Journeys of a Lifetime: 500 of the World’s Greatest Trips (Hardcover)

by National Geographic (Author)

Book Details
* Hardcover: 400 pages
* Publisher: National Geographic (October 16, 2007)
* Language: English
* ISBN-10: 1426201257
* ISBN-13: 978-1426201257
* Dimensions: 11.8 x 9.3 x 1.5 inches
* Shipping Weight: 4.8 pounds
* Rating:

Book Description
No one knows the world like National Geographic—and in this lavish volume, we reveal our picks for the world’s most fabulous journeys, along with helpful information for readers who want to try them out.

Compiled from the favorite trips of National Geographic’s travel writers, Journeys of a Lifetime spans the globe to highlight the best of the world’s most famous and lesser known sojourns. It presents an incredible diversity of possibilities, from ocean cruises around Antarctica to horse treks in the Andes. Every continent and every possible form of transport is covered.

A timely resource for the burgeoning ranks of active travelers who crave adventurous and far-flung trips, Journeys of a Lifetime provides scores of creative ideas: trekking the heights of Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania… mountain biking in Transylvania… driving through the scenic highlands of Scotland… or rolling through the outback on Australia’s famous Ghan train… and dozens of other intriguing options all over the world.

Journeys of a Lifetime also features 22 fun Top 10 lists in all sorts of categories. What are the world’s top 10 elevator rides, bridges to walk across, trolley rides, ancient highways, or underground walking adventures? Readers will love evaluating and debating the selections.

Each chapter showcases stunning photography, full-color maps, evocative text, and expert advice—including how to get there, when to visit, and how to make the most of the journey—all packaged in a luxurious oversize volume to treasure for years to come.

Journeys of a Lifetime Review
This is a great “coffee table” style book, filled with interesting information and the sort of excellent photography one would expect from National Geographic. What’s most remarkable, however, is simply the price. This is a big, heavy, tome of a book–hardcover–and I would have expected it to easily cost twice what it does. It’s a real pleasure to browse through, and I learned of quite a few places I had not heard of or would not have thought about as options for travel destinations. It is not a resource per se. Think of it as a collection, a wide array, of mini-travelogues with good photography (even if on a fairly matte paper stock), and given the large size of the book, this allows for fairly large-format images. A good value.

This book can be a little annoying at times. The chapters are divided into catagories such a “travel by train,” or “travel on foot.” This means if you want to say go to Peru, you have to look at the index for Peru and flip to all the scattered writeups. You might miss something. I think there could be a little more info written too on each “Journey” mentioned. Sometimes it’s not enough to get a true excitement about the place, event, or experience. Overall I do like the book though. Great reference and gives enough info to do some research on your own when making plans for your trip. Great photos.

I have seen quite a few travel books, but I have really liked this one. It has the great photo’s you would expect from National Geographic as well some very interesting realistic journeys. Looking through the book I had found several that I have already done and they were truly great trips. If you really want a book that will give you the urge to travel somewhere great, or want to get someone else motivated and excited to travel this is a great book for just that.

If you are looking for a traveller guide which will guide you to the not to be missed locations in this world then this is the one for you. The photos are awesome and the description of each location, although only one page long is sufficient to give you a good idea about what to expect. There is also a small section on tips which really give you some out of the way ideas to do at each location. All in all I highly recommend this book.

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Italy (Eyewitness Travel Guides) (Turtleback)

by DK Publishing (Author)

Book Details
* Turtleback: 720 pages
* Publisher: DK Travel; 2006 edition (March 20, 2006)
* Language: English
* ISBN-10: 0756615453
* ISBN-13: 978-0756615451
* Dimensions: 8.4 x 5 x 1.4 inches
* Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
* Rating:

Book Description
Italy offers an extraordinary kaleidoscope of regions and experiences for all visitors. Packed with photographs, illustrations and maps the Eyewitness Travel to Italy has mapped out all of the remarkable flavors of Italy. Use this guide to help you decide where to stay, eat, relax, and shop. Every page in the Eyewitness Travel to Italy has pinpointed the highlights of each fascinating region.

Italy Eyewitness Travel Guides Review
DK travel guides (Eyewitness brand) are known for its unique photograpy and pictures. They are printed full-color and magazine-style and the sublime pictures get supreme treatment. The maps are not ideal, but they do the job for some one new to Italy and answers the question of what to see and where to go with a little history and background tossed in. The maps will get you from Florence’s Pitti Palace across the River Arno and to the Galleria to see Michelangelo’s David, but good luck finding that little bistro in the cobblestone alley. This is a guide for the county of Italy in general and its regions and may lack some depth in terms of detail but for the first and even second time visitor to Italy its great considering its relative small weight and size in your travel case or backpack. Don’t expect this guidebook to have that out-of-the-way gallery, or even the celebrated gelato shop directions. This little book covers the most important sites in any given city or region – with lush pictures that DK is known for and short blurbs to match. It also covers general information to the first time visitor covering money, agencies, other basic travel information which can be of great help to some one not famliar to Italy.

I found this book useful for helping me target in on the areas I’d be most interested in visiting. Perusing the overview maps and many little photos of the attractions quickly gives you an idea what to expect in each region. It’s a great starting point for planning your vacation to Italy. It has all the contact info you need to further track down or get specific information on hotels/attractions. Once you look thru the book and have an idea on the specific regions you want to visit I’d suggest getting a book just targeted in on that region as you’ll get more detailed information on the hotels/restaurants/attractions in that area that way. This book as to not be thousands of pages just briefly describes attractions and as for hotels/restaurants it mostly just gives you a star rating. If you want to do leg work yourself though it may be all you need as it does provide web links and phone numbers where you can get more details on each.

This is one of the best travel books I’ve read. Every page has well laid out and well labeled full color pictures to augment the text. Once you look at this it’s hard to go back to a dry, sterile book that’s all text with a handful of color pages in the middle. The information here is clear and easy to read. There is cross-referencing everywhere, for example a page that’s describing a major attraction will tell you where to go in the book to find hotels in that area. There are listings and descriptions for hotels and restaurants in each area, and general travel tips. The introduction to each area of Italy also has an overview of the history and architecture.

My family and I visited Italy for two weeks, and this travel guide was priceless. I borrowed it from a friend (his 1998 version) and had to purchase a more recent version from Amazon as soon as I got back. DK Publishing has reasonables prices, and the delivery time is fast. Very fast. The book arrived in brand new condition, and I noticed that our hotel in Rome ‘The Lancelot’ is now listed in the directory of places to stay in Rome. There is so much information in this travel guide. Each tourist sight description is short and sweet and to the point. No pages and pages of details that might otherwise put you to sleep, as other tour books can do. And the pictures are just as wonderful. Looking at them again now that we’ve been back, is even more fun. They do a great job, and this seller is very good. I’ll buy from them again.

Accolades to the DK Eyewitness staff. Their books are art pieces within themselves. Clearly labors of love. I paid $50 for Eyewitness Italy when I bought the book in Rome. Best to buy it before leaving the US, not after. The street maps of Rome are particularly good. If you are an information junky like me, one travel guide is never enough so expect to buy additional guides.

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The Next Exit, 2009 Edition (Perfect Paperback)

by Mark Watson

Book Details
* Paperback: 552 pages
* Publisher: the Next EXIT, Inc.; 2009 (18th) edition (December 15, 2008)
* Language: English
* ISBN-10: 0971407371
* ISBN-13: 978-0971407374
* Dimensions: 10.7 x 8.1 x 0.8 inches
* Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
* Rating:

Book Description
The Next EXIT 2009 (18th edition)USA Interstate highway exit directory is the most complete guide ever printed. It lists services located at USA Interstate hwy exits nationwide, including gas, food, lodging, camping, hospitals, shopping and attractions. Over one million sold, it is the most trusted travel tool of the interstate highways.

The Next Exit 2009 Edition Review
I purchsed this book to have along for a 6,000 mile family drive across the US and back, and found it incredibly useful. I had planned to buy software for my laptop or PDA but when I found the same comprehensive info in a cheaper, easier-to-use book form, I bought it instead.

I certainly wasn’t disappointed. Although the notational scheme is a bit cryptic, once you get the hang of reading the exit-by-exit entries it’s easy to scan ahead and spot places to eat or gas up, or just find a rest area for a quick break. The listings are well organized and very thorough — I’m sure I can use this book far easier than I could access a software version, especially in a fully-packed moving car.
This book helped us avoid running out of gas in Arizona, and many times let us find just the right exit to stop and feed the kids (who love Sonic drive-ins). Don’t take a long trip on US Interstate highways without this book!

I have used this book for Travel to CO, to FL, to Me and to many other places and especially to go camping. It is an excellent resource for the “co-pilot.” Saves lots of arguments. At least you know what is ahead instead of pulling off each exit to find out. This is especially important when you are pulling a trailer. One suggestion would be to put trailer friendly eating places. I know that Cracker Barrel is one of them but I’m sure there are others. We do sometimes want to go out to eat but can’t find a place to park a trailer. Thanks for a wonderful book. HIGHLY recommend it to anyone who travels on the Interstates.

My wife and I have been traveling the interstate road systems for 35 years. We have always traveled with a road atlas but in 2000 we bought this book. We were so impressed with it’s accuracy and completeness we have suggested to all friends and relatives they need to purchase one as well. Since the recent renumbering of the exits we decided it would be best to own a more recent version. So, we have sent for a 2004 version and have given our old 2000 version to a family member to use until they purchase their own. Thanks for a great book!!! Please make these more readily available at stores like Walmart and Truck Stops throughout the county.

I am not a road warrior as are some of the reviewers. My first, upcoming trip will be north on Interstate 5 from CA to Oregon, towing a vintage, restored travel trailer. I’ll be “boondocking it ,” as they say, so the trailer has been re-engineered to “go it alone,” — anywhere but trailer parks. Not everyone’s cup o’ tea to be sure. But what has the book got to do with it? Just this: With my aversion to trailer parks, I spent a night (make that a couple of hours) trying to nap at a rest stop. You don’t want to do that — ever! The drivers keep their thunderous diesel engines roaring and the noise will sap your strength so that you will be more tired than when you stopped. But! Find a truck stop, and sidle up amongst the acres of silent big rigs, and you have a quiet, safe haven for as long as you choose to stay. You can usually grab a hot showr, too. The trick to finding these truck stops is clearly marked in the Exit information of this tour de force publication. Don’t set out without one.

This handy guide lists services at exits off of most major interstates (all 2-digit interstates and selected 3-digit ones as well). If you have your favorite gasoline brand or only want to eat at specific restaurants, you can search the listings for your preferred brand on the stretch of highway you’re currently on. Hospitals, parks, shopping centers, and other attractions are also identified. Although the now-defunct “Professional Truckers Exit Guide” had a better layout (individual categories of services, i.e; gas, lodging, etc. were listed on separate lines and every other page had a strip map of the highway covered) I have not seen it in stores since 2000, so I do believe the Next Exit is the only such directory currently in print. This is a valuable tool that no interstate traveler should be without.

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The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt’s Darkest Journey (Paperback)

by Candice Millard (Author)

Book Details
* Paperback: 432 pages
* Publisher: Anchor (October 10, 2006)
* Language: English
* ISBN-10: 0767913736
* ISBN-13: 978-0767913737
* Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.1 x 1 inches
* Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
* Rating:

Book Description
At once an incredible adventure narrative and a penetrating biographical portrait, The River of Doubt is the true story of Theodore Roosevelt’s harrowing exploration of one of the most dangerous rivers on earth.

The River of Doubt—it is a black, uncharted tributary of the Amazon that snakes through one of the most treacherous jungles in the world. Indians armed with poison-tipped arrows haunt its shadows; piranhas glide through its waters; boulder-strewn rapids turn the river into a roiling cauldron.

After his humiliating election defeat in 1912, Roosevelt set his sights on the most punishing physical challenge he could find, the first descent of an unmapped, rapids-choked tributary of the Amazon. Together with his son Kermit and Brazil’s most famous explorer, Cândido Mariano da Silva Rondon, Roosevelt accomplished a feat so great that many at the time refused to believe it. In the process, he changed the map of the western hemisphere forever.

Along the way, Roosevelt and his men faced an unbelievable series of hardships, losing their canoes and supplies to punishing whitewater rapids, and enduring starvation, Indian attack, disease, drowning, and a murder within their own ranks. Three men died, and Roosevelt was brought to the brink of suicide. The River of Doubt brings alive these extraordinary events in a powerful nonfiction narrative thriller that happens to feature one of the most famous Americans who ever lived.

From the soaring beauty of the Amazon rain forest to the darkest night of Theodore Roosevelt’s life, here is Candice Millard’s dazzling debut.

The River of Doubt Review
There is a spate of books concerning Theodore Roosevelt’s life: his New York years and first marriage, his cowboy days in the Dakota’s, the Spanish-American War phrase and his presidency. Until last year, there were few books about his retirement decade until Patricia O’Toole’s “When Trumpets Call.” His dangerous exploration of the Amazon rain forest covers a mere 7 pages in Ms. O’Toole’s biography. That exploration is the subject of “The River of Doubt.” Does this brief three month trip of discovery on the Rio da Duvida (River of Doubt) warrent a full scale book? In Ms. Millard’s superb account of the near fatal expedition, the answer is yes. The former president was an adrenaline junkie who needed to forget his loss in the 1912 campaign for the White House. He found all the adventure he would ever crave on the Rio da Duvida, for he was way in over his head. If not for their guide, Colonel Candido Rondon, no one would have made it out alive — Roosevelt’s disappearance would have top Amelia Earhart as the mystery of the century. This adventure yarn focuses, not on the political animal, but on a man who would never quit and never did.

I loved this book. This book was great in so many ways. It is a great portrait of Teddy Roosevelt in his quest to explore an uncharted tributary of the Amazon after his presidency. It is a fascinating look at life in the unexplored rain forest – featuring the people, plants, animals and general ecology. It’s a riveting life-or-death adventure. The author does a great job moving between the people in the present drama, their backgrounds, and the “life of the forest.” It’s a beautifully written page-turner. It leaves one with a profound sense of the place, people and time. I can’t recommend this book more highly. Years ago, I read Undaunted Courage, the story of Lewis and Clark’s expedition. I liked it, but that never grabbed me like River of Doubt did. This sets a new standard for “exploration history” literature. Read it!

I shall be brief; for it is better to spend any free time that you might have reading or listening to this extraordinary book. It actually is three books in one. It offers every bit the insight as the historical writings of Ambrose, MuCullough or Ellis. It involves you every bit as much as the adventurous writings of Krakauer and certainly offers every bit of the fascination of the natural history narratives of Burroughs. I would suggest you listen and read along with this story. While at home you will not be able to put it down, so be advised to listen during your commutes. Almost as interesting as the story is the author herself and how she came to find the story. Near the end of her writing project, she herself had to draw upon the insipration of the expedition. But that is a story you will need to find on your own if you so choose. The bottom line is that this a superb book on so many levels, and destined to become a classic and, hopefully, a film. If you enjoy presidential history, natural history and adventure there is absolutely no reason you will not fall in love with this book as I did. I suspect as well, you will be reading passages aloud to your friends and family…sometimes to their dismay of the subject matter, perhaps. Also, one note of warning: it may bring a tear or two to your eyes as it winds down. I give it my highest recommendation.

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The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid: A Memoir (Paperback)

by Bill Bryson (Author)

Book Details
* Paperback: 288 pages
* Publisher: Broadway (September 25, 2007)
* Language: English
* ISBN-10: 0767919378
* ISBN-13: 978-0767919371
* Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.1 x 0.8 inches
* Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
* Rating:

Book Description
Bill Bryson was born in the middle of the American century—1951—in the middle of the United States—Des Moines, Iowa—in the middle of the largest generation in American history—the baby boomers. As one of the best and funniest writers alive, he is perfectly positioned to mine his memories of a totally all-American childhood for 24-carat memoir gold. Like millions of his generational peers, Bill Bryson grew up with a rich fantasy life as a superhero. In his case, he ran around his house and neighborhood with an old football jersey with a thunderbolt on it and a towel about his neck that served as his cape, leaping tall buildings in a single bound and vanquishing awful evildoers (and morons)—in his head—as “The Thunderbolt Kid.”

Using this persona as a springboard, Bill Bryson re-creates the life of his family and his native city in the 1950s in all its transcendent normality—a life at once completely familiar to us all and as far away and unreachable as another galaxy. It was, he reminds us, a happy time, when automobiles and televisions and appliances (not to mention nuclear weapons) grew larger and more numerous with each passing year, and DDT, cigarettes, and the fallout from atmospheric testing were considered harmless or even good for you. He brings us into the life of his loving but eccentric family, including affectionate portraits of his father, a gifted sportswriter for the local paper and dedicated practitioner of isometric exercises, and OF his mother, whose job as the home furnishing editor for the same paper left her little time for practicing the domestic arts at home. The many readers of Bill Bryson’s earlier classic, A Walk in the Woods, will greet the reappearance in these pages of the immortal Stephen Katz, seen hijacking literally boxcar loads of beer. He is joined in the Bryson gallery of immortal characters by the demonically clever Willoughby brothers, who apply their scientific skills and can-do attitude to gleefully destructive ends.

The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid Review
Even though this is the era in which my parents grew up, and not me, I thoroughly enjoyed this memoir and would recommend it to people of all ages. While I’m sure the baby boomer generation would really find this book resonating with their life experiences, I think its an intersting look at a unique and fascinating time in our country’s history and will appeal to a much wider audience, such as myself (I’m in my late 20’s). The author is hysterical and I found myself laughing out loud throughout the book. It was so interesting to learn about growing up in Des Moines in the 50s – everything from what people ate to how they shopped to the trouble kids and teens got into- it is indeed such a stark contrast to growing up in America today, regardless of where you live. I think this book would make a particularly great book club selection and would also be interesting reading for history classes or classes on American culture, etc. I HIGHLY recommend it!

I have read two other books by Bryson and enjoyed them but wasn’t sure I’d like this, probably because it was about being a child in the fifties (my childhood experiences were in the seventies) in Iowa America (I’m in Yorkshire, England) however I shouldn’t have doubted his talent for relating life experiences to just about everyone.
I laughed out loud at his father’s out of character taking the family to Disneyland as well as the motley crew of childhood relatives and friends he describes. He could actually be describing any of our childhoods, from teenage crushes, the hierarchy of a gang of mates, Saturday morning cinema, comics and school. Which ever western country you grew up in you no doubt learnt to read from a book where ‘Father’ always wore a suit and ‘Mother’ a frilly apron and everyone said “look” at the beginning of each sentence!!
As well as being informative about 1950’s America, it’s a really entertaining read for those who like to look back happily on their childhood.

Bill Bryson has long distinguished himself as a gifted writer with a knack for entertaining us as he takes us on his travels around the globe. So he does, as well, in his memoir, “The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid,” although this time, it is time travel back to the 1950’s. It is very much a window into the time in which he–and I–grew up, a retrospective for Baby Boomers. He captures it perfectly, and were it not for the fact that his childhood was in Des Moines, it just as well could have been mine, in Chicago. I found myself chuckling with familiarity at his memories, which parallel my own in so many ways, from penny candy to reversible jackets, and from air raid drills to dentist drills–sans novocaine. His sense of amusement, cynicism and even awe at that which went on around him, along with his wry observations of the family he grew up in, has no doubt been seasoned by his age, maturity and reflection, but in many ways, it is also an unfiltered look at a simpler time, with the perspective of his years burnishing, rather than altering, what it was like to grow up in mid-twentieth century middle America. I recommend “Thunderbolt Kid” highly to all who relish the chance to sit down and savor what could just as well be their own family album, in words that could just as well be pictures. A thoroughly enjoyable and magical read.

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1,000 Places to See Before You Die: A Traveler’s Life List (Paperback)

by Patricia Schultz (Author)

Book Details
* Paperback: 972 pages
* Publisher: Workman Publishing Company; illustrated edition (May 22, 2003)
* Language: English
* ISBN-10: 0761104844
* ISBN-13: 978-0761104841
* Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.1 x 1.8 inches
* Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds
* Rating:

Book Description
Introducing the Eighth Wonder of travel books. A joyous, passionate gift book for travelers-both the real and the armchair variety-1,000 PLACES TO SEE BEFORE YOU DIE delivers exactly the promise of its an around-the-world, continent-by-continent listing of places guaranteed to give you shivers, the unique and wonderful places you must see on and off the beaten track.

Take a safari into Botswana’s Okavango Delta, the world’s largest oasis, where “if you see 10 percent of what sees you, it’s an exceptional day.” Sail the Grenadines, 32 islands and hundreds of dotlike cays strung like a necklace of gems across 40 miles of pristine waters. Tour the covered souks of Aleppo, where the labyrinthine streets seem straight out of A Thousand and One Nights and frankincense and myrhh are still sold. Hike the Tasman Glacier. Climb the Tuscan hills to San Gimignano. Stay at the Hassler in Rome, or Paris’s Crillon-you must, at least once. There’s Canyon de Chelly, Tokyo’s Tsukiji Fish Market, the backwaters of Kerala, Ipanema beach, the Buddhas of Borobudur, Mesa Verde’s cave dwellings, the Oaxaca Saturday market, Ballybunion Golf Club.

The prose is gorgeous, seizing on exactly what makes each entry worthy of inclusion. And, following the romance, the nuts and bolts: addresses, phone and fax numbers, web sites, costs, best times to visit. Of special interest are subject-specific indexes-gorgeous beaches, destination restaurants, world-class museums-making the guide entirely user-friendly, no matter if you’re dreaming or going.

1,000 Places To See Before You Die Review
How glad I was to have overlooked a scathing criticism or two re the author’s would-be emphasis on expensive hotels only – were we reading the same book???? What planet do these people live on?? The beauty of this book is that it covers every category or travel destination imagineable – from events to museums, bars to national parks, annual festivals to ancient temples. Are there hotels? Let’s hope so, because the author’s choice in every other category is so on the dime, you can be sure she has singled out all of the world’s best hotels too. Are they expensive? Most are, yes – but where else do you intend to go for your once-in-a-lifetime trip to celebrate a honeymoon, a promotion, an anniversary or your mother’s 80th birthday??? Still too expensive? Then go and sit in the lobby, wander the impeccable grounds, take in the white-gloved service with a smile and get a glimpse of the good life and make believe if only for a few hours….then explore the hundreds of other options that will fit a leaner budget and keep you mighty busy and awefully happy for years. The book blew me away – and I thought I had been around the block.

I have been professionally traveling for 35 years and for personal reasons twice that. Yes this 900-page travel bible features a lot of (historical, must-see and unusual) hotels, but there are so very many more museums (the world’s biggest and best and the small gems too), festivals (a betrothal festival in in Morocco’s Atlas Mountains and the Spoleto Festivals in both Spoleto, Italy and Charleston USA), food experiences (the Maine Lobster Festival and George Blanc in France) and sites of natural beauty (the Grand Tetons, Patagonia, Cappodocia in Turkey, Italy’s Dolomite Mountains, Connemara in Ireland) – oh and I could go on and on….as Patricia Schultz does. You can never please everyone all the time, but no one has ever come as close as this intrepid author, and with a lovely and easy to read prose that should awaken the adventurer and explorer in all of us. I gave 20 of these books away as Christmas gifts and now have 20 best friends who are still talking about the best gift they ever received.

As a professional travel writer of more than 35 years, I marvel that this book can garner such disparate reviews – people love it (5 stars) or hate it (1 star). The latter would do well to read the author’s intro where she explains that these are not the only one thousand places to see in this huge and fascinating world of ours. They are the places that make up her own Life List, and in my opinion she is right on the dime. Would these be my one thousand? The truth is – who would ever have the time, passion and experience to draw up such a list to compare? Ms. Schultz has done it for us and she deserves a gold star. This is my trade, and know what a nightmare it is to organize a book one fourth this size, and then include all the info (distances, contacts, best-time-to-go info etc) to get you there. Are we all convinced we could do it better? Ask the one-star reviewers – but let’s see them try.

Where to go next? Why? When to go? How to get there? The passion and patience the author sustained for the many years it took to compile this travel bible is mind boggling. They are her thousand top picks – not mine and maybe not yours. But no one has ever tried to put it all between two covers and so successfully (in my opinion). Man is a list-making animal – Top Museums, Top Adventures, Top Golf Resorts. But this personal life list tries to be a little bit of everything – everywhere – for all traveling types, and the close-to-thousand pages mix the humble with the magnificent, the fast food with the gastonomic temples, the just plain fun with those magical and spiritual places of the world to be revered. I’ve been to a great number of these places and the author is right on the mark – and I can only imagine I can expect the same success with those she writes about so beautifully.

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1,000 Places To See Before You Die: A Traveler’s Life List (Kindle Edition)

A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail (Mass Market Paperback)

by Bill Bryson (Author)

Book Details
* Paperback: 397 pages
* Publisher: Anchor; 2nd edition (December 26, 2006)
* Language: English
* ISBN-10: 0307279464
* ISBN-13: 978-0307279460
* Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 1.2 inches
* Shipping Weight: 7 ounces
* Rating:

Book Description
The Appalachian Trail trail stretches from Georgia to Maine and covers some of the most breathtaking terrain in America–majestic mountains, silent forests, sparking lakes. If you’re going to take a hike, it’s probably the place to go. And Bill Bryson is surely the most entertaing guide you’ll find. He introduces us to the history and ecology of the trail and to some of the other hardy (or just foolhardy) folks he meets along the way–and a couple of bears. Already a classic, A Walk in the Woods will make you long for the great outdoors (or at least a comfortable chair to sit and read in).

A Walk in the Woods Review
Perhaps it was a fit of angst dealing with his own personal version of a mid-life crisis that led Bill Bryson to tackle the challenge of hiking the 2,100 mile Appalachian Trail! It was certainly a solid understanding of his own personality and clear recognition of his own physical and mental limitations that prompted him to invite his friend, Stephen Katz, an overweight and out of shape recovering alcoholic with an inordinate fondness for snack foods and cream soda to accompany him on this daunting challenge. The demands of the AT ultimately proved too much for Bryson and Katz who sensibly (and with an almost relieved sense of philosophical acceptance) decided to abandon the notion of a complete through hike. But the resulting story, drawn from Bryson’s daily journal of the summer’s efforts, is an overwhelming success and pure joy in the reading.
“A Walk in the Woods” is an extraordinary, entertaining travelogue on both the AT – the Appalachian Trail – and the people and places of small town America that dot the trail’s path along the eastern seaboard from Georgia to Maine. At the same time, it is much, much more. Bryson is scathing in his political commentary and almost enraged criticism of the ongoing state of mismanagement and the sadly misguided policies of both the Parks and Forest Services of the US government. “A Walk in the Woods” is also a deeply moving introspective examination on the nature of friendship, family, perseverance, joy and despondency. As he and Katz amble along rock strewn trails dappled with sunlight broken by the leafy forest canopy, Bryson frequently, effortlessly and almost without our even noticing the change, wanders metaphorically off the main trail and onto a side path of lightweight but nonetheless informative and educational sidebars of nature writing on an amazingly wide variety of topics. Glaciation, bears, bugs, ecology, continental drift, hypothermia, hypoxia and weather are only a few examples of the topics which he elucidates for the lay reader with his clear, concise prose.

This is one funny book. I read it in early 1999 and have since picked up the tapes to listen to in the car to enjoy all over again. It is not a hiking guide although it might just inspire you to set off on a significant trip. It is just plain funny. I rank the first third of the book well over 5 stars for his entertaining description of the preparation and beginning of the trip. The middle dragged a bit for me, but perhaps I was just tired with them of the grueling hike. It finishes with almost the flair with which it began. This is a great read — well worth the time.

I am giving this book 4 stars instead of 5 only because I found the beginning part of the book (before they actually start hiking) to be slow and boring. Once they started the Trail, though, it was anything but boring. Not only were there constant laughs to be had and great stories of their adventures on the trail, but I am really thankful to Mr. Bryson for including so much of the environmental information that he did. It was really eye opening and incredibly sad what we are doing to our natural resources, and I think Mr. Bryson has found a brilliant way to use humor to share this information in a way that is not only accessible but enjoyable. Bravo, Bill!

Bill Bryson could probably produce a best seller if he did a detailed analysis of paint-drying and grass-growing, so it was certainly no surprise that this was a good read. While it doesn’t contain the constant hyperbolic hilarity of some of his other works, it is highly entertaining as well as being historically and geographically educational. Although Bryson’s creative genius is evident throughout, the second half of the book is somewhat more methodical than the first. A warning for parents: The language in some passages is PG-13 – at best. In the end, it’s an enjoyable adventure that teaches many lessons about HUMAN nature as well as nature in general.

Loved the book. And it reads really fast and funny!! Being a resident and hiker in western NC, I was disappointed that they skipped all of my area, which I think is the best and most beautiful part of the AT that I have seen. But having hiked many pieces of the AT, I surely can relate to his experiences.

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This is Paris (This is . . .) (Hardcover)

by Miroslav Sasek (Author)

Book Details
* Paperback: 64 pages
* Publisher: Universe Publishing (April 24, 2004)
* Language: English
* ISBN-10: 0789310635
* ISBN-13: 978-0789310637
* Dimensions: 12.4 x 8.9 x 0.6 inches
* Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
* Rating:

Book Description
Following on the runaway success of This is New York, Universe is thrilled to reissue two more titles from M. Sasek’s beloved children’s travel series: This is London and This is Paris.
Like This is New York and This is San Francisco, This is London and This is Paris are facsimile editions of Sasek’s original titles. His brilliant, vibrant illustrations have been meticulously preserved and remain true to his vision. With the passing of time facts have been updated where applicable in the back of each book. Perfect souvenirs with timely and nostalgic appeal, the books have an elegant, classic look and delightful narrative that will charm both children and their parents, many of whom will remember them from their own childhood.

This is London, first published in 1959, presents impressions of London with its beautiful buildings, historic monuments, bridges, parks, shops and Piccadilly Circus, black cabs, Horse Guards, and famed Underground.

This is Paris, first published in 1959, brings Paris, one of the most exciting cities in the world, to life. There are famous buildings, beautiful gardens, cafés, and the Parisians-artists, concierges, flower girls, and even thousands of cats. Take a tour along the banks of the Seine, through the galleries of the Louvre, and to the top of the Eiffel Tower.

This is Paris Review
This book, and the entire series of books by Miroslav Sasek, are just wonderful. The story introduces children (ideally from ages of about 3 – 7) to the magic of Paris. The book evokes a sense of wonder, while relaying facts about Paris that children will find very captivating. We see things like Notre Dame, a ticket to ride the Metro, and a gendarme. The illustrations are just lovely, done in a style that helps provide a leaping off point for imagining even more about the story. A marvel of brilliance masquerading as simplicity! The book has been in print for nearly 50 years, and deserves it place along with other children’s classics of the city like “Make Way for Ducklings.”
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My granddaughter loves books about Paris; however, she is only 2 1/2 years old. While searching for other books about the city, Paris, we stumbled across this book on Amazon.com. She loves it. It is written in language she can understand and it has many drawings and illustrations to capture her attention. You won’t be short changed with this book. We can’t wait to order the rest of the books in this series.

Once I have found this book at Amazon and I wondered about the Czech name of the author. I got to explore the book and realized that he was a Czech, what a mystery, we have never been taught about him at school (of no type). His books were written in English after he emigrated from the Czechoslovakia and were never published in Czech. I got too amazed and curious about this book, so I bought it, read it and love it! All the pictures and the style he wrote it in. I just feel cheated, that we Czechs do not know nothing about this wonderful books and about the author.

Written and drawn in 1959 this children’s book taught me a thing or two about a city I thought I already knew a lot about. The pictures and scenes are wonderful in bright colors and include most of the major sites in Paris from “le metro” to Montmartre and the Champs Elysees. There have been a few of the drawings, or accompanying text, that have been asterisked to reflect the changes that have occurred in Paris since 1959 but if you are taking young ones over I highly recommend this book as a way to make some of what they will see a little more understandable for them.

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Undress Me in the Temple of Heaven (Hardcover)

by Susan Jane Gilman (Author)

Book Details
* Hardcover: 320 pages
* Publisher: Grand Central Publishing (March 24, 2009)
* Language: English
* ISBN-10: 0446578924
* ISBN-13: 978-0446578929
* Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.3 x 1.2 inches
* Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
* Rating:

Book Description
They were young, brilliant, and bold. They set out to conquer the world. But the world had other plans for them.

Bestselling author Susan Jane Gilman’s new memoir is a hilarious and harrowing journey, a modern heart of darkness filled with Communist operatives, backpackers, and pancakes.

In 1986, fresh out of college, Gilman and her friend Claire yearned to do something daring and original that did not involve getting a job. Inspired by a place mat at the International House of Pancakes, they decided to embark on an ambitious trip around the globe, starting in the People’s Republic of China. At that point, China had been open to independent travelers for roughly ten minutes.

Armed only with the collected works of Nietzsche, an astrological love guide, and an arsenal of bravado, the two friends plunged into the dusty streets of Shanghai. Unsurprisingly, they quickly found themselves in over their heads. As they ventured off the map deep into Chinese territory, they were stripped of everything familiar and forced to confront their limitations amid culture shock and government surveillance. What began as a journey full of humor, eroticism, and enlightenment grew increasingly sinister-becoming a real-life international thriller that transformed them forever.

Undress Me in the Temple of Heaven is a flat-out page-turner, an astonishing true story of hubris and redemption told with Gilman’s trademark compassion, lyricism, and wit.

Undress Me in the Temple of Heaven Review
Two well-educated, intelligent young women decide in a moment of naivete and foolishness to travel to China together in the 1980s. They struggle in the communist country with language, food, hygiene, and other things we take for granted in the United States. The author’s friend at first seems a bit kooky but gradually becomes totally separated from reality. In other words, she loses her mind and becomes a danger to herself and others. The goal then becomes how to get her friend back to United States before anything too terrible can happen to her. Although this sounds grim and depressing, Gilman has written it in the style of Our Hearts Were Young and Gay. It is at times hysterically funny, and I often read passages out loud so my partner could understand why I was laughing. This is a wonderful book that proves that most people are decent and sweet. I can absolutely see it being made into a film.

Beware of making travel plans, what to do after college plans, any kind of plans based on the placemats at the International House of Pancakes. One night in 1986, fueled by post graduate giddiness and a large amount of alcohol Susan Jane Gilman and friend Claire decide to circle the globe, starting with China (newly opened to any type of tourist activity), one of the sites on IHOP’s placemat. Making sure they have the necessities…the complete works of Nietzsche, an astrology love guide, endless optimism and visions of hostel travel the two embark on a romp that quickly goes awry. Were it not for the peril of venturing into areas of China closed to foreigners, the lack of funds, constant hunger, the threat of arrest and a general lack of awareness of the seriousness of their situation this might be a fun trip. Gilman manages to tell the story with wit and no small amount of hubris. If I wasn’t so irritated by her devil-may-care attitude I might have enjoyed it more. Well written with great dialog and a keen eye for detail , but this book really rubbed me wrong even knowing it all ended well.

I found this book a great read from the beginning; by the time I was a third of the way through, I couldn’t put it down. It’s an exciting, oh-my-god-what’s-going-to-happen-next experience of a book. Instead of the usual let down after you finish, this book leaves you thinking. Gilman shows us our humanity. She has a message that’s not in your face and she delivers it with her characteristic tough New Yorker wit. I laughed and I cried reading this book. Gilman’s message is that we can survive even dreadful circumstances. As Gilman pointed out in Seattle on her book tour, in these times, even sitting in our own living rooms is being on unfamiliar ground. Faced with the stunning differentness of the world financial collapse and the challenge of potential climate disaster, we can take from Susan Jane Gilman’s book a useful lesson: we are resourceful. We will survive.
I can’t wait for the movie!

The author and her friend Clara head to China for the beginning of a round-the-world backpacking adventure after graduation in 1986. And that’s where things begin to go both horribly wrong and on occasion fantastically right. This engaging and griping memoir was written recently, yet the author very ably describes the experience as if it were fresh, while using a light-handed perspective that puts some of the events in the context of China 20 years later. Having done the post-college trip to Europe at that time, I cannot imagine the difficulties of travel in China. Indeed, the author and her friend, were ill-prepared, which adds much to the highs and lows of their experiences. Layered on top of it all, is Clara’s degenerating mental condition. This book illuminates a recent time, when China was just beginning to emerge as a modern country, before the modern investment and development that has culminated in the Olympics. However, what has not changed, and what is at the heart of this story is the interpersonal relationships, and the kindness that travelers often experience while in foreign lands and cultures. I was drawn into the book from the beginning and could barely put it down until the end.

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Undress Me in the Temple of Heaven (Kindle Edition)

The Milepost 2009 (Paperback)

by Kris Valencia (Editor)

Book Details
* Paperback: 800 pages
* Publisher: Morris Communications Cor; 61 edition (March 2009)
* Language: English
* ISBN-10: 1892154269
* ISBN-13: 978-1892154262
* Dimensions: 10.6 x 8.4 x 1 inches
* Shipping Weight: 3.1 pounds
* Rating:

Book Description
Buy this travel book during April and get an extra 50% off select travel and regional magazine purchase–that’s half off our already low subscription price. Pick from bestsellers like “Travel + Leisure”, “Spa” and more.

The Milepost 2009 Review
I have never seen anything as complete as this “bible” of everyting Alaskan. It is a travel guide, road condition guide, fisherman’s guide and anyting else you ever wanted to know about the state and surronding provinces. I used it two years ago on my first trip to Alaska, and would have missed many things without it. They do revise it every year; I checked and found some things different from my 2007 version to the 2009 one. It is laid out by highway with mileage to and from major points. In addition, side roads are integrated within the major highway listings with their own mileage markers.
Whether you are flying, driving, or going by ferry, it is a “gotta have”.

First, there are not many travel guides for the Alaska Highway and the other areas covered in this book. There is quite a bit of helpful information as is but not really enough. I feel that it really falls short and is not nearly as good as the Milepost editions of days gone by as I have been traveling this road off and on for the past 30 years.
Second, The information is way too tainted by who advertises in this travel guide. If they advertise there is info on gas, lodging, etc. If there is no one who advertises in a particular area then there is no mention of services for that area. To me that is incomplete information and really sucks! I also feel that there should be better info for the different seasons as to what is open and not open. Don’t buy gas at the fancy new lodge on Muncho Lake (Northern Rockies Lodge)!!! It is the highest priced fuel on the entire highway by an unreasonable margin and the people are just plain RUDE! Get fuel before leaving Ft. Nelson or after you get to Watson Lake. Make sure you are hungry when you get to Destruction Bay. Then you can eat the best food on the entire highway at the Talbot Arm Motel and Restaurant. I have always had great food for the best price anywhere here!!!

The 2009 edition of “The Milepost” is the current version of the most uniquely valuable travel guide to Alaska and Northwest Canada (British Columbia, Yukon, and Alberta Provinces). This guide is a must-have resource for the tourist, RVer, and North Country camper. Alaska and Northwest Canada cover a huge geographic area with significant terrain and weather variations and far less travel infrastructure than most travelers are used to in the lower ‘48 states. Travelers should not expect gas stations, restaurants, and franchise hotels at every exit off the main roads, nor should they expect that facilities or even roads are open year-round. Dangerous weather and driving conditions are possible to likely as much as six months or more of the year. In addition, travelers need to be alert to both the prospect of wildlife viewing and sometime close encounters in the road. “The Milepost” provides maps, diagrams, photographs, and most of all, an almost mile-by-mile travelogue of what to expect along the main roads in the North Country. This detailed information will allow the traveler to locate the next gas station, campground, hotel, or scenic spot in areas where signs and billboards may be scarce. The text is seeded with advertisements for many of the commercial establishments along the Alaska Highway in Canada and the limited major road network in Alaska, allowing travelers to plan ahead for scarce beds. Travelers can also plan ahead for fishing charters on the world-famous Kenai Peninsula or the operating hours of the few but often fascinating small museums and roadside attractions that can be found along the way. The annual updating of “The Milepost” assures the traveler of some advance notice for construction or major changes in the road network. “The Milepost” does include some information on the location of trailheads, but serious walkers, bikers, and snowmachiners should seek elsewhere for detailed information on off-road routes. This guide includes convenient scheduling information for the Alaska Marine Highway System and directions to the digital version of “The Milepost.” This publication is very highly recommended to both the resident and the visitor in Alaska and Northwest Canada, which are some of the most scenic parts of North America. Don’t leave the lower ‘48 without it.

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