5 comments about Compass American Guides: New Orleans, 4th Edition (Compass American Guides).

1. This book has great interior pictures of some glorious New Orleans homes. Unfortunately when I've been there, I didn't have the opportunity to go inside to see the many interior styles. This book gives me the opportunity to see the beauty inside, that I've only been able to view from outside. Great book for those of us who love and appreciate the city!



2. One of my all-time favorite books. The stuff of dreams and nightmares too.

   This is an utterly luscious picture book. Chock full of photos of real interiors. Real homes of artists and the creative. Homes of people who love peeling wallpaper and cracked plaster; and especially those who love living in the midst of art works, or deeply personal collections.

   The homes of people who love the humid haze, moist earth-scented New Orleans.




3. One of my all-time favorite books. The stuff of dreams and nightmares too.

   This is an utterly luscious picture book. Chock full of photos of real interiors. Real homes of artists and the creative. Homes of people who love peeling wallpaper and cracked plaster; and especially those who love living in the midst of art works, or deeply personal collections.

   The homes of people who love the humid haze, moist clay-scented New Orleans.




4. I have been to New Orleans millions of times and this is the best all around book. The author has really, really researched and pulled up ALL kinds of interesting tidbits.
   I think that Compass guides in general are the extra travel books one buys. I wanted more than Fodor's has because I already know all the best places to go. I think that she had good choices and you could use it as your only travel guide.
   I think some readers were disappointed because maybe they were taken back by the exorbitant prices hotels charge. Hotel-wise , you don't get much for your money unless you go in summer or during Christmas.



5. This book provides a very realistic - as opposed to the usual touristic - look at New Orleans and inside homes. Of course, some rooms are highly individualistic, even eccentric, but that is what helps make the city unique. Few of the photos could have been shot from a tour bus, or in any other community. I'd guess that this book is owned primarily by New Orleanians & that they are all very happy to have it. I lived in the Crescent City from birth until retirement and these are the first photographs to make me homesick.

1 comments about Senor Nice: Strange Life from Wales to South America.

1. Let me begin by saying that Mr. Nice is my favorite book of all time and I respect Mr. Marks as a person and author very much. That being said, I think that Senor Nice does not measure up to the standards that Mr. Marks has created with his first autobiography. It is still a colorful tale of world travels and full of great history, especially if your Welsh. However, it does seem to drag out and I did find myself skimming over more than a few pages in this book. Overall I would say it is a great book as long as you hadn't read Mr. Nice prior.

1 comments about South Bronx (NY) (Images of America).

1. The presentation contains memorable pictures of
   important Bronx structures and scenes over the
   past two centuries. i.e.
   o Fordham Rd. Trolley of 1940s
   o St. Roch's Church
   o The Swedish/Finnish Lutheran Church
   o St. Joseph 's at East 178th Street
   o Hall of Fame for Great Americans now Bronx Community College
   o North Side of the Board of Trade circa 1890s - 1910
   o Cardinal Hayes HS at 1947
   o Christmas Dinner circa 1919 was $1.50 for
   1/2 boiled lobster, plum pudding etc.
   o Butterfly Zone at Astor Court
   
   This acquisition would provide very memorable pictures
   for people who have lived or worked in New York over
   the period of the last 100 years.

No comments about Memphis In Black and White (TN) (Making of America).

No comments about South '95, The: The Complete Guide with Civil War Sites, Plantations, Country Music and Jazz Fes tivals (Fodor's Travel Guides).

1 comments about Colombia (Ulysses Travel Guides).

1. I have not been yet been to Colombia, but will be teaching at a school there in the fall. I purchased this book hoping to get as quick an overview of the country, its politics, culture, and sites, and everything (and more!) were found in this book. The trivia was also very interesting, for example the history of drug trafficking and the lineage of salsa music. The guides for each city were also very good. I can now plan for my one year abroad knowing what is not to be missed and what can be skipped. The only drawbacks to this book are the small type and very few color photographs.

4 comments about Guatemala : Adventures in Nature.

1. The investigation of Richard Mahler in Guatemala is above excellent, and I really love all the details of adventure in it. I recommend this book to every tourist and local people, is amazing all the beauty that we have down here. Is very complete, including hotels, restaurants, what to see, what to do in each part of the country. A list of volcanoes, rivers, caves and recommendations of fishing, cycling, kayaking, etc etc. with a list of tourist operators on each issue. Great book!



2. This book is based on an earlier book by Mr. Mahler, which I used frequently during my 1994-97 posting to Guatemala. I had several guide books, but found that Mr. Mahler's was the one I turned to most frequently. I eventually got to many of the places mentioned in his book, and found that the information he had provided was accurate and useful. I spoke with Mr. Mahler just before leaving Guatemala, and am delighted that he included some of my suggestions in this book, including Los Viejitos Restaurant in Nebaj (look for the green door)--the owner told me she used to cook for Nancy Sinatra!



3. As the author of this book, I am predictably biased in its favor. However, I feel it's important to say that I spent several months in late 1998 and early 1999 poring over every word, photo, and map to make sure that it was correct, helpful, and informative. Readers will find everything from restaurant and hotel reviews to reports on Spanish schools, craft markets, and Maya ruins. I find Guatemala a fascinating and rewarding country to visit and it remains one of the world's greatest travel bargains. However, since the Peace Accords were signed in 1996 and the guerrilla war ended, more and more people are discovering this place. Therefore, prices will only go up. I'm convinced that there is no better time to see the unspoiled treasures of Guatemala than right now, before the crowds descend. My specialties are the contemporary and ancient cultures of the Maya as well as the national parks of the country. In the latest edition of my book, I've gone to great lengths to include every possible useful tidbit of information on these subjects, from the best place to explore the rainforest to the best way to tour Tikal. As always, I am eager to receive reports from readers, who supply me with some of the best insider information available. Enjoy!



4. (From Planeta.com Journal) - Reading Richard Mahler is like opening a letter from a well-traveled friend. This is the second edition of a regional classic. Its coverage of environmental issues and travel options is first-rate. This is a must read for any eco traveler.

1 comments about Patagonia: The Last Wilderness.

1. I was disappointed by the book and returned it. It has a nice variety of images, but they all look crummy. I bought the book based on the cover image (which, while a familiar scene, appeared to have good color saturation). And indeed the dust jacket is pretty, but the images inside are all washed out.

   I can't comment on the text.

No comments about Argentina - The Land (Lands, Peoples, and Cultures).

No comments about Welcome to Colombia (Welcome to My Country).