Reference & Tips Books - Page 14

French Milk

Lucy Knisley

Amazon Price: $10.20 List Price: $15.00 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Touchstone Amazon Marketplace: 36 new & used starting at $7.50

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Biographies & Memoirs -> Memoirs
Subjects -> Biographies & Memoirs -> General
Subjects -> Biographies & Memoirs -> General AAS

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 4 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Charming Paris Mother/Daughter Travelogue 5 out of 5 stars.
10 of 10 people found this review helpful.

The Glass Castle author Jeannette Walls once told me that memoir should be universal, and I've kept that in mind ever since when I read them. What I think she meant is that while a memoir is specific to the storyteller in the details, anyone should be able to relate to it, somehow. As I read Lucy Knisley's French Milk, I was struck by her storytelling, but also her age, use of photography, and that I could never write such a book, though I too have traveled to Paris with my mother.

The fact that her divorced parents are on good terms, a fact she casually drops in, resonated with me, especially when her father comes to join them for a brief visit during their six-week trip. This would never happen in my divorced family, and it made me, briefly, jealous--again, this goes back to Walls's maxim; my life circumstances may not be the same as Knisley's, but hers caused me to reflect on my own. She also exhibits a particular pride and faith in her work (with the occasional doubts), one that I still struggle with in my early thirties. Her dedication to her art and the creation of this book are apparent. Other moments are brief but powerful, such as going up the Eiffel Tower on a particularly windy day, where Knisley writes, "You could feel the tower move in the wind and see the birds blown off course."

I was torn as to the value of the photographs she included; at first, I thought there was something unfair about it, but then I came upon one of her kissing a wall and realized there was no other way to capture that moment, at least, not so thoroughly. The photos are used sparingly, without comment, filling in gaps in her story, fleshing them out and creating what feels more like an intimate scrapbook than a memoir, albeit an accessible one.

French Milk is a travelogue, and as such, sometimes the details of each meal become less interesting toward the end. But it's Knisley's personality, and little details that make this book so charming, whether it's the odd characters she meets or her feeling low on a particular day or railing against a piece of bad art, going so far as to name the artist, who's made a rendition of Paris Hilton, by name.

I finished the book a bit jealous of Knisley's closeness with her mother, and impressed that she managed to finesse both the details and the bigger picture, a portrait of a young woman just starting out in "the real world," but taking a detour to a city full of pastries, lush dinners, cemeteries, art and adventure before she does so. French Milk will appeal to Americans who've, like Knisley, fallen for Paris, and those looking to recapture their college traveling days. As for me, I'm giving a copy to my mom, and hope that our travels are as fruitful.

Editorial Review:

Through delightful drawings, photographs, and musings, twenty-three-year-old Lucy Knisley documents a six-week trip she and her mother took to Paris when each was facing a milestone birthday. With a quirky flat in the fifth arrondissement as their home base, they set out to explore all the city has to offer, watching fireworks over the Eiffel Tower on New Year's Eve, visiting Oscar Wilde's grave, loafing at cafés, and, of course, drinking delicious French milk. What results is not only a sweet and savory journey through the City of Light but a moving, personal look at a mother-daughter relationship.

A Room With A View

E. M. Forster

Amazon Price: $11.45 List Price: $11.45 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Book Jungle Amazon Marketplace: 20 new & used starting at $6.41

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Reference -> Writing -> Travel
Subjects -> Travel -> Reference & Tips -> Essays & Travelogues
Subjects -> Travel -> General

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 121 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

"We were promised a room with a view..." 5 out of 5 stars.
5 of 5 people found this review helpful.

After I saw the 1985 Merchant Ivory film, I was curious about the book. Its not often that the film is as good as the book, but in this it was, so faithfully adapted. When I got the book after seeing the film, I felt I was seeing the film again while reading, the film was sooo faithful to all the key plot and character points in the book and many of the minor ones too. Whether you've seen the film or not, definitely read the book as well. There are one or two typos but its very readable. This is one of my favorite romantic novels, and whats so great about it is that its not a stereotypical "romance novel", its for guys as well. Read it.

Editorial Review:

This 1908 novel is about a young woman in the repressed society of Edwardian England. The setting is both Italy and England. Two cousins travel to Italy. Their hotel rooms have no view and they change rooms with two other gentlemen. Sounds harmless, but at the beginning to the 20^th century this was unseemly. After several plot twists the girls return to England with one of them engaged to a proper Englishman, but the man she met in Italy shows up. The story concludes with an elopement to Italy.

Costa Rica (Country Guide)

Matt Firestone, Wendy Yanagihara

Amazon Price: $14.95 List Price: $21.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Lonely Planet Amazon Marketplace: 36 new & used starting at $12.98

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Travel -> Reference & Tips -> Guidebooks
Subjects -> Travel -> Latin America -> Central America -> General
Subjects -> Travel -> Latin America -> Central America -> General AAS

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 24 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Find a new author Lonely Planet 1 out of 5 stars.
12 of 13 people found this review helpful.

If you want to enjoy traveling to Costa Rica I would recommend another book. If you want to spend your time lamenting about how Costa Rica has changed, how Americans are annoying, and be afraid to take your valuables out of your hotel safe than I recommend you check this book out. I would often read passages out loud to different people I was traveling with. You would think that Jaco is similar to Jersey but with more crack and lots of prostitutes from reading this book. In fact, when I went it was mostly families, a little sketch, but man get a grip. I read the chapter on San Jose and was to afraid to take my camera to the central market and downtown. What a regret! The people everywhere in Costa Rica were so nice. Downtown was crawling with tourists with their cameras and police. It wasn't even remotely sketchy. We could only get reservations in Tamarindo for Christmas day and I was terrified that it was going to be like Myrtle Beach on Spring Break. Yes there were lots of condos but it was still Costa Rica! Dirt Roads. you could walk from one end of town to the other in less then 10 minutes, everyone was nice, the beach was pretty. I just couldn't understand why the authors seemed to hate travel so much and be so hateful towards places where we were going.

Also, the book didn't give a lot of key information about how to get around without a car. We wasted so much time in La Fortuna trying to figure out how to get to the different places we wanted to go. It turns out there isn't a bus, there are only guided tours. They are all expensive. We finally hitchhiked which worked out well but I never go to go on the hanging bridges. I loved Cahuita (it wasn't dangerous) and Dominical. I loved Costa Rica. I am ready to go back.

I just wanted to warn people to stay away from this book. I love guidebooks. I am the kind of psycho that gets them from the library and reads through them even when I am not going anywhere. This one was the worst.

Editorial Review:

This guide provides details on the less frequently visited Central Valley and Highlands regions, interviews with locals who offer contemporary cultural tidbits, and a chapter on sustainable travel options. Maps throughout.

New Zealand (Country Guide)

Charles Rawlings-Way et, al.

Amazon Price: $17.15 List Price: $25.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Lonely Planet Amazon Marketplace: 37 new & used starting at $14.53

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Travel -> Australia & South Pacific -> New Zealand
Subjects -> Travel -> Australia & South Pacific -> General
Subjects -> Travel -> Australia & South Pacific -> General AAS

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Great overview and accurate reviews 4 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

While driving our campervan around New Zealand, we referred to this as "the bible." Restaurant reviews were accurate, and when the LP designated something as "worth seeing" it typically was. We took the book's advice often and strayed as far as possible from the typical routes taken by other drivers. The only downfall of the LP was its lack of easily accessible street maps. So, if you're planning on doing lots of driving, I would recommend getting a road atlas as well...this'll save you a lot of time flipping from page to page and map to map. Enjoy your travels!

Editorial Review:

Featuring contributions by Kiwi food experts, historians, and musicians, this guide contains loads of information on New Zealand's thriving organic establishments and Maori community-based tourism operators. Expanded chapters on outdoor activities and Maori culture.

Ghost Rider

Neil Peart

By: Baen Books,U.S. Amazon Marketplace: 1 new & used starting at $34.99

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Nonfiction -> Social Sciences -> Sociology -> General
Subjects -> Nonfiction -> Social Sciences -> Sociology -> General AAS
Subjects -> Reference -> Writing -> Travel

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 207 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Travels On The Boring Road 1 out of 5 stars.
1 of 2 people found this review helpful.

Neil reveals a lot about himself which I don't think he intended to do in this book. He comes off as being an elitist in a lot of ways. He almost seems like he wants to be Hemingway, with his drinking, smoking and just doing his own crazy travels with little regards for anything else. I think his digs into America were very revealing too about himself. Yet, he doesn't seem to have a problem with his best friend being a drug dealer; or that he was never officially married to Jackie (common law wife of 22 years); then jumps into a relationship and marriage fairly quickly to Carrie; that he breaks speeding law constantly on his BMW bike and that he is only self consumed with himself and no one else outside his little small bubble of friends/family.

I love Rush and I think Neil is awesome at his craft, but I'm not jumping on board with everything he does or puts out. This book took me forever to read because it was really boring at times with his letters to Brutus and his ramblings of his travels which were very dry and repetitive. This is not a self help book for someone who has had a similar tragedy in their life. This book could have been cut down to a fourth of the pages written and accomplished the same thing and kept me interested.

The only thing I really got out of this book was that it probably takes longer for you to get on with your life when you have an unlimited bank account to be able to stop working. In Neil's case, it allowed him to travel all over North America on his BMW bike and spend the winter months walking on snow shoes around the lake at his house in Quebec. I believe all this free time allowed him to think more and more about things and feel sorry for himself. I think the average "fat" American, which he ran into on his travels, would probably have to go to work shortly after this type of tragedy and not be able to take two years off. Not that getting over this would be easy for anyone, but I think being forced into the work environment would eventually allow distractions in your life to stop you from thinking 24/7 about the tragedies. Neil didn't have this type of distraction and traveling alone only allowed him to dwell more and more on the tragedies in his.

I by no means am putting Neil down for what he had to deal with, but I am critical of the dribble he put into this book. I don't think if you are not a hardcore Rush fan or a friend/acquaintance of Neil's you would get much out of this book. I think a lot of the praise this book gets is because it's "Neil Peart" and the tragedy he had to deal with and not because this is a particularly good book.

India (Country Guide)

Sarina Singh, Joe Bindloss, Rafael Wlodarski, Amy Karafin, Paul Harding, Lindsay Brown, Mark Elliott, Simon Richmond, Virginia Jealous, Tom Spurling

Amazon Price: $19.79 List Price: $29.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Lonely Planet Amazon Marketplace: 48 new & used starting at $17.47

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Travel -> Asia -> India -> General
Subjects -> Travel -> Asia -> India -> General AAS
Subjects -> Travel -> Asia -> General

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 60 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Buy another book 1 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

I was one of those people who took lonely planet books everywhere, all over Europe, to Iceland, the Philippines, Cuba and now Delhi. I trusted the brand so it was the only book I brought, big mistake.
I'll only speak for Delhi because thats where I spent two weeks. So I hope this specifically helps travelers to Delhi.

The restaurants were pretty much awful, the hotel prices were wrong, the massage treatment place recommended so out of the way that it cost the cost of the massage to get there and back. I was working so I only wasted my weekends following the book. My work lunches were at far better restaurants and a aimless walk in the daytime in Old Delhi was far better than any guided tour. I also didn't appreciate the tone of this book and how much time it wasted on smug reviews and lame humor.
I think the individual country books depend really on the authors/editors, the other lonely planet guides I have were of great help. For India(or Delhi at least), try another title.

Editorial Review:

Discover India

Shield your eyes as the desert sun ignites the sandstone of Jaisalmer Fort, p. 245
Sway side-to-side as you lumber through the jungle tiger-spotting on the back of an elephant in Corbett Tiger Reserve, p. 472
Head for the hills and the heavens: adventure out from Darjeeling on a trek with stunning Himalayan views, p. 542
Align your chakras and get bent into a new position at a yoga class in Mumbai, p. 780

In This Guide:

Twelve authors, 252 days of in-country research, 28 new hotels in Delhi alone
Our new Activities chapter covers wildlife safaris, adventure tours, trekking, Ayurveda and yoga courses
Visit lonelyplanet.com for up-to-the-minute reviews, updates and traveler suggestions

India: In Word and Image

Amazon Price: $37.80 List Price: $60.00 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Welcome Books Amazon Marketplace: 33 new & used starting at $35.99

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Arts & Photography -> Photography -> Nature & Wildlife
Subjects -> Arts & Photography -> Photography -> Photo Essays
Subjects -> Arts & Photography -> Photography -> Photographers, A-Z -> General

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

A masala of color, light and texture. 5 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

Between the covers of Eric Meola's staggeringly beautiful India in Word and Image is a vision as large and dynamic as India itself. In a similar way to his first book, Last Places on Earth, Meola's peripatetic photography takes us on a journey to reveal the pride and dignity of a culture living in an ever-shrinking world of globalization and instant communication. Yet his new book goes further: through his lens we enter the soul of a country full of color and an unrestrained enthusiasm for life. From the riotously colorful celebration of Holi to a lone, meditating monk under a bodhi tree, the photography of one of the medium's true masters shows us an amazing part of the world.

The immediacy of Meola's photography is breathtaking, whether he's focusing on an expansive vista or some minute detail that he has found and wants to share with us. Viewing the many and varied portraits throughout the book, I feel as if I'm looking not at images printed on a page, but directly into the eyes of the subject.

The inclusion of writings on India by Tagore, Narayan, Rushdie, Kiran Desai, Jhumpa Lahiri and several other great writers of India help make this a very illuminating and moving book.

A Gujarati friend taught me a useful phrase in his language: "Salu che." It is good. But that doesn't begin to describe this astounding book.

Editorial Review:

India is rapidly becoming one of the pre-eminent leaders of the twenty-first century. For more than a decade, Eric Meola has returned repeatedly to India, photographing the people, temples, landscapes, architecture, celebrations, and art of this uniquely exuberant and incredibly diverse country. Meola's journeys took him from the Himalayas and monasteries in the North to the temples of Tamil Nadu in the South, from the color and pageantry of Rajasthan in the West to the tea plantations of Darjeeling in the East. Over 200 photographs (edited from more than 25,000 images) will fill this beautifully printed, large-format book. The photographs will be accompanied by dozens of essays, stories, and poems by contemporary and classical Indian writers.

Rick Steves' France 2003

Rick Steves

List Price: $18.95 By: Avalon Travel Publishing Amazon Marketplace: 23 new & used starting at $0.01

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Travel -> Europe -> Belgium -> General
Subjects -> Travel -> Europe -> Belgium -> General AAS
Subjects -> Travel -> Europe -> France -> General

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 17 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Thanks Steve. We had a blast. 5 out of 5 stars.
6 of 6 people found this review helpful.

Having used many guidebooks, I think these are the best. Granted, the Rick Steves books are unique in that they are selective in the areas that they describe, but these areas are described well. With his guides, you feel like Rick is on the trip as your personal tour guide. Most guides (Frommers, Foders, etc.) give you a superficial overview of the whole country. Rick lets it all hang out. He tells what he thinks is a worthwhile stop and what isn't. Most of what "isn't" doesn't make it into the guidebook at all. Thus, I suggest taking another more comprehensive book (Lonely Plantet, Rough Guide, etc.) to fill in any gaps should you find yourself in a location Rick doesn't describe. On the whole though, I love his itineraries. Most people traveling to Europe have limited time (1 month or less). There's only so much you can see; why not have someone boil it down and provide a straight forward opinion as to what to see and do? In his books there is easily enough to keep you busy for two months. The real question is whether you are the type of traveler that would like Rick's suggestions. Here is a test. If you can answer "yes" to most of these questions, buy the book, you'll love it. 1)Are you a value seeker? 2)Do you want to venture off the tourist trail? 3)Are you an adventurer? 4)Do you appreciate tidbits on history and art 5)Do you have the stamina to tour a new town/city every 1-3 days? 6)Do you try to avoid tourist traps like the plague? 7)Is your idea of fine lodging simple, homey places in good locations, with moderate prices? I would not suggest this book for people who want to spend their vacation walled up in a luxury hotel, venturing out only to shop and tour the biggest of sights.

Editorial Review:

Rick Steves doesn't just list where to travel in Europe, he leads travelers through the "Back Door," and reveals how to give every journey an extra, more authentic dimension. He shows travelers how to delve into European culture, make friends with the locals, and experience each region's natural wonders -- economically and hassle free. Rick Steves' France 2003 covers Paris, Normandy, the Loire Valley, Burgundy, Alsace, Dordogne, the Alps, Languedoc, and Provence. "It's Rick Steves again, that one-man Euro-dynamo." -- Chicago Tribune

Route 66: The Mother Road

List Price: $17.95 By: Audio Literature Amazon Marketplace: 5 new & used starting at $34.96

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> History -> Americas -> United States -> State & Local -> General
Subjects -> History -> Americas -> United States -> General
Subjects -> History -> Americas -> United States -> General AAS

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 28 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Take the trip! 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Everything you would like to know about Route 66. This book and it's author served as the main source of infromation & inspiration for the Disney/Pixar classic animated movie "Cars". A must have for the motoring history buff.

Makes Route 66 come alive 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

As a child my family traveled between Tucson and NW Missouri over a number of years to visit relatives. I vividly remember neon signs, interesting signs, gas stations and diners along the way. This book made those memories come alive. The author brings in the history behind place names and the stories of the colorful and interesting people who created the various attractions along Route 66. I don't know when I have enjoyed reading a book more than this one. Michael Wallis, thank you.

Route 66: The Mother Road 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I have really enjoyed this book, Route 66: The Mother Road..." It is very interesting and full of information that you probably have never known before. Also pictures of people along the way. I am not a collector of Route 66 things but we needed something for a Painting Reception and this fit in with our theme. I ordererd it and I'm so glad I did. I am planning to read it from cover to cover when our Show is over. The book was sent on time and packaged very well. All-in-all it was an excellent experience.

Editorial Review:

Here is the definitive story of the most famous road in American history. Wallis has woven a tapestry that chronicles the road from its founding to its demise eight decades later and its current revival. 2 cassettes.

Not For Tourists Guide 2009 to New York City (Not for Tourists: New York City)

Jane Pirone

Amazon Price: $11.53 List Price: $16.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Not for Tourists Amazon Marketplace: 35 new & used starting at $10.07

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Travel -> Reference & Tips -> Guidebooks
Subjects -> Travel -> United States -> Regions -> Northeast -> Mid Atlantic
Subjects -> Travel -> United States -> States -> New York -> New York City

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

NYC A&E Recommends 5 out of 5 stars.
7 of 7 people found this review helpful.

From nycartsandentertainment.com
What attracted me first to the Not For Tourists Guide to New York City (2009 now on-sale) was, frankly, protecting my status as a New Yorker. OK, so I'm a transplant and maybe on permanently shaky ground, but nonetheless here 20 years and I still want to know everything I can about the city I love. Other guidebooks may help you know the city by suggesting "Walk north up Fifth Avenue from Rock Center and pass big-name stores like Saks Fifth Avenue, Henri Bendel, the NBA Store, Tiffany & Co., Cartier, Bergdorf Goodman, FAO Schwarz, and The Apple Store. You'll also see Trump Tower from the popular Apprentice TV series" (Frommer's), but I've already got the 101 material under my belt. I understand such guides serve an essential purpose (and I've used more than my fair share in other locales), but here my interest was piqued by the "sightseers verboten" selling point of the NFT Guide. It seemed to promise that I wouldn't have to hear about The Apprentice.

What was also on my mind before I dipped into the handbook was the question of whether the ancient technology of a book (instead of the internet via my pda, laptop, or desktop) was still the way to go. I love books as much as ever, but this kind of reference material was supposed to be the first casualty in the book's alleged decline.

So, I got started, took it with me as I walked to work, on the weekend when I went out with the wife & kids, kept it at the ready on my bedside table. Let me first say, regarding the "Tourists Need Not Apply" aspect, it's wonderful for any kind of user, whether you take pride of ownership over the City or not. On my second question, it simply is richer and more helpful than information you could try to cobble together in an hour at your computer, plus it can answer the unexpected questions that arise when you're on the town. Its size makes it almost as portable as my Treo and it is made with durable covers and an elastic band (to bookmark or keep it neatly compact). The interior contains full color maps and charts.

There are detailed street maps for all Manhattan, parts of Queens and Brooklyn, and Hoboken and Jersey City. All other areas (including the Bronx and Staten Island) are covered more quickly and with broader maps. The thorough maps cover the city in a grid format, with (for example) Map 14 detailing the Upper West side from West 59th to West 86th, Central Park to the Hudson. Accompanying Map 14 (and every other map) are lists of essentials in the neighborhood, be it coffee stops, banks, farmer's markets (with schedule), 24-hour pharmacies, hardware stores, etc. This aspect of including "points of interest" that relate to daily life is what especially makes this a city dweller's guide.

After the neighborhood break-down, there are themed sections on Parks, Sports, Transit, "General Information" (again, with resident-friendly information, such as locations for post offices, hospitals, libraries, FedEx, and Wi-Fi hotspots), and Arts & Entertainment (restaurants, shopping essentials, and museums, among others).

OK, so it's comprehensive and user friendly, which is reason enough to recommend it for you and your out-of-towner guests. But one particular reason I really like this guide is that it's a great source of information about what I'm looking at, walking by, and living near. On my shelf at home I have a copy of The Encyclopedia of New York City by Kenneth T. Jackson which I frequently consult at random or on a particular question. Though it's obviously not the case that the NFT Guide could supplant that kind of resource, it helped me experience the city with a similar spirit of discovery. It gives basic information about the city's history. It made me realize that I could go by the Old Police Headquarters while easily making a stop at the Chinatown Ice Cream Factory, and helped me figure out the names (and other details) of buildings I walk by several times a week. The information is necessarily brief, but the Not For Tourists NYC Guide for 2009 really opens up so much of the city that may have been hidden to you, whether it is of a practical, intellectual, cultural, or entertaining nature. Who would have thought that such brevity could unlock such richness? --Thomas Murphy, News Director
www.nycartsandentertainment.com

Editorial Review:

Not for Tourists guidebooks are map-based, neighbourhood by neighbourhood guides designed to lighten the load of already street-savvy residents, commuters, business travellers, and yes, tourists too. Each map is marked with user-friendly icons identifying the services and entertainment centres that you look for as you make your way through town: everything from post offices, car parks, restaurants, bars, DIY stores and gyms to information on hotels, airports, public transport and parks. Whether you're a seasoned resident, a returning visitor, relocating, or someone who is completely new in town, Not for Tourists guidebooks help you make the most of your time in the city, while you're in it.