. My only regret is that there were no photographs to showcase the beauty of the three magnificent cities described in it.



5. Super information; well organized and easy to use; nice to have a book with these three popular destinations rather than having to buy a book for each

No comments about Wallpaper City Guide: Rome 2009 ("Wallpaper*" City Guides) (Wallpaper City Guides (Phaidon Press)).

1 comments about The Architecture of Rome.

1. A wonderful book to carry around with you in Rome. The book provides very detailed maps of the City with brief descriptions of what seems like every building in Rome. It is a great format for wandering and discovering as you go.

No comments about Rome and Vatican: New Coloured Guide Book.