5 comments about Marco Polo: From Venice to Xanadu.

1. MARCO POLO: FROM VENICE TO XANADU BY LAURENCE BERGREEN: Laurence Bergreen, whose last book, Over the Edge of the World, charted Magellan's circumnavigation of the world, returns with a fresh and thorough biography on the remarkable and renowned thirteenth century traveler, Marco Polo. Marco Polo begins in a style that is becoming modern with biographies such as Caroline Alexander's Bounty, near the end of Marco Polo's life when he is a renowned traveler of noble stature and wealth; this makes the return to Polo's younger life as an inexperienced person all the more poignant.
   
   Marco Polo was not the first to feel the urge and thrill to travel the world; it was an experience and almost expectation instilled within his family for some time. At the age of seventeen, barely a man, Marco Polo began his first journey with his father Niccolo and uncle Maffeo bound for the court of Kublai Khan in 1271. While the focus of the book is on Polo's time spent with the Great Khan, Bergreen spends time details sights and experiences on the Polos' travels across the known world to China where Marco became a personal advisor to Kublai Khan in 1275. Marco then spent almost twenty years in service to the Khan, traveling the many surrounding countries and gathering intelligence and acting as a tax collector for the Yuan (Mongol) dynasty. It is here that we see through Marco's eyes and how he views this world that is greatly different to the one he was used to in Venice: from Asbestos manufacture, to crocodile hunting, to the sexual habits of the different peoples; the practice of offering up one's wife to passing travelers was one that greatly perplexed and put Marco ill at ease.
   
   While the book does cover Marco Polo's life, Bergreen seems almost hesitant to offer commentary of opinion on the Polo's habits, ideas, and reactions. Nevertheless, Marco Polo is a fascinating read into the life of the often misunderstood Venetian.
   
   [...]



2. Having just read Laurence Bergreen's "Over the edge of the world", I couldn't wait to read his new work on the travels of "Marco Polo" Mr. Bergreen is a stickler for accuracy and research. I think he spends more time researching than writing. This is an excellent account of Marco's adventures and experiences traveling along and beyond The Silk Road. My only criticism is that in trying to be so factual some of the passages were difficult for me to understand. Maybe it is the translation from Medieval Italian to English. As of now, I'm just waiting for Mr. Bergreen's next book.



3. A thoroughly researched account of a fascinating life. You could spend a lifetime going through the sources in the book's notes & bibliography, and the book inspires you to do just that. However, it's marred by Bergreen's writing style. His comments after quoted material-- and there is, rightly, a LOT of quoted material-- are often superfluous and give the unpleasant impression of reading a book report. A very well-researched book report, but a book report nonetheless. Still, a good launching point to learn more about an intriguing chapter in history.



4. What an Excellent Read !!!!!!!!!! history, travelogue, adventure, biography ...................... totally fascinating,
   
   The new revelations on the life, times and travel of Marco, his father and uncle are mind boggling. Based on recent research, it turned out Marco wasn't just a b.s.'ing Venetian after all.
   
   From the great naval battle of Korcula to Marco's final days, this bio/adventure is hard to put down. The history involved, from the "Divine Wind" to Marco's visits to south east asia, india, socotra island .......... history of the great mongol empire, life and times of Kublai Khan, glimpses of the early christian church, voyages, intrepid travellers ....................... it is all here !!
   
   excellent read, rabbie b.



5. The subject matter is interesting, but the narrative and analysis are on the level of a high-school report. The text is full of trite phrases and hackneyed expressions, and the author applies a modern-day slant to his assumptions. There is too much "it was as if..." and "he might have...." The illustrations are badly selected and not always relevant. The author uses quotations ineffectively. This book just didn't work for me.

5 comments about No Worries Hawaii: A Vacation Planning Guide for Kauai, Oahu, Maui, and the Big Island.

1. In my work at Guide to Travel Guides, we concentrate on finding excellent travel books from smaller publishers, books that travelers may not yet be familiar with. No Worries Hawaii, newly published in late 2007, is just such a book. Really a travel planning guide without peer. Its 160 pages are fabulous stuff, chocked full of helpful information and some of the loveliest color photos around. If you play ball with the Sprouts, they'll help you zero in on the greatest island vacation you've ever had. The Sprouts are veterans of the Hawaii guidebook scene. Their deservedly much-praised Trailblazer series includes four titles on the islands of Hawaii: Kauai Trailblazer, Maui Trailblazer, Oahu Trailblazer, and Hawaii the Big Island Trailblazer, all of which focus on outdoor activities of every kind: walks, hikes, bicycle rides, snorkeling, driving tours and on and on. In No Worries Hawaii they use their expertise to help you decide the type of vacation you want, the setting you want, the activities you value most, and where best to find them. Moving from an armchair voyage in which you envision and clarify your wants and needs to a clever, simple self-test to help you prioritize your wish list, No Worries Hawaii then relates all this homework you've done to a highly detailed, 36-category Best of Hawaii section. If you spend the time, the system really works. If you are too lazy, just focusing on the Best of Hawaii section, plus a good look at the Best of Hawaii scoreboard to see which island ranks highest for your needs will take you a long way toward paradise. Practical information abounds, with lots of money saving advice and a wonderfully detailed "Wiki Wiki Phonebook" for all the contact information you'll ever need. This is one great travel planning guide--if only other travel destinations had something this good.



2. We've been to the islands twice and since our visits were short only touched the surface. We bought this book to delve deeper and decide which two for September 2008. This guide is a tool, a resource, a dreamy wishbook for planning daily adventures. We go because we love the perfect temperature and can swim everyday. No Worries has provided new ideas and booking tips we never thought to ask. The locations for the Best this and that are endless. Plenty of photos of every island will get you going.



3. This guide is the Real Deal and presents a Hawaiian Big Picture. I like to read travel guides and always put lots of time into choosing our destination. I'm the take charge one in the family and find it always pays to plan ahead.
   
   For Hawaii, I have to say this guidebook is at the top of my list for realistic answers to absolutely everything about every island. I was most impressed with the Best Of Hawaii section which categorizes all the choice locations on each island according to activities. Time after time it served as an indispensable checklist while we were out and about.
   
   The author's energetic writing style and sense of humor made the text upbeat and fun.
   
   I highly recommending following up by buying their Maui Trailblazer and Kauai Trailblazer books which go into more site detail with history and driving directions.



4. This book is the most informative book I have ever had or read. It would be nice if every destination had a book like this. I'm so impressed with the self-test that helps a person decide which island(s) one should stay at and visit. It is packed with info indetail.
   
   I was also impressed with the price and fast shipping! Highly recommend it!



5. This guide with its inviting cover arrived on my birthday in January, a present from my wife who had been wanting to visit Hawaii for years. We planned every aspect of our vacation with it and are glad we did. These authors are a rare combination of experienced travel writers and athletes so you get to the heart and soul of the island from the ground up. All the practical information inside paid off when we made our reservations and being able to review each island and compare, compare, compare made it a cinch to plan our itinerary.
   
   The No Worries doesn't just stick to the places tourists congregate. Instead it draws on all the islands and completely circles each. If you want a thorough education on what Hawaii is all about or a complete photo tour, you'll find both inside.
   
   Maui Trailblazer: Where to Hike, Snorkel, Paddle, Surf, Drive
   Hawaii The Big Island Trailblazer: Where to hike, snorkel, surf, bike, drive

3 comments about Rick Steves' Great Britain 2008 (Rick Steves).

1. I really like this travel guide for the parts of Great Britain it actually covers. But Rick Steve is a bit too opinionated and therefore completely omits parts of the country that aren't his favorites. For example, there is no mention of Oxford, Brighton, Dover, or Canterbury in this book. No offense, Ricky dear, but since Tolkien and Lewis lived in Oxford, I sure as heck am not going to settle for visiting Cambridge!



2. Excellent resource for anyone planning a first trip or their 10th trip to the UK. Price wise it's a steal for the wealth of information it contains. In addition to places to see, how to get there, where to stay, eating and entertainment, Rick also includes historical and cultural information to enrich your travel experience.



3. Not a bad book all round. Disappointed there is nothing much about Cornwall though. This is one of the areas we plan to focus on.

5 comments about Frommer's Italy 2008 (Frommer's Complete).

1. Frommer's has everything you need in this guide for touring italy. Would recommend just getting a guide for your specific city of travel, if you are just going to one or two places. This book pretty large for traveling, but definitely comprehensive for any research you want to do.



2. This is a great book with many details and suggestions. We always use Rick Steves' books and so I got this one as an extra. I was not disappointed by the content. Frommer has wonderful details for your trip. Like the Steves book, it describes in details all you need to know to be comfortable and have a great trip. I highly recommend it.



3. I bought Frommers Italy 2008 on a lark as I was headed for a long weekend in Pisa/Florence and couldn't find my usual Lonely Planet or Let's Go travel guides. All I can say is that it was truly a disappointment. The authors stated that the Stazione Pisa Centrale (main train station for Pisa) was, "a 10 to 15-minute walk from the Leaning Tower." My husband and I walked to the Leaning Tower from the station at a good pace (we really enjoy walking), and it took us about 30 to 40 minutes to reach the station.
   
   Secondly, the Antica Trattoria Da Bruno was one of only two recommended places to eat in Pisa. Again, the authors state that, "It served old-fashioned but market-fresh dishes of the Pisan kitchen", and, "It's one of Pisa's finest restaurants." Well after a long day spent wandering in Florence, we returned to Pisa, mouths watering in anticipation of a memorable Italian meal. What we got instead was bland, pinged-in-the-microwave pasta and straight-out-of-the-tin canellini beans! The bread was stale, pasta over-cooked and wine horrible. What the place capitalizes on, though, is over-the-top ambiance, a huge wine list, and a waiter that 'cheeses it up' for tourists. If you are ever in Pisa, please go to the Pizzeria Galilei. We ate there 3 times! The traditional home-made Tuscan specialties, gorgeous wine, tasteful decor, attentive staff made our time in Pisa heaven.
   
   Don't get me started on the hotel recommendations (there are some wonderful pensiones in Pisa, but the tacky Jolly Hotel right across from the station got a mention?!).
   
   If you want travel books you can trust, stick with Let's Go--they've never done me wrong, and I travel a lot!



4. We are still in the planning process of our trip so I can't speak for how true the information in the book is, but I can say that it is not an easy read. I bought Rick Steve's book and read the entire book in 2 weeks (including highlighting and visiting websites). So, I thought I would go ahead and get another guidebook since our trip was 4 months away, and I planned to compare notes. I've had this book 1+ month and simply can't motivate myself to read it. It is much denser.
   
   It does offer tons of information. Far more than the Rick Steve's book. The dining section is organized by area of town which I like, and I get the impression it lists every available attraction versus Rick Steve's which lists only the ones he thinks are worth visiting. I guess it depends on what you like. If you want to make the choice for yourself, this is probably better. If you are a first timer (like my husband and I), you appreciate someone kind of telling you what's better, than Rick Steve's is probably the better choice.
   
   I'm also suspicious that there is an element of paid advertising to Frommer's. When I cross reference their recommendations with online travel reviews, Frommer's recs are offen crucified by travelers. Often with the inclusion "We chose this hotel based on Frommer's recommendations..." It worries me that its users are dissatisfied, yet the hotel stays in the book. Rick Steve's has a strict policy that he asks that you contact him directly with complaints or unfair pricing so he can keep his recommendations true.
   
   Ultimately, I think this is a fine reference book with plenty of useful information. My personal preference is Rick Steve's style. My plan is to use Rick Steve's while in Italy and carry it with me, but make notes in it with info I picked out of Frommer's.



5. Not a bad travel book, fairly complete, decent detail on many of the cities within the country, but the book does lack pictures, has a few in the front of the book. That would have made the book more complete and enjoyable. As the old saying goes, "A picture is worth a thousand words."

5 comments about Blue Highways: A Journey into America.

1. "When the mystical young Black Elk went to the summit of Harney Peak to see the shape of things, he looked down on the great unifying hoop of peoples," William Least Heat-Moon writes during the Southern leg of his road trip around the United States described in "Blue Highways". "I looked down and saw fragments."
   
   Readers of "Blue Highways" see fragments, too. Fragments of land; Heat-Moon recounting details from his trek across the United States and back again, first from down south, then from up north. Fragments of prose, small chapters being the rule. Fragments of style, him alternating between Walt Whitman and Walter Cronkite in singing the land and then reporting on it. And fragments of people, those he meets and those he finds inside himself, the latter being an array of white and Indian ancestors who collectively make him something of the loyal outsider, expecting the worst in others yet quick to seek and report on their inner light.
   
   "Blue Highways" casts a sometimes sad eye on the American experience, circa 1977, when Heat-Moon made his circuit. Some reviewers here call it dour, and it is in parts, but what struck me about the book again and again was the tensile strength of people Heat-Moon came across throughout the country.
   
   "American history is parking lots," he is told. By staying off the main roads and traveling the byways, Heat-Moon tries to disprove this, and succeeds by discovering and documenting how our history lives on, in old people with surprisingly young ideas, poor people who are unreservedly generous, and a half-deranged hitchhiking evangelist who clues Heat-Moon on a vision of greater happiness through service to others.
   
   It's only natural there was a gap of five years between the time Heat-Moon made his trip and the book's 1982 publication. The depth of detail offered here, of the ecospheres of everything from a Louisiana bayou to a New Mexican desert, and the rich, individualized histories of so many towns, suggest less a human narrator than a vacuum cleaner of knowledge unless one allows for the fact Heat-Moon buttressed up his initial notes with long supplemental research. But, oh, the majesty of the end result.
   
   I really liked the glimpses Heat-Moon gives of himself, unhappily trying to shake off the end of an unstable marriage by pushing himself away from home, coming to doubt time and again the wisdom of his rash action. But, after much soul-searching and a few blind alleys, he comes to find solace in the people he meets.
   
   "Some people sit around and wait for the world to poke them," notes an old Maryland woman. "Well, you have to keep the challenges coming on. Make them up if necessary."
   
   The reader finds something, too, a realization America still can renew the human spirit, by reminding us, in the beauty of her land, the freedom of her ways, and the endurance of her people, that life while not easy offers great things in the littlest moments.
   
   The denseness of Heat-Moon's prose almost demands repeat readings, but the richness and variety of his style amply rewards them. "Blue Highways" is an American journey worth taking again and again.



2. I've read a lot of travel and "road" books over the last two years, after having completed my own "cross country" road trip one summer... So not only do I have personal experience out there on this kind of trip, but I've read pretty extensively on the subject (fiction and non-fiction). And, this book came highly recommended (???) on here and I had heard about it several places, so I REALLY wanted to like it! But unfortunately, this book does NOT measure up to all the other "road" books and travelogues. I found myself skipping/skimming VERY quickly through many, many sections (especially many of the conversations and his own brooding). I found several interesting stories, road/place descriptions, and insights - but I only made it about 1/2 through this book until I just couldn't keep going anymore. I am a person who truly appreciates the road and good writing about the road, but this is not it. I couldn't put my finger on it, but some of the stories were just plain boring and some too long-winded... and except for a few notable conversations/people, I was not interested in the people he met... This "journey into America" does not measure up to other books in this category. I have no idea if the last half of the book is better than the first, maybe it is but I doubt it after reading some other reviews. I give it two stars for some interesting insights and descriptions but don't waste your time. Find some better road books.



3. This is an excellent journal of a troubled man's attempt to try to figure out who he is by taking a solitary journey to meet real people and see real places in this country. For all the loners and independent thinkers out there this is our "magic bus".



4. If you stop to think about it, this book and those like it really aren't about anything - just a person driving around the country because his relationship wasn't going well and he didn't have anything else to do. But for those of us who love to travel, doing it in person or vicariously through the words of a good travel writer is equally enjoyable, and Moon's anecdotes and experiences - the take he has on humanity - is ample reward for accompanying him on his wanderings.



5. I bought this book over 25 years ago. I picked it up by random because the the book's cover synopsis was intriguing. This book has been one of those books that I come back to over and over again. I enthusiastically recommend this book to anyone who seeks a soul-searching adventure. You will feel like you are travelling right along with the author; experiencing his adventures and depth of self-discovery,,, first-hand.
   
   Buy this book and it will be a treasured book that you too, will come back to again, over and over throughout the years.

5 comments about Living in a Foreign Language: A Memoir of Food, Wine, and Love in Italy.

1. Reading this books is like visiting Umbria in Italy vicariously. Michael Tucker's description of the country, the food, and the wine and only increase my desire to visit Italy. However, I don't think I could indulge in the food and wine as much as he does! It's also good to see that one Hollywood couple has established a good long, loving relationship. Great read if you love Italy.



2. This is a sweet, entertaining little book I thoroughly enjoyed. If you want a light read and enjoy being exceedingly envious of another's lifestyle, this is the book for you.



3. If you are at all a sensualist, particularly with regard to food, this is a must read. There are other enjoyable aspects to the book - the relationship between Mr. Tucker and his wife, reflections on friendship and celebrity, with a nod to learning to become "unfamous".
   
   But the core of the book is an epicurean approach to life. The story serves, really, as illustration of a way of seeing food, wine and even love.
   
   Nice work. I can't wait for the next book.



4. Basically this book is a diary of Michael Tucker's time in Umbria and the things they ate while they were there. While it is midly entertaining - it's definately not the best travelogue I've ever read. Also I thought author came off as condesending which was a real turn off to read.



5. Michael Tucker is a great story teller and this story will make you want to pack your bag. As with most TV actors you feel you know Tucker and his wife Jill Eikenberry (LA Law). The story of finding and remodeling an italian farm house is every traveler's dream. Tucker's description of the house, the village, and becoming part of the community is engaging. The only problem is the story ends too soon!

4 comments about Jerusalem and the Holy Land (Eyewitness Travel Guides).

1. It's tough to pick the "best" guidebook for a particular destination, and the proliferation of free travel information on the web makes choosing "the one" even tougher. My wife and I always start with a copy of an EyeWitness guide for the destination: there are pictures on every page, and we find the images help us plan our trip: the guides are particularly good for architecture and art. The practical guides in the back cover currency, hotels and restaurants.
   
   This guide to Jerusalem is a particularly good example of the DK offerings: the images, paper, text, all are up to the high standards of other books in the series.
   
   Having written that, there is really only one page that matters in deciding whether to buy: the newer the guide the better. This book appeared first in 2000 and was my companion to Israel. It was substantially revised in 2002, and revised again in 2007. If you like the Eyewitness series and have any interest in the destination, armchair or on the ground, your decision is made.
   
   Note: DK maintains an excellent website at TravelDK , with updates on many of its guidebooks.



2. Eyewitness travel books are always the best. Great photos and diagrams. We have a huge collection.



3. As someone who has lived in Israel for almost a year, I know that every tiny thing is politicized here. So I don't really hold it against this guide that it has an obvious anti-Zionist slant. It's hesitant to mention the word Israel (note the title), but sometimes it does. It does not acknowledge that Jerusalem is in Israel, but you'd only notice that if you're paying attention. Any section that discusses the modern history of Israel is severely biased. The tone is appropriate, but the facts are presented in such a one-sided manner that relying just on this book would give you a seriously skewed perspective. There aren't many up-to-date guides to Israel, and this one is pretty good (I also like the Frommer's). So go ahead and buy this guide, but read about Israel from a couple of other sources to offset the bias. The Idiot's Guide to Middle East Conflict is an easy to digest overview, though it's biased in the other direction -- sadly, I don't think objectivity on this subject is achievable.
   
   Purely as a tour guide, this doesn't quite stand alone; it's a great supplement if you have another guide. Hotel and restaurant listings are very brief, and they aren't included on the maps.



4. This book was initially purchased in 2000 and I wanted an updated version as so much has changed in 8 yrs.
   I was disappointed as I found pretty much the same pictures and content.
   That being said I LOVE the DK books for travel ...they are terrific guide books.

5 comments about Out of Africa and Shadows on the Grass.

1. Underlying Blixen's tale of early 20th century Africa is the presumption that there was such a place; that is, a people or nation of peoples existed to which she went and from which she was forced to depart by economic circumstances. This presumption a priori allows her to reminisce about Africa the way it was or was supposed by her to have been.
   
   As she observed, Africa was, in a sense, leaving her. Peoples were being moved around, new laws restricting tribal behavior were being passed, and the Ngong Hills were being laid out as a suburb of Nairobi. She was there, she professed, before all these changes began.
   
   But was she? Was there a time and place, "Africa", or is this concept mainly her and the European view of the times? Blixen's Africa in fact was not any sort of original. Europeans had already produced vast changes: the tribes were by then being herded into reservations and European ways and goods prevailed. European reporters never reported Africa the way it was or had been. That information remained "dark."
   
   The informational darkness is not entirely their fault. An observer always alters that which he sets out to observe. It is only a presumption that his observations are an approximation of the reality the way it would be without him observing it. That presumption is least justifiable in human affairs. We will never know what the original Masai or Kikuyu were like, or the exact configuration of flora and fauna among which they dwelled, or how they reacted to their environments or each other.
   
   Similarly Blixen's little white light doesn't shine very far. We get some ethnic generalities as the vehicle of which she devises some stock identities, "the Kikuyu", "the Masai" and the like, which, on closer examination, turn out to be of European origin. Blixen manufactures masks and tries to get the Africans to wear them. Sociological and anthropological data are nearly entirely in deficit from these supposed traits. She probably is not alone in this process of inventing peoples. It accounts, perhaps, for why the Mau-mau insurrection caught the Europeans totally by surprise, as though you were to paint doodles on a sleeping man's body and he were to awake suddenly and demand angrily to know what you were doing.



2. I find most autobiographies to be masterbatory exercises in which the authors attempt to explain themselves.
   
   But in Out of Africa, Denison does no explaining, no apologizing. It is love poem to the Africa she knew, and while she does display racist views, it is as she unashamedly shows her heartbreak over a world she loved and was lost.
   
   Denison also wrote some very powerful short stories, most notably the ones in "Winter's Tales." "The Sorrow Acre," is technically one of the most masterly presented short stories I have ever read. Despite her later skills, though, Out of Africa sets itself apart as a masterpiece for its ability to elegantly show an individual's gushing sense of loss.



3. Now eclipsed by the Streep-Redford film presentation that appropriated its title, Karen Blixen's memoir of life on her Kenyan coffee farm speaks movingly of the more benign side of colonialism in Africa and of one European's self-evident love for the land she had made her own.
   
   Sadly, Blixen's lush descriptions of 'her people' are often judged too quickly by modern criteria of racial attitudes, a game that is like asking this early twentieth-century writer to wrestle with one arm tied behind her back. If it can be granted that there was anything good about Europe's colonization of Africa, then Bliksen (Isak Dinesen was her pen name) is its face.
   
   She loved the land and its people, entering about as far as was plausible in her time into the remarkable rhythm of both. What more can be asked of any of us, all children of our moment and enveloped in its limitations?
   
   This is a book for lovers of Africa, no matter whence they come. Blixen not only pushed an eloquent pen, she was herself shaped in the biblical and classical language of educated Europeans in a way that prepared her to bridge Africa and Europe in a day when few were equipped to do so.
   
   Blixen's Africa no longer exists, as she already realized within the window of her writing of OUT OF AFRICA and SHADOWS ON THE GRASS. Yet the Africa Blixen knew has children, not to be disinherited for the generations that have passed and the unsavory disease that a legacy of failed leaders has wrought upon this great continent. Though the primary fruit of reaching behind the celluloid to *read* OUT OF AFRICA is the satisfaction of the read itself, it is also true that today's Africa and today's Africans can be glimpsed in the great-grandparents who knew and lived in proximity to this enigmatic and uniquely gifted Danish colonist in a land she mistreated only by calling it hers.



4. I came to this book expecting to read one woman's personal experience of living in Africa, and that's what I found. There is no sociology here, and very little historical context. She does not illuminate THE African experience. She records HER African experience. Certainly that is all she owes the reader? One woman's experience, one woman's life in a time very different from our own.
   
   Do some of her observations shock the modern reader's sensibility? Oh certainly. There are things one simply does not SAY, and back when she wrote, she did. On the whole, her love and respect shine through when speaking of the people who entered her life as neighbors, employees and friends.
   
   Dinesen brings to life a physical landscape that most of us will never get to see. She takes passionate delight in her work, her companions, and her surroundings. Even her setbacks are embraced, as they compose part of a life she knew was slipping away from her.
   
   I was intrigued by what she didn't write. The book maintains almost complete silence about her husband, her health, and her relationship with Denys Finch Hatten. It is only in writing of his death that we understand how deep her feelings were. She writes around that love. Her discretion made my heart ache.
   
   Very highly recommended.



5. What is Pride ? Is it `Pride' to Review a Classic ?
   
   I've always loved the movie version of `Out of Africa' with Robert Redford and Meryl Streep. Whether it was the character development, or the wild life, or the Mozart throughout the film score, the symbiosis of all of the above consistently moves me & holds my attention. Then there were the excerpted portions of the book I was introduced to in Literature class. Somewhere among the multitude of reviews of this book are plenty of words to describe how I `feel' about the prose and the somewhat dis-similar treatment by the movie.
   
   But who can compete with the authors own words ?
   
   "The discovery of the dark races was to me a magnificent enlargement of all my world."
   
   From the view to promote the perspective of a tribal native, in this country or any other, I'd like to point out that Baroness Karen Blixen/ a.k.a. Isaac Denison has recorded some highly unique perspectives about the Kenya tribal peoples and their respective roles in the predator vs prey aspects of human slavery.
   
   How the Mohammedans played the role of predators in concert with Arab slave traders to capture and sell Africans to the European slave ship masters is treated with pragmatism. The proud people of the Masai game reserve were sometimes assisting the Mohammedans, but if captured and sold themselves were unlikely to survive in captivity. The 'prey' class of social strata, named Kikiyu, who were beneath the 'marriage' qualifications that would suit the upwards-mobility of the Mohammedan women were yet accounted acceptable breeding stock as wives of the Masai, noble and proud.
   
   These variations are irregular to the politically correct assumptions of our society, yet as real as they may be in middle eastern cultures, they were described in pre-World War I central Africa. What the American descendants of Mohammedan Africans might be 'sensitive' to or 'offended' by in our culture were matters of 'pride' to the Kenyans of the post Colonial era leading up to World War II. Some readers might enjoy discovering what praise Baroness Blixen had to report about her Mohammedan servant Farah, or the Holy man from India who visited her farm, or the virtues of the Mohammedan women in obtaining a husband.
   
   Our culture is perfectly content to adopt a presidential canidate for the sake of lauding his skin color, without appreciating any of the virtues of the Kenyan ancestors who brought him to American territory. But this is one author who has uniquely appraised the strengths of the Kenyan people she knew, from living with them and learning to respect and love them. Consider a bit she writes about 'pride',
   
   "...Very proud things were about, and made their presence felt...Pride is faith in the idea that God had, when he made us. A proud man is conscious of the idea, and aspires to realize it. He does not strive towards a happiness, or comfort, which may be irrelevant to God's idea of him. His success is the idea of God, successfully carried through, and he is in love with his destiny...the fulfillment of his fate."
   
   "People who have no pride are not aware of any idea of God in the making of them, and sometimes they make you doubt that there has ever been much of an idea, or else it has been lost, and who shall find it again ? They have got to accept as success what others warrant to be so, and to take their happiness, and even their own selves, at the quotation of the day. They tremble with reason, before their fate."
   
   [she distils a faith like to, but not to be confused as 'Christian' faith, thus]
   
   "Love the pride of God beyond all things, and the pride of your neighbour as your own. The pride of lions: do not shut them up in Zoos. The pride of your dogs: let them not grow fat. Love the pride of your fellow-partisans, and allow them no self-pity."
   
   "Love the pride of the conquered nations, and leave them to honour their father and their mother."
   
   `Out of Africa' is filled with beautiful descriptive prose. But someone also learned from Africa and her people, and was good enough to leave us a chronicle.

1 comments about Frommer's Ireland 2008 (Frommer's Complete).

1. I used Frommer's and Fodor's both for my recent Ireland trip. I think Frommer's had better detail about sights, for example: more accurate times when the sites were open. I usually check the book out of the library and if I really like it then I buy it. I probably used Frommer's more on my vacation.

5 comments about The Journals of Lewis and Clark (Lewis & Clark Expedition).

1. I recently took a college class about the hidden history of the West--and it was a great class, one of the best ever--but one of the books we read in there was all about the Native American perspective of the Lewis and Clark expedition and while it was interesting to hear that take on the subject, I couldn't have been more at odds with the discussion that followed, most of which had to do with the low characters of the men of the expedition, the subversive agenda behind it all, and the thought that the world would have been a better place if the entire undertaking had never taken place.
   That's because, to me, there has never been anything cooler than the Corps of Discovery, than the journey West, than Lewis and Clark and their whole ragged crew.
   Actually, I take that back: the journals they kept...those are even cooler.
   From Lewis's insightful reflections, to Clark's lyrical descriptions, to their hilariously bad attempts at spelling, to the thought of moving unknowing into America at its most pristine, these journals have it all. This is the quintessential American adventure story, an amazing account of men against the unknown. This edited collection of the journals, well-compiled by Bernard DeVoto, is one of the greatest things I have ever read, and ever since reading it, I have had an undeniable love for Lewis and Clark, and for their expedition.
   Words fail me, but they didn't fail these guys, because here is the West of 1803, vividly rendered for us all to see today. When I first read these in 1999, they convinced me to move into the wild, onto the water, and I spent seven months afterward living out of a canoe...keeping a journal of my own.
   If you haven't read these journals, do yourself a favor, and do so now: read them. DeVoto has already made it easy for you, by picking out all the most interesting parts, and by putting them in context with a well-written introduction. You need this book, and you may not even know it.



2. This work has been edited for the general reader. Many entries have been considerably shortened in the hope of gaining a wider public. For the most part only the highlights are kept, being the actual journal in its full version is so extensive. Most of the original punctuation's and spellings are kept (this gives it a feel of nostalgia). There is repetition. But this, I would think would be impossible to overcome. DeVoto has "produced a straight forward text which could be read without distraction".
   
   The introduction is lengthy; discussed are: the importance of the Louisiana Purchase; the history and purpose leading up to the exploration; earlier expeditions, such as Thompsons' and Mckenzies'; and Lewis' and Clark's background. This was said of these two great men: "The two agreed and worked together with a mutuality unknown elsewhere in the history of exploration and rare in any kind of human association", and "Ingenuity and resourcefulness [by Lewis and Clark] in the field are so continuous that a casual reader may not notice them".
   
   Each chapter is identified by the author whose journal it is taken from, such as Lewis, Clark, Biddle, Orduray, and others. The journal writings have been left as original, giving it that early America mystique. On the 14th of May, 1804, 32 men embark in search of a trade route from the Atlantic to the Pacific:
   
   Dangers lurk around every curve. Indian, grizzly, and immense animal herd encounters are prevalent throughout the journey. To think of the rich bounty contained in the wilderness of the past is beyond comprehension. With leadership that is both strong and wise, Lewis and Clark take this large party of men on a blind epic journey. And on looking back, it was relatively safe. The treatment of the Natives is to be commended, even though many tribes were untrustworthy and warring to other Nations. Trade with the Indians was essential if they were to survive. Also recorded were observations and behaviors of the different tribes. A few of these tribes possessed a huge wealth in horses. Lewis and Clark's party purchased these horses both for traveling overland (which I was never aware) and for food. They did not seem to be displeased with eating horse-meat, dog or roots, which they bought and traded for. The days spent on the Pacific coast were to be the most miserable. The medical remedies used were almost comical; some that were proved beneficial have since been lost through time. The journey ends over 28 months later on the 25th of September, 1806.
   
   I don't know if we can understand completely, how important this expedition was for our country. The undertaking involved in putting this book together from the hundreds of pages of numerous journals is truly amazing. And finally: Appendix I contains Jefferson's instructions; Appendix II is the personnel (32+); and appendix III is the list of specimens brought back.
   
   Wish you well
   Scott



3. I would use one word to characterize this work: Timeless. To relive the great expedition through the words of Lewis and Clark themselves is a fantastic experience. I think that most people who enjoy American history will love this book. People who are not inclined to read or enjoy historical non-fiction might find it tedious (such as students forced to do so for class assignments), as it is long and detailed.
   
   I previously read Ambrose's "Undaunted Courage" (which itself is excellent), which contains many passages from these journals, but the journals themselves are unsurpassed.



4. I read books in a wide variety of topics. I decided to read about Lewis and Clark because I felt I just did not know enough about it and I felt that I should. When I received the book, I opened it and was fearful that I made a mistake because it was made up of journal entries, day by day in Lewis and Clark's own words. I started reading and I found myself immmediately engrossed in the story. I mean immediately. You can read the letter from Jefferson containing the instructions and mission of the expedition- just fascinating. Then you get the story of the expedition, day by day, straight from the horses' mouth. I could not put this book down. I could not stop talking about it. I used Google Earth (so cool!!!) to follow the Missouri River into the Rockies, across the mountains, finally to the Columbia to the Pacific and then back. Canoeing up rivers, down rivers, fighting bears, trading and smoking with indians, fighting with some indians, at times overheated, at times freezing. Surving on the land with strategy and forethought. I learn an incredible amount of information about that time in our country's history. I was blown away. And the greatest part, I had to keep reminding myself of, is that it was absent all of the politically corrected revisionism we read today. This story is straight from them. They are sitting down at night and recording what they experienced in 1804 (05-06). Those notes are delivered to you via an author Bernard Devoto who uses only the most relevant parts of the journals (leaves out the volumes of strict scientific research data). Then, when he has to make the occasion insertion of a letter or two to make sure a misspelled word is not misinterpreted, he gives very clear instruction on how he has denoted the change. He also, upon occasion will give a summary of events, or a note of interest.
   The end result is a splendid story, rich in historical information, written by the men who lived it, about one of the most important events in our country's history. I leave you with this excerpt, logged Sunday August 18th, 1805 by a man who is in the middle of the American West, where no white man has tread before, trading and smoking with Indians, shooting bear and deer to survive, canoeing upriver for 2000 miles;
   "This day I completed my thirty first year, and conceived that I had in all human probability now existed about half the period which I am to remain in this subluminary world. I reflected that I had as yet done but little, very little indeed, to further the happiness of the human race or to advance the information of the succeeding generation. I viewed with regret the many hours I have spent in indolence..."



5. I am not an accomplished reader so it has to really hold my attention to finish a book. This book is written exactly from L&C's journals. Lots of mispelled words and some confusion. Sometimes hard to follow. Sometimes the minute details are a bit much. They don't really expound on things. I guess what they go through on a day to day basis is somewhat mundane at times. Overall a decent read IMO...I wouldn't get it again if I knew what I know now. Oh well. Enjoy!