Travel Books

I love collections of stories about any one country, all rendered in one book. They allow true insight into the geography, demography, religion, and customs. This book on Thailand is superb. The stories about the cities, villages, the parks, the forests, people, absolutely beautiful and incredible. Getting around doesn't sound as cumbersome as some reports from acquaintances. Taking the water route in Bangkok instead of taxis sounds delightful, and the stories on the "sex trade" don't make it sound so awful.

After reading all the tales, I feel as if I had actually been there. I hope to find more books on other countries just like this one.

Well written; excellent research. Will be using the book during my stay... I want to visit all these wonderful places that are off the track.

This book arrived in great condition. It is a very helpful guide to first time visitors to Thailand

I've traveled to Thailand twice and studied Thai language for a year and a half at university. This book, for my money, is the best introduction available to the land, people, and culture of Thailand. It is not a straightforward travel guide; it is a way into the country without being explicit. As a westerner, from the essays contained in this book, I learned so much about a culture - and land - that is so different than the culture and land of the United States. Topics range from religion, agriculture, politics, and customs, to the bar scene, prostitution, and nature, etc etc etc. After reading this book you will come away with a fuller sense of who Thai people are and what Thailand is as a nation.

My favorite story is 'Mein Gott, Miss Siripan' by Susan Fulop Kepner. I love this piece so much I must have read it about twenty times now. It recalls the story of Kepner's beginning struggles learning to speak Thai while living in Bangkok on business. Her characterization of the fierce and indomitable Miss Siripan - her language teacher - is a classic; one of the most memorable characters in all of literature. Kepner, by the way, is now professor of Thai language at Berkeley. If anyone knows her or will meet her soon, please tell her that I am a HUGE fan of her writing! Khap khun!

This is a hybrid bewteen guide book and an anthology of travel stories. Quite a novel concept, except that it doesn't work so well as a guide book. There are only a couple of dozen pages on visas, weather and other practical issues towards the end of the book. This book works much better as a collection of beautifully essays - some of the best work by authors like Pico Iyer, Joe Cummings, Ian Buruma and many others.

These essays are highly varied in terms of style and theme. Some are downright romantic and introspective. Some provide a little insider's information on things that most tourists miss out. Some are incisive social commentaries which touch on subjects which may be considered taboo by the sensitive Thais. The editors have attempted to organise the articles in 4 main parts, namely:

1.Essence of Thailand
2.Some Things to Do
3.Going Your Own Way
4.In the Shadows

The 5th part only has one essay. The way these parts are named may cause some confusion. For instance, "some things to do" may contain Pico Iyer's musings on the impact on Thai tourism.

I would give it 5 stars for the great prose, highly enlightening pieces like "Who Was Anna Leonowens" by William Warren and the brutal honesty of many of the articles that are not afraid to go against everything the travel brochures tell us. It's an extremely goo read for people who wish to explore the kingdom or stay awhile. But for the somewhat misleading format and arrangement, I would minus one star.

I can usually devour a good book in a day or two(if there is enough time in my schedule). It took over two weeks for me to read, and it felt like a chore. I found myself skimming pages, simply to get through the book. I read the reviews and was excited to read my first Madeline Baker. The book felt preachy toward the end, and I could see almost every plot twist coming. Neither of the characters were intriguing to me.

The first third of the story is about Kathy meeting the ghost of Latoka half- breed, Dalton Crowkiller. This is easily one of the most heart- churning and innocent stories of building romance I've ever read. They can see one another, they can talk to one another, he can even hold her and kiss her for a moment. But his spiritual energy becomes weak, causing him to fade away if he spends the energy expressing his feelings. They are becoming so close in heart, but are so far from the ability to show it. Here is the story:

Kathy has inherited a ranch from her late husband's family. No one has lived on the ranch for decades, because the place has a reputation for being haunted. Kathy moves in and begins rebuilding the more- than- century- year- old ranch house. She has a feeling that she is not alone. She thinks she has even seen a man outside her window. Who is he and why is he watching her?

Dalton was the "fastest gun in the west", back in the 1870's. He worked as a hired gun. When a white woman seeks to seduce him, he turns her down because she is married. Angry, the woman accuses him of rape. Being a half- breed, he is not given a trial. He is whipped and hanged. With the rope placed around his neck, he vows to haunt the home and never give his killers peace.

For 125 years, Dalton's spirit has hovered over the ranch where he was hanged. Bored and lonely, he finds fun in scaring the people who occasionally rent the house for vacations. He does so by taking people's keys, and by moving things around in the home. He does all he can to make his presence known, because no one can see him or hear him. This all changes when a woman moves into the home. He is amazed to learn that she can see him. She can even hear him and talk to him. Even more amazing: they can actually touch one another.

Once her fear of this ghost fades, Kathy quickly becomes grateful for his presence. She has been lonely and grieving for her husband for over a year. This Lakota ghost quickly becomes her closest friend. He helps her rebuild her home and teaches her to ride a horse. Before long, their relationship builds just like the home they are restoring together. They are falling in love, but can not express it completely. Dalton pleads with God to give him another chance at life with Kathy. Kathy makes the same plea, realizing that Dalton has given her back what she has been missing for the past year: Hope.

While out riding, the couple stops at "the hanging tree." This time, they make their heartfelt pleas together. As an answer to their pleas, they are sent back in time to a few weeks before Dalton's death. He is now whole and human again. They are given a chance to change the past together.

Again, this is only the first third of the story! There is so much more ahead:
They live in the town where Dalton was killed, travel together to Dalton's Lakota village, then travel to Boston to seek out his mother and get married. They both have a horrible feeling that their time together is limited. Feeling that everyday might be their last together, they spend what time they have showing their love for one another. When time runs out, will they be separated? Will he be allowed to return with her? He would even willingly become a ghost again if it meant being with Kathy. What will fate hand them?

This couple is so beautiful together, I found myself nearly holding my breath while waiting to see if they would win their quest for a lifetime together. I felt every one of their highs and lows throughout the book. This is some excellent writting.

Nearly 400 pages long, I read this book in one day. There was no point where I could put it down.

Loved this dook. I thought it was wonderful that Dalton was a ghost and fell in love with Kathy Before traveling back in time. I found their romance exciting and fun. I simply couldn't put down this book. I own many Madeline Baker books and love them all(except one), this one is no exception.

A lovely story of a ghost who was hanged for something he didn't do, given a second chance to change history. One of the best stories I have read. I shall be looking for more of Madeline's books in future.

This, like "First Love, Wild Love" is one of Madeline's books that will stay with me for a life time! Dalton Crowkiller is a man that will live in my memory forever. Like one of the other reviews said, "Eddie Little Sky" must have really made a lasting impression on Madeline when she modeled these characters after him. All I can say is that I am sorry that I never met him, but felt like I have after reading this book! Thank you Madeline for such a romantic, on the edge of your seat best book I have ever read. I will read it again and again

John Conroy performed a courageous feat of journalism with this book. As an American writer he put himself in the midst of the conflict and in incredible danger at times to capture the true picture of Belfast in the 80's. The stories of the people he encountered and the tough environment he experienced and witnessed is indispensible reading for anyone who wants to understand what the conflict was all about at the street level.
While Belfast seems to be enjoying more peaceful times at the moment this book is a reminder of just how volatile a political climate there is and provides the reader with a much fuller understanding of the how , the why and major developments in the Troubles in Northern Ireland.

Not only do I admire John Conroy's writing, but I admire his courage to put himself right in the middle of 'the troubles' just to get the story right. It would one thing if Conroy was a Belfast resident and was just reporting on his day to day life, but he is not. He is an American who more or less stumbled upon this assignment and saw it through.

It struck me a few times in the book just how close Conroy was coming to being killed in a place where death is a way of life. He is to be commended for this and we owe a debt of gratitude for making this sacrifice just so we could get a look right from the belly of the beast.

I really enjoyed this book. I thought that Conroy did a great job putting the 'Troubles' in Belfast into perspective from an American living in the midst of it all. Having visted the area that he writes of brought back memories. I referred to his map at least 50 times during my reading of the book to recall the streets that I walked in relation to where he wrote the book and spent his time in Belfast. I highly recommend this book.

of what it is like to live, work and experience the turmoil of "The Troubles." Conroy covered the Troubles the right way...he went in and lived among the people in Belfast instead of swooping in for drive-by interviews like too many journalists have done in the past. He also manages to convey what he experienced while maintaining objectivity...this skill when dealing with terrorist and paramilitary violence is something writers covering the "War on Terror" these days could learn from. Required reading for anybody interested in Northern Ireland, its history and how to possibly make a better future in that wartorn nation...

This book was recommended to me as excellent reading about the Troubles, particularly for Americans. I whole-heartedly agree; it is all that and more. Conroy does describe the daily workings of life in Northern Ireland but he also tackles the prejudices and ignorance of Americans (and the U.S. government) when it comes to the political climate in Northern Ireland. He pulls no punches and sugar-coats no issues. He explicates the situation as he sees it and is not afraid to indict those who turn blind eyes. The version I read was older so I have not yet seen the updated book that includes information on semi-recent IRA ceasefires. But I do think many of Conroy's observations are still applicable, changes in administration notwithstanding. He describes the intolerant view towards Sinn Fein taken by the American government in the 80s and the biased, oversimplified treatment of the Troubles by the American media. Indeed as Conroy notes it has not been hard to sell the British point-of-view to American audiences but what of the counterpoint? When do proponents of the other side get a chance? Conroy also concludes that for as long as Northern Ireland remains a British enclave, continued violence is guaranteed. For that reason alone, Americans owe it to themselves to read _Belfast Diary_.

I bought this book in the 60's in the Time/Life edtion, but didn't get around to reading it until 1995, when I was in Jalalabad, Afghanistan for a few weeks. Of course, that was the perfect setting, but from any viewpoint in the world "Eastern Approaches" is quite close to the perfect travel book. I left my copy in the library of the American Club in Peshawar, trying to save luggage room for Afghan textiles, and I was very sorry to learn when I got home that it was out of print. Now it's back, and I look forward to reading it again while sitting in my armchair. "Eastern Approaches" is a great read, and never more relevant than today.

This is an exciting autobiography, which I have read and reread over the years. Of particular interest is the author's introduction into the SAS.

This book will become a permanent fixture in your library.

Pre WWII, Maclean finagled trips through parts of the USSR where no westerner had previously been, even crossing into Afghanistan from the north at one point. He spent much of WWI aiding Marshal Tito's effort to drive the Germans out of the Balkans. Fascinating stuff, this, eloquently written and he's a damn good storyteller.

This book is of great historical value. The narration is witty and elegant. I would recomant it to everybody interested in European history.

This is a truly unique book and comparable only with Churchill's 'My Early Life' as an adventure history. Some people write adventure books, some people have adventures but Fitzroy McLean, like Churchill, or TE Lawrence, is able to do both. A rare treat and very easy to read.

This is an amazing cookbook. All the recipes taste good and make me feel good. Highly recommended.

My wife loves this book and is on her way to making every recipe in it. Of course it to my advantage. I have lost 40 pounds and use this book to maintain my weight after all the hard work of dieting. Very delicious meals and there is a picture of every meal.

We've tried several recipes. So far we haven't been disappointed. It's amazing how much flavor is packed in a healthy meal!

Some cookbooks just give recipes. Others give advice that transcends recipes. This book does both. For example, the broiled salmon with miso glaze is so often made it opens to the page by itself. But the guide to fish -- which species/fisheries are endangered, which have mercury, which have omega threes -- the advice on what to look for at the fish store (etc.) are at least as useful as the recipe. The guide to roasting vegetables is another treasure: I grow asparagus because I love it; my wife makes faces when I steam it. But when I roast it (per instructions), she loves it as much as I do. Thank you for this book.

I've had this book for nearly a month and have prepared several of the recipes since I received it. Not only have the ideas I've found in the book kept me on track with my diet plan, but my family has enjoyed the food as well. My husband and two teenage children have all been very positive, and have commented that it doesn't seem like "diet food."

The book contains ideas for every meal, and several handy charts, such as a guide to roasting vegetables and a guide to cooking whole grains. The book contains lots of great ideas for cooking fresh vegetables, fruits, lean meats, and grains. For those who enjoy cooking from scratch, it is a great book.

The Final Frontiersman is the true account of the wilderness life of Heimo Korth and his family. Heimo grew up in Wisconsin but followed a dream to live in the bush in Alaska. Heimo is a "successful" subsistence trapper and hunter in the ANWR where you can freeze at -55 in the winter and the clouds of mosquitoes torment you in the short summer. The sun disappears for over a month in the winter and there is no night in summer. Heimo and his family spend most of the year in the bush where their nearest neighbor is more than a hundred miles away--human neighbor that is; bears, wolves, wolverines, caribou, and many other kinds of animals abound. Heimo is successful in the sense that he and his family survive, all except one. Theirs is a tough life, and Heimo is a tough but likable character.

I enjoyed reading this book. The author, Heimo's cousin, has a direct, clear writing style and a good sense of pacing. The story reminded me in some ways of The Big House by George Colt: "Here is the story of my (extended) family and all my weird relatives" and like The Big House this book could have used extensive editing. We get too much detail about Heimo and his brood, who in fact are not really all that weird or exceptional after all.

The author presents this work as a meditation on the meaning of wilderness and a vital but disappearing American way of life, but he never manages to infuse these issues of wilderness and the struggle to survive with a sense of metaphysical profundity. Heimo's work and life all come off as somewhat mundane, if exceptionally lonely and uncomfortable; even deprived and brutal (Heimo kills large numbers of furbearing animals for a living). In the end, the author failed to communicate why Heimo would choose such a life, or what about it is attractive. I got the sense that neither the author, nor Heimo's family, nor Heimo himself understand Heimo. He remains a discomforting enigma.

Like The Big House, The Final Frontiersman is most interesting as an exploration of family and what it means to be involved in this most natural and troubling human institution.

There are not very many people I would like to meet, but Heimo and his family are at the top of my list. Fantastic story of some extraordinary folks.

Really painted a good picture of what life was like living in the cold Alaskan wilderness.

It is hard for me to realize that Heimo and his family live even today in the manner in which they live.The hardships they overcome daily as part of their everyday living shows the will that some people have and develop.I recommend this book highly and it has also made me realize that I am not so tough as I thought I was.

This story grips you like an Arctic winter. It is hard to put down as Heimo Korth lives a storybook life subsisting 28 years in back country of Alaska as a trapper and frontiersman. James Campbell takes you through Heimo and his family's incredible story. If you have any sense of life outdoors or appreciation for living off the land, this award winning book is for you.

Heimo and his family did it their way and Campbell's book celebrates their courage, difficulties and successes.

I enjoyed this book a lot. It makes you think a lot even after you've finished it. There are many lessons to be learned from this book. For example: choosing between your ideals and the loved ones (when of course they are in conflict), God vs atheism, love and hate (how one can possess both of them towards the same person), ideals and the will and determination to fight for them.

Read this book for the first time in Russian when I was 12 and it had been my favorite book ever since. Was able to read it in the original language just some years later, realizing that:
1. The Russian translation is wonderful:)
2. The book is still my favorite one.

It's amazing how Voynish manages to write a book which countains a love story, yet not boring nor sexual, a fight story, yet not overpatriotic/stupid. The continuation book feets perfectly ("An Interrupited Friendship" and may be should be read between the 1st and the 2nd parts of "The Gadfly" (I read the "Interrupted Friendship" some years after "The Gadfly" and it was still perfect).


BTW, Ethel Lilian is a daughter of mr. Bool - for those of us who know what boolean algebra is - that's her father's doing! I know it's a piece of useless information:)

It's rather a mystery to me that this book has never gained the kind of popularity in the US that it's always had in Russia. And yes, one can put it down to its political background and revolutionary theme, especially in what is a "lesser" known milieu of Italy in the 1840's, but really this is entirely the outer shell that could easily have been set elsewhere more "popular." I think the problem after all is that this book has been judged by its cover, as it were. But setting aside, it is the most profoundly human and tragic book you may ever read. Much was said of the themes of the book in the other reviews, and it is all true, so I will only say that the ending of the book caught me riding home on the subway, and I wept like I have never ever wept in my life. People stared at me as if I were insane, but of course I didn't care - I was being affected by something most people would never imagine feeling for anything, and certainly for no "thing" like a book. I wept for two hours afterward. And then I couldn't touch another written word for months. If ever words produced raw, overwhelming feelings, surely it is between the pages of The Gadfly.

One of the greatest stories ever told - this book can change your life if you take its ideals to heart. It's not hard to understand why it was so popular among those in the revolutionary movement. I have to say though that when I lent it to two young friends who are Catholic too, they did not seem to be as profoundly moved as I was. The closing scene between the Cardinal and the Gadfly is one of the most heart-wrenching ever written. This book is a classic of its time and of all time. In my top 10 list of the best books I have ever read. Grab it - BTW if anyone is looking for a copy I do have one to spare which is in fairly good condition.

This work is pure treasure and a great place for someone who wishes to begin reading fine literature to start. I cannot believe that I never heard of this book until I was 50! It ended up on my large "reading list" and I had to order it online to find a copy -- then (I kick myself) it laid around here for a year before I opened it. When I finally did, I discovered that I could not put this one down -- a quintessential page-turner. It's a very personal saga of a very good man, and, a Priest who betrays him during an Italian rebel uprising period. I savored "War and Peace" and "The Brothers Karamazov", and while "The Gadfly" is that sort of book (much shorter), it's not such a tough go as the former titles. Voynich was brilliant. I read an average of three books a week, and have done so for many years, and this one is one of my top 3 reads ever. Don't miss this one and if you wish to double your pleasure, get a copy of Dmitri Shostakovich's sountrack to "The Gadfly" movie and allow it to play as wallpaper as you read. Incredible stuff!

we have used this book and the method for more than 20 years - with children from infant to adult age! You actually start following this method 3 days before your departure. It truely works!
The first few pages explain how your body works, how caffein works, and how that can be used to overcome jet lag. The next 80 same pages you look up the individual time zones that apply to your trip. That's where you find the diet schedule for your personal trip. In the back you find several pages of food items and sample menues, that allow you to put your diet together according to your own tastes. Overcoming jet lag with this guide is EASY. No other supplements are neccessary!
I'm buying several books, so I can give it to our international visitors!

We have followed this Jet Lag diet for about 5 years now. We combine it with the NO-Jet Lag homeopathic remedy. We never have more than one day of slight jet lag. Interestingly, the airlines seem to use the jet lag diet strategy in the meals they serve on the plane--at least in business class.

Concise yet detailed book outlines a highly effective program to beat jet lag, no matter how many time zones you may be crossing, no matter what time of day or night you are traveling.

Basic theory behind the program is described well, but most of this nice, short book is a full how-to for every possible flight... time zones involved, direction of flight.

Reader simply looks up the schedule that best describes upcoming flight, and follows the instructions. But don't do this at the airport the day of the flight. Diet must be altered three days in advance of travel.

My family and I have been using this for 15 years, and we swear by it. The only time it hasn't worked for me is when I've tried to cheat the system (watched an in-flight movie when the book said I was supposed to be sleeping, that sort of thing).

Unfortunately, most airlines do all they can to keep passengers stuck in their departure time zone (ensuring days of jet lag for all), but this book shows how necessary it is to board the plane and get right into the arrival time zone. It does take a sense of discipline to follow the program while in flight. In general the flight is not particularly enjoyable if you're following the program and are therefore out of sync with all the other passengers, BUT if you are a business traveler or don't have the luxury of wasting several days, you will find that the short-lived discomfort is insignificant!

A highly useful book for the international business traveler... would make a nice gift for someone going off on a round-the-world or other long flight. (But give it well in advance of the travel)!

This scientifically proven "recipe" for smooth and successful adjustment when traveling between Time Zones may not work-- completely-- for all destinations, but it surely will work for 98 percent of the rest of your prospective travel plans.

I've had this little book in my hands since its first publishing and have given countless copies to others along the way. Professionals have been using it for years. From White House summits overseas to professional athletes competing abroad-- this little book has been their answer for enhancing the quality of their trips with optimum mental and physical performance.

For some years this little gem was "Hard to Find," but I never gave up trying to locate a copy. Now it's reprint can once again benefit everyone to be side effects free. It worked for me so well that I still follow the diet to maintain a healthy even weight. This little book is GREAT and one of my most very favorite. Go for it.

I have used the program detailed in this succint little book for 10 years now, beginning with a trip from Los Angeles to Thailand. After following the program and flying for what seemed like days, I arrived at midnight. The following morning I was fully functional and alert at 10 am and suffered no symptoms. I recently used the program for a trip to London and back with no appreciable jet lag. The book explains in very simple terms how our body clocks work, and how modern studies have learned how to reset them quickly and easily with a minimum of deleterious effect. One starts the program from 1 to 3 days prior to travel, and much of the book is filled with detailed instructions for each time zone interval. It does take discipline to adhere to the program while on the plane, but with a little effort it can be done and the result is definately worth it. I highly recommend this book to anyone who travels by air. It will make your journey far more enjoyable and you will have more time to enjoy your stay instead of recovering from jet lag for days. A must read for business travelers as well.

I have read many of John McPhee's works. They are all excellent and captivating. He writes on so many subjects, it is amazing that they are all great. No wonder he teaches at Princeton, or did as I remember.

This time John McPhee turns his hand to one of those
anomalous natural treasures that has survived in
spite of intense urbanization. The Pine Barrens are
two-thirds of a million acres-an area the size of
Yosemite that sit beside a major artery of the most
developed region in the country. With the New Jersey
Turnpike to the west and bustling, chintzy Atlantic
City to the East, it's hard to imagine that this great,
weird wilderness could be so little known.

McPhee is the perfect guide to the Pines. He is as
sensitive to the natural history as he is to the
culture. He has a sympathetic ear for both the natives
and the outsiders who wander in from time to time. He's
a writer who can focus on a detail-a threatened fern or
the quality of water and then pull back to the big picture.

A thoroughly entertaining book.


--Lynn Hoffman, author of THE NEW SHORT COURSE IN WINE and
the novel bang BANG. ISBN 9781601640005

Those of us from the Northeast know that wilderness can be found if you're willing to hit the road and search for it, and also that it's precious and worth protecting from the onslaught of industry and sprawl. But even those familiar with the region's wilderness offerings will be surprised by the natural bounty and remoteness of New Jersey's Pine Barrens area. The masterful essayist John McPhee published this travelogue and study of the area back in 1967, when the depths of the Pine Barrens still offered genuine seclusion form the outside world, with hardy folks still living off the land by picking berries or making charcoal. And this beautiful area was surrounded on all sides by the most urbanized and industrialized blight on Earth. Things aren't quite so rustic there anymore, but reading McPhee's engaging treatise on the area should make modern folks wish to both visit the Pine Barrens area as a valuable slice of nature, and to protect it as a precious and dwindling resource. That's what makes this short but lovable book from the great McPhee a timeless classic for nature lovers. [~doomsdayer520~]

My wife gave me this book in 1978, and I devoured it in one evening. I have since been all over the world, and no matter where I go, the pines are always the reference point for me. My teen years were spent in the pines, with my good friend Tom, where we would travel its dirt roads, canoe its streams and fish its lakes, and hike its trails and roads. Mr. McPhee weaves a story that is so true, so historically rich, and for me, so reminiscent of the years of my youth. Please read this book, and then go and make your own memories.

I'll keep this short and sweet: McPhee's The Pine Barrens is an entirely outstanding, fascinating look at the unique area that is the Pine Barrens of New Jersey. McPhee covers Piney culture, the unique ecological nature of the region, its history, and its hidden treasures. The writing is poetic and rich, the people interesting, and the information detailed, thorough and never dull. A really great read that anyone living in NJ should get.

A very good read - very unflinching in terms of sexuality - quite bawdy in places.

What a trip! We just moved to the South a few years ago (First Atlanta, now the Delta), and I'm wishing someone had recommended this a while back. It helps with so many things! All the contradictions, the unexplained rules, the assumptions and the wacky productions...King helps it all make sense, with great humor and flair. If you enjoy this, I also recommend Gayden Metcalfe's books: Being Dead is No Excuse (about funerals in the South) and Somebody is Going to Die if Lily Beth Doesn't Catch that Bouquet (Southern weddings, obviously). Enjoy!

This book was delivered earlier than expected. I had read the hardback copy which I lost through loaning it. The book is about southerners and for an southerner, it explains all the people I have come to know.. I know every character described in the book.

This is my second reading of this book, separated by 15 years. I fondly remembered it as an hilarious work, yet this time halfway through I realized that I, and most of my family, lurk in the pages. We Southerners have families loaded with women who "go to pieces" and men who think they still live in the Middle Ages. We have legacies of spoiled, sassy belles and proud, wounded gallants still fighting the War Between the States. Sometimes we leave Mama's house shuttered for decades because "she never wanted her things disturbed". That which would cause hardly a concern in Omaha becomes a major issue in Richmond. Although the names change the cast is the same. It's all here, and none of it is made up-each character continues to thrive by the thousands in the South. If you want to understand Southerners you cannot just eat burgoo and wine jelly with custard-Southern Ladies and Gentlemen is a must for any true aficionado of this beautiful culture.

Indispensable for both natives and transplants. Absolutely the best analysis of the Southern mindset that I have ever encountered -- I'm a native -- and a dangerously funny read to boot. Ms. King writes with a caustic wit wrapped in an ever-so-delicate velvet glove. I quote her insights often, and almost always end up having to get yet another copy to give to someone. The South really has its own flavor -- from Faulkner to Foxworthy -- and Florence King has it all neatly summed up. Everything I have read of hers so far is worthwhile.