2 comments about Camino de Santiago Maps / Mapas / Cartes: St. Jean Pied de Port/Roncesvalles - Finisterre via Santiago de Compostela (Camino Guides).

1. This is a very handy and useful little booklet. For my three-week Camino experience I kept the booklet readily accessible in my outside pants pocket. I repeatedly referenced the booklet throughout the day. It's narrow size and the ability to bookmark the page with the flaps on the front and back covers made it easy to retrieve and reference using only one hand. The day-at-a-glance layout, with distance intervals and albergue locations clearly marked plus a profile illustration displaying the changes in altitude along the route make this a very useful reference source. As titled this is a book of maps, there is very little narrative dedicated to recommended sights to see along the way.



2. 
   We just traveled from Roncesvillas to Santiago by bicycle. This was an excellent set of maps that we consulted each day to plan and during the day to be sure that we were on the correct route. I only regret that I did not get the guide books that accompany the maps.

1 comments about Frommer's Santa Fe, Taos & Albuquerque (Frommer's Complete).

1. This book arrived very fast, was new, and the price was very good.

5 comments about Crossing to Avalon: A Woman's Midlife Quest for the Sacred Feminine.

1. You know, I have to say - this book is awesome - especially if you are a woman.
   I am not.
   I am reading this as a women's studies requirement at a "womens centered" university I attend (what can I say?).I am struggling to read this book and find parallels to the male journey... argh. If you are a guy, skip this!
   I know all of you are going to click on the "no" helpful voting button for this review - I don't care.CLICK IT TWICE FOR ALL I GIVE A RATS TUSHY. I just spent more than 800 bucks AND WASTED 3 MONTHS OF MY LIFE to take this class called the 'Psychology of Women' that took me on a womans mid life spiritual quest. Men, stay away from this book. Women, bare your teeth and vote NO to this review because I am evil. Thank you.



2. Crossing to Avalon is part of the Goddess Movement that many women are finding after being raised in male-dominated religions such as Judaism, Christianity and Islam. The Goddess of Ms. Bolen is almost a material, earthy Person as opposed to the spiritual sky God. The author makes several interesting points about opening oneself to Spirit and accepting the Body as sacred as a monstrance or a shrine. Other reviewers have given their opinions on the strengths of this book, so I will not repeat them here.
   
   The book has many of the same weaknesses as others in the Goddess genre. Avalon posits that before the horrible men got into power and forced their horrible male gods on us, everyone worshipped a Goddess figure and celebrated female things like menstruation, menopause, birth, etc. There was little violence and women ruled over men with their profound wisdom and magic powers.
   
   It does not bother Ms. Bolen, who is a psychiatrist, that there was no writing from these times and therefore no way to really know what the people said or did about almost anything. Feminist spirituality devotees can write a novel about a little figurine that looks like a pregnant (or perhaps obese) female and turn it into the Venus of Willendorf. Reality on the historical front is not as important as creating a misanthropic mythology that puts the Female front and center. I doubt Ms. Bolen would be as open-minded about the medical information she reads in psychiatric review journals. She would want footnotes and facts and testing done, something that is not a part of Goddess History.
   
   I found Ms. Bolen's musings on pregnancy, birth, breast feeding, and menstruation to be fanciful. I doubt that it was "patriarchy" that decided to call menstruation "the curse." I imagine it was coined by women who were sick and tired of bloating and cramping every single month and feeling exhausted and bitchy. There is a reason the birth control pill that allows a woman to bleed only once or twice a year is wildly popular. A lot of male-created religions have menstrual taboos and I used to think they were ridiculous until I thought, "perhaps women started them to give us an excuse to take a break once a month. 'Make dinner? I'm on my period; you know I can't touch your food/go to the mosque/have sex with you for a week!'"
   
   Ms. Bolen's ideology of Body as Sacred ignores that it is our Body that we have in common with every other mammal, and it is only our Minds that have evolved beyond them. A dog menstruates, gives birth, and suckles. It is precisely our Body that gives us a disadvantage to men -- before antibiotics and hospital births, women died years and years before men. Before chemical birth control a woman could expect to become pregnant every year until menopause, and traditional families all over the world had more kids than you can count with your fingers. Before formula, children sometimes died because their mothers did not make enough milk to sustain them. Women are on the average smaller, weaker, and slower than men. This sort of feminist spirituality seems to take what makes us vulnerable to "patriarchal oppression" and celebrate it. It reminds me of Buffy the Vampire, where anorexic Sarah Michelle Gellar would fight off males who could have snapped her neck in a second and not broken a sweat. THAT is the reality of the female body.
   
   I admit that I hold to an Aristotelian view of the Primacy of the Mind and not the Body, and I am not an epiphenominalist as I think Jean Bolen appears to be. This influences the way I read books like this. I get the impression as I read that Ms. Bolen is soooo spiritual that she can miss that "sometimes a cigar is just a cigar." Women consoling each other becomes a Goddess infusion in her mind, rather than the very physical brain response that people and animals get when touched and comforted. The fact that the author is a psychiatrist interests me, since she does not appear to hold that emotions and responses are related to a physical brain but are instead part of a numinous Thing that lives within us, perhaps the Goddess.



3. I just read this book as I approach my 60th birthday and am having some discomfort with reaching that age. I had read Crones Don't Whine several years ago also by this author, but didn't connect it when I purchased Crossing to Avalon.
   I found this book so interesting, enlightening, and helpful that it will go on the shelf with other books I lend out but always want back. I was able to connect the Goddess ideas with the Jungian archetypes and then directly to how I feel personally in a more direct way than with any previous books I've read. I would highly recommend this book. I'm not sure if it would have made the same great impression on me if I hadn't earlier done some reading on these subjects.



4. This book was appreciated from perspective of a younger woman also, so not only midlife women will enjoy! Made me think!



5. This book DID literally hit me over the head - in a book shop! I was browsing through the books and this novel fell off the top shelf landing on my head before it hit the floor. At the time I was more interested in the books I had under my arm so I placed it back on the shelf....but 6 months later I regretted that decision and trackedit down.
   
   I have a large interest in Avalon - I find that era particularily fascinating and this book was a great insight but more importantly it was just a great read about one womens journey and connection to Avalon. There are so few books like this around (that I can find) - I am grateful this one smacked me over the head to be noticed, lol!

No comments about Welcome to Hospitality: An Introduction.

5 comments about Gringos in Paradise: An American Couple Builds Their Retirement Dream House in a Seaside Village in Mexico.

1. This book was a joy to read from the opening sentence to the last word.
   The author described the complex people of Mexico in such a way that the reader knew how much the author and his wife respected and admired most of the natives they came into daily contact with. Even though I am not of retirement age (yet) and most likely will never settle in a foreign country, I was enraptured by this book. Great relaxing read and very informative too!



2. I really enjoyed reading this memoir a lot. It has good descriptions, honesty, and humor. It's written in such a friendly, personal way that I would love to go meet the authors! More photos would garner that last star!
   Dee Bratcher
   Arlington, TX



3. This book reads more like an adventure trip of Ricky Recardo and Lucy. Don't get me wrong, there's certainly some good information, and it's entertaining, but I wasn't quite expecting a day-to-day travel log. My research into Mexico is more focused on differences in areas, prices,costs of living, american enclaves, housing, land, cultural aspects, climate, etc. But, there's been a lot of effort put into this and it does provide one couples experience, which does provide value when evaluating such an experiance.



4. I just finished reading this book on my Kindle and thought I would write and express how much I enjoyed reading it. I read it back to back with "God's Middle Finger": Into the Lawless Heart of the Sierra Madre" which I thought perpetuated all the stereotypes of Mexicans possible.Everything happens in that author's head -and actually nothing happens to him that isnt a direct result of his own idiocy.
   This book on the other hand is a must read for anyone thinking of retiring to Mexico - let alone buying land and building their own home. The author offers a gentle, laconic view of the people who work with him on his dream home. He goes out of his way to understand their customs, culture, and history and is well rewarded for his trust. He offers great tips on where to shop for crafts, and furnishings, a little history, and a fine portrait of present day Mexico. You feel like a house guest.
   Highly Recommended even for the jaded traveller.



5. I really enjoyed this book and could hardly put it down. As with some of the other reviewers, I might have preferred greater specifics about how much things were costing. But that was the only tiny complaint. I could really feel the author's humor, frustration, and passion throughout the book. Whether he intended it or not, I laughed alot.

3 comments about Frommer's New Mexico (Frommer's Complete).

1. I browsed many guidebooks in bookstores and read several from the library before settling on this book to take with me to the Southwest.

   The writer writes well and she is not afraid to offer candid opinions of hotels and tourist sites. She's a New Mexico native and shares her passion for the state with the reader.

   ** I especially liked the lists of top attractions by type in the front of the book: Best of Natural New Mexico, Best Scenic and Historic Drives, Best Outdoor Activities, Best Family Experiences, Best Historic Hotels, etc. (there are 12 of these lists).

   These lists helped my companion (my 13 year old son) and I get our hands around the diversity of this state and plan just what we most wanted to do during our one week in the Southwest.

   Once we narrowed down what we wanted to do, the book was arranged by region, listing all the other things we could do while in that area.

   Other good companion books for this trip were Tony Hillerman's novels set in Navajo country and the book, Roadside Geology of New Mexico.

   The Frommers book for Arizona has the same organization and is very good, but not quite as good as this book.




2. I just took a week-long trip to New Mexico and gave up using this book after the first day. I found my free AAA New Mexico Tourbook far more complete and informative.



3. Well researched and plenty of information. Gives details on what to expect, how much you may pay, when to go etc. I hope that it had more pictures but other than that, this is the only book you'll need.

5 comments about Sailing Alone around the World.

1. It is awesome to read what Joshua Slocum did. His achievement should be celebrated forever. His writing style is not particularly good but the content of the story is unique. All crusing sailors should read this book. Slocum clearly was an outstanding navigator and all around sailor. The section of the book on his adventures going around Cape Horn dealing with the weather, currents, and natives is particularly exciting. This is a story waiting for a Hollywood movie or, even better, a long running TV series.



2. A must read for everyone. Truly one of the great classics on sailing single handed around the world. And this was during the turn of the last century. Hearing about the ports and native people over 100 years ago, is living history. A must for every sailors library. One of the all time bests. If you pick one book to read about sailing, start here. People will be reading this for a thousand years. Our American Ulyses.



3. This is a high quality, well constructed book. Your getting much more than you pay for.



4. In today's era of stainless steel, Dacron and electronics, we can lose sight of what real sailing is. This is a readable story of the first person to sail alone around the world. Using a one dollar wind-up clock and a ton of skill, this old sailor circumnavigates the globe and spins some yarns that take us away from the world of new technology to a simpler time. A great read.



5. Sailing and Joshua Slocum seem to go hand-in-hand. In fact, I don't think I have ever met a sailor who has not read "Sailing Alone Around the World" at least once. With that said, I am writing this review to encourage teens, adults, and any person who is considering taking as stab at being an armchair sailor to pick up this book. Joshua Slocum's narrative is strong and his tale is fascinating. He does not treat the reader as a conditioned sailor nor does he treat him/her as simpleton with no notion of boats. Nautical terms are explained but not exhaustingly and the focus is more on the ordeal of the voyage and love the ocean. Slocum's writing is clear and articulate. He does not over simplify his dialogue, nor does he crowd it. It is truly beautifully written and perfect in its effortlessness.
   
   I was in a bookstore recently and a boy about fourteen years old asked the man behind the counter for an interesting non-fiction sea story book. To my horror, the man recommended what was perhaps the most daunting and dull piece on the shelf. If the boy had not left so suddenly, I would have immediately directed him to "Sailing Alone Around the World" because it is a piece that makes a voyage an adventure. I recommend this book to any person who is looking for the definitive sea story, whether they have spent their lives on the water or a million miles from it.

5 comments about The Food Lover's Guide to Florence: With Culinary Excursions in Tuscany.

1. This book was the only book we needed in Florence. Emily's reviews were spot on and we never had a bad meal. We were often the only "tourists" in the eating establishment and garnered some looks from locals as in "how did you find this place!" We walked 2 miles outside the city to have the best pizza we've ever tasted and then 4 miles to spend Sunday lunch with Italian families eating "Spaghetti della Casa." I am extremely picky about food (being Italian and a chef for 15 years) so I cannot rave about this book enough...it made our trip!



2. You cannot go to Florence without this book! I was in Florence for five days and I wore this book out; I ate exclusively at places from this book and have never had a better culinary experience in Florence! Emily Wise-Miller takes you to the hidden gems and out-of-the-way places that tourists dream about! Writing this review is making my mouth water and my heart beg to go back, just so I can eat more delicious Florentine steak, pasta, gelato and drink the wine!
   
   If you are planning a trip to Florence/Tuscany or simply want to learn about the culture and history of of Tuscany's culinary roots, BUY THIS BOOK! You will not be disappointed!!



3. I found this wonderful guide while preparing for my return to Florence this past Fall for more research on the sequel to my novel, The Giuliana Legacy The author's helpful and concise reviews were amazingly accurate in every case. Moreover, she helped us to find wonderful restaurants, cafe bars and wine bars that will be much-loved favorites for years to come. There are fabulous tips on restaurants in every price range, but we especially enjoyed the small inexpensive local spots we might never have found on our own, like the charming and delicious Casalinga in the Santo Spirito. We returned there again and again, and once home, wished we'd gone there every single day of our all too short stay in Florence.
   
   Ms. Wise Miller, the words "Thank You" cannot begin to convey our gratitude for your splendid little book. I have already bought several as gifts and will continue to buy them for all Florence-bound friends and family. Brava!



4. A very helpful, organized tour of Florence for foodies. As many times as I've visited Florence, the abundance of great places to eat is overwhelming. This book lays out great places to eat in the various neighborhoods and their nearby tourist attractions. It also helps define where the locals like to eat. Very helpful.



5. The reviews in this book were perfectly on point. We found ourselves trying to schedule in more time to eat so we could continue to try the recommended restaurants. This book is a keeper for our next trip.

1 comments about Top 10 Lisbon (EYEWITNESS TOP 10 TRAVEL GUIDE).

1. I gave this guide to my daughter and son-in-law who were staying in Lisbon for a week and they said it was indispensible. They used it for restaurants, sites, and shopping. She had brought other guides with her but none, she said, were as good as this one.

2 comments about The Road Gets Better From Here.

1. For anyone who enjoys one or more of off-the-beaten-track travel, motorcycle riding or following a crazy Australian around, this is a must read book. Adrian is a witty and compelling story teller whose descriptions of the remote places he visited and the characters he met very real and intensely readable.



2. For a first book, Adrian Scotts travelogue is remarkably well written. It takes the reader along with him as he travels from the furthest reaches of Siberia to Europe, Via China and Central Asia. In the wake of rapidly growing global interest in independant travel by motorcycle, Adrian sets off for his first long distance interenational bike adventure with just a few vague ideas about how it may go. On the way he discoveres the real people and real hospitality of people living along his path.
   
   Its a fun read for anyone with an interest in independant travel, an excellent read for anyone with an interest in the the former USSR, and a compulsory read for anyonne contemplating a first major motorcycle adventure.