5 comments about This House of Sky: Landscapes of a Western Mind.

1. This was my first Ivan Doig book, and I loved it! As a result, I've read most of the rest of what Doig has written and thoroughly enjoy reading about (and remembering) the areas of Montana where I used to live.



2. This is my all time favorite book. Period. Beautifully written, thought-provoking. It will make you want to move to Montana. It will make you love open sky and a horizon that goes on forever and the importance of family.



3. This book was one of the few memoirs I have read when in the end I placed the book down and sighed "wow." What a wonderful story. The author rolled experiences together in western Montana with his dad and grandmother and turned it into a lovestory for fathers and grandmothers, for people of Montana, and all that using very little dialogue. (That gave the book a sense of truthfulness, as who can recite full conversations that took place years ago?)
   
   The constant struggle with man against nature, man against man and man against himself come alive in these pages. Despite many obstacles of every kind, his father never abandoned him and sacrificed what he had to to raise his son and to give him what he needed. Montana and its bittersweet closeness never leave the reader; its isolation and wide open sky are always in the background. Thus the title is so perfect for this beautiful memoir.
   
   This was my first Doig book and I will definitely read more of him. I definitely consider this book one of the top ten in American 20th century writing.



4. Of the three best books I've read in 2007, this probably ranks number two. It took me a little while to get into it, but the wait was well worth it. Ivan Doig is a magnificent writer and his talents are well displayed in this book. The other two books were The Good Old Boys, by Elmer Kelton, and The Missouri Riders, by George Banks.



5. This magnificent book is a must read for anyone who cares about humanity; who loves people and wants to ride with them. It is more than that. It is the feel of Montana, of the West, of the people who built this country and the hard, blistering work they did. Don't miss this book. You'll love it and hate when you must put it down.

5 comments about Running in the Family.

1. This book was just so enjoyable and hilarious but yet so beautifully written. From the beginning till the end Ondaatje opens up to the reader (in a journal entry) this magical and beautiful world. Onddatje's adroitness to include the reader right there in the conversations he has with various family member will bring you to tears. His captivating sytle takes the reader back in time with him trhough such tear jerking and amusing experiences.

   This memoir will give you a deatiled verbalization of each city and place in Ceylon, so that the reader has a clear picture of what it was like to actually be there. His simple structure of setting things up, will make you feel the temperature and jungle like atmosphere by his entailed descriptions.

   Ondaatje reminds me of Stein in certain passages because of how he holds nothing back from the reader. It's as though he's sitting down and talking to you while showing photographs and stories of his exuberant and loud family.




2. Considering that this is in fact an autobiograpy, one can not judge it's contents. After all, you can not judge ones life, either you like it or not in a sense of discussing literature. But, what you can discuss is the manner in which that biography is written. Ondaatje present's life of his family trough generations who lived on Ceilon (Shri Lanka), in a series of random images, which are more like picture, than prose. Many times he stops to grasp certain individual and present his little history, his life, which than influenced the rest of the family in some perverse way. When reading this book, experienced reader will find such compositions that corresponds in that what crtics call 'modern', others will find interesting and compelling story, which never grows in boredom, with fluent narrative style that keeps ones eyes fixed on pages long after the lights went out.
   Comparing the Ondaatje with other authors of the modern world,
   Ondaatje lacks the one thing that he "must" have when presenting himself in a way he does. By focusing himself merely on a problems of his own, of a personal character in every (which, of course, includes this one)book, he voluntarily forgets that there is other life, other world going around him. When tending to write intelectual prose, one should, at least in one way, give some focus on that matter too.
   But, when all this comes to conclusion, if you like (auto)biograhies - buy this one, if you don't, skip it. It's simple as that...



3. fans of michael ondaatje's poetry will no doubt like this book; however, do to the hit and miss nature of each chapter, i doubt that this book would win him many new fans. an impressionistic collage of place & family members, this book is closer to the ethic of poetry, forsaking narrative structure for short pieces that jump here and there to paint a family in an exotic place and time. plenty of good prose, but lots of the pieces are too random and are just not interesting. worthwhile, but not highly recommended.



4. I read this book for a Canadian fiction class and really liked it. The language was so interesting and different from anything I had read before. It is a wonderful story about a wacky family. There are good times, bad times, funny stories, tragic stories, and just plain wacky events. It really makes you want to take a look into your own family and find out all of the "juicy" details. I really liked the book and I would recommend it to anyone looking for an interesting story.



5. Ondaatje seems to be trying too hard. The language is overly flowery and the plot is often lost beneath the mound of words. It does have a few good moments, some funny, some touching. But in general, I spent most of this book irritated by the grandois manner of the author, as if by writing in a vague and pretty-fied manner, his words will sound important and deep.
   Maybe it's just me, but I find that vague does NOT equal meaningful.

4 comments about AMC White Mountain Guide, 28th: Hiking trails in the White Mountain National Forest (Appalachian Mountain Club White Mountain Guide).

1. Just what I was looking for, a guide with all kind of details about the routes of the beautiful white mountains. This is a very complete guide and it is well complemented with the maps that come with it. Some visuals could be a good add to the book but the excellent descriptions are enough and clear.
   
   Good buy for those seeking adventure at the whites.



2. This is the first edition of the WMG that I have owned, but owners of previous editions have pointed out that the maps in this edition are superior to theirs because the new maps include mileage on every single trail in the White Mountains. It is too bad that they are paper and not Tyvek or some other waterproof material, because they are already falling apart. If you are an avid hiker in the Whites, I suggest getting the Tyvek ones sold seperately.
   
   The guidebook itself is exhaustive and lists every detail of every trail, which is useful if you already have a route picked out but not if you are trying to find a good hike and aren't sure where to go. For that, I recommend Michael Lanza's New England Hiking or New Hampshire Hiking from Foghorn Outdoors.
   
   This 100th anniversary edition of WMG comes in a box that came unglued fairly quickly and then again after I reglued it. I would get rid of the box altogether except that the book doesn't have a pocket in the back for the maps like other AMC guidebooks do and I don't want to lose them. I hope that future editions of this guide will do away with the box and go back to the pocket.
   
   If you do not have your own copy of WMG and are looking to purchase one, this is definitely the product to buy. If, however, you already have an older edition of this book, I would suggest buying the Tyvek maps seperately and wait for a few more editions to be published before replacing your book.



3. This is a great set of maps and trail descriptions, though its not much for planning or suggesting anything in the white mountains. The trail maps are very well detailed, complete, and having the mileage on them directly is a nice addition. The book is a hard to use for planning, though it works for simply looking up a particular hike and reading some about the difficulty and anything you need to know to not get lost.



4. "THe White Mountain Guide" is the Appalachian Mountain Club's 28th and Centennial edition of its popular and indispensible hiking guide to New England's top outdoor recreational area. The guide itself, once past a few introductory chapters on safety and geography, has descriptions of each of the established trails in the region. Each description tells how to get to the appropriate trailhead, a narrative of the trail itself, and a breakdown by distance and elevation change of the major segments of the trail. These trail descriptions, updated for each edition of the guide, are invaluable in planning anything from a day hike to a multi-day trip in the beautiful White Mountains.
   
   The guide comes in a small cardboard box with three double-sided color maps that provide coverage of all the trail routes. The maps are detailed, easy to read, and at a usable scale for the White Mountains. Inexplicably, the maps included with the guide are paper and unlikely to stand up to repeated field use in the conditions often found in New Hampshire. Dedicated hikers are recommended to invest in the waterproof and tear-resistant versions of these maps, also published by the Appalachian Mountain Club.
   
   This guide is very highly recommended to hikers and walkers planning an outing in the White Mountains of New Hampshire.

5 comments about Eyewitness Top 10 Travel Guide to Venice (Eyewitness Travel Top 10).

1. My wife and I love the Top 10 series. We always buy a Frommers or Rick Steves book for the trip's planning, but the Top 10 is a must for the trip itself. It'll fit in a pocket (a long one), and will provide quick and easy references to the most important sights, as well as maps and public transportation routes.



2. My girlfriend, a world traveller for 20 years, borrowed this guide from a friend before going to Venice. It was so helpful and easy to carry around, and made her trip so full and enjoyable, that she bought her own copy and plans to rely on this series of travel guides in the future.



3. the top 10 guides are the greatest books for traveling. they give the top 10 of everything you would like to know-sights, resturants, hotels. we traveled through europe and book several different types of books and the top 10 were our favorites!



4. This book is ideal in many ways. Read it before you travel - it reviews all of the highlights that you'll want to see while in Venice. It also explains and diagrams the public transportation system, a useful thing to know in advance of your arrival.
   This book is a great size to take along while touring the Venice area. I referred to it often because navigating Venice can be a lot like trying to find your way around a labyrinth!
   A nice feature of this book is that it cross-references topics in a variety of ways. If you want to see sights in a certain geographic area, you can look things up that way. However, if you have a special interest, like churches, art galleries, or whatever, the book is organized so that you can easily look up your specific interest and locate the sights you want to see throughout Venice. The book lists the entrance fees to the major attractions, as well as the days and times when they open and close.
   Another nice feature of this book is the variety of historical information it contains on all manner of things Venetian - from gondolas to glass blowing. My husband and I used this book on our first trip to Venice and truly found it invaluable. I highly recommend it.



5. This is a very thorough guide for when you have only a day or two to visit. It actually has way more in it than we could possibly see or do.
   Giving the top ten things to see is great for your first visit. It is also great for probably your second or third.
   
   Very helpful, lots of pictures and maps.

5 comments about Frommer's 500 Places to Take Your Kids Before They Grow Up (500 Places).

1. This is a really neat book for families that like to travel. Some of the 500 places are a big unrealistic... the Pyramids in Egypt .... the Sydney Opera house... fabulous places, I'm sure, but not on the list of places for our family to visit in the near future. There were actually some places suggested in our own state that we had never heard of. Makes a great Father's Day or Mother's Day gift.



2. While I certainly appreciate how much research went into this book, there are so many places that are really not for kids...but older kids. Many of these places I am just now ready to see..and I'm a grandma.
   I was just going on a trip with 3 of my grandkids but couldn't use any of this for this trip. We were going on the east coast and many of the places mentioned in this book were either out west or in other parts of the world.
   I could think of many places that would be more fun for children than the ones mentioned here.



3. I put off the purchase of the book based on the other reviews. I purchased a fodors family travel book instead. I hated that book so I decided to go back with my gut instinct and purchased this one. I gave it five stars because I thought the other reviews were harsh and unjust. I don't feel the sections need to be in any particular order. Start at page one and read. Mark or just take note of the destinations that interest you. I don't think the destinations are unrealistic. If disney or a caribbean cruise is your idea of the ultimate family vacation then this is not the book for you. I don't say this offend anyone it is just that you may need to consider a different book for your needs. I do plan to take my kids to Asia, Africa, South America and so forth. You need not be wealthy to do so.



4. I saw this book at AAA for over three times the price I paid. Great price, service and book!



5. We love to travel. We travelled alot before having our babies. We would like to continue travelling. I thought this book would be interesting. It is! It definately gives you some good ideas on where to take the kids. I would definately recommend this book to anyone with kids.

3 comments about New Concise World Atlas.

1. I bought this atlas because I wanted one as up-to-date as possible (in light of political boundaries and such), and wanted something to accompany a globe I have. There is a lot of useful information at the front of the atlas, so it's not just a book of maps. I use it for reference while taking classes for my masters (logistics and transportation) degree, and my stepson uses it for some of his high-school classes, as well. I think it's an atlas worth sharing with the family to learn geography.



2. This book is more than great. The color of it is very vibrant and the book is a great size. My dad was very pleased to have opened it on Christmas. It was well worth the money for sure!



3. I needed a really good World Atlas and I found it with this one. I use it all the time. It has a lot of really good information at the front of the atlas that has been most helpful when I am doing research. Use this atlas along with Google Earth and you don't need anything else.

5 comments about Tales of a Female Nomad: Living at Large in the World.

1. "Rita introduces the normal housewife and career woman to the nomadic lifestyle. Her choice to leave a lavish world of Hollywood parties and famous friends for a backpack, muddy flipflops and no how-to map for foreign travel was to say the least, CRAZY. But it works. It is encouraging, exciting, uplifting and inspiring. Couchsurfers of the world will embrace this novel. "



2. Interesting places and I really wanted to like this book. I love inspirational books about adventerous, unconventional females! But the author was so self-absorbed that I had to force myself to finish it, and I did so with increased annoyance and anger.
   
   Everything revolved around her and what she can take from people. Everywhere she went, she expected freebies, special treatment, and go-to-the-head-of-the class opportunities. And she always got them by men who rescued her and solved all her problems, offering her food, shelter, transportation, companionship, most of the time while insisting she go out with them to boot. One even said "maybe wife die and we marry"!! When she was not able to get onto a flight that had a very long waiting list, she said she was just trying to figure out "how to get around the system" (WHY does she feel special enough to feel she can get around the system???), when lo and behold - of course a man miraculously appeared and solved all her problems - even ahead of missionaries who were there to help hungry people.
   
   The author, who seemed to be in a full-blown mid-life crisis, seemed to create this new life and title (Nomad) for herself to flag a sagging ego and career. However it somehow seems wrong to go to these countries with only an agenda of her own. Her other foot is firmly planted in her independently wealthy safety zone with no real desire to offer any long-term assistance to these people she took so freely from. It would have seemed way more valid if she had been a Peace Corps volunteer, but then I suppose it would not have appealed to her had she been one of a group of many, and to not be able to be such a novelty and queen bee. It also would have been nice to hear that she chose to direct some of her royalties from her experiences to these countries as well, especially the starving children she speaks of but does nothing to help except offer English lessons.
   
   And what is with leaving her mother and kids? I feel that there is a time and a place for everything and when we have responsibilities on the home front, those must come first before our own whims. Her kids were only around 20 and certainly still needed some normalcy; and the treatment of her sickly mother is appalling!! OK so she hired a woman to live in and take care of her - and that woman had family and they all became one big happy multicultural multigenerational family..I'm sure the mother was just "thrilled" with that while battling sickness and old age. And one of the most egotisical things of all was when the author claimed that the mother actually timed her death to the author's advantage.
   
   When she moves to Canada and Seattle, again she places herself as the recipient of everyone's charity as all of her MANY friends (she painstakingly lists them all MANY times) scramble to furnish her living quarters since she only had a bag of clothes and she wanted to do LOTS and LOTS of entertaining with her many, many friends.
   
   This is a woman who likes to hold court, be the center of attention, and I suspect that is the motivation for all of her "nomadic" activities in a "Wow! Look at me!" kind of way. And that continual bragging makes for some pretty boring reading.



3. It is very likely that I will not be a world traveler till I am much older since I have two little ones still at home. But that doesn't mean that I cannot enjoy another's travel stories. This one is full of stories, but it is lacking in some respect. I was expecting a little bit more information on the cultures of the people that the author has talked with and perhaps a little bit more on the politics of the countries she has traveled.
   
   Rita Golden Gelman finds herself at a crossroads in her life where her marriage fell apart and her children have left the nest. She takes a trip to Mexico to figure out what she wanted to do with the rest of her life. She decided to be a world traveler and visit the places she has always wanted to see. She did not want to travel the normal touristy routes, so she chose to see the back regions of countries that she has only heard of or read of. Her first place was in a Zapotec village and thus the wanderlust was developed.
   
   The places that she visited seem to be so remote and so far away. It was so much fun to read about different places that I'd love to go someday. However, I am questioning one thing. If some of the places that she has revisited have taken a downturn in economic woes, why didn't she bring back food that might actually help the people that she claims to love? I understand that people give gifts better than accepting, but still, couldn't she have found a way to distribute powdered milk for kids who need it? It's just a thought.
   
   Also, I am not sure if I think she is blessed to have so many friends where she can borrow their houses temporarily or if she is a moocher. Maybe she is the combination of both. Another thing that does disturb me in this book is her lack of responsibility in taking care of her mother in her last days. There are quite a few things in this book that makes me question her decisions, but it is her life.
   
   This is an armchair travel book and while I didn't agree with everything in this book, it is well-written and the travels are fascinating, even if she is a bit self-absorbed. (I have yet to read a memoir where the author isn't self-absorbed, other than "Glass Castles by Jeannette Walls and "The Three Dog Life by Abigail Thomas.) The author has whetted my appetite to see New Zealand and learn more about that country, more than any other country that she has mentioned in her book. The descriptions of food are beyond belief. I am not a fan of Thai food but sure wish I could eat some right now based on her descriptions. And she does provide some interesting insights to different people of different cultures, even though she admits at the end that she's always weaving something and loving it at the same time.
   
   So if you like to travel, this book is great for you. You won't be able to put this one down.
   
   6/22/08



4. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Not only is the author's unique path in life inspiring, but the experiences described are a much more intimate look at people from other cultures than what you typically find.
   
   Gelman forms relationships with the people she meets - mainly because she lives among them and isn't traveling as a tourist.
   
   Even if you don't end this book wanting to buy a backpack and a one-way ticket to anywhere, this book will remind you that people are the same everywhere, just the clothes, customs, and food are different.
   
   I had to edit my review after reading some of the surprising comments about Gelman's ego/arrogance, America-centric viewpoint, etc. The jaundiced tone of these reviews doesn't gel with my impression of the book - or of the author.
   
   I was fortunate to meet Rita recently and found her very down-to-earth. A group of us had a delightful lunch, talking, asking, listening. As for the criticism that the book is very America-centric in its assumptions about the rest of the world, I don't see it. Gelman is very respectful of other cultures, exactly what most Americans abroad are not.
   
   And my favorite section of the book was Bali...the section of the book that seems to have received the most negative comments. I was completely drawn in to the story of those years.



5. Other reviewers have summarized the book's premises, so I'll just add my perspective.
   
   I was blown away by Rita's ability to handle herself in all sorts of situations. Living with someone else's family is tough under the best of conditions. Rita lives in rooms, shacks and houses. I'm trying not to think about the bathrooms. She eats whatever she's served.
   
   Rita doesn't spare herself when she describes her mistakes and missteps as she makes her way from one place to the next. She doesn't just present a travelogue: she shares her own identity questions, especially in the chapter on Israel.
   
   What I got from this book is: You have to be a very special kind of person to go on this type of journey. Rita seems to have a low need for solitude and privacy.
   
   Eat dinner alone? No way. She looks for people. I felt a little embarrassed when I read about her first efforts to connect with others.
   
   Finding herself alone in Seattle, she heads to REI for shopping. Shopping? Seattle is filled with bookstores, libraries, museums and just beautiful places to walk. But I can see wanting to take part in the quintessential American shopping experience.
   And REI is a landmark.
   
   Bottom line: Rita is one of the most other-oriented people we'll meet in a book. She loves being with people and she has a gift for getting others to help her. I don't think she's manipulative - just naturally friendly and authentic. Life coaches would say she's a natural attractor.
   
   That's the kind of person you need to be if you're going to explore other cultures from the inside out. I read somewhere that he best Peace Corps volunteers are those who can enjoy the present moment.
   
   Besides a gift for people, Rita's got two amazing kids. She says they missed having her around while she was adventuring, especially in the early years. I say, "Too bad!" Who wouldn't want a mom like this one? What a role model and sometime travel partner.

5 comments about PassPorter's Disney Cruise Line and Its Ports of Call 2008.

1. This is a great book! It really covers all aspects of the cruise line. A definte must for first time cruisers and great for returning crusiers too. Even if you are one of those people who has done lots of homework in your planning, this book has a lot of additional info to offer. The perfect book to bring with you and refer back to on your trip.



2. Great book. I received just prior to our cruise and it was still very helpful. Easy to read and lots of great hints and tips. Make sure you pack it.



3. I read this book almost front to back in a week and was amazed at how much information and tips they really give you. For the price it is a must have for first time disney cruisers like me! The book is easy to read and I would also recommend going on their website that has even more information.



4. I was given the 2006 copy of Passporter Disney Cruise before we took our first cruise ever. I was SO overwhelmed with "how" to do a cruise. Eating, what's included, room information, activities...there was so much I didn't know!
   
   Passporter answered EVERY single question I had, plus so many things I hadn't thought about. When we booked the Disney cruise, I was very nervous and had few answers for my husband. After reading Passporter, I felt like I was completely prepared for the entire cruise & the process.
   
   We didn't do any excursions, but the excursion descriptions were very, very helpful and well worth reading if you're considering any.
   
   I appreciated the opinions sprinkled throughou the book. Reading it felt like you were talking with a friend, asking questions about their vacation, & getting some honest answers without the snooty air that some travel tooks tend to convey.
   
   We avoided crusing for many, many years because I was afraid of what was involved. After reading this book, however, I was completely at ease.
   
   If you are a new cruiser, or a seasoned one, I would highly recommend reading this book. I'm ordering a 2008 version today for our upcoming cruise!!



5. This is a must-have for a first-time Disney Cruiser. I had never been and didn't want to feel surprised at every turn. This gave great specifics about the kid's program and even sample dining options at each restaurant. I know having this book saved me tons of money and lots of leg work. You definitely must leave room in your suitcase to carry it along. I referred to it nearly every day. There were a few updates that didn't make it in the book,(i.e. additional show times) so it's still important to ask questions of the Cruise Line. It sure answered most of my questions. Excellent! Easy to read for a first time cruiser, and a great memento that I enjoyed thumbing through after my trip was over.

5 comments about A Walk Across America.

1. When I was 21, I didn't have the nerve to just pick up and drive across America like some friends from college did. I wish I did. So now, even as a mom and a wife, my husband and I plan trips across the country to see what it is like and what we can share with our boys.
   
   I picked this book up at my church library and it's a wonderful book ~~ so what if the grammar and writing style are awkward? It's wonderful. I am literally jealous because he experienced some things that I wish I did. He got on the road and traveled to see America with his very best friend, Cooper. Did I mention that Cooper is his dog? (As a dog owner, I totally relate to Jenkins' view that Cooper is his best friend.) So Jenkins decided to figure out if America is really a beautiful country ~~ disillusioned with the Vietnam War, politics, the "American Way" and with people. He decided that the only way he can ever know what he thinks or believes in is to hike across America. Apparently, this is the first book of that journey where he walks with Cooper, whom he lost due to an accident in Tennessee on The Farm. But all ends well in New Orleans.
   
   Along the way, he meets a lonely mountain man and learned about the life on the mountains. He meets strangers who aren't friendly. He meets strangers that knew about him by word of mouth. He meets Governor Wallace in Alabama. He gets adopted by a family in the Carolinas, where he stopped for several months to work and earn money. He almost gets killed by a drunken posse who decided that he was alright after all ~~ without laying a finger on him. The man came back the next day and apologized for scaring him. He gets kicked out of a small community because he was a "hippie" with a beard and long hair. He communes on The Farm where everyone worked together and raised vegetables/fruits, children together. He traveled long and hard before reaching the Gulf. And his stories are just fascinating.
   
   If you like travel stories, this is definitely a good one to pick up. If you want to hear about a man's viewpoint about different parts of the country ~~ this is a good choice. It's clean, refreshing and stark. It's not the best writing in the world, but he was 22 when he did that and he wasn't trained to be a writer. But he did something that a lot of people wish that they could do (including me).
   
   8-31-07



2. I read Jenkins' book 20+ ears ago. I also had the chance to meet him. I can, honestly say that this book changed my life. He made me so curious about places I'd never seen that my native Ohio seemed pretty small. I worked toward an international career and ended up living in Europe for six years and traveling all over Asia. This is a pretty wonderful world with a lot of wonderful people. Thanks to this book, I got off my butt and went out to see it for myself. Thanks Peter!



3. To me, Peter Jenkins comes across as a very selfish, self-centered person. At the beginning, he abandoned his young wife for no apparent reason (he does not really explain what happened except by saying things got unbearable between them), in the end, he dragged another girl to walk across the country with him, even though he realized that this would totally disrupt her career. Even his treatment of his dog shows that he is obsessed with himself -- he thought his dog could think like a human (actually, like him) and he used plural to describe what he and his dog think (we remembered, we liked or did not like this place, etc.), which is completely ridiculous, mildly irritating and totally laughable. I guess that what long, lonely walks do to people, and if you get stranded on an island, you may also talk to a volleyball.
   
   Even though he tried to distance himself from the hippies, he really is just another hippie who cares only about himself and his "spiritual journey" rather than the people who care about him. How his whole walk started is still not very clear to me, he said it was because he hated his country and wanted to see it for himself, but from the book I did not get a strong impression of this. Instead, I got the impression that it was just another excuse for him to walk away from responsibility.
   
   But, I guess we shouldn't be too harsh on the author. Despite the somewhat juvenile writing style, irksome overuse of exclamation marks, the absurdity of using plural to describe himself and his dog, the trite story of how he found god in some southern evangelical congregations, and the adolescent and melodramatic love affair at the end, walking and working his way from upper state New York to New Orleans is no small feat, neither is writing a book about it. Overall, it was an easy, mostly enjoyable (though occasionally irritating) read.
   
   The parts about the mountain hermit and when he lived with a black family are the highlights of the book. I also think the author did an adequate, if not excellent, job of recording the conversations of people with different background and origins. The part about "The Farm" (a place where a group of hippie cult people lived) is kind of confusing. Why did he go back and in the process got his dog killed? Why didn't he just walk away?
   
   I also found some of his self-confessed "preconceptions" about southerners are so stereotypical that they do not appear very believable anymore; they sound more like what he made up afterwards to build a contrast between his preconceptions and reality in order to tell the story ("I thought they were just undereducated rednecks, but wait, they are actually nice folks"). More importantly, The religious undertone almost got out of hand at the end and was in danger of ruining the book. Had it happened earlier in the book, it must have made it intolerable. Fortunately that was not the case.
   
   I wavered between giving it a 3 or 4 stars (truthfully I would give it a 3.5 stars), but considering he walked the walk and wrote the book, both are no small feats, I will give it 4 stars.



4. The author doesn't walk across America. He starts his journey in NY and ends up in Louisiana.
   
   I expected more camping-type outdoorsy adventures and hikes through mountains and valleys (as the title and the book's front cover suggests). Instead I got a four-month stay in a crowded house trailer owned by a black southern family, and his extended stay at the commune with the hippies. The author's brief visit with the mountain man was interesting.
   
   The book leans heavily on other people, their activities and events. Little emotional insight is ever revealed about the author. The man and his dog are seldom alone, beating the path on foot or fending for themselves. The book reads like a teenager's "What I Did on My Summer Vacation" school report.
   
   Younger people might like this book. Older adults may find it boring and lacking in luster and adventure.



5. If you are one of those people who sees everyone by location, race, politics or economic status, this travel through America will let you see the great people of this country as they really are: Americans.

5 comments about Rick Steves' Scandinavia (Rick Steves).

1. This book was very helpful in putting together basic itineraries for the Scandinavian countries. However the Lonely Planet book was more complete, and the maps are FAR superior. I actually needed both of them to "guide me" through this area. Sometimes, the Steves' guide provided me information that I could not find in the Lonely Planet guide and vice versa.



2. While I usually love Rick Steves' books, won't leave home without one, and take nothing else, this book was a disappointment. The directions were very poor so we got lost even on his orientation walks (not generally a time you need a real city map). The accomodations listings were wanting. Though it said you could assume breakfast was included and credit cards were accepted unless otherwise mentioned, this never worked. We found no breakfasts at places that he didn't specifically describe them, and the places in Denmark he listed as taking credit cards only accepted Danish cc's. We found better meals for better prices than he recommended with very minimal effort. Scandanavia is so expensive that saving money (the primary RS claim) is critical, but not easy following this book's suggestions. This guide was so far below the normal RS standard, we were left wondering if RS actually had anything to do with it or if he has bitten off more than he can chew during his success and passed it off to less consciencous minions. The book was helpful on narrowing down what to see, so I would recommend checking it out; just don't rely on it exclusively.



3. I just returned from a two-week adventure in Scandinavia, where I hung out in Oslo, Copenhagen, and Stockholm. I had a great time seeing the places where my predecessors came from, and I can attribute much of my trip's success to the "Rick Steves' Scandinavia 2005" guidebook. Mr. Steves has created an excellent and portable all-in-one travel resource for this region. It's well organized, and compact enough to fit in a jacket pocket for consultation on the fly. But most importantly, his hotel, transportation, and attraction recommendations fit my traveling desires and saved me time and money.
   
   For example, finding a decent place to stay in a strange country can be daunting, but Mr. Steves' picks came through every time. His three-tiered rating system based on pricing helped me zero in on optimal accommodations: high (fancier hotels), moderate (nice, but no frills), and low priced (hostels and private homes). I stuck to the moderate level, and the book led me to a good night's sleep in each city. The City Hotel and Rainbow Hotel Astoria in Oslo, Hotel Jorgensen in Copenhagen, and Queen's Hotel in Stockholm were all great for a thirtysomething solo traveler on a budget. They had helpful staff, good breakfasts included with the room, and locations close to transportation centers and attractions.
   
   Getting around Scandinavia was made easier by the hints in "Scandinavia 2005." Taking the night cruise from Oslo to Copenhagen got me on a cruise ship for the first time, and watching the shore slip by while enjoying a nice wine and cigar was sweet. I also took Mr. Steves' advice and reserved a couchette on a night train from Copenhagen to Stockholm (a bit crowded with five other people in the cabin, but efficient nontheless). Both methods enabled me to combine travel with sleep to maximize time and kroner savings. And his admonition to rely on walking and bicycling to intimately experience the cities was smart, especially since I lost seven pounds while seeing the sights!
   
   Finally, Mr. Steves' ratings on things to see and do helped me dive into my Nordic roots. He uses a zero to three triangle rating system (three triangles = don't miss; two triangles = try hard to see; one triangle = worthwhile if you can make it; no triangle = worth knowing about). Based on his recommendations, I experienced cool sights like the Viking Ship Museum in Oslo, Christiania in Copenhagen, and the Vasa Museum in Stockholm. Simple hand-drawn maps helped me navigate the cities and easily find these attractions (along with the accommodations listed above). And the additional information he provided enabled me to prioritize my sightseeing based on distance, operating hours, and price.
   
   Of course, no guidebook is perfect because the information is static and recommendations are based on opinion. Admission prices rise, museums change their exhibits, and a "don't miss" attraction ends up being a bust (like the three-triangle Nordic Museum in Stockholm, mainly because Swedish fabrics and dinner settings aren't my thing). But having the "Rick Steves' Scandinavia 2005" guidebook really helped me to achieve an outstanding travel experience I'll never forget. For that, he gets my highest endorsement.



4. No information on Sweden except Stockholm and Sweden's south. Hardly any information on North Norway. Not for those travelling by car. Out of 2 Restaurant recommendations we tried to follow in Bergen this August, one restaurant had shut down, and another had incorrect hours specified. Most hotels listed for Tallinn are horribly overpriced. Overall, a real disappointment.



5. As always, Rick Steves has a lot of valuable and informative information about the subject. In this case he provides a great deal of useful and timely data for anyone planning a trip to Scandanavia. The guide also is a valuable travel tool to have and use while visiting Scandanavia. Specific information about accomodations , dining and sightseeing are always 'right on the money'. Thanks, Rick!