Guides and Directories Books

This appears to be an excellent reference guide to a subject shrouded in mystery. As with most issues in Mexico, health care is yet another that benefits by the bright light of knowledge. Fortunately I can say "appears" as I have never had to test the information provided, peace of mind is worth the reasonable cost of the book.

I own a vacation home in Mexico on the Pacific coast and health is something that lurks in the background of every stay. This guide has provided a solid background for all health queries from how the system works to specific physician referrals. Much of the information should be considered as date sensitive and will need to be updated regularly to maintain it's value.

I feel that this is an essential guide for the serious traveller to Mexico. People in reasonable health and very occasional resort travel probably need not bother.

Finally, an authoritative response for anyone who has suffered Montezuma's Revenge+ by two highly-respected medical doctors who have probably treated more of it than most.Dr.'s Page have undertaken an English language medical tour for those of us who have encountered the nightmare of too many tacos and other ills South of the Border. In what normally can be a maze of medical horrors for us gringos on vacation, they have investigated and simplified with easy instructions and directions good,safe medical help. This book is as necessary as packing your toothbrush for a trip. I would hope they eventually get to do a book for other countries for us Americanos.

If it is true that over fifty percent of travelers become ill while on vacation, then this is a guide you may want to take on your next vacation. The Mexico Health and Safety Travel Guide also includes 106 maps, 60 reference charts and 235 photographs (physicians and locations). The main chapters include:

Before You Go - Medical history and emergency information as well as information on immunizations
Safety and Security - Covers information on pharmacies and prescription drugs
Travel Health Special Needs and Concerns - traveling while pregnant or with small children
Infectious Diseases - helpful advice on avoiding tick bites

The doctors listed speak English and can be found near the top 40 popular vacation spots. Each listing states the price for an office consultations, office hours, address, work and mobile numbers, pager number and whether or not they do house calls in the local area.

This book will be helpful for travelers, but could also be helpful for retirees, business travelers and cruise ship passengers. Travel tips throughout explain why you should not drink the local water or how you can avoid illness by peeling raw fruits and vegetables yourself.

Mexico Health and Safety Travel Guide is an essential guide you will want to take with you when traveling in Mexico, especially if you travel there often or stay for over a week.

~The Rebecca Review

The expert and collaborative work of physicians Robert and Curtis Page, Mexico: Health And Safety Travel Guide is thoroughly "user friendly" guide to English-speaking physicians and hospitals accessible to forty of the most popular vacation spots in Mexico. Enhanced with 106 maps, 60 reference charts, a symptom index, and more than 235 b/w photographs, the Mexico: Health And Safety Travel Guide also includes easy-to use indexes for pharmaceuticals and medical translations. This highly portable specialized travel guide includes invaluable tips suggestions how to carry additional medication in case of loss, avoiding and treating diarrhea, malaria prevention, wound and skin care, insect repellents, pain management, motion sickness, even a favorite cold remedy. If you are planning a vacation or business trip to Mexico, then begin your travel preparations by securing a copy of the Mexico: Health And Safety Travel Guide.

This is a very thorough, well-researched guide to Mexico-specific travel. I frequently travel to Baja California with church missions teams, and knowing how to get to the best hospitals and clinics (not to mention being able to identify the good v. bad ones) is a tremendous resource. Also serves as a medical field guide, should there be an absence of clinics in your immediate area (or if you need to act before emergency services would arrive...which you would have called in the numbers found through this book!). Very helpful resource.

I really enjoy this book. I've checked it out at least five times. Each resort section has alot of helpful information. It makes planning a trip a breeze. David Holyoak really nailed it.

Very informative but dated. The lift ticket prices listed are significantly below the actual rate in some cases (i.e. Vail, Breckenridge, Keystone, Copper Moutain). They should be updated.

David Holyoak's Ski North America Guide is first class. Nothing like this has been published before. This stocky, well-illustrated guide to all the significant North American ski resorts contains intelligent, un-flowery text and good practical advice. A must for any skier or snowboarder seeking the reality behind the American dream, I wish I'd written it myself.

Arnie Wilson, ski author and editor, Financial Times ski correspondent for 18 years who, in 1994, became the first person to ski for 365 consecutive days (Guinness Book of Records), including more than 100 resorts in North America

This book by far surpasses excellent. If you are planning a ski trip and are interested in going somewhere new this book seems to have it all. It lists every major ski area in the United States. Every ski resort mentioned is chronicaled by state and gives you area and mountain facts and most have their trail map pictured as well. It also lists local airports, directions from most areas to the ski resort as well as lodging suggestions. I could go on and on about the other little tidbits within the publication but you'll just have to read it yourself.

Being new to the States as well as a crazy skier I spent hours on the net trying to collect information about different resorts. This book is the first, and so far the only book, that gives very detailed, professional overview while providing non-biased information about resorts. I visited many resorts in the States in the last 2 years and compared my impressions with the reviews in the book - you can relay on the book! Great advantage of this edition is a an amount of illustrations such as aerial photos, maps of the area, etc. I wish there will be similar book about skiing in Europe.
On the down side I would expect more info about resorts on the NE (for example, my favorite Whiteface is not included).

I read this book before my first trip to Nashville and was miles ahead of others coming to town who had not read this masterpiece. It is by far the most thoroughly researched, informative, complete, concise guide to Nashville's music industry ever published, and should be on the best seller list. If you have ever considered a career as a songwriter or want to be a successful recording artist, you must read this book cover to cover. It's easy reading, packed with useful info, and written by a very nice, successful woman who lives in Nashville and knows the industry because she has worked in it her whole life.

This compact little book is a great read and full of great advice for songwriters and musicians looking to pursue opportunities in country music, specifically Nashville.

Ms. Bond is a music publisher and has worked in the Nashville arena for years. She gives examples on the Nashville number system (for reading/recording music), how to label your CD's and inserts and she gives the addresses and names of some of the best and more affordable recording studios in and around Music City. She also included the contact info for some of the top producers, publishers and A&R in country today! There's also a great section on all of the best open mic spots, restaurants and accommodations in and near Nashville.

In my opinion, this book is for someone that is seriously considering a career as a country musician/songwriter. And if that's you, then it's a great reference book to have in your arsenal.

This is a great book that fills a real need -- practical advice for anyone who aspires to be a songwriter or performer in Nashville. I work in the music industry in Nashville and am often asked for advice from songwriters new in town. I'm not necessarily qualified to give advice, so now I can recommend this book. One of the most interesting features is a chapter that suggests a week's itinerary, including where to eat lunch. Often people will come to town and not have any idea of what to do. They'll try to drop in on busy publishers, get turned away again and again and then go home thinking everyone on Music Row is unfriendly. Bond explains the right way to get your foot in the door. Again, highly recommended.

Sherry Bond's book is an absolute must for anyone who wishes to pursue a career as a songwriter or performer. Her book covers many areas other guide books leave out, such as the importance of networking and where to go to make contacts. For me, it gave me the confidence that I could go out and make a living as a songwriter. I recommend it for everyone interested in the music business as a whole - not just Country.

The fine art of songwriting and marketing it to a music business audience is covered in this title, which provides an examination of the Nashville music industry and how an aspiring songwriter or musician can get heard in the big city. Bond is a songwriter and music publisher who blends interviews with music professionals with details on record companies, producers, recording studios, and others. Chapters cover all the basics, from preparing a product to marketing and avoiding common errors.

Anyone moving to Tokyo will benefit from this book. In addition to great information on sight seeing, entertainment, and even outings with kids, there is also essential information on international schools, finding a doctor and other medical needs, introductions to neighborhoods where the typical expat lives, and more. I wish this book was available when I first moved to Tokyo. After more than 3 years here, I find this a great resource for making my life easier.

Anyone going to Tokyo needs to have this fact filled, interesting and fun book. A real life guide.

Tokyo Here and How is not only an easy-to-carry travel guide, it is a must have for anyone attempting to navigate the streets or subways of Tokyo. It is written without favor to the businesses and companies it highlights, so the reader is given accurate information about what is truly the best of Tokyo. This book gives the experienced Tokyolite as well as the novice travler to Tokyo, valuable information about how to navigate this city...from where to buy clothes that will fit, to how to take a bullet train out of the city, to the best places to take your kids for lunch that won't cost an arm and a leg! This book is packed with power, just like the remarkable women at the Tokyo American Club Women's Group who published it!

Moving to Japan is the first step in an incredible adventure and this book takes the questions out of visa issues, shopping, living and the best part: traveling. Filled with coupons, fun facts and more information than you could get from any seminar, relocation consultant or stack of books. This book has all the answers whether you will be in Japan for two weeks or two years. If only this had been written before I lived there!

A must have for any expat moving to or living in Tokyo! Lot's of great tips, that take a new arrival years to find. These ladies did their homework and were accurate and detailed. The coupons included with the book take you to some of the best "finds" in Tokyo!

I slogged through half a dozen tactful, dignified, dripping-with-sincerity guidebooks, where you have to read between the lines to discover if the college in question is snobby, dope-infested, riddled with dirty bathrooms, or populated by spoiled princes and princesses. This is the ONLY guide I've found that gave us a good feel for the personality of a given school, and the only one my high school junior actually enjoys reading. Use it with Fiske's, or Peterson's, or other guides--but use it.

Let's up front state my bias: My undergraduate (Lehman College in the Bronx, NY) and graduate (Queens College in Queens, NY) schools were not part of the 328 mix. Also excluded was my son's school Clayton College and State University (the comprehensive IT degree is no animal party degree) in Georgia. Guys those urban schools were great and from what I know remain highly regarded.

Pitch aside for my alumni. This is overall a comprehensive easy to follow reference book that lays out the choices from a variety of perspectives. Besides the obvious overview of each school, the guide includes listings by best value, drug/alcohol free, and overall education, etc. The authors also rank schools by attendance (class presidents, valedictorians, etc.), animal house, and outside the box, etc. Titles of sections are obvious. The data comes from survey responses by counselors, attending students, and recent graduates (no wonder they didn't ask me about good old Lehman) as well as personal observations from the authors (the intelligent sidebar guide comments are worth the cost of the book).

Though the survey tool may not be reliable in a strictly statistical sense, THE UNOFFICIAL, UNBIASED GUIDE TO THE 328 MOST INTERESTING COLLEGES 2004 is a tremendous reference for high school juniors and seniors and their parents and anyone thinking of transferring to another school or an adult returning to school. The key is the ease of following the categorical break out that facilitates an individual customizing a selection for their needs.

Harriet Klausner

I am giving this book 4 stars reluctantly becasue it really sould get only 3.5 stars. It did not live up to its title of "328 most interesting colleges." This is because it fails to tell me why each college listed in this book is interesting. Howver, it does provide information very similar to, though not as good as, "357 best colleges" by Princeton Review.

What should have been done in this book is to add a section for each college that briefly describe the aspects that make that college "interesting."

This is an excellent source of information on the subject. I view it as a professional second opinion to the better-known 'The Best 351 Colleges' from the Princeton Review. Actually, both guides have a near identical structure and methodology. They both rely on extensive surveys of students who went to these schools. So, you get excellent qualitative feedback on what the schools are like. You also get a lot of quantitative information, including range of SAT scores, acceptance rate, student yield, etc... Both guides have numerous lists including best academics, and a lot of other similar lists ranking schools along a single factor. Also, they essentially cover the same pool of colleges.

While 'The Best 351 Colleges' does a better job at rating all schools among several factors such as: Campus Life, Academics, Selectivity, Financial Aid; 'The Unofficial Guide' provides much valuable qualitative information.

For my part, I really feel that you have to acquire both guides. If you would give these guides an overall personality, The Best 351 Colleges is more of a quantitative left brain type of information source. While the Unofficial Guide is sometimes more creative. The two co-authors, Trent Anderson and Seppy Basili, give their own 'biased' opinions within small text box on every single college they review. Somehow, their short humorous sound bites are very helpful. They give you the essence of what the school is like. Sometimes, just by reading their short quotes, you can readily tell whether a school is for you or not.

The way to use these guides together is to read the reviews in both guides about the schools you are interested in. If the two reviews give you the same impression about a school, you can easily assess if a school is right for you.

When it gets interesting, is when the two reviews differ. I ran into such a case, with Lewis & Clark, a liberal arts college in Portland. Within The Best 351 Colleges, I got that Lewis & Clark had a very liberal college culture that pervaded both the student body and the teaching staff. But, in The Unofficial Guide, Lewis & Clark was described as fairly apolitical. In such a case, that is when you have to do more research on the Internet. If you go to Studentsreview or Epinion, you will see comments from students who went to particular colleges. In the case of Lewis & Clark, I got that The Unofficial Guide's review was closer to the truth. Liberal political activists who went to Lewis & Clark were disappointed about the lack of political activism on campus.

Additionally, the co-authors of The Unofficial Guide have to be commended on their very healthy approach to college selection. They promote that the college fit is much more important than the college name. I could not agree more. Thus, one will be far more successful if they are very happy at Kenyon College, because of a great match between their own temperament and the college culture, than being miserable at Harvard, because the fit was not so good.

Two summers ago, I had a rough list of where I wanted to apply for university. But I had no idea what I was getting into. Then I got my hands on this book and that has affected my whole list. Back then, dream school was Johns Hopkins, then Duke and Rice. Reading through all of those comments about each university, including comments from students, swapped the members of my list around. I figured I'd go for campus visits, and that's when I noticed that a lot of what I had read were definitely true; even the campus tour guides confirmed a lot of the things that were written in here.

Now, I'm at Rice, having the time of my life. My college search was a success; I do not think I could be happier anywhere else.

If what you're looking for is a book that profiles a lot of America's top universities through the eyes of the students; stuff that they do not show you on college viewbooks, definitely get this one. A lot of the things that are in this tome of knowledge are facts about each campus. But I definitely do recommend campus visits as well. Especially overnight visits.

If anybody reading this plans on applying to Rice, definitely go for an overnight stay in the last week of March. That's when student life is at its best.

If you are interested in the Consulting Industry....it doesn't get better than this! This is a great comprehensive guide to the various companies and their focus areas. Great jump start on finding where you belong in the world of consulting.

I found this guide to be immensely helpful in getting the real story - good, bad and ugly - about the consulting industry and the leading consulting firms. I would highly recommend reading this guide.

For individuals exploring consulting positions, this is a must read book. You will learn about corporate culture for the most prestigeous consulting forms in the US. Not all consulting is the same, nor are the firms that employ the top talent. Before you make a move, check the Vault Guide and you will know what to expect. Exellent reference, to the point and worth every penny.

I found this guide to be immensely helpful in getting the real story - good, bad and ugly - about the leading consulting firms. The book also has a fascinating new poll/ranking of the 50 most prestigious management consulting firms to work for. (As might be expected, the consultants surveyed rated McKinsey as the #1 most prestigious and BCG as #2). I would highly recommend reading this guide.

I don't normally write reviews, but I just got this book and had to write. The book has detailed insider accounts of life inside every major consulting firm, including its history, areas of specialization, and tips on the hiring and interviewing process. Highly recommended for job seekers and consultants alike.

WHERE TO WEAR is NOT just for tourists. I've lived in NYC for over 15 years and this is the book I've been searching for. It has every address, phone number and store hour that I could possibly need. It now sits right next to my NYC phone book and Zagat's guide beside my phone! This is a MUST for tourists and New York natives alike!

Without a doubt, the best written, best researched, most informative book of its kind. It includes all the basic information; but contains tons of witty and useful tips. Also terrific breakdowns of where to find what by category and neighborhood. Clearly, Ms. Melhado and Ms. Clason spend too much time shopping...but for our benefit. The best stocking stuffer I found this Christmas. Last-minute updates and website information are very useful. Look forward to each yearly edition!

My girlfriend and I used her copy to shop the after Christmas sales in Manhattan, and this handy little guide was THE BEST! We're just tourists from a few hours south, but I imagine that foreign visitors with even minimal knowledge of English would find "Where to Wear" helpful. Stores are conveniently grouped by district and type/category. We plotted our course through as many designer stores as we could fit into 2 shopping days and thanks to the accuracy in the descriptions, know we saved precious shopping time and shoe leather. I even found a great hair salon for my next trip!

The "Where to Wear" guide is like having your own personal shopper. I appreciate the guide's clever store descriptions, complete with store hours and locations. It's well organized, witty, and comes in a slim, easy-to-shop with, size. The guide's handy catagories, such as "best picks" and "best kept secrets" lead me to some real gems (like a pair of striped Louboutin mules!) This guide is a must for those who want to shop New York.

Heads up you shopping mavens and tourists alike! This is one jewel of a book you all must add to your collection of city guides. It's incredibly user-friendly, chock-a-block full of informational tid-bits and snappy commentary. Not only that but it's like having your own directory of all the stores in NY (addresses, telephone numbers, etc.) and it fits into your hip Fendi baguette, your Sergio Rossi tote or your Matt Nye cross bag! If you ever wonder where to go to find that special little something to fit the bill - this one's for you! It just makes you want to walk around in Melhado's and Clason's mules for a day...

Well done! It's a winner.

I think it is a much needed and valuable item that every Internet connected animal lover should own. This book gives greaet Internet addresses. It has everything you need to spend many hours of fun and discovery on the Internet with other animal lovers!

The Animal Lover's Guide To The Internet includes nearly 600 Web site addresses and decriptions. In addition, Bonnie included several chapters in the book to help newcomers. The first time I attempted to get on the Net, I felt like I was lost in the twilight zone. Nothing made sense and the books I read on the subject just confused me more. This book is written in simple, easy to understand language and is focused on getting you up and running quickly and painlessly!

An excellent reference guide for animal lovers to the world of Internet in six easy steps to the site of general interest, health, chats, newsgroups and on-line publications about birds, cats, dogs, fish, rabbits, reptiles, horses and even dinosaurs.

First of all, the cover illustration by Bonnie Shields is adorable. Aptly depicted animals gathered around a computer monitor are a visual treat. Look for the cat that is curled around the monitor's base. He is shown rather true to form. The inside illustrations by Sharon Redfield are charming and show an eye for detail. This is a great gift for the animal lover in your family or circle of friends. More so if that animal lover is yourself. Happen to have one or more grandchildren or a niece or nephew with a computer? Animal lover or not, this book would constitute a wonderful study tool. As a comprehensive, yet easy to understand manual for everything from choosing the right computer, accessing the Internet, to fossil hunting, this book excels. The author's words are friendly, warm and serve as the wisdom of a knowledgeable friend. I feel this makes for a perfect package. Well organized, with more than 500 Internet addresses for you to explore, you will find the material broken down into easy to understand classifications. Have fun reading and exploring. I did!

I don't know why Amazon says this book is from January 2003, as the used one I ordered says 2001. I already had this edition and used it well to seek out a Bachelors completion program in 2001. I read it cover to cover and selected a school based on some of the more specific comments on completion programs - very good advice, and a very good school - great personal service. I also have Bear's Guide to Earning a Degree by Distance Education, which I used to search out an MBA in the UK, and I've loaned that one to friends. He does a great job. I've also read his work on accreditation extensively, since I work for a non-accredited school. Too bad this book isn't up to date as now I want an MSc in Education and Technology and there have been alot of changes in the past two years particularly in this area. For example, the London program I liked in 2001 has been discontinued and the new one won't start til 2004. I was hoping for more ideas on where to turn now.

Dr. John Bear has once again provided the distance learner with an excellent resource volume. This newest addition to the Bears' Guide collection is a must have for those interested in educational programs via distance learning. Co-authored by Mariah Bear, Tom Head and Thomas Nixon, "Bears' Guide to the Best Education Degrees" profiles over 350 fully accredited distance learning credential and degree programs, ranging from the bachelor's through the doctorate. An entire chapter is devoted to meeting teacher licensing requirements, along with contact information for all fifty states.

As in previous editions, the value and importance of a properly accredited degree is discussed. Since degree mills have become problematic, both in the US and abroad, a degree from a properly accredited school is essential. Accreditation by an agency recognized by the US Dept. of Education, or its foreign equivalent, assures broad utility and recognition of a degree. By profiling only schools with this type of accreditation, Bear provides the distance learner with credible, legitimate and substantive options.

Several specific areas are detailed in terms of degree emphasis and specialization, e.g., administration, educational technology, religious education, library science, special education, distance education, K-12 and early childhood education, curriculum, etc.

Without reservation, this book is recommended for anyone interested in distance learning educational programs, as well as for reference use.

You can trust Bear to give you acurate, honest information on the schools he covers. This book is specifically written for anyone looking for a degree in the education field. Childhood development, elementary, ect. He covers it all including teaching credentuals, bachelor's degreees, master's degrees, and doctorates. I've bought other distance learning books but it's hard to go through each school looking not only for creditionals you can trust but also for the degree you want. I like the fact that this book only covers the type of degrees I'm interested in. Bear's also has several other distance degree books if education is not your field of study.

I have a few of John Bear's books in my study and this book is a terrific publication. If you would like to earn your Education degree via distance learning...this is the book for you. You will find its authors have compiled an excellent resource pointing you in the right direction. Plenty of information is given concerning specific state certification and how you can navigate the need for student teaching via distance learning.

Buy this book if you are serious about earning an education degree!

Highly recommended. This is the first comprehensive analysis that I've seen of an extremely important and relatively new way to save on a tax-deferred basis for your children's or grandchildren's college expenses. It's well-written, comprehensive, and objective, and it gave me enough data to make an informed decision. Before I opened the book, I had researched New York's plan through another source; I was delighted to see the discussion in this book present all of the plan's features (pro and con) that I had discovered--and more.

I haven't met the author (Joseph Hurley). But when I e-mailed a question to him at the address published in the book, I received a thorough and helpful answer later the same day. That's great service from the author of an exceptionally valuable guide.

No doubt, a very useful guide to methods of financing a college education. Also check out "WEST POINT", by Norman Thomas Remick, which clues you in about West Point, the college at which everyone is there on full scholarship paid by the government.

This book unlocks the secrets of saving for college like the 401k plan did for saving for retirement. A real must for all families to understand. Makes a great present.

This book should be read by anyone planning to send a child to college.After reading this book, I started college savings accounts for my daughterin New York and New Hampshire. This is definitely the "sleeper" tax break which everyone should know about. Forget the pitiful Education IRA. The 529 plans are where it's at!!