5 comments about West Virginia Atlas & Gazetteer.

1. I bought this West Virginia Map and Gazetteer in order to help my husband and I find our way through WV. We're most interested in the topography - elevations, rivers, creeks, etc. I would recommend using this book map in conjunction with a regular road map, because there isn't quite enough detail for smaller roads, but it's a great place to start.



2. This atlas fills a void because it gives a very clear picture of the terrain as well as roads. I like having these atlases along to give the context for hiking excursions, as well as showing the back road ways to get there. The section on special sights to see in WV is very helpful as well. There is no substitute for more detailed topographical maps for actual hiking trails, but this atlas is a necessart intermediate step between topos and road maps.



3. This book provides complete and thurough topographical maps for the entire state of West Virginia. If you enjoy hiking, fishing, camping, exploring in this great state, you need this atlas. At first I was surprised at the details provided in this book. I was able to find even the smallest of streams and geographical features. Now, after using it so many times, I would be surprised if a stream is not on this map.
   
   The bottom line is that you need this atlas if you enjoy the West Virginia outdoors.



4. Once again this series of maps has been outstanding. The ease in reading and applying the info to the road is way above par. And for railroad enthusiasts, this is the only map published with railroad details that are current and precise.



5. Like other Delorme atlases, this is nicely detailed - though like other atlas, it can be annoying to use when you have to move from one page to another to follow a route. We also purchased (on Amazon) a Martinsburg - Charles Town - Eastern West Virginia road map that would be a better choice if you are looking for something to use while driving around Eastern West Virginia.

5 comments about Along the Edge of America.

1. This review is for ""Along the Edge of America" by Peter Jenkins, which I've recently finished reading. I want this book review to serve also as my tribute to a very good writer.

   I still have my paperback copies of "A Walk Across America" published in 1979 and "The Walk West", circa 198l. Somewhat faded and yellowed, but treasured. These books have been unforgettable to me.

   The late 70's and the 80's, to the present time, often find me temporarily leaving reality behind. Escaping my own daily struggles and cares, I can mentally journey down roads or waterways with Peter, experiencing the colors and textures of his adventures, his people and the landscapes he paints with sentences.

   I well know the feeling of loss of confidence in ones self. Most of us do, and get beyond it, somehow. In "Along the Edge of America" Peter found his own way of conquering past disappointments. His story reflects a happier man who is better able to accept what life has handed him and to more fully enjoy the rest of it.

   A gentle sadness falls over me as I come to the end of any book written by Peter Jenkins. I wonder, "Will there be another book?", "What part of the world will I learn about this time?", "What people will I know through his stories?"

   I've never personally visited any of the people described in Peter Jenkins books. But he has introduced them to me and made me feel their happiness as well as their sorrows and regrets. We all have plenty of those three things in our lives.

   "Along the Edge of America" seems an honest account of a very trying, yet valuable portion of this man's life. It's a good group of stories and very pleasing to read.

   Thank you, Peter Jenkins.




2. I found and read Peter's "Walk Across America" several months ago and enjoyed it, so bought "Along the Edge" because I have thought about doing some traveling by boat along the coast. Peter's writing has a certain "basic" style; his books are honest and straightforward. The book details his purchase of a power boat and subsequent journey from Florida along the gulf coast. The chapters chronicle the people he meets along with a bit of insight about the geographic areas he encounters - a slice of life that most of us would never know first-hand. This book is light, upbeat reading. Readers will feel as if they are along for the ride, as in his first book. What an interesting life this writer leads, although I did tend to wonder how his new wife and kids dealt with his long hiatus off to wander and write despite their seemingly minimal visits. I enjoy his books because they are light, entertaining travelogues for those of us who like to wander uninhibited to new places and meet new people. Peter is a bit of a nomad who allows us to vicariously set off on new adventures and peek into our daydreams from a "being-there" perspective.



3. Peter, the person who walked across America and just came back from a year and a half in Alaska, takes to the water in his boat The Cooper.

   I think he is brilliant at finding distinctly American characters that capture so much.

   Here he explores the Gulf Coast region and all I knew of it prior to this book was Spring Break on the Florida Panhandle, Mardi Gras in New Orleans, and not much more.

   If you want to believe America is a glossy, full color TV comercial stay brain washed and do not read this book or any other of his books. If you wnat to make fun of people or feel superior to them read some of the other travel writers. If you want to get to know a diverse group of people that make up some of your own country read this book and all the rest of his.

   I was as moved by the story of the ragged, toughened brothers Billy and Red and their surpriing love story as any human story I have ever read.

   Thanks Peter for taking me on another journey outside of my comfort zone.




4. In his book describing his walk across many eastern states Jenkins does an excellent job of describing the scenery and people he encounters. You really feel that he bonds with those he meets.
   
   The boat trip described in this book seems much less interesting - mostly because it seems so forced. It seems that Jenkins looks back fondly on his long walk and wants nothing more than to recreate it - this time on a boat. The trouble is, an adventure like his walk is impossible to recreate.
   
   A Walk Across America was written after the fact. His adventuresome spirit led him to many intriguing places and he only thought to write about it after it was over. In this book however, Jenkins seems to be on a hunt for interesting folks to include in a new book.
   
   Sometimes he succeeds in finding interesting people (a Vietnam vet and his brother, a Texas sheriff) but more often than not the people he describes were a bit eccentric but really not worth writing about in a book.



5. When Peter Jenkins finished college he made a decision that was destined to change him forever. He decided that he was not ready for things like graduate school or a steady job. Instead, he decided to walk across America with his dog, Cooper. As word of what he was doing spread around the country, Jenkins was asked to speak to small groups and eventually found himself writing the magazine articles for major publications that led to his bestsellers describing his adventure.
   
   A Walk Across America covers his walk from New York to New Orleans where he fell in love with both the city and the woman who was to become his wife. The Walk West is about his walk with his new wife from New Orleans to Oregon, completing the long journey that he had envisioned as a fresh college graduate. Jenkins continued to travel and to write books about his trips and the people whom he met along the way, and he was so well rewarded for his efforts that he was able to settle his wife and children on a 190-acre farm to live the good life. But despite the fact that he sensed that something was wrong, that the "good life" was killing him both spiritually and physically, Jenkins could not bring himself to do anything about it.
   
   Reality has a habit of slapping a guy in the face to get his attention if he insists on ignoring it for too long. And that's what happened to Peter Jenkins in 1987 when he returned from a two-week book tour promoting Across China only to be met at the airport by a good friend who was there to hand him his car keys and a letter from his wife telling him that she had filed for divorce. Several years later, having remarried and started a second family, Jenkins still felt that something was missing, that some part of him had died and that he missed it. That's when he decided to see if he could recapture the innocence and optimism that he had when he started that first walk across America.
   
   Along the Edge of America is the result of his decision to see if he could rekindle the sense of adventure that had served him so well as a young man. Although he knew very little about boats or navigation, Jenkins decided that his next adventure would take him from Key West, Florida, all the way along the Gulf Coast of Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas until he reached the Mexican border, a trip that totaled over 2500 miles (including his side trips exploring rivers and bays that he encountered).
   
   As usual, a Peter Jenkins book is about much more than just getting from point A to point B. The fun begins with watching Jenkins start from a level of zero ability and confidence when it comes to handling a boat on his own as he slowly progresses to the point that he just might be able make the trip that he planned, "might" being the key word even when his instructor has done all he could for him and has left him alone with the Cooper, his new boat.
   
   Jenkins spread his trip over a period of almost two years and that allowed him to settle into several of the various communities that he found along the Gulf for months at a time. Along the way, we meet the people whose families have taken their living from the Gulf of Mexico for generations, people who do not always trust strangers but who eventually open up to Jenkins and, through him, tell us their stories. Anyone who believes that the tiny coastal communities along the Gulf Coast are just like the rest of America will never think that again after seeing how these adaptive people struggle today for their survival. They survive their encounters with Mother Nature in a way that only people who live near large bodies of water are ever asked to do.
   
   In the end, Peter Jenkins found exactly what he hoped to find: the best of himself and everyone whom he met during his search. He managed to fight off hijackers, out-run Hurricane Andrew and survive a nearly tragic encounter with another storm. But the most important thing that he did was to reclaim the man who had been lost to him for so many years.

No comments about Insight Guide Ecuador & Galapagos (Insight Guides Ecuador).

5 comments about Viva Travel Guide to Peru: Exploring Machu Picchu, Cusco, the Inca Trail, Arequipa, Lake Titicaca, Lima and beyond.

1. This Peru guide is great. I recently went on vacation to Peru and took the guide along. It was especially helpful in the Pisco and Paracas area, where so much has changed since the earthquake. I also thought that the hotel and restaurant listings for Cuzco were abundant and accurate, I tried out a different great restaurant every night! Will be using V!VA's guides next time I go on vacation.



2. Peru is one of the most interesting, culturally and historically-rich countries in South America, and the Viva guide did a great job of capturing all that this magical place has to offer, from detailed information about Machu Picchu to Lake Titicaca, Arequipa, Nazca, and even lesser known, but beautiful spots in the north.



3. I usually take along the Lonely Planet when I travel, a friend recommended I use this Peru guide and I'm glad I did. All the information was really accurate and the guide helped me get around easily, picking great hotels and restaurants along the way. The tear-out contact list in the back was really useful when I needed to go to the doctor in Cusco.



4. My mom got me the Viva Peru guide for Christmas because she knew I was heading to Machu Picchu, Cuzco and the Nazca Lines with my fiancee over New Year's. The guide was extraordinarily helpful, clear, well-written and current. The book is now travel-worn from constantly being in my hand, and from our one and only night in Lima when we got caught in a downpour outside our hotel. I loaned the guide to my friend who is heading to Peru this spring. Buy this book. You won't be sorry.



5. Viva Travel Guides is the newest entrant in the crowded field of travel guidebooks. As can be said of many youngsters, it has potential but needs discipline and polish. Much of the writing is pedestrian, repetitive, and sloppy; the book is full of typos and bad grammar; and it contains some whoppers of misinformation and tortured geography.
   
   I lived in Cusco for a year a few years ago and know Southern Peru well. I bought this book to see how it measures up to the more established guides. While it is certainly serviceable, and will get you around the country without major mishap, it desperately needs a sharp-eyed editor to tighten and focus the writing, and correct the inaccuracies. The book is published using print-on-demand technology; the text and cover look fine, but the maps are low-resolution and at times indecipherable.
   
   One fault is its repetitiveness. Each section opens with an introduction, then a "Highlights" section, then more specific city listings. This results in needless repetition. For example, in the Arequipa section, the fact that Arequipa is a UNESCO World Heritage Site is mentioned three times in five pages.
   
   Another fault is sloppy writing. The sheer number of nonexistent words shows they didn't run it through a spell checker before going to press. And if you don't know the difference between "its" and "it's," or "lie" and "lay," hire someone who does to edit your manuscript.
   
   More damning---or amusing, depending on your point of view---is the inaccuracies. The book states that the road from Cusco to Puerto Maldonado goes "over the peak of Ausungate." Fortunately, the engineers left the 6,400m (21,000 ft.) peak to the glaciers and ran the road far below. In the Amazon section, the book says, "Most of the hotels and lodges in the Peruvian Amazon are in the cities of Iquitos, Manu and Tambopata." Sorry, but Manu and Tambopata aren't cities. Also in the Amazon, it describes a flight to Boca Manu leading to a stay in a Machiguenga lodge at Pongo de Mainique. In two sentences we are whisked from the Manu River to the Urubamba River, far to the west.
   
   All guidebooks contain errors, but the Viva book is especially egregious. Given the higher-quality alternatives on the market, give this one a pass until they hire copy and content editors to whip it into shape.

4 comments about Machu Picchu.

1. Whether or not you ever visit, or think you might want to visit Machu Picchu, I highly recommend this gorgeous book to you. The combination of its poetry, photography, and design wonderfully connect us to a distant and mysterious culture which we understand little about today.

   Machu Picchu, hidden high in the Andes, was never found by Pizarro and his conquistadors. The city was rediscovered in 1911 by Hiram Bingham. Recently, landslides have made entry much more difficult, and the whole area is at risk to being lost. Should that occur, this wonderful volume will serve as a fitting tribute.

   Other than the fact that the rocks themselves were considered sacred, we know little about the purpose of Machu Picchu. Clearly, it was very important to the Incas. Otherwise, no one would have put such an enormous effort into creating a city among the clouds, carved out of solid rock. Because some walls have holes cut in them that allow light into certain interior spaces only on one day a year, it is thought that the area, in part, served an astronomical purpose.

   The Chilean poet, Pablo Neruda, created an emotional poem called "The Heights of Machu Picchu" in which he captured our connection to the thousands who lived and toiled to make Machu Picchu . . . and are no more. In 1984, photographer Barry Brukoff hiked in over the original Inca road, to capture the scene with Neruda's poem in his backpack. The result of this trip are the remarkable, spiritual photographs in this book. You will feel like you have been there, will identify with what you see, and will make closer contact through Neruda's poem:

   "True being was threshed like kernels of corn in the inexhaustible/granary of lost deeds, of memorable efforts . . . ."

   "In you, like two parallel lines,/the cradle of lightning and humanity/rocking together in a thorny wind."

   " . . . [Y]ou imploded as in a single autumn/into a single death."

   "Today the empty air no longer weeps . . . ."

   "The dead kingdom lives on."

   "Stone upon stone, and man, where was he?"

   "Give me back the slaves you buried!"

   "Come up, brother, and be born with me."

   " . . . [A]nd let my tears flow, hours, days, years,/through sightless ages, starry Autumn."

   If you can read Spanish, the poem is published in both languages, side by side.

   The photographs make great use of the high mountain air, changing weather conditions, and the differing light of day and night. Brukoff has also created some very stylish effects with filters and tints, in addition to breathtaking color. Many photographers are good at duotone or color, but few are masters of both. Brukoff is the rare example of this dual skill. A nice tough is the way that the book is bound in linen, and there is a rough edging to frame each image . . . to give the book an almost scrapbook-like feel. The photographic reproductions are superb and well worth the price of the book.

   My favorite images included: Morning Sun and Fog; The Temple of the Moon; The Grand Rock Shrine (two views); Royal Mausoleum beneath the Torreon; Central Plaza through Three Windows Wall (first version); Sacred Plaza; Central Plaza and Fog; Agricultural Terrace; The Inti Huatana; The Condor Stone; View of the Inti Huatana Area -- Sacred Rocks Echoing the Mountains to the East; A Stone Ring; Machu Picchu at Sunset; and The Watchman's Hut at Dawn (cover image).

   The book also has a helpful prologue by Ms. Isabel Allende which sets the scene for the book's contents.

   The feeling of connection to the Incas, to the mountains, and to the sky are strong here. I felt a calmness fill my mind and heart as I caressed each part of the poem and each image with my eyes.

   What great things we can accomplish . . . when we have a mighty purpose and connect to our sense of beauty!




2. Barry Brukoff has done a truly fine job of capturing the essence of Machu Picchu. I've told many that you cannot convey the feeling of this place in photos, but Brukoff proves that you can. His photos made me feel as though I was back there, discovering the majesty of the site and indulging in a leisurely and personal exploration of the details that delighted me during my visit, details that those on quick tourist jaunts usually miss. Visually, this book is five stars. Neruda's poetry, however, missed the mark for me. An earlier reviewer picked out the best of it and included those lines in his review (see below). I only wish it all worked that well. Personally, I would have preferred excerpts from Neruda's work and excerpts from the writings of Hiram Bingham (Bingham was the man who discovered the site in 1911).



3. Purchased this book after just getting back from our first trip to Peru and Machu Picchu. Wonderful photographs. Pablo Neruda's poem, "Heights of Machu Picchu", helped to bring even more meaning to our Machu Picchu's memories. This text is a wonderful way to enhance your experience of actually being at Machu Picchu. It also makes a great coffee table item.



4. This book about Machu Picchu in Peru is not a guide for tourists. It is a work of art drawn from the talents of two men who visited Machu Picchu many years apart. Specifically, it is an integrated collection of exceptional photographs of the site by Barry Brukoff combined with the eloquent poetry of Pablo Neruda, the Nobel Prize winning poet from Peru, based on his visit to Machu Picchu 50 years before that of the photographer. For readers who do not know Spanish, the language of the original poetry, there is an excellent accompanying translation into English. That is also true of a beautiful introduction by Isabel Allende, the famous Peruvian author. If you have never visited this site, the book will still be very interesting. If you have, the book will take you back to the deepest feelings and impressions you had when you did so.

1 comments about Argentina - Culture Smart!: a quick guide to customs and etiquette (Culture Smart!).

1. Great guide for getting a quick and comprehensive overview of Argentina. Although primarily focused on Buenos Aires, it gives the reader a fast grasp on what seem to be the essentials in many areas of life, both personal and business. Highly recommended!

5 comments about The Peru Reader: History, Culture, Politics (The Latin America Readers).

1. What a wonderfully literate collection of writings which give the traveler (actual or armchair) both the information and flavor he needs to introduce him to this complex country. I started too close to my departure for Peru to read every word, but found myself unable to decide what to skip. What seemed a boring topic turned out to be fascinating! So, start early -- the book is pretty bulky to carry on your trip.



2. This is a great book for the history of Peru. The chronological order is perfect. All the essays are wonderful to read. I think I learned more about Peru with this book than any other.



3. This anthology contains materials written by Peruvians and by outsiders who have studied Peru closely.
   
   The first half of the collection contains essays and excerpts from the writings about major historical events and some historical documents.
   
   The second half of the book contains articles on Velasco Alvardo and the military reformist government, the Shining Path and drug traffic. There are also a wide range of materials: essays, folklore, poetry, songs, extracts from novels, short stories, autobiographical accounts, a menu, a travel account, a death sentence, and photographs and other materials.
   
   Ruben Berrios wrote a scholarly review of the 1995 edition for the "Journal of Interamerican Studies and World Affairs", Summer 1997, which is available online.
   
   At this writing, Amazon allows one to search through part of the 1995 edition; it is worth searching out the 2005 edition. There are not a large number of changes from the first edition, but a few contributions explore more recent developments. The cover of the 1995 edition is in black and white; the cover of the 2005 edition is in color.
   
   The book is too rich and complex to carry to Peru on a short tour, but is a great resource when preparing for your trip.
   
   Robert C. Ross 2008



4. Excellent selections that give the reader a comprehensive overview of the fascinating country of Peru. Selections extend from pre-Inca to present day and include everything from politics to poetry. Filled with primary sources, the reader should appeal to both students and travelers alike.



5. Really good collection of a variety of excerpts from some interesting books. A lot of good poetry too; like Osman Morote's "A Frightening Thirst for Violence":
   
   "The dictator
   shifts his gaze
   and a rose
   acclaimed as fragrant
   falls, in a slice,
   from just one
   beheading
   
   The dictator
   swivels his hands
   and
   one worker
   falls, the wife of a
   worker
   falls, the children of a
   worker
   fall
   
   Oh!
   what a frightening thirst
   for vengeance
   devours me"
   
   Morote became the second-in-command in the Shining Path, which the book treats even-handedly, except it does tend to leave out sufficient details of the kind of daily suffering due to exploitation and inequality that led people like Morote to sacrifice his life. The book does include testimony from a government soldier, casually discussing his rapes, murders and tortures, and mentions that during the war, far more people were killed by the government than by the rebels. Some surprise.
   
   The best instance of a description of the kind of reality people lived in - terribly far away from the wealth and comfort of rich countries - that would explain a bit about why people would give up their lives in the Shining Path or the Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement to create a better society: another poem, an excerpt from "The Battle of Ayacucho" by Antonio Cisneros, which strips of glory the decisive battle that won Peru independence from Spain:
   
   "...
   From a Mother
   again
   
   My sons and the rest of the dead still
   belong to the owner of the horses
   and the owner of the lands, and the battles.
   A few apple trees grow among their bones
   and the tough gorse. That's how they fertilize
   this dark tilled land,
   That's how they serve the owner
   of war, hunger, and the horses."

3 comments about The Rough Guide to Chile Map (Rough Guide Country/Region Map).

1. Great waterproof map, with enough detail to plan a road trip. Reliable, up to date information, and excellent quality graphics



2. I have just returned from a trip to Chile. Prior to my trip to Chile I purchased the CHILE Rough Guide Map. I traveled over 2000 mile over Chilean roads with a rental car. I found the map to be very accurate and useful for navigating the primary roads as well as the secondary roads in Chile and extreme western Argentina. The map is water resistant and due to this treatment is also resists tearing on the folds as do so many paper maps. Lacking is the detail of city streets. The COPEC gasoline stations sell a set of map books, "RUTAS DE CHILE 2008", detailing the various highways of the country by sections and this has detailed city maps. These guides are a useful addition to the CHILE Rough Guide Map.
   
   Larry Ver Hage, February 7, 2008



3. Bought this for our second trip to Chile and found it very unhelpful. The quality of the 'plastitized' paper and the printing quality seemed very good. But then we tried to use it. Kept getting lost and stuck on wrong routes etc. Then we would go back to our old map, which was paper and in shreds, but it had all the secondary route numbers or at least put those routes on the correct end of town or in the right area so we could find the turn off. They need to go back to their sources on this one for better data.

5 comments about Eat Smart in Peru : How to Decipher the Menu, Know the Market Foods & Embark on a Tasting Adventure (Eat Smart in Peru).

1. (Planeta Journal) - This latest title in the Eat Smart series helps travelers decipher menus and shop in the lively markets of Peru. There are so many options for visitors throughout the country, this book is the definitive guidebook for enjoying Peruvian cuisine. Includes tips on shopping in markets, a menu guide, helpful phrases and a list of helpful resources.



2. "...picarones, a doughnut-like snack or dessert made from a yeasty pumpkin dough. The rings of dough are formed by hand, deep-fried and served with raw-sugar syrup flavored with orange, aniseed, cinnamon and cloves." ~ pg. 14
   
   The Eat Smart guides are an exploration of cuisine itself and are interesting even if you never reach the desired destination. You can order ingredients online for the recipes featured. There are pictures of delicious cultural favorites, food markets and unique ingredients. Some of the main sections include:
   
   Early History through Pre-Inca Civilizations
   The Regions of Peru
   Tastes of Peru
   Shopping in Peru's Food Markets
   Resources
   Helpful Phrases
   Menu Guide
   Food and Flavors Guide
   Restaurants
   
   Joan Peterson and Brook Soltvedt also show how various cultures influenced Peru's culinary world and the first part of this book contains a lot of culinary history that may appeal to food writers. Maps and pictures of the food make it easier to understand the cultural significance of food choices.
   
   "Rare is the Peruvian dish that does not include chile pepper. Each river valley oasis along the western slopes of the Andes has a microclimate that produces unique varieties of chile peppers, which are, in turn, completely different from the peppers native to the jungle." ~ pg. 19
   
   Recipes for Rice Pudding look familiar and if you can find gooseberries, you can make the gooseberry marmalade to serve with quinoa crepes.
   
   Other highlights include a section on helpful phrases you can use in restaurants. List of foods like "nuez moscada" have translations, nutmeg. If you order a tortilla, you will get an omelet.
   
   Eat Smart in Peru will appeal to anyone who is curious about new culinary discoveries and wants to either travel to Peru or incorporate new recipes into their cooking repertoire.
   
   ~The Rebecca Review



3. People who love combining great food and travel make pilgrimages to Italy's Po Valley, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Hanoi, Singapore, France's Lyon, San Francisco, Charleston, New Orleans and other shrines to fine cooking.
   
   Add Peru to the list.
   
   If you aren't aware that Peru has its very own fusion cuisine -- very approximately like that of New Orleans with a blend of Indian, Spanish and African styles -- plus contributions by Chinese and Japanese settlers, Eat Smart in Peru will open your eyes to yet another fine gourmet destination.
   
   Authors Joan Peterson and Brook Soltvedt are way ahead of the curve in discovering Peruvian cuisine. I was only aware of Peruvian chicken, based on a carryout in my neighborhood that serves this dish, cooked on a rotating spit over charcoal, with a rosemary-based spice shoved under the chicken skin, and a fine salsa verde on the side. Peterson and Soltvedt found a vast variety of other dishes, including curries, desserts and appetizers. A section on recipes includes Aji de Gallina, a chicken stew that I plan to try.
   
   In addition to the recipes, Eat Smart in Peru contains a history of the development of Peru's cuisine, a regional specialties chapter, a glossary of ingredients and menu guide.
   
   Finally, Eat Smart in Peru tells you how to shop in a Peruvian market and how to locate rare ingredients stateside. It's an easy read, with nice illustrations and a logical organization.
   
   By the way, the author has done other "Eat Smart" guides to Brazil, Mexico, India, Turkey, Poland and other destinations.



4. Eat Smart in Peru by Joan Peterson and Brook Soltvedt, Illustrated by Susan Chwae is a travel guide for food lovers which guides the traveler in Peru through the market and the menu in order to have a savory tasting adventure. The unique concept of this book is one of many in the EAT SMART series. The guides include a history of the culture and development of its unique cuisine. There are many recipes sprinkled through the book to try before making your trip to Peru or to enjoy as a special memory after returning. Especially useful is the chapters about shopping in the market with the needed languages phrases.And every traveler to Peru needs this book even if it is just for the restaurant guide which lists the dishes and food items in alphabetical order with descriptions of what it is, with national and regional Peruvian favorites indicated. With this guide you will no longer be ordering mystery foods when you dine. The book is unique and really well organized. Be sure to pack it for your trip!



5. 
   This is a handy, travel sized guide to eating in Peru that greatly enhanced our trip to Peru. There are two excellent glossaries, one for menus with the names of foods in Spanish and in English, and the second listing a number of markets. There are recipes for some typical dishes from different regions in Peru. I especially liked the history of dishes.
   
   Our tour arranged for Sunday dinner at the home of a penal judge and an office manager; the family prepared the meal using many foods grown on their their own farm, and the judge and his law student son ate with us. The menu included guinea pig fried in deep fat served with large kernel white corn on the cob and sweet potato. The second course was braised beef served with carrots, cucumbers, green beans and tomatoes. Dessert was strawberry gelatin. Except for the guinea pig, the meal sounds quite American, but this book added interesting information which helped us understand the seasonings and enjoy the meal more fully.
   
   My son and I are greatly addicted to street food, and the book was helpful on street dining as well. The steamed white corn at the railroad station on the way to Machu Picchu was superb; roasted beef heart at a greasy spoon in Miraflores was excellent; and we were delighted to learn more about the fusion of Chinese and Peruvian foods at the many chifa restaurants.
   
   There are a couple of useful websites that make this book even more useful. The publisher, Gingko Press, maintains a website with news about the authors and other books in the Series. ginkgopress The site announced recently that this book received the 2006 Gourmand Award for Best in the World Award for a culinary travel guidebook. There is also the helpful perufood.blogspot devoted to the foods of Peru; Joan Peterson contributes suggestions on how to find ingredients, and suggests alternatives for those that aren't available in the US.
   
   As a portable guide book on the foods of Peru, this one can't be beat. But,if you are really serious about Peruvian food, consider obtaining the beautiful and encyclopedic The Art of Peruvian Cuisine by Tony Custer. The Reviews on Amazon and elsewhere (including my own) are glowing.
   
   Robert C. Ross 2008

5 comments about Wallpaper City Guide: Buenos Aires (Wallpaper City Guide Buenos Aires).

1. Brought Wallpaper to Buenos Aires almost as an afterthought, thinking it would be too idosyncratic to be of use to a regular guy like me. Wrong: it proved to be a very accurate guide to all that was best in BA, and much more insightful than most other guides.



2. This book was useless in what I was looking for. I like guide books that help you find interesting places, restaurants, etc. (like Rick Steves)
   This book does none of that. Save your money



3. I can relate to the design-oriented vibe, look and slant of this guide to Buenos Aires. And it's a nice addendum to the more complete Frommer's guide that I already had. But it's an addendum only - with the almost guaranteed promise of dating quickly.



4. Sparse text throughout the guidebook is one complaint of mine, but I guess the "design-conscious traveller" doesn't need it. Of the 104 pages, 23 are dedicated to hotels. That's 22%, folks. A huge chunk of the book is dead weight after you've selected where to spend the night. One of the most horrific things I noticed was that in all the photos (which is the majority of this book's content) there are no people. Barely anyone. Buenos Aires is empty. Regardless if it's a hotel, a restaurant, a landmark building, a soccer stadium, whatever... no people. How the heck did they manage that? It seems surreal.
   
   I laughed out loud when they suggested that you could see the best of BA in just one day. That must further separate me from the "design-conscious traveller." I don't mind. The only historical part of the visit was a trip to Recoleta Cemetery. I can't reproduce their entire text here cuz I'm sure they'd send copyright infringement lawyers after me, but they claim that the entrance is marked by two tall neoclassical columns. Really? Looks like a big gate with 4 columns to me.
   
   The majority of their sightseeing-shopping-dining suggestions are in Palermo. Ew. But I can overlook that. What I can't overlook are the architectural choices: a museum that isn't open yet, 2 buildings by one architect (a crime when there are only 7 buildings recommended total), & the Calatrava bridge in Puerto Madero. Those selections aren't what people find enchanting BsAs architecture. I know what I'm talking about.
   
   In the sports section, they mention the Huracán soccer stadium. I love it & was surprised that they listed it since sending a "design-conscious traveller" to that part of town would probably put them into shock. In the same section, the metrosexual-catering Markus Day Spa (is that a sport?) received a 3 page spread. In a book of 104 pages. I've heard from multiple sources that it isn't all that, but I don't have any personal experience with them. Still, I'm shocked at the amount of coverage.
   
   Let's move to the maps in the back. Typos & misplaced neighborhoods abound. Parque Patricios does not border the Riachuelo, & Barracas has nothing to do with Avenida Entre Ríos. Congreso is not next to San Telmo. Microcentro is not San Nicolás, & Tribunales is not a neighborhood by anyone's measure. Avenida Sánez should be Saénz. What is a "Porte de Buenos Aires?" I think they meant "Puerto." They list something as "Parque del Cementerio" when it's actually Parque Centenario... two very different things.
   
   The enlarged map of Recoleta is just as incorrect. Parque Carlos Thais should be Thays. Pasadas should be Posadas. Ríobamba is missing from the map. There is no such street as Jose Andres. The Palacio Estrouga should be the EstrougaMOU. There are other errors, but you get the point.
   
   Why would anyone buy this?? If I submitted work this sloppy, I'd be fired (I'm a guidebook writer/researcher). This guidebook presents an oddly skewed vision of Buenos Aires that isn't the city I've lived in for almost 7 years. But someone has to be the worst... I just never expected it to be Phaidon.



5. I can understand why some people don't like the book. I agree with them on any number of points, but here's the score: if you're a little shameless about wanting to make sure you see hip stuff in your short time in BA, just get this. The restaurants recommended are really good (The Standard is amazing... Bar 6 is a great place to hang out when you're tired of walking around....). The hotel recommendations are a little ridiculous. (I had a great hotel and paid $350 for 5 nights... they recommend ultra-fab Faena which goes for $500 a night... you can live like a freaking king in Argentina on that kind of cash.... don't bother with their overblown hotel recommendations).
   
   But as far as being a guide to great bars, restaurants, and other non-touristy attractions, it's quite good if you're a Radar-reading, design-obsessed kind of person. If you're a Rick Steeves kind of traveler, don't bother.