Vacations Books

Author has included some email and web site information for ski area accomodations, tourist offices, etc, but it just touches the tip of the iceberg.

Verbier, Switzerland, one of the top ski areas in Europe, only gets 5 pages in the book. Does not provide any commentary on accommodations in Verbier other than number of stars in rating and prices. Some other large ski areas get better treatment. The Arlberg region gets 9 pages of coverage.

Book lacks maps of Europe and of ski areas.

Overall the book is a good starting place for researching a trip, but descriptive information is brief and basic. Still this book is the most recently published on the topic as of 10/98, so the currency of the information should be decent.

This is the third edition of Leocha's ski guide that I've bought. It tells me everything I might think of to ask about each resort. My wife and I rely upon this guide to help make our decisions on where to ski in the Alps before each trip. His mountain and skiing descriptions are right on for all classes of skiers. We've used his recommendations in choosing accomodations and restaurants and haven't been disappointed even once. The very best feature is that it is written so well that we've tried resorts (Arosa, Wengen) that we never considered before and found them to be wonderful.

Ski Europe was a great book for my winter stay in europe. The thing i liked most about it was that it was the only book i needed. It offered all the skiing info i needed for each resort (even a scection in each resort on snowboarding!), but it didn't stop there. Its an all around guide with info on the night life, hotels, and restaurants. it gave concice information about all the aspects of a skiing vacation, which made my off the slope hours much more productive. i strongly recomend this book for any skier or snowboarder, any level.
=Z

I live in Munich and use this book often as a reference. It contains very accurate information on lodging, prices, and qualities of the resorts. Very accurately summarizes the differences in the ski experience between the different countries.

Needs more detailed maps of the resorts and slopes with hotels, restaurants, etc. clearly marked. Needs to be more critical of some resorts so the reader can make a better decision about which one to visit.

Germany-bound skiers should not waste their time on this book. Although Germany has more than 300 winter resorts located in the German Alps, the wooded hills of the Hartz Mountains, the Black Forest, and the Bavarian Forest, Ski Europe, 11th Edition devotes only 5 pages to the entire country. Only two of these pages directly comment on skiing (rather than accomodations, dining, etc.) and they focus only on Garmisch-Partenkirchen and the surrounding area. Even skiing in Spain gets more coverage than Germany in this book!

This Unofficial Guide is a must-have if you like to keep your gear-bag packed for your next adventure. Jean Pierce has been there, done it and dived it. Having dived from Palau to Peurto Rico, myself, I thought I knew all there was to know about getting to the world's best diving, but this book has opened my eyes to even more. Informative, and written from a diver's eyes (as opposed to the travel agent's); it gives you the information you need to know if you want to get maximum bang for your diving dollar and diving time. I believe in traveling light, but I will always find room for this book in my bag -- it's just that necessary.

I found this book to be incrediably useful. I purchased the guide book before my trip to North Carolina and found the detail about Nitrox availability, camera friendly dive boats, and dive shops to be right on the mark! I've never seen this kind of detail available in any other diving guide book.
I definatley recommend this book to any diver planning a diving vacation.
Kuddos to Jean Pierce for this great guide book!

A diver for just two years, I have already used this Unofficial Guide on at least three occasions. Yes, the choices presented are highly subjective (as most diving guides tend to be), but there are a wide range of locales and choices to get one started. I have begun all of my diving vacations by referring first to this guide...then researching more thoroughly on the internet. Usually, I end up using one of the dive operators and diving resorts which the book has suggested and finish the process by making reservations via the internet or by phone. If you enjoy reading more comprehensively about diving before making your decision, look elsewhere...if you are like me and prefer to glance at something more condensed or capsulized, check out "World's Best Diving Vacations."

This book is a must have for anyone traveling to diving/snorkeling destinations. My husband and I recently used it while traveling to Long Island Bahamas. Information on lodging, restaurants and points of interest were right on the mark. We have recommended this book to friends who found it very useful also.

Divers and non-divers alike would benefit from this guide. The author writes in an informative and interesting style, giving personal and historical information. It is enjoyable and easy to read. I pick it up for pleasure to read about places I want to travel to in the future.

This guide makes it possible to travel with confidence to completely unfamiliar places, knowing what to expect when you get there. Don't go diving without it.

An absolute waste of money! As it turns out, I've been diving recently at many of the locations listed plus quite a few others. Given the title, I thought the list would be quite comprehensive. I expect there will always be differences of Opinion on subjects like this, but I can't figure out the logic of the locations chosen. The authors maintain that ease of travel is important to them, then list Heron Island Australia, but leave out locations like Bali. My biggest criticism, however is the long list of East Coast USA choices.

Ms. Horvath's quirky imagination and precise prose continues to delight me. Through an impulsive and aimless journey across the United States, a boy almost improbably comes to terms with the balance between keeping peace and allowing others their right to free will. The scenes with the sisters'dad as well as the baseball game are profound and will stay with me a long time.

Slightly less outlandish with humor than past adventures, The Vacation still is a great frolic by a writer I revere. Ms. Horvath's teeny foible was to have the family first visit Mt Rushmore before Devil's Tower coming up from Colorado. Ha!

I read the book then I read all the reviews and I have to disagree with the praise heaped upon The Vacation. Horvath has taken her formula for success and applied it once too often. Instead of being eccentric and quirky, all the adults in this variation on a theme are just plain selfish and unpleasant. Even the Hallmark Moment at the end of the story can't redeem a tedious and pointless journey.

Polly Horvath's Vacation comes from a Newberry Honor-winning author and presents another story of a family divided. Here Henry's parents are off to Africa, leaving him in care of two aunts who decide to embark on their own dream vacation with Henry in tow. Before long they're crossing the country just as Henry's mother is lost in the jungles of Africa. An intriguing story of family connections from afar.

I just finished reading Polly Horvath's hilarious, quirky and artful The Vacation. Though I'm many decades past qualifying as a "child," this children's book is for everyone at every age. Twelve year-old Henry suffers that most ignominious of all fates: having to travel with his two maiden aunts while his father follows his pixilated mother to what she sees as her destiny--a mission field in Africa. As Henry and his temperamental,unpredictable aunts learn to tolerate each other, they give their readers side splittingly funny moments and intensely poignant ones.

Aside from enormous batches of writing talent, what I most appreciate in all Horvath's books is her ability to write to and about children without talking down to them. The words are big and wonderful, the young protagonist's comments are insightful and ironic. And though there may be very very deep, very very hidden messages, I believe that the author's first priority is to tell a great story to the kids she understands better than any writer I know.

By the time that Henry's wildly unstable parents are reintroduced, he has traveled through a great deal of the country picking up along the way a bucket of lifeskills that just may help him stay sane in the neurotic mess that is the family he can't help loving. Henry has seen a big country and a slice of life from the back seat, learning that family relationships can make for a very bumpy ride.

There are no "aha" moments and there is no neat tying everything together. Instead, Horvath gives us a great deal of fun as she cleverly signals that life can be messy and sometimes you just go along for the ride.

Polly Horvath's up to her old tricks again - writing clever, concise laugh out loud funny prose. "The Vacation" introduces Henry. Now, Henry ought to be used to rather outre adults because his father, who works for the Fillmore Brush Company, vows his deep affection for his son, urges him to keep safe and then orders him not to die. His mother, on the other hand, has found a mission. Although she's not in the least religious, she's decided to become a missionary in Africa. Father would much rather stay on the road for the brush company but off they go leaving Henry in the care of Aunt Magnolia and Aunt Pigg.

While Henry's parents are a bit unique, his aunts are bizarre. Upon their arrival Henry moves into his closet to get as far from them as he can. But, he is to be closer to them than he has ever dreamed. For this eccentric pair decide it's time to take a trip, although they're not quite sure about a destination.

Aunt Magnolia (who is recovering from a recent illness) wants to go to the beach, so the trio drive off to Virginia Beach. The lure of sand and sun soon wear thin so Aunt Magnolia decides she wants to see some blue grass in Kentucky. They take to the road again. After they view the blue grass from their car door, Aunt Pigg decides she wants to see the Everglades.

Well, you get the picture. "The Vacation" is a witty, surprising travelogue as the trio motor across the country and poor Henry becomes lost in a Florida swamp. It should be mentioned that he's not the only one missing - his mother has disappeared in an African jungle.

Newbery Honor author Polly Horvath has a fertile imagination and non-stop humor that's sure to appeal to younger readers.

- Gail Cooke

Book is OK. Need to have more Vegas Coupons included in the book. More buffets and matchplays. Otherwise, the book is average. I have seen better!

Pretty basic info but lots of decent coupons. Worth the price if you take advantage of them.

While this guide is quite comprehensive, it's really more of a yellow pages for casinos than a good all-around guide. With chaning casino conditions and (in some cases) locations, this guide is a handy starting point, but you're best off researching the particulars of any casino on your own. Also, the book touts the value of the included coupons, but the majority of the coupons are worthless or contain offers that you can get by just walking into any casino.

Very good guide book. In the first part. It introduce a lot gambling tips like video poker, blackjack, Craps.
The second part is all coupons, which is really what I want. It can save buyer quite a lot of $$$.

As relates to the other stories by Edward Ormondroyd, this isn't quite as good as David and The Phoenix, which is sort of like saying I prefer french silk chocolate to vanilla bean ice cream.
Also, by that standard, would have to give an unallowable number of stars to David and the Phoenix.
Hope to see more of Ormodroyd.
A lot more!

I read the book called Castaways On Long Ago by Edward Ormondroyd.I really liked this book.Well I really all mystery books.Here's a sumery of the book.Three kids named Linda,Richard ,and Dudley Waite are staying on a farm while there parents went away for their work.While at the farm the kids are playing around and then wanted to go for a swim and they were told no that they couldn't go swimming.They asked why and the women who owns the island said that if she lets them go for a swim then she'll have to let everyone in the town go for a swim.Then the kids asked why that's such a bad thing and she said because people will swim to that island and that is not aloud and that's that!!!!!!
The kids got very suspicious.So that same day they asked a man about it and he was no help.So they went to bed.The next day they see a boy waving them to the island.So they sneek to the island.When they got there knowone was there.So they searched and searched.Finally,they don't find a boy but a goast.

Richard, Linda, and Dudley are spending a week on a farm with the kindly Vogels while their parents attend to some affairs in Chicago.

The Vogels warn them away from a small island in the middle of the lake, but the place exerts a powerful pull on the three young imaginations, and when it becomes clear to them that a boy is living on the island in secret, they set their minds to getting there.

This book definitely has its weak points, but it also has strengths that many better known childrens books could use. First and foremost, the book has three *gasp* realistic siblings, who fight with each other frequently and don't have a single "issue" that is wrapped up with a Hallmark moment at the end.

Another strength is the writing, particularly when the three children find themselves on the island. From the moment they see a frighteningly big snapping turtle from their raft, there is a sense of foreboding that is extremely well done for a kid's book. The reader sees menace in every detail of the island's features, ala The Blair Witch Project. I was really pleasantly surprised at how well Ormondroyd pulled this off.

While the broad outlines of the plot are very obvious from very early on, the details and unexpected obstacles that the children face in the latter third of the book are satisfying.

The book's biggest weakness lies in the tired and predictable plot. After a series of lengthy expository monologues by adults in the know, the mysterious goings-on become pretty obviously what they are. One nice touch is that the book ends without an overly descriptive wrap-up; a lesser author might have filled another ten pages with in-your-face resolution, but Ormondroyd knows when the narrative has lost its steam, and wisely curtails the story there.

Overall, I would recommend this book. It's not as good as "David and the Phoenix," but there are some elements that make it worthwhile.

I expected this to be another of Ormondroyd's excellent time travel books, like Time at the Top. Instead, it's a somewhat metaphysical tale, with rather less meat than most of his books - but still quite enjoyable to those who love old-style children's literature.

Three children - Linda, Richard, and Dudley - are making a stay in the countryside. When they spy an island, they are told that the place is forbidden, as is the lake that surrounds it; it's all the property of an old lady whose son died in a freak accident on the lake 50 years ago. The children name the island "Long Ago," and, led on by mysterious invitations, plot to get there, where they find both answers and danger.

About 75% of the book concerns the kids' plans to get to the island, most of them abortive, which probably accounts for the slowness of the novel. And the book doesn't make the transition into modern day as well as many of Ormondroyd's; the gender roles become particularly grating after a while, as Linda plays Goodie Two Shoes to Richard's single-minded obsession and Dudley's more rounded character.

Still, the book is good fun in an old-fashioned vein, and Ormondroyd fans will probably enjoy it quite a bit.

I read this book and it inspired me to gather my four sisters and mom and have an old-fashioned slumber party. We used several ideas from the book and now we are doing this on an annual basis. I recommend reading this book for inspiration on how to put together a fun night or weekend for those you want to re-connect with.

Thank you Kathleen and Elizabeth for your enlightening and encouraging book. I loved the strengthing, sistering concept. The way you shared experiences, included great ideas for inspiration as well as extreme silliness, and suggested involving various age groups makes this a great guide for any getaway gang.

This is an excellent guide for connecting & bonding along with good old fashioned fun. Treat yourself!

Or maybe "Weekend with Jesus and the Girls". I get very frustrated when authors don't tell you up front that a book that sounds as if it is for every woman is actually full of religious messages. My girlfriends and I would no sooner pray over each other than eat "cheese and crackers" on "hoity toity night" or pack fake doggie doo or a whoopee cushion for laughs!

It doesn't take all of the psychological manipulation of your sisters that they describe in this book to create strong female bonds. The truth comes naturally and doesn't require scheduled sessions of prayer, nor does it require scripted questions that are meant to break someones spirit and build an artificial need for the group. Plan your own weekend... and just have fun!

This is a pretty useful guide, actually, whether you are talking about just taking a holiday there for more than a day or so, or actually planning on living on the island this will give you a fairly reasonable background for the beginner, in an accessible style.

Certainly better than some books of this type.

How big is the Big Island? So big to one 20-year resident writer and photojournalist says that "I'm still learning new things everyday about this wonderful place."

And luckily, John Penisten chooses to share those findings in a new edition of "Hawai`i -- The Big Island: Making the Most of Your Family Vacation," a delightful volume for visitors and a great reference for residents.

"Of the six million visitors to the Aloha State in the last year, a million or so of them spent all or part of their stay on the Big Island," Penisten said. "They are drawn by the Big Island's friendly multi-cultural population, variety of lodging facilities, its diverse scenic and cultural sites and attractions, numerous sporting events and recreational activities and much more.

"Visitors from all over the globe continue to experience and enjoy the special grandeur of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park, the verdant tropical rain forests of the Puna, Hilo and Hamakua Coast areas, the start deserts and lava flows of Ka`u and Kohala, and the pastoral beauty of upcountry Waimea and its rolling ranch lands and wide-open spaces. Enjoyment also is found in the pristine beauty of historic Waipio Valley, majestic volcanic peaks of Mauna Loa, Mauna Kea, Hualalai and the Kohala Mountains.

The first edition of Penisten's book was published in 1989. Ten years later, the sixth edition arrives with a revised section on accommodations including an expanded listing of bed & breakfast operations around the island as well as a guide to "the plush world-class resorts and luxury condos of the Big Island's fabulous Kona and Kohala Coasts."

Research for the family guide was accomplished with the assistance of Penisten's wife Susan and their two daughters Janelle and Joelle. Special sections of interest to families include traveling with children, grocery and gift shopping, camping, water safety, and Hawaiiana reading lists for children and adults.

Each section, whether it is food, fishing or fun, has a selection of the author's personal "best bets." Under beaches, for example, Penisten lists Anaeho`omalu, Hapuna and Kauna`oa, all on the Kohala Coast, under most beautiful beaches. Safest playing and swimming beaches for youngsters include Spencer, Onekahakaha, Kamakahonu and Kahalu`u. Other categories are shelling and tidepooling beaches, snorkeling beaches and sunbathing beaches.

The maps are clear. There's a short history of Hawai`i and a guide to pronunciation of Hawaiian words. A listing of selected Hawai`i Internet sites includes the Big Island Visitors Bureau, Hawai`i County, Planet Hawai`i, the Hawai`i Island Bed & Breakfast Association and the Hawai`i State Vacation Planner among others. Information on Big Island newspapers, radio, resort associations and visitor publications also is provided.

My favorite is a five-page partial listing of annual social, community, cultural and sporting events. It is up-to-date enough to have Merrie Monarch Festival in April (the date changes every year as Merrie Monarch week always begins on Easter Sunday) and International Festival of the Pacific in August. Travelwriter Marketletter said, "The Big Island is a huge subject, but travel writer John Penisten does it full justice. It would be a shame to visit Hawai`i without this book."

Hawai`i: The Big Island is one of several Paradise Family Guides to our island state. The guides to Maui & Lana`i and Kaua`i were written by Dona Early and Christie Stilson.

Penisten's 344-page soft cover book includes information on more than 270 restaurants ranging from casual to luxury resort dining. More than 170 hotels, condominiums, bed & breakfast, and vacation rentals are mentioned including basic rates and toll-free telephone numbers.

Penisten is an independent photojournalist and writer based in Hilo. He is the owner of Pacific Pictures, a photo agency specializing in images of Hawai`i and Pacific Rim destinations. His photographic experience leads to a detailed section on tropical photography in the Big Island guide. Penisten touches on equipment, film, accessories, shooting on location and special factors such as rain, sand and ocean spray.

He is a contributor to Tropi-Ties, an online magazine. In addition, he is on the faculty of Hawai`i Community College.

This book contains good and useful information on Hawaii. If you are trying to decide on where to stay, or where to eat, then this book has some good information.

I found this book to be lacking in many areas. The maps are only adequate, and in many cases do not provide enough detail for the average tourist. Family activities were not detailed enough. One example would be the Dolphin Quest program in the Hilton Waikoloa Village. There is no mention of the fact that you can actually get into the lagoon and interact with the dolphins or even arrange a private session with the dolphins. While the beach section does have information on many of the popular local beaches, many beautiful and more private ones were left out.

I guess my greatest criticism of this book is that Hawaii Volcanoes National Park only receives a mention. People of all ages can enjoy and learn how this island was created and actually see that creation in action.

Pictures are worth a thousand words, and this book contains none.

If you want a book with the most up to date maps, must see sites not mentioned in other books, detailed activities and adventures, then get the book "Hawaii The Big Island Revealed." It is the best I have seen, and I have seen many books on Hawaii.

The sixth edition of this book is an invaluable assist to anyone planning a stay- or many!- on the Big Island. No-nonsense, no-hype information with prices. Recommendations that make sense to the traveler.

One unfortunate attribute is the author lists all this by "District"- but omits any general map of the districts in the introduction, making the reader thumb and fumble through the book, wasting considerable time finding information pertinent to the destination in mind. If you are seeking lodging near Kilauea, you need to look at TWO districts, Puna and Ka'u... but those of us not familiar with the districts will not find this out without some work.

In spite of the orientation difficulties, unimaginative and terse and the very so-so typefaces, this book is the source of essential information to the independent traveler not buying a prepackaged trip to the Big Island, when combined with another general guidebook, like Moon's.

Imagine you've lived in New York for a decade and so you decide you really know the place well enough to write a book - let's call it "Into the Heart of New York".

Now let's imagine that as the author you decide to almost completely ignore the artistic, cultural, gastronomic, political, literary and musical contribution of New York's huge Jewish population.

That should give you an idea of what the Arlynn Nellhaus
book "Into the Heart of Jerusalem" is like.

Nellhaus is a keen far right wing supporter of Israel's illegal settlements in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and openly despises left wing Israelis who feel Israel should give up land for peace with the Palestinians.

That same political contempt permeates this book which rather than delve into the heart of this beautiful, fascinating and divided city, gives a most superficial, polemic and disappointing picture that would leave any outsider ill informed.

A reader might just wonder what contribution the city's quarter of a million Arabs make at all. That's probably what Nellhaus had in mind.

Leave this one in the bargain bin.

I carried this book everywhere in Jerusalem years ago. I'm so glad to see that it is still in print. It is an excellent, perhaps the most exceellent, tour of the city I have read.

This book realy presented to me a new way of looking at jerusalem . It was entirely enjoyable and you will want to have this book if you plan on coming to Israel any time soon.

Don't leave home without it! Certainly not without this book if your destination includes Jerusalem. Primarily for visitors, INTO THE HEART is THE indispensable possession for anyone moving to that historic city. Nellhaus covers all the usual bases plus ones only a resident would know about and does it all with such wit and humanity, it's hard not to close the cover and call your travel agent immediately.

This book was purchased and shipped with two other "cabin" titles and gets looked at the least. It might appeal if you intend to build a trophy home in the woods and furnish it with rustic or western decor. I think of a cabin as a small, cozy refuge that looks as though it belongs to the scene in which it sits, and few of the homes in this book fit that description.

The Orvis Book of Cabins (Orvis) The Orvis Book of Cabins features a wide range of log home styles and décor from across the country. A chapter is devoted to each of the 19 homes selected - from Washington State to Tennessee and Maine to California.
Each is described through numerous color photographs showing both décor and design details with an easy reading narrative by the author. A special feature is a short section in several chapters, More Cabin Concepts, including choosing a site, creating antique patina, designing a hearth, and other useful design tips. It is a fine gift and worthy addition to the library for any and all who appreciate this most American of dwellings.

The author and her husband have their own cabin in the mountains near Asheville, North Carolina. For the present, I can only dream - and consult my copy of The Orvis Book of Cabins.

This is a quality book; however, I have to give it only 3 stars for a couple of reasons. One is that most of the cabins just didn't appeal to me (that's admittedly a personal taste, and I did like two or three of the homes); the second, and more important reason, is that there are no floor plans of any of the cabins featured. There are also very few exterior photographs (one or two for each of the cabins), so it comes across a bit like an "interiors books". Without floor plans or enough exterior photos it's hard to understand the design of the individual cabins. Very frustrating.

I wish I could say I love the books but I just didn't. For me it was more or less a waste of money. I almost gave it 2-stars.

In "The Orvis Book Of Cabins", freelance writer and interior design expert Amy Laughinghouse celebrates a very special form of rural architecture through profiling more than eighteen cabin getaways that cater to anglers, hunters, hikers, canoe paddlers, and simple lovers of nature. Beautifully photographed in full color, the cabins range from small and simple to large and rustic. Some have been the home to generations of families, while others are either newly built or completely remodeled. But all of them are superb examples of an active Orvis lifestyle catering to the enjoyment of the outdoor worlds of mountains, lakes, rivers, and woodlands through every season of the year. "The Orvis Book Of Cabins" is especially recommended for browsing by non-specialist general readers with an interest in cabin architecture and interior design, and of immense value as a reference for professional architects and anyone planning to build a cabin of their own!

This book was fun to read at times, though it did start to drag and get a little dull at times. The story tells of Lisa and her parents visiting the island of San Marco for New Years. Lisa starts the horseback riding program there only to fall off twice and start to doubt her riding ability. Carole thought that anything to do with horses was fun, but training Starlight seems more like work, and finds that it would be more fun if her friends were there. Stevie wants to find the perfect gown for a New Year's party at Phil's school. She has a terrible time trying to find the perfect one only to find out that it's not formal at all! The book was fun for any reader who enjoys the saddle club as much as I do. The series is great, it teaches you a lot, and stimulates into human behavior as well as a horses'. Highy reccommended.

For Christmas vacation, Lisa and her family go to an island resort, where she signs up to ride the trails. However, a fall leaves her confidence shaky. Meanwhile back at home, Carole's training her new horse and Stevie's shopping for a dress to wear on a New Year's Eve date. Despite the initial joy they find in their activities, soon they are missing each other. But they must pull themselves together to handle their problems on their own this time.

In this Book all the Saddle Club Girls are appart for the holidays. They all think that the other two are having a great time but most of the time the thoughts are wrong...

This is a good book and it can teach a few things to fellow riders. It is a book worth your money and time.

I liked this book. Although at times it got a little boring. I thought it was neat that Lisa rode a horse named Jasper. That's my horse's name too. I also knows how she feels about being afraid to ride again after a tumble. I too have taken a few spills at a canter,and was kind of afraid to try it again. But she got over it and so did I!