Travel Books

The restaurant business begins with a vision well founded on food knowledge. Having had great and many good meals helps. But the lessons of this book are many: the best is his order of priorities....first the employees, then the customers, then the suppliers and last the investors. Brilliant.

One of the best business books I've ever read. Danny really "gets it" as far as treating his employees and customers like family and VERY important people. THIS is why he is so successful with the top restaurants in NYC. A MUST read for anyone in sales or who deals with customers and employees on a daily basis

A great book that describes how to create customers for life, with "enlightened hospitality", creating an outstanding customer experience, based on a dialog with the customer. As he puts it "picking up the rocks" (to find the info) and "connecting the dots", a process that could and should be copied for every business.

His passion for food comes across the written page, its contagious.
I'm not a wine drinker but his passion made me want to give it a try.

I never been to one of his restaurants but I now see a trip to New York to visit his restaurants.

Highly recommended not only for restaurateurs, but for every business that has contact with customers.

This is one of the best books I have ever read on the hospitality business. Given that it is the industry that I am in, I probably found it more entertaining and insightful than many may who are NOT in the industry. Either way, a great read.

I was about to leave for vacation, and was looking for a beach read. Danny Meyer had been generous enough to supply an endorsement for my book, The Art of Client Service, so the least I could do was buy his book.

I am very glad I did.

Setting the Table certainly is a book on how to provide superior hospitality to customers, but it's more than that: it's the best book I've read on what it means to provide service to clients in ANY business. Its candor, humility, and generosity of spirit are reflected in all the lessons Danny learned, applied, and now recounts as he grew to be a leader.

My only quibble, and it is a small one, is that the book lacks an index. I assume this was a conscious decision on Danny's part, possibly because he does not view Setting the Table as a "how to" guide. But the reality is, the book is loaded with practical advice on how to build and sustain enduring client relationships. An index would help readers refer to lessons that inspired or motivated them.

My one regret is that I failed to include Setting the Table in my book's annotated bibliography of the 20 titles advertising people should read. I will, however, add it to the Art of Client Service website. And most important of all, I will recommend the book to all my advertising industry colleagues.

Kids of all ages love these books,both boys and girls find this series of stories fun and enjoyable.

my son really likes these books, the shipping was fast and easy. just click and read. no need to spend gas money when you can shop with ease at home.

They are wonderful. My six year old twins are fascinated. We read two chapters to them a night and they are transfixed. The parents and the children in this house highly recommend this series!

Mary Pope Osborne is such a talented writer. I really like her books. I wonder how she got her ideas...

This Magic Tree House Boxed Set has proven to be a wonderful past time for my granddaughter. She reads every evening before bed and it's a time to quiet down and prepare for sleep!! She loves her Magic Tree House books and I intend to get her the rest of the series very soon. The books are just the perfect length with lots of thrills. Your kids will love them.

Jim Johnston's book gives you the personal approach you would get from a friend who moved to Mexico City years ago and is willing to take you around to his favorite spots. It's not comprehensive, nor does it try to be. But - first time or multiple-time visitors who want to get a feel for the unique cacophony, artistry and paradox that is Mexico City will find a helpful guide that addresses practical issues and throws in some quirky delights, too. My husband and I fell in love with Mexico City 7 months ago and just returned to get another fix, using Mr. Johnston's book as our primary reference. We were also pleased to see that he updates information on his web site, so we checked for closings, openings, etc. before the trip. Maybe most important is that the ethic and personality of the author come through, revealing him as someone you would like to know - and you will, with this book.

Jim Johnston's guide to Mexico City took us off the usual tourist path and led to parts of the Centro Historico we would have missed. The walking tours are easy to follow and include some not so heavily visited sites. We followed #3 in the Centro and had a great time finding the places mentioned and finding other interesting places along the way. This guide will be a permanent part of the Mexico City bookshelf. And now we know what "pb" means in the elevator!

We travel to Mexico twice a year for business and pleasure (shouldn't travel always be a pleasure?), and we are always looking to explore more deeply this great world-city. I would recommend this book for both novices as well as experienced visitors, as Mexico City has so much and is so vibrant, that you take away something new each time. Jim's arrival tips and hotel listings are great, and I cannot wait to check out the walking tour and dining insights on our upcoming trip. The size is great as it is easy to carry around without looking like too much of a tourist. It is also a great book to use to take off the intimidating edge for a first-time visitor.

I began planning an upcoming trip to Mexico City and went looking for some current information about the city. The mainstream guidebooks are fine, but seldom up to date. I came across a positive reference about this book on [...] and checked it out on Amazon. Luckily, I bought it.
The author apparently knows and loves his city, and shares it the way a friend would. The level of detail is great, from how to get "there" (landmark, restaurant, museum, etc.), to what to expect, to what you might want to look for around the corner afterwards. I've explored Mexico City several times and thanks to this book I have many new intriguing options to augment my old favorites. This is the guidebook I'll take with me on my upcoming trip, and one I'll recommend to anyone I know who might be planning visit the City, and to some who haven't considered Mexico City as a destination - yet.
As a bonus, the author has a website where he posts updates: [...] . A revised walking tour of the area behind the cathedral (revised due to the exit of the throngs of street vendors) is already posted there.
Great book. Buy it.

My partner Jeb and I returned last week from an amazing trip in Mexico City. We had sought out a guide to the city and found this one online. We had read quite a bit from other sources but found things here that appealed to our sense of wanting to "get to know the place" rather than simply hitting the greatest hits alone.


We quickly found ourselves carrying this book with us as so many moments we spent following Jim Johnston's lead were quite amazing. In addition to fantastic food advice, this guide is written with enough restraint not to squander the impact of "discovery". We had many of these fine experiences - the fantastic cakes at Pasteleria Ideal , the joy of the "wet dog" park in La Condessa, and the surprise on first seeing the psychedelic dining room on the approach to La Gruta were really gratifying examples.


We are already planning future trips to Mexico City and spending time in La Roma and La Condessa made us think to seek out short term rentals there. This book shares special information not found in other guides and is written with a personal passion that will really add value and authenticity to your trip.

I was in the middle of another book (a book by Neil Peart - I'm back to it now) when I picked this up -- 3 days later I put it down!

Although Joe comes off as a bit of a cynic at times, dealing with life on the road would probably do that to you. The book flows well and is very entertaining.

He often starts a story at one point and then neatly ties it into the next section. It does NOT feel like a collections of short stroies to me at all but a well thought out, fully realized book.

I have already lent it out....

I am an avid cyclist and have ridden across the US. Many chapters were excellent and the book is full of quotable quotes. The book is a little uneven in the level of interest it generates from one chapter to the next and I could have done with less of the Metal Cowboy's political views. Overall, I would recommend it to friends and family.

This book is about cycling, raising kids, and finding out after you're an adult that there is more growing up to do--things I've done recently.
I laughed harder and cried harder. I wanted badly to hop on my bike and ride off into the night--but I couldn't put the book down long enough to get on my bike.
Most importantly, after reading this, you will learn the answer to the question: What bike would Jesus ride?

If you are not familiar with the Metal Cowboy, I encourage you to read this book. If you're tired of all the negativity the daily news lays in your lap, then read "Momentum..." to reinforce your belief in the goodness of most people and the joy they can bring into your life.

The Metal Cowboy and his posse of two (his very young sons) ride their bicycles across the country seeing important national sites such as the world's largest ball of twine; and, more importantly, meeting and introducing you to real characters who will make you smile at the things they do and say, and who will renew your faith in America and her people. Two people I met in the book, Stacy and Benny, helped me close a tragic chapter in my life with a smile instead of a tear. And two others, Joe's young sons, renewed my faith in the future of our country.

I recommend you visit the Metal Cowboy on the Internet. He's every bit as fascinating as the real people he introduces you to in his books. And if you're looking for adventure, travel, interesting characters (who are real people), and good writing read this book.

Young father pedals across America with his two sons. It sounds grueling. It was, but the way Joe writes, we get to experience both the exhaustion and the pleasures of the ride. With his 250 pounds of "dead weight" in back, he goes up and over mountains, and battles winds and storms, and manages to keep his sense of humor.

His parenting from the front of the caravan (Joe pedaling in front, kid sort of pedaling behind him, kid riding in trailer) makes me wish I'd read this much earlier in my life.

He's a great writer with a fascinating topic.

This artist is just amazing, since I saw his exhibition, I never forgot the intensity of these original masterpiece. So why only 4 stars?? I don't know, the book is too small? The printing? it's never perfect but the photographs... The photographs ...

As an avid photographer - and one who has spent a lot of time shooting in EA - these are precisely the sort of images that make me want to grab my camera and rush back into the Serengeti. It's a well selected collection - perhaps not the greatest photographs I have ever seen, but a beautiful selection nontheless. A wonderful departure from the stock "post-card" photograpy that's been pouring out of the continent, and some are so breathtakingly vivid (like the image used on the cover) that you can almost feel the dust swirl around you, and feel the hot African sun on your neck.

It's a beautiful book. Would make an an ideal gift for the nature photographer, and for the nature lover...

This is a wonderful book with some great pictures of the African wildlife. The black and white photos were striking and the book appeals to 3 years of age to 65. It captured the African wildlife that I have had the privilege of seeing first hand on two occasions.

Amazing BW pictures. Very nice and a good edition. Very interesting for all photo-africa lovers....

This is a collection of beautiful photographs. The prints are warm, with good blacks. This made a great gift for our friends that had travelled in Africa.

This is the best WDW guidebook for planning and organizing your vacation at Walt Disney World. It reviews and rates all the attractions at all the resorts, as well as all the resorts and restaurants. The maps are very useful. Of all the WDW guide books, this one is best at helping you prioritize each day of your trip.

This book has answered just about every question that me and my family has about WDW. It truly helped us make our decisions about our upcoming WDW vacation.

I have 4 Disney books, and this one is the ONLY one that gives a complete guide to everything Disney! It's packed with SO much information and has helped me tremendously with the planning of our up-coming trip! You don't need any other book! (This is the small version that you can carry with you to the parks, they do offer a larger one that I wish I had known about first)

I've bought a few books for our upcoming WDW trip, and this one has by far the most detailed maps that I've seen. It shows where the restaurants are, the bathrooms, shopping areas, etc. so you can get yourself well-oriented with the layout of the parks before actually getting there. As far as the whole WDW complex, the map is not too bad, but I've been looking at google earth for that kind of detailed information - the proximity from the hotels to the different parks, where the toll plazas and parking lots are - things of that nature. This book doesn't have extremely detailed touring plans - just some general guidelines, but still a lot of very helpful information. It has some good tips and info regarding the dining plan - the breakdown of prices, which I thought was very useful because then you can straight up compare how much money you are actually "saving" if you choose to purchase the Disney Dining Plan. And it has a little journal where you can keep records/memories of your trip, and it's spiral bounded, which I love. So if your looking for planning info, it's great, but if you've already planned and want actual touring plans, you might be happier with a different purchase.

Loved this book. A must have if you are going to Disney for the first time or for the 100th time. Gave me lots of inside advice, great restaurant reviews, which were right on, and the maps were so much better than the ones you get at Disney. This is a must have. I will get a new one each time I go to Disney. I suggest getting it as eary as you can as it was so much fun to read and review before the trip. Made the vacation feel longer than just one week for me . . . .

This book is broken down into 70-something wonderful pearls of wisdom and advice-some practical, some nurturing, and some just pointing out where we can appreciate the "now". I would recommend this book for anyone, especially if you have a shorter attention span (each chapter is 2-3 pages), or if you're short on time (you can read a chapter at a stoplight or in line). Excellent insight and wisdom!

A friend of mine gave me "Creating a Charmed Life" last year and told me that she used it to read a chapter at a time to her staff at work. I found myself reading each chapter or essay in a similar manner and enjoyed it very much. So this Christmas I bought two copies to give to friends with the same advice. It has a calming effect in the harried life.

I spotted this book when I was going through a particularly difficult period in my life. (I read the book and truly felt inspired to make changes and to become more accepting of myself and others. I refer to the book all the time-it's like my own little pocket guide to life. Yes, I bleieve in God and have faith but I'll admit, I waiver. I grew up in a house where my mother did not have the skills or confidence in herself to be able to enjoy her own life or teach her daughters to enjoy theirs. If I am lucky enough to have children I will make sure I teach them these principles. Thank you, Victoria Moran for helping me wake up and enjoy life.

This can be useful: to keep this book on your shelf and open it to a fun suggestion at random. It lists ways to treat yourself as a way of reminding yourself to be good to yourself at regular intervals.

But it may only work if you're a very girlie kind of gal: this is something I don't usually notice unless it's very pronounced as it is here. The author's idea of a good time is to dress up with hat and gloves and call all her best girlfriends and go out for a traditional English tea and then to get pampered at the neighborhood spa. I myself would find that a total ordeal!

So, even though she has some good insights, she and I don't have much in common, and this book struck me as more outer-oriented and materialistic than her Lit From Within book, which I would recommend, and which concentrates on inner peace.

I have read this book and loved every chapter!....and I am purchasing a dozen, one for every female on my Christmas list, friends, neices, mother-in-law, setp-mom, etc..... I feel relieved that I am not the only female who feels this way. I especially like Chapters 8, 12, 31, 44....all of them ! This is the book you will read over and over again !!!! Thank you Victoria !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Debbie

I have spent some time in NYC before but had always been with a city resident and hadn't ever needed a guide. But when the opportunity came about for my husband and I to spend a long weekend there, I absolutely took it. I love the city (in small doses, couldn't ever live there), but hadn't ever had a chance to do any touristy stuff. So I read some reviews and picked up this guide.

I spent a few days reading over it, and after my trip, I would say it's a great guide if you don't know what you want to do, or how to structure your days, because it has very specific suggestions for stuff like that. It has a section for each part of the city, at the end of which is a run down on a sample day one could spend in that neighborhood.

But as far as a comprehensive while-you're-there guide? I wish I had gotten Not For Tourists. This was a great planner, and had street and subway maps that were incredibly useful, but when you're looking for a bookstore nearby to kill an hour? Nada. Also, because of the setup of the book (chock full of Top Ten lists, duh), it jumps around a lot. One museum is mentioned in four different places, and vital information is only on one of those pages, but from the index there's no way to tell which one of those pages has something important like the hours of the place, for example, so you have to check every page.

Again, great for planning, less great for a carry-along for your trip.

Great subway map! Just don't forget to read the signs in the subway, some trains only run certain days/times. AND if I remember correctly PATH is not really in the book.

For those traveling to New York City this is an essential guide to bring with you. The restaurant recommendations are top notch. The maps are detailed and a pocket subway guide is always helpful. Whether you are going in for a week or a weekend this is the guide you want to carry with you when you are out and about. You may want to use another guide if you are going in for a longer period of time for planning purposes but again this is the one you want to carry with you when you are in the city.

I've used this guide several times on trips to NY and it is absolutely terrific. Pocketable, beautifully illustrated, wonderfully organized. We went to two of the restaurants recommended and were totally pleased. Very easy to use and filled with useful information. Will add a lot to a visit.

I visited NYC for the first time a few weeks ago. I took only three books about this city with me: this guide, the "Lonely planet NYC Guide", and "The Metropolitan Museum of Art Guide". Truth to be told, this guide is probably the only one I couldn't have done without.

"Top 10 New York" is an extremely useful small guide that doesn't have as much information as the "Lonely planet NYC Guide", but that has the essentials, and excellent fold out maps in color that are more easily understandable than those of other guides. I would like to highlight the fact that even though I am very absent minded, I could easily find my way in NYC thanks to those maps. And if I can, everybody will be able to do that!

From my point of view, this guide is ideal for those tourists that don't have a lot of time, and want to see as much as possible during their visit to NYC (specifically Manhattan), if possible without a tourist guide. "Top 10 New York" points out quite a few places you simply must go to in the city, but also tells you about different neighbourhoods, and their history. There are many photos in color that help you to decide what you want to do, and historic data that allows you to learn about this city.

Moreover, most visitors will find the insider tips for tourists helpful, and the planned walks and itineraries a good option. Other useful sections in this guide are, for example, "Best shopping districts", "Best hotels for every budget" (I found my hotel through Internet, though), "Best restaurants in each area" and "Most fun places for children". What is more, "Top 10 New York" is almost pocket-sized, so you can carry it with you everywhere, even if your purse is tiny (not my case!), or if you have bought too many things and your handbag is rather heavy (yes, that often happens to me).

All in all, I am very happy I bought this guide, and I strongly recommend it to you :)

Belen Alcat

This book is so good that i could not put it down. I I have often daydreamed about living on a desert island or even just out in the wilderness away from civilization and this book just makes me want to grab some gear and go. Tom Neale did what few do in this day and age. His writing is also so good that I was just as captivated by his day to day living as I was by the horrific details of books like "Into Thin Air". A must read for anyone who has dreamed of living off the land.

While Tom Neale did what most of us will only ever daydream of doing, his wonderfully told story, full of vivid detail, will transport you to his beloved island and allow you to escape as he did, if only vicariously. I simply loved this book, and will read it anytime I feel the need to "get away" from it all.

First of all there were 28 reviews on this book before mine, 27 of them were 5 star ratings - that tells you people really love this book. I thought it was very good & I along with most of the other reviewers would love to find a place like this to get away to. I am glad that Tom Neale took the time to write about his adventures because beautiful tropical uninhabited islands are something that don't really exist anymore. The events in this book took place just a generation or so ago & the isolation Tom Neale found there is mostly gone nowadays. In the early 1960's Tom would go up to 14 months without even seeing another human being. Compare that to 2006 - online I can see that at this current moment there are 16 sailboats anchored at Suvarov Atoll.

I thought the best moments in the book are when Tom is describing his friend the duck or his cats...or just his total happiness.

I have a couple minor negative points to add: The book was written in 1966 & the newest edition available was printed in 1990. The "postscript" in my 1990 edition says that Tom left Suvarov in December 1963 for a variety of circumstances & was going to live out his days on Rarotonga rather than die a lonely death on an isolated island.

I was very suprised to find out via the internet that he went back in 1967 & lived there until 1977. I think a postscript in a book written in 1990 should have this information in it.

I also thought it was strange that when you read the book Tom describes his life between 1954 & 1960 as a terrible time where daily he tried to find a way to get back to Suvarov , worked in a dreary store & after work would go home every day & work on a boat he was building. He mentions a few friends and not much else. When I looked up his history after reading the book I see that in this time he got married & 2 years after this became a father. I think it just shows that Tom was a very private person by not even mentioning this in his book.

No video cameras and immunity for Tom Neale, he did the real deal all by himself for years on a deserted atoll.

A fascinating story of what it takes to survive and a great character study of the type of person who can/would do it.

Tom lived the lazy island life but wasn't satisfied and finally went out to pull a Robinson Crusoe (at the age of 50!). And this was in the 50s. He had no satellite phone to get him out in an emergency, no doppler weather reports, no Honda(tm) generator.

On top of that, he had no safety net. Off the regular shipping channels, he had no scheduled visits, just some random people who happened to pass by and say hi. It was just his skill, determination and a great knowledge of island living that allowed him to survive and thrive.

His daily struggles (from pesky hermit crabs up to life threatening injuries) are a fascinating peek into a life most people will never experience.

After you finish it, be sure check out Wikipedia and the web for more information (and pics) on his life after this book.

An amazing read that ends much too quickly.

A friend highly recommended "One Man's Wilderness: An Alaskan Odyssey" by Sam Keith and Richard Proenneke (Paperback - May 1999). I knew when I read the jacket blurb that here was another Tom Neale, only this time he isolated himself in the middle of Nowhere, Alaska. So, Neale is hot and Proenneke (the one who lived the adventure) cold, but they faced similar challenges and found ways to rise to the occasion.

And Proenneke and Neale were contemporaries, both hardy, solitary, infinitely capable men. If you enjoyed Neale's story, I can't imagine you wouldn't also enjoy Proenneke's. I would have paid a good sum to be in the same room had these guys ever met and started exchanging stories.

My children love these books. I read some of them to see what they are reading and I was happy with them

The set was delivered fast, and in great condition. My daughter is enjoying the books. Will buy more from you!

My son adores this series. The books arrived on time and they can only benefit him.

The seven year old for whom this gift was intended was absolutely thrilled with this boxed set. She is an excellent reader and has already finished previous sets of this Magic Tree House item. She was quite excited when she tore off the wrapping paper.Magic Tree House Boxed Set, Books 9-12: Dolphins at Daybreak / Ghost Town at Sundown / Lions at Lunchtime / Polar Bears Past Bedtime

My son loves these books and they make good book report material and I don't mind the stories either.