Travel Books

I just got back from Italy and the Greek Islands and I used this book and other Eyewitness books to learn about each one I visited. The Eyewitness series has a lot of great information about the history of the area and points of interest including lots of gorgeous photos. However, I wish the Eyewitness series would include more "survival" type information such as transportation, restaurants, etc. so that they could be the only guide I need to take. I felt like I needed another guide for that type of information and I did not want to carry more books!

As with most DK publications this book provides excellent information and fantastic illustrations and maps.

We have used the Eyewitness Travel books for many years, and they just seem to get better and better. They aren't the only sources we consult, but they are the only one's we actually bring with us on vacation, as they seem to cover so many different types of places and activities well.

DK Eyewitness travel guides are the best on the market and this one does not disappoint.

Loved the book! Had all of the infomration that we needed. Book was loaded with history, maps, key points of interest and interesting facts. It was an excellent guide for us as we toured the greek islands and gave us the best and key points to visit which helped us use our time most efficiently. Loved the Greek islands!

Overall, we got a lot of use out of our book and I would HIGHLY reccomend it!

This book that is based on Say's grandfathers voyage from Japan to the United States and back again was released my Houghton Mifflin and is the recipient of the Caldecott Medal in 1994.The setting of the book shifts from a rural Japanese village in the early part of the twentieth century through parts of the United States and back to the cities and villages of Japan. Say has written and illustrated this book that tells the tale of a young man from Japan that sails across the Pacific Ocean to explore the United States. After traveling through the country he is drawn to the coastal shores of California with its strong sunlight and the Sierra Mountains. Shortly after, he returns to his Japanese village to marry his childhood sweetheart and brings her to his new land.
He settles in San Francisco and they have a baby girl. He never forgot his own childhood in Japan and his old friends and became nostalgic about his own rivers and mountains. When the daughter was grown he could wait no more and they returned to his homeland. The father spent many happy times as his found the rivers and mountains as he had left them. He was able to exchange stories and memories with old friends. The daughter was not happy in this small village and so the father bought a house in a large city nearby where soon the daughter fell in love and married and some time later had a son of her own.
This young boy is the author of the book and recounts how he loved to spend time with his grandfather and hear stories of California. The grandfather could not forget the mountain of California and soon became anxious to return but war broke out. After the war there was little of the city left so the grandfather traveled back to the village of his childhood. He longed to see California but never got the chance.
As the boy grew he went to see the California his grandfather had so loved. He came to love the land just as his grandfather did and found that he shared the feelings of his grandfather in that when he was in one land he longed to be in another. Feeling homesick for Japan while in California, he often visits the land of his ancestors to see the mountains and rivers of his childhood. The text in this book parallels the life of Say's grandfather with respect to the journey that brought Say and his family to live in the United States.

What a beautiful book. The illustrations are magnificent and the story itself is amazing. It brought a tear to my eye as I remembered my Nonno.

This book is a deserving winner of the Caldecott. I was often offended by books that portrayed immigrants as one dimensional in that they were always so glad to arrive in America and never appeared to have feelings for their native country. As an immigrant I know that relocation in America, while often a blessing, comes at a price. Grandfather's Journey is a beautiful book that depicts the struggle of being pulled by love of new and old homelands.

The cover illustration is what initially drew me to this book; watching a young man stand on the deck of a steamship while the wind and waves thrash about. The color of the sea beckoned me to turn the pages and find out more about where this man was going and whether or not he would get there.

Grandfather is a young immigrant traveling from Japan to his new home in America. He journeys all across this land and experiences all aspects of it: cities, farms, mountains, rivers, people, etc. He settles in California but eventually misses his homeland, and travels back to satisfy his longings. Through a series of events, he is unable to make his way back to the West Coast that he loves so much.

My husband and I were in the Navy and lived among people from all over the world. I loved getting to know them and experiencing their ways of life. Understanding how other people around the world think and love and live, has made me a more complete person. It has made me who I am today. In this way I connect with Grandfather and his journeys.

Allen Say's autobiographical Grandfather's Journey's beautiful illustrations won the Caldecott Medal, but that is only half the reason to recommend this book. This story is about a Japanese man struggling over what his home is--the United States or Japan.
When he is almost an adult, a young man (who would be Say's grandfather) moves to North America. He travels all over the United States (depicted in the illustrations) and falls in love with San Francisco. He briefly returns to Japan for his childhood love, then returns to San Francisco. Together they have a daughter and are living happily, but the grandfather becomes homesick for the mountain, rivers and friends of Japan. We see him surrounded by his songbirds in American clothes wishing for his home. Finally, when his daughter is almost grown, he returns to Japan. He laughs with his friends in his home village and for a time is happy. But his daughter had spent all her life in San Francisco and was not meant for the small village, so her father buys her a house in a city. She marries an untraditional man and has a son.
But the father wishes for San Francisco. We see, as his grandson saw, him surrounded by songbirds and the things he loves, dressed in the traditional Japanese dress, wishing for his home in San Francisco. He plans to return to North America.
Unfortunately, World War II begins and destroys the city. Grandfather returns to the small village, but never had another songbird. He told his grandson (who is the author and illustrator, Allen Say)that he wished to return to San Francisco one more time. But he died before he had the chance.
When his granson was nearly an adult, he went to America himself to see what his grandfather had talked about. He falls in love with it, but is homesick. Whenever he visits Japan, however, he longs for San Fransisco. He thinks of his grandfather and understands him more than ever.
Grandfather's Journey is beautiful, but some young children may not understand the emotions of the characters. Still, Grandfather's Journey is beautiful and deserves to be read by people of all ages.

This book will awaken the hidden passion within. It shows what you can do if you are passionate about something. Quick read and a page turner every step of the way.

I highly recommend this book to all new entrepreneurs and those interested in learning how successful companies are formed. I also know there are alot of people out there who hate Starbucks simply because it exists and succeeded- I challenge you to read this book. The business was created from the ground up by passion and perseverence, and it deserved to succeed, and I hope it continues to succeed for a very long time.

I found this book extremely interesting from a business perspective. Would recommend this book to anyone who is starting a business or has an interest in finance. Very inspirational

I read many company books. This is one of the gems. Howard did a fantastic job in writing the history of Starbucks, its root, its spirit, and its amazing achievement.

There have been many coffee vendors. Starbucks sprinted from the pack. It actually revolutionized the coffee industry. While the business world has been looking for the next new hi-tech inventions, Howard creatively rejuvenated the coffee drinks by relentlessly pursuing the quality the culture and the experience. He did the mission-impossible in such a traditional industry. After reading this book, you will never look at Starbucks the same way. Yes, you realize that passion and quality can make a huge difference in this crowded world.

"If you pour your heart into your work, or into any worthy enterprise, you can achieve dreams others may think impossible." ~ Howard Schultz

When Howard Schultz found Starbucks he had a dream of all Starbucks could be. After bringing back ideas from Milan he planned to infuse the company with a new energy. Instead of only selling coffee beans he wanted to open stores that sold espresso. When the owners of Starbucks didn't have the same vision, he opened up his own stores and then purchased Starbucks. The story is compelling and this book is one of the most exciting books on business I've ever read.

"Without the romance of Italian espresso, Starbucks would still be what it was, a beloved local coffee bean store in Seattle." ~ pg. 53

This book explains why franchising is a forbidden word at Starbucks. It also explains how special packaging had to be made to keep the coffee fresh. Stock options and an impressive health-care package also make working for Starbucks a positive experience.

While Howard Schultz's own story is woven into the pages, this book is mostly about the positive steps that were taken to make Starbucks a success. This book will appeal to anyone with an entrepreneurial spirit.

My own experience with Starbucks has been very positive. Once a reporter talked to me on the phone while he was at a Starbucks. My family loves buying Starbucks gift cards and we always make time to go to a Starbucks whenever we get together. It is like a family tradition. Yesterday I was at my local Starbucks drinking a tall chai tea and discovered they had the most delicious vanilla scones with icing. The girl at the counter told me she thought they tasted like sugar cookies and I must agree.

If you are looking for another book about Starbucks, I can
recommend: Starbucks Passion for Coffee

~The Rebecca Review

P.S. The proceeds from this book go to the Starbucks Foundation to support literacy programs.

As good as a journalistic effort can get...

Like Orwell's Down and Out in London and Paris, times TWO!

Should be on the shelves of anyone with an opinion on immigration, pro or con.

Should be on the shelves of and journalist to teach them what it is all about.

Thanks for this seminal work.

God Bless Humanity and this Earth

I purchased this book for my book club, and although I was a bit perplexed by the choice (living in New England where the immigration problem is not so obvious), I was actually pleasantly surprised.
The topic is one that should be on everyone's mind with respect to the immigration problem in our country.
However, this fresh, personal perspective does give us a "birds eye view" of the life of the Mexican immigrant culture, and how difficult and complex it is. I especially found the book interesting having grown up in California, and observing first hand, what a complicated economic and social problem immigration really is for the immigrants and natives alike.
Although a bit slow in parts, it did give a refreshing insight to the culture that may not have been captured by a mere casual observer. On the other hand, I found the chapter set in the airport quite fascinating and entertaining!
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in the Hispanic immigrant culture.

This book should be mandatory reading for anyone interested in the immigration debate and particularly those hard-liners who would exoriate the Democrats for their solutions that give a measure of "amnesty," or Sen. John McCain for saying, "These people need some of our love and compassion."
This book seems to become only more relevant with time. Ted Conover, as well, is one of the best contemporary journalists, if not the best book-length writer of journalism in this era. He writes from the margins of society with great insight and compassion. You won't be disappointed in anything he's set to paper.

This is one of a handful of books recently written where the author joins a group of undocumented workers crossing the border in attempt to gain employment in the United States. The interesting twist here is that the author, though apparently fluent in Spanish, is white. He also attempts to work in the fields himself, as opposed to simply observing and writing about the work of others. This leads to a number of unique experiences and observations on race relations that are rarely discussed in this context. It also allows the reader to better understand what life is like for many undocumented workers in this country. Kudos to Ted Conover for making a sincere effort to better understand the lives of those that would not otherwise be recorded.

This story rivets the reader to the writer's acceptance (guarded) by poor Hispanics as he seeks to be an Imbed with them when they cross the border at a couple of different sites. There was the interception by Mexican border police and their payoff; then life beyond the border on the way to nearby farms serviced by Coyotes (travel guides and job finders) and potato fields of Idaho (serviced by the same dependable families year after year).
It gives many glimpses of that struggle to pass on a better life to the kids.

The writer may influence many who would become investigative reporters.

"Sepulchre" has an ominous and chilling opening, an action-packed first few chapters with such rich historical detail and so many compelling characters, the plot could have gone in several directions. Smart, well researched, heavily layered; this was almost a perfect literary thriller. It missed the mark by a (copper colored) hair.

Like A. S. Byatt's "Possession", the genre's gold standard, "Sepulchre" links the nineteenth century and the present day. A deck of tarot cards, some faded photographs and a mysterious piece of music are clues to a puzzle that begins in 1891 and ends in 2007. I was fortunately and immediately hooked by the vivid 19th century tale, which kept me going through the rather lackluster and hurried romance of the contemporary story in which the hero was unengaging, the baddie predictable and as long as we're nitpicking, just how many times DID Meredith "grab a sandwich"?

The imbalance continues to the end. While the 19th century tale ends with a wildly satisfying mob of torch wielding villagers, the contemporary story ends with all questions answered. It's a little too pat. Since the internet plays a part in this book, why doesn't Meredith use it to do some geneological research much earlier in the story? And wouldn't it have been fun if Ms. Mosse had left a few ends loose so she could write the stories only hinted at?

A definite cut above the usual literary thriller in its skillfully woven details, "Sepulchre" is well worth reading. If Ms. Mosse had only made the modern characters as interesting as those in the past, she'd have a stunner of a book, indeed.

Kate Mosse's Sepulchre is a historical fantasy -- historical fiction with fantastic elements. I enjoy both genres, and this novel features a female graduate student (somebody I can relate to) as one of the main characters, and it's available on audiobook, so I thought it would be good entertainment on my commute. I got about ten chapters in before quitting.

The book seems well-researched, is competently written, the tone switches easily and successfully from past to present and back, and the characters are interesting enough. Here is the problem: It is full of enormous amounts of tedious descriptions of ancient and current French landmarks, French historical events, French historical figures, and untranslated French dialogue. I realize, of course, that France is the setting of this historical novel, but the effect of all of this name-dropping is to make me think that Ms Mosse feels the need to prove she did her research -- she's trying too hard, and it comes off as pretentious. And obnoxious. Especially when I'm listening to it in audio format and I can't just skim over the French words. Here are some examples (some are from later in the book):

"It was not quite dawn, yet Paris was waking. In the distance, Anatole could hear the sounds of delivery carts. Wooden traps over the cobbles, delivering milk and freshly baked bread to the cafes and bars of the Faubourg Montmartre. He stopped to put on his shoes. The rue Feydeau was deserted; there was no sound except the clip of his heels on the pavement. Deep in thought, Anatole walked quickly, to the junction with the rue Saint-Marc, intending to cut through the arcade of the Passage des Panoramas. He saw no one, heard no one."

"By the time a smoggy and hesitant dawn broke over the offices of the Commissariat of Police of the eighth arrondissement in the rue de Lisbonne, tempers were already frayed. The body of a woman identified as Madame Marguerite Vernier has been discovered shortly after eight o'clock on the evening of Sunday, September 20. The news had been telephoned in from one of the new public booths on the corner of the rue de Berlin and the rue d'Amsterdam by a reporter from Le Petit Journal."

"In the next stack she discovered a first edition of Maistre's Voyage autour de ma chambre. It was battered and dog-eared, unlike Anatole's pristine copy at home. In another alcove she found a collection of both religious and fervently antireligious texts, grouped together as if to cancel one another out. In the section devoted to contemporary French literature, there was a set of Zola's Rougon-Macquart novels, as well as Flaubert, Maupassant and Huysmans --indeed, many of the intellectually improving texts Anatole tried in vain to press upon her, even a first edition of Stendhal's Le rouge et le noir. There were a few works in translation but nothing entirely to her taste except for Baudelaire's translations of Monsieur Poe. Nothing by Madame Radcliffe or Monsieur Le Fanu . . . The first was Dogme et rituel de la haute magie by Éliphaas Lévi. Next to it was a volume titled Traité méthodique de science occulte. On the shelf above, several other writings by Papus, Court de Gébelin, Etteilla and MacGregor Mathers. She had never read such authors but knew they were occultist writers and considered subversive. Their names appeared regularly in the columns of newspapers and periodicals."

At first, I found myself rolling my eyes at every French phrase and name-drop, but since that started to become a driving hazard, I just quit listening. I would much rather read a story whose purpose is to entertain me, not to enlighten or impress me. Sadly, Sepulchre did none of these things. --FanLit.net

I finshed this book but only because once I start something I have to see it to the end. Save yourself a waste of time, its tedious, the characters are 1 dimensional, and the plot, switching between century's is tedious in the extreme. I am glad to have got to the end.

The story of two lives that are intertwined:

Leonie Vernier is a Parisian teenager who travels with her brother to a country house in the French Pyrenees in 1891. She does not realize that her brother and her aunt share a secret and that her brother is on the run for a man so evil that nobody dares to stand up against him.

Meredith Martin is an American who writes a biography of Claude Debussy. Her trip to Eurote brings her to the French Pyrenees where she hopes to find an answer to questions about her family.

Crucial roles in the book are played by a set of Tarot cards, a ruined Visigoth sepulchre and unconditional love.

Even though the book gives a nice description of upper-class French day-to-day live at the end of the 19th century and makes fun of the stories in the Da Vinci code and some other books that all hype up the region of Carcasonne for hidden treasures and connections to biblical figures, there is a lot of supernatural mumbo-jumbo in this book. It was an anjoyable book for a holiday, but not one that I will remember for a long time.

I looked forward to this 2nd novel from Kate Mosse (sort of, she has 2 other books that are no longer in print, apparently from another life) having read and enjoyed Labyrinth, her first effort. Reviews from other reader gave me pause, but I finally deciced I wanted to read this after I saw that one of the main characters was writing a biography of Claude Debussy, my favorite composer. Concerns of the French spoken in the book didn't give me cause for concern after 4 torturous years of the language in high school which was enough to help me through this novel.

The book is set up much like here first effort with connections between a present day "heroine" and one of an earlier time. The story folds out, bouncing between present day and turn-of-the-century southern France, in the Languedoc (literally, "language of Oc" which was what was spoken there hundreds of years before). The characters, despite other reviewers beliefs, were, in my opinion, quite well written. I, again personally, found the characters of the past to be more interesting than those of the present.

The characters are tied by a secret that revolves around the ancient "art" of tarot. I don't personally believe in tarot or astrology or things of the sort, but that didn't stop me from enjoying the book in the slightest. If anything, my lack of knowledge on the subject made it all the more interesting.

I have seen comparisons to Mosse's first novel, though I failed to see anything too redundant in this novel; past and present heroines aside.

It is hard to write a review of this book with any detail without spoiling the story so I shall not give my usual summary so as to leave the mystery there when, should you decide, you do read. All I will say is that the book is thick with suspense, bouncing forward or back at just the right moment so that you remain frustrated at the moment that you must wait to return to the applicable characters or timeframe.

Mosse has a gift, in my humble opinion, obviously not shared by other reviewers, for writing characters with substance. I felt a pang of sadness as I read the last page because I had grown to know the characters and I liked, or hated, them very much.

I eagerly await Kate Mosse's next novel as these first 2 have firmly placed her as a writer of mystery tinged with historical fiction.

And, the Claude Debussy information, surprising though perhaps it should not have been so, was detailed and accurate. There was some creative license taken as Achille-Claude Debussy did play in to the novel, but his person and his music remain untarnished by the tale.

My biggest regret from this book is that I don't play the piano. A piece from the book, written especially for the book, and which plays in to the story is left to be read at the end of the book; how I wish I could play the tune and hear it's haunting permeations. Alas, perhaps I shall find someone who can play it for me.

Enjoy!!!

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.

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.

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.

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...

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.

I fell under Ms. de Blasi's spell with the trilogy (1000 Days In Venice, 1000 Days in Tuscany and The Lady In The Palazzo) and here is another book of delicate prose woven with insight and beauty. This type of writing probably isn't for everyone. One reviewer of a book she wrote was shocked that she could write about food without having step-by-step photos of preparations. How sad for that person that the whole purpose of her writing isn't about how to cook but how to enjoy cooking, how to enjoy the friends that will eat your food and how to enjoy life. This is a book by a writer who will transport you into another world - if you give her your time and hand.

I have read and re-read A Thousand Days in Venice, A Thousand Days in Tuscany and The Lady in the Palazzo, so was delighted when That Summer in Sicily was released. It is another exquisitely-written, tender story of love and food in Italy. Di Blasi replaces the on-going love story of herself and Fernando with the stories of Tosca and the Last Prince and Tosca and The Widows. It is not only di Blasi's ability to create visual images with her words but more to evoke an atmosphere of timeless, genuine romance that draws one in. This is a woman totally seduced by food who can fall completely in love with an Italian man, whose idea of cuisine before they met was under-cooked pasta paired with over-cooked chicken breast and jarred sauce. This is a book in which to appreciate, understand and share the true joy of love. I can't wait for her next book.

This author can write! Her descriptions of people, environments, food and relationship are first class.

Unlike the first three books that were memoirs of her travels and life with her husband, A Thousand Days in Venice, A Thousand Days in Tuscany, and The Lady in the Palazzo, this book is really Tosca Brazzi's story as told to Marlena.

De Blasi descriptions of simple, everyday things are strong, such as: Unskilled, unshy hands pounded scales on the piano." I could hear the music and see that person working the keys.

What an interesting story de Blasi tells because of her chance meeting with a woman, now in her mid 60s, while traveling with her husband, Italian born Fernando. Tosca, the nine-year-old daughter of a peasant under the last prince in Sicily, was given to the prince by her father in trade for a stallion. She was educated along with the prince's young children and as she grew, became their teacher. A priest who knew her in the beginning described her as having "splendid arrogance."

At 18, Tosca became the mistress of Leo, the prince, now 36. When Leo disappeared mysteriously because his work for the people went against the local mafia, Tosco became an heiress. She carries on his work of modernizing some of culture. Sicily is like a major character in the book and we learn about many aspects of life there.

The story today is of Tosca's role in helping women who are alone--many who come to the beautiful Villa Donnafugata (house of fleeing women) to live, and maybe to die.

If you love good writing that is descriptive to the finest detail, read this book. In the first chapter she describes the ceiling of the dining room in the Villa: "Fragment of frescoed gods and goddesses--plump flanked and rolling eyes--hurtle across the high crumbling walls, giving chase up onto the great vault of the ceiling."

The author has been a journalist, restaurant critic, and cookbook author. She took a trip to Italy, and there experienced a whirlwind love affair with a man and with Venice, inspiring her to write _A Thousand Days in Venice.

Armchair Interviews says: Not a memoir of de Blasi's life, but of Tosca's, however this is a good read you'll enjoy.

That Summer in Sicily is the fourth Marlena de Blasi book I have read. When I picked up the first one, A Thousand Days in Venice, I didn't take to it right away. I am a Texan who writes exactly the way I speak, and I am irritated by flowery prose. However, I am also a sensualist, in love with taste, aroma, color, texture and sound. These elements--these things that define a particular place--come alive for me in these books.

Unlike her previous three memoirs, this story is not really about American Marlena and her Venetian husband. It is an almost unbelievable love story, a story about what it means to be Sicilian. As with most other adventures in her life, this one began with a writing assignment. Marlena was asked by a scholarly magazine to write a seminal piece on the interior regions of Sicily. Several people had already turned the job down, and soon she discovered why. Despite a meticulously drawn route and prearranged interview appointments, she was met at every turn with "misanthropic silences, closed doors and epic heat." Eventually she gave up.

Marlena's husband had come along for the ride, and before wending their way down from the mountains, they decided to take a day or two to recover. Finally, a policeman responded to their numerous inquiries for a place to stay. "There is a woman called Tosca. Her place is Villa Donnafugata (house of fleeing woman), although there's no sign to tell you so."

When they entered the gates they found what looked like a castle with sweeping gardens. In fact, it was nothing more than a hunting lodge, once belonging to the last Anjou prince in Sicily. Everywhere, they passed groups of women in long black dresses, laughing and singing as they went about their daily chores. A beautiful woman dressed in jodphurs and boots approached them. "I'm Tosca Brozzi. We'll be sitting down at one. I'll let you know later if there's room for you to stay."

From one of the other women there, Marlena learned that Tosca had inherited the villa from the prince, whose ward she once was. Bit by bit, she had restored the place. For more than thirty years she had lived there with an assortment of villagers who had found themselves alone, and in need of other people. This sort of communal life helped them to stay well, to stay young. Babies were born there, some people died there. "We are all related by affection," they said. "We are part of one another's history. We are Sicilian." They grew and prepared their own food, cared for the animals and for each other. Though there was much work to be done, it seemed to be merely a diversion to fill the hours between meals. "We eat often and well here, signora," Marlena was told. It was a society she never would have believed could exist.

"We never decide to stay but simply get caught up in the imperishable rituals and rhythms of the villa," wrote Marlena. One day Don Cosimo, a seventy-six year old priest, approached Marlena. He told her that he'd been the household's resident cleric and the prince's chauffeur when, fifty-six years previously, the prince had taken Tosca to live with him in the palace, a few hours drive from the lodge. "She was, even then, of that splendid arrogance. Leo claimed her when, I think, she was nine. Her beauty was already fearsome," he recalled. It was a common enough feudal custom, this sanctioned purloining of the children of one's peasants. Most people believed that the prince had requested Tosca. However, it was Tosca's father who'd offered her to the prince, in exchange for a stallion he coveted. And so Tosca was schooled by a French governess with the prince's daughters, tamed, formed, refined.

Later, it was Tosca who approached Marlena. "I'd like to tell you a story, Chou," she said. "Oh, I don't mean right now, of course. But soon. It's a long story, you see... It might take a few days. A week... I want to try out my story on someone from another place. I want to tell it to you, leave it with you, I guess, knowing that you'll go away." And so it began, the unfolding of a saga that spanned decades. It is a story that explores the ravages of war, poverty, the origins of the Cosa Nostra, the responsibilities of wealth and privilege, the cost of defying rigid traditions, the meaning of love, and finding one's true place in the world. It is also a story of miracles.

by Becky Lane
for Story Circle Book Reviews
reviewing books by, for, and about women

I bought this book in preparation for a trip to Ireland, not only our first time there, but our first time in Europe. I had heard the Eyewitness travel books were wonderful, which is why I selected this one. I was not disappointed. It was incredibly helpful; pictures and text.

Hands down, this is THE travel book one needs for planning a trip to Ireland. Filled with wonderful photos and drawings and interesting text that really tells you about each area, this will be a wonderful resource prior to and during your travels.

The book starts with basic information about Ireland including the people, the economy and a wonderful historical time-line of the country. Of course, it's not exhaustive but it is a great overview of the basics. Next you can explore region by region all that Ireland has to offer. The photos are beautiful and there is an appropriate amount of text (unlike Frommers and Fodors who inundate the reader with too much detail and not enough visual items).

So - the book is pretty and fun to read, but does it include good information? YES! It gives you tons of options of sites to see in each area. It also tells you how best to see each area (by foot or by car) and how long you might want to spend in each area (an afternoon or a few days).

I can't say enough about this book. It is the primary book I've used for planning past trips and the upcoming one I'll be taking. It will also be the only one I carry over to Ireland - it is worth it's weight in gold for the information it contains.

Ireland worth a visit and this guide will be very helpful. Great country and great people! Dia duit!

This guide is very informative and very visual. It makes it a lot easier to know what to expect when you get to Ireland and gives some great suggestions. Most important to me is the thumbnail history of Ireland... up to now my interest in Ireland has been indirect; in other words, it has always been about Ireland in relation to England the the British Empire.

I'm looking forward to using this book during our summer vacation this year!

Bought this guidebook for our trip to Ireland in 2007. Incredibly useful for picking out things to do/see, places to visit, what to avoid. There were even maps of the floorplans for historic buildings! This book was dog-eared long before the trip and carried in the totebag every day. Dublin seems to have a phobia with street signs so I used the hotel listings in the back to determine how much further was the walk from that hotel to Trinity College - worked like a charm! Galway was far and away the best part of the trip due to the extensive recommendations. And County Meath - we would never had gone to the mid-lands if not for this book and I am so glad that we did go. Trim was quaint and charming and convenient for traveling around castle gazing and visiting the Bru na Boinne and Tara.

Best advice from this book: ride the Iarnrod Eireann (train) cross country rather than driving - it's quicker, hassle-free and cheaper than car rental and a tank of very expensive European gasoline (buy tickets on-line while in America to cut down on the fees for turning dollars into the Euro). We also hired a driver for the day we spent traveling about the Bru and the fee was cheaper than renting a car. Not to mention you don't have to worry about getting lost on those very narrow, very winding roads. I still thumb through this book remembering how great our trip was....

My children love these books I didn't know if they would like them because they don't have alot of pictures. They just can't get enough

waited for a month to receive the book.

This book is fabulous.
One of the reasons I like it is because it talked about fires, earthquake and natural disaster. Another reason is because it was near our city! The last reason I liked it is because they lost their city but still had hope. I learned some exellent facts. I learned the fire burned 28,000 buildings! They had half a millon people there. The earthquake was called "The Great Shake". It was one of the biggest earthquakes ever! I would recommend this book for three reasons. The characters are fun. Jack likes the realistic and Annie likes the magic. The second reason is the excitement and learning wonderful facts.
Earthquake in the Early Morning is a excellent book.

My 1st grader hates to put it down, he would rather read Magic Tree House books, than play video games. He even reads them to his class and explains the story for show and tell. In his kindergarten class the teacher would also let him read the Magic Tree House books out loud, not to give her a break, but to promote reading out loud. Great books!

I like this book because it is interesting.
It keeps you wondering whats going to happen next.
It is also very funny.
So you might want to read this book.