5 comments about National Geographic Guide to the National Parks of the United States, 5th Ed. (National Geographic Guide to the National Parks of the United States).

1. Very informative, very useful, good size for carrying it around,
   great book.



2. Es una guia fantastica, para recorrer los parques nacionales de EEUU y disfrutar al maximo lo que ofrecen.



3. Good book of national parks. Good practical information for the short term visitor (how many people have the vacation time to spend 2 weeks anywhere? not many i think) which is welcome to see. I'd recommend this book if you'd like to get a feel for where you'd like to go, what you might see when you're there and where you might stay. Once you've figured that out you might do well looking elsewhere for some detailed information, but for the casual visitor the basic information (10 - 20 pages per park) is great. I'd recommend this book if you're either someone who's like to visit a few parks or someone who's trying to work out which park to go, or someone who'd just like to flick through to see if there's something you hadn't considered before.



4. Totally awesome guide that rolls through the U.S. geologic areas and the parks occupied within. Nice 5-10 page look at each park, great photos, plenty of details regarding attractions, square miles, trails, fees, etc.
   Also includes historical details, geologic history, animals and habitat, tips on high traffic vs. low traffic tourist spots, etc. Wonderful book!



5. This book includes all the national parks in the United States (as of mid-2008). Note that there are a few non-traditional parks in the system such as Hot Springs, which nonetheless get the same treatment. It even has the national parks in US territories (i.e., outside the 50 states), although the park for American Samoa barely gets two pages.
   
   All in all, the guide is pretty good at giving you overviews of each park, with maps and information on each. It tells you usually what the main things to do in the park are and what you can do in a day or more. It is not a substitute for making your own plans, though, so do not rely on it completely. Someone suggested that web information is lacking, which is true, but it might be better to rely on the parks' web sites for up-to-date web information anyway.
   
   There are also excursions listed for many, but not all, parks. This makes sense because some NPs are close enough to each other that you'd be listing the same excursions. I would note that the distance to excursions varies greatly. I also wish they weren't so skewed in favor of national forests and wildlife refuges (not much emphasis on state parks), but these are nice to have.
   
   I would finally note that sites such as national lakeshores, seashores, preserves and monuments that would be of interest to readers of this book are not covered as it only covers national parks. Some of these are covered in a one-paragraph excursion description, but because this is a book on the parks that is all they get. My point is that there are many places in the US designated as other than national park that are worth visits, and to find out more about those you'll have to look elsewhere.

5 comments about River Town: Two Years on the Yangtze (P.S.).

1. Excerpts from this book first appeared in "The New Yorker". Their charm prompted me to buy the entire book (in hardback, yet!), and I was not disappointed. Hessler writes fluidly and charmingly about his experience in China, teaching English as a foreign language to Chinese students. An altogether beguiling book.
   
   In similar vein, I highly recommend Mark Salzman's "Iron and Silk", a more idiosyncratic, but equally charming memoir.
   
   Also Brad Leithauser's novel "Equal Distance", fictional, and set in Japan, rather than China, but equally evocative in its own way.



2. I read very few books, but I just could not put this one down...I have studied Chinese - Mandarin for two years and I will be moving to China in May of this year for work...so with all of that in mind, I was anxious to learn more about the culture of China and to experience how an American was accepted into a smaller town in China. The humor and detail that he puts into his writing makes it very enjoyable to read...I would recommend this book to anyone interested in everyday life in China and how the history of the country plays into this.



3. For anyone who's been tempted to respond to one of those ads to "teach English abroad," River Town offers an insightful window into the world of expat instructors--in this case to Chinese students. Peace Corp volunteer Peter Hessler trades his life as a Princeton grad, Oxford M.A., and disillusioned potential Ph.D. candidate, for a new life as "He Wei," an English language and literature teacher at Fuling Teachers' College in Sichuan province. For two years, between 1996 and 1998, Hessler lived and taught in Fuling, a city of 200,000, where locals could not recall having seen an American ever before and remembered seeing only one other foreigner since 1949. The vignettes Hessler creates from his encounters with a fascinating cast of characters were so evocative and enjoyable that I forced myself to read only two chapters a day in an effort to savor each moment with this tome.
   
   Living in China presents challenges for all expats, but during his first year, Hessler felt the additional pressure of being held under a microscope by both his students and the town folk, to whom he seemed such a novelty. As a result, the author devises some interesting and effective strategies for both coping with the strains of his life in Fuling and for absorbing as many cultural nuances as possible. Through the sketches he presents, Hessler tries to answer the questions "what experiences lead up to one's ability to cope and succeed in a foreign environment," and "at what point do the benefits start to outweigh the challenges?"
   
   One of the author's key strategies for both fitting in and for learning about local culture was to become fluent in Mandarin as quickly as possible. He also tried to pick up as much local dialect as possible. Mastering the language helped to ingratiate "He Wei"with his students, colleagues, and the town folk, but also unlocked the mysteries of Sichuan. As Ernest Hemingway lingered in bars, Hessler hung out in tea houses, soaking up local culture. He experienced some challenges from locals who either did not appreciate his presence or wanted to take advantage of him, but he never gave up trying to be accepted. Eventually, persistence paid off, and he developed a rapport with the local people and won the trust of many students.
   
   One of the strategies that led to his success was Hessler's ability to laugh at himself and find humor in almost any situation--essential as an expat. One of the most enjoyable aspects of this book is Hessler's ability to look determinedly at the bright side. Hessler's observations on the differences between Americans and Chinese culture are also a highlight. Some of the most interesting parts of the book are when he presents student reactions to writing assignments and their adaptations and dramatizations of English literary texts. As a result, the book provides fascinating insights on many topics, such as history, money, jobs, family values, youth culture, education, and the economy. It is clear that this teacher learned as much from his students as they learned from him--or possibly more.
   
   Even if you have no desire to teach or live in China, you will likely enjoy hearing about Hessler's "river town." This teacher deserves an A for the effort he made to truly experience and learn about the average Chinese life and for documenting his sharp observations in such entertaining detail.



4. Others have already provided in-depth reasons as to why they rated this book five stars, but these are mine:
   
   1. Hessler's work reads like a suspenseful novel; I couldn't put it down for several days and learned a good deal.
   2. Hessler never comes off as remotely condescending toward the people of Fuling, which is unfortunately more than I can say about most authors of travelogues.
   3. Hessler includes excerpts from his students' essays, letters, and newspapers that communicate more about Chinese culture than could any formal history book.
   
   I am currently reading another of Hessler's books, Oracle Bones: A Journey Between China's Past and Present and recommend it to anyone who enjoys River Town or any historic nonfiction.



5. If you're a fan of visual travel writing, in the style of Peter Mathiessen (The Snow Leopard), you'll probably enjoy this book very much, although the ground it covers is semi-urban China, rather than the wilds of Nepal. Hessler has an exceptional eye for detail and a strong ability to bring the reader into the sensory experience of China.

5 comments about Transit Maps of the World.

1. After seven months, Atlanta's transit people still haven't sent me their system map. This book provides me with their train system map, but not the bus system map.
   
   Anyway, the book reads like an Edward Tufte book - old maps show the development of today's simple, readable designs.



2. Gave this book as a gift to my cousin who is a world traveler and public transporation buff. He loved it! I ended up buying a copy for myself. Fun to read as well as a useful reference. The book is uniquely organized into 'zones' filled with colorful pictures new and old.



3. An excellent and perhaps, unique look at maps of the subway and mass transit systems of over 200 cities, large and small from around the world. The transit systems range from the large complex systems of London and New York, to the smaller basic systems of Genoa and Detroit.
   The book covers both the general development of transit map as the evolved from complex geographical accurate renditions of reality to the simplified, easy to read diagram like maps in common use today. The book also looks at the evolution of a number of specific city maps, including London, Berlin, Moscow and Chicago, among others. The last section of the book covers over a hundred of the smaller transit lines, including a number of proposed systems and expansions.
   This book should be of special interest to transit fans, as well as those interested in maps or graphic design.



4. This is definitely one of those great books you'll be pulling out for years to look at. For me this book is special because I love to travel and there is something very sentimental about looking at the Metro grid of a city you've been to and used. I'm also planning to reference it for upcoming trips I take. I enjoyed seeing the progression and history of some of the maps as well. Awesome book!



5. I took one look at the evolution of the BART maps in the two pages devoted to San Francisco's transit system and knew I had to purchase this soft-cover coffee-table book. A writer with an obvious passion for cartography, Mark Ovenden has put together a most intriguing and idiosyncratic design history book examining the maps that depict the world's transit systems. This is not an in-depth book for urban planners or for anyone interested in the workings of a transit system for that matter. Rather, it looks specifically at how transit system maps have been designed to meet the needs of commuters and travelers alike. For travelers especially, these maps often represent the first impression of the geographic breadth of a city. Instead of organizing the maps in alphabetical order of the nearly one hundred cities included, Ovenden cleverly breaks down the maps into six zones. On one end is Zone 1, which covers the eight most elaborate metropolitan systems, all with extensive histories and maps that evolved in style over time.
   
   Particularly fascinating is the evolution of the New York subway from the intricate 1905 map that places Manhattan on its side to the nearly unreadable 1948 version to the austere, straight-angle design by Massimo Vignelli in 1972 to the current version that attempts to minimize the inevitable clutter. The other Zone 1 cities are predictably Berlin, Chicago, London, Madrid, Moscow, Paris and Tokyo. On the other end of the spectrum, Zone 6 itemizes maps for relatively new systems or those still in development. Thumbnail maps are provided for these cases. In between the two zones are cities with subway maps that look surprisingly similar in their diagrammatical design, a likely intentional decision based on usability ease. Consequently, Ovenden gives good reason for not making topographical accuracy a top priority. Maps become unwieldy and inevitably more difficult to read in a hurry. He supports this reasoning by lucidly sharing key aspects of urban transportation history that have culminated into a general preference for the angular, Beck-style diagrams. Map enthusiasts will find this all quite enthralling.

2 comments about Roadfood: The Coast-to-Coast Guide to 700 of the Best Barbecue Joints, Lobster Shacks, Ice Cream Parlors, Highway Diners, and Much, Much More.

1. As usual the Sterns have published another delicious book. They list eating places all over the 48 states. These are those road food diners and joints where you might not stop, sometimes because you wonder what might lie in wait for you behind that door. This even includes new ideas for places you might not have known about in your own area. With this book you can have confidence that here is real food, not that processed, frozen brought to the building and warmed up stuff that passes for most food you get when traveling or even eating locally; but food like your mother - if she was a fantastic cook would have made you. It is true you can get this information and more on their web site, but this is so wonderful to carry in the car. I have never been to a place that they recommended and been sorry. In fact sometimes the places we have stopped have led to the highlights of a trip. We have met locals, gone down roads and stopped at spots we would not have traveled to. It has been our experience that when we enter these mostly beloved local eateries, we are welcomed and we know we are visiting the real America.
   With this edition some much needed corrections have been done; there were a couple eating places that had been closed for a long time before their previous edition.
   I do wish that more of an effort was made to review and include places that are nearer well traveled tourist sites, so we can avoid the chains and the same restaurants we could eat at while at home. There is a huge lack of information for central Florida and that would have been very welcome. There is almost nothing for traveling along the east coastline in ocean areas and the Outer Banks area with the exception of along the Maine coast; and some western states especially have very little listed. I know it would add to the effort and bulk of the book, but some more directions from interstates would really be nice.



2. Roadfood This book may be great on paper, but it's not usable in Kindle. That's too bad, because this is just the kind of book you'd like to be able to take along on your travels without being burdened by the physical book.
   
   The organization of the book is by geographical region, with the smallest unit being a state. So if you're using Kindle to look for a restaurant in a particular city or region, you must page through all of the restaurants in the state, which are listed in alphabetical order by restaurant name. If the region bridges states, your problem is compounded.
   
   The paper edition uses maps for indexes, with the names of featured restaurants in a particular area listed on the map. You thus go from the map to the alphabetical listing of the restaurants. Unfortunately the map pages are not legible on Kindle. They were simply scanned, not adjusted for screen size, and, as graphics, they do not respond to a change in print size.
   
   Once again the transition to Kindle is thoughtless, taking no consideration of the practical need of the user to navigate the book.

No comments about We've Always Had Paris...and Provence: A Scrapbook of Our Life in France.

2 comments about Beyond the Great Wall: Recipes and Travels in the Other China.

1. Despite the glossy cover, this cookbook has been over 20 years in the making. It dates back to the authors' travels in tibet in the 80s, and then when plans for the book were made by their book agent, of further research trips in the 00s. Having visited China during the same timeframe dating to the 80s, I can attest to the wonderment of discovering the "other" China, of meeting caucasian chinese citizens from turkic tribes who speak perfect mandarin, of tasting perfect kebobs and roasts from mongolian and muslims cooks, of the religious mysticism of tibet. and it is this exotic "other" china on which this book is based on.
   
   Since authentic cookbooks of even relatively well known minorities such as tibetans are hard to come by in english (and I suspect in chinese as well), it is a real treat to discover the cuisines of the uighurs and the mongols, and the dai and the hani, albeit for the most part reverse-engineered by the authors. Interspersed between the recipes are the authors' travel anecdotes of varying quality.
   
   Indeed, it is their traveller's perspective passing through and re-engineering the dishes that admittedly exposes my own bias and ultimately my reservations about the book. With the bar for cookbooks set ever higher, the gold standard is for ethnic cookbooks to be written by cultural residents in the locales where the food is from, whether native or adopted, these people have had presumably years of experience making the food, as well as, the language skills and acumen(to get published!) in order to communicate this to us in the western mass market.
   
   i certainly await the day when an enterprising young tuvan or uighur can share her grandmother's recipes with us (perhaps most likely in a blog rather than a glossy cookbook) but until that day comes, this book will remain a treasure.
   
   i've had the pleasure of attending a forum hosted by james oseland, inviting jeff and naomi to discuss their new book. but i paid for my copy and do not have any financial disclosures to declare.



2. As Beijing Olympic Games approaches, people in China has been extremely busy and so have been those who are against China for one reason or another. Recently, we've witnessed the Lhasa riot, the overwhelmingly biased coverage by the Western media using fabricated footages, the often violent disruptions of the Olympic touch relay across major Western cities, and now, there is this "cook book".
   
   First of all, the timing of this book is interesting. According to the authors, it was their long time editor who had commanded them to do this book. Equally revealing of a shared deep-rooted hatred and colonial bias against China is how the editor, and the authors call Tibet among themselves, instead of Tibet region of China, they refer it as par of the Central Asia, it shows that deep down, they really hate to see Tibet is part of China now, instead of part of India or the British Empire. And has anybody else noticed their collective eagerness to rush this "cook book" out before the Games? Coincidence or part of a pathetic, ill-intentioned collective effort orchestrated by some mysterious institution?
   
   Once understand where those people came from, it's not hard to learn the hidden meaning behind the buzzword used in the sub title and throughout the book: the other China. China is consisted of 56 major ethic groups, while Han is the largest. The author claims that non-Han Chinese citizens "are not considered by the government to be Chinese" is totally false and seriously misleading! I wonder would the authors dare to highlight this false statement to the Chinese authority next time they apply for a visa to go to China (to make more money off her)?
   
   The authors are heart-broken by the "many social changes" happened in China in the past 20 years. What's so terrible? Twenty years ago, the whole country was poor and so was the Tibet area. When a country is booming, people from relatively developed areas will migrate to less developed areas to make personal wealth, just like what Americans did in the migration west. If the authors really want to blame somebody, blame capitalism, not Chinese government, unless they secretly want the whole country still frozen in poverty so various cultural thieves can continue to get rich from there.
   
   In conclusion, as a "cook book", this is valueless! Just like no matter how many video types you shot about Mike Tyson's games, you are still not qualified to publish a textbook about boxing. Rather, this is a propaganda commanded by outside power to "tie-in" with the Olympic Games, so they can bark at the country and people whom so generously allowed them to poke around while getting handsome rewards from the Western capitalism system. The question for the rest of us is: should we pay to reward them as well?

5 comments about Quiet Corners of Paris.

1. I will keep my review uncomplicated, like this book. There is a lot of information packed into this little book. Instead of focusing on the usual tourist sights, the author points out some of the beautiful, quaint parks, gardens and museums. The book also shows other out of the way places that the usual travel books don't. With the exception of 1 site (Musee Eugene Delacroix), all the sights shown are free to the public. If you are going to visit Paris, this is a great little guide book when searching for different places to see. If you want to go to Paris some day, this is a great book to dream by. It's packed with beautiful pictures. I just loved it!



2. A very interesting small book that details some of the hidden places in Paris. A joy for those who have "Paris on the Brain".



3. I've been to Paris countless times and never knew about many of the hidden corners and little parks that are featured in this book. I can't wait to return to explore them. I loved this little book.



4. This is a sweet little book. I wish I'd had it when I lived in Paris. It reveals many wonderful quiet spots, places for picnics and contemplation, and peace in that busy city. As a tourist to Paris, you probably won't value it as much--you'll want to be out in the busy, soaking it all up. But for anyone who lives in Paris, or is going to spend a long time there, I'd recommend it. And for those of us who just like to read about Paris, in between visits, it's a great book, well written and warm.



5. I bought this book based on previous reviews. It is a wonderful little book with lovely photographs. I plan to use it to plan my next trip to Paris. The fact that all of the places mentioned are free to the public , is an added plus for travelers.

5 comments about Streetwise Manhattan Map - Laminated City Street Map of Manhattan, New York - with integrated subway lines and stations - bus map.

1. I love my Streetwise map. Sometimes it's a little hard to read for these middle aged eyes though. All in all, I couldn't do without it on my trips to Manhattan.



2. I rate this as number three of the four references I purchased to help me navigate NYC. It's sturdy, compact, light weight and packs in all the information you might need to navigate Manhattan and hit the tourist spots.
   This is the map to buy if you want to travel light in Manhattan.



3. don't waste your money. just because its laminated doesn't make it a good map. Not all streets are on it and sections of manhattan are missing. I wouldn't count on this map to help you out if you don't know the area and have things memorized before you get here. WE got lost on more than one occasion trying to use this thing.
   Get the NFT black book of nyc instead. It has all you need and is small enough to fit into your purse or pocket.



4. I use these maps on every trip I go on! They are so accurate and easy to use. The map is durable for every type of weather and small enough to stick in a small bag. There is a streetwise map for every major city we have gone to and we love them! It's a great "memory keeper" as well.



5. This is a great map of the city, easy to carry around. It's plastic, a big plus when it starts raining or if you spill anything on it. My only complain is that it does not include a Subway Map. It has Subway Routes in the map but with all the streets, etc it get a little difficult to make out.
   Overall, great map. A must have for tourist or anyone new to the city.

5 comments about Peru (Country Guide).

1. I am a seasoned backpacker and have been to places in the remote jungles of the Philippines to the cosmopolitan city of Sydney and back. I have tried using Fodors and Frommers, but Lonely Planet has by far served me better. I am not saying that I totally depend on Lonely Planet for all of my travel needs and resources, but I use it as an invaluable resource especially for transportation and maps. I have yet to use the Rough Guide Series or the Moon Series, so I cannot speak on their behalf.



2. As always, Lonely Planet gives you all of the information you need for a trip that meets and exceeds all of your expectations. This includes those little known corners of a place that are the most memorable.



3. I am not a huge fan of Lonely Planet Guides like everyone else is...I much prefer Rough Guides. That said, this LP is much more up-to-date than Rough Guide Peru. It's helpful and gives you the facts, but I find the tone and attitude of the authors to be too jaded for my tastes. They seem to like being alternative for the sake of being alternative. I hope Rough Guide comes out with an update before my trip. Otherwise I'll be taking my Moon Guide, which I've found very helpful and upbeat.



4. Great book, very in depth. Perfect for my trip in 6 weeks! Can't wait for the Bolivia book to arrive.



5. The book was exactly as I expected and was in excellent condition. It arrived in a very timely manner.

5 comments about Thailand (Country Guide).

1. For my first trip to Thailand 10 years ago, I purchased just about every guide book available. Only one book has stood the test of time - Lonely Planet Thailand. Over the years, I have picked up new editions as they have become available. From personal experience, I would argue that the quality of my trips has increased along with the quality each subsequent edition. As tourism, culture and economics in Thailand evolves, so too does Lonely Planet Thailand, keeping pace with changing social trends, places of interest, as well as places to avoid. All this, of course, in addition to the vast body of information critical to planning where to stay, what to eat and what to do while in-country. More than a strong recommendation, this book is a must-have for any traveller to Thailand.



2. Very useful for new tourists. Book is organized by location and subdivided by events, sights, restaurants, hotels and more. It has a detailed map and lots of pictures too. It gives a good honest summary about different locations, what's worth your time, and what to be careful about as well. Very useful- highly recommended.



3. 
   This very recently updated guide is the best I've seen. If you only want to rely on one guidebook, this is it.



4. I have bought many guidebooks over the years and would say that lonely planet has the best. No, it is not one of those guidebooks filled with pretty, glossy photos but a clear, concise guidebook with pertinent information designed for all travelers whether you are a budget traveler or a jetsetter. Very user friendly, always updated. If you are only going to use one travel guide, cut to the chase and pick up lonely planet.



5. Lots of information. The websites are in general up to date. There is a lot to see in Thailand so this book covers a lot of the popular areas.