General Books - Page 8

One Hundred & One Beautiful Small Towns in France (101 Towns)

Simonetta Greggio

Amazon Price: $29.70 List Price: $45.00 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Rizzoli Amazon Marketplace: 27 new & used starting at $25.00

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Subjects -> Arts & Photography -> Photography -> Nature & Wildlife
Subjects -> Arts & Photography -> Photography -> Travel -> Europe
Subjects -> Travel -> Europe -> France -> General

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 7 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

A sequel to the highly successful One Hundred and One Beautiful Small Towns in Italy, this book expands the series to include the most enchanting hamlets of France. Gorgeously illustrated as well as informative, One Hundred and One Beautiful Small Towns of France is a journey through the French countryside, a place where the pace slows, locals engage strangers in conversation, and every town has a unique story to tell. Travel between the hilltop towns of the Central Massif and the Pyrenees to rockbound coastal fishing villages in Normandy and Brittany. Breathtaking full-color photographs create the perfect atmosphere as you discover these unexplored places, and descriptive sidebars offer invaluable information on local curiosities to indulge, unique artisanal products to buy, and age-old culinary specialties to sample. A detailed appendix is the perfect source on where to shop, sightsee, and dine—avec plaisir! Whether you are an armchair traveler or a Francophile planning another trip, this volume is the guide to the hidden treasures of France that proves once and for all that the heart of this popular travel destination lies in the countryside far from the grandeur and pomp of Paris.

Trans-Siberian Handbook: Seventh Edition of the Guide to the World's Longest Railway Journey (Trailblazer Guides)

Bryn Thomas

Amazon Price: $13.57 List Price: $19.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Trailblazer Publications Amazon Marketplace: 35 new & used starting at $11.62

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Subjects -> Nonfiction -> Transportation -> Railroads -> General
Subjects -> Nonfiction -> Transportation -> Railroads -> General AAS
Subjects -> Travel -> Asia -> Russia -> General

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 16 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

With over 90,000 copies now sold, this is the most popular Trans-Siberian guidebook. A trip across Siberia on the longest continuous railway track in the world is undoubtedly the journey of a lifetime. It's also a convenient way to reach China, Mongolia, or Japan. Tickets are not expensive or difficult to arrange. Readers can now travel almost anywhere they want in Siberia: we tell them how to organize a trip, where to get tickets, and where to go.

>Kilometer-by-kilometer route guide -- covering the entire routes of the Trans-Siberian, Trans-Manchurian, and Trans-Mongolian railways with thirty-eight strip maps in English, Russian, and Chinese: readers can see where they are as they travel
>Siberia and the railway -- the detailed history of Siberia, the construction of the railway and the running of the Trans-Siberian today are of great interest not only to visitors but also to armchair travelers
>City guides with maps -- the best sights, places to stay, and restaurants for all budgets: Moscow, St Petersburg, Ulan Bator, Beijing, and twenty-three towns in Siberia
>Nutshell information on Minsk, Berlin, Baltic Republics, Helsinki, Hong Kong, and Tokyo
>Rail fares and timetables
>Seventh edition includes seventy maps
>Plus Russian and Chinese phrases

Paris (City Guide)

Steve Fallon

Amazon Price: $12.91 List Price: $18.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Lonely Planet Amazon Marketplace: 39 new & used starting at $11.70

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 22 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

A big list of restaurant that are useless for a backpacker 3 out of 5 stars.
4 of 5 people found this review helpful.

. The information about the history of Paris was Ok.
. Ok with the walking tour
. All the highlights and backdoor are inside this guide

BUT...looking with a backpacker eyes..

. They should reduce the big restaurant list and make a better explanation of the highlights is the sight section.

Just for your information, I love Lonely Planet...this is a constructive recommendation that I give to all the city guides...

Another important thing, specially for what they call "A city guide"...they should give more information (map and path) of the buses. I found it difficult to understand which bus is convenient to go from one place to another.
I wanted to use the bus in Paris intead of metro to see the beautifull places, but I couldn't. And I will not mention how difficult is the way back to the hotel using the night transportation.

So, I think, less restaurant and better transport and sight information. Yes, I know that you can buy maps and whatever...but...I am paying more that US$15 for a city guide, man...

Editorial Review:

Discover Paris

Discover which iconic landmark, nicknamed 'the metal asparagus,' was almost torn down - and why
Assemble a gourmet picnic of bread, cheese and fruit at the open-air Marche Bastille
Unwind as Parisians do with a stroll or a snooze at the Jardin du Luxembourg
Sample North Africa tajine and contemplate Moorish architecture at the Mosquee de Paris

In This Guide

Two authors, over 600 hours of in-city research, 41 detailed maps, five walking tours
Full-color highlights of the best neighborhoods, museums and culinary feasts
Wine and food-pairing tips from one of the world's most celebrated sommeliers
Content updated daily - visit lonelyplanet.com for up-to-the-minute reviews, updates and traveler insights

IMPERIUM

Ryszard Kapuscinski

By: Alfred A Knopf Amazon Marketplace: 3 new & used starting at $53.53

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 23 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Sine qua non 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

A lyrical masterpiece by this superlative writer! Nowhere have I found a dissection of the Evil Empire done with such fluid verse. He goes from the periphery into the heart of the beast and everywhere he discovers that appearances deceive and what seems to signal change is really a re-hash of old. Kapuczinski's sharp analysis and trenchant comments will be sorely missed!

Kapuscinski rulez! 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

This is a great book, all of Kapuscinski`s books are great. It takes you for a journey you don`t expect. Great style and I always regret it`s over, after I finish to read his book.

Recommended 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

I purchased this book after reading about the author in the Wall Street Journal. He died earlier this year. The author, a journalist, kept two notebooks while on assignments throughout the world, one for his assignment and one for himself. In this book he combined his observations from several trips he took within Russia and its states over a span of many decades. At times his writing style can be quite poetic, and the book is not unlike a travel book, although Soviet Russia was not a friendly place at the times of his visits. I intend to read his other books, and highly recommend this one.

A Year in the Merde

Paul West

By: Red Garage Books Amazon Marketplace: 4 new & used starting at $11.52

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Subjects -> Travel -> Europe -> General
Subjects -> Travel -> Europe -> General AAS

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 71 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Laugh out loud funny 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

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... :)

The Author Wants SEX! 1 out of 5 stars.
0 of 2 people found this review helpful.

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.

Europe (Eyewitness Travel Guides)

DK Publishing

Amazon Price: $19.80 List Price: $30.00 Usually ships in 24 hours By: DK Travel Amazon Marketplace: 42 new & used starting at $15.89

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Subjects -> Travel -> Guidebook Series -> Eyewitness -> General

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 21 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Great when assisted by another guide 3 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

This guide is great when considering what sites and places to visit. It covers most any city you might find yourself visiting. It does a great job of describing the sites and the history behind them. Does not help with city transportation. Lightly covers the character of each city. I do enjoy the pictures and diagrams in the book. I highly recommend having another guide book that covers more logistics. I used this book along with Rick Steves Europe 2007. They were great companions to one another. My other complaint is that I am a student with a budget. This book does not cover many (if any) cheap places to eat or sleep. It does tell you which places charge admission, but does not tell you the admission price. It is a great book when accompanied by another (like Lonely Planet or Rick Steves.)

Editorial Review:

Covers: Great Britain, Ireland, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Greece, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Czech Republic, Hungary, and Poland.

Istanbul (Eyewitness Travel Guides)

DK Publishing

Amazon Price: $15.64 List Price: $23.00 By: DK Travel Amazon Marketplace: 42 new & used starting at $12.54

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Subjects -> Travel -> Asia -> Turkey -> Istanbul
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Subjects -> Travel -> Asia -> Turkey -> General AAS

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 6 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Informative and easy to read 5 out of 5 stars.
8 of 8 people found this review helpful.

This is one of the best guide books I have ever read! SO easy to leaf through it and find exactly what one is looking for. The maps are well drawn and easy to navigate, and the photograph make the whole experience complete. I loved most the chapter on foods and drinks to be tasted in Istanbul. Will be a great guide to take along on my trip there.

Excellent giude 4 out of 5 stars.
6 of 6 people found this review helpful.

I had never used this series of guidebooks before, so I did not know what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised during my recent visit to Istanbul in June of 2007.

The main selling points of these DK guides are the superior maps and illustrations of tourist attractions. Major museums, mosques and palaces are shown in detail, with drawings and photos of the interior and exterior, as well as nicely illustrated historical tidbits. For doing the touristy things like visiting major attractions and taking pictures, this guide is great.

I am not sure how good this guide is when it comes to restaurants and nightlife. I did not explore that side of Istanbul as much, and what I saw did not impress me much.

Overall, I think I would have preferred a guide geared more towards active young people with a slightly cynical edge - this guide seemed to present everything as pretty and somewhat sterile. From what I saw, Istanbul definitely has an interesting culture that this guide did not fully capture.

Overall, good guidebook, and highly recommended. Read it ahead of time to know where the main sites and activities that interest you are located. Then do some more research online for good hotels to stay in - online reviews are more up to date.

Round Ireland with a Fridge

Tony Hawks

List Price: $23.95 By: Thomas Dunne Books Amazon Marketplace: 16 new & used starting at $1.00

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Subjects -> Entertainment -> Humor -> General
Subjects -> Entertainment -> Humor -> General AAS
Subjects -> History -> Europe -> England -> General AAS

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 75 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Have you ever made a drunken bet? Worse, still, have you ever tried to win one? In attempting to hitchhike round Ireland with a fridge, Tony Hawks did both, and his foolhardiness led him to one of the best experiences of his life. Joined by his trusty traveling companion-cum-domestic appliance, he found himself in the midst of a remarkable adventure, at times, emotional, at times inspirational, but more often than not, downright silly.

Only in the magical land of Ireland could such a notion lead to such fruitful adventure. Here is his record of the unlikely pair's fortunes as they made their way from Dublin to Donegal, from Sligo through Mayo, Galway, Clare, Kerry, Cork, Wexford, Wicklow, and back again to Dublin.

In their month of madness, Tony and his fridge met a real prince and a bogus one; they surfed together and entered a bachelor festival; the fridge was christened; and one of the pair had sex without the other knowing. And unexpectedly, the fridge itself became a momentary focus for the people of Ireland. As in the days rolled by, the fridge grew into a personality in its own right, developing its own identity and bringing people together wherever it went.

Round Ireland with a Fridge is one of the most inspirational stories you will ever read. Join the fearless duo as they battle on relentlessly toward Dublin and a breathtaking finale that is at the same time moving, uplifting, and a fitting conclusion to the whole ridiculous affair.

An international bestseller, Round Ireland with a Fridge is a hilarious travel adventure in the tradition of Bill Bryson with a dash of Dave Barry. Tony Hawks's ready sense of the absurd, his self-deprecatory charm, and his warm appreciation of the Irish and their traditionally immoderate characteristics combine to make this a resoundingly good read, offering a tantalizing glimpse of grassroots Ireland captured in a wonderful blend of perception and humor.

Austria (Eyewitness Travel Guides)

DK Publishing

Amazon Price: $16.50 List Price: $25.00 Usually ships in 24 hours By: DK Travel Amazon Marketplace: 35 new & used starting at $7.74

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Subjects -> Travel -> Europe -> General

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 8 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Great Guide! 5 out of 5 stars.
6 of 6 people found this review helpful.

I love this brand of travel books. The images really help you to identify attractions, as well as the birds eye view maps. I also enjoy the "must see attractions" call outs within each section. This book helped make our trip through Austria more well informed and helped us plan our major stops. We also got one for Budapest which was equally great.

Virtual Austria in Print 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

I had purchased a similar book for my son about France to help him with his French language courses in high school. I ended up spending more time with it than he did, and when I saw the other country titles, I decided to purchase a few more. The Austria book is excellent in that it condenses a lot of information into a very portable volume. The photos and illustrations are fabulous and the background historical and cultural information is superb. The listing of accomodations and restaurants also appears to be very well researched and provides a starting point for further Internet research. My favorite part of Austria is the Salzburg Region, and this book provides a genuine sense of what it is really like. I can definitely benefit from this book on future travel to Austria. I highly recommend it for anyone who wants to know more about the country, as well as for experienced travellers. Well done to the authors, editors, and publisher!

Editorial Review:

Includes: In-depth coverage of famous districts and neighborhoods, special features on music, literature and painting, as well as detailed maps to help you find your way around.

Lonely Planet Tramping in New Zealand (Lonely Planet Walking Guide)

Jim Dufresne, Jeff Williams

List Price: $13.95 By: Lonely Planet Amazon Marketplace: 11 new & used starting at $1.50

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Subjects -> Sports -> General AAS

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 4 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Easy tramping in New Zealand 4 out of 5 stars.
70 of 70 people found this review helpful.

This is a great book for planning a tramping trip to New Zealand, although it's a bit too much to carry while actually hiking. The book contains good references and maps to the most popular tracks, and some of the lesser known tracks. If your tight on cash, I recommend going to the visitor centers in New Zealand and picking up the DOC pamphlets they supply. D.O.C. has detailed pamphlets on pretty much every track in New Zealand and they only charge about 50 cents (US) for each one. But if you want to plan a trip from home, this is the book to get, it's far easier to understand than the other New Zealand tramping books, and gives good information on what you need to bring. It also gives good info on the New Zealand back country hut system. Buy a hut pass, they're only 35 bucks (US) for a year. It even supplies some decent fly fishing tips for the rivers that border some of the tracks. But be warned that almost every other tourist hiker in New Zealand also has this book, so if you really want to get away from people, you'll have to do some bushwacking.

Editorial Review:

A guide to bushwalking in New Zealand, with information on trails, natural features, parks, and travel.