Reference & Tips Books - Page 4

Endurance (Voyages)

Alfred Lansing

List Price: $16.50 By: Phoenix (an Imprint of The Orion Publishing Group Ltd ) Amazon Marketplace: 29 new & used starting at $0.01

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 392 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

'One of the most remarkable tales of human courage and determination. The story is gripping and the book is a classic of its kind' Sir Ranulph Fiennes Endurance is the story of one of the most astonishing feats of exploration and human courage ever recorded. In 1914 Sir Ernest Shackleton and a crew of 27 men set sail for the South Atlantic on board a ship called the Endurance. The object of the expedition was to cross the Antarctic overland. In October 1915, still half a continent away from their intended base, the ship was trapped, then crushed in ice. For five months Shackleton and his men, drifting on ice packs, were castaways on one of the most savage regions of the world. This utterly gripping book, based on first-hand accounts of crew members and interviews with survivors, describes how the men survived, how they lived together in camps on the ice for 17 months until they reached land, how they were attacked by sea leopards, the diseases which they developed, and the indefatigability of the men and their lasting civility towards one another in the most adverse conditions conceivable.

A Voyage Long and Strange: Rediscovering the New World

Tony Horwitz

Amazon Price: $18.15 List Price: $27.50 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Henry Holt and Co. Amazon Marketplace: 63 new & used starting at $13.44

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Subjects -> History -> Americas -> United States -> General
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Subjects -> History -> Americas -> General

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 38 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

The bestselling author of Blue Latitudes takes us on a thrilling and eye-opening voyage to pre-Mayflower America

On a chance visit to Plymouth Rock, Tony Horwitz realizes he’s mislaid more than a century of American history, from Columbus’s sail in 1492 to Jamestown’s founding in 16-oh-something. Did nothing happen in between? Determined to find out, he embarks on a journey of rediscovery, following in the footsteps of the many Europeans who preceded the Pilgrims to America.

An irresistible blend of history, myth, and misadventure, A Voyage Long and Strange captures the wonder and drama of first contact. Vikings, conquistadors, French voyageurs—these and many others roamed an unknown continent in quest of grapes, gold, converts, even a cure for syphilis. Though most failed, their remarkable exploits left an enduring mark on the land and people encountered by late-arriving English settlers.

Tracing this legacy with his own epic trek—from Florida’s Fountain of Youth to Plymouth’s sacred Rock, from desert pueblos to subarctic sweat lodges—Tony Horwitz explores the revealing gap between what we enshrine and what we forget. Displaying his trademark talent for humor, narrative, and historical insight, A Voyage Long and Strange allows us to rediscover the New World for ourselves.

Titanic's Last Secrets: The Further Adventures of Shadow Divers John Chatterton and Richie Kohler

Brad Matsen

Amazon Price: $16.83 List Price: $27.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Twelve Amazon Marketplace: 55 new & used starting at $12.00

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Subjects -> History -> World -> Transportation -> Ships -> General
Subjects -> History -> World -> Transportation -> Ships -> Titanic
Subjects -> History -> General AAS

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

Editorial Review:

After rewriting history with their discovery of a Nazi U-boat off the coast of New Jersey, legendary divers John Chatterton and Richie Kohler decided to investigate the great enduring mystery of history's most notorious shipwreck: Why did Titanic sink as quickly as it did?

To answer the question, Chatterton and Kohler assemble a team of experts to explore Titanic, study its engineering, and dive to the wreck of its sister ship, Brittanic, where Titanic's last secrets may be revealed.

Titanic's Last Secrets is a rollercoaster ride through the shipbuilding history, the transatlantic luxury liner business, and shipwreck forensics. Chatterton and Kohler weave their way through a labyrinth of clues to discover that Titanic was not the strong, heroic ship the world thought she was and that the men who built her covered up her flaws when disaster struck. If Titanic had remained afloat for just two hours longer than she did, more than two thousand people would have lived instead of died, and the myth of the great ship would be one of rescue instead of tragedy.

Titanic's Last Secrets is the never-before-told story of the Ship of Dreams, a contemporary adventure that solves a historical mystery.

The Travel Book: A Journey Through Every Country in the World

Lonely Planet Publications

Amazon Price: $19.80 List Price: $30.00 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Lonely Planet Amazon Marketplace: 65 new & used starting at $9.35

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 67 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Big disappointment 1 out of 5 stars.
2 of 4 people found this review helpful.

I bought this book and find it absolutely useless. If you expect to learn something about a country this is not the book for you. It is a big waste of money. A huge heavy book that will gather dust on your coffee table. Very little information about the countries. I found it absolutely uselss and rather typical of the out-of-date information that Lonely Planet turns out today. If you are a traveler and want to learn something about the countries of the world, find another book. Very sorry that I bought it.

Breath-taking photographs 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

High-fives and congrats to the smart people at Lonely Planet Publications. This beautifully photographed book is a treasure that you must see for yourself. The somewhat plain cover hides the wonder you'll find inside. Every country is included with multiple photographs and brief, but relevant (and sometimes humorous) information. This is not a detailed book to use when planning a trip. It is a starting place for travelers and armchair dreamers. There is beauty in every country in the world and the proof is within these pages. Buy multiple copies. You'll want one to keep and several to give away as gifts to anyone interested in travel or photography.

Editorial Review:

The world is a breathtakingly big place, and in this big book we have undertaken the big task of detailing as much of it as we can - every single country, many of the larger dependencies and other, smaller destinations. With the traveler's experience at its heart, this book shows a slice of life in every corner of the globe, and all points in between, engaging the reader's senses in an adventure which conjures up the sights, smells, tastes, sounds and feel of our amazing world.

Blue Highways: A Journey into America

William Least Heat-Moon

Amazon Price: $10.87 List Price: $15.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Back Bay Books Amazon Marketplace: 85 new & used starting at $3.48

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 114 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

First published in 1982, William Least Heat-Moon's account of his journey along the back roads of the United States (marked with the color blue on old highway maps) has become something of a classic. When he loses his job and his wife on the same cold February day, he is struck by inspiration: "A man who couldn't make things go right could at least go. He could quit trying to get out of the way of life. Chuck routine. Live the real jeopardy of circumstance. It was a question of dignity."Driving cross-country in a van named Ghost Dancing, Heat-Moon (the name the Sioux give to the moon of midsummer nights) meets up with all manner of folk, from a man in Grayville, Illinois, "whose cap told me what fertilizer he used" to Scott Chisholm, "a Canadian citizen ... [who] had lived in this country longer than in Canada and liked the United States but wouldn't admit it for fear of having to pay off bets he made years earlier when he first 'came over' that the U.S. is a place no Canadian could ever love." Accompanied by his photographs, Heat-Moon's literary portraits of ordinary Americans should not be merely read, but savored.

Sacred Places of a Lifetime: 500 of the World's Most Peaceful and Powerful Destinations

National Geographic

Amazon Price: $26.40 List Price: $40.00 Usually ships in 24 hours By: National Geographic Amazon Marketplace: 51 new & used starting at $22.40

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Subjects -> Religion & Spirituality -> New Age -> General AAS
Subjects -> Religion & Spirituality -> Occult -> General
Subjects -> Religion & Spirituality -> Occult -> General AAS

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

This inspirational book showcases 500 of the world's most powerful and spiritual places–and guides modern-day travelers who wish to visit them.

With eloquent text, hundreds of gorgeous full-color images, and practical visitor information, Sacred Places of a Lifetime: 500 of the World’s Most Peaceful and Powerful Destinations highlights fascinating icons of many religions around the world and offers an intriguing window into the cultures that created them. From prehistoric burial chambers to modern monuments and sanctuaries, each site’s history, lore, and appeal is evocatively detailed.

Nearly 300 locator maps point out pilgrimage routes, temples, mountains, churches, and holy places, including Mont St.-Michel Abbey in France, founded after a reported vision of the Archangel Michael; the White Horse Temple in China, site of the country’s first Buddhist temple, dating from the first century A.D.; Machu Picchu in Peru, whose origins lie in obscurity; and Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem, said by many to be the holiest city in the world. A follow-up to the bestselling Journeys of a Lifetime: 500 of the World’s Greatest Trips, this beautiful book answers the call of the spiritual traveler while also appealing to the many readers interested in sites of unique cultural heritage.

Rick Steves' Paris 2009 (Rick Steves)

Rick Steves, Steve Smith, Gene Openshaw

Amazon Price: $12.21 List Price: $17.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Avalon Travel Publishing Amazon Marketplace: 34 new & used starting at $10.93

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Editorial Review:

The Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, and the cozy crêperies of Ile St. Louis—Rick Steves’ Paris 2009 allows any traveler to experience all that the City of Light has to offer, from the big-name attractions to the local favorites. Rick covers the best of Paris, providing full tours of the museums and historic sights, detailed walks through various neighborhoods, and complete coverage of Parisian cuisine. Pick from over 400 types of cheeses at the fromagerie on Rue Cler or take a day trip to Versailles—it’’s all possible with Rick Steves as your guide.

Rick Steves' Italy 2008 (Rick Steves)

Rick Steves

Amazon Price: $15.80 List Price: $21.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Avalon Travel Publishing Amazon Marketplace: 46 new & used starting at $1.15

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Subjects -> Travel -> Europe -> General

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 26 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

"Rick Steves Most of Italy 2008" - he amputated the "foot". 1 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Don't buy this if you expect to find information on the southern Italian mainland.

The map at the front of this book sums up its disappointing lack of coverage of southern Italy. The map stops at the Amalfi coast and does not show the "foot" part of the country. Rick Steves' Italian mainland ends at a line drawn between Paestum and Manfredonia. So .... no Lecce, no Matera, no Otranto - there's absolutely nothing on Puglia. Truncated map = truncated coverage.

The title should be "Rick Steves Most of Italy 2008".

Editorial Review:

Who but Rick Steves can tell travelers the best way to see Rome, Venice, Florence, the hill towns of central Italy, the Dolomites, and the Amalfi Coast? With Rick Steves’ Italy 2008, travelers can experience the best of everything Italy has to offer — economically and hassle-free. Completely revised and updated, this guide includes opinionated coverage of both famous and lesser-known sights, friendly places to eat and sleep, suggested day plans, walking tours and trip itineraries, and clear instructions for smooth travel anywhere by car, train, or foot. America’s number one authority on travel to Europe, Steves' time-tested recommendations for safe and enjoyable travel in Europe have been used by millions of Americans in search of their own unique European travel experience.

Travels

Michael Crichton

List Price: $16.50 By: Pan Books Amazon Marketplace: 7 new & used starting at $0.01

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 134 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Learning about our own minds by exploring the world 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

No arm chair traveler here. Chrichton shares adventures climbing Kilimanjaro, exploring New Guinea, hiking through the Himalayas, and participating in metaphysical retreats. He also shares his inner-most thoughts, insights about meaning of life, and impact of geography and culture on his world view and inner child. He willingness reveals his frailties but not to demonstrate humility but as object lessons on how to observe oneself and hence to better understand and benefit from how our mind works. Chrichton is willing to bare his soul to help himself and the reader have a better understanding about what is possible.

Editorial Review:

Often I feel I go to some distant region of the world to be reminded of who I really am.

When Michael Crichton -- a Harvard-trained physician, bestselling novelist, and successful movie director -- began to feel isolated in his own life, he decided to widen his horizons. He tracked wild animals in the jungles of Rwanda. He climbed Kilimanjaro and Mayan pyramids. He trekked across a landslide in Pakistan. He swam amid sharks in Tahiti.

Fueled by a powerful curiosity and the need to see, feel, and hear firsthand and close-up, Michael Crichton has experienced adventures as compelling as those he created in his books and films. These adventures -- both physical and spiritual -- are recorded here in Travels, Crichton's most astonishing and personal work.

The Places In Between

Rory Stewart

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Subjects -> History -> Asia -> Afghanistan
Subjects -> History -> Middle East -> General
Subjects -> History -> Middle East -> General AAS

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 154 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Total Disappointment 1 out of 5 stars.
2 of 5 people found this review helpful.

This was a truly awful book on Afghanistan. It provided little new information about the country, its people, or its history. The book also was dull and lacked a coherent theme. The best part of the book was the short anecdotes on Babur Shah and the brief descriptions of the Ghorid dynasty, which once ruled parts of central Afghanistan. While I acknowledge that the author took great risk in walking from Herat to Kabul shortly after the fall of the Taliban, I question his motives and am fairly convinced that his self-promoting journey did little to improve the lot of the Afghan people.

Editorial Review:

In January 2002 Rory Stewart walked across Afghanistan-surviving by his wits, his knowledge of Persian dialects and Muslim customs, and the kindness of strangers. By day he passed through mountains covered in nine feet of snow, hamlets burned and emptied by the Taliban, and communities thriving amid the remains of medieval civilizations. By night he slept on villagers' floors, shared their meals, and listened to their stories of the recent and ancient past. Along the way Stewart met heroes and rogues, tribal elders and teenage soldiers, Taliban commanders and foreign-aid workers. He was also adopted by an unexpected companion-a retired fighting mastiff he named Babur in honor of Afghanistan's first Mughal emperor, in whose footsteps the pair was following.

Through these encounters-by turns touching, con-founding, surprising, and funny-Stewart makes tangible the forces of tradition, ideology, and allegiance that shape life in the map's countless places in between.