Travel Books

This book is amazing. First time using a guidebook and first for the Lonely Planet. Will definitely buy more. Maps wonderful, chinese names for everything and very good restaurant recommendations. Found a tiny restaurant off a back alley and was amazing for a great price. Wonderful spend and would recommend to everyone!!!

This book gives ou a nice overview of the region, and incredible specific tips for visiting Shanghai.

I have read this book cover to cover in anticipation for my trip to Shanghai. I am hoping that it will save me time and money by giving me a view of the city and details that would take many months to aquire. It was an easy read and well organized. I would however recommend that you do a search online for hotel rooms as there are many deals in the hotel market that were not even mentioned in the book. Happy Trials, BB.

As of June 2007, this book has become out of date. Many of the shikumen houses that I went to visit have been torn down in Shanghai in an effort to modernize the city by 2010 for the World Expo. Maps of the metro subways are also out of date. The book currently has partial maps of the 2 lines. There are now 5 different subway lines and still many more to be built. This book is a great introduction to Shanghai, but it is out of date (just like pretty much all the other books on the city).

To sum it up, pretty good book, but just don't count on the book being your only source of information on Shanghai.

I recently returned from a trip to Shanghai and thought this was a great guide to the city. Although I love to explore most places on my own, I found Shanghai to be slightly intimidating (especially with all the ongoing construction), so I was definitely thankful I had this book with me.
Pros:
* Up-to-date information
* Offers a lot of good insight into Shanghai and the Shanghainese. I found the sections like identity, cuisine, economy, and architecture to be quite readable and interesting.
* Good maps
Cons:
* I was surprised by the other reviews, as my edition has Chinese for each address mentioned in the book. I agree that you initially expect the Chinese to be in the text (next to the romanization), but it's actually on the map keys. This is a minor flaw but did not affect me, as I often looked at the maps when I decided where to go. I guess if you never consult this section however, you might not realize that it's there.
Bottom line:
This was the most up-to-date guide I saw, and (as far as I know)is the only one with comprehensive listings in Chinese--they got me where I wanted to go every single time I took a cab. Good job.

Fifty years ago the Democratic Republic of Congo -- then just ceasing to be the Belgian Congo -- had a modern network of roads, railways and river transportation, with adequate accommodation available in all of the main centres. Today none of that exists, and the only practical way of getting about is by air, and that with difficulty and even danger. As Tim Butcher remarks at one point, "I looked at the sickly child and tried to think of another country in the world where a baby born in the same place half a century earlier had less chance of surviving than today" (the last few words are quoted from memory, and hence are probably quoted inaccurately).

So when he decided to follow Henry Morton Stanley's land route in the 1870s from Lake Tanganyika to the River Congo and then follow the river to Boma, on the coast, this was not the trivial task it would have been in the 1950s, and many experts on the country said it would be impossible and dangerous and that he would almost certainly be killed if he attempted it. In some ways he had an even more difficult task than Stanley, with no Zanzibari bearers to carry all his stuff, and no guns to shoot anyone who tried to thwart him. Nonetheless, he largely succeeded (with considerable help, it must be said, from a series of aid workers and United Nations representatives), apart from flying about a quarter of the total distance, from Mbandaka to Kinshasa ("no capital city in the world more unrepresentative of its country"), when he felt to ill to continue. He describes Mbandaka as "a sad collection of ruins", but unfortunately this description applies equally well to almost everywhere he went.

Apart from its interest as a modern adventure story, Blood River is well worth reading for what it tells us about the modern Congo, and how it got that way, with much information about Stanley's initial colonization, exploitation as the personal property of King Leopold, later as a Belgian colony, and now independent, with essentially permanent armed conflict.

This book has all of the sights and activities that you would want to have but, the layout is poor. I found it difficult to use the book as a reference. It was time consuming to sift through the book to find where that particular sight was, most were not included in the index. I made it more useful by using bookmarks that I could turn to quickly to locate the sights.

Also, they included shopping as a seperate item so, if you are visiting a sight, you had to sift, again, through the book to the shopping category to see what shops surround that temple you are visiting. And vica verca, This can be tedious

The Book is a font of information that is preparing me to go to Taiwan in mid Januaary.
It is both concise and in depth. I recommend it higly for those persons like myself who want to prepare to live in a new culture.

The Rough Guide (RG) is divided into four main sections. The full color pages at the front of the book give a basic introduction to Taiwan followed by "30 things not to miss". The next section, "Basics", gives general information about transport, accommodation, food, festivals and outdoor activities. Next comes the main section of the guide which covers all the places in Taiwan. The final section is about history, religion, aboriginal tribes, arts and language.

I like the layout and design of the book. It reads almost like a book, not just a guidebook, but it is still easy to locate specific information. I think this is typical of the style of Rough Guides which I have used in several other countries. The maps are easy to read and many of the places on the map are clearly labelled avoiding the need to constantly refer to the key.

Information about accommodation is generally listed in the text for smaller places with more detailed listings for the larger cities. Rather than giving prices for each hotel or hostel Rough Guides uses numbers to indicate the price range. The authors seem to have chosen a good range of accommodation.

All the places that one would expect to be covered in a guidebook are included. There are also a few smaller and less well-known places that are covered. Of course there are many places that are still not mentioned. However, I think overall the choices are well considered.

One important thing that is key to the on-the-ground usability of any guidebook in Taiwan is its use of Chinese characters and romanisation. The RG includes tables through the text with place names in Chinese characters, Hanyu Pinyin with tone marks and the mix of English and romanisation that is commonly used on signs in Taiwan. I think this works well as it leaves the main text uncluttered and easy to read while all the key information is grouped together in one place for easy reference.

The RG has several features that make it stand out. These include the detailed list of festivals with dates and information about all of Taiwan's major aboriginal tribes. The section on religion in Taiwan is well written noting its syncretic nature and idiosyncrasies. It includes descriptions of all the major dieties one might encounter in Taiwan. Some pictures would have been nice here though.

The detailed coverage of how to climb Yushan and Xueshan is excellent. Everything you need to know from accessing the National Parks to obtaining permits and descriptions of the climbs is included.

Overall I highly recommend the Rough Guide as a great practical guide for anyone visiting Taiwan.

(originally posted at David on Formosa)

When Rough Guides are good, they are arguably the best guide books on the market. The Rough Guide to Beijing is the finest travel book I have ever owned, and I have owned quite a few. The problem is: they're not always that good. However, with this sleek looking 2007 Taiwan edition, the people at Rough Guides are clearly out to make a statement: "Hey, competition! Look out!" This is a quality effort. Weighing in at a hefty 580 pages, the buyer also gets much more bang for his buck, important given the price tag on all travel guides these days. Yes, you may have to pick up additional maps on your travels (a breeze in Taiwan), but you won't have any excuse for not becoming informed. This volume makes for a great deal of jaunty, intelligent reading. And it has fantastic pictures.

Taiwan is a fascinating place, and yet for various reasons (chief among them the fact that the government has no idea how to promote itself) it remains obscure and off the proverbial beaten track. What a shame, as there really is a lot to see and do. Places like Toroko Gorge, Jade Mountain, Taiwan's east coast, and the country's engaging collection of attractive islands in both the Taiwan Strait (Kinmen is a mere two kilometers off the coast of China's Fujian Province, for example) as well as the Pacific Ocean are all must-sees for anyone looking for something different in Asian travel. Living in Taipei, like I do, it is easy to forget that although half of the country is urbanized and - it must be said - quite ugly, the other half ranges from agreeable to stunning. A two to three week jaunt around Taiwan, with this Rough Guide in your hand, would make for a unique, once in a lifetime experience. Unless, of course, you were to do it twice.

Troy Parfitt, author

The Rough Guide series has a new look, and improvements to their style. Rough Guide Taiwan 2007 is one of the new series. At the moment, this is the best guide available in English for Taiwan, and it is very good indeed. It does a fine job of presenting both major and lesser-known attractions, and is clearly superior to the nearest competitor, Lonely Plant Taiwan 2004 (more on this below).

Still, there is room for improvement; see CONS.

Taiwan is a fascinating but underrated set of islands, with friendly and helpful people, many of whom speak at least a little English or Japanese. The Chinese culture here is fascinating, but I had no idea before I came here the first time that there were people other than those descended from the Chinese. The indigineous Austranesian peoples add ethnic cultures, arts, and cuisines to get to know.

The diversity of natural beauty on this island is staggering - mountains, rugged coastline, waterfalls, and unique wonders like Toroko Gorge. You can see it all easily because of the new high-speed bullet trains that can take you from Taipei to the south in just over 2 hours. (Buses from the train to inland areas are not as fast, of course.)

Even if you have to stay in Taipei, there are many day trips to enjoy; Wulai is easy and worthwhile, and you could even take a train to see a little of the south, yet return the same day.

PROS

Excellent coverage of Taipei and (separately) each of the major regions, including one for the islands. An excellent overview in the first 24 pages, with color photos to give you a very quick introduction to the highlights, which will help you decide whether you want to visit Taiwan. Sections for Basics, and for Contexts (history, indigineous people, religion, culture) make it complete.

CONS

No maps section for quick reference, like Lonely Planet's, means you will have to search for the maps mixed in the text, and they are not as detailed as I would like, and use two colors. You will need to get a local map while you're here... but maybe your hotel can provide one free.

RG misses some key details here and there. Example: to go to Wulai, it says to take MRT to the Xindian station, then take the Wulai bus. It fails to mention that while most buses show both Chinese and English, the Wulai bus does not have the English characters for Wulai on it, only the Chinese ones. It does have two Taipei destinations in English, making me think it was not the Wulai bus, and the bus does not have a number (maybe it is a diffent company). To take this bus, you need to spot two Chinese characters. Your hotel concierge, or the Info center at the Xindian station, could write them for you, unless you happen to notice that the name for Wulai is given in a sidebar on a diffent page. I did notice... the day AFTER I spent almost an hour waiting for the bus, only to learn that it had gone by a few times already.

The Language section seems to be Chinese (Mandarin). It discusses the basic differences between Chinese and Taiwanese (a completely different dialect), but it doesn't actually say which is presented here. It would be nice if they had at least some basic greetings in Taiwanese and a few of the most common indigineous languages, as greeting people in their preferred language always brings good will.

CONTENTS/ORGANIZATION

Color Section (where/when to go, highlights), 24 pages
Basics, 52 pages
Taipei and vicinity, 80 pages
North Taiwan, 68 pages
Central Taiwan, 82 pages
South Taiwan, 70 pages
East Coast, 60 pages
Taiwan Strait Islands, 62 pages
Contexts (history, indigineous people, religion, culture), 41 pages
Language, 15 pages
Plus: two 4-page color sections on festivals and national parks.

OTHER COMMENTS

A warning: while many Taiwanese speak at least some English, and many younger or more-educated people can speak it reasonably well, you will at times need to look at the Chinese characters to find things (like the bus I mentioned in Cons). Unfortunately there are three different English spelling schemes used for Chinese words, so you will need fuzzy thinking using sounds in your head to work it out. Example: Xindian (the MRT spelling) is spelled Sindian on the buses. A road like Zhongshan might be spelled Jhongshian or Song Shan, but Songjiang is a different road in the same area. BTW, I have found that many Taiwanese can also speak some Japanese.

LONELY PLANET vs ROUGH GUIDE for Taiwan

I have always preferred Lonely Planet (LP) guides, and have many more LPs than Rough Guides. I found LP first and got used to the LP organization, which is reasonably consistent among their books. The LP city guides have a handy map section in the back, great for quick reference on the go.

But the LP Taiwan books, at least 2004 and before, are among the worst of the LP series. They are hopelessly incomplete for the fascinating country outside of Taipei. Compare, for example, the 592 pages for Rough Guide Taiwan 2007 vs 384 pages for LP Taiwan 2004.

Then there is accuracy and completeness of information in LP Taiwan. Perhaps the finest and most expensive Oolong tea in the world comes from the high mountains of Taiwan, and all kinds of tea are an essential part of Chinese culture, both in Taiwan and in PRC. Rough Guide discusses the culture, tea houses, and the two major growing regions for those who want to visit, and I consider the amount of coverage appropriate. LP has merely a sidebar written by someone who clearly knows nothing about tea culture stating, for example, that "the more bitter, the better." The truth is, for many Chinese people, a great deal of effort (indeed, the entire Chinese tea ceremony) is placed on brewing tea properly to avoid bitterness.

LP is said to be revising their Taiwan 2004 guide for publication in 2007. It will be interesting to see if they rise to the occasion and produce a book on par with the vastly superior Rough Guide 2007.

Update: LP Taiwan 2007, to be published in Nov 2007, now appears on Amazon for preorder. Since the page count has been grown only from 384 to 400 pages, it appears that the new edition is a minor update rather than the reworking that guide sorely needs to be up to the LP standard.

Update: According to a comment left on this review, LP Taiwan 2007 IS a rewrite after all. When viewing reviews on LP Taiwan, disregard all of the ones with dates before November 2007, as they apply to the earlier edition.

If you're faced with the decision between this guide and the LP Taiwan 2004 edition, I strongly recommend the Rough Guide.

This is a good light read. It never did say why Archer came to the different time period however I would still recommend this for fun. This book isn't extremely exciting but good enough to keep your interest.

Kevin is a young boy, Korean-American, who is just following his normal routine of doing his homework--his boring, irrelevant history homework--when history comes to visit him in a quite unlikely way. His baseball hat is quite literally lifted off his head by an arrow of a strange visitor who insists that he just fell off a tiger's back. Unsure whether to call 911 or assume it's a bizarre dream, Kevin goes along with the odd man's requests. As he begins to explain modern life--glass windows break when you try to shoot arrows through them--he determines that the only way to make his life return to normal is to figure out WHO this guy is and WHY he's suddenly in his room. This leads him to do research both online and in person.

The 'quest' is to find a way to send him back to his proper time. The solution--critical thinking skills, communication, math, and cultural research.

While ARCHER'S QUEST is not my favorite Linda Sue Park novel. I think this modern-fantasy tale may prove interesting to some young readers.

I just cannot for the life of me figure out what to do with Linda Sue Park. Some authors write books that are spot-on gold all the time. Others can't churn out a decent title no matter how hard they try. Then there's Linda Sue Park. Garnering a coveted Newbery award early in her career, Park has had the unenviable job of showing the world that she remains worthy of that honor with every subsequent book she writes. I liked "A Single Shard", but somewhere in the back of my brain was the niggling suspicion that since I'm twenty-seven-years-old my response probably would have been different had I been a ten-year-old who had to read it in school. Ditto my response to "The Mulberry Project", in which silkworms, rather than pottery, were the name of the game. As if hearing my silent plea, Park has now come out with the far more kid friendly (but still darned informative) "Archer's Quest". The set-up is good, the story interesting, and the book a short sweet ride. You'd think I'd be in seventh heaven. Instead, I'm torn. On the one hand, it's difficult to criticize an author who takes as much time and attention as Ms. Park does with her work. On the other hand, something about "Archer's Quest" failed to grab me right from the get-go. Maybe it's the fact that Park has written a story found in so many other children's books. Maybe it's the low-key action. Whatever the case, "Archer's Quest" makes for a mighty fine read. It just didn't have that extra little oomph it needed to make it beloved.

You think your day's been crummy? You've got nothing on Kevin. Sure, today was a half-day at school, but is he able to appreciate it? Not a chance. The year is 1999 and Kevin is bored out of his skull with only a bouncy ball to keep him company. Next thing you know Kevin's cap is hanging from an arrow sticking straight out of the wall. The arrow, in turn, belongs to a very oddly dressed man who is eyeing Kevin suspiciously and has his next arrow aimed at the boy in question. Turns out that the man is the great Korean historical figure Koh Chu-mong. Part Robin Hood part King Arthur, Chu-mong has somehow landed smack dab in Archie's bedroom some 2,054 years into the future. Kevin, may be of Korean descent, but he doesn't sufficiently know his Korean history to know enough about Chu-mong (who requests that he be called Archer, shortened by Kevin to "Archie") to help him back to his own time. Together the two must discover everything they can about Korean history, magic, the Chinese Zodiac, and some basic math before the year of the Tiger is up. And the year ends that very night!

In a way, "Archer's Quest" is a historical novel. Sure it takes place in 1999, but that still places it firmly in the past. Park starts with a particularly interesting situation. You're in your bedroom, bored, and suddenly a hero from the past is looking to put an arrow in your heart. A great start, but a difficult one. Since the story must take place in the course of a single day, and since Kevin is such a realistic character that Park's afraid to ever put him into too much trouble, the story's action is downplayed. The most we get is an encounter with a real tiger, a race from a negligible enemy, and a run across a highway when the traffic has already been stopped. Her "villain" isn't even that villainous. Just misguided. Of course, limiting the action is Park's style. Therefore, if you've a kid who really got into "A Single Shard" or (more logically) "Project Mulberry", they are bound to enjoy this story just as much, if not more.

The concept of a historical or fictional figure bumming around the present isn't new, of course. Everything from "Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure" to "Inkheart" has used it to their advantage. Where Park diverges from the ordinary is in making her hero a Korean folk-hero. Kids who've never had the opportunity to learn of the adventures of Chu-mong will find much to learn about here. In this way, the book pairs nicely with another recent historical-man-to-whom-folk-tales-have-been-attached character, Dick Whittington, in Alan Armstrong's, "Whittington".

Ever attentive to supporting her stories with fact, Park includes a section on math in this story, while another attends to details involving Chu-mong, tigers, and RIT, and a bit on the zodiac. A Chinese Zodiac is located at the end of the book, and here I had a real problem with the book. Some children's books that discuss the Zodiac do what "Archer's Quest" did here and include each year with the dates ascribed to that year. For example, "The Rooster's Antlers: A Story of the Chinese Zodiac" by Eric A. Kimmel, includes a bunch of dates that fall within different animal years. The book is useful because these dates go a decade or two into the future. "Archer's Quest" on the other hand, stops at February 4, 2000. That's all well and good if the kiddies want to know what animal is ascribed to the year of their birth, but does absolutely no good if they want to know what the current year in the zodiac is. Obviously it stops around 1999 because that's when the story takes place. However, it would be heads and tales more interesting if it bothered to go a little bit into the future. Even if it were just a decade.

None of this is to say that the book doesn't make for a good read. Linda Sue Park is first and foremost a premier children's book author and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. I just wish that this book had gotten a little more work done on it. It reads beautifully and will give a lot of enjoyment to some kids with the whole time-travel aspect. For others it will start out well, then peter off into the dull. A nice title but not my favorite Park accomplishment.

This is a fairly bland tourist guide to Israel. Don't expect it to lead you anywhere that the Israel tourist information map won't. It'll give you telephone numbers for the sheratons, but not much off the beaten track. There are some big gaps, including almost no mention of the elephant in the room: ie the Palestinian territories, and their ongoing occupation. Travel into the West Bank is pretty much dismissed in a sentence. Israel & the Palestinian territories are a unique place, but if you follow this guide you'll probably come back none the wiser.

Just back from 3 weeks in Israel and even though I was born there - this guide made it much easier to come back after 20 years. We used the guide in planing and reservations and were not disappointed with what we encountered. The Fodor's recommendations were right on the money and one of the books writers was our guide for a few days in Jerusalem - and even I (who lived there in the past) discovered a new aspects of it!
We are very pleased with the guide and will keep using it for future trips around the globe!

I was grateful that Fodor's was the first of the major guides to release an update on Israel after the tourist drought of the early 2000s. The book has strong points and weak points. The description of sites, the history, and the information given on each attraction is very solid. But when it comes to choosing hotels and restaurants, information that I count on a good guidebook to provide, Fodor's Israel fails badly. Even in major cities, only a small number of options are offered, and I was stunned to see major, important options omitted altogether. All in all, this guidebook would not be very helpful if I did not already know Israel. And of course, it is written for people who are not knowledgeable.

Those folks could do far better with the updated Frommer's Israel that came out a few months later. This book isn't bad -- just not good enough.

I spent a month in Israel recently. This Fodor's guide was the one I used of the ones I brought with me (including Fromer's, & Lonely Planet).

NOTE: "Fodor's Explorer" is the supplemental guide to this one. I've seen the two mixed up.

For organization it was the only one I could easily get acclimated to for each region. Fromer's was consistently more confusing. Lonely Planet didn't include even the basic attractions (1 -2 for every 5-6 in the other books.) In addition to organization, Fodor's attraction descriptions gave enough details to decide what was of interest, and also to make the arrangements to get there.

For restaurants both Fodor's and Fromer's had similar listings. I only tried a few, but their lists matched the one's recommended by the various hotels I stayed at. I was staying with people, and had my own hotel recommendations so I didn't use the hotel sections.

Unlike the other's, Fodor's Israel didn't spend much time on politics making it a genuine guide. It included substantial info on sites of Christian interest. I had no problem finding Massada and Dead Sea in the book, and wouldn't have missed them accidently. (There's so much in Jerusalem, that the guide uses a whole day trip section.)

Politically by contrast, Fromer's relegated it to a section in the back abet with some strange statements. Lonely Planet was one long "pro-Palestinian" sell, and not a tour book. I put "pro-Palestinian" in quotes because their facts were as erroneous there as they were for the various attraction descriptions. I had plans to go into the terroritories, and wound up borrowing an internet connection instead to figure things out.

------

A note of caution, time is fluid in Israel. As one Israeli told me, "BUT in the mall, time is time." Check open hours for everything before heading to it. The guidebook's hours didn't match the museums, but neither did the sheets from the tourist offices! Then there was the confusion of hours during Purim (a holiday).

In general, compared to other travel areas, things are NOT just a few generated museums in a downtown area plus a few quaint areas to walk around. Everywhere you turn there's something, and it's all over the place. What Israeli's consider easy walking distance is 15-20 minutes and in Jerusalem that usually includes hills. Therefore, it's very helpful to do research in advance here. (For instance, the old city in Jerusalem looks small on maps, but it takes 15-20 minutes to get from the Western Wall back up to the entrance, especially if you don't know the most direct route and it's uphill in that direction.)

Roads are well marked but entrances to attractions aren't always, so do tear out the pages or bring a list with you to point to when you ask people, including addresses. The tourist office sheets have Hebrew versions, as well as English, and it helps to have. Israelis try to be very helpful, but they don't always figure out what you're asking about.

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More about Fodor's -- I joined a standard style tour bus group for 5 days. I repeatedly heard from several people, that they'd read in the book last night essentially what our guide had said about the same attraction we'd just gone to the day before. A private guide can help a lot and add much more, but it was nice to see that the tour book covered the basics so well.

So if you are traveling to the area, have a good time!!

A good resource for visiting Israel. Good advice on sample itineraies and places to stay and eat.

Sadly, this is a book that falls victim to misleading advertising. The title and book description would lead one to assume this to be a travel memoir about our hero's experiences trying to get a chain of British tea rooms off the ground in France.
If you buy, or as I (fortunately) did, borrow the book from your library it won't take you long to come to the conclusion that in an attempt to make the book saleable and "real" the thing is written less as a travel memoir and more as a sexual misadventure. For, in truth the main recurring theme of this book is the narrator's failed attempts to bed women...any women...women he barely knows and for whom he doesn't care.

Now that's fine and I'm sure the hero of A Year In The Merde is not the first, nor will he be the last fella to go to France with getting laid as his main goal in life.

This goal is, however, not universally endearing, and is in fact quite off putting for a large number of the reading public...like the female reading public---quite a lot of those out there actually.

His constant attempts to prey upon people for sex are not endearing, not charming, and worst of all...not entertaining.
Last time I looked guys in their teens and early twenties weren't the major audience stampeding to buy stories about life for expats living in France.
Yes, there are insights into the French, but they are incidental and largely overshadowed by nearly continuous comments about women and their undergarments, lack of undergarments, attractiveness, and willingness to bed the narrator.
Casting a humorous light on the French people or the French culture is secondary.
Since my interest in France is NOT primarily focused on scoring with chicks...I was disappointed. Depending upon your interest, your mileage may vary.

Not a page turner by any means, but laugh out loud funny! I really enjoyed this book, took my time reading it, and am rather sad it's over... :)

A Year in the Merde by Stephen Clarke is an uproarious roman à clef following a year in the life of Clarke's alter ego, Paul West. Paul West is a Brit who has been transplanted to the City of Light to help a French businessman open English tea shops throughout Paris. Paul's struggles to understand and master all things French, including the French work ethic of his colleagues (which places more importance on vacation planning than on anything truly work related); the confusing manner in which the real estate market operates; and the most perplexing thing about France - French women, will have you laughing throughout the entire book.

Besides being a humorous account of French assimilation, A Year in the Merde is also an insightful look at how the French view British and American citizens. Clarke is especially discerning when recounting the start of the American led Iraq war.

As the inside flap of the book says, "This book is for everyone who can never quite decide whether they love - or love to hate - the French".

I love every one of Stephen Clarke's books. I have never laughed so hard reading. Looking forward to getting his newest. I wish these books would also go to the big screen. Hugh Grant?

This is loads of fun, I'll grant you. I happen to love British wit, so what could beat an English author griping about his time among the frogs? The French do not come off well. Curiously, I had never seen this side of them. Clarke essentially captures a petty, almost tribal narrowness which I had never before associated with the French, but rings absolutely right. Especially when the French girlfriend calls things off over politics - this is so American radicals of the 60s, and it is totally believable as a French pose of self-importance. The nonsense over the tea shops is silly but very revealing, too. Anyway, the memoir is amusing if finally a bit tiresome. Actually, the entire premise of his stay seemed weird and somehow bogus. The graphic romance seems a little adolescent to me - maybe the author has something to prove. Although the French gals do come across as totally lacking in Anglo-American primness. His shock is fun, but so is his unabashed joy in finding such easy women. This is a real case of so close but so far. Highly recommended.

My boyfriends parents are going to be travelling to the Virgin Islands next spring, so for father's day, we bought his dad this travel guide. The book is packed full of information! They said they were glad that they got this book ahead of time because it will be great to use as a reference for their trip!

The Scott's Guides are the definitive authority on sailing in the Caribbean or anywhere a charter boat sailor may wish to go. Seriously, don't attempt a sailing vacation without consulting the Cruising Guides. CGVI is up to date information on every anchorage in the Virgin Islands.

Bob New, Author
"How To Bareboat, It's easier than you think"
www.howtobareboat.com

My wife and I sailed the BVI just last month and this little tome opened to us some very fine places to stay and some interesting sites to see. Whatsmore, it offered detailed instructions on how to enter ports-of-call and where to anchor or moor. Very valuable to those who don't know all the coves and inlets.
We were only a little surprised to see that at least one charter company places this booklet in all their fleet, it being the most authoritative book on the subject.
We also appreciated how easy to read and how well the book was laid out. I'd buy from this author again.

This guide only gives basic information about cruising the Virgin Islands. It's not much better than the free guides that are given out and supported entirely by ads. It only gives information on islands where a commercial interest has supported the write up. It only gives a mention of islands or anchorages where some one is collecting a fee, so if there is a secluded spot that is free you won't read about it here. It doesn't provide any critique on establishments so you won't know if you are walking into the best restaurant on the island or a complete dump. I don't know if there are better guides for the Virgin Islands but it is a poor example of a cruising guide.

Did not like the way the author designed the book, full of VI advertising. Artikels are shallow. Hope that the essentials are accurate as I am on may way to the BVIs.

This book is a lyrical reflection on the oneness of nature and mankind's troubled relationship with it. It is recommended for anyone contemplating a journey to the higher latitudes. However, as a history of arctic exploration it is sadly flawed. The two chapters on early journeys of discovery and the quest for the northwest passage are chronologically jumbled. Furthermore, the inexplicable and virtually complete neglect of Amundson - including his learning from Eskimos - leaves one wondering what other omissions may have tilted the balance of Lopez's otherwise thought-provoking writing.

I bought this book while in the tourist center at McKinley National Park in Alaska because of the chapter on Polar Bears (someone at the desk recommended it to me). I have found this book to be amazing. This is one of the most rewarding books I've ever read. It's one of very few books that I'll read more than once.
Lopez's writing creates a desire to know more, to research more, and to experience the arctic for oneself. Reading Arctic Dreams is like going on a journey to the Arctic in an airplane, equipped with a microscope, where in general you get a broad picture, but on certain topics (narwhals, polar bears, etc) you have a living speciman to study. And the writing is never mundane. It reads as a narration, as though you were sitting around a campfire while Lopez talks of the arctic. There are enough facts to educate without being a burden, and enough of Lopez's voice to carry the imagination to remote arctic islands, or on an early expedition, or simply to a prarie to watch the arctic fox. And when a question arises about something in particular, Lopez address it, answering both the scientific and the introspective questions at the same time.
Arctic Dreams is a masterpiece that will educate the mind and the heart. I couldn't recommend it enough.

Arctic Dreams is the most extraordinary book I've ever read. Lopez not only has the insights that make the Arctic come alive, but he expresses those insights in the most elegant prose. Arctic Dreams was published 20 years ago, and while the science needs updating (an Arctic scientist recently shared with me), the rest of the book is timeless. Who knew there were so many kinds of ice? Not only does the author describe the "land", but he describes the culture of the people whose lives are intertwined with the land, as well as the influences and politics that have changed their way of life forever. He explores the language needs of the people who work to survive in their often harsh environment. Those languages are primarily verb rich as opposed to English which is noun based. It took me a long time to read the whole book because often I would stop to ponder something I had just read. I have bought at least 20 copies over the years to give to friends and relatives. I still return to the book to reread passages or favorite chapters. Anyone interested in the Arctic would love this book. I would guess that someone with patience but not interested in the Arctic would become fascinated by the challenge to experience the Arctic in ways never imagined. B. Vesper 11/07

I would, sincerely, rather scrape linoleum tile off of a concrete slab than read any more Barry Lopez.

This arctic study goes under the surface of the ice to bring out the subtleties in arctic life. You'll uncover mysteries without answers in this nonfiction work.

I was required to read the book for my study abroad class. I was surprised to see that some of it was interesting. I just skipped over the stuff that didnt apply to me, so it really wasn't all that boring.

I'm so glad there are expatriation books like this one that teaches you the practical aspects and prepares you for culture shock. Expatriation from America is a subject that the US media considers taboo and non-existent. But yet, it's very real because many are dissatisfied in America and realize that it's not the ideal world it claims to be, nor is it the place where whatever's not possible is not possible anywhere else.

In fact, my greatest discovery overseas is that: "Beyond North America, the social climate is INFINITELY more natural and free flowing, and I am NEVER without attractive female companionship."

This book though, only gets into a few reasons for expatriation, describing only a few benefits that are at the tip of the iceberg. The rest if mostly a how-to guide that covers some practical aspects of it. So far, there hasn't been a book that addresses all the deep real life reasons for living overseas. In short, it talks only about the HOW of expatriation, not the WHY. And shouldn' the WHY be dealt with first? That's what all these authors seem to be missing, except for me. Perhaps the WHY reasons are taboo?

Thus, I've volunteered to become the first one and put together a website and ebook called Happier Abroad at http://www.happierabroad.com to help inspire people to pursue international living, dating and traveling, and cultivate an awareness of the positive benefits overseas unknown to most Americans, who instead are living in fear and isolation perpetuated by the US media and culture which tells them that there is nothing good outside the US and that you are empty inside and need to work and consume to fill that emptiness. It's a soulless life lacking connectedness with others and inner life.

In fact, some of my fans say that my ebook is the perfect complement to this one, making a great combination together. You can read my ebook, Happier Abroad, which is the Gospel inspiring Expatriation from America, at: http://www.happierabroad.com/ebook/Contents.htm

Thanks for reading this review.

Sincerely,
Winston

This book was wonderfully practical and succint. I think the author did a fine job challenging Americans to consider that other cultures are different, not necessarily wrong.

I purchased this book in preparation for a semester abroad, and though it is targeted more towards Americans staying abroad for a longer period of time, I found all of the information relevant and helpful none-the-less

I have only 2 complaints about this book. First, many of the resources the author refers to are out of print or unavailable. That was a point of frustration because many of the books seemed like excellent resources. Also, unfortunately, this book was published just prior to 9/11, an event which significantly affects American travelers.

Despite these shortcomings, I highly recommend this book for anyone spending significant time abroad!

This book is terrible! Don't buy it! it is very condescending and generally stupid. It has a very high-and-mighty sophomoric attitude, while not really giving any worthwhile information. To add insult to injury, it is also out of date and contains misleading information. This book actually has excersizes to teach you what 'stereotypes' are, what 'culture' is, etc. Ugh.

This book, first published in 1979, is still timely and useful, though it shows a few signs of age. It's hard to believe that any Americans in the CNN age are quite as ignorant of the world abroad as they were in the 1970s. However, diversity training and exposure to Thai and Mexican cuisine only goes so far to inoculate Americans against their own inherent cultural assumptions. Yes, this is written for people from the United States and addressed to them directly, but it would be useful to any sojourner trying to shake off hometown assumptions and adapt to life abroad. This volume treats every reader as a neophyte, a Dorothy in the Land of Oz. Author L. Robert Kohls offers a useful series of self-tests and questionnaires, psychological and anthropological frameworks, and practical guidance on routine matters. The book, which is engagingly written, with a wry and sometimes ironic touch, also contains useful appendices. We believe that it merits a place in the library of anyone, particularly any American, who is taking an overseas assignment, however brief.

Time is at a premium on vacation. I feel that we will see some great views in Glacier using this book and stay within our vacation time period. Thanks for writing this with all the details given. Very helpful.

Best Easy Day Hikes for Glacier and Waterton Lakes National Parks is a bit misleading as a title. While there are easy hikes, some are far from it. For example, one hike is nine miles long with a 1200-foot climb while another is over 14 miles long. Fortunately, the distances and elevation changes are clearly marked in the description so it is easy to select those you are willing and able to tackle while leaving the others for the more adventurous. There are also maps for each hike but it sometimes took me a while to use them. The actual trail wasn't always well defined within the larger area portrayed on the map and I often found the trailheads especially difficult to spot. It was not a major problem as I always worked it out in the end but it is an area that could use a bit of improvement.

There are 28 hikes listed and they are broken down into 5 geographic areas of the two parks. My wife and I did 2-3 hikes from each area and found the descriptions to be both helpful and largely accurate. The book is small enough to easily fit in a hip pocket and held up very well during a full week of heavy usage. Color photos would have been a nice addition but that would have made the book both larger and heavier which is not ideal for a pocket guide. Overall, this was a great purchase at an extremely reasonable price.

Its construction is not as durable as one would like for a reference to carry with you while hiking, but what can one expect for that small an asking price? However, the descriptions and maps for each hike are easy to understand--even for the novice hiker. 25 easy hikes are included in the book, with distance, degree of difficulty, time required, and elevation change included. There are no pictures in the book, but still its very well done.