3 comments about The Historical Atlas of New York City: A Visual Celebration of 400 Years of New York City's History.

1. This book includes many really nice maps of early New York. Much of the historical information included in the maps is uniquely presented here and lacking in many other publications. However, there are many editorial mistakes and misspellings that I have observed, which makes me wonder about the accuracy of the rest of the information. Additionally, the narrative text is simple, limited and sometimes disjointed and difficult to follow. Buy this book simply for its beautiful graphics and depictions of the city as it used to be. Some periods of the city's history could be greatly expanded, especially the city's role in the revolution and the siege of Fort Washington. Anyone with knowledge of the city will find it of limited value beyond the maps and illustrations. A little polishing of this book and some additional material for some historical periods in a future edition would make this book an outstanding work. For now, I would call it good but lacking in important areas.



2. This is simply one of the best NYC historical reference work available. The book is divided into periods and will display numerous maps , photos and drawings of the buildings and landscape of the city at that time in history. Plenty of history is included to make certain you are keyed in to the era, and how the buildings fit in. Just a beautiful book. Great binding and very sturdy.
   Strong buy



3. The Historical Atlas of New York City solved a huge problem for me. I'm writing a novel set partly in New York in 1864, and while I lived in the City in 1964, that's a hundred years too late for this novel! I live now where research facilities are slim, and I needed something to show me where people lived, shopped, worked, entertained themselves.
   
   This book answered my questions. It showed me which landmark buildings were on which streets then and gave me the background for the characters who inhabit my novel and the City. It has prevented me from having a character walk past the Flatiron building, or attend a ball at the Waldorf-Astoria.
   
   It also confirmed that elderly gentlemen probably played chess in Tompkins Square Park just as they did a hundred years later, and that the brownstones around Washington Square were inhabited by wealthy families.
   
   It has enabled me to put some of my own reminiscences (faithfully recorded in my journals of the time) into the book while avoiding some anomalies.
   
   Not all my questions were resolved in this book, but studying the maps gave me enough information about the trains in New York to avoid some errors, like describing Grand Central Station, because it gives the date that amazing edifice was built.
   
   A valuable addition to my own research library!

5 comments about Catfish and Mandala: A Two-Wheeled Voyage Through the Landscape and Memory of Vietnam.

1. 
   `I am a mover of betweens' writes Andrew X.Pham. . . `I slip among classifications, like water in cupped palms.' And in his award winning Catfish and Mandala he takes his readers into those `betweens' with him Viet-kieu, `foreign' Vietnamese, Pham sets out from San Francisco on his rickety 18 speed bicycle riding the Pacific Rim, first up the coast to Seattle, then through Japan, and finally arriving in Ho Chi Minh City from where he begins his odyssey through Vietnam, seeking to understand his relationship to the country of his birth, and the people, and his culture.
   
   The ride he takes us on becomes, for the reader, as spiritual as it is physical. We feel every bump in the road, we push up the hills, we are cold, wet, hungry, ambivalent at times, and we suffer from chronic dysentery. Pham meets people who reject him, who taunt him, and those who, often after initial distrust, befriend him for part of the journey. While he is `pedaling and pushing' alone to Hanoi and back , on a journey everyone advises him is too dangerous, the narrative ebbs and flows through his childhood, through the escape on the boat, through the struggles of his family.
   
   Pham moves comfortably from the specific, the particular, like his recollections of Scarface, Bugsy, Redeye, or Bagman and Mechanic, or the roasting ears of corn dripping with pork fat and scallions, to the philosophic - and then the poetic. It is little surprise he has been linked to writers like Thoreau, Kerouac, Steinback.. . I might add William Carlos Williams,T.S.Eliot or Carl Sandburg. He speaks at once of Vietnam and of his uncertain place there and of the US- and in so doing speaks to all of us who now count among the millions who have left homelands and no longer fully understand what home is, and who `move between.'
   
   By the end of Pham's journey we begin to understand what that is, and value it.



2. i was travelling alone in Lhasa, Tibet and found this book in Makye Ame restaurant. i started reading and couldn't put it down. it gave me true enjoyable solitude on my lonely journey. loved it. i spent the last two days reading it in that restaurant. ordered a copy from Amazon last week and i can't wait to finish it.
   my heartfelt thanks to Mr Pham!



3. Andrew X. Pham's other works and notables:
   
   * Pham, Andrew X. The Eaves of Heaven: A Life in Three Wars. This title will be released on June 3, 2008.. ISBN 030738120X.
   
   As translator:
   
   * ng Thùy Trâm. Last Night I Dreamed of Peace: The Diary of Dang Thuy Tram. ISBN 0307347370.
   
   Notables: Kiriyama Prize, Whiting Writer Award, QPB Nonfiction Prize, Guardian Shortlist Finalist, NY Times Notable Book of the Year, Oregon Literature Prize.
   
   Andrew X. Pham's website is at www.andrewxpham.com



4. This book is about a Vietnamese-American man looking for his identity in his homeland. Like many Vietnamese who were children when South Viet Nam fell to the communist in 1975, Mr. Pham's family fled to America where he grew up straddling two cultures. While his writing about biking though Viet-Nam is witty, observational, and realistic, I somehow felt sadden for him because of his Viet-kieu's experience, a terminology used for expats. Over all his story made many generalizations about a very complex and exciting country. I am too a Viet-kieu. What I found is a country full of eager young optimistic people wanting a better life for themselves, their families, sometimes - for better or worse - at any price. Yes, there are poverty and corruption, but there also exist the dignity and quiet grace of a peasant woman who gets up at crack of dawn, earning a meager wage for the day to feed her family because it's her duty. Mr. Pham chose to go back to America with his ''privileges'' and his ''opportunity'' still at a lost for his identity. Readers should not accept Mr. Pham's experience as those of the other Viet-kieu's in Viet Nam.
   
   M. Vo



5. This book embraces so many themes, so delicately, wrenchingly and compassionately. The center plot is a return to Vietnam by a young Vietnamese American which his family fled years ago to live in the United States. However, it is far beyond cross-cultural travelogue; it inhabits the American as well as the Asian psyche with such scary acuity, and takes us into an inner landscape where few can go....without this author as guide. The prose is elegant and luminous; the situations tragic, comic, ludicrous; terrifying. The tone I felt was one of battle fatigue but transcended by unrelenting steel: this one was meant to survive and to tell it all.....

5 comments about Denmark (Eyewitness Travel Guides).

1. Despite my past enjoyment of Eyewitness Travel Guides for other countries and cities I originally purchased a competitor's travel guide for Copenhagen. I am planning a trip to Copenhagen and bought one specific to the city since DK Eyewitness only publishes one for all of Dennmark - big mistake. I opened the book only to find page after page of text with few maps or pictures. Needless to say I waited a few days and then came to my senses and ordered the book I knew I should have purchased all along. Of course there was ample information on Copenhagen itself and my original fears that it would not be adequate just weren't realized. I am never disappointed with the Eyewitness books and usually end up sharing them with others on trips. As the other reviews confirm, this is THE book to buy for a trip to Denmark or simply Copenhagen. Don't waste your time and money on any other book.



2. I am planning a family vacation to Denmark and I wanted to get some information on places other than Legoland. I found the information in this guide very useful.
   It is well organized and easy to look up places in the book. For example, the publishers have divided Denmark into a number of regions and these are colour coded. Southern Jutland and Legoland? Look in the yellow section.
   It is informative: I learned about Danish history, customs and culture. There is a good overview of Danish design and this is followed up in more detail in the respective entries. The section on Danish history is illustrated with pictures of paintings, sculptures and photos again in full colour.
   My only reservation about this book concerns the scrupulous fairness of all the entries. Visitors are looking for information and insight, both good and bad. Is Tivoli really worth the time or is it an overrated tourist trap?
   Overall, however, I am happy that I purchased this book over the others.
   I did some time consuming searches on the internet for information about Denmark but I should have saved myself the trouble and bought this book first.



3. This is a terrfic guide for someone who wants accurate, succinct and thorough. Just got back from a short trip to Copenhagen. Loved the info provided in this guide book.



4. I have many Eyewitness Guides, and this one shares their strengths and weaknesses. Their strong points are their photos and street-by-street maps and approach to organizing attractions - great for itinerary planning, especially in a completely unfamiliar region. Downside - little info of a practical nature; I always need Frommer's, Fodor's etc. for more in-depth reviews of hotels and restaurants and points like where to catch a ferry and its schedule. This guide is especially weak on Funen - a very short section that doesn't include all the attractions I've seen online and in other guides (pity, because we're going to Funen!). But I value having photos for my planning process, so I see this book as a valuable element of my research.



5. Best visual guide on Denmark (aka DK).
   
   This is the first time I had to buy a Eyewitness Travel Guide.
   
   Considering that Denmark is such a small country, I was gladly surprised to see that this volume packs a lot of information and images on almost every page.
   
   This guide is well organized. It starts with a great introductory chapter: putting Denmark on the map, a portrait of Denmark, Denmark through the year, and the History of Denmark (as the sub-chapters). Then the next chapter covers over 60 pages on Copenhagen alone (not surprising considering that 25% of Denmark population is located in this metropolitan area). The next sections are on different regions of Denmark (including sections on island of Bornholm, Greenland, and the Faroe islands).
   
   The sections that surprised me the most were the ending chapters: Travelers Needs and Survival Guide, giving one such great visual and written ideas on what to shop for, entertainment ideas, outdoors activities, and practical traveling information.
   
   From my personal use this spring, I realize that the section on the island of Funnen (Fyn in Danish) is rather meager. As complements I would recommend Frommers 2007 edition of Denmark, and the Tourist Information office on the street corner across from the Tivoli entrance in Copenhagen (one block away from the main train station). Happy Travels!!

2 comments about Moon Yellowstone and Grand Teton (Moon Handbooks).

1. When I'm planning a trip the first thing I do is order a Moon Handbook for the area in which I want to travel. They are invariably well informed because the people who write are passionate about the area and will suggest places that some people may miss out on.
   
   The layout is good and the maps are excellent - simple to read and navigate by. We travel pretty extensively in Canada and America and the Moon Travel Handbooks are the only travel books we take with us.
   
   I particularly like the suggestions for hiking trails and what you can expect to see as well as the rating for each hike e.g. easy flat walk or moderate walk with some steep ascents.
   
   Before you book the suggested accommodation check on tripadvisor to get traveller reviews and make your judgement from those. This book had the usual good tips on where to eat.



2. If you're planning an extended visit to Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks, I highly recommend this guidebook. (If you're only going to visit the Parks for three or four days as part of a longer trip, however, it's probably more detail than you would need.) We recently visited the two Parks for a total of twelve days, and I found this Guide extremely helpful. Unusually for a guidebook, I actually read it pretty much straight through before we left. It's an enjoyable read, even aside from the quality of the information it presents.
   
   The Moon Guidebooks only seem to have emerged onto the scene within the past several years, and for many readers they are still likely to be less familiar than such old standbys as Fodor's or even Lonely Planet. But I've used several guides from this publisher now and have found them to be uniformly excellent.
   
   In terms of the book's coverage, you get 70 pages on Yellowstone Park itself; 64 pages on the Yellowstone Gateway communities; 33 on Grand Tetons National Park; and 91 on the Jackson Hole area. There's also a 33-page "Background" section that provides interesting information about the geography and climate, flora and fauna, and the often controversy-ridden history of both Parks, and a 4-page section on avoiding or dealing with bear attacks. Finally, there's a solid 6-page bibliography with suggestions for other reading.
   
   The book includes an abundance of maps - in the sections focused on sightseeing (as opposed to where to stay and eat), you'll typically find at least one map every four pages. There are interesting, even compelling sidebars, such as the one about "Beaver Dick" Leigh, an English immigrant and early resident of Jackson Hole who on Christmas Day 1887 watched his wife Jenny, newborn baby, and four other children all die of smallpox and left a heartbreaking account of the experience, which the author quotes in full (p. 113).
   
   This guidebook is thorough, accurate, and useful, but beyond that, I enjoyed the glimpses of the author's personality that he lets come through in his writing. "The Buffalo Bill Museum is a real joy," he tells you, although his assessment of the Cody Firearms Museum is more restrained: "it's interesting even for those of us who consider the proliferation of guns a national menace. . . . All told, this museum houses more implements of destruction and mayhem than you're likely to see at an NRA convention." Or: "For those who love history, Trail Town is an incredible treasure trove without the fancy gift shops and commercial junk that tag along with most such endeavors. This is the real thing, low-key and genuine."
   
   He also writes effective descriptions that will help you decide what you may want to see:
   
   "Togwotee Pass is one of the most scenic drives imaginable, with Ramshorn Peak peeking down from the north for several miles until the road plunges into dense lodgepole forests (Shoshone National Forest) with lingering glimpses of the Pinnacle Buttes. At the crest it emerges into the grass-, willow-, and flower-bedecked meadows with Blackrock Creek winding through. Whitebark pine and Englemann spruce trees cover the nearby slopes. . . . Togwotee Pass is a complete shock after all the miles of sagebrush and grassland that control the heartland of Wyoming. It's like entering another world - one of cool, forested mountains and lofty peaks instead of the arid land with horizonwide vistas."
   
   In short, this is an excellent guidebook to Yellowstone, the Grand Tetons, and the immediately adjacent areas. If you're planning a more extensive ramble around other parts of Wyoming, then you'll want to check out the author's Wyoming volume for Moon, which tops out at a comprehensive 728 pages. (The Yellowstone-Grand Tetons coverage in the statewide volume runs about 180 pages, about half as long as in this separate volume specifically focusing on the Parks.)

No comments about Thomas Guide 2008 Los Angeles & Orange Counties Street Guide (Los Angeles and Orange Counties Street Guide).

5 comments about Moon Fiji (Moon Handbooks).

1. As a frequent visitor to the South Pacific I have found David Stanley's Moon Handbooks to be the perfect traveling companions. Following his recommendations I have never been disappointed. There have been several times that I have avoided hassles and delays by listening to his advice. My wife and I are going back to Fiji in a few months and I just purchased the new Fiji Handbook. The new layout, color maps, internet resources and pictures make this the only handbook you need to bring on your trip!



2. This book IS Fiji. Even the people who live there should own a copy for themselves as a guide to their islands' resources.
   
   The indispensable information and guidance within Moon Fiji about trip planning, transportation, dining, lodging, entertainment, recreation, tours, events...will save the traveler the cost of the book many times over.
   
   I've edited other publishers' guidebooks and am most impressed with the excellent composition and layout of this book, the perfect refinement of seven previous editions. It is amazing that: so much information has been included; the type size is big enough to be easy to read: and yet the book is small enough to carry everywhere.
   
   Don't waste your time searching the Internet for information about the Fiji Islands. It's all in this book, including reviews, maps, photos, telephone numbers, schedules...and, if you must, a list of the top twenty Fiji websites. There is too much more info to mention.
   
   Let me be succinct and direct: Anyone who is planning to visit the Fiji Islands must have this book--they will be handicapped there without it.



3. Awesome book, well written and very insightful.
   South Seas Photography uses all these Moon South Pacific books and the Fiji Book for all our travels throughout Polynesia.
   Easy to use, perfect for detailed information, easy to carry and share.
   
   Karl Meinhardt
   www.SouthSeasPhotography.com



4. We've been talking about going to Fiji for years, and have looked at other books, but this book trumps them all. It's very thorough, with excellent descriptions that make us wish we could pack our bags and go today. Author David Stanley obviously loves Fiji, and his passion comes through in his writing. We also appreciate the way he doesn't sugar coat the less than perfect. This seems like a book you can really trust. And the history sprinkled throughout (great stories of Capt. Bligh, for instance), the interesting boxes full of fun information, and the very useable maps make it easy to get educated in all things Fijian. We also love the beginning section with beautiful color photography. It would be nice if all photos could be in color, but we'd happily trade the excellent info in the book for color pictures.
   
   This book provided us with our new dream adventure vacation: A stay on the Yasawa Islands, where there are no motorized land vehicles or roads. You can stay in a thatched "bure" and make a vacation exploring the island chain via a catamaran line that offers a kind of "Eurail Pass" for island hoppers. Who knew such a place still existed?!



5. The 8th. Edition of David Stanley's Moon Fiji handbook continues to be the essential guidebook for travelers to Fiji. And whether you are a seasoned Fiji traveler or an eager first-timer, you will find Stanley's book critical to getting the most of your Fiji visit.
   
   Compared to the earlier editions, this one is totally revamped and redesigned. It's compact, attractive, and very usable. Information is easily located and details are ample. Every section is updated and expanded to include current relevant information, insofar as any destination guidebook can be anyway.
   
   Each geographical region of Fiji is fully detailed covering related visitor attractions, accommodations, dining options, activities, recreation and more. Specific recommendations make each section extremely valuable. Stanley pulls no punches in both his criticisms and compliments to vendors of accommodations, restaurants, activities and others. Descriptions and explanations are quite trustworthy.
   
   Detailed maps and interesting photography makes for a well laid-out book. Placement of the Background reference section to the back of the book make the tome usable. The opening section with such things as "The Best of Fiji," and "Island-Hopper Special," plus "Culture and the Real Fiji" and others get the reader quickly immersed in Fiji and offer practical ideas for getting the most of a Fiji visit.
   
   The book's regional Fiji sections provide all the detail and information needed for planning a visit to these storied and historic South Pacific islands. Whether you see one area such as Nadi and the Mamanucas, or take in Suva, the Coral Coast, Lomaiviti, the Yasawas, Taveuni, or the "Friendly North" of Vanua Levu, you'll find Moon Fiji a fine and very useful traveling companion. Like the saying goes, don't leave home without it! As a veteran Pacific Island traveler, I'll have my copy of Moon Fiji along on my next Fiji stop.

5 comments about Frommer's Portable St. Maarten/St. Martin, Anguilla & St. Barts (Frommer's Portable).

1. I was looking for guide books for St. Martin in late 2006 but wasn't able to find one that I sufficiently liked. It was either one of those guide books for whole Carribean and would gloss over this small island in less than 10 pages; or concentrate solely on the outdoorsy/adventure aspect of things, which is not something I wanted. Fortunately, this book was published about a month before my trip to St. Martin and I was able to get a copy of it before then.
   
   This is the most complete and comprehensive guide book for St. Martin that's out there, so I really liked it. I enjoyed reading about the island's history and it has helpful facts to help you prepare for your trip. The book doesn't list and review even half of the accomodation or the restaurants on this small island. For that, you should consult the internet, eg. Tripadvisor and such. Rather, the book highlights for readers what restaurants they shouldn't miss or which hotel they should book in different price ranges.
   
   I wish that there was a price guideline for rental cars that tell you what the average compact car rental would cost. I also wish there were more restaurant review but that's just the foodie in me talking. Overall, the maps of the towns were quite good and helpful but the overall map of the island is not that great to refer to when driving. You can just get a better island road map when you're there anyway. Nevertheless, the book still offers helpful tidbits such as preparing your own medicines/sunscreen and other pharmaceutical needs because it can get tricky to find a complete pharmacy. The Anguilla/St. Barths section looks rather small but I'm not sure of its helpfulness or usefulness because I didn't go there.



2. This was our 3rd trip to St. Martin & the best. We checked out some of the beaches, restaurants, and clubs from the guide and had a blast!



3. I am going to St. Maarten in October! Gave tons of tips and ideas!



4. I agree that it's got great info, but if you already have the thicker Frommer's Caribbean guide, this might not be quite a deal since it looks like most of the info is already in the thicker guide. Of course, this is smaller, which might appeal to those who want to pack light and only have Anguilla, St. Martin, etc. as their specific destinations.



5. Used this for a trip to St. Barts. Was very superficial. Really did not have any info that could not be found spending an hour on the internet.

5 comments about The EatingWell Healthy in a Hurry Cookbook: 150 Delicious Recipes for Simple, Everyday Suppers in 45 Minutes or Less.

1. I was quite surprised when I bought this book how much information is given for each dish. Nutrient content as well as calories per serving. One of the best things about this book is the diversity it offers. So many different ethnic based foods. I definitely recommend this book for those who are health consious and also wanting to try great food every night.



2. I am a registered dietitian & use this cookbook as a prize quite often. Recipes are simple, not too involved, don't call for a ton of ingredients and are well received. Many of the clients who have won it say it is their favorite cookbook. I like it because the information is clear/concise and it really is HEALTHY.



3. The book starts out with a brief section of instructions in case you aren't wholly experienced with home cooking. This includes planning ahead tips, grocery shopping tips, kitchen equipment you should have, how to approach your cooking, and even food safety concerns. Since there are plenty of inexperienced cooks who might be tempted to pick up a book of quick, healthy meals, this is a handy set of things to include.
   
   Recipe chapters include dinner salads; soups & stews; vegetarian fare; chicken, duck & turkey; fish & seafood; beef, pork & lamb; sauces; sides; and yes, even desserts. There are also some notes on substitutions & equivalencies. There are multiple indexes: a comprehensive index as well as one of recipes that take only 20-30 minutes (most in this book take 45 or less) and one of family-friendly recipes.
   
   I always have a hard time faulting EatingWell's other cookbooks for producing what I consider to be bland recipes, since there's a sizable audience for that kind of fare. However, I was incredibly relieved to find myself wholly enjoying the very flavorful recipes that we made from Healthy in a Hurry. There's a vegetarian chili that is surprisingly delicious, with a simple yet effective spice mix that adds a lot. Recipes range from the elegant (grilled lobster tails with nectarine-avocado salad) to the homey (chicken & white bean soup). These recipes make use of some wonderful international flavors to spice things up in recipes such as roast chicken dal and tandoori chicken with tomato-cucumber raita. The authors seem to have found a better balance between keeping the recipes simple (without using tons of ingredients most cooks might not have) while still interjecting flavor.
   
   Many recipes include mouth-watering photos, and the recipe layout is clean, plain, and easy to make sense of.



4. As a cancer survivor, I continually try to find tasty yet healthy recipes. (Trying to keep those free radicals at bay) This cookbook fits the bill, as well as the recipes being quick and easy for the most part.



5. Checked out this book from public library and knew I had to have it. Highly recommend.

No comments about Grown-up's Guide to Running Away From Home: Making a New Life Abroad.

5 comments about Daytrips Germany: 60 One Day Adventures by Rail or by Car in Bavaria, the Rhineland, the North and the East (Daytrips Germany).

1. We took 3 travel guides with us on our tour of Germany and this is the one we used the most. It has everything that you need to know. What trains to use, what to see, how to get there, where to eat, where to stay. As a first time traveler to Germany we found the info in this book useful and easy to use. I highly recommend it!



2. We, my wife and I, found the daytrips very informative.How else would we have found the famous "Rauchbier" in Bamberg? It alone was worth the price of the book. We went to several of the trips explained in the book during our three week stay in Bavaria. I will definitely take it again if we can make another trip to Germany.



3. Useful but boring, the same format over and over. The 2002 edition I just received is really out of date. Maps are less useful since part of the print becomes part of the binding. Rick Steve's book, Germany and Austria 2007, is so much more enjoyable to read.



4. I purchased three books prior to our trip to Germany. This was by far the best for what we wanted to do. We were in Heidelberg for work, and had to stay fairly close, so the ability to plan day trips to other cities was perfect for us. The directions were clear and almost always completely accurate.



5. The only thing that could be better if it were updated a little more. Things are constantly changing, so prices are probably changed, and some roads are no longer the same. I love the map of the cities, I just wish there were more cities! It is a great book to have if you are just doing a daytrip to that specific city though!