5 comments about Maps of the Ancient Sea Kings: Evidence of Advanced Civilization in the Ice Age.

1. This book is about medieval and some Rennaissance maps which are very unusual: They show continents not yet (re-)discovered. Isles now submerged. The coastal areas of Antarctica and Greenland entirely free of ice. A remarkable precision completely out of place for the Imes (times). Based on cartographical systems utterly unknown back then - and obviously completely not overstood by the copyists of ancient maps. Ancient maps which are based on source maps which were ancient in the Imes what we today consider as ancient.
   
   When I first browsed through the ads for other books in this book's back I dreaded what I got myself into. From Atlantis to UFOs you will find anything no hard evidence will be found of currently. Personally, I do not DISbelief any of that either, I just dread to read wild speculation. Because that usually turns out to be utter non-sense later. Yet, occasionally sparking the search for more knowledge. Which IS important then, after all. This shows perfectly with this book. Most of it is very 1960s state of the art scientific fact based. No wonder, as the author worked on this subject for seven years (1959-1966) - as a professor with his students and the help of the US air force map division. After the presentation of the facts on the various maps, he adds a concluding chapter - with a lot of speculation. The theories therein were valid at the Imes. Reproduced is a foreword by no less than Albert Einstein for an earlier book by the author, which theory gets new attention in this follow up book. The specifics of the main theory of earth crust shifting (as in one peace moving in one direction) due to the heavy ice caps at the poles causing centrifugal displacements sound extremely hilarious today. Yet, at the Imes, ANY continental shifting sounded hilarious, and today we know that the continents move around indeed. Just not the way, the author once suspected.
   
   Which leads me to the subtraction of a star for major dust having accumulated on this book, without getting updated with a preface or reworked altogether. This book is historic already. It has been written at Imes, humans were just starting to get pictures of earth from space, but hadn't been on the moon yet. It was published eight years before the invention of Arno Peters' superior projection of the world. When the ice ages were still pure mysteries. When the age of humans of some 195,000 years wasn't known. And when historic legends such as the supposed burning of the Alexandria library by Muslim conquerors was still believed in, i.e. hadn't been exposed as the medieval European Christian propaganda it was. (In reality, it was first Julius Caesar, then fanatic Christians who successively burned that (once rebuild) world treasure, the last Imes some seven centuries before the Muslims arrived.)
   
   All which in a way makes a point for that which the author is writing: That some superior knowledge may get forgotten/never known by (mainstream) humanity while in other areas common progress is made. He's referring to the lost source maps. I am referring to his book. His speculation about the earth has been dealt with and progressed on. His very scientific facts about the maps he has conducted has not entered general human consciousness. After the first edition, his book remained unpublished for some 20 years, till a publisher had to reprint it, whose usual readership is satisfied with less strict scientific standards. After reading the other reviews here, I may add that the paperback of 1996 indeed is in black and white. That may have contributed to the very bad reproduction of SOME of the maps, contributing to the subtraction of a star. Most are clearly recognisable, but with individual ones I felt insulted with the presentation. Luckily, some are schematized on the following pages.
   
   I am very thankful that the author unravelled the SEEMING imprecision of some old maps, which only have to get looked at within the correct cartographic system to become virtually perfect. Just not for easy long distance navigation, something e.g. Columbus didn't realize. (The same as the Peters Projection isn't the best choice for navigation.) By the way, it is known in the meanwhile that Columbus knew not only of ancient maps, but also of previous African travels to the Americas. That's why he chose his sea route starting from West Africa to catch the best current. For more on that read e.g. They Came Before Columbus: The African Presence in Ancient America by Ivan Van Sertima and in a way also The Lost Treasure of King Juba: The Evidence of Africans in America before Columbus. The latter suggests an additional reason for the loss of the source maps: A fleeing African King's court taking the maps with it upon Roman invasion, making sure this way that the Romans wouldn't be able to follow.
   
   Other seemingly hilarious elements on the maps are explained as making sense - when the original source maps get considered, not the knowledge lacking later copyists -, such as mythical beasts presented in some territories.
   
   If anybody knows a more recent source about these maps, please leave a comment. For example I am amazed that it doesn't strike anybody, such as the author as odd that some land masses are free of ice, yet on other maps the sea level is DROPPED or equal to today. There are some "odd" climactic conditions making this half way possible, yet I would like to clearly know about the specific scenario at hand. (Or wether this ancient map making knowledge is supposed to have existed THIS long that it covered different fundamentally changed world climates.) And about other confirming or challenging information which has accumulated by now. Such as a bathymetric comparison of the Aegean Sea proving wether the once depicted additional islands are really there, i.e. submerged. One confirming fact I DO know is that residues of American cocaine and Australian eucalyptus have been found in Egyptian mummies, as the Western edge of Australia is presented on one of the maps as well. It has also been found out that the Egyptian culture is much older than presented in 20th century orthodox egyptology, so the question of who might have come up with the now lost source maps isn't really such a mystery anymore (and is not restricted to the admirers of "Atlantis"), especially considering that the maps were obviously centered on Egypt.



2. What Hapgood is suggesting is almost beyond belief. Yet, he presents his well-argued case with clear documentation. I just don't see how anyone with an open mind could dismiss his argument without serious consideration.
   
   The problem is, the ramifications of what he is saying are staggering. If what Hapgood suggests is true, we will have to rewrite the history of mankind.
   
   I'd have given it 5 stars if the writing were better. Many will find it dry, but it is well worth the read.



3. Maps was a refreshing perspective on a topic which is very much under-researched for whatever reasons.



4. Great stuff in this book.
   
   Talks of an ancient civilization that certainly knew what was going on...
   
   Great start in finding out the truth about the world before we came around!!!



5. There are many theories about the ancient civilizations. If we look back to the human history, somehow we always cross the boundaries of official science. The biggest problem is the lack of solid evidences. Prof. Hapgood finds his evidence in old maps. In his book he analyze maps with scientific methodology, and gets some really interesting results. Focusing mainly to the map of Piri Reis, he extracts data out of an old map, and presents the results as an "accurate map" of the American coastline long before it was explored by the Europeans. I read this book twice and I carefully studied the chapters of map making and writing, and I think that Prof. Hapgood and his students made a great job. Are the results convincing? For me, not really, there's a point, when a coastline of the Antarctic is extracted from the map. It needs to much assumptions to be true. The same is true with the map of Oronteus Finaeus map.
   Besides, ther are some really interesting points, e.g.: a very good explanation of why Colombus estimated shorter distance between Europe and America, and some REALLY EXACT midieval maps of the medeterranium.
   This book is well above most of the books of "ancient history, lost civilizations, etc" category, because it is based on facts and calculations, you can check if you want. This could be a 5 star book, but I feel, that some of the conclusions are forced.

5 comments about The Worlds Most Haunted Places: From The Secret Files Of Ghostvillage.com.

1. Jeff Belanger writes about the world's most haunted places in this book with satisfying detail and supporting stories from people who experienced the haunting. This book covers castles, mansions, pubs, hotels and more. He delves into the history of each place - something that is often missing from other books about ghosts. I highly recommend this book if you love to read about ghosts.



2. I really enjoyed this book. It goes to show you that haunted places
   are all over, not in just one place.
   If you are interested in this subject at all, I would suggest you get
   this book.
   You will enjoy it I'm sure.



3. For some reason this book really made me want to travel and visit some of these places, I plan to start with the Whaley house next month and Queen Mary after that.
   The book doesn't go into more than a few pages per place, but it makes you want to research more about each place, it certainly sparks interest, and even if you do not believe in ghost it's just a cool little bit of history mixed with folklore.
   One really great thing about this book, the author gives you contact information, so if you are like me and wish to visit, you can contact them.



4. I'm not even sure why I bought this book; perhaps because it was so cheap at the bookstore (I bought it from the bargain books section). Maybe because it mentioned several local "haunted places" that I'm familiar with (Queen Mary, the Whaley House, and the Hotel del Coronado)? Frankly, I still don't know why, but I did read it. Overall, the "World's Most Haunted Places" is one of those books that makes for good reading for the "little room" - short blurbs on a variety of allegedly "haunted" places located in English speaking countries (with one exception - the catacombs of Paris, France).
   
   The book did nothing for me except to help put me to sleep at night. Sure, it was "fun" but really did not have much substance. The writing was stilted and the "cute" little comments that concluded each story grew weary very, very quickly.
   
   On another note, I found that the use of "BCE" (before "common" era) and "CE" ("common" era) in place of the traditional BC and AD to be very annoying. I don't know why people who are trying to pretend that they're "scholars" need to use such politically correct (but, to me offensive) terminology. The author's writing style was quite stilted and was often a chore to get through.
   
   Would I recommend this book to others? Probably not unless they are seeking a temporary respite from insomnia: oh well.



5. I bought this book mostly because of the wording of secret files. What "secret??? All the "stories" in this book have been done to death.... nothing new, nothing secret, nothing wonderful or scary about this book, the only secret I could find was trying to stay awake while reading it! Don't waste your money on what so many have all ready written about.

5 comments about Haiti in Focus: A Guide to the People, Politics, and Culture (In Focus Guides).

1. Sometimes it's hard to be an American, and to look out at what we've done to the rest of the world.

   Haiti will soon be celebrating its bicentennial of independence. As the second-oldest nation in the Western Hemisphere and the black nation with the longest uninterrupted history, it should by rights be rich, educated, forward thinking, and a bright light for the rest of the world. However, imperialist forces from abroad, including France, Britain, and most recently the United States of America, have colored its two centuries. Its people have been harangued by Castro's Cuba, Trujillo's Dominican Republic, Bush and Clinton's USA, and even the wildly corrupt Duvalier administration. Its land is stripped, its resources have been plundered, its cities are grossly overpopulated, and its seas are silted. And yet, somehow, Haiti survives.

   In the wake of the 1991 coup that unseated President Jean-Bertrand Aristide and the 1994 US-led UN invasion that restored him to power, much news was made. Haiti was front-page headliner material nearly every day, a prestigious international hot spot. Names were made and broken in political spheres around the Haiti issue. Debate ran high. And then everything just disappeared. Haiti merited a two-paragraph mention on page twelve if the paper needed filler, and then only in large papers that could dedicate themselves to foreign affairs. For most of us, even those of us who maintained our religious interest in the nation, an entire nation may just as well have dropped off the face of the earth.

   British activist Charles Arthur, whose other works on Haiti include "A Haitian Anthology: Libète," identifies himself as a "Solidarity Activist." His latest book, "Haiti in Focus," is subtitled "A Guide to the People, Politics, and Culture," and it lives up to that description admirably. For those interested, the available information is brought up to date through the middle of 2001. Arthur details the current political struggles surrounding the election of Aristide to another term in office; he lets us know about the struggle between Protestant missionaries and vodou adherents for control of the site at which the Haitian Revolution began; and he even gives us pointers on how to tour the country.

   This slim, easy-to-read book is deceptively clear. It focuses on what Haiti is today, and on the forces that have made it so. Arthur posits no blame for what's happened to the country; yet observant reading serves to point out several recurrent patterns. Currently, the United States has been trying to micromanage the Haitian economy to the advantage of America, and indeed has been using the Monroe Doctrine as an excuse to do so for some time. This has been happening in force through the last century, though it can be traced overtly to 1862, when the US recognized the country's sovereignty, and more covertly back to Haitian independence, when the US refused to recognize a free black nation.

   America is not alone in this treatment, however. Britain immediately recognized Haiti's independence, but apparently only for political advantage and access to the profitable plantations. When the plantation economy went the way of all flesh, Britain appears to have just walked away. France held recognition for ransom, offering it only when Haiti paid massive war indemnities that left the country in financial ruin from which it hasn't fully recovered. The United Nations and the Organization of American States have consistently tried to co-opt Haiti's foreign policy and dictate domestic positions, and the European Union, primarily under pressure from France, is now trying to horn in on Haitian self-determination. As Arthur explains, Haiti remains a small force, battered on all sides by winds it cannot satisfactorily resist.

   The country is also riven internally. Though all involved want the country to flourish and thrive, wildly dissimilar ideas persist as to what would make this happen. Christian missionaries, primarily Catholic and Evangelical Protestant, have brought their faith to the country, but even Jesus Himself hasn't preserved the country. Aristide and his coalition have concrete ideas for how to use the government to resolve problems, but his plans are controversial and have stirred up strong negative feelings. Education is usually severely inadequate because of the lack of skilled teachers, disagreements over the importance of French, and the high cost of schooling in a poor nation. Meanwhile, poverty is swelling, illiteracy remains rampant, and nothing is being done about it.

   However, in Arthur's estimation, Haiti remains a culturally vibrant land, a noble nation resisting the homogeneity of Western-styled "globalization." The native art, music, and religion of the land are the most African in the Western Hemisphere, and are a celebration of life in the face of poverty. A full-color photo spread in the middle of the book shows the beauty that accrues to everything in the country-the way a tap-tap driver will paint rainbows on the side of his vehicle; the way rara musicians will dance down the street during a festival. Though this is a country damaged and struggling, Arthur makes plain, this is not a country to give up on, not a country to permit to die.

   This book is detailed enough to appeal to those intimately interested in Haiti, either those who appreciate the whole nation or those interested in one or two aspects. At the same time, it's clear enough in style and structure to reach out to readers who are being newly introduced to Haiti, and to those who know only the horror stories that recur in motion pictures and the news. Though it will date quickly, for the moment it stands as a strong primer for the condition that is Haiti and a land working for healing in a world that only wants to use it as a tool.




2. You'll be fascinated, impressed, depressed, and delighted with Arthur's succinct introduction to the people, culture, and history of a small nation so very close to U.S. shores and U.S. history, yet so very far from our thoughts. From the joyful cover image to photos of brightly-painted buses to the clear maps and tips for travelers, Arthur delivers more than promised--as does Haiti herself. You'll come back for more, once you taste this brief introduction to the famed Hotel Oloffson, tap-taps and Vodou, rara and compa and rasin music, Sweet Micky & Boukman Eksperyans & Tabou Combo, the "little church" and "the flood," peasant movements and death squads, creole pigs and deforestation, poverty and structural adjustment, Toussaint Louverture & the slave revolution, the Duvalier dictatorship and the Tonton Macoutes, poetry and paintings. This book came just in time to enlighten & amaze students in my class on the prize-winning works of Haitian-American author Edwidge Danticat. We all give this little book a two-thumbs-up!



3. This book is helping me to understand the situation of Haiti in historical context. Its information, format and pictures strike me as slightly out of date but it certainly will give you a background even if not covering the last few years. Since there aren't a lot of books like this one about Haiti I would recommend this for anyone who wants to know more about it but does not want to read a long in-depth tome.



4. really comprehensive view of politics and life in haiti. useful tips for the traveler to Haiti including where to buy condoms!



5. This is a thin booklet providing a nice overview of Haitian culure, politics and history: it contains a little bit of everything, illustrated by photographs. The scope of the book is limited, however, and considering political conflicts and agenda, it has aged a bit since 2002 edition. I like the fact that the booklet invites you to further reading, including online resources. At times, I found the language a bit twisted and information a bit insufficient (which is to be expected). If you feel you're missing some general knowledge on Haiti, this is an excellent book to start with (and easy to take with you anywhere), but make sure you update yourself with the latest political issues, before making a decision to travel there. In the time of writing this review, most Western countries advise their citizens not to travel to Haiti. That being said, I think the front page photo provides a great insight ...

5 comments about Honey, Let's Get a Boat... A Cruising Adventure of America's Great Loop.

1. Honey, Let's Get a Boat... A Cruising Adventure of America's Great Loop
   What a delightful read! Although the 'Stobs' made thier cruise 10+ years ago the story is timeless.
   If you are looking for a dynamic and exciting retirement, then this is the first book to read. The Stobs had little knowledge, or experince-but they did have a dream. A dream they have lived and loved! They have certainly persuaded us to through away the 'pipe and slippers' - we will have a bit of what they are having!
   See you all on the US Great Loop! If it doubt - just do it! Look at the stories to thrill the friends, children and granchildren!



2. The title might set the wrong tone as this book is a colorfully written actual account of this ambitious trip taken by a husband-wife crew on a 40 foot trawler capable of 9 knots. It was their first big boat but they were a quick study and courageous. Bonus is an entire section summarizing all the resources they used to prepare for the trip with contact information and recommendations. He is a travel writer so you get a lot of the local flavor and history as they cruise.



3. If your you're going to or are just thinking about boating the Great Loop you must read this book. A great read.



4. This is a delightful book if you keep in mind what it is. It is informative, light, enjoyable to read, and creates a spark of fantasy in readers who may never set foot on a boat. For those who already have a boat or plan to buy one, it is an invaluable reference for a type of boating that is growing in popularity. Three cheers for the Strobs.



5. The first few chapters of this book made me laugh out loud,as the Stobs struggle to learn about their new boat and deal with the invariable problems with a new-used boat. Then the book settled down into a straight travelog, interspersed with a little strained humor. Worth reading. Gave me a new interest in cruising the Tennessee-Tom Bigbee.

5 comments about Time Out Dubai: Abu Dhabi and the UAE (Time Out Guides).

1. This is a good short guide to Dubai and the UAE, especially for first time visitors. the information is accurate and uptodate,especially considering how rapidly Dubai is changing. The warning about driving is more than accurate as the accident rate is very high and lethal. Most fees and entry costs are accurate.



2. I bought this "Time Out" Book along with "Lonely Planet" copy of Dubai. I found the "Time Out" issue to be very informative with suggestions of hotels, nightlife bar/club, restaurants, entertainment for kids and adults, maps and cultural life. I couldn't put the book down since it covered alot of interesting short reads. I reccommend this book as a start for a quickie read and to take along with you as a guide when you visit Dubai. I thought it was worth the buy and there is very little guide books of Dubai. Also, the "Lonely Planet" book covers the same information as "Time Out" but less interesting but focus more of History,tourist sites, and culture.



3. Last spring, (one year ago), I went to Dubai and Abu Dhabi (as well as Hatta and Sharjah). I bought this TimeOut Dubai book as well as Lonely Planet's Arabian Peninsula. I barely used the lonely planet, but that is likely because I was mainly in Dubai. If you are planning on only going to Dubai, this book is all you will need. It has great information about you name it, and is also not that big, so you can bring it with you everywhere. Also, the pictures are great, so it makes for a nice souvenir afterwards.
   
   I was 23 and traveled on a tight budget, and it was not hard. We stayed in a primarily Indian neighborhood at the Dar Al Sondos Hotel Apartments by Le Meridien, and got a great rate. We did not have a car, and had no problem getting around. The maps in the book worked well, and were much better than Lonely Planet's. Taxi's weren't that expensive for going to the newer parts of Dubai, and we easily walked anywhere we wanted in the Dubai Creek area.
   
   Dubai was amazing! I'd love to go on and on about it. You can get by really cheap, or you could literally spend millions. Don't waste your time in Abu Dhabi. Oh, and do a desert safari! We were not planning on it (thought it would be too fake and touristy). We loved it, and bought it from a travel agency near our hotel (in an Indian neighborhood), so the price was perfect and so low compared to all that we did!



4. After searching far and wide for a reliable guide of Dubai, I came upon this one (for such a dynamic place, there's not many books on it!) Time Out has always been a favorite of mine, and this guide is no exception. It has up to date information on restaurants, hotels, entertainment, as well as a solid background on the history and culture behind Dubai. There are plenty of phone numbers for receiving additional information, should anything change (which it definitely will). This is a great travel companion for those interested in exploring Dubai or moving there. The book itself is compact and colorful, you could easily carry it with you during your travels.



5. I recently returned from a five day tour de force of Dubai. I purchased Time Out Dubai and DK's Top Ten Dubai. The Time Out book is quite detailed and informative, but I found the text size to be too small for anything but careful examination under perfect reading conditions, and the weight of the book to be too heavy to carry around on the scene. This is published by the same outfit which publishes a local weekly (which I never saw while in Dubai) which must explain the presence of advertising pages in the book. By contrast, the DK Top Ten book fit in my back pocket, has legible text, and is organized by district, which is how most travelers navigate cities. This book is best used as a planning guide and left in your suitcase while out and about.

No comments about Fodor's India, 6th Edition (Fodor's Gold Guides).

5 comments about First Stop in the New World: Mexico City, the Capital of the 21st Century.

1. Like other reviewers I love Mexico City and I am constantly asked, by friends trembling in fear, why I am going to the DF "again" and why I'm not terrified to go there.
   
   From now on, I'm going to make them buy Lida's book and read it. He can say it better than I ever will. Then if they want to talk to me about Mexico City, we'll have some reality to talk about. Reading this book, I was deliriously happy. Lida gets it about Mexico City. His writing is clear, straight-ahead, and evocative. He offers a sense that rings true of life in the great, enlivening and fabulously weird and wonderful metropolis and especially the citizens of a city where you can find pyramids in someone's yard, and where my neighbors greet my xoloitzcuintli dog and then whisper to me (so the dog can't hear) "We used to eat them."
   
   There is so much bad writing about Mexico, way too many misconceptions, and far too much narrow reporting of events and people who are at the extremes - movie stars, assassins, cartels, and Mexicans crossing the line into the lost (stolen?) provinces of California and Arizona. Lida tells us what the vast majority of defeños do and think and say. And eat.
   
   Get this book, read it and join Lida in the 21st century.



2. The book is a must read for anyone interested in Mexico City. There are indeed a number of great articles which not only present colorful vignettes of Mexico City but also provide a context that presents them in their historical and cultural place. (e.g. the Moneda street markets in the context of the tianguis tradition and how it's succumb to he mega stores). But there are also quite a few chapters that seem half-written and aimless. The book is good but it could have used an editor, a few more good articles, or both.



3. Then you'll want to read this book
   
   Mr. Lida describes the traditional tourist spots but he also shows us a Mexico City that few of us will ever visit. He introduces us to some intersting people we would never meet otherwise.
   
   He describes different sections of the city, and in doing so took me back to some of the wonderful times I have spent there in the past.
   
   And for those of us who are planning to visit this amazing city soon, Lida provides us with plenty of places to visit. I am looking forward to seeing the bakery first.
   
   He may not be the first person to move to a different country, but I applaud his courage to live in such a complicated city and show us all, with great style and respect, what it is really like.



4. If you want to know how a city of 26 million people and 600 square miles functions and how the people deal with all the excitment and craziness this is the book for you. Mr. Lida makes no apologies for and tells it like it is for a city that cannot be ignored.



5. I hope David Lida's book is the beginning of a new genre of literature about Mexico and other Latin American countries. For too long, the perception of Mexico in the U.S. has been shaped by news reports of crime and corruption. While conceding that these and other problems exist, Lida argues that the U.S. media's depiction of the country is sometimes "exaggerated and poorly researched."
   
   Lida's main message is that the rich cultural elements of Mexico City make it a rewarding place to live for those who are willing to brave its many complications. In making his case, Lida does not down play the city's problems. Rather, he brings them into sharp focus. In doing so, he effectively conveys why Mexico City would be an interesting place to live or visit.
   
   More than a "travel book", First Stop in the New World offers insights into the very character of Mexico City residents.

5 comments about Bikes of Burden.

1. This is a fantastic book and brought back some many great memories from travelling in that part of the world. A reccommended buy!



2. For a photographer, this is an outstanding book. Both as examples, for clever shots/scenes, and as a how to.



3. This book was a must have after seeing much of this craziness first hand in Vietnam and Cambodia. You see this kind of thing everywhere over there but you can't ever seem to capture it on film since it is usually flying down the road heading the other direction.



4. After a visit to Viet Nam this book really brings back wonderful memories of the various sights we saw everyday! The photography is beautiful. A great coffee table book to remind one of their travels!



5. Having just returned from Ho Chi Minh City, this book perfectly captures the amazing street scenes we witnessed and found just unbeleivable. Every street has bikes and scooters with mind blowing cargoes of goods of every description carried on the most flimsy looking machines, some carrying groups of people, 3, 4 and even 5 including babies and children. We tried filming, but where do you stop, so many varied goods being transported. This really is a must have book for anyone wanting to capture the everyday street scenes of this frantic city. It is beautifully produced and a great "coffee table" book which fascinates everyone who looks at it.

5 comments about New French Country: A Style and Source Book.

1. Really a wonderful book - both beautiful to look at and informative. Very interesting reading, as well as artistically lovely with wonderful, colorful photography. I am not a decorator or designer by trade, but go to this type of book for creative inspiration, and this one was a winner.



2. I can see this book is going to sit on the top of the coffee table book pile for a long time to come. Aside from the fabulous photos of French Provincial homes, Dannenberg delicately picks apart the details that make a typical Provincial home and garden. It does the job so much better than we sitting in another continent can grasp from a few photos in a book. It teaches us how to copy this style and really appreciate the quality of each piece of furniture, artwork or chattel we acquire for own little pretend patch of France.
   I love this book!



3. The book was very informative. It gave me many ideas on how to include my furnishings with a French feel.



4. This is one of the best books on Country French that I've found. The illustrations are wonderful, whether you prefer the older designs or are looking for something with a more modern feel. I loved just looking at the pictures and getting a feel for the colors and styles. This is a book I'll return to again and again to get the feel of the French countryside.



5. I purchased this book as a gift and had done a lot of research looking for just the right one. I loved the book from the moment I opened it and was very excited to see not only beautiful pictures but loads of ideas and design elements that were very helpful. The receiver of the book was also very thrilled with the design elements and help that the book brought to help with decorating her home in the french country style. Loved It.

3 comments about Newcomer's Handbook for Moving to And Living in the San Francisco Bay Area: Including San Jose, Oakland, Berkeley, And Palo Alto (Newcomer's Handboks).

1. We found this handbook to be very accurate and very helpful in our move to the bay area. The writing style is clear and easily digestible.



2. The Newcomer's Handbook for Moving to and Living in the San Francisco Bay Area covers just about every aspect of living in and around San Francisco. I mean everything! Including "Moving and Storage," "Getting Settled," "Children and Education," "Sports and Recreation," "Transportation" and everything in between, this thick book answers almost any question about San Francisco.
   
   The introduction to the book is just as cool: "San Francisco is the land of the 49er Gold Rush, the Great 1906 earthquake, and the missionary expeditions of the Spanish; it is the birthplace of Levi's jeans and home of the railroad tycoon Leland Stanford; it is host to one of the greatest feats of engineering, the Golden Gate Bridge, and as a cultural epicenter, it fueled the hippie flower-power revolution, gave rise to Rolling Stone magazine, and played host to beat generation poets." Geez, now I want to move to San Francisco!
   
   This guide to "America's melting pot" provides information about the local lingo, so you will not feel too much like an out-of-towner. For example, "The Haight" is the famous Haight-Ashbury neighborhood, "The City," always capitalized, "is the way natives and local newspapers refer to San Francisco" and BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) is "the under-and-above ground subway-style train network that connects the East Bay and peninsula with San Francisco."
   
   This guide also provides detailed information concerning the many municipalities of San Francisco, including web sites, area codes, zip codes, post offices, police stations, emergency hospitals, libraries, public schools, community resources and public transportation. The "Cultural Life" section is also pretty cool, providing tons of information about film festivals, music, theater, ballet and dance, restaurants, nightclubs, comedy, art, museums and anything else you can think of. San Francisco is one cool town, and this book is undoubtedly the perfect guide to moving there!



3. My husband was recently transferred from Kansas City to San Fransisco, so when I saw this book for newcomers to the Golden Gate city, I just had to have it! It is such a great buy, as it contains all of the information that we want to know before we move there. It tells the history and atmosphere of the different neighborhoods there, along with many other pertinent facts. This well-researched and accurate book with maps is all one needs to feel at home in San Fransisco!