4 comments about Mapping the World: An Illustrated History of Cartography.

1. Two very fine and beautiful books about maps appeared at the end of 2005, published within a month of each other. The other one is "The Map Book" edited by Peter Barber. I happened to discover "The Map Book" before "Mapping the World", although the latter was published first. Like "The Map Book", "Mapping the World" has at its center beautifully reproduced maps in chronological order with lively and informative texts and explanations. Unlike "The Map Book", "Mapping the World" has a single author of the texts, giving the latter a more unified voice and a greater sense of historical narrative. The curious reader may delve deeper into either book on any page and become engaged in the history, culture, and technology embodied in a particular map. Both books sit on my coffee table both for easy access and conspicuous display.



2. Mapping The World: An Illustrated History Of Cartography comes from one of the major publishers specializing in geography subjects: so one would anticipate an exceptional production in book form - and it's not disappointing. Author Ralph Ehrenberg is former chief of the Geography and Map Division of the Library of Congress, among other major archives: his background lends to a lovely coverage of over a hundred maps from around the world and across the eras. Each full-page color maps is accompanied by a detailed history and explanation setting the map in social and historical perspective. Recommend for any serious world history collection, from the high school level on up.



3. Stunning pictures, brilliant descriptions and text that is relevant, readable and informative.



4. A must have book for anyone that loves the history of maps and how they have changed during time.

3 comments about National Geographic Atlas of China.

1. I was expecting maps with much better detail than this atlas contained, especially from National Geographic. The best detailed maps I have found are the Nelles series.



2. Dozens of useful and attractively presented topical maps on a variety of subjects (population, economy, water, and so on); maps of the major cities in China; and the usual excellent and beautifully presented National Geographic maps of the country. Just what I was looking for.



3. Received the book quickly. Book was in excellent condition. Very pleased with this book.

5 comments about The Encyclopedia of Cajun & Creole Cuisine.

1. This is the most impressive book yet on cajun/ creole cooking. Outstanding in every way (except perhaps the cornbread, all of which had sugar in it, and grandma would whop him over the head with her iron skillet for THAT). Can't wait to cook from this.
   
   The recipes, history, festivals, photos, and everything else make this HUGE book indeed an encyclopedia. Impressive that the Italian and German settlers to the state were included in the history and recipe tradition as well, as they generally seem to be left out.



2. Like it says its a Encyclopedia, theres a bit of history in the front that makes for great reading. The best part is the recipe's which are varied and very good. My Wife's a great cook and has well over a 100 cookbooks already but she uses this one quite often.



3. My friend had this book and from the moment I laid eyes on it, I thought "I have to have one for myself" I am addicted to it. I read it every night. I can picture the finished recipes in my head, when I read them. The best thing that I love about the book is that it brings you back into history on when, who, and how the recipe was, first, created. If you love Louisiana food and the Louisiana way of life, you will be obsessed with it. Christina Laborde, Marksville, Louisiana.



4. This book is unbelievably impressive. After four years, I finally got my copy. This book is roughly 800 pgs. About 100+ are dedicated up front to the story of the seven nations that make up Cajun and Creole cuisine. I love this insightful info. Does it help you cook any better know, but if you like a little background info with your cookbooks, this over-achieves.
   
   What I thoroughly enjoyed was the brief explanation of the difference between Cajun and Creole cuisines. It was only a couple of paragraphs, but I appreciated the plain English. (It's the little things that make me happy.)
   
   The recipes, as expected, are voluminous and accommodate a range of skill sets. Each recipe has a short comment. I would've liked a little more information about the origin of the particular recipe, but I'm greedy like that. (For instance, are these Folse's recipes or a particular family's recipe, etc.) The recipes are organized into the following chapters:
   
   -Roux, Stocks & Sauces
   -Breakfast & Lunch
   -Appetizers & Hors d'Oeurves
   -Soups
   -Salads
   -Veggies
   -Seafood
   -Poultry
   -Meat
   -Wild Game
   -Desserts
   -Breads
   -Dairy
   -Beverages
   -Festivals
   -Plantations
   -Holiday & Special Occasion Menus
   -Lagniappe
   
   Now here is why four instead of five stars: this is a definitive text (which should have earned a James Beard award), but the photography leaves a lot to be desired. There is a ton of it, but it is poorly lit. It and the graphic design of the book give the entire thing an `80s feel. This was first published in 2004! Although this is a classic reference on Southeastern Louisiana cuisine, the photography makes it feel slightly less than polished. With that said, it is still more than worth the cost of ownership.
   
   In the past, I spoke about my love for Williams-Sonoma New Orleans: Authentic Recipes Celebrating The Foods Of the World (Williams-Sonoma Foods of the World). It is still a valid text because it is a great quick reference. The photography is drop-dead gorgeous. However, if you want comprehensive and in-depth, this encyclopedia is for you.
   
   Thank you, John Folse, for this epic undertaking. Any other cookbook you purchase for this cuisine will simply be for collector's purposes. Trust me, you don't need anything else!



5. I purchased this book recently. It is very large and will not fit on many book shelves. Includes a great variety of recipes including many that you would probably classify as italian, german, or of other origin. Attractive pictures, and a large number of pages devoted to the history of cooking in Louisiana. I would not call it exhaustive, but it has a nice variety of recipes. I have only tried making the gumbo so far and would say that I prefer the recipe in Paul Prudhome's Louisiana Kitchen. If you could only buy one book, I would recommend the Prudhome cookbook over this one. I found the Prudhome recipies more appealing and the book is much less costly.

4 comments about Moleskine City Notebook San Francisco (Moleskine City Notebook).

1. This is a very unusual product and I would strongly encourage anyone considering getting one to be completely aware of what it is before they purchase it. First, if you are looking for a single travel guide to prepare you for your trip to New York (or anywhere else there is a guide for), this is very close to worthless, if not entirely worthless. I would call one's attention to the title of the product. It is a "Notebook." That means that most of the pages are blank. This literally is a book for taking notes in.
   
   So what do you get when you buy this? Every book in the series follows the same format. First there is a personal information page with address, phone, allergies, family doctor, passport number, then map information with public transportation maps. Then follows information on the various forms of transportation with phone numbers and websites, including cabs, buses, other forms of public transportation, and airports. There are some blank itinerary pages, measurement and speed conversion charts, size conversion charts (for shoppers), then a long series of neighborhood maps, including an index. And that's it. The final two-thirds of the notebook are blank. The next 20 or so pages are completely blank and unlined for whatever use you want to put them to. Next come several pages intended for writing down names of restaurants, bars, museums, historical sites, hotels, or whatever. The book also comes with unlabeled tabs with stickers to use as desired (for theaters, concert halls, or whatever you desire) as well as tracing paper for, as the label says, "Itineraries or Whatever." Finally, there is the usual pocket at the back that is found in all Moleskine products.
   
   For some people this is going to be an absolutely useless product. But for many this will be remarkably useful. In fact, I can envision two uses for this notebook. First, those who are planning a trip to one of the places for which Moleskine has produced a book. Let's say one has consulted the Blue guide, the Eyewitness Guide (by DK), a Rough Guide, the Michelin guide, and the Let's Go guide. Maybe you've bought all of these, making for five guides. No way do you want to drag all of these on your trip or more than one on your flight. So what might you do? You might take the Moleskin Notebook, record into it all the places you want to see, restaurants you want to dine at, museums you want to stroll through, and anything else you want to do while in your destination of choice, and record it there. So the Moleskine City Notebook can serve as a distillation of all the various travel guides, web sites, and other resources you have consulted. And instead of hauling about a large Fodor's guide, you can carry about this small Notebook that can easily fit into a backpack, purse, should bag, or even pocket.
   
   The only downside is that the Moleskine City Notebook is only as good as you make it. If you do a good job of planning your trip, it will be filled to the brim with useful and helpful information. If not, it will be as unhelpful as you have made it.
   
   There is a second use to which the City Notebook can be put to use, though it is not one for which it was primarily designed. You could use it for the city in which you live, should you live in one of the cities for which one is made. I live, for instance, in Chicago. I have bought one of these so that I can over time use it to record every bit of helpful information that I might find useful or helpful. I can record what hours the Seminary Co-Op Bookstore (the real one, not the trade version on 57th Street) is open. The hours for the Chicago Public Library and the Newberry Library. Phone numbers of restaurants and addresses of bars. And so on and so forth. Granted, these books will only benefit those who live in one of those cities, but for the U.S. New York, Chicago, Boston, Washington D.C., Seattle, San Francisco, and Los Angeles are pretty populated areas.
   
   So this is a very well conceived product though it absolutely has to be stressed that it is a specialized one. Please note: THIS ISN'T FOR EVERYONE. If you don't want to use the Notebook to plan your trip it is going to be very close to worthless. I'll emphasize again: this is only as good a product as you make it. But if you use it to help you plan your trip, it could be the single item you would most loathe to be without after your notebook.



2. Great for planning travel and journaling the adventure. I travel to San Francisco several times a year and there are always new places I want to go but never seem to have the time to fit them all in- so I record them in my little Moleskin book and I'm ready for the next visit. The maps are great too and I like the little clear plastic overlays so I can mark those for route planning instead of marking up the actual map. When I pull out my little journal to consult it, it doesn't look like I'm reviewing a tourist book at all :-) This book is what you make of it and I really like that about it. Happy traveling.



3. As a huge Moleskine fan (I really can't get enough sketchbooks) I found the City Notebooks excitig. I was even more excited when I came across the one for San Francisco. Living in the Bay Area, San Francisco is nearby but I'm not there everyday. This book has become a great way to document my adventures and keep track of various places I go in the city and things I come across that I want to check out at a later date (like design firms I want to apply at or visit). Plus having the BART and MUNI maps (the actual ones) is very helpful for figuring out what lines I want to take without having to look for maps on the street. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves to document things. It's just the right size to tote around, paste pictures in, and keep track of things you do in a city.



4. I purchased this before moving to San Francisco. While I only ended up living there for six months, this came in handy. I always made sure I had it in my purse.
   
   The BART, MUNI and city maps are super helpful. I'd give this five stars just based on these maps. It takes a while to get used to the small size of the city map, spread out over 10-12 spreads in the book. But because the book is so small, I was able to carry it with me everywhere, and not look like a silly tourist when I pulled it out to consult the maps.
   
   I used the rest of the book to record names and addresses of various places/businesses/events in the city, contact information for new people I met, and directions. I'd definitely recommend this to anyone new to the city. I just moved to Portland, OR and was disappointed when I found out there wasn't a City Notebook for Portland. Guess I'll just have to walk around with big ol' clunky maps and bus/train schedules again. I'm hoping Moleskine will expand the City Notebooks to include some smaller US cites.

1 comments about Italian Hideaways: Discovering Enchanting Rooms and Private Villas.

1. The title of this book says it all. It IS enchanting. A very rare look at Italian style. Loved every page.

5 comments about Milan & The Lakes (Eyewitness Travel Guides).

1. The eyewitness books are very good guiding books and Milan & the lakes did not dissapoint me. It is going to be very useful when I go to Milan.



2. This book was very helpful to read before going to Milano and Lago Maggiore.
   
   I admit we did not do a whole lot of sightseeing at the lake, as it was a relaxing vacation vs. a run-around-and-see-stuff vacation. However, the information provided was substantial.



3. This is a great travelling guide with all the details I need in a good price.



4. This book has served as an outstanding resource during my one-week trip to Milan, Italy - or should I say Milano? It's very well-organized, to the point, and provides moderate information for multiple neighborhoods along with regular touristy stuff. What I love about DK Publishing, in general, is extensive use of pictures, thick gloss paper, use of multiple colors, and practical color-coding; and this book offers all of these elements.
   
   I personally cannot justify spending a week reading Fodor's for one-week trip. So I love this layout; it's so easy to consume that you can scan it on a JFK->MXP flight, and the book is small-enough to carry in your overcoat pocket. The author covers various aspects of everyday tourist life, such as sight-seeing, commute, dining, shopping, and detailed neighborhood maps.
   
   Please note: it's a city-specific guide, so it may not appeal to many tourists because most tourists would plan on visiting multiple cities on a trip to Italy. If your destination is only Milan and its surrounding areas, I would strongly recommend this guide.
   
   Felice Viaggio!



5. I recently visited Milan and the Lakes and this book was by far my saving grace. It was my first time visiting Milan and I was able to navigate myself around as if I was a local! Some of my favorite things about the book are the following:
   1. The book is broken up by the sections of Milan i.e. Northwest, Northeast, Historic Center etc. This made my daily planning very easy!
   2. Each highlighted historic site has a brief background and summary about its amazing past along with a "visitor's checklist". It was my private tour guide!
   3. A subway map is included to make getting around the city effortless.
   4. A map was included (with detailed street names) for each section.
   5. Finally, a Travel Information section is included to aid you through purchasing train tickets for regional or internal travel. Getting to the Lakes and Switzerland was a breeze!
   
   Overall, I HIGHLY recommend this book and I look forward to purchasing other "DK" books in the future.

5 comments about Two in the Far North.

1. This is perhaps the most inspiring and entertaining book I have read in years. Mardie Murie is to me the quintissential woman, a true feminist, and first female to graduate from the University of Alaska, who follows her own star while completely respecting the stars of others. Her prose is "luscious," intelligent, rich in imagry, and filled with honesty and joy. She writes about her life growing up in Alaska at the turn of the twentieth century, and how she transcends cold and harsh conditions to follow the love of her life, Dr. Murie, as he studies the caribou herds in Alaska's wilderness. She even finds breathtaking romance on this amazing life adventure, spreading her love of life and nature to everyone she encounters. I can't recommend this book enough!



2. I'd heard Margaret (Mardy) Murie's name in the same news and conversational circles as I'd hear names like John Muir, Barry Lopez, John McPhee - all among my favorite writers, scientists and naturalists - so when this book appeared in my stack of Christmas gifts this year I was really excited.
   
   Over the last several months I've picked up several books set in the northernmost corners of the world, some of them truly incredible stories of frontier exploration, survival and human endurance - and Murie's book did not disappoint.
   
   In Two in the Far North, Murie spends the first few chapters recounting her childhood in then-brand new Fairbanks, growing up in a modest cabin during winters that dipped, and often stayed, well into the -40s and -50s, and witnessing the growth of a burgeoning frontier town. Later, after graduating from the University of Alaska (she was the first woman ever to do so), she married Olaus Murie - a scientist studying the migration patterns of Caribou in remote northern Alaska. Together they set off for the Brooks Range to explore wildlife in areas like Bettles and Wiseman and the Old Crow River valley.
   
   Murie is considered by many to be the grandmother of the conservation movement, and much of the passion she had for this territory that later translated into her advocacy for wilderness protection were born in the stories of this book.



3. Well written essay of a life adventure in the wilds of ALASKA by devoted NATURE LOVERS---This is a must read book for Outdoor Enthusiasts !I sent a copy to my daughter& grand daughters--knowing that they would enjoy the experience of the writer & spouse and may experience a similar event.



4. I lived in Alaska for 20 years and found this to be one of the best, first books I read when I moved there.



5. Margaret Murie was ahead of her time when she explored Alaska. I fell in love with my state all over again. She did what most people only dream of nowadays. I admire her for her courage and strength, both as a wife and mother and as an explorer and naturalist. She also explored ANWR before it became the refuge. Anyone with doubts about opening ANWR should read this book.

5 comments about Top Maui Restaurants 2008 From Thrifty to Four Star: Indispensable Advice from Experts Who Live, Play & Eat on Maui.

1. great reviews of maui restaurants. we've been fooled in the past and valued this guide.



2. MY HUSBAND AND I ARE PLANNING A TRIP TO MAUI THIS COMING NOVEMBER, AND I ALWAYS LOOK FORWARD TO THE FOOD. JUST READING THROUGH THIS BOOK IS FUN, AND FULL OF INFORMATION THAT ONLY SOMEONE WHO REALLY KNOWS MAUI'S GOOD, BAD, EXCELLENT PLACES TO EAT WOULD BE ABLE TO SHARE. I APPRECIATE HOW THEY BREAK THE RESTAURANTS DOWN TO AREA, MAKES IT EVEN EASIER TO PLAN.
   
   CAN'T WAIT TO TRY ALEXANDERS FISH AND CHIPS!!!!



3. We bought this book in early 2008 in anticipation of our 4 week trip to Maui in August. We've visited Maui twice in the past and could have used the book back then. We read the entire book before the trip, it was a fun read and got us really excited! We highlighted places we were interested in trying and we did not have one disappointing meal.
   
   We cooked quite a few meals in our condo but the places we went to in between for breakfast, lunch and dinner were all good to sensational: Sansei (went 3 times, incredible food), Flatbread Company (best pizza we've ever had!), Cilantro Fresh Mexican Grill (we had the wonderful roasted chicken twice and the fish tacos), Seawatch for breakfast (very impressive and not too expensive, average $10 for breakfast but warning - watch out for the add-ons. Our son's $8.00 french toast turned into a $30 breakfast with extra sausage, strawberries and 2 glasses of juice. We did go back a second time and advised him not to say yes every time the server suggested something else to go with his meal.
   
   Kihei Caffe (first morning upon arrival we woke up and checked the book for a breakfast suggestion. We were very happy and ended up going there twice, lots of food for excellent prices), Cafe Mambo - we tried the duck fajitas, thank you for recommending them, they were marvelous! Ma'alaea Waterfront Restaurant (fantastic dinner, wonderful view, superb service).
   
   The book is organized alphabetically with the option at the front to search by different categories. Sometimes we wanted to look for a place by area such as Kihei or Kahalui and sometimes we'd just search for best breakfast, dinner, steak etc. It was extremely handy to have the address, phone number and hours of business listed at the end of each write-up. We didn't need to go searching in the phonebook! The updated PDF file of the book is a very thoughtful idea for customers.
   
   We have recommended this book to several of our friends and we will be taking it with us on our next trip to Maui. It made our trip more relaxing not having to stress about finding places to eat and wondering if it's good or not. Plus the recommendations to try certain dishes were very helpful.
   Great job James & Molly!



4. There are lots of good restaurants on Maui. But this book gives a great selection of the best ones, whether they are casual, local places or the priciest places on the island. With purchase of the book, you also have free access to the latest edition of their monthly updated website, so that you can check out any current changes.



5. Top Maui Restaurants 2008 From Thrifty to Four Star: Indispensable Advice from Experts Who Live, Play & Eat on Maui
   
   James and Molly Jacobson are a pair of well-heeled restaurant reviewers who don't want you to miss a four-star restaurant or bargain dive that serves great food. They make sure your visit is packed with options for great food broken down by location. They will direct you to the very best of places to eat on the island. Don't plan a trip to Maui without first reading this book.

5 comments about Colombia (Country Guide).

1. I earlier wrote a review of Lonely Planet's Guatemala where I reported indications the author had a conflict of interest. LP refused to answer any questions about this. The only thing they did was to prohibit my posting on their web site. Now the Daily Telegraph has published an article exposing further fraud. Kohnstamm, one of the authors of this guide said he never even went to Colombia. He said he wrote it in San Francisco with help from an intern at the Colombian embassy who he was dating. If Amazon wants to show any integrity in all this it should stop selling all known afflicted LP Guides until they can be vetted for accuracy by a reliable source. Obviously not an LP editor.



2. Just as former LP "writer" Joe Cummings plagiarized Bradt's Guide to Burma, so another LP author openly admits to plagiarism. No surprise there, the only surprising thing is how long he took to come out of the closet.



3. "They [Lonely Planet] don't pay me enough to go to Columbia," said Thomas Kohnstamm. "I wrote the book in San Francisco. I got the information from a chick I was dating."
   
   I'm not joking. The author admitted this book is a fake.



4. just got back from colombia. i brought the Bradt guide and my friend brough the lonely planet. the Bradt is horrendous. both are weak, but the LP is by far the better of the two.
   
   the most important thing about a guide, in a place like colombia is safety. the LP recommendeds hotels in the area by the cathedral in medellin. no one happened to go there or check with the police, quite obviously, because it's one of the sketchiest neighborhoods i've ever seen, and I grew up in brooklyn! transexual hookers who rob people with knives on the blocks all around it. one simple check with the police and they will tell you it's a "critical zone."
   It also mentions how safe a city it is. i really wonder how much research was done. the day we got there we saw and arrest, someone tried to get into my daypack while walking around, and then we were walking, in broad daylight, in the very crowded Parque San Antonio, and my friend and i were jumped by 5 guys with knives. they were going for my camera, though i thought i was beign kidnapped, and i was STABBED IN THE BACK! we talked to the police who said exactly where to go and where not to, and that Medellin is not nearly as safe as the guides lead you to believe.
   
   the maps should list areas that are known to be dangerous. it's not always so easy to figure out a sketch neighborhood from a safe one.
   
   my advice is to get the Lonely Planet, despite it's flaws. Be careful in the big cities, don't carry anything that looks expensive, and take cabs at night anywhere that looks sketchy. that said, Colombians in general are some of the nicest people i've ever met, and the country has a lot to offer. i have travelled 35 countries all over the world and grew up in nyc in tougher times. i had no problems in any of my previous travels, including brazil, mexico, guatemala, indonesia, or otherwise. i would just warn anyone going to colombia to be on your toes, and ask a lot of travelers where they stayed and where to avoid. things do happen there, and though it's a wonderful country, well worth a visit, don't walk around blind to the realities. just because the crime statistics have gone down in a given city doesn't meant that they have actually been recording all of them. for mine, no report was ever created.



5. Lonely Planet should be ashamed to put their name on this effort. Why did they even bother putting out a book on Colombia without more comprehensive information?
   
   This book contains very little accomodation information for Barranquilla, Cartagena, and the "coffee country" of Colombia.
   There are not enough accomodation details for major cities other than Bogota.
   
   
   There doesn't seem to be too much updated here at all!

1 comments about Europe by Eurail 2008: Touring Europe by Train (Europe By Eurail).

1. This looks like a very useful tool for once we are traveling, but a little less so for planning ahead.