2 comments about Your Own Private Tuscany: A Guide to Italian Vacation Rentals.

1. Sensible and well written, Ms. Jennings' "how-to" for renting a vacation villa in Italy is a great investment for hunting, evaluating and enjoying your vacation. As a vacation rental expert, I found every aspect of her book helpful and clearly explained. I am encouraging my clients to purchase this books for many reasons: it lays out the pros/cons of rentals, helps in choosing location and type of rental, explains the owner's perspective and offers advice on how to share a rental. The general travel advice is solid and helpful. The most useful aspects -- you won't find them anyplace -- are the tutorial and check lists on how to evaluate rental properties remotely. I evaluate many properties and assure you she knows all the secret ways that owners use to disguise problems with their rentals. She also lists trustworthy rental agencies and many helpful resources.
   
   Pat Byrne, Excellent Europe - Vacation Rentals in Italy



2. This was a great little book. Easy, quick read - lays out the questions to ask when considering a vacation rental in Italy. Definitely identified things I had not considered, that I will definitely include when narrowing down our rental.

5 comments about Rome Then and Now (Then & Now).

1. 
   It's difficult to stand in front of an ancient building like the Pantheon or the Coliseum without wondering what these structures and the surrounding areas must have been like in times gone by. Rome: Then and Now helps answer some of the questions that pop into the Roman daydreamer's mind, through the contrast of old and new photographs and well-researched supporting texts.
   
   Obviously, by using only photographs, passionate Roman author and guide Federica D'Orazio can't possibly show us Rome at its peak. But she can show us how much the city has changed over the last century and a half -- complete with goats resting near Trajan's Column, country folk washing their clothes in the Fountain of the Tritons, and a food market filling Circus Maximus -- all of which gives us plenty more ammunition for absent mindedly speculating about the still more ancient past.
   
   The idea for this book is so simple and elegant that it's a wonder nobody thought of it before: the left-hand pages feature grainy sepia prints of important Roman sites; the right side more modern photos of the same areas. And La Dttsa. D'Orazio doesn't just focus on the sites everyone has heard of, but she takes us down the winding alleyways of the Eternal City to show us some sites that many visitors fail to see (there are six pairs of photos from my neighborhood, in fact, a couple of which were very surprising to me even though I've lived there for several years and consider myself a history buff). There are 68 pairs of photos in all, the collection of which must have required an extraordinary amount of research.
   
   I have some relatively minor complaints, though.
   
   Most importantly, I think the book would have been much stronger if the modern photographs had been taken from the exact same angle as their antique counterparts. Sometimes they are, but most of the newer shots are instead taken from the same general area photographers must have used for the older photos, and in a couple of examples they are even taken from a different side all together. Shooting from the exact angle every time would have made the fascinating comparisons this book prompts easier and better.
   
   Also, the texts are written in a way that in some cases reveals the sort of halting style of translated text. I have worked as a translator myself, and I know the work isn't easy -- perhaps my background means my eyes are more sensitive to these shortcomings (they are minor things, such as writing "Column of Trajan" rather than "Trajan's Column"). The problem is nothing that prevents the enjoyment of the book, but the test doesn't quite flow like something written by a good native language writer (though it is better than many other books produced under similar circumstances).
   
   Lastly, I would have liked to have had a table of contents listing the photographs in order, and perhaps a text at the beginning describing how the project came about and the process of tracking down some of these old gems of photographs. But I suppose if my complaint is that I wish I knew more about the book, then in the grand scheme of things it is sort of a compliment as well.



2. When you visit Rome, the buildings lend the impression that in many respects the city has not changed to any large degree in centuries. This book makes clear that while Rome may be "eternal" the architecture of the city is not!
   
   This book has a simple lay out. On the left hand side of the book are full page 19th and early 20th century images of Rome (the latest being in the 1940s) - on the right hand side is a modern image of the same location. The older images vary in quality, but all are clear, my only complaint with the newer images is that they aren't always taken from the same angle as the older one for a true comparison.
   
   If you have ever travelled to Rome this book is fascinating to browse through. Its amazing how much some of the sights of the city have changed in only 150 years. Mussolini made a lot more changes to the city than I realised before I read the descriptions next to the images in this book by demolishing buildings all over the place to make roads and restore some of the ruins.



3. A beautiful book of photos, and a must-have for everyone who loves Rome.



4. As a lover and long-time inhabitant of Rome, I grabbed at this book when I found it on the remainder table of a major bookstore. The "then" part of the book--antique photographs, many of which date to the 19th century--constitutes a marvelous record of Rome's not-too-distant past. The "now' part of the book, however, leaves much to be desired. First, many of the color-photos are washed-out, apparently over-exposed. Buildings are white, skies are even whiter, and much detail of Rome's magnificent architecture has been lost. Next, many of the modern photos have been taken with a wider angle of lens, and from a different perspective than the original photos. In some cases, as when the ground has been excavated some twenty feet (e.g., the Campo Vaccino--now the Forum), accuracy of angle may not be possible; but in others (such as Piazza Colonna with the Antonine column) the same relative perspective is achievable. An egregious example may be found in the pair of photos, one of Piazza Cesarini, taken from one corner [The Via delle Botteghe Oscure? Apparently, since the author mentions the nearby marble-burning kilns.], and the companion picture of the Largo Argentina, taken from the opposite direction, looking from the back of the Republican temples towards the Torre Argentina and the Botteghe Oscure. Since the perspectives are different, the effect of the contrast is diluted.
   
   Much of the value of a book such as this is to be able to view the same area from exactly the same viewpoint so that the changes in architecture and landscape become immediately apparent. And it is the changes in architecture and topography that are important, not the fact that men are wearing bowlers and driving carriages in the old photos, and wearing baseball caps and driving SUVs in the new.
   
   One of the pairs of pictures that does work is that of the little Bramante tempietto of St. John Boiled-In-Oil. In the 1911 photograph on the left, the entrance to the Porta Latina is filled with rubble; in the modern photo on the right--taken from approximately the same angle--the rubble has been cleared, and cars are driving through the travertine-revetted entrance. Here, the differences are unequivocal.
   
   Much of the enchantment of Rome derives from its juxtaposition of warm honeyed light and deep velvet shadow--an aspect totally absent from this book. As I said in my title, I recommend the book--the old photographs are of especial interest to anyone who has ever lived in this charmed city. Because of the largely washed-out modern photographs, however, I have recommended it with reservations--reservations on your favorite airline, that is.
   
   Fly away and recapture the magic of Rome for yourself.



5. This book juxtaposes photos of Rome from the past with modern photos. You can see the rise and fall of Rome through the changes in skyline and landscape. It is especially amazing to see not just what has changed, but the particulars that have stayed the same. This book is great for people who study Rome, those who have fond memories of visiting Rome, and even those who just enjoy history.

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

5 comments about Lonely Planet Rome: City Guides (Lonely Planet Rome).

1. I just (January 2007) spent six days with this guide as my constant companion on a holiday in Rome. I also saw many other people carrying this book around with them - so it seems it is a popular choice! I would say this book was an essential part of the success of my trip.
   
   * Walking around central Rome I noticed that every other person seemed to be carrying some sort of map! The maps in the guide are clear enough for navigation in the city - once you understand their limits. For example, not every street is shown and/or labelled, but in the centre of the city you're never all that far away from a street that _is_ shown. Once I got the hang of the rather chaotic way the streets work, I felt comfortable with wandering around for a while and then finding my place on the map. But if (like me) you had booked a room in a hotel well outside the city centre, you will want to get a proper map of Rome and/or take a printout of the area from Google Maps - I did both. But in the city centre it's much easier to have the guide open to the map pages than to use a large folding map.
   
   * In the shopping section there is a strong (but certainly not exclusive) emphasis on clothes/fashion/design. There's no doubt that this correctly reflects the vast number of such shops in Rome. Nevertheless, that is not my sort of thing and I would have liked more coverage of other types of store.
   
   * The walking tour section is excellent. I did two of the walks pretty much as per the directions and found them very enjoyable. Be aware though that if you want to go in to the places on the tour you need to check opening times - for example, I started the Trastevere tour at about 10:30 and by the time I got to the second half of the tour most of the places were closed. Well, that was my fault - the book gives opening times for the places mentioned on the tours.
   
   * Every place mentioned has specific directions on how to use public transport (metro and/or bus) to get there from Termini station - these directions were invaluable and I relied on them many times.



2. Lonely Planet is great for inexhaustible lists of information that you cannot possibly go through, like hotel listings, restaurants, nightlife, plus some interesting background info on history, culture, politics, and the like.
   
   I just got back from a week's vacation in Rome and I found that Lonely Planet was really useful for finding my way around the city (pretty decent maps) and finding lodging and local phone numbers. As for actually exploring places of interest, I found Rick Steves' Rome much more detailed and fun to follow.



3. This book saved my husband and me in Rome earlier this year. The friends we were traveling with had purchased the Lonely Planet Italy guidebook but it did not have nearly enough information to get us around Rome. This guide provided excellent walking tours and information on the major sites in Rome. Its multiple maps of many parts of the city made navigating the often twisty streets of the city more managegable. Definately a must for any first time traveler to Rome!



4. Credit where it's due: the guide did cover the basics.
   
   What it missed was most of the wisdom for seeing the city efficiently obtained in even a single visit. Some examples:
   - Italian restaurant customs are vastly different from American customs. For example you seat yourself and must ask for anything you want (to order, a drink refill, the check, etc.) - it's just their way of doing things. None of this was mentioned.
   - The best times to beat crowds and lines. I went several places at the suggested times and hit long lines, then exited a couple hours later to see almost no line at all...
   - Organized tours get different lines to see historical attractions (Vatican, Colosseum, etc.) than the general public. Many of these tours are a cheap way to cut through the wait even if you don't want the tour. I figured out that paying 5-10 euros for a tour can almost completely avoid a 1-2 hour wait; I just handed my pass to the guide and said "no thanks" after getting through the entrance.



5. I spent about 7 days in Rome, and found this guide very practical. I also had the Green Guide (Guide Vert-Italy) which wasn't so great for Rome-only.
   
   First, Lonely Planet guides have the worst physical quality of any guides. Maps are illegible as they are black and white and there are almost no photos. Second, the guides are not great at emphasizing the "must sees"; everything is wonderful. LP does have a "see in a day" or "see in two days" section, but I have found this itinerary mediocre and particular to individual tastes (I for example do not care to sit in a fancy restaurant for lunch for 3 hours).
   
   The only other negative thing I can say about LP is that they recommended Perugia versus Assissi, though the latter was probably nicer and closer (though I didn't go due to LP's recommendation).
   
   But LP did have some great area sites, including Tivoli, Ostia Antiqua, and others. LP is great in the practical areas - bus lines, train routes and schedules, etc. LP consistently surpasses all other guide books in this area.
   
   In general, I do not focus a lot on shopping or restaurants. Serious "tourists" are always walking around and seeing sites, and tend to eat when hungry rather than go to a particular restaurant.
   
   LP also has great budget lodgings listed, which in Rome is quite important. Hostels were consistently higher quality, based on some conversations I had with people, than hotels.
   
   Eyewitness guides have better graphics and maps, for example, though you can get decent enough maps of Rome from hotels, and most of the historic sites have passable explanations and illustrations, either in brochures, books you buy, or on display.
   
   In terms of total number of places/sites, LP tends to win precisely because they have so few graphics.
   
   I think LP could vastly improve just by adding color maps and a few more photos, and still keep the same variety and quantity of information.
   
   LP Rome tends to be best if you have a lot of time and you don't mind reading through the book several times. Otherwise, a more easier book such as Eyewitness might be better because it will cut out some of the smaller sites that LP mentions.

3 comments about To Rome With Love (Seven Sisters Series Book 4).

1. Debra White Smith is one of my favorite authors! I stumbled across her books in the library and immediately fell in love with the Seven Sisters stories! I have read Best Friends (the pre-series book) as well as books 1-4 of the Seven Sisters series. I highly recommend this author and these books! I don't know how I'm going to wait 4 months for the next book to come out!



2. This is a book that I highly recommend! It is a great Christian fiction romance novel. If you buy it you won't be dissapointed.



3. I really enjoyed reading this book. I'd give it more stars if I could. It is really enjoyable to read! I highly recommed it.

1 comments about Wallpaper City Guide: Rome (Wallpaper City Guide).

1. This is an inexpensive guide for wannabe Beautiful People with a lot of money to spend in Rome. Interesting tips on contemporary design, however.

1 comments about The Smiles of Rome: A Literary Companion for Readers and Travelers.

1. This book puts the enigmatic charm of Rome into words. There are also some useful suggestions for restaurants and sites to see. This book would be most useful to someone that has been there before and would be able to identify with the experiences and places described. Perfect for just before a visit, or just to remind yourself of what it was like to be there.

4 comments about A Traveller in Rome.

1. There is a small, independent bookshop in New York dedicated to the Art of Travel. It is there that I've spent many happy hours looking through new and used books and maps- some treasures and some highly disposable.

   One of the favorite places I've ever visited is Rome, Italy. And this book by H. V. Morton which is shamefully out of print, is positively the finest I've read on this forever changing, "eternal" city.

   I'd never heard of Morton, but soon learned that in 1957, when this volume was published, he was "the most widely read living travel author." And now, according to research I've done online, every single one of his books is out of print. And he wrote quite a few: "A Stranger In Spain," "In Search Of London," "In The Steps Of St. Paul," et. al. Morton's method is simple and works perfectly: first a short history of Rome, then a diary-like collection of his thoughts and impressions. There are also several, wonderful photographs including a charming, color one of The Vatican's Swiss Guard---one man "at attention;" the other looking as if he had better things to do. Everything in the book is well-researched and very interestingly written, yet his description of the politics and history of The Vatican is especially fascinating, as is his description of Julius Caesar's final days. But the book is not all history. Not at all. We also read about the author's trip to an open market, Hadrian's Villa, and I particularly liked the passage about Rome in the rain, since when I was there, it rained every single day for twenty days. This is a book of fact that reads like a fine novel.

   It is an absolute crime that Morton's books cannot be more easily purchased both for travellers and for people whose hobby is reading about travel. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.




2. I am thrilled to see that "A Traveller in Rome" is back in print! (I have spent the past decade combing used book stores for books in H.V. Morton's several wonderful series -"A Traveller in...", "In Search of ...", "In the Steps of..." and others - and never pass up an opportunity to buy one when I find it.) Although published in 1957, "A Traveller to Rome" is as fresh as the day it was written (H.V.Morton was at his best when writing about Italy). The book is not a travel guide per se, but rather a sort of memoir of walks all around Rome into which Morton seamlessly weaves charming tales of his own experiences, his personal observations, and fascinating historical background. And what makes it all so delicious is Morton's elegant but unpedantic use of the English language. I have read this book half a dozen times, and it never fails to delight. I wholeheartedly recommend "A Traveller in Rome" to anyone who is going to Rome, who ever went to Rome, who ever may go to Rome, who enjoys daydreaming about Rome, or who simply glories in elegantly-written non-fiction. I look forward to the day when Morton's splendid companion volume about Rome, "The Fountains of Rome," is back in print as well.



3. Spending several months in Rome, living in several different locations to get a feel for the neighborhoods, the very observant Morton sets out his commentary and observations and amazement about a wonderful city over 2,000 years old. He weaves history in with the modern, and for someone who has been to Rome, the observations are spot on, even though they were written in the 1950s (his comment about Roman drivers is still very true today, absolutely on the mark, and poetic in his analysis). I read some of the book while I was in Rome; very much enjoyed reading it after I returned, and reread the parts I had read when there. This would also make a great book for an armchair traveler. This is travel writing at its very best.



4. I have read a lot of travel books as Editor-at-Large for Travelers' Tales but this is one of the very best. Morton's grasp of history is nothing short of extraordinary and his powers of description, as a traveler, are almost peerless.

5 comments about MapEasy's Guidemap to Rome.

1. I have 8 of these maps, for cities from Rome to NY. They helped us around in Wash, DC, find the monuments, eating, and points of interest. They are well planned and informative. We just got back from NY and it was just perfect, once again. Having used the "traditional" ones in the past and being a constant traveller, I look forward to our next trips using MapEasy.They are also small enough to fit anywhere.



2. My wife and I bought 2 maps for our trip to Rome this one, and the Streetwise Rome map. This one is helpful if you are trying to find places to eat that are inexpensive, but the locations aren't in the same location that it shows you. This happened to us a couple of times, also, some of the stores are closed that it has listed. It is very helpful because it has the Pantheon, Coliseum, and Piazza Navona blown up on the back side which proved to be helpful.
   
   Overall the Streetwise is a better map because it has the names of all the blocks whereas this one misses some of the alleys (which there are a lot of). The Streetwise does have a smaller font but not terribly small like one of the other reviews states.
   
   Also, this map would be much more helpful if it had an index of the streets and piazza's/largos which the Streetwise map does have.
   
   Overall this map is worth the 6 bucks that I paid for it, but the 9 that I paid for the streetwise was better (more flipping the map over because it's two-sided, but better).



3. After four trips to Rome and being folded & folded & abused, there are still no rips in this map. I get a MapEasy's Guide anytime I can. Easy to read. And, no matter how long between visits, these places never move. Restaurants & hotels may change, but I mark where our favorite places to stay & eat were for future reference.
   But mostly I just want to know where an attraction is and the shortest way to get there!!!!



4. This map is waterproof, wind resistant, easy to fold and easy to read. It probably has more tourist highlights on it than you'll be able to visit in one trip.



5. I navigated my way through Rome for three months using this map. Worked splendidly! The waterproofing and heavy, foldable (and light-weight) construction is brilliant, as I was caught in more than a fair share of rain storms while using the map. Ideal for pedestrians.

4 comments about City Walks: Rome: 50 Adventures on Foot (City Walks).

1. A splendid concept: Fifty 6.5 x 3.75 hard cards, each with a little map on one side, and on the other descriptions of the area's sites, even with dining suggestions. Most guides lack adequate maps; this one provides mapping with a vengeance.
   
   Why then only four stars? The Porta Maggiore, Santa Croce, San Lorenzo fuori le Mura, San Paolo fuori le Mura, The Borghese Gallery, the Villa Giulia, and The Vatican (Museums and San Pietro) are omitted. Well, I suppose something had to be left out, but why the Vatican? Every schoolboy knows the two poles between which Rome revolves are the Forum and the Vatican. If there's a card for those born to shop (#4, The Via Condotti), then why not one for Christians? I had suspected at first Cultural Marxist PC crime, yet the author's laudatory use of B.C. and A.D. suggests otherwise. Yet A.D. comes before the year, thank you, not after.
   
   There are factual errors that a good editor should have caught; e.g., The Aurelian Walls were built after A.D. 270, not 270 B.C. The site descriptions are very brief, needing as they do to fit on the back of a card. So pilgrims (religious, historical, aesthetic, gustatory) would need another guide for the detail. _The Blue Guide Rome_ in its latest edition, _The Oxford Archeological Guide to Rome_, and _The Companion Guide to Rome_ (A.D. 2003 ed.) would serve all purposes except for shopping, eating, and sleeping.
   
   For those who wish not to lug a book, a commendable job.



2. The deck is made of heave paper board. We will not be taking it with us. I did enjoy the recommended paths. Have made a choice of several routes that I scanned on #24 paper to take with us.



3. We recently spent 4 days in Rome, staying in a wonderful apartment we found on the internet. While we had a number of tour books and information we downloaded from the internet, we mostly used our City Walks: Rome cards to organize and follow a daily walking tour. Rome is quite compact and you can walk to most sites, or take a quick cab ride if pressed for time. We often did two or even three walking tour cards in one day. They are clear and useful while walking from one point to another, and if you work it well, you can start one where another ends. We stayed near Piazza Navona, which we found very convenient for The Villa Borghese, The Vatican, the Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain, the Coliseum, The Spanish Steps and some of our favorite restaurants. We have now given these cards to several of our friends that where going to Rome, and they loved them as well.



4. This is a fun deck of cards. Having been to Rome a couple of times, I know that a first time visiter will also need a more detailed street map to go with this set. I look forward to using them on my next trip.