4 comments about Zagat 2008 New York City Restaurants (Zagatsurvey).

1. The Zagat is indispensible when it comes to reviewing restaurants. When I plan a dinner or lunch I always consult my little red book. It is exceptional and even has the restaurants subdivided into various catagories e.g. prix fix, neighborhoods, most popular, etc. An essential must have for anyone dining in NYC!



2. Where would we be without Zagat? I don't always agree with their reviews, but it's somewhere to start. After you read the review you can always check out the web site. If anything the reviews are more critical than they need to be. I have never been disappointed.



3. This book is awesome!! If you like to go out to eat and try new things this is the book to help guide you. I get one every year and use it all the time. I recommend this book to anyone who goes out to eat in NYC!



4. i have been to new york city several times and always consult my zagat guide. it has never let me down! i would not dream of not going without it!

5 comments about Oracle Bones: A Journey Through Time in China (P.S.).

1. Honestly, good for people with experience in China or not, but I think it resonated with me in particular because I have experienced much of what he describes. It also provides interesting background and history on the language and politics. His mastery is the ability to observe and conceptualize his environment without passing judgment. This is one of the major difference between Oracle Bones and China Road by Rob Gifford (China Road: A Journey into the Future of a Rising Power). Oracle Bones is also much deeper.



2. Throughout the 90s I traveled to China a lot, as part of several research projects through my university. Though I have been hampered by not speaking the language (I started Chinese lessons three different times), I had wonderful hosts who introduced me to a wide range of things going on. I spent 6 weeks in 1993 teaching at Peking University, and was there when the disappointing news about the Olympics were announced. I was there in 1999 when we bombed the Chinese embassy.
   
   Reading Hessler's book took me back to all these times, but gave me also so much more. He has done a fabulous job of exploring many different scenes and characters in the China of the 90s. I did not get the chance to spend time in the countryside, so I really enjoyed those parts of the book. Also, his ongoing stories of former students or of the Uighur Polat give great insight into the flow of events in this period. Going back to the 50s and 60s, with the stories of people's experiences in the cataclysmic events of the Mao era of China's recent history remind me of the similar stories I heard from my friends who had also lived through these periods.
   
   I love the continuous story of the Oracle Bones themselves, and all the people, past and present, who were tied up in the stories of their discovery, interpretation, and preservation. And the late section of the book on the written language, and the attempts at change, was particularly interesting.
   
   I am now motivated to go read Hessler's earlier book, River Town. He is clearly an author with a sensitive eye to what's been going on. I hope he as more books in mind.



3. It's refreshing to find a book on China by a journalist with some knowledge of and, even better, an interest in really learning about sinological matters. Since the end of the Cultural Revolution, Western journalists have written their books on China: at first largely from the perspective of being the rare Westerner in a newly opened up China, and then over time with increasing emphasis on his or her observations of China's political and economic situation--invariably in the context of the reporter's personal experiences in China.
   
   ORACLE BONES, too, is personal, not that we get to know Peter Hessler very well (though a "Postscript" titled "Meet Peter Hessler" presents a short autobiographical sketch), but in the sense that we experience China through his "I"s. Unlike many earlier books by journalists, though, there isn't much focus on leadership politics here; instead the warp of the fabric of this book is perspectives on Chinese (and Uighur) culture and history.
   
   If that is the warp, the weft principally follows the story of Chen Mengjia, a renowned scholar of "oracle bones" (scapulae and tortoise shells inscribed with writing and used in divination practices a few thousand years ago). Chen Mengjia was branded a rightist in the late 1950s, and he subsequently committed suicide at the onset of the Cultural Revolution. In the course of Hessler's journeys--not all related to Chen's story--the writer learns pieces of Chen's story (only a little of which is consistent) and a whole lot more about 20th century Chinese and Western sinological history. It's refreshing to find Hessler's views so well informed; you'll find nothing here, for instance, about the so-called Chinese "ideograph" that sullies so many books that refer to the Chinese writing system.
   
   Hessler, now a Beijing correspondent for The New Yorker magazine, was once a Peace Corps volunteer English teacher in China, an experience that he describes in his earlier book, RIVER TOWN. He devotes a good part of this book weaving in descriptions of his encounters with his former students and of their post-education lives. Hessler also discusses the life of a Uighur that he befriends in China, and who subsequently travels to the U.S. and successfully seeks asylum. In these stories, Hessler doesn't flinch from the terrible realities of Communist China, and they are often brutal; at the same time, though, the U.S. (specifically, Washington, D.C.) doesn't get off easily in the depiction of the everyday difficulties that confront Hessler's Uighur friend, including racism and robbery.
   
   Hessler's style gives the appearance of effortlessness when you just know how much work must have gone into the book. His keen observations often express subtle truths, such as when he comments, "There is always something sad about furniture in a museum" (p. 384) and his empathy conveys genuineness, e.g., when he confronts a scholar with a personal criticism of Chen Mengjia that the now old man felt forced to write when he was a youth (p. 390). You want to continue hanging out with Hessler and see what more he learns. It's a disappointment then when, even at some 450-plus pages, the book quietly ends.



4. Hessler uses his own experiences, combined with detailed experiences gathered from native friends throughout the important regions of China to describe their lifestyle and situations in regards to growing up and making their own lives in "The New China." As Hessler describes the current status of economic regions and interpersonal relationships, he also weaves in ancient and recent history creating a resource for understanding why the Chinese react and function as they do.
   
   A compelling read. I speak Chinese, my wife doesn't, and we have both found Hessler's books intriguing and understandable. "River Town" is also excellent. Hessler allows you to remember how it feels to be in that situation--even if you never have been.



5. 
   Never does Hessler mention the raising importance of China on the world stage. By avoiding the subject he toys with a tension that is best only alluded to: we as westerners are aware of China on the horizon; his job as a journalist is simply to offer well vetted evidence. All of this sets a stage for an understated humor.
   The idiosyncrasies of particular regions in China (as in any country), are illustrated by slang. For example, one Sichuanese student named Willy, who sought his fortune in Wenzhou, writes to Hessler of his "backward and yashua [toothbrush] hometown--Sichuan". Throughout the story is the word "jiade". Meaning pirated, jiade becomes a catch-phrase and an inside joke that we're in on.
   A method employed throughout the book is that of a parallel narrative: Artifacts A through Z. These are loosely interconnected chapters that pepper the book's 458 pages. They function as historical vignettes; Hessler here has an opportunity to contrast his travel documentary within the context of ancient Chinese history. In Artifact A, we are introduced to the Oracle Bones of the book's title. Oracle Bones are the oldest surviving Chinese writing. Named in Chinese "jiaguwen", they were ideas carved onto tortoise shells and cow scapulas. Cryptic passages such as "The king goes to the hunting field; the whole day he will not encounter great wind" or "We ritually report the king's sick eyes to Grandfather Ding" were, depending how they broke apart, read as an oracle. "The irony of Chinese archeology" Hessler points out, "is that the earliest known writings attempt to tell the future. . . . From the Shang, the voice of the turtle speaks." Throughout the different Artifact chapters the author demonstrates his diverse and growing knowledge of archeological sites, past dynasties, and oracle bone era written characters compared to their classical and contemporary counterparts.
   The plot shifts toward a more investigative thriller. Mr. Hessler follows a thread of a story for The New Yorker: did historian Chen Mengjia commit suicide and, if so, why? Mengjia had travelled to the Unites States in the 1930s. There he documented ancient Chinese bronze artworks that had wound up in private hands. The Artifact chapters also begin to follow this theme. Part of the intrigue in this subplot lies in the how so many of the older generation in China were persecuted and threatened under Mao. Mengjia's book was published later by the communists. Only they had a different idea for the title: Our Country's Shang and Zhou Bronzes Looted by American Imperialists. As the author unravels what happened, he must, upon interviewing elder intellectuals, word his questions carefully so as not to offend. This story dovetails nicely into Chairman Mao's misguided-- and later aborted-- attempt to simplify the written Chinese character. We find ourselves uncovering a linguistic mystery.
   In a story like this, being a journalist is a perfect job to keep things interesting. Whether we're in a border town across the river from North Korea for a National Geographic piece, or in a threatened hutong neighborhood in Beijing (where he finds an apartment-- and the next story) he moves the tale along. We witness the sad fate of Falun Gong members as China "cleans up" for a State Visit in Beijing. Later, the attacks of September 11th allow us a peek into the expatriate world as a news starved Hessler buys jiade videos to see more of what happened in New York. All along we are aware of the tremendous rate of growth in the country. The locals say, "we live in chai nar" (meaning "demolish where?").
   Reading Oracle Bones is a learning experience. The placement of the Artifact chapters is an enjoyable way to break up the story, and there are many facts woven into the book by way of this lexicon. Having myself lived outside the States for several years, I could identify with some of the difficulties Peter runs into. As the Olympic games approach, and with China in the news, I have been checking the bylines of my New Yorker magazines for Mr. Hessler's name, to learn what he has been up to. I enjoyed the book and recommend it.

5 comments about Streetwise Rome Map - Laminated City Street Map of Rome, Italy - with integrated metro map including subway and railway lines, stations.

1. Rome is a hard city to map. Lots of small streets hidden down even smaller streets (but some how the Italians still drive 70 down them), but sometimes those are the streets that you need to find. The free map I got at my hotel was MUCH better than this map and I ended up not using it.



2. This map is wonderful!!!! It was a great asset to our trip. It is laminated and folds easily so you don't have to worry about it getting ruined. I would highly recommend this map to anyone going to Rome.



3. Has most of Historic Rome but not much of the out lying area. Have bought two to use on different trips.



4. Just returned from eight days of walking in Rome. This is the only map we needed to find our way to everything that was of interest to us. It seems that just about every street and alleyway is listed and shown to scale (which is not the case with the free "tourist" maps). Experienced the joy of just wandering around following our noses to one interesting area after another, always knowing that our trusty "Streetwise Rome" would come to the rescue when we wanted to reach a particular destination. We ventured to the Borghese Gallery, the Vatican, to Trastevere, Palatine Hill, the Colosseum, Piazza del Popolo, Spanish Steps, Via Veneto, the Baths of Diocletian and from and back to the Termini Train Station. Including having the map out in the rain on several occassions, it still looks like new. The best thing is, it is only 4" X 8.5" when folded in your pocket and so easy to flip open to use (unlike so many other maps that you must unfold in several directions).
   The map also has sketches of many of the sights you will be looking for to help you quickly find them. While we only used the Metro once, all the stations are clearly marked. If you want to spend less time folding and unfolding the map and more time enjoying the sights, you may find this product very much to your liking.



5. There's not much you can say about a Map. It Works. I've used this "Streetwise" series in many cities, and I find them very handy. You don't have to worry about the map tearing, or not being able to fold it back after using it. My only regret is that they don't have more cities. How about Istanbul Streetwise?

5 comments about Rick Steves' London 2008 (Rick Steves).

1. Rick Steves includes great tours in the book.
   He also finds great cheap eats.
   I love his guides.



2. Rick Steves gives the best advice for travel. We have always used his books and we were never disappointed in the recommendations he makes. Would not travel without the advice from his guide books.



3. ...where my family of 5 stayed for 7 days. We took a DK guide book, Frommer's guide book and this one. We favored Steves' book so much that by the end of the week we were carrying only this book and didn't bother looking at the others. For any future trips I will invest in Rick Steves' book first and only.



4. If you have bought a Rick Steve's travel book, you know what to expect. This looks great, is easy to read and well indexed.



5. This was a great book for maximizing our time in London. It is very thorough and a great resource that covered all aspects of our travel. I wish I had read it more thoroughly before we went, but it was great as we traveled. Next time we will avoid more of the lines and get our museum passes and discounted tickets where Rick recommended.

5 comments about Italy (Eyewitness Travel Guides).

1. I love this book. My husband is stationed in Italy. We have been living here for 2 years now & this is my favorite travel book. Our 4 year old loves looking at the pictures while I read to him. It make our trips that much better when he is excited to see the sights as well. It's quick & easy to look up what you want & has great info. I would recommend this book to anyone planning a trip to Italy. However, if you are only going to visit one or two places a more specific book may be need.



2. I must say that this guide was exactly what I needed, but also I must confess that another thing came up since I have been traveling to Europe for some time now. I didn't realize or wasn't even thinking about travel insurance?? I mean we all have insurance, that covers us while we are in the US, but not for traveling abroad. I recently planned a second trip to Germany, but wasn't sure if my insurance company policy would take care of minor details in my policy for things I am not sure I have thought about. I am not saying I might or might not be covered, but I need peace of mind when it comes to my family. I then called my HR to find out general things about traveling abroad and "What would happen if" scenario's. I wasn't going to read my lengthy policy, even if I did I wouldn't understand the legal double-talk anyway not being a lawyer and all.
   
   My HR told me everything would be ok, and I shouldn't worry. But some thing in the back of my mind said call again and asked the same questions to see if the results would be the same from another Representative, to my surprise, it was. Ok then, not feeling a warm feeling of confidence in my HR responses. I didn't have much time to keep doing the research, so I looked up travel insurance and started to focus my attention on getting some basic package to cover me and family while we were abroad. There are a lot to choose from, but again this became confusing. So I came across www.securemytravelonline.com which had an aggregate of different well known insurance companies. I choose AIG with a basic plan and the rest was history. Also I didn't know you can insure your travel and luggage also in case of theft, flight cancellation etc. I thought I would share something from one avid traveler to the next. Overall a GREAT Guide and I have bought another copy for my friend.
   
   Take care.
   Carl>



3. The Good:
   - Beautiful pictures, drawings and maps highlight all the major attractions in Italy
   
   - Book is organized by region, and is relatively easy to follow along
   
   - Loaded with interesting facts about Italy, each region and each main attraction. This includes history, tips and useful facts.
   
   - Nice touchs like 2 pages of common Italian words/phrases, breakdowns on everything from how to read a road sign to the Euro currency.
   
   The Bad:
   - Cumbersome to read - reads like a text book
   
   - Hotel recommendations are difficult to use. Not a big deal, because I prefer Trip Advisor for my hotel recommendations anyways.
   
   - Limited info on where to eat
   
   - Limited "candid" info on where to go, what is worth your time and what isn't. I've read Rick Steve's website, and I like how he tells you candidly what you should see in Italy given X number of days. That is helpful and is missing from this book.
   
   The Verdict:
   Loaded with useful info and beautiful images, this book will prove a good resource while on your trip; however, don't count on this book to help you fully plan your trip. It will give you some ideas to get started, but for finalizing trip details, I'd recommended reading Rick Steve's website, Trip Advisor, etc.



4. Great guide with tons of valuable information. Just returned home from a 2 week vacation covering several cities in Italy and this guide helped us appreciate everything we were seeing by giving an explanation and history about everything. The maps are great and it was nice having advice on good restaurants to choose.



5. DK travel guides (Eyewitness brand) are known for its unique photograpy and pictures. They are printed full-color and magazine-style and the sublime pictures get supreme treatment. The maps are not ideal, but they do the job for some one new to Italy and answers the question of what to see and where to go with a little history and background tossed in. The maps will get you from Florence's Pitti Palace across the River Arno and to the Galleria to see Michelangelo's David, but good luck finding that little bistro in the cobblestone alley. This is a guide for the county of Italy in general and its regions and may lack some depth in terms of detail but for the first and even second time visitor to Italy its great considering its relative small weight and size in your travel case or backpack. Don't expect this guidebook to have that out-of-the-way gallery, or even the celebrated gelato shop directions. This little book covers the most important sites in any given city or region - with lush pictures that DK is known for and short blurbs to match. It also covers general information to the first time visitor covering money, agencies, other basic travel information which can be of great help to some one not famliar to Italy.

5 comments about Rick Steves' Ireland 2008 (Rick Steves).

1. The book if full of Rick's usual great information. I wish the pictures were in color and had captions. There were just tiny black and white photos of places and things that might be pretty, but without a description you have no idea what they are!



2. We have used Rick Steaves books in Italy, Germany, England and Holland and have not been disappointed.



3. Rick Steves' Ireland 2008 is like your brother (your very detailed and analytical exploring brother) writing home with the in's and out's of each city and stop in Ireland. Hitting highlights and lowlights, Rick leaves no Irish pebble unturned for the common traveler. If you have a question about Ireland, it is most likely answered in this book; if not, then Rick has made himself available through his websites if you need further information. It is very helpful to not walk into a new situation unprepared and Rick's Ireland 2008 has proved most helpful!



4. Ireland offers visitors a diversity of memorable places to visit, memorable people to encounter, and memorable opportunities for recreation. Rick Steves is a seasoned and experienced travel writer and in collaboration with Ireland specialist Pat O'Connor has authored the "Rick Steves' Ireland 2008", a compact, 425-page travel guide that is packed from first page to last with informed and informative information for tourists and business travelers to the villages, towns, and countryside of the Republic of Ireland in the south, as well as the cities and counties of Northern Ireland. Of special note is the introductory chapter dedicated to the best use of this outstanding guide for planning a trip whether of short or extended duration, practicalities when traveling, money, sightseeing, sleeping, eating, 'Traveling as a Temporary Local', and 'Back Door Travel Philosophy'. Another special section is devoted to Irish history, art, literature, language, and an Irish-Yankee Vocabulary. Enhanced with appendices on resources; money matters; telephones, emails, and postal mails; transportation; holidays and festivals; conversions and climate; an essential packing checklist; and a sample hotel reservation form, "Rick Steves' Ireland 2008" is an ideal and enthusiastically recommended guide for anyone anticipating a trip to the Emerald Isle.



5. Rick Steve's book is a down-to-earth book that gives so much information to which you can relate. It's a wonderful guide.

5 comments about Deep Survival: Who Lives, Who Dies, and Why.

1. Deep Survival needs another editor. The poor literary quality makes the book awkward and irritating to read. The author's attempt apply science to survival situations is unconvincing. The author appears to be unqualified and his analysis of each situation is brief and incomplete.



2. Here are the REAL lessons learned by folks that weren't trained to survive in the wild, but who had survival situations thrust upon them! Whatever the life crisis; plane crash, boat sinks, avalanche, animal attack, financial disaster, health crisis - here are the rules for SURVIVAL.
   Great stories and examples - with the lesson to be learned at each chapters end. Start to use these RULES and you'll avoid survival situations, but if ti happens - FUBAR/SNAFU; you'll be ready; Mentally!!



3. I can't say much more about it than other posters but my final judgment on the book was that I originally checked it out at the library and liked it so much that I bought a copy for home.



4. This was an inspiring, interesting, and practical book. It's a quick read and the fundemental rules of survival are the same rules for success in business, life, relationships...staying aware, being resourceful, keep moving, dealing with reality/not pereception of how it should be or how you'd like it to be, and most importantly having faith in yourself and others. Great book for anyone.



5. I purchased this book for my husband after hearing about it from a instructor in a CPR class I took...I told my husband about it and he wanted to order the book...it wasn't exactly what he expected it to be and after he thumbed thru it, he laid it down for servral days...well when he picked it up again, he said he couldn't put it down as the stories we very inspiring...we will be ordering it for our grandkids in the future and based on what my husband said about the book I will also be reading it...

5 comments about The World Atlas of Wine: Completely Revised and Updated, Sixth Edition (World Atlas of Wine).

1. Whether you want to become an expert, or your are just interested in wines this is a great book. Very well written, easy to read and remains useful as reference material



2. I looked the book through in my friend's house long ago but could not read: this was Dutch edition. Now, I wanted to have this excellent book at hand in my home and in a readable form. To my great satisfaction, the book became even more rich in content and maps. So, I am happy to have now a possibility to locate not only any of my favorite wines but also wines new for me with which I got acquainted just recently.



3. I discovered this book while visiting Burgundy last year.
   It was part of the limited offerings available near the Hospice.
   Considering the size of the book, I decided to wait until I returned to the USA to purchase it.
   The book offers a detailed review of everything from how wine is produced to the details of each terroir around the world. I believe this book is a must have for wine enthusiasts.



4. simply outstanding, in every way....very complete and detailed and the best book on wine i have seen, ever



5. THIS BOOK IS SO INFORMATIVE AND HELPFUL FOR NOT ONLY THE NOVICE, BUT THE PERSON WHO WOULD LIKE TO BRUSH UP ON THERE KNOWLEDGE OF WINES. HIGHLY RECOMEDED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

5 comments about Rick Steves' Europe Through the Back Door 2008: The Travel Skills Handbook (Rick Steves).

1. My daughter will be graduating from high school in May 2008 and I wanted to explore a way to help her experience our larger world. I have never been outside of the USA (except a brief visit to Niagra Falls as a child), so I felt very anxious about how to plan a trip for two to Europe. I researched many tours and resources, from bare bones to pricey "deluxe" accomodations, yet I kept coming back to Rick Steves' books, website & resources. This specific book has been a wealth of information for a novice (plus I'm sure those who have traveled before will still get some great tips). Rick Steves' books, videos & other resources have given me the confidence to make reservations for that first trip to Europe. While I am choosing to utilize a tour group for our 1st European experience, Rick really gives anyone wanting to travel through Europe on their own, a concise, well researched (and well utilized) guide to how to do so on any budget. I highly recommend this guide!



2. Let me state upfront that I am European myself (from Belgium, actually), and that while I've lived in the US for many years, I have continued to spend a fair amount of time in Europe, including with my kids when they were younger. My youngest is now a HS senior, and she and several of her friends are planning to spend a month or so backpacking around Europe this coming summer, visiting my family along the way.
   
   While looking around to get my daughter a planning guide, I stumbled upon this book and I immediately knew I had fallen on a gem. In "Europe Through the Back Door 2008" (690 pages), Rick Steves (of PBS fame) does not pretend to provide a full overview of Europe (there are other books on that), but instead focuses on some not so obvious places. When I turn to the section on Belgium (where I'm from) and the Netherlands (where I have family), I can instantly see that Steves actually knows what he is writing about, and it validates to me the other portions of the book, and I am fully confident that this book will help my daughter and her friends in their planning of the trip, and during the trip itself. Highly recommended!
   
   Rick Steves has written many other travel books, and one other that I can easily recommend is "Europe 101: History & Art for the Traveler", which is an ideal book for anyone wanting to understand more about European culture and history, but written in a very user-friendly way. Also highly recommended!



3. This book is a fabulous piece of travel literature! I recommend this to any Europe Traveler that wants to travel off the beaten path and experience how everyday Europeans live their daily lives. Rick Steves' personal tone in his writing makes it feel like you're taking another friend along with you on your journey through Europe.



4. Very helpful. My wife was in England and Italy 8 years ago, but had forgotten many of the great tips in this book. Our upcoming trip will be more enjoyable because of it.



5. I found this book very useful, it offered many practical time and money saving tips. The accommodation and transportation strategies were particularly good. However, as an Aussie I found this book very US centric! While some advice was EXTREMELY obvious, I appreciated the opinionated style of writing. Please note that a lot of information covered in this book is also located in Rick's website.

5 comments about PassPorter's Walt Disney World 2008: The Unique Travel Guide, Planner, Organizer, Journal, and Keepsake! (PassPorter).

1. I was planning my family's first trip to Disney. I wanted to get the most out of our vacation, so I purchased 3 Disney travel books: Birnbaum's, The Unofficial Guide, and Passporter's. Passporter's was by far the best!!!!!! It has all the information you need about restaurants (good luck finding much information elsewhere!) and the maps were far superior to the ones handind out by Disney! I had to rip them out of the book to use them while we were in the parks because the Disney ones were hard to follow. It was a priceless addition that helped with our trip so much! Don't hesitate to buy!



2. What a great way to get information and stay organized. Wish this book was available during the last 10 times, I've been to Walt Disney World. It's going to be a great collector's item for my kids. Keep in mind though that you may still need some of the other Walt Disney Books that are available. To list a few: Birnbaum's Walt Disney World Dining Guide, Birnbaum's Walt Disney World for Kids by Kids, Birnbaum's Walt Disney without Kids, Frommer's Walt Disney World & Orlando, The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World and Walt Disney World Resort & Orlando. No matter how many times a person goes to Disney World there's still new information available that will save you lots of aggravation when you arrive in Orlando.



3. When planning our trip I have bought just about every book I could find about Walt Disney World. I have to say that the Passporter is the best. They put just the right amount of information. I found the section called "Feasting" very helpful in choosing the restaurants for my family. Also, I like that it has places to write your itinerary and other info needed such as reservation numbers.



4. If you're heading to Orlando then this book is a must. A friend recommended it and I promise you'll save 100x the cost of this book in $$$ savings and headaches.



5. For all the planners out there, this is the book for you! I have just finished planning my family's first trip and can't imagine how I could have done it without the Passporter. This is a God-send! Don't go to Disney without it!!