Tours and Travel Books

I found this book very informative with information on the history of an area as well as sites to vist, what to look for on walking tours or hikes, and where to shop, spend the night, or eat. I especially liked the references to native-made art. However, I also purchased "Best Places Alaska" by Don Pitcher and the books are virtually identical (they even use the same phrases to describe a place). I would recommend either of these books but not both.

I used this book to plan almost all aspects to our two week Alaska vacation which we have just gotten back from. And this book was the very best to give you the means to get off the beaten tourist path and see and experience the true Alaska. It is by far the very best tool. People asked us how we saw and experience so much in such a short time and I tell them it's because of this book and doing our home work.

I purchases this book as a guide for planning a vacation Alaska for a family that has never been to Alaska. It has met my purposes very well.

Very informative and has helped us make decisions on where to go and where not to go on our trip to Alaska this summer.

Very good and complete information on Alaska. It would be better if there were maps in color and pictures.

Warner's guide is the premiere resource for bikers who are contemplating the Natchez Trace Parkway. We just finished an abbreviated tour (you can't plan the weather) and found the guide to be a reliable resource for historical sites, terrain, lodging, and the miscellaneous details important to the long-distance biker. There have been some changes in the cities in regards to lodging and dining options but overall there are more options, not less. This guide is highly recommended and we look forward to using it again for our next adventure.

The book is well written with a lot of important details about the trail.

The author obviously has spent considerable time riding the Trace and in surrounding areas. As a result, the book serves as a useful complement to the literature available from the National Park Service on the Natchez Trace. However, the most important document that a Trace traveler needs is a Natchez Trace Parkway Map and Guide from the Park Service.

The author briefly describes the historical significance of many of the landmarks along the Trace. Of great interest to bicylists is the lay of the land (hills) which is well described. Most importantly, one can find the location of food and water and lodging just off of the Trace, that is, not managed by the Park service. The Trace itself has insufficient restroom and water stops for the bicyclist. A minor point is that the author does not indicate the hours of operation of the markets that he notes. The author notes the great amount of wildlife on the Trace; but keep a sharp eye for the snakes sunning themselves on the Trace in warm weather.

Most all of the practical advice in the book is related either to logistics or to various routes. Where and how to ship one's bike is useful. About 40 percent of the book is taken up with auxiliary routes that either start or cross the Trace and are not a part of traveling the Trace from end to end. Multi-day tours through Vicksburg and around the Tennessee River are two of those. Most of these may appeal to local residents.

Throughout the book the author mentions various rules and regulations of the Trace. Although there is a brief section, it would have been useful to see a section with a complete listing: for example, rules for speed limits, parking, picnicing, camping, hiking, etc.

What one will not find in this book is much in the way of practical and general information about bicycling or touring on a bike - what gearing to use, how to pack gear on a bike, how to ride with a fully loaded bike, what is the best way to deal with bicycle problems while on the Trace, etc. One point of interest is that the author provides an 1-800 number that can be called in the case of problems; interestingly the park service does a poor job of signage concerning this number.

The bottom line is that the book would help anyone comtemplating a tour of the Trace to get a better feel for what he or she can expect on the Trace.

The terrain and weather are benign, and the logistical issues are straightforward.

Others have commented that the author assumes readers will know how to pack a bike and how to undertake simple repairs. I think Wanner's omission is a positive feature--there are other books that do these jobs thoroughly.

Bicycling the Natchez Trace excels with the great number of side trips described, which will be most useful for locals who are able to periodically re-visit the Trace.

For all of that, Wanner's book doesn't "speak" to me as a cycle tourist; his rhythms and pace do not closely approximate my own. Experienced tourists will understand my comment, and I would encourage beginning bikers to read other books by other authors to discover which ones work best them. For me, Nadine Slavinski works well.

Well written, accurate usable advice for bikers. The historic facts as well as geography ( mileage to stores, attractions, facilities) were right on the money. I used the book to do the northern 125 miles of the trace. I am preparing for a southbound ride next and will use this book.
john

I purchased this volume, unread, as a gift. Therefore, I cannot offer first-hand testimony (hence, my four stars). The recipient, however, vouches for its accuracy and usefulness.

My wife and I wanted to travel with our Newfoundland dog. No small feat! I read the reviews of this book and decided to try it for myself. I have just returned from 8 days in Kennebunk, Kittery, Bar Harbr ME and Newport RI. The suggested places to stay were teriffic. Clean, roomy enough and very very hospitable. The places to eat and go were also uniformly great! While these were not 5 star resorts, the owners get 5 stars for opening their places to a gateful family! GET THIS BOOK!

We took our two dogs to Canada and used this to navigate the northeast. Highly highly recommended.

This is a great book, we have dogs and love to travel. This book gives us a wonderful list of places to stay and other information.
Thank you,
Jane

Dog-Friendly New England is a well-organized travel guide for those of us who can't think of travelling without our dog. The book is organized by region,
and each region is rated for its "dog-friendliness."
This book is fun to read when you're just trying to plan a New England trip.
It offers just the right amount of information, with capsule reviews of lodging establishments, restaurants, and attractions. You can probably plan your whole trip to New England based on the recommendations in this book.

These guides have the best pictures! I don't take them with me though. Too heavy and not as practical as other guides like Rick Steve's. They are great for reading up on your future destination though. Amazon always has them at a good price(as they are not cheap brand new)and it doesn't matter if you buy a used one or one that is a few years old. There's no admission prices in them anyway.

I used this book as my guide travelling around Munich and I can strongly recommended it to others. The layout of the book is clear and logical which makes choosing destinations and getting there easy. The maps in the book are all in full colour, as always in this series, showing roads as well as public transport routes. Countless illustrations enrich the reading - each carefully drawn so as to say more than a thousand words found in other guides. The choice of restaurants, hotels etc were all great picks. I managed to find a couple of real gems of restaurants in the recommended list here. I can assure that speaking from personal experience: you can use this book with complete confidence!

If you are going to Munich or travelling around Bavaria then this is without doubt the finest guide that you will find. Have a great trip!

If you're planning on spending just a few days in Munich, then this compact little guide will be indispensible in locating the famous beerhalls and tourist sights. The maps are more than adequate and the walking descriptions to each locale are precise and accurate. There is also corresponding material on how to use the U-Bahn in the city and which station to take for each particular site. There is a separate chapter on the beerhalls of the city with a brief ranking system for the nosiest places, the friendliest, the cheapest beer, etc.

If you're planning a lengthy sojourn in Munich or if you already know the city well, then this book would not be as helpful. It is basically intended for the casual tourist and the information on the intriguing environs of Munich, including Bogenhausen, Haidhausen and areas of Schwabing, is not detailed. Many of the best sites are neglected because most tourists don't want to bother or simply don't have the time to stick around. The chapters on Berchtesgaden and Garmisch are excellent, however. So this is a thrifty guide you can stick in your pocket and consult when you need to find a restaurant, beer haunt or hotel. In short, if you're a first timer to Munich, enjoy the greatest city in Europe and be sure to tuck away this guide.

...I can affirm the genuine worth of this book. The maps are convenient, easy to use, and marvelously clear. Furthermore, the organization of the guide is wonderfully helpful in assisting the traveler (or resident, as the case may be) in finding cultural destinations, culinary spots, that may have otherwise been missed.

This guide is, like most all of the Dorling-Kindersley series, geared toward helping the traveler ascertain what things might be of particular sightworthiness. Unlike the Michelin guides, this isn't particularly into the business of rating destinations, and it certainly isn't going to provide the standard domestic AAA guide service of pointing the traveler toward "hot" restaurants. For a diverse, wonderfully cosmopolitan city, this guide provides a marvelous introduction, and though it neglects a few potential interests in outlying regions, does an admirable job of hitting all the highlights, and even including pictures of most.

The material was current as of late spring 2003.

If you are planning a trip to southern Germany this book is a must. It covers Munich very well but the real impressive part is the Alps. No matter where you are going in the Alps this book will be helpful. The pictures are wonderful and it makes a great coffee table book when you get home. Highly recommend.

I am a kindergarten teacher and I wish to respond to parents who fear this book because of the non-believing character. I use this book in my classroom not only for the international aspect, but also because it deals with people believing differently from eachother. Accepting and understanding the diversity among people is a difficult concept for early learners to understand. The 5-8 year old age group especially need to hear the message of tolerance, for they will be encountering a more diverse population as they enter into their elementary classrooms. When we read this story we have lots of discussions about how the holidays are celebrated throughout the world and in our own homes. We all have different traditions and beliefs, which is wonderful. It's important for children to understand that everyone does not have to agree. We can all respect eachothers differences while maintaining our own beliefs.

I have the original Felix book plus the one about time, and was eagerly anticipating reading Felix's Christmas Around the World to my four-year-old. However, I had to heavily edit the first half of the book. The main character talks at school about believing in Santa and is laughed at by all the other children. The book goes on for pages about her feeling terrible for believing in Santa. If I had read it verbatim I think I would have ruined Santa for my daughter. This plot point wasn't necessary in order to present the rest of the information in the book. Yes, the pictures are lovely, the real letters from Felix are a delight, and the facts about Christmas in other lands are fascinating. But you can get the same quality in other Felix books. If your child believes in Santa, avoid this book for now.

It might have helped if I had read the other reviews concerning "Santa" before ordering this. My 6 yr old can read so I couldn't edit it. Instead, I opted for explaining that some people don't believe and if you don't believe then Santa doesn't visit you. It worked for now. The story is nice and in fine Felix fashion contains lots of notes etc. We liked Felix Travels Around the World better.

I have never taken the time to write about a book before, but I couldn't resist sharing the pleasure I took in reading this book. This book would be a great book for any classroom at all elementary levels. I plan to use the book in my 2nd grade classroom during a unit on holidays around the world at Christmas time. I can't wait to share this book with my students and my co-workers. The format of this book is excellent and the letters that Felix writes to Sophie are a great asset to this book. The book touches on many countries and has a great display of the world that is shown during Santa's holiday journey.

This book includes themes from Italy, Sweden, Holland, and Russia. Sophie's classmates are multicultural, as well. Felix leaves to find Santa and corresponds with Sophie on his journey. The 5 letters are spread throughout the story, and are actually in envelopes that your child opens. You will also find a recipie, a photo of Felix with a real reindeer, a floor plan of Santa's house, and a special Felix santa hat! Felix also promises to write you if you write him! I taught grade 2 and the children immensely enjoyed every moment of this book. It has great illustrations. Parents and teachers alike should buy this book, especially if you want to teach about Christmas around the World.

I received this book as a gift when I left to study abroad in Paris a few years ago. I went to Paris to study art and I found this book to be an excellent guide to this fantastic museum. It is so interesting and informative. And when you are done visiting the Louvre, you have an excellent souvenir!

A viable alternative with good reproductions and complete floor plans would be "The Louvre (Art & Architecture)" by Gabriele Bartz and Eberhard Konig, ISBN: 3829026471.

As the Louvre is just so darn big, you need this book if for no other reason than to whittle down the museum to what interests you. New York City's Met. is big, but frankly, the whole Met. would be one half of one floor, of one wing, in the Louvre. Most Knopf guides are very detailed and thoughtfully written and this is no exception. Indispensible for your visit(s) to the Louvre.

Only half the book is actually devoted to the collection. The rest of the book is about the history of the Louvre and what's around the Louvre. The maps were so tiny they were about impossible to see, and in some sections were just absent. For instance, the Italian painting section, I could never find a map for and spent a long time wandering about trying to find specific paintings (Titian). Unforunately, there does not seem to be much of an alternative. The limited catalog that they sell there is probably a better option, or the section that most guide books have is probably adequate. The collection is so huge and this book so limited, it was hardly worth even bringing along.

A treasure trove of images and information making it almost redundant to go to the Louvre itself. Too bad there are not guides like this for the Musee D'Orsay and other museums of Paris. It seems that the guide should have been expanded to include the other museums since the Knopf city guide book gives the others so little space.

This book is written for intelligent and inquisitive tourists who want to really understand what Mauai is all about. It outshines Mauai Revealed by 100%. I found myself using it every day as it offered a far more indepth look at places not found in any other tourist publication. If flash and hype are not your style, buy this book. Good index, well written, excellent maps. It had plenty of things to do to keep me amazed every day of my two week vacation.

Until Andrew Doughty's "Maui Revealed" was released, this Moon handbook was the best you could get. We used it on our first trip to Maui. Like other Moon Handbooks, it is rich in history and background info, but the practical detail can't compare to "Maui Revealed." We now use this Moon Handbook mainly as a supplement for historical background -- still useful but not our first source. (Most other Maui guides are superficial rubbish.)

My wife and I have used the Moon: Maui book over three different editions from 1985 until relocating permanently in '99. One copy has been to the island three times, lent to friends. There is no part of the island left uncovered, and authors provide good insight on how to be pleasant guest and not get yourself into unpleasant situations.

This is quite unlike "Maui Revealed", which is quickly becoming "Maui Reviled" for locals. This perception is driven by a considerable increase in trespassing on private property to and bodily waste at spots that used to be local favorites, caused in large part by masses of visitors cluching M.R.

Stick with the Moon: Maui book, and you'll avoid a lot of unnecessary stink eye.

You're spending 1,000-2,000 bucks to go to Maui -- go ahead and spend 20 bucks to have your own in-depth personal tourguide.

This handbook helped make for one of the best vacations of my life. The "insider" information is absolutely indispensible. For instance, there are many, many beaches on Maui, but there are many, many different kinds of beaches. Some with murky water. Some with huge waves. Some not navigable unless you swim beyond volcanic rocks. But there are one or two absolutely perfect beachs. And the Moon Handbook explains it. My girlfriend and I found the beach in front of the Sheraton at Ka'anapali to be the best all-aorund beach. We waded out into the calm waters and swam with sea turtles, right there in front of the Sheraton. This handbook explains, though the "little" details like, parking is difficult near the Sheraton so where to park, what the rates are, even shortcuts between buildings and such. This kind of info is just completely impossible to get anywhere else.

There are discussions of the personalities of various snorkle tour boat crews -- from adventurous, to laid-back. Some snorkle boats provide lunch, others don't. All this info is in the Moon Handbook.

We checked out Haleakala Mountain and Red Hill. With the handbook, we found how to get to Iao Needle. We found which Luau Party was the best for us, etc. Which restaurants to go to. Where to shop in Lahaina. The Sugar Cane Train for an easy-going afternoon. A drive out by the blow-holes on the NW end of the island.

I highly recommend this book before going to Maui. If you don't feel like shelling out 20 bucks, another option is always looking into your local library. Most good public libraries carry Moon Handbooks and they're absolutely free. A must before traveling to Maui, the Valley Island! (the 6th edition also includes info on the islands of Lana'i across the Auau Channel and Moloka'i)

Happy vacationing!

Stacey

This book contains a plethora of information about Hawaii. It has a break down of each part of the Island, activities to go do, and even lists shop names for making reservations or locating once you get to the island. My wife and I have found this book to be very helpful in our planning.

Simply commenting on the writing style: very well done. Follows Strunk & White's Elements of Style. Factual too. Every point is rebutted by a counter point, giving a nuianced view. I don't usually give a book five stars (see my other reviews) but this one merits it.

A spendid book that can be easily read in an afternoon. Covers the topic fully and moves along as it does.

An excellent short history of the Parthenon. Entertaining writing style. But what were the Greeks trying to tell us on this most sculpted temple of Greek antiquity? Like most of the rest of modern classicists and mythologists, Ms. Beard hasn't a clue. It took the artists 15 years to complete the sculptures. They were meant to mean something to us, meant to be understood. For that understanding, I recommend THE PARTHENON CODE: MANKIND'S HISTORY IN MARBLE.

This is an exhaustive, fabulous treatise on one of the most venerable monuments to classical history the world has ever known. Beard takes us through the entire history of the Parthenon. She details for us its probable early use as a temple to Athena (as well as some other theories) as well as its less known utility as a Christian church and Mosque in later ages.

Along the way, Beard offers us statements concerning the Parthenon from various historical and modern personages. Some are profound, some are not. Some simply advertise their ignorance (such as the not-so-venerable Shaquille O'Neal). From the vantage points of different epochs we are able to discern how the Parthenon has been seen down through the ages.

Of course, no work on the Parthenon would be complete without examining the highly(!) controversial exploits of one Lord Elgin. As hoped, Beard delivers in giving a thorough description of all the forces at play in both England & Greece. She does not take a position on the issue, so her discussion of this sensitive topic is not apt to offend anyone. Then again, since she refrains from taking a position, perhaps that in itself WILL offend some people? I don't know.

There is also a background section on the disastrous explosion of 1687. It was caused by the Ottoman Empire using (mis-using!) the Parthenon as an arsenal. Not suprisingly, this made it a target for the Venetians and.....you can guess the rest. What is less known is that 300 people perished when the Parthenon exploded. That's an unfortunate detail that is many times overlooked in history classes. As usual, Beard does an excellent job of giving the whole story of what took place.

If you possess an interest in the Parthenon and / or ancient Greece in general, this book is a can't miss. For anyone who wishes to tour Greece (or the British museum in London), this book is highly recommended as well. Even if you only have a passing interest in history per-se, this book will give you an avenue to enjoy the Parthenon & all of its frieze and sculptoral splendor.

One chilly February morning, just as dawn was arriving and the shops and offices were still clad in the cold grey of the fading night, I saw by the dawn's golden glow the full splendour of the Parthenon floating serenely above the narrow streets of Athens.

The sun had risen just enough to light the Parthenon. For a moment or so it floated; the Acropolis could have been a cloud with the Parthenon as a vision of the front door to the home of the gods. It was a perfect metaphor for the reputation of ancient Athens as a city committed to beauty, elegance, grace and the sensitivity to express artistic values.

Mary Beard has done a superb job in this concise and poignant history, undoubtedly the finest structure of its kind in the world. The ancients didn't consider it one of the Seven Wonders of the World, they seem to have based their values on volume instead of quality. Perhaps the Parthenon, even today in its ruined state, should be considered first among the Seven Beauties of the World.

Her book is a treasure for anyone who has visited the Acropolis; it is essential for anyone who plans to visit Athens and do more than drink ouzo in some seedy taverna. It's more than a bare-bones history; she recounts the scandals in getting it built, and the subsequent sins of omission and commission during the past 20 centuries during which this gem was defaced.

Maybe my view is warped because of my first magic view; however, I still regard it as a gift of the gods which mortal humans have spoiled. Beard doesn't offer any such speculation; instead, she does offer a nuts-and-bolts history of this gem from the past. That is the strength of her book, she ignores the nonsense and concentrates on facts.

It is also the weakness, in my view. The history is brief but fascinating, but she doesn't understand the psychic importance of Athena to the Athenians. For a comparison, think of the 'Liberty Enlightening the World' statue in New York harbour and its significance to all Americans, whether they have seen it or not. Both statues embody the ideals of the society in which they are displayed; I suggest when you read this book, to keep this comparison in mind to get a full appreciation of just how much each means to the world.

England, of course, hasn't built a monument since Stonehenge. England builds little statues to honor its heroes; think of the Albert Memorial. Nelson's Column in Trafalgar Square is a mere 59 columns short of a full Parthenon. How about the Millenium Dome to celebrate two centuries of ? ? ? The Statue of Liberty wasn't an American idea, it was a gift from France. It's not easy to come up with an artifact that expresses the ideals of a society through time.

The Parthenon is a timeless monument. Regardless of what or how you think of it, this book will add to your understanding, appreciation and enjoyment. When you think of how many of today's architectural "gems" will still be visited 2,500 years from now, it gives you an appreciation of what the Athenians accomplished.

Beard tells you how they did it, and then what happened. It's a superb book.

I build houses for a hobby, various types and sizes (26 total). I am an engineer.

Buy the travel edition, and go to any university library for the huge atlas. I have found it at 6 so far around the country. It takes a little extra time, but hey - so does building, especially a house not well thought out :(,

Currently I have a bluff lot overlooking the pacific, next to a cemetary with a ton of open space around it, in a funky town (mobile homes below???). Green is in in So Cal (LA is going green? yea right...pigs fly). I would like to put Fallingwater on the bluff..hee hee.

This book rocks and has become my companion along with the Wright companion, Survey and Hogue. I am fairly proficient with Auodesk Arch. Desktop (now 2008). My dream - have all this material importable into Arch desktop for 3d orbits on a iPhone - those flying pigs :)

This nice little book lists some architecturally interesting building, but is missing nearly all my favorites. Listing geographically is a good idea, but I prefer online databases.

For those of you interested in the praticality of this as a travel companion, trust me, it works. The maps are not enough alone to find buildings in their respective cities but between knowing their general locations and addresses you can easily navigate your way to find them. I carried this book in my pocket around Europe and can say first hand that it was the best travel guide I had. A must for any Architect or student planning on traveling.

I think this is a book EVERY architect student should posses as a reference. It contains a large selection of references from all over the world. In comparison to the large version, which is rather costly for a student, this version contains brief descriptions and its a good size. I just wish there was a version on DISK!!!

When the original Phaidon Atlas of Contemporary World Architecture was released in My 2004, several reviews were more enticed with the size of the tome in contrast to its contents. Frankly, I was put off by the price tag (albeit well deserved).

However, the recently released Travel Edition of the tome has become one of the essential resources of my library.

First, don't be put off of the fact that the softcover book is referred to as a Travel Edition as it contains a wealth of projects (subdivided by continents then countries). For each project there is a single project photo, project address, and the project architect. With each building a sentence or two states the significance of the project to 'Contemporary World Architecture' (an overly broad subject in itself).

Second, there is a grand diversity to the projects profiled in the Travel Edition in terms of project types and locations. I haven't come across another book to date that offers such a variety of projects within the covers.

Lastly, the Phaidon Atlas of Contemporary World Architecture Travel Edition provides project insights and narratives that are free of any bias or criticism. The lack of both is something that is rarely found in a subject as subjective as architecture, and is welcomed in this context.

The Atlas suffers from a minor foreseeable problems. The book limits itself to projects that were complete as of the time when the book went to press. Any building completed during its printing or afterwards suffers the fate of being excluded from the Atlas; perhaps it/they will be included in future editions.

This book was very helpful with lots of useful tips on travel through Europe. We took the advice on several of the hotels and were very pleased with the recommendations.

Ricke Steves always gives excellent advice to the budget traveler. His advice is comprehensive and and at times humorous.

Let me start by stating something that should be obvious: if for whatever reason you do not like Rick Steves, you will not enjoy reading through this guidebook. Although Rick is not the only contributor, it is very much written in his style of speaking. Personally, I think it makes his guidebooks more approachable, especially for people with little travel experience.

This book is more for people who don't really know where in Europe they would like to go, or for those planning a multi-nation trip and would rather not buy an armful of books on each country. That being said, do not limit your trip research to only this book or you will miss other Rick Steves favorite locales that didn't make it into this book. Rick's website (along with his shows and radio/podcasts) has a wealth of information.

Take a look at this book's Table of Contents to see what places are included. Rick includes information on traveling from one place to another (mainly by rail and air), sights (description, costs, hours, websites, phone #s, and his rating), recommended hotels in a variety of price ranges, places to eat, when to see sights in order to avoid long tourist lines, important tips (like which sights you should get reservations for), self-guided walking tours, regular tours, how long you need in each locale, etc.

If Rick Steves has a book for your destination(s), then do yourself a favor - buy it. You do not need any other guide for your trip. We've just returned from a trip through much of western Europe (London, Paris, Milan, Florence, Venice, Rome, Madrid, Barcelona and Brugge) and this guide was indispensable.

We avoided long lines to visit museums in Venice and Florence, lived in great local hotels and dined in non-touristy and cheap restaurants serving amazing local food. We also had Frommer's with us at the beginning of the trip but we threw it half way through the trip - it was too bulky and did not add any value to our experience.

Rick Steve's conversational style is non-intimidating and makes for a much more interesting read compared to the cut-and-dry, facts only style of other guides. All guides will have some out of date information but this guide is very current. In fact, a tour-guide with a company in Rome that is recommended by Rick Steves' told us that while other publishers just call them every year to verify that they are still in business, only Rick Steves' company actually sends someone to take part in the tours to make sure that the experience is still consistent with the description in the book.

This book is a must have for your Europe trip.

Rick Steves' does a great job taking you to the hot spots and off the beaten path. Has a ton of info on each area (ie phone numbers, addresses, names, etc).