Travel Books

Rick Steves is a total nut job wacko (I met him once in one of his recommended hotels in Paris!), but this is hands down the greatest travel advise I can possibly imagine. The Rick Steves style of travel is not for everyone (my mother-in-law for example) but by using the advise in this book, most people should have a fabulous European vacation.

This book is filled with great advise to successfully plan and enjoy a trip to Europe without the fuss of an organized bus tour. Meet locals, enjoy great food, and stay at charming little hotels on a suprisingly inexpensive budget.

This is a must read for anyone who is even thinking about traveling overseas independently. Going to Europe independently (either solo, as a couple, or small group) is by far the best way to see Europe in all its pretentious, snobbish, dirty, crowded, smokey, rude, elitist, and hyprocritical, yet beautiful, fun, friendly, historic, great-tasting, exciting, and romantic charm.

**NOTE** This not a travel guide with suggested hotels, restaurants, etc. but rather a travel skills handbooks; how to find a hotel room, make your way around a European train station, or order a meal at a "No English spoken" restaurant. His series of guide books dedicated to individual countries are also worth checking out has yet to steer us wrong on three trips around Europe.

I love this book. What else it there to say. I refer to this book ALL THE TIME. I was living in the UK and planned a few trips to the continent, and this book was invaluable. From desitnation suggestions, to places to stay, as well as advice, and little secret tidbits. I love it. Anyone traveling to Europe needs to buy a copy of this book!

I have used Rick Steves' books for over 6 years in varying capacities, and if you read them with the idea in mind that he is first and foremost a teacher, you can get more out of these books. They are definitely helpful to those who find travel abroad intimidating at first, and after giving it a go, will follow his travel pedagogy and break out on their own path, looking for their own back doors. While he does 'reveal' some well-known (to Europeans) 'back doors', they are places that do offer a different aspect of Europe than the popular destinations.

I bought this book in preparation for my first trip to Europe last summer. Two of us were going to be traveling around Europe for approximately three weeks.

We're students so we were clearly on a budget but not incredibly limited.

This book was a God send! I used it to structure my budget, itinerary, everything. While I can't discount the help of online resources (particularly http://www.guideforeurope.com) I couldn't have planned the trip without this book.

I recommend this book to people planning a first trip to Europe or a first independent trip to Europe. Now as a caveat I think you should use parts of this book but not treat it like a Bible. It's a starting point and then the rest of up to you - but as a starting point it is fantastic!

In addition to this book I highly recommend Rick Steves Best of Europe book. His entire series is just fantastic -- if you use these books your trip will turn out incredible and you'll be a pro at planning!

I must admit, Rick Steves knows what he's talking about when it comes to travelling through Europe. I backpacked through four countries in Western Europe this summer and I followed much of the advice contained within this book in my preparation and travels. I encountered no problems in my travels, but it still felt good to be better prepared than not. As far as the back door adventures . . . well I didn't get to any of them. I stayed in the large cities and the "touristy" spots of Europe, but the information and advice within this book is beneficial to anyone, regardless of where they're going. The only thing I didn't do that Steves recommended is to leave the book in the hostel for the next traveler. I'm going to keep this book and use it the next time I prepare to fly off to Europe for awhile.

Any book that tells you how to say "May i give you a back massage" and "I dont have any diseases" in three different languages is definatly worth buying it. Also it has the basics and maybe the more useful phrases like "where is the bathroom" "check please" and the like.

I bought this book because of the reviews I read and it lived up to the hype. It came in handy in both routine and emergency situations - particularly when I had left my passport, money and credit cards on a train in Italy and had to communicate to the stationmaster in Genoa!

This is one of my best purchases in Amazon, it's amazing how good is this book. It's very practical for any traveler around the world, it has detailed content in subjects like: what to tell to italian men if they are bothering you (and as a woman... this can become very handy!) or everything you need to say in a medical emergency or how to enjoy the food in a restaurant (because you can understand now the menu). I really recommend this book if you are looking for a better experience in your trips or if you are learning a foreign language (like me). Greetings from Mexico. Nayeli

This books is great. It has many handy phrases that make traveling in Europe easier. Contrary to what most people believe, not everyone in other countries speak English. If you are the adventurous type and like to explore on your own, knowing some phrases to navigate the area is really useful.

I purchased additional copies of this book for a few friends that were traveling as well.

This book is full of practical advice and essential information that kept me from making some mistakes on our vacation this summer. Though I probably won't return to Europe for a few years, this book will stay in my bookshelves for future reference. I have always enjoyed Rick Steves' travel shows because of his down-to-earth, straight-forward style. The book follows that pattern perfectly. I highly recommend this book to any European travel novice.

This review contains spoilers-you have been warned. I gave this book three stars because I was entertained by it, and did laugh out loud. But I also feel cheated because co-author Vali elected to use airplanes for most all of his travels- a violation of the gentlemen's agreement he with his "friend" Steve. I was really looking forward to an actual race around the world, and when I realized this wasn't to be, I felt cheated out of my hard earned money-didn't they teach ethics at Harvard Vali? I have nothing but respect and admiration of co-author Steve who did obey the rules, and clearly had a more rewarding experience. I only wish there was a way the the publishers royalties could only be given to Steve, and not that cheater Vali! Again shame on you Vali!

This is a story about love, deception, greed, lust, and unbridled enthusiasm. Steve and Vali were simple country boys - you might say cockeyed optimists - who got themselves mixed up in the high stakes game of world diplomacy and international intrigue. In the end, trust me when I say that it is a book well worth reading.

When I first purchased this ensemble I thought, "This is supposed to be the African Finnegan's Wake?" but soon I realized it's more of a Dilbert than a Mary Worth, if you know what I mean. Cut to three years later and I couldn't be happier. I thought the ending would be longer. There was a typo on page 12 but they corrected it on page 11. To quote this book, "You and whose army?" Which, in retrospect, is gross. Cut to three years later and I couldn't be happier. This was my least favorite Indiana Jones movie but my worst favorite Star Wars trilogy. Sincerely, Michael Phelps

I liked this book. I really did. Not quite ridiculously good, but it was more than pretty good. A nice idea, well executed and there are genuinely touching, insightful moments. But one gets the sense that they just didn't try all that hard when it came to writing the book. So it comes off as a really fun read when I really think it could have been a much deeper more insightful travel book without losing all the funny bits.

I suggest you buy it in hopes that it will encourage them to do another race and write another book and that one...that one will be great.

Much like the authors, I, too, have harbored fantasies about circumventing this vast, amazing planet we live on. However, I have realized that to do so would involve a huge amount of logistical planning, an intimate knowledge with countless cultures, fluency in multiple languages, large amounts of money, and a calm, courageous, travel-savvy demeanor.

Apparently, this is not the case.

There are two perks to reading this book. First, you will laugh loud and often, while also learning interesting facts about the world. (I found this book in the "Edutainment" section of my local bookstore.) Second, if these two clowns can race around the world and somehow come out unscathed, anyone can! Highly recommended.

I think the book is wonderful. I wanted to attain a better sense of Charles A Lindbergh and what better
way then to read something he wrote. He is a good writer and his character comes through. It is also very
enterntaining and down to the practically of having real substance of history in the book. I am greatful to have read it and attained a glimps of a cherished individual in our aviation history.

This book got a little dry at times but it is a great 1-stop shop for anyone who wants to know everything about the famous flight.

Great account of an adventure. Includes all the early stages, including conception, financing, building, testing, and monitoring the competition. Especially relevant these days with all the X prize comparisons.

The writing of the actual flight is exhaustive, and sprinkled with autobiographical anecdotes to give context and color. His accounts of growing up on a Minnesota farm surely add to the American mythos of self-determination. And his days spent learning to fly through barnstorming and the Army are notable for being enchanting, yet completely straightforward and accurate.

Lindbergh says accuracy is one of his major aims. This adds to the substance of the book, since he examines his mistakes at least as much as his successes. The writing sometimes waxes poetic, as when he says "The dull blade of skill is sharpened on the stone of experience."

Overall, this is a valuable book on many levels. For the historical record of a groundbreaking flight. For the description of the early days of flight, and the adventure and pioneering spirit it embodied. And for the tale of a man who conceived a great project, found the friendly cooperation of others to help him achieve it, worked through many obstacles and setbacks to prepare for it, and then finally executed it well, despite his own human imperfections and mistakes along the way.

Lindbergh took some risks with this book. He wrote it out first person, present tense. (A big "no no".) And he broke up the storyline with frequent flashbacks. Somehow it all works anyway, in spite of or because of these risks.

But, then again, Lindbergh was a risk taker. He put his life on the line with his Paris flight and succeeded gloriously. He does the same thing here, in the literary world, winning the Pulitzer prize.

We should all stop to reflect a moment on how great a coup this was. And how improbable. Lindbergh published this book in the decade following his ill-fated attempt to prevent America's entry into World War II. In many ways his star had fallen with the American public, politically and otherwise. Yet, he was able to resurrect himself through this first-hand story of his great experimental flight. You can't keep a good man (or woman) down.

My favorite part of this book is the section where he refers to his metaphysical experiences during his flight over the Atlantic. He recounts these experiences in more depth in Autobiography of Values, but it is here that they first see the light of day.

This is an enthralling saga of a great moment in the history of aviation, told by the flier himself. It is a unique contribution to world literature, and as such, scarcely needs me to recommend it. Yet, I do so, unreservedly.

Richard Salva--author of Soul Journey from Lincoln to Lindbergh [UNABRIDGED]

Lindbergh's flight solo New York to Paris is still hard to repeat with a small, prop driven, aircraft. It is hard to summarize or constuct a methaphor to measure the impact of Lindbergh's historic flight in today's setting, it was such a great leap forward for mankind.

The flight inspired my father, 14 years old and living on a farm in Wisconsin in 1927, to become a graduate aerospace engineer, and later to work on the design of the P-38, X-15, and the Apollo capsule, among others, many of which he could not even tell me about. It had similar effects and results for thousands of others.

This book is well written and documents not only the flight, but the life of Lindbergh, and the logistics of pulling off this incredible event. After reading this book, I came to the opinion that the planning and logistics (including fundraising and sponsorship) may have been more difficult than the actual flight. We owe much for this leap forward to a group of individuals from St. Louis, who told Lindbergh, "you worry about the design, building, and flying of the aircraft, we will take care of the money". Reading about this portion of the effort alone, provides much food for thought about current corporate management and government projects. A case study in delegation! I found this book interesting, fascinating, well written, and inspiring. The event and the book are timeless. Reading it makes you realize the difference one person can make when perseverance is applied in a large dose.

This book is being used in a Spanish club by a small group of seniors ages 82 to 93. This is the fourth side by side book that we have used. We wish there would be more.Stories from Latin America : Historias de Latinoamerica

Good book! Great to learn a little about the culture while also learning/improving my spanish vocabularly and understanding. I think it's great to incorporate reading spanish in order to attempt to fully understand the language. I liked this book in doing so, but it would be nice if there was a gradual immersion into all of the new words. I've also looked into verb books which I think would be very beneficial as there are some conjugated verbs that you can't find in the dictionary because their so different from the original word. Plus, I've heard this is very beneficial in really learning to be fluent...Practice Makes Perfect: Spanish Verb Tenses by Dorothy Devney

This is a fantastic book for Spanish review and practice. Very easy to check yourself and translate vocabulary because of the accurate English translations. The stories give you cultural insight,as well.

The book is a fine addition to help one who is studying the Spanish language. Es un buen libro.

Excellent stories covering the history and culture of Latin American countries. Makes for great reading and a valuable learning tool.

This is an excellent book. It is about a superhero. Dan Greenburg did a wonderful job. MAXimum Boy the superhero saves the day and reassures many by using his super powers. The main problem in the novel is that the villain looks exactly like MAXimum Boy. There is a lot of adventure, excitement, and superstition that takes place in this book. The ending, I will warn you, is much unexpected. I would recommend this book to a friend. I would also recommend the two books "A Trilogy of Poetry for the Mind, Body, and Soul" and "Aesop's Fables."

The title of my book is Maximum Boy Super Hero or Super Thief by Dan Greenberg. Max Silver touched some space rocks and got maximum powers. One day very weird things happened to Max. Is he being framed or not? Is Max the thief? I definitely recommend this book it starts fast and gets you going. There is also a Maximum Boy series, so read them all and you'll love them.

Emerson, NJ; fifth grade student

The title of my book is Maximum Boy Super hero or Super Thief by Dan Greenberg, Max Silver toughed some space rocks and got maximum powers. One day very weird things happened to Max. Is he being framed or not? Is Max the thief? I definitely recommend this book it starts fast and gets you going. There is also a series of Maximum Boy so read them all and love them.

(...)

I recommend Maximum Boy because it's funny and cool. Maximum Boy's mission is to stop the evil Maximum Boy. Maximum Boy's lawyer, Lester Boogerfinger is supposed to be a defense attorney, but he's really a patent attorney. This is so funny. It's a great book and kids will love it.

I recommend Maximum Boy because it's funny and cool. Maximum Boy's mission is to stop the evil Maximum Boy. Maximum Boy's lawyer, Lester Boogerfinger is supposed to be a defense attorney, but he's really a patent attorney. This is so funny. It's a great book and kids will love it.

For those of us who somehow can't seem to get enough of this stuff (you all know the "G" word), this book is perfect. In the wacky world of late 80's/early 90's Seattle, Peterson's photos are absolutely iconic.

Absolutely awesome book of photographs from a period of music I had the pleasure of being part of. If you like music; especially the artists in this book. Then this is your new coffee table book.

A divine marriage of vision, design and subject matter. Peterson's wild, free and spontaneous shooting style provides the perfect visual metaphor for the beer-stained and adrenaline-stoked Seattle grunge era. His pictures look like the music sounds - reckless, courageous, and always threatening to spin completely out of control.

An aggresive book design and a minimum of text keeps the emphasis where it belongs - on the music's energy and the exhilarating, ritual co-dependence of performers and fans. You can't slam out power chords on a Leica M6 - but Peterson comes closer than any other "Rock" photographer at pulling it off.

DSR

Unlike the other reviewers of this work, I was not there. I just love the artful quality photos in a book that is a collection item. The detail of the photos and the quality of the printing make this a work to savor. This is a forever book, should be on all shelves of collectors of fine photography.

When I close my eyes and think about the early 90's rock scene, I see Charles Peterson's photographs. I remember going to record stores and buying albums solely on his cover shot - blurred arms, swooshing lights, flailing hair. The cover photographs were so powerful that I could almost feel the greatness of the music inside the sleeve. Nirvana, Mudhoney, L7... fantastic bands captured live in amazing black and white.

In "Touch Me I'm Sick" you get some of the famous photos we all know and also tons that have never been released. These are the ones that had me in awe. Seeing ten year old photos for the first time of bands I love, it's like a treasure trove!

I am so happy that Charles Peterson took these photos and that he continues to share them with us. If I could give this book higher than 5 stars, I certainly would.

I bought this book for my 3.5 year old as a party favor - and she LOVES it! There is a little plastic magnifying lens tucked into the front cover in a little pocket. Once we showed her how to take it out and look for Waldo, she does it over and over again. She walks around the house with her book, finds a nice spot to sit, takes out her magnifier, looks for Waldo, then once she finds him she finds another spot to sit in and does it all over again. It's really cute!

The pictures in the book are pretty tiny though, so it's a real challenge to find Waldo. It looks like they shrunk the images from the original version so they could fit them into the small book. I'm 36 (i.e. my eyes are not that bad) and I needed to use the magnifying glass in a bright room to find Waldo! The only downside to this book is if you misplace the magnifier, it's not as fun to find Waldo, but hopefully that won't happen to you.

As all you Where's Waldo fans may know. there were only a very few of these books ever made. I for one just loved them all as a young reader. Now, years later and by shear luck, my son was given two of those old books....which he fell in love with and only wished for more. A few months later, I was again lucky and found two more in a local book store and purchased those. Leaving only two remaining....now collectors items.....these were practicly impossible to fine. After searching (what seemed like) endlessly, one day I decided to check out Amazon. To my surprise....There They Were! And at a price that I couldn't believe! And only 10 days before Christmas! I immediately made placed the order and within just a few days (less than a week at normal shipping), there they were on my doorstep. I couldn't believe it! We finally had the complete series of Wheres Waldo Books! And both books were in prefect print condition!
Thanks Amazon! And another big Thanks for helping make a little boys Christmas great!
Next time, I`ll check Amazon first!

I purchased this for my five year old for Christmas. Before I could get it wrapped I was looking for Waldo! This is a great family book and really generates a lot of excitement for any age.

I couldn't keep this book. My son lost this book from the library. Looked for this book everywhere and finally found it at Amazon! Thanks Amazon! The book was really inexpensive too!

My four-year-old son loves Waldo, and we've had a lot of fun looking through this book EVERY night since he got it. It's his favorite book. There's so much to look for, more than just Waldo and his stuff -- there's Wenda, Wizard Whitebeard, Odlaw, Woof and all their props, as well as 25 Waldo Watchers scattered throughout the book. From an adult perspective, the postcards aren't as much fun to read out loud, but overall I love sharing the book with my children.

I love this book! I wish that I could call Tara on the telephone and talk to her. I fell in love with her instantly. This is a beautiful book! Ellen Cooney's style has an almost poetic rhythm. The stoy is like a fairy tale, but the characters are extremely real! When I finished the book I wanted to know them! This is a great book!

I know the author so I need to be anonymous; the author was my teacher in a workshop and I was nervous about reading her stuff as I was afraid to be let down, as she is a great teacher who doesn't do an ego thing, but is truly into creativity and art. I came across some of her stories and was impressed and then read THE WHITE PALAZZO and all I can say is, compared to something like 90 percent of what passes for novels these days, this is a genuine thing; this is the real thing. The characterization is first rate. The descriptions of inner thoughts is the key here which is a rare thing in contemporary writing. "Inner is where real life is" is what's happening. I agree with the comments made elsewhere that it is too short, though. But overall it is loaded with life, a real example of how the craft of writing is far from dead.

THis is a light, enjoyable novel with very serious undercurrents about self and love and being in the world in the way you need to be in the world. I love this book. I can't wait to read it again.

I just finished reading this novel and I thought it was terrific. I loved the characters and found the story totally absorbing, tender, and funny. This book deserves to be a huge success.

Just when I thought I knew a lot about how novels are put together, i.e., turning my hand to write one myself, along comes a book that, you get completely engrossed like it's a page-turner, and it hasn't got any of the aspects you think a novel has to have. There are two central characters but lots of minor characters, most of who, you never even actually see, they're background stories. But it's all such a vivid novel; you get so caught up in the plain sheer energy and power of the author's voice, which is amazingly unique. It gives me so much inspiration for what you can do with novels. I LOVE this book. I want to read the author's other works. Tara Barlow, the main character is unlike anyone I ever met in a book before, and so is Guida, her new girlfriend. Great!

The book was a bit too basic for my taste. I understand that the layperson doesn't have access to many things that a doctor does. But to me, the book was more about band-aids than it is about stitches. I think it could have been a little meatier.
Due to the limited availability of many medicines to the average Joe (or Jane), I suppose the writer couldn't put in a lot of information on how to treat as a doctor would. But I was actually hoping for more of that kind of information.

First off, this is a great book. If anyone thinks this is just a glorified first-aid book, think again. Dr. Forgey's is quick to point out that some medical emergencies are best treated at a hospital by professionals, having said that he plays a "what if" game where evac is not possible and then provides detailed treatment strategies based on your level of skills and supplies on hand. It's a clever approach where plan A is better than plan B which is better than plan C which is better than plan D. Although, he'll point out that plan D is better than doing nothing. His sense of humor is not lost in this book which makes for a compelling read. It's a must have for laymen or practicing pro new to wilderness medicine. I couldn't recommend this book enough. My only complaint, if it qualifies as a complaint is that there isn't a 6th Edition with the latest in medical technology represented. Having said that, if a technique worked in 1999 it should still work in 2009 or 2019!

Favorite excerp from the book: "Red-hot branding irons and pouring gun powder into a wound and lighting it, while effective in killing germs and among Rambo's favorite techniques, also destroy good tissue." (Chapter 3 p.93 paragraph 2)

This one is a keeper, and at the current price, you should buy one for anyone that travels a lot...anywhere!


J.D.

I found this book to be of outstanding usefulness. The book is designed for a person with advanced medical skill. It is not a first aid book. It is what the title says "Beyond First Aid". The writer displays his knowledge of care from his own experience as an outdoors man and lays out and describes in detail what is needed under various adverese circumstances.
Mingmei Jiang [BVocEd&Train(C.Sturt)]

Living out in the wild, in the wilderness, is a contest with Nature. Most of the time, man wins the contest, but sometimes ... stuff happens.

Chapter One is about Assessment and starts with that key question: scene safe? Then Dr Forgey takes his reader through the ABCD's, vital signs, levels of consciousness, head to toe examination, shock, respiration rates, heart rates, and CPR. (The numbers for chest compressions and breaths has been changed by the AHA since Dr Forgey updated this book, but that is a minor issue.)

Chapter Two is about body system management. The focus of this chapter is on the systems in the head but the abdomen and reproductive system are given sections as well. There is also a very good, short section on poisoning from food poisoning to shellfish poisoning.

Chapter Three covers soft tissue wounds and treatments ... and suturing and stapling.

Chapter Four covers orthopedic injuries from head to foot.

Chapter Five covers bites and stings and anaphylactic shock. Interest-ingly Dr Forgey finds that rubber suction cups are as worthless as mouth suction. His lone endorsement is the Sawyer Extractor (which is available from Amazon.com).

Chapter Six is on infectious disease. Dr Forgey lists the most signif-icant *wilderness* diseases for North America and the world should one be contesting Nature abroad.

Chapter Seven's environmental injuries include hypothermia, heat stress, high altitude related illnesses, and ... being struck by lightning. Step current is caused when lightning hass struck and the current spreads out like a wave across the ground and the victim's feet are different distances from the strike point. Since the body has less resistance than the ground, a circuit is completed.

There are two useful appendices at the end of the book.

I am EMS certified and as a BLS instructor. I had a few quibbles with Dr Forgey such as his choice of prescription medications to list in one of the appendices. However I had no major disagreements and found the book to be more easily readable than any EMS book I have read. Lots of nuts and bolts and no fluff.

Also as I write this review, I am preparing a first aid segment for a TCLEOSE course on mantracking. Dr Forgey's book provided me with a lot of detail and anecdotes to include. However just as the title says this book is about wilderness medicine *beyond* first aid.

It's no surprise that every reviewer has given this excellent and comprehensive book five stars.

Written by William Forgey, MD, former president of the Wilderness Medicine Society it goes beyond first aid, dealing with situations where you cannot merely administer initial care and then count on a rapid evacuation. Forgey writes with a light hand; he avoids jargon and has a dry sense of humor. For example (p. 157): "How do you calm a person who's just been bitten by a snake? Not surprisingly, just telling him to remain calm won't work."

There are seven chapters, beginning with assessment and stabilization, and going through body system disease symptoms, injuries, bites and stings, infectious diseases, and environmental injuries. There is an excellent appendix for putting together wilderness first aid/medical kits, both with prescription, and non-prescription meds, and with a bandaging module.

You don't have to be physician, nurse, or EMT to benefit from the book. All the information, is practical and hands-on; of value to the layperson who is interested in first aid and emergency medical situations. After an initial reading, Wilderness Medicine is a fine reference work.


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