Travel Books

Sublette has done an amazing job pulling together political, cultural and social elements into a very compelling narrative. And super-informative too. Extremely impressive historical writing (and this is coming from a history major).

I LOVE how international and broad the perspective is. He really illuminates the dynamics of the time in a fantastic and vivid way.
It's seriously among the most readable and thorough books I've read.

as enlightening as it is it has a couple of major problems. It just peters out at the end as if the author lost focus and couldn't figure out what to do about it. The chapter on the "Indians" seemed to be just tacked on! It was as if it was taken from another book. It didn't fit this book at all. Maybe it would have if the author had continued his narritive in a linear fashion. I'm surprised the publisher or editor let this glaring problem go! Also there is the VERY tiresome rehashing of the "Did Tom sire Sally's children " routine. To further the sin the writer uses this as premise to launch into an anti-Jefferson rant. This is amateurish and I'm again surprised the editor didn't rein the author.
Thomas Jefferson had his many flaws as did all the founders but I doubt he was as evil as the author makes him out to be. Other than those problems I enjoyed the book very much!

Ned Sublette, author of Cuba and Its Music, embarks on a daring undertaking in a detailed and complete history of the Big Easy. Sublette spent the 2004-2005 year in New Orleans, leaving just three months before Hurricane Katrina hit and the levees broke, changing the city forever; making this book all the more meaningful and emotional.

With extensive research, Sublette starts at the very beginning, explaining the topography and geology of the Mississippi River and the substantial yet flooded Mississippi Delta, and how there was simply nothing that could really be built there before the advent of water pumps created the potential for draining of the area. In a time when the land that would one day be Louisiana was being fought over and used by the Spanish, French, and British, while every piece of natural resource in this part of the world was being used for the benefit of the Western World, coupled with the unceasing influx of slaves, a group of settlers began a town that would one day become the great city of New Orleans. Inhabitants included an influx of forced citizens from France consisting of prostitutes and convicts.

From its genesis, New Orleans was composed of an entire world of nationalities, cultures, faiths, and languages. Like the spine of the book, Sublette uses music as the backbone of The World That Made New Orleans, discussing the influences and developments of these different people, many of them slaves. It is a city that, after the catastrophic events of Hurricane Katrina, will never be the same - like New York missing the World Trade Center skyline. Thankfully, Sublette does an incredible job of revealing the many chapters in the history of New Orleans.

For more reviews, and writings, or to buy yourself a copy, please visit www.alexctelander.com

Ned Sublette is one of the brightest minds alive today. His fusion of historical detail, cultural development and human insight is a wonder to behold. If you think that you know something about American history and its antecedents think again, Sublette has redrawn the map of where we came from and the multiplicity of determinants that brought us to where we are today.
Not Since Robert Farris Thompson has anyone brought to bear such a feast of intellectual gifts and profound freedom from dogma. A work of unrivaled erudition.

I checked this book out when I was planning a trip to New Orleans. Initially I thought it was not what I was looking for but Ned Sublette's style was so laid back and appealing that I kept on turning the pages. When the time came for me to return the book, I wasn't done so I purchased it. The history is fascinating and rich in detail as to why New Orleans is decidedly Caribbean in its history and culture. I never knew how much the Spanish had influenced the creation of New Orleans. I really enjoyed the intricate history of how the French, Haitians, Cubans and Americans also came into play. My only complaint is that there was so little mention of the Native American's influence that I am unsure if that is because they had no real influence or if they were just overlooked.

I hope the publisher comes out with a digital edition of this book. I would love to have it on my Kindle. Like Charles C. Mann's 1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus, it is the sort of book I would like to have handy to consult or re-read sections of.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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!

This is a decent guide but I would definately purchase another guide to supplement it. I went on a trip to Kuala Lumpur( I just returned last night) and I took this guide as well as the Lonely Planet Kuala Lumpur guide and they were great together. I did use my LP guide a lot more, but this one does include a lot of good information about all the different sights.

This is a great book- full of interesting information, gorgeous photos, and travel tips. We just went to Singapore and it was useful, along with the Groovy MAP 'N' GUIDE SINGAPOREand Fodor's Singapore's 25 Best, 3rd Edition (25 Best).

The only downside is the size. While small enough to carry in a bag, it's not THAT small- and the section on Singapore is relatively smallcompared to the malaysia section. Overall, while I'm happy I bought it, the other 2 books went with me around town, while this one stayed in the hotel.

I used this guide for a 2 day trip to Singapore. The guide was helpful as an overview to Singapore. We used it to find an authentic Malay restaurant on Boat Quay, which was really excellent, and seemed to have a lot of locals, even though it was in a tourist area. There is actually a lot of interesting things to do in Singapore and the guide helped us find them.

If you are looking for where to stay, where to eat, what is cool, get a Lonely Planet guide. This is a typical DK Eyewitness guide - packed with detailed historical and cultural information, superb illustrations, an easy-to-follow maps. The information is well-written and is presented in a easy-to-read-and-grasp manner.

I usually get both the Lonely Planet (or similar) and DK.

This is an excellent product in many ways. Good text, gorgeous pictures, informative re shopping, food and cultural matters - the beautiful photos of same help a great deal. This is less useful as a primary guide book like the Lonely Planet, which has more nuts and bolts information re places to eat, stay etc., than as anexcellent adjuct. They are really good together to give a complete picture. I lived in Singapore some time ago, and have traveled extesively in Maylasia, and the iformation in the book looks to be acurate as far as I can tell.

These DeLorme maps are great. I plan on visiting the state of Utah next spring and do some hiking while I am there and these look great. The details of the roads and all campsites are awesome. I plan to purchase more of these of other states. They even have details about fishing being available.

Quick delivery, good price, excellent travel guide for the state of Utah where you want to see terrain, not just highways.

I think the title says it all. It is very useful. I got it really fast and it is flawless.

Great maps as always from DeLorme.. I have 6 different states, great for fly fishing, fishing and hiking.. You can use the GPS cordinates to get to specific locations. A must have for the fisherman, hiker and camper.

I love these DeLorme maps. I love traveling in the West but since I live in New Jersey, I get a little nervous sometimes when driving around Utah or Arizona - it's just so empty compared to what I'm used to. These Delorme atlases are my security blanket. They're so detailed that no matter where I am, I can look at the map and find a road or a landmark that will reassure me that I'm in the right place.

An amazing true story about the escape of a German from a POW camp in India during the second world war. Somehow he and his friend beat the odds and were allowed to stay in Tibet. I haven't seen the movie, but just cannot imagine that Brad Pitt could be convincing in this role.

Don't let the fact that Seven Years in Tibet has been made into a movie stop you from picking up a copy of Heinrich Harrer's classic, real-life adventure. Whatever the movie's merits, or lack thereof, by most accounts the original story--the book--remains the best-told version of an incredible journey. Originally published in German in 1953, Harrer's Tibetan travelogue did not appear in English until the 1980s or become widely read until the 1990s. Harrer's tale provides the amazing details of his escapes, survival, evasion, and physical challenge. Beyond the reward of finally arriving in Tibet, Harrer experiences the greater victory of actually creating an enjoyable life for himself in Lhasa and eventually serving the Dalai Lama himself.

Born in Carinthia, Austria, Harrer spent his youth skiing and hiking in the alps. In 1936, the author secured a place on the Austrian Olympic Ski Team and became the winner of the World Students' Championship Downhill race. Reluctant to make ski movies as a follow-up career, Harrer strove to win a place on a Himalayan climbing expedition. In 1943, the author was invited to join a German-Austrian team on the Nanga Parbat Expedition, which was led by Peter Aufschnaiter. After this second thrill of a lifetime, the young mountaineer found himself facing yet another unusual life challenge. After the expedition, while waiting in Karachi, India (which was then British territory) for return transportation to the West, World War II broke out. The climbers were arrested and taken to an internment camp at Dehra Dun, near the border of Tibet.
After two years and two failed attempts, Harrer and Aufschnaiter finally succeeded in escaping. Their subsequent struggle to reach Tibet, and eventually Lhasa, required them to draw on every skill they knew as mountaineers and athletes, as well as their college educations and general handy man know-how. They faced obstacles and dangers--rugged terrain, the altitude, winter weather, diminishing supplies, lack of funds, injury, roving bands of thieves, and the hazards of traveling without documentation--that only the truly determined could overcome.
As though a gift to reward their efforts, when the two men finally did reach the "forbidden city" of Lhasa in January of 1946, after nearly two years enroute, they were not turned away. In their isolation from the rest of the world, the Tibetans were just as curious about these two Europeans as Harrer and Aufschnaiter were about the citizens on "the rooftop of the world." In addition, the Tibetans in and around Lhasa assumed that any foreigner who had made it this far must posses proper paperwork. Once in Lhasa, the Tibetans actually found it quite amusing that these two men had managed to make it into the mystical city without passes. It was truly a feat, considering the measures Tibet's leaders undertook to keep out foreigners--in fact, Harrer notes that he met no more than seven other foreigners during his five years in Lhasa.
While the first half of the book deals with the two mountaineers' struggles to reach the holy city, the second half of the book concerns the fascinating details of how Harrer and Aufschnaiter managed to ingratiate themselves with the locals, eventually becoming respected members of the community. Harrer presents his understanding of Tibetan daily life, culture, and society, and details how he established himself as a citizen. Harrer finds his first job when he builds a fountain in a friend's yard--which leads to more work as a landscape architect. He is commissioned to conduct a geographical survey, and later to construct a dam. He even serves as an ice skating instructor to the locals. Eventually his work leads the Dalai Lama's family to befriend him. As a result, he becomes a tutor to the young holy man. One of the more interesting duties he had was to make films of various ceremonies and festivals for His Holiness, and he is even asked to construct for him what might be the first home cinema. He managed to take advantage of his status as royal film maker and shoot his own photos whenever possible. They must be invaluable today!
For many readers, the most valuable part of this book is that which concerns Harrer's interactions with His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama and his resulting observations. As an outsider and non-Buddhist, Harrer reports that the Dalai Lama was impressively intellectually curious and intelligent, hard working and full of initiative. Despite his youth, the boy king had already established a highly developed sense of diplomacy and vision for his country. As he helped this famous young man learn as much as possible about the wide world beyond, Harrer laments that Tibet's desire to remain neutral in world affairs and her resulting political isolation made her an easy target. If only this boy had had a chance to rule, he notes, Tibet may have met with a different fate.
Unfortunately, both Harrer and the His Holiness' good intentions were foiled in 1950, when the country was invaded. Harrer knew his time had come to leave his adopted country, but he has remained a life-long champion for his beloved second home.
Few places on earth conjure up as many images of tantalizing mystery as Tibet. Fortunately, Seven Years in Tibet offers us a unique glimpse, from a what is truly an insider's view, into the untouched culture of Tibet. Harrer's book is often regarded as the best account of the "real" Tibet, as it once was, and as many hope it will some day return.

Adventurous, curious. The books reads like a biography, a travel book, a cultural study. Little by little, slowly, the culture of the distant mountains seeps into the reader's mind to open a welcome window on spirituality.

Before I start the review, let me point out, that Heinrich Harrer was a Nazi and did leave his wife behind to go mountain climbing in Asia. Now that is dealt with, this book focuses on Tibet. From when he escaped the English to when he fled Chinese invasion he tells a tale of surviving in a strange land, a strange culture and a strange language. His book is about Tibet, the people, places and life. About the brief period of time before the land of Lamaism was turned into just a part of China.

I'm about half way through this book and I am amazed! I've not seen the movie yet so I really didn't know what the book was going to be about. What brave men these were! It's like a diary into these mens lives for a short time when the whole world was in turmoil. Definately read this book!

An interesting read for trailer aficionados, novices, RV and even tent camping enthusiasts. Excellent photography, engaging and concise history. I keep a copy in my teardrop to lend to campers who ask for a tour and more information. This book's "tiny trailers" are non-teardrops like Shasta, Serro Scotty and other "canned hams." Good value, great book.

A wonderful book with illustrations and descriptions of modern and historical teardrops. Shows a wide variety of teardrops and tiny trailers. Lots of detailed pictures.

I like the book. I do wish it had more information on building teardrops in it. It does however have some beautiful pictures in it that have given me some ideas when I do start to build mine. Overall it is a good book.

The photographs in this book are incredible! And besides the beautiful photos the text is well written. It also includes sections on Canned Hams and the Silver Sisters.

Another Douglas Keister book full of high quality photography and great reading. For the teardrop purists there may be some trailers covered that you don't like but for everyone else, you'll appreciate the coverage of the smaller canned-ham trailers.

I'd first heard of Karl when I got the Ricky Gervais podcast from a friend for my birthday. His book comes across just like he does on the podcasts. It's a collection of his travels around the world from his Parents' house to Los Angeles to Ibiza. Some are written in story format, others as journal entries and sprinkled liberally throughout are poems and comic strips of "friend-of-friend" tales.

It is a mix of non-sequitur and absurdism. It's as if Karl stops thinking after the first thought that crosses his brain. Sure, I might have had the same thought, "hey, if my head were on backward, I'd be able to face the audience if I were a pianist." But then, being normal, I would follow that thought up with all the other side effects of having my head on backward.

Pilkington, however, does not move past the first thought of childlike wonderment of having his head on backward and doesn't seem to realize there is anything much past that initial thought. The end result is absolute hilarity.

I can't sum it up any better than what's in the title of this review. I wish I could be in a room with Karl, Stephen and Ricky...I think I'd die laughing.

Just like Ricky Gervais said, "I've seen him blossom from an idiot into an imbecile." Karl has such a different way of viewing the world and it's like no other. Maybe it's because he's borderline retarded, yet extremely observant and curious. This book is HILARIOUS!!!

P.S. WE'RE ALL WAITING FOR SERIES 4 OF THE PODCAST, KARL. HURRY UP AND FIX YOUR DAFT BOILER AND GET BACK IN THE STUDIO WITH RICKY AND STEVE.

Great book. Karl IS a genius, Ricky is the idiot, I know this cos im a genius and if Karl isn't one then im not, but I am, so he is, so there. Love it!

Karl is the king, but he has become a lazy king, and his subjects are getting restless. MORE PODCAST NOW YOU ORANGE HEADED MONKEY FREAK!!!!

...And there better be new monkey news included in the podcast...I'm just sayin'....

But about the book....Great book. Karl's an idiot, but strangely, his book creates a very enjoyable read. I esp. liked when he talked about the squirrles in Carmel, CA. I live by there, and I've seen those squirrles, and I want to go back and see if they've been traumatized by meeting Karl.

I am a reader, read any thing I can pick up. This Book entertained me. I found myself waiting for the next book.Then waiting for the next book. My daughter picked it up and now we are both waiting for the next book.

The last of the Immortal warriors, Hunter often tagged "the crazy one" has just woken from a three-some. He liked to have fun and these days his fun was never serious, just a good time and a good-bye in the morning. He'd been awakened by the house cat which had been scratching around for food. The next thing he experiences was pain as The Calling pulled at him. And then it stopped. One minute he was feeding a domestic kitty in Minnesota and the next he's on a Californian island just off the coast of Mexico and in the lion's den (literally).

Leda Stowe is a witch whose element is air (Amber's is earth, Lexi's fire, and Christine's is water -- see where this is going?). Until recently she'd been a member of the Coven of Light but had done the unthinkable, experimenting with death magic to save her terminally ill husband. The Coven hadn't appreciated her success and neither had her husband. Twice rejected, she focused on her animal rescue vocation on the deserted island with one her current projects a bear named Taro soon to be relocated to the wilds in Japan and a lion who'd been tortured by a Mexican drug runner, that she'd named Mukasa. His fate was still uncertain.

Estranged from the Coven, Leda had not participated in the Calling. Still it seems each of the warriors had been sent to the place they were most needed. Imagine Leda's surprised to find a half naked Immortal warrior in her lion's pen. Even more surprising was the fact that Mukasa, who didn't trust any other human besides her, didn't seem to mind his presence in the least. It soon becomes clear that Hunter has an affinity for animals in addition to beautiful women and Leda certainly falls into that category.

After telling her that the lion would prefer to roam the island to being caged, he suggests a little activity for them as well, much to the consternation of Leda's partner who had been giving her space to recover from her divorce. Naught boy!

Leda is definitely attractive, and soon learns that Hunter has a sad story of his own. He'd loved once, very deeply. He'd married a mortal woman and had given her two children. Then the uber demon (the very same that was now draining the world of life magic, although he doesn't yet know this) had killed his little family. His wife had died for him and his babies had followed. He would never allow anyone to do that for him again. He became determined to be a love 'em and leave 'em kind of guy from that day on. This is how he copes. But if he were ever to love again the woman would be exactly like Leda.

The demon presence descends on Leda's island. Leda thinks that the demon essence within her has drawn it but Hunter knows it is he who the demon is after and sends it packing. All in a day's work and the minute the threat is over he's back to angling for sex.

Leda's soul had been tainted by her bargain with the demon and she fears what that would do to him if she were to succumb to his charm. Hunter informs her that he can remove the blackness -- through sex of course! This mean she has to trust him implicitly. Fortunately it works for as he later tells her, had it not he would have had to kill her.

Nope Hunter had no love for demons so when Leda's half demon, half witch pal Samantha comes to her for help in locating her mother who has disappeared, Hunter is not inclined to trust her. Like the vampires who have allied with his brothers Samantha contains death magic but is not evil. And though there is no love lost between her and her father it soon becomes readily apparent that the demon is deeply in love with his mortal wife, just as Hunter had been. Samantha also explains the reason for the Calling.

Before Leda can consider what to do next, she has to round up Mukasa who Hunter has given free reign of the island. When they find him, they also discover that magical creatures also share the island with them, water spirits known as the Undine. Dyanne tells her that as the life magic in the world diminishes her people have been dying. She implores Hunter to employ his powers to heal them. Not knowing of Tain's plight he tells her to ask him as he is the healer among the five brothers. Her response is cryptic. She tells him that he will find his brother and once he does he will have to choose a path. Each will be painful but a choice must be made. She tells Leda she must choose a path as well. Hunter tells her that while he is willing to go forth and find out what is happening, he won't allow her to leave until the world is safe again. Imagine her consternation. However when she awakes in the middle of the night, she finds Hunter down by the sea communing with his mother Kali, the Hindu goddess of destruction -- and creation. Kali tells him of Tain's plight and the need for all the brothers to unite to save him. She too talks to him of choices and sacfice. The Goddess takes her leave with a command to Leda to be good to her son.

Leda feels she has no choice but to leave Hunter behind on the island to care for her animals and casts a sleep spell upon him so that she can slip away to L.A. to help Samantha unchallenged. He'd planned to use the animals as an excuse to leave her behind, but now the tables have been turned and Hunter is not about to allow her to go into danger alone. Mukasa wants to go with him and when the Undine promises to take care of the bear while he's gone, he is able to leave with a clear conscience.

Suffice it to say that after quite a bit of action Hunter and Leda make it to Amber and Adrian in Seattle. Darius and Kalen who had also been on their way were apparently not so lucky and the two remaining Immortals fear that the demon now possesses three of their brothers instead of one. In spite of the fact that it's readily apparent that the fulfillment of the demons evil plan requires that all five be together, they also realize that they must be together to defeat the menace. Hunter and Adrian must now find a way to join their brothers without the Old One's knowledge. As Kali had imparted to Leda success would require them all -- five Immortals, five witches and five Goddesses to bring down the ancient demon. Who will the fifth witch be and what must they all do to restore Tain to sanity and destroy the demon? Yes, there is a resolution which is most satisfying, but the story is not finished. Four new tales are on the way.

THE GATHERING is filled with deep emotion, the passion of each pair of lovers, loyal though often unlikely friendships, maternal and brotherly love edged with action and suspense, a plethora of magical creatures and best of all a touch of humor. Hunter puts me to mind of a number of Sandra Hill's naughty but oh so sexy Viking heroes. Wouldn't it be great to see a Norse Immortal show up in a future tale. Hm that's an intriguing thought.

Ah well, Tain's much awaited story THE REDEEMING is next and the reader will have a good idea who his mate will be by the end of THE GATHERING. I can't wait to see how that's going to work and of course what Cerridwen, his mother is going to say about that. ~ for PNR Reviews

This is part of a 4-book series on immortals in a fight for the world against demons. Jennifer Ashley and two other authors teamed up to write the 4 books and did an excellent job in keeping the flow. You can read out of order and still follow the story line. Great books that I highly recommend!

this is the last book in this Immortal series and I really like it. Infact I like all the Immortal books and would recommend them to anyone who likes the paranormal romance novels.

Hunter was known as the crazy one of the immortal brothers - but that's just the way Hunter has learned to cope with the loneliness of living forever. However, this time things are not working as usual: the world is going to hell in a hand basket, someone tried to summon the immortal brothers together and demons are slowly taking over the world with their death magic. And to make matters more interesting, after hundreds of years, Hunter has finally come across a woman he can't walk away from.

Leda is an Air witch who is hiding on a small island off the California coast so she is almost completely unaware of the state of chaos of the world. When Hunter lands quite literally and unexpectedly on her island, Leda discovers she isn't as removed from the world as she thought.

As Leda and Hunter are plunged into the battle to save the world from demons, they must concentrate on solving the riddles presented by the goddesses about saving the world.

The Gathering is an action-packed paranormal romance that fails to deliver on most fronts and ends with an anti-climactic plop rather than an explosion. Hunter is a care-free lover-boy who refuses to grow up so he can avoid facing the pain caused by the loss of loved ones over the centuries. Leda is a powerful witch who has chosen to hide herself to avoid confronting the consequences of her actions. As soon as these two meet, they jump into bed and the relationship seems to "grow and become deeper" during the times that are skipped over in the narrative. Overall, The Gathering was a lack-luster read as the conclusion of the Immortals saga. The characters lacked depth and were unbelievable and boring. The plot of The Gathering is not very original or engaging, which combined with one dimensional characters and predictable plot points make for a book that is best missed. Give The Gathering a pass unless you just have to find out how the crisis built in the previous books in the series is resolved.

Sabella
reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

a long slightly boring recitation of life with the bush people. there are flashes of very interesting insights about people and western civilizations impact on indigenous peoples.

This is a detailed, fascinating, and even beautiful account of the author's field study of the Kung! Bushman. Along with the Australian aborigines, the Bushman of the Kalahari desert, who inhabit an arid tableland in southwest Africa, are considered one of the two most primitive cultures in existence. The Bushmen aren't native to the Kalahari but were forced there as a result of conflicts with the white man and other tribes after the 17th century. Thomas gives a detailed account of their way of life and how they are able to survive in one of the most desolate places on earth. The Bushmen are very short of stature, averaging only 4 feet, 10 inches tall, and their skin has a yellowish tinge that is different from the blacker skin of their surrounding neighbors. The Kalahari has no surface water, and the rare rainfall immediately dries up. One of the few ways they get moisture as well as food is the tsama melon, which grows underground. The tsama melons are so important that the rights to a particular locale are inherited, which is unusual among the Bushmen. To survive in this harsh environment, the Bushmen have become expert botanists and can identify over 300 different kinds of plants, and they hunt antelope with poisoned arrows. Marriage among the Bushmen can occur at a very early age, but for women it is considered inappropriate to become fully sexually active and to marry before the age of 12. After having been almost completely wiped out between the 17th and the 19th century through conflicts with other tribes and the white man, there are now about 50,000 Bushmen inhabiting the Kalahari.

Years later, when I saw the movie, The Gods Must Be Crazy, I recalled my first encountering the Bushmen in Thomas's wonderful little book. Several years after that, I had the opportunity to hear Jamie Uys speak, the south African director of the movie, The Gods Must Be Crazy, and he also described what it was like to work with and live in the Kalahari with the Bushmen during the making of his movie. Both he and Thomas commented that there was something very likeable about the Kalahari Bushmen, who now live very peaceably in their little arid paradise with relatively little conflict and strife. Well, paradise isn't exactly the word for the inhospitable environment where they live, but nevertheless the Bushmen came across in both Thomas's and Uys's accounts as overall quite happy and content with their life. Ever since reading this book, I have thought it ironic to consider that the more advanced cultures in other parts of the world, including those of us in the modern western countries, who are considerably more advanced, probably live no more happy and less stressful lives than the primitive Bushmen. Of course, one must be careful about the "Noble Savage" fallacy, but in the case of the Bushmen it seems to be true. This book is an updated edition of the one I read many years ago in college. Overall a classic study that takes its place alongside other great anthropological classics of Africa like Colin Turnbull's The Forest People, about the pygmies.

I could hardly put the book down. The writings were simple and descriptive. I have always found Tribal life very interesting and of all the books I have read hearing the Author's firsthand account was amazing. Listening to the people's tales and day to day life is something I am going to miss now that I have finished the book.

I read 'The Harmless People' for my anthropology class and I enjoyed it. I liked the writing style and the story kept me interested and learning the whole time.

The Bushmen are well known - and intriguing - to phoneticians, because Bushman languages, along with Bushman-influenced languages such as Zulu and Xhosa, are the only ones in the world with linguistic clicks. As a teacher of phonetics, that was my own original motivation for reading this book. I also thought it would be useful background to have before visiting South Africa. Finally, I met a very friendly and kind Nama-speaking Bushman in Minnesota once, and that further piqued my curiosity about his home culture.

This book is truly a rich, firsthand resource on what traditional Bushman life was like in the 1950s. The Bushmen may be praised for their cleverness at being able to live in a land with very little visible water; but in this book you will learn that in fact many Bushmen died of thirst and hunger, not to mention disease, when times were unusually hard.

One half of the book is dedicated to each of two Bushman groups with whom the author and her family stayed for extended periods, the Gikwe, and the !Kung, of "The Gods Must Be Crazy" fame. It was fascinating to read about how they courted, married, divorced, gave birth, chose names, cared for children and the aged, went through puberty, gathered and hunted, interacted with animals, told stories, died, and dealt with the spirits of the dead. I especially enjoyed the descriptions of Bushman music, e.g. singing accompanied by playing on the stringed guashi, the bow, and the te k'na (mbira/kalimba/thumb piano), and the ritual dancing that sometimes went with it. Thomas states that music is by far the strongest of the Bushman arts.

Mentions of some of the effects of intruding white people on the Bushmen's lives may give you pause. The Bushmen treated their white visitors with great openness and kindness. You can praise the generosity of the white chroniclers when they give gifts of food, clothes, and other useful items, and feel relieved when a formerly powerful hunter with a gangrenous leg is taken to be fitted with a peg prosthesis. Yet Thomas also mentions that some Bushmen had been tracked down and taken into slavery by people who had followed the tracks left by Thomas's family's vehicle on a previous visit. And other Bushmen had their guards down when whites came to kidnap them to do forced labor - the Bushmen welcomed them, expecting them to be as friendly and harmless as Thomas's clan.

Thomas goes to great pains to depict the people she observed as accurately and honestly as possible, consciously avoiding the "noble savage" trap. Bushmen shared everything - because it was expected and it would cause great jealousy, conflict and bad relations if they did not; they did not take anything they knew to belong to another; and they had a strong sense of family and cared for those unable to care for themselves. But they practiced infanticide if a baby was born while the previous one was still nursing, since there would probably not be enough milk for both to survive. They could also be vain, jealous and petty, and they could be cruel in razzing people with obvious weaknesses - like any other humans.

You will pick up new Bushman-specific vocabulary reading this book, including words like kaross (the skin wraparound which was a Bushman's usual attire), veld food, pan (a water hole), scherm, gemsbok, tsama melons, bi root, and tsi nuts.

Thomas includes two family tree diagrams at the front of the book to help the reader sort out the relationships between the characters in her accounts. I found these most helpful and referred often to them.

Beyond providing informative content, Thomas is an engaging writer. This is all the more impressive since she wrote the book in her early twenties.

Thomas's book is one of the very few sources of detailed information on the Bushmen. I read the original edition from 1959, so I haven't seen the updated parts on how the Bushmen were doing by the 1980s. Although a lot of what I've heard about Bushman societies today is rather negative and depressing, I look forward to finding out more, and hope the various Bushman groups manage somehow to preserve their remarkable languages and the best of their unique cultures and traditions.

This was worth the time to read if you are or ever will be interested in how to open a pizzeria. It has every detail on how to run your business to include a checklist on whether you are the right person for the business. The included CD ROM with all the lists and pertinent information in the book was an awesome addition. The business plan was also very helpful.
All in all a good book if you are new to the pizza business and looking for a map to opening your own.

Shri L Henkel and Douglas R. Brown have produced a phenomenal book on how to not only open a Pizza and Sub Restaurant but on how to be successful financially in starting this type of business.

Great details have been provided in every phase of the business process from research gathering to the actual operations of the business including how to budget and control your costs, techniques on marketing the business as well as being aware of governmental requirements whether federal , state or local.

This book of instructions and guidelines will assist anyone in becoming successful in the Pizza & Sub Restaurant business if they are willing to follow the suggestions and advice the authors provide in this book. The CD included with the book is an added plus in that it provides all the necessary forms that are mentioned in the book. What better way to provide Readers with something they can use in the start-up and progress of their business.

There are plenty of books on the market which cover how to open a general restaurant and a few which even address high-class establishments; but pizza and sub venues are different and need the close inspection of a subject-specific treatment. That's why How to Open a Financially Successful Pizza & Sub Restaurant stands out from the crowd: with its companion cd-rom of all forms in the book plus an editable business plan in Word, it offers the specifics neeeded to tailor a plan to such a venue, from incorporating a wood fire stove into a structure to sales analysis and successful employee relations. A 'must' for any would-be pizza or sub shop owner or franchisee.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

As a business owner who has looked closely at opening a restaurant, I find Henkel and Brown's book to be the best single-volume insight into that process. The authors take the reader from the typical but business-flawed dreams of restaurant ownership through each step of the process. Those painstaking details, which are so accurately and thoroughly presented in the book, are truly invaluable for anyone considering a career as a restaurateur.

Most importantly, the authors have already conducted their readers' market analysis: by limiting their analysis to a specific type of restaurant, they provide readers with information that is specific to their concerns. The book's twenty-three chapters cover every important aspect of the process, from buying a shop, to bookkeeping, to marketing, and to dealing with the local food and health safety officials. The CD-ROM that is included with the book features an editable business plan.

In short, this is a must-have for anyone even remotely considering opening a restaurant. Buy it, learn, and be successful!

This is a great book whether you really want to open a pizzeria or just want to know what goes on behind the counter. I fall into the second category - I'm always interested in how other businesses are run.

The first few chapters will help you understand if owning a pizza restaurant, or indeed any kind of business, makes sense for you. It clearly lays out the skills and talents you need and the first steps to make your business successful.

Read it from cover to cover. Every little detail is in here. What kind of oven should you buy? How should your menu look? Will you offer delivery? How will you evaluate employees? There are even about 70 recipes to get you started.

Most people who go into the pizza business probably won't read this book. Reading it will give you a leg up on the competition. They may have good recipes and a strong work ethic, but they'll struggle with bookkeeping, marketing, and so on. Meanwhile you have the answers from this book, or you know where you get them (from resources listed in the book). It includes a companion CD-ROM that includes all the forms, worksheets, and recipes.

I highly recommend it.