Editorial Review

Ferdinand Magellan's daring circumnavigation of the globe in the sixteenth century was a three-year odyssey filled with sex, violence, and amazing adventure. Now in Over the Edge of the World, prize-winning biographer and journalist Laurence Bergreen entwines a variety of candid, firsthand accounts, bringing to life this groundbreaking and majestic tale of discovery that changed both the way explorers would henceforth navigate the oceans and history itself.

Reviews

What a ride!, February 1, 2004
I loved this book.
The amazing story of Magellan's circumnavigation of the world practically writes itself, especially with access to the journals of Antonio Pigafetta, a Venetian "passenger". The key for any author is not muck up this incredible story. Bergreen succeeds wonderfully by offering a smooth read. The books 400 plus pages fly by. Bergreen seemingly omits nothing and, the journey is here in all its gory, exciting, repellent, horrifying, shocking, wondrous, cruel, beautiful, nerve-wracking, spine-tingling detail.
Bergreen presents about as clear a picture of Magellan the man as possible from nearly 500 years away. The reader is left to admire his leadership and navigational skills and lament his capriciousness and hubris.
Coming on the heels of the vastly overrated Columbus journeys, Magellan's expedition was to prove equally significant, though more calculated and replete with many, many more adventures and tragedies.
A scant few of the original crew and only one of the five ships completed the journey. Along the way there were horrendous storms, mutinies, executions, horrible accidents, illness (scurvy in particular) and all manner of encounters with natives. These encounters could lead to everything from feasts and orgies to murder and dismemberment.
Bergreen does a wonderful job of framing the story within the perspective of the times and the religious, political and social climates.
To me the real hero of the journey emerges in the person of Pigafetta who did a superlative of chronicling the adventure. His must be some of the most thoughtful and thorough journals of their times.
Bergreen's book does him and Magellan's journey justice.

True to life sea adventure, November 4, 2003
Historical achievement is, of course, about people. So no matter when it occurs, achievement is driven by technology, greed, politics, ambition, mistakes, courage, religion, culture, sexuality, and even diet. Good History is as much as about explaining the context of achievement, as it is about detailing facts. This is good History -- and it's a great read.

For most of us, the facts about Magellan have been boiled down to Spanish galleons, funny helmets, and the first circumnavigation of the globe. Bergreen recovers the context to tell a story of a religious man, driven by vision, ambition, and personal slight. Along the way he explains the strategic urgency of Magellan's quest and details the logistics of undertaking the voyage. He helps us understand why cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg were matters of national security to sixteenth century Europeans.

Bergreen leaves us with no doubt that Magellan was courageous. His Magellan is not evil, though the evils of the Age of Exploration are already evident in him and his men. As in other tellings, Magellan's death on the beach at Cebu is an obvious metaphor for the collision of East and West, but Bergreen leaves it to others to belabor the notion. He's much more interested in describing the local politics that set the scene for the tragedy.

With such rich detail and engaging writing, the story of Magellan comes to life as a vivid adventure and an enlightening history.

Page-turning history, December 11, 2003
Does a history book have this much right to be a fun page-turner? Yes, and Laurence Bergreen exceeds to great story telling, marvelous adventure, creating a just plain enjoyable read. Taken either as history or read like a novel this is an amazingly detailed telling of three year voyage which ended in 1522 with only one ship and 18 survivors out of the original five ships and 260 who left Spain with this Portuguese Captain. Even the early chapters, which tell how a Portuguese ends up leading the Spanish fleet, is a marvelous story. But in the end, what stays with you is the shear terror, boredom, disease, and strange island customs all left for us to enjoy because of basically one man, Antonio Pigafetta who was taken on to chronicle the voyage and some how managed to survive mutiny, the voyage through the strait, the native peoples defense of their territories (which resulted in the death of Magellan himself), and in the end being cast aside for a more "official version". Bergreen could not have told his story without Pigafetta and Pigafetta could not have found a better writer to bring his story to a modern audience. I highly recommend this great read!

Frustratingly Uneven, December 31, 2003
Despite its obvious merits as cited by other reviewers, I found this to be a frustratingly uneven book. Yes, it has the compelling flow of a good novel, yet that flow was too often broken by unexpected failures to properly explain or illustrate key points.

I was frequently distracted by the lack of good maps to supplement Bergreen's prose accounts of the Armada's route. Most saliently, the author or his editors have chosen to not include a map of the Strait of Maglellan itself. Instead there are some admittedly fascinating depictions of portions of the Strait and a NASA photograph from space that I found utterly indecipherable.

While Bergreen's long asides on peripheral topics often hit the mark -- such as his discussion of scurvy and its eventual decoding -- others, including some crucial to his account, fall substantially short. Despite the issue's importance, none of Bergreen's numerous attempts to explain the Pope's demarcation of Spanish and Portugese spheres of control (the Treaty of Tordesiillas) adequately clarify how it applied to the Spice Islands on the other side of the world and already explored by Portugal. Of course, this could possibly be the result of my own denseness; others may find his explication perfectly comprehensible. I did not.

Also in this category of incomplete clarification is the author's mention of the International Date Line and the fact of its non-existence in Magellan's day. He references this drawback twice and both times he is satisfied with saying that the Dateline now extends westward from Guam. Of all the facets he could emphasize, this seems an odd choice given that the Dateline does (and must) run for the most part North-South. The location of the Date Line is in fact a highly complex subject (see http://www.phys.uu.nl/~vgent/idl/idl.htm), yet no map that I'm aware of shows it running near Guam. Yes, as a U.S. possession, Guam maintains an idiosyncratic relationship to GMT. And, yes, Guam was Magellan's first landing after crossing the Pacific. But Bergreen should have provided greater context for his remark.

These and other examples of what I deem to be distracting lapses often brought me up short. But the book is obviously the product of prodigious research (in, for the most part, attractive places to do such research), and the faults I cite may not seem so for many readers. The power of the story and Bergreen's skill in telling it will carry most readers through to the end, just as it did for this reader.

But ... it definitely needs more maps.

detailed, vivid, interestingly digressive, November 28, 2003
Mention Magellan and most will tell you he's that guy that sailed around the world. There their knowledge ends, or such as it is, since as Bergreen reminds us in wonderful detail, it was some of Magellan's crew that actually sailed around the world while the majority of it, along with Magellan himself, actually only survived part of the trip.
Packed with historical detail supplemented by first person accounts and side stories that some will find of equal or surpassing interest and others might find too digressive, Bergreen gives us a satisfyingly full look at the man and the journey.
The focus for the first three-quarters of the book is of course on Magellan. His early life history is quickly covered, enough to inform us of his abilities and motivations without bogging the reader down in unnecessary detail or too much psychohistory ("rejected by his father at age six, young Magellan turned to the sea to prove . . . "). The details start to come in Magellan's early attempts to convince his native Portugal to sponsor a journey to the Spice Islands and accumulate even more fully once he takes his leave for Spain and the planning for the trip begins in earnest.
The trip itself is covered in sharp and vivid detail--the political in-fighting, the mutual antagonisms of class and country aboard ship, multiple mutiny attempts, successful and not-so-succesful contacts with natives, and of course the nautical travails themselves--deathly storms,a myriad of navigational obstacles and pursuing Portugese. Not to mention the fact that the entire trip was based on an idea that the world was much, much smaller than it in fact turned out to be.
Most of the trip is seen through the lens of Magellan, and while a clear fan of Magellan, Bergreen is also unafraid to criticize his many errors with regard to ship policy, to politics, to contact with the natives. Magellan comes across as a complex all-too human figure rather than an icon or simple villain. Brilliant at times and amazingly stupid at others, he never fails to hold our attention. Other important figures in the crew are offered similar respect with regard to the fullness of their portrayals.
Beside the journey's details, the reader is treated to digressions into royal relationships, international maneuvering, the importance of spices to sixteenth century economies, the running battle for economic and nautical supremacy between Spain and Portugal, and maybe most fascinating of all, a brief history of the Chinese Treasure Fleet. While some might think Bergreen goes into too much detail here, other might wish for more. I personally fell somewhere in between, able to live with less on the royal personages and wanting more on the spice trade itself (those who feel the same way could do worse than turn to Nathaniel's Nutmeg for more on the topic)as well as on the Treasure Fleet.
I thought at times Bergreen could have left the "European" perspective a bit more, giving us a more full glimpse at the journey from the other end of the spectrum. I also could have done with more frequent use of maps throughout the book to have a more immediate and visual sense of Magellan's progress (or lack thereof). While I felt the lack of both several times, these flaws were relatively minor and only detracted somewhat from the work as a whole. Money, lust, greed, politics, mutiny, pride, betrayal, tragic accidents, man versus nature, battles, shipwrecks, castaways, man versus man, heroism and cowardice, man versus himself. The book has it all, with the added luxury of being true. Well-recommended history.

Around The World In 3 Years And 60,000 Miles, October 28, 2003
Why couldn't they have used books like this as history textbooks back when I was in high school? All I was taught back then was that Magellan's expedition was the first to circumnavigate the globe (even though he himself died along the way); that the voyage took 3 years; and that although Magellan was from Portugal, he sailed for Spain. Here's some of the good stuff they left out (but which Mr. Bergreen includes): Magellan tried to get King Manuel of Portugal to finance the expedition. Magellan didn't have any luck. (Not surprising, since the explorer already had "a history" with the king, and the king didn't like him.) What could have been the last straw for Magellan was when, after an audience with the king, Magellan tried to kiss the king's hand (as was customary). The king withdrew his hand and wouldn't allow Magellan to kiss it. Magellan finally decided to give Manuel the kiss-off, went to Charles I of Spain, and had better luck. Charles was quite interested in the potential profits from the spice trade. (He was broke after borrowing a wad of money from the Fugger family. The reason he borrowed the money? He had to pay a lot of bribes to the electors who were going to decide who the next Holy Roman Emperor was going to be. Charles wanted the position even though, as Voltaire later said, the Holy Roman Empire wasn't holy, wasn't Roman, and wasn't an empire.) Manuel of Portugal was quite upset with Magellan for offering his services to Spain, especially because he brought secret Portuguese navigational charts with him (which Mr. Bergreen explains would be equivalent to the theft of nuclear secrets during the Cold War). Manuel sent an envoy to Spain to try and talk Magellan out of the trip. When that didn't work, the envoy bad-mouthed Magellan to Charles I. That didn't work either. After Magellan sailed, Manuel really got mad: he sent some thugs to harass Magellan's family and to vandalize the family home. For good measure, excrement was smeared on the Magellan escutcheon. Manuel also sent out his own expedition to try to catch up with, and stop, Magellan. I guess you could say the king was a sore loser. Anyway, this all takes place in the beginning of the story. Things get better after that. (For example, we learn that Charles I's mother was called Juana the Mad. One reason for this just could have been that for several years Juana kept the remains of her late husband, Philip the Handsome, next to her bed. She expected him to come back to life and wanted him in a convenient spot. After Philip's death Juana also insisted on only dressing in black and she refused to bathe.) The book is chock full of 16th century realpolitik, mutinies, torture, natural history, as well as information on spices and the erotic practices of various Pacific Islanders. We also get to read some interesting material about the 15th century Chinese Treasure Fleets. Mr. Bergreen is obviously a big Magellan fan, but he doesn't put the great navigator's faults below deck - Magellan could be overly strict, arrogant, and close-minded. As the voyage went on and he finally made it to the Pacific he seemed to forget that his primary mission was to find the Spice Islands and he got sidetracked into converting islanders to Christianity. If any groups resisted, Magellan would resort to hardball - in one case, burning down a village. His "bull in a china shop" tactics resulted in his death. Still, the author leaves you with no doubt that, on balance, Magellan was admirable. The book is incredibly far-ranging in scope and I've only skimmed the surface concerning what is between the covers - and we're supposed to keep these reviews relatively brief. In conclusion though, let me say if I were doing the advertising for the book I'd write, "If you read only one book about an explorer this year...make it this one!"

great account of one of the legendary journeys, October 17, 2003
Laurence Bergreen provides a deep look at Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan's sixteenth century quest that led to the first known navigation of the world. This journey is a pivotal point in how Europeans viewed the world as people realized that not only will one not fall off the globe, but that Europe is not the epicenter of the orb. Mr. Bergreen followed the ill-fated journey through what is now the Straits of Magellan at the tip of South America and uses satellite images to further enhance the trek. Of interest to historical buffs is the daily journal that encompasses known research from around the globe. This includes sailor Albo's log and the comments of scholar sailor Pigafetta. The author debunks several modern day myths such as Magellan's mission was not go around the world, but to find a water route to the Spice Islands; and that the voyage was not glorious but brutal and filled with tragedy and misfortunes including the Captain having died in the Philippines. Magellan never made it. The trek took three years with only one ship with eighteen survivors making it back to Spain.

This is a great account of one of the legendary journeys of history. Supplemented by maps, inserts, and first hand accounts, readers join on the harrowing trek that proved once and for all that the world is round. No one will feel over the edge with this great look at the "Terrifying Circumnavigation of the Globe" by Magellan and his crew.

Harriet Klausner

An amazing, exciting and meticulously researched book., October 14, 2003
This book is a combination of exciting, fast-paced narrative and meticulous research that is hard to put down. Bergreen places the reader alongside Magellan as he seeks backing for his trip, and then on Magellan's flagship, the Trinidad, with the Captain General on his historic voyage. In the end, Magellan succeeded in changing mankind's fundamental understanding of the world, overcoming obstacles, adversaries and long-held views to do so.

Particularly absorbing are the book's insights into the strengths and flaws of the players involved. Magellan was clearly a masterful navigator, a man with a vision and the single-minded ambition to pursue it. When the Portuguese refused to back his venture and made a point of disdaining him, Magellan turned to their rivals, the Spanish, who agreed to support him -- but also somewhat unsubtly undermined his authority on the voyage. (The mystery of Portugal's refusal is made clear late in the book; it is an incredible piece of irony that resonates with current events.) As the voyage proceeds, facing hostile natural conditions, resentment among a crew with divided loyalties, and the unknown, Magellan emerges as a complex personality, a man with a sure hand in some matters but blind spots that prove increasingly costly.

The objective of the mission was ostensibly to bring home (to Spain) spices and, more specifically, cloves. Men died, nations clashed, ships were lost, and mankind's knowledge of the world was expanded to this end. And, ultimately, when the survivors of Magellan's fleet returned to port, their reception was a mix of skepticism, hostility, and amazement, filtered through a political lens of faltering monarchies and changing times. This is a well-told story that is fraught with current relevance.

An Incredible Journey and an Excellent Book!, June 11, 2004
I rarely give books a 5 star rating, but this one certainly deserves it. The book gives full account of Magellan's circumnavigation of the globe, in all its horrifying and glorious details. While it is clear that the writer is a staunch Magellan admirer, he does not hesitate to criticize Magellan's style of leadership, the Captain's over-inflated ego or the needless risks he took (one of which ultimately resulted in his death).

Reading this book, I found myself transported into 16th century Europe, an era full of intrigue, magic and of casual disregard for human life. The book was absolutely captivating and I was not able to put it down. From my perspective, the most interesting thing about the story is that while today Magellan is recognized as a hero and as one of the most important explorers of all time, in his day Magellan received no recognition and was the target of suspicion and hatred.

For the most part, Bergreen's writing style is fluid and easy to read, however at times it is a bit too flowery for my taste. The book also suffers from a shortage of illustrations and maps which could have been instructive. For example, an illustration of Magellan's ships, the weapons and armor of the era and current pictures of some of the main locations involved, would all have been nice. Nevertheless, I highly recommend this book for any fan of popular history books.

Not an Advertisement for a Cruise Line!!, April 9, 2004
When I was in Junior High School, my History teacher told us that Magellan took some ships from Spain, found the straits that now bear his name and then was eaten by cannibals in the Philippines. That pretty much summed up my entire exposure to Magellan's journey until I read this fanatastic book. Begreen tells the tale in such a way that would put my Junior High School teacher to shame and I would say that this should be required reading in high schools throughout America. Not only does Bergreen write very well, but he puts the story of Magellan and his crew into the proper historical perspective by relaying what is going on in the world at the same time as this voyage. The disputes and distrust between the Spanish and the Portuguese, the influence of the Chinese and Arabs on Southeast Asia, the effects of the Inquisition on the crew, are all brought out to the forefront of this story and this allows the reader to fully understand who Magellan was, why he and the crew did the things they did and why the entire mission almost failed.

At the same time, Bergreen totally immerses the reader into every detail of life at sea in the 16th Century. I doubt anyone alive today could stand what those sailors had to survive, trapped aboard those leaking, rotting wooden ship, without proper food, healthcare, or even fresh water. Anyone taking a Caribbean Cruise should read this book first to fully appreciate that life at sea is not one All-You-Can-Eat Buffet and shuffleboard. Make sure your kids eat their fruits and vegetables, as scurvy is not a problem you want to have in your family!!!

I totally recommend this book. It's a quick, enjoyable read that puts the reader right onto the deck of a 16th Century caravel for one of the most courageous and daring voyages ever undertaken by man. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Acclaimed as one of the most exciting books in the history of American letters, this modern epic became an instant bestseller upon publication in 1974, transforming a generation and continuing to inspire millions. This 25th Anniversary Quill Edition features a new introduction by the author; important typographical changes; and a Reader's Guide that includes discussion topics, an interview with the author, and letters and documents detailing how this extraordinary book came to be. A narration of a summer motorcycle trip undertaken by a father and his son, the book becomes a personal and philosophical odyssey into fundamental questions of how to live. The narrator's relationship with his son leads to a powerful self-reckoning; the craft of motorcycle maintenance leads to an austerely beautiful process for reconciling science, religion, and humanism. Resonant with the confusions of existence, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance is a touching and transcendent book of life. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Take some of the mystery out of a walk in the woods with this new field guide from the author of Reading the Forested Landscape.Thousands of readers have had their experience of being in a forest changed forever byreading Tom Wessels’s Reading the ForestedLandscape. Was this forest once farmland?Was it logged in the past? Was there ever amajor catastrophe like a fire or a wind stormthat brought trees down?

Now Wessels takes that wonderful abilityto discern much of the history of the forestfrom visual clues and boils it all down to amanageable field guide that you can take outto the woods and use to start playing forestdetective yourself. Wessels has created a key—a fascinating series of either/or questions—to guide you through the process of analyzing what you see. You’ll feel like a woodlandSherlock Holmes. No walk in the woods willever be the same. 50 color photographs ... Read more

Reviews

Forest Forensics, November 7, 2010
Forest forensics is CSI meets AMC. This is wonderful book, if you live in the northeastern US or Canada and spend time in the outdoors. You will come to see the landscape around you in a whole new way - to read the history of the impacts of hurricanes, farming, logging etc. The book has clear descriptions tied to beautiful color plates, so you understand exactly what he's talking about. For example, only large rocks in rock wall indicate that the adjoining land was a hay field, small rocks indicate regular crop cultivation which causes small rocks to surface. Upon first read, even before you take to the field, you will begin to say "Ah ha", as you recall seeing various forms of rock fences, tree forms, or stumps. Not only does he help you read the events of the past, but date them. This book is very accessible and just plain fun. And best of all, while this book helps you answer lots of questions, your observations will reveal a new level of subtly and leave you with even more questions. If you enjoy the woods, whether kayaker, backpacker, weekend hiker or skier, buy this book. You will see the world around you in a new way.

Amazing book, October 31, 2010
If you spend any time in the outdoors and have wondered about what you are seeing, purchase this book. It will make your walks more enjoyable!

Note Your Geogrphic Location, December 15, 2010
Take note this book advises you it is for the NE of the United States. Before purchasing it make sure you will be in or close proximity to the NE or Canada. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Want to know where to discover a spectacular tropical paradise? How about journeying to the world's greatest natural wonders, or taking the road trip of a lifetime? 1000 Ultimate Experiences brings together 1000 ideas, places and activities sure to inspire and entertain. Make your own list, hit the road, and start ticking off places you've always wanted to see and things you've always wanted to do. Who knows where you'll end up!

Sleep under the stars in a Bedouin tent in Jordan
Find out the best beaches to swing a hammock
Jump on board the Ghan for a trip through Australia's remote Red Center
Spot Banksy's art in Bristol
Come on, get happy in Bhutan
... Read more

Reviews

Just enough to wet your appetite, February 7, 2010
This is a great book to get your mind working on places you many have never considered traveling to. I really like the way the book is structured by grouping places by types of interests (e.g. Most Spine-Tingling Commutes, New York's Best Food Cultures, Best Obscure Holidays). Each of these expose the reader to looking at travel as an experience that can be unique and unforgettable. For each section the book typically lists 5-10 different areas around the world that fit the section. These are varied consistently and provide a good mix of experiences from tame to exotic. Each area is usually covered by 1 or 2 paragraphs so it's just enough to help you figure out what's interesting enough to research in other ways.

This book is not a detailed travel guide. You won't get any details on each of the areas, no pricing, restaurant suggestions, etc. It's meant to be help you find experiences on a much higher level and leaves the detailed guidance to other sources.

The writing is clear and the photography is excellent.

I definitely recommend this book.

The Ultimate Trip-Inspiration Guide for Grown-Ups, January 18, 2010
Planning a trip? Take a gander at this book for stimulating ideas for voyages centered around budget adrenaline rushes, romance or simply sheer visual beauty. In this economy, many folks will enjoy the "Best Ways to Eke out your Holiday Money" section with advice from getting a job overseas to sharing a self-catering rental, even places to rent a James-Bond-type survival pod for about 50 Euros; "Countries that can still be travelled on the cheap" comes with a gorgeous shot of Laos' Tat Sae limestone waterfalls, which can be viewed for free.

Trip-inspiring section like "best beaches to swing in a hammock" or "obscure holiday destinations" are sure to invoke interest as well as a few chuckles; though intriguing, many of the places listed will likely only be experienced by most vicariously. Many of the images scattered throughout the thick volume are quite breathtaking, making one wish the pages had been printed on larger paper (the book measures 5.5"x7.25"). However, a few of the photographs were rather macabre in nature and still others too inappropriate for the book to be perused by young children.

Reviewed by Meredith Greene

not as good as it could have been, May 6, 2010
I was really excited to order this book, and sadly the excitement ended there. The book seemed incredibly random to me, with a lot of repetition of places/regions that I have no interest in going...and this is coming from someone who loves to travel. On top of the the categories by which they chose to organize different stuff didn't seem well thought out. Examples: Best in slow travel, best ways to eke out your holiday money, and my favorite- quintessential travel experiences..., seriously? I though the whole book was supposed to be about quintessential travel experiences. Overall it seems like the editors at lonely planet had trouble getting to a list of 1,000 and put in a bunch of crap filler that ruins it for me. If you are interested in this type of book with brief paragraphs on cool places all over the world I suggest checking out the Rough Guide's "Make the most of your time on Earth: 1000 Ultimate travel experiences" Overall I found that one to be better written, more inspiring and better organized.

Fun read, September 10, 2010
This book is fun to read! From a person who loves to travel this book has a range of interesting places and scenarios. Even if you can't visit the places in the book it a great for those with a stong imagination. I gave this book to my boyfriend, also an avid traveler, and we love flipping through and thinking of where we want to go next!

Wow!, May 2, 2010
I've done a lot of cool things and been to a lot of great places, but I guess I have a lot more to go. Thanks for the great "bucket list"!

Excellent!, January 30, 2010
This book provides a lot of great ideas for fun and adventurous things to do. In general, the short descriptions of the 1,000 experiences are useful. Also, although it includes many pictures and web sites, I wish it had even more. Regardless, it's still excellent.

Inspirational Reading, January 20, 2010

The 1000 Ultimate experiences book is a must for anybody looking for inspiration ahead of planning a big trip

it is varied and contains a wealth of information and some great pictures! ... Read more

Editorial Review

In Paris for a weekend visit, Elizabeth Bard sat down to lunch with a handsome Frenchman--and never went home again.

Was it love at first sight?Or was it the way her knife slid effortlessly through her pav� au poivre, the steak's pink juices puddling into the buttery pepper sauce?LUNCH IN PARIS is a memoir about a young American woman caught up in two passionate love affairs--one with her new beau, Gwendal, the other with French cuisine. Packing her bags for a new life in the world's most romantic city, Elizabeth is plunged into a world of bustling open-air markets, hipster bistros, and size 2 femmes fatales. She learns to gut her first fish (with a little help from Jane Austen), soothe pangs of homesickness (with the rise of a chocolate souffl�) and develops a crush on her local butcher (who bears a striking resemblance to Matt Dillon). Elizabeth finds that the deeper she immerses herself in the world of French cuisine, the more Paris itself begins to translate.French culture, she discovers, is not unlike a well-ripened cheese-there may be a crusty exterior, until you cut through to the melting, piquant heart.

Peppered with mouth-watering recipes for summer ratatouille, swordfish tartare and molten chocolate cakes, Lunch in Paris is a story of falling in love, redefining success and discovering what it truly means to be at home. In the delicious tradition of memoirs like A Year in Provence and Under the Tuscan Sun, this book is the perfect treat for anyone who has dreamed that lunch in Paris could change their life. ... Read more

Reviews

Love and Laughter With An American In Paris, January 8, 2010

Winsome and fun, December 31, 2009

Pleasant enough, but not enough of anything., January 28, 2010

A delicious read!, December 23, 2009

Recipes Needed Testing, May 16, 2010
With the popularity of cookbooks and food memoirs, it seems authors like Elizabeth Bard toss recipes into their books just to get published or improve sales. Bard almost says as much herself when, after bemoaning through most of the book that she hasn't achieved the kind of success and recognition from others that she had considered her due, she lights on the idea of a cookbook as her route to glory. It's actually a pretty good idea: she seems to be a reasonably articulate writer, but without much of a story to tell; her life seems far more ordinary than she appears to think.

As someone who loves to cook, however, I don't think recipes should be just a gimmick. They should work. I admit that I have only made one of her recipes, but it is so spectacularly wrong that I am torn between annoyance and laughter that I even tried following her directions. I just made her strawberry rhubarb crumble. The oven temperature given was strangely low, but that I adjusted after it had barely started to cook in the time given. The ridiculous part is the crumble topping: there is so much of it that the topping is three times as thick as the layer of fruit. Also, the unfortunate inclusion of a tablespoon of cornstarch in the fruit renders it gummy and unappealing.

I'm giving her a star for being a pretty good writer, but I'm taking off one star for the ridiculous recipe I just wasted my time and ingredients on, another for her story being on the whole dull, and a third because her somewhat annoying personality combined with a far-too-healthy ego made reading the book feel like being in a pleasant place (Paris) but trapped with someone one dislikes. (I'm not counting the first star because Amazon gives that one automatically.)

some cheese with that whine?, August 3, 2010
A whiny professional student moves to Paris and frets about trials such as attending cocktail parties, not being able to find canned chicken broth, and working exhausting three-hour days at the Louvre (followed by a leisurely lunch out). When I got to the part about her stepfather taking out loans and paying her credit card bills so that she could maintain her Parisian lifestyle, I had to stop reading. Her petty gripes and sense of entitlement ruined what could have been a wonderful story about a cross-cultural relationship. Tant pis.

Elizabeth Bard's Jour de Gloire est arrivee, December 29, 2009

A Michelin-starred restaurant meal , prepared by a sous-chef, February 19, 2010
To be clear, this review is a straight 3 stars.

Like many of these reviewers, I too love all things French. In no small way, it is because that is my heritage. So, I too have spent much time in Paris, and thought this book would be an entertaining and insightful read. Not quite. While Elizabeth Bard has some expressive ways of describing French tendencies, it is apparent that she thought she should do this at the expense of her American heritage. Frankly, I find that boring. Plus the addition of recipes is so cliche, that I have no interest in trying them. (I had a similarly negative reaction to Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes, but in that case I also disliked Mayes puerile writing style immensely).

What is good is that Bard's writing is amusing once you get past the opening line. Her turn of phrase is clever and reasonably well articulated. Even her story is compelling. But she provides too many intimate details about her "affair" with her then first date/now husband, and not enough details about trying to assimilate into a French family. The cultural and societal differences between the US and France are well known, as are the issues that come to any couple that is newly married. Since this is a memoir, why not explore in depth her trials and tribulations of fitting into a culturally different family? And, by the way, how about addressing his familial expectations and experiences with her American counterpart, and how the two of them transcend the familial issues? Not only is she capable of writing humorous antidotes about each family on personal level, without the intimate or belittling overtones, but more of that would have been "fascinating" to read. Not so her descriptions of sex, society, and the US vs. French governments. As others have noted, the last half is more interesting than the first half. Bard should understand the difference, if she wants her writing to grow. Her first book, is a quick read, with a cute story, but her personal details could have included a more intriguing bent. And, NOTE TO PUBLISHERS, enough already with the memoirs infiltrated with recipes!

Hugely enjoyable, also thought provoking..., February 1, 2010
This is a terrific book. It is a memoir of the Author's move to Paris as she meets and gets to know her new boyfriend and as their relationship develops and he becomes her husband. But it is much more than this, it evokes the author's past, family (both real and chosen), in-laws and the reasons why they all have arrived where they are today. It is gentle, but also raw, passionate and angry at times. The descriptions of living within, and yet on the fringes of a different culture are so well expressed and resonate deeply for me. Small things become both joys (the perfect croissant) and frustration (bureaucracy). The need to connect and engage within a culture where you are without the rules is difficult to experience and more difficult to express fluently and coherently. The book is honest about her lonely times, and her struggles to adapt, but is leavened by the small and great triumphs she enjoys... lunch in a cafe, reading her first french book with fluency... I have been absorbed, transported, emphasised with the author and resented having to put it down to carry on with my normal life. Thank you for this glimpse into your life Elizabeth! I can't wait to get home to try the recipes, many of which are written with an emotional context. I think french onion soup will be first. Can we have a recipe for the chicken broth too please? It has also changed my eating habits. I was very struck by the different attitude to food that the french have, and have consciously changed my habits as a result. I feel better, and am losing weight!

Enteraining, easy, good fun, January 25, 2010

Editorial Review

West with the Night is the story of Beryl Markham--aviator, racehorse trainer, beauty--and her life in the Kenya of the 1920s and '30s.
Regarded by many as one of the best adventure books ever! ... Read more

Reviews

The Divided Heart, March 8, 2002
No less a writer than Ernest Hemingway said about West with the Night, "As it is she has written so well, and marvelously well, that I was completely ashamed of myself as a writer. I felt that I was simply a carpenter with words, picking up whatever was furnished on the job and nailing them together and sometimes making an okay pigpen. But she can write rings around all of us who consider ourselves as writers." Coming from an author who was renowned for his ego and lack of respect for other writers, this is high praise indeed, and West with the Night deserves it.

The story opens with the author being called in the middle of the night to deliver a tank of oxygen to a dying man. The reason she has been called is because her business is flying a small bi-plane through the wilds of Africa on delivery errands such as these. The flight and subsequent visit with the dying man and his doctor are used to introduce us to Africa - the rich black nights, the stories of her native peoples, the harsh reminder with the appearance of a jackal that "...in Africa there is never any waste."

In this first section we also begin to know and wonder about the author, a native of Britain who was transplanted to African soil at the age of 2 and raised by her father on his farm at Njoro. There her primary playmates were the children of the Nandi Murani tribe and her principle schoolroom the African landscape itself. As Markham puts it, "Africa was the breath and life of my childhood. It is still the host of all my darkest fears, the cradle of mysteries always intriguing, but never wholly solved. It is the remembrance of sunlight and green hills, cool water and the yellow warmth of bright mornings. It is as ruthless as any sea, more uncompromising than its own deserts. It is without temperance in its harshness or in its favors. It yields nothing, offering much to men of all races."

It is Markham's misfortune, but also her gift, that she could never be fully assimilated by the native people and the landscape. Her father insisted on sending her to school, relatives and friends did their best to expose her to European culture, and in the end Africa itself conspired to force her out of the fold and into the larger world. The end result is a woman who walks a fine and complex line within herself between two radically different perceptions of the world.

Although Markham's story is remarkable based on facts alone - taking us from her childhood haunts to her historic flight across the Atlantic Ocean - it is the elegance and depth of the writing that sets this book apart. When she talks about the horses she and her father bred and raised, for example, it's as if she is stepping into the animals' skins. When she discusses her hunt for a fellow pilot, lost in the bush, it is with total absorption in the moment. This is the kind of book that can make you forget you are reading a book, drawing you into the subtleties of life as Markham knew it - engaging all the senses and ultimately your heart as well.

Absolutly spellbinding--it is a plane ride to another world, August 30, 1998
I visited Kenya last year and saw this book all over the shelves, and I picked it up. Little did I know, I was picking up one of the best written and most evocative books of all time. I was swept away immediatly by her involving narrative and descriptions. And let me tell you, the descriptions capture the Kenyan landscape and people remarkably well. It is just as wonderful and mysterious as Markham writes. This book transported me to the dazzling age of the 1920's and 30's in Kenya--which is full of fascinating trailblazers. I read a lot of the novel outloud, and her thoughts seemed to become my thoughts. Her anecdotes and experiences are so poignant that they seem to shoot me right through the heart. I want to reread this novel again and again, it is wonderous. Hemingway was right when he said " it is a bloody wonderful book." If you like Markham, you should read Isak Dineson's classic Out of Africa. However, Markham does more soul-searching and delving into herself than Dineson does. You'll recognize some familiar charactars as well. Both are true stories!

Wow...a beautiful heck of a book!, September 29, 2002
Mere moments have passed since I closed the back cover on "West with the Night", and already I am missing its world and its voice. It is one of those rare books that can, with the simple fluidity of its narrative, pull you in and engulf you entirely.

I am not a big fan of the memoir, but Markham's (or whoever wrote it) voice is neither bombastic nor humble; she feels less a narrator or subject than a fellow traveller, along with you for the ride. Although the life she lived was extraordinary and compelling, she refreshingly views it in clipped, casual, careful terms, as unimpressed with herself as if she'd been a midwestern housewife, not a pilot and horse trainer in Colonial Africa.

Many readers will approach "West with the Night" out of a pre-existing interest in and knowledge of its era and characters, and will no doubt experience it entirely differently than I did. While a few names rang vague bells, for the most it was an engaging introduction. But I read it as literature, not as history, and enjoyed it immensely as such. I found her small personal anecdotes far more interesting than the accounts of her grand feats. The Atlantic flight that made her famous rounds out the end of the book, but is rather dry and dull compared to her African tales. Stories such as her father's pompous parrot had me in spasms of public giggles.

It is little wonder that Hemmingway praised this book, as the sparse directness of its utilitarian prose makes even the Old Man of the Sea seem a flowery romantic. Its structure can be rather meandering, but in that regard it resembles the contours of memory, which makes me believe Markham did indeed write her own book.

Excellent book of a life in Eastern Africa, December 28, 2000
Whoever wrote it, "West With the Night" is a lyrically beautiful story of an amazing life: Beryl Markham arrived in Africa in 1905 at the age of three, she spent her childhood on her father's farm, learning all about African people and wildlife; she became a horse-trainer (racing was surprisingly popular in colonial Kenya); she was the first woman in Africa to have a pilot's license, working as a freelance pilot in Kenya; she was the first person to fly solo non-stop across the Atlantic East-to-West (hence the book's title). This book is an interesting and very readable documentation of Kenya in the era of Isak Dinesen, Bror Blixen, Denys Finch Hatton, et al (all of whom she knew). Hemingway praised this book lavishly, saying:

"Did you read Beryl Markham's book, "West with the Night"? I knew her fairly well in Africa and never would have suspected that she could and would put pen to paper except to write in her flyer's log book. As it is, she has written so well, and marvelously well, that I was completely ashamed of myself as a writer. .... But this girl who is, to my knowledge, very unpleasant,... can write rings around all of us who consider ourselves as writers. The only parts of it that I know about personally, on account of having been there at the time and heard the other people's stories, are absolutely true. So, you have to take as truth the early stuff about when she was a child which is absolutely superb. She omits some very fantastic stuff which I know about which would destroy much of the character of the heroine; but what is that anyhow in writing?"

As Hemingway may have suspected, Markham may not be the real author, and "West With the Night" does leave out major portions of her life; it would be a good idea to read it along with the biography of her life, "Straight On Till Morning: The Biography of Beryl Markham" by Mary Lovell (Lovell also wrote "A Rage to Live: A Biography of Richard and Isabel Burton").

Beautiful prose, January 5, 2000
I picked this up in a garage sale, purely on the strength of the cover picture - it seemed like that face had seen and done a lot - which turns out to be absolutely true! More like poetry than prose, some of her descriptive passages have to be read more than once, just to let the feelings soak into your system. Ms Markham's early life is told in a matter-of-fact way, which takes it for granted that, when at 17, your father decides to leave Africa for Peru, you jump on your horse and head North, with no food, one change of underwear, little education, but a deep knowledge of horses and expect to land on your feet. Which is exactly what she does, co-incidentally meeting many yet-to-be-famous people on the way. Hunter; horse-trainer; aeronaut; most people would be happy to excel in any one of these professions, but Beryl does it all with surpassing ease. Her style is self-effacing and matter-of-fact; you would imagine that being 'moderately eaten' by a lion would warrant more than a couple of paragraphs, but it only gets included here, I suspect, on the strength of Bishon Singh's wonderful rhetoric in describing the event. She also has a knack of striking up instant and longlasting relationships with people from every race, creed and social status - I don't believe she even saw those differences; be he a Murani warrior or a colonial Governor, they both get treated to the same open-minded friendship. A book to read & read again.

The Wonders of the African Frontier, March 13, 2000
Historic, personal, and romantic tales of a female pioneer in aviation fill the pages of West with the Night. It is beautifully written, poetry put into chapters to tell of the adventures of the developing African frontier. The book follows the life of the Beryl Markham, the author, giving the reader a view into the lives of her native friends, the small social world of the British settlers, and a young girl growing up as the result of the integrating cultures. She is, herself, both fresh and new, one of the first to develop a mindset of blended customs. Besides observing the profits of the British cultural invasion of East Africa, the reader is, all the while, taken on a non-stop ride of African adventures. Like a child, pulling anxiously at your hand, sprinting onward toward further exploration, Markham speeds us through dangers ranging from leopards to the risks of early flight in an unmapped land. It is a mind-boggling world of naturally flowing chaos, deep thought, admiral respect, and truly amazing people, entirly unimaginable to the modern American. Markham has seen it like no one before her and few after, and when she puts it to paper, the reader can see directly into her heart. A must read.

A beautiful book..., May 23, 2000
I was talking about Africa one day, and one of my younger friends who had just completed college, recommended this book. I looked for the book because my friend is not given to reading, and the fact that she was impressed told me it might be an interesting book. I liked the book so much, I bought a "talking" version for my older aunt who has lost much of her vision and cannot read. She loved the book too. From this sample of three women, I can tell you this book will appeal to all ages.

Beryl Markham neglects many aspects of her colorful life, the story briefly covers her child hood in Africa and then mostly focuses on her wonderful flight, actually harder than Lindbergh's flight since she flew East to West, Europe to North America, against the jet stream. The description of the flight is thrilling up til the last when she crash lands--in North America.

If you want to know more about Beryl and her escapades, read "Out of Isak Dinesen, Karn Blixon's Untold Story" by Linda Donelson. Beryl knew Blixon (17 years her senior, and a mentor at some points) and Denis Finch Hatton. Also, the wonderful BBC film "Heat of the Sun" contains a character played by Susannah Harker (an avatrix) loosely based on Beryl Markham.

The Great American Novel - Only Its A True Story From Africa, July 1, 2003
Life and love, hardship and adventure, romance and history - all beautifully woven into a delightful autobiography of an unlikely heroine. The daughter of a poor white farmer trying to eke out a living in untamed and uncharted Africa, Beryl Markham rose from very humble beginnings to become a successful horse trainer, bush pilot, and the first person to fly east-to-west across the Atlantic from England. Her fantastic life seems to be one adventure after another, coincidentally commingled with the lives of Isak Dinesen (the author and heroine of "Out of Africa") and Denys Finch Hatton (played by Robert Redford in the movie, OOA). On this level alone, that of an adventure-packed historical tale, this book is compelling. But the absolute poetry of the narrative makes it inescapable.

Ms. Markham's inimitable flair for description and metaphor are enchantingly powerful. One could truly open the book to any random page and find a treasure. No previous knowledge of plot or precedence would be vital to the enjoyment. That such extraordinary prose also reveals an incredible life provides a rich dividend. Savor the following corsage randomly plucked from the bouquet:

"Arab Ruta... is of the tribe that observes with equal respect the soft voice and the hardened hand, the fullness of a flower, the quick finality of death. His is the laughter of a free man happy at his work, a strong man with lust for living. He is not black. His skin holds the sheen and warmth of used copper. His eyes are dark and wide-spaced, his nose is full-boned and capable of arrogance.

"He is arrogant now, swinging the propeller, laying his lean hands on the curved wood, feeling an exultant kinship in the coiled resistance to his thrust.

"He swings hard. A splutter, a strangled cough from the engine like the premature stirring of a sleep-slugged labourer. In the cockpit I push gently on the throttle, easing it forward, rousing the motor, feeding it, soothing it."

My first encounter with this charming book was accidental but fortuitous. I found the paperback in an airport bookstore, and stayed engrossed and enchanted by the lyrical meanderings for the entirety of my three-hour flight. A few years later I discovered the audio version which springs to an even greater life in the voice of Julie Harris. Her reading of the horse race that proved to be a watershed moment for Ms. Markham, still has the capacity to choke me to tears, though I have listened to it many times.

A few reviewers here have given less than laudatory reviews. This book is absolutely among the top five I have ever read, and I must pity those unfortunate souls who are tone-deaf to the rhapsodic music playing among its pages. Never mind my glowing endorsement. Never mind that Ernest Hemmingway said that Beryl Markham "has written so well, and marvelously well, that I was completely ashamed of myself as a writer." Just find this book and open it randomly to any page. You will quickly discover that this book is an extraordinary encounter. Don't miss it!

Beats Hemingway Hands Down, June 25, 2000
I wasn't reading about Beryl Markham when I first learned of West With the Night. I was reading about Hemingway, a writer who is much better known and more admired than Markham, but to my way of thinking, with little reason. Apparently, Hemingway so admired this book that he was moved to the point of shame to know that he too was called a writer.

Stunningly evocative of life in East Africa in the early part of the 20th Century, West With the Night carries the reader directly into Markham's life. If there was a person lucky enough to have truly lived more than Markham lived, we might in fact have to turn to Hemingway to find him. Having broken all stereotypes before they were known as stereotypes, Markham did 80 years ago what few women today would even imagine. Raised by her widower father, Markham was the only white child within 200 miles in any direction. Under the tutelage of native hunters, she learned to face down lions and elephants, and went on to become a professional horse trainer. But flying was her true calling. Learning the geography of the cockpit from no less an instructor than Tom Black, one of England's best-known bush pilots and an aviator who is still revered, Markham soon became the only woman pilot in East Africa, delivering everything from the mundane (gin for the white hunters) to the life-saving (tanks of oxygen for malaria victims).

Throughout the book, we are treated to some of the most vivid descriptions of an Africa that is long gone. Curiously missing, however, is any sense of her love interests as she grew and matured. We come close when we learn of her affection for Tom Black, but the affection feels brotherly in nature. And, then again, when she partakes of a transcontinental adventure with the dashing Baron von Blixen---one of the legendary characters of colonial Africa--we're never certain if passion played a part. Perhaps the absence of a love interest is a reflection of the more genteel times in which the book was written, or perhaps her true love was Africa and the sense of being truly alive that such a place seems to have imparted to every day of Beryl Markham's life.

But in fact, Markham is still alive--in a way. You cannot help but sense her presence after the first chapter. West With the Night is that good.

Beryl Markham is Amazing, May 19, 2005
I was enthralled with this book from beginning to end. It is a fascinating biography of a remarkable woman and her accomplishments. But it is much more than a biography; in telling her story, Beryl Markham intimately and masterfully leads us through the years and adventures and places of her life.

As I flew through the pages, I couldn't help but experience a sweet fondness - almost as though I had somehow, through her eloquence, assimilated my own sanguine memories - for the things of her life, the things she loved; her Africa was my Africa.

Any person who has ever admitted to harboring prejudice - and we all do - should read this book. Beryl Markham accomplished great historically notable things, but her real legacy may be that in telling of her life, she introduces to us people, our earthly brothers, dwellers upon the Dark Continent, in a light that allows us to love them as kindred souls.

The book is inspiring, delightful and occasionally surprising as heroes emerge from unlikely places; real men and women of true character. It is a masterful expose with wonderful and enlightening narratives of the geography, vegetation, people and the wild and domestic animals of Beryl Markham's East Africa.

I recommend this book to anyone with an interest in adventure, aviation, humanity, horses, geography, world history, self governance, and everyone who savors life and seeks to be enriched with knowledge of the lives and ways of the great ones who have gone before us. Five Stars are well earned! -Obelus
... Read more

Editorial Review

A century ago, outsiders saw China as a place where nothing ever changes. Today the country has become one of the most dynamic regions on earth. In Oracle Bones, Peter Hessler explores the human side of China's transformation, viewing modern-day China and its growing links to the Western world through the lives of a handful of ordinary people. In a narrative that gracefully moves between the ancient and the present, the East and the West, Hessler captures the soul of a country that is undergoing a momentous change before our eyes.

Reviews

Don't miss this book., August 6, 2007
Having read and enjoyed Hessler's first book, and because I am an ESOL teacher, I looked forward to receiving this one. Since I am not a history buff, the book provided me a good overview of the past of an emerging world power without ever becoming tedious with names and dates. The ancient past is covered, and the major eras of the twentieth century are presented from different points of view, so that a feel for the lives of modern Chinese people emerges without "studying" the main events which shaped their lives. The description (above, by the publisher) of the book is totally apt; it weaves past and present with stories of interesting, ordinary people, including one who emigrates to the U.S. I read many books and have a high literary standard. Hessler meets it. He is an informed, well-researched story-teller with a true artist's eye and ear. His attention to detail delights. While he does not aim for poetry, he writes with a graceful precision that is almost poetic. I found every part of this book fascinating. One caveat: nothing here is wasted, so pay attention to each character; the reappearances of many characters give the book rare depth and fullness. You may be disappointed only if you have already studied China extensively; I am fairly well-informed in general but wanted to learn more about this country. Oracle Bones provided both information and insight. I found it to be one of the most satisfying books I have ever read in any category.

A brilliant commentary on modern China, November 4, 2007
Nothing particular in Peter Hessler's middle-American Missouri background particularly fits him to be a brilliant commentator on modern China. In college at Princeton and later at Oxford he studied English and creative writing, focusing largely on fiction. His first contact with China was a trans-Siberian train trip in 1994, which ignited an interest in travel writing. When he arrived in the Yangtze River town of Fuling two years later as a volunteer English teacher for the Peace Corps, he spoke no Chinese. By the time Oracle Bones was published in 2006, Hessler, who has lived in Beijing since leaving the Peace Corps, had become an accomplished Chinese speaker with a wide-ranging knowledge of both traditional and modern Chinese society. And yes, he is a brilliant commentator on modern China. This book picks up where his first book, River Town: Two Years on the Yangtze (P.S.), leaves off.

Oracle Bones is loosely built around a trio of narrative themes that spin out independently: the lives of several of his students after they leave school and enter the Chinese workforce; the struggle of his Uighur friend Polat, a Muslim dissident, to succeed first in Beijing and then in the United States; and his research into the life of Chen Mengjia, an oracle bone scholar who committed suicide during the Cultural Revolution.

Hessler's life in China is organized loosely around clipping articles for the Wall Street Journal, writing news and features for the Boston Globe, and writing articles for the New Yorker, in all three cases about China. The cost of living is so low in Beijing compared to the US that he has plenty of money to travel around the country visiting former students, camping out at the Great Wall (and getting arrested in the process), journeying in Xinjiang, the home territory of the Uighur Muslim minority, flying to Taiwan to visit a retired professor who studied oracle bones with Chen Mengjia during the Kuomintang period, and even visiting the set of a Chinese Western movie on the north rim of the Tarim Basin, at the edge of the Flaming Mountains. Periodically Hessler flies back to the States to visit family and later his Uighur friend Polat who is living in Washington, DC after receiving asylum from the US government.

The book follows several recurrent themes related to the study of modern China, notably, the changes in Chinese society since Deng Xiaoping's Reform and Opening, particularly the migration of young people from the countryside to overnight factory cities such as Shenzhen (in the Pearl River area) and the growing gap between the perspectives of the young and the old. In Hessler's narrative we see educated young people abandoning families and traditional lifestyles for the more lucrative, faster-paced life of the new cities. Among middle-aged people Hessler finds the ghosts of the Rightist denunciations of the 50s and the Cultural Revolution of the 60s lurking just beneath the surface. The very old recall traditional China in the unstable years under the Kuomintang.

It's my hope that Peter Hessler will continue his Chinese narrative in another, yet-unwritten book. The Chinese story is changing yearly now, and Hessler's perceptive eyes and ears are recording all of it. I eagerly await his next installment.

Another instant classic from a masterful author, December 31, 2007
You've read my review of his first book. (Or not...) Six years later, here's another, and he remains one of my role models as an author and as a person. He's back in China, as a freelance journalist rather than a teacher this time, and that's every bit as illegal as it sounds. The man was born to write, and would be doing so no matter where he lived or what he did there. Yet again, he's met some extremely interesting people and told their stories well. He was able to travel among cities and villages, rich and poor, Han and minority. The book spans three years, plus two additional years of research, and you'll see just as much technological and infrastructure progress in the book as I did in my time in China. Two more years for publication, and that's just fine. I'm a recent NaNoWriMo winner -- my first time trying -- but I know that truly great literature takes a bit longer. Like me, Hessler is drawn to Uyghurs, outsiders, small towns, and Muslim food in China. But again, that doesn't matter. You'll care about anything he writes, because that's part of his gift. Humor, insight, intelligence, honesty, and that rare ability to touch both your heart and your mind. Some fascinating tales from China's past, many of which were new to me, give it a timeless quality as well. I don't want him to write faster, because that can't be done. I want more authors to aspire to this level of quality, because I read them much faster than Hessler writes them. Five stars out of five, another keeper, and all the other superlatives I roll out on rare and special occasions. I'm glad I didn't wait for the paperback. I'm not so glad it sat on my bookshelf unread for so long, because this could've been my second or third reading instead of my first.

Lacks the Empathy and Intimacy of River Town, May 5, 2006
In 2001, Peter Hessler introduced us to the Yangtze River town of Fuling. Hessler had traveled there in the mid-1990's as one of the first Peace Corps volunteers admitted to China, and he arrived naive, wide-eyed, uneducated about Chinese language and culture, and generally lost. In his first book, RIVER TOWN, he recounted his two years teaching English at a small college to young people studying to be English teachers in China. Hessler led us through his cultural awakening to Chinese life, academic bureaucracy and the constant infusion of Communist Party ideology, and the awakening of his students' lives to adulthood and the possibilities of the outside world. As Hessler jogs around the countryside (only foreigners jog in China) and gradually learns to read and speak Chinese language, he opens the world of interior China to his readers. By all accounts, RIVER TOWN is a master work, a personal and intimate account of both the author's education as well as that of his students, made all the more poignant by the fact that most of Hessler's Fuling is now underwater thanks to the enormous reservoir that rose behind the gates of the Three Gorges Dam.

Now comes ORACLE BONES. No longer the starry-eyed China neophyte, Hessler has graduated to the grimy world of journalism. Whether serving as an aricle clipper in Beijing for the New York Times, freelancing for the Boston Globe or Wall Street Journal or National Geographic, or penning feature stories for The New Yorker, Hessler is now on the endless prowl for "the sellable angle." As he travels the country looking for stories about the Rape of Nanking, the entrepreneurial success of Wenzhou businessmen, the money-trading Uighurs of Xinjiang Province, or the death of Beijing hutongs, he accumulates contacts and disparate story lines, bits and pieces of the old and new China. Along the way, external events impinge on his life and on China - the accidental American bombing of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade, 9/11, the airplane incident over Hainan Island -- but they pass like snowfalls, leaving only a general impression of a winter.

Without much to connect these stories, Hessler zeroes in on the discovery and study of oracle bones, bits of turtle shell discovered in Anyang that represent some of China's earliest written language and may also provide insight into one of China's early but little understood dynasties, the Shang. A series of interludes that Hessler labels "Artifacts" tell the story of the oracle bones: their discovery, their removal to Taiwan by Chiang Kai-shek's Kuomintang, and their study and analysis by (mostly) Chinese scholars, many of whom suffered unfortunate and even tragic repercussions during the Cultural Revolution as a result of their work and their positions with respect to Chinese history and language.

Unfortunately, the end result simply doesn't work very well. ORACLE BONES alternates between personal stories of four of his former Fuling students' young adult lives (including a married couple with the remarkable adopted English names William Jefferson Foster and Nancy Drew), featurettes about a Uighur emigrant to America named Polat, the Chinese movie star Jiang Wen, and the Changchun Corn Industry Development Zone, brief riffs on external and political events, and, of course, the archaeological and socio-anthropological story of the oracle bones. At its best, the book traces the lives of Hessler's former students as they struggle to find their place in the Chinese economy. Their stories are touching and informative, but regrettably underdrawn. At the other end of the scale, the discourses on Chinese language structures and the politics of traditional versus simplified Chinese characters are likely to be a tedious slog for all but the most die-hard Sinophiles. In between, bits and pieces of the story are intriguing and even colorful; Hessler's story of Jiang Wen, for example, is fascinating and well told.

Still, the whole is less than the sum of its 458 pages of parts. ORACLE BONES feels as scattered as a field of artifacts; Hessler's own insecurities about this may have been inadvertently revealed in the Index, where names like Emily and Nancy Drew are followed by the explanatory note "(author's former student)." Remarkably, the author's own name is not only included in the Index (a first in my experience), but it is actually followed by "(author)," as if we (or he) might not be sure. Worse, like all artifacts and human remains, almost everything feels distant and cold and dead. It is hardly surprising that the New York Times chose the famed China historian Jonathan Spence to review this book - it is as much a history book as a contemporary description of China.

Hessler's writing is professionally reportorial but (with the exception of his former students' voices) detached, lacking the warmth and intimacy that Hessler so beautifully demonstrated in RIVER TOWN. Perhaps it is a consequence of Hessler's own experiences - no longer the China neophyte fascinated by everything he sees and learns, now it's all just business. One would hope that Mr. Hessler will return to his "China roots" in Fuling, tracing the arc of his former students's lives and the new Fuling that had to be rebuilt on higher ground. That story, and the web of wanderings and travels and experiences that would go with it, would tell a far warmer and more evocative story of where China is going today and tomorrow.

Beautifully drawn, May 6, 2006
This is a deeply engaging book about China. The title refers to the objects, animal shell and bone, that bear tiny inscriptions that count as the oldest record of writing in Asia, and as China's most ancient history.They are shards, really, offering small clues to what life was like more than 3,000 years ago. They are all that remain, the only artifacts that did not disintegrate over time, as bamboo, wood and paper inevitably did.

Listening attentively to archaeologists who weigh these oracle bones, Peter Hessler then conveys their sense of wonder and lets it inform his own exploration of contemporary China. In fact, Hessler uses archaeology as scaffolding for this adroit narrative. The search for clues, the buried nature of history, the attempts by rulers to instill order, the chaos that actually reigns are the dynamics of life in China today, just as they have been for centuries.

Hessler quotes a historian who wrote that although China has "a far longer past than the West ... the past and history are not the same thing. Here in China's past there was no narrative but only stories." Hessler clearly agrees. And he goes beyond the usual ways of evaluating so complex a culture. Instead, his focus wanders intelligently and settles into corners of China that we don't ordinarily read about. He writes with quiet power, which glues stories into a coherent whole. He sifts the morass of China's society and winnows it to the stories that resonate.

If "River Town" was a compelling account of his experience teaching English in a small city in central Sichuan province, in "Oracle Bones," he expands his horizon, mulling China's past as he examines its present. He hangs out with a money changer from Xinjiang, and his portrayal of their friendship is a gutsy way to open the book. He travels the country as a freelance writer, visiting archaeological sites for National Geographic. He keeps in touch with former students, whose tales are starkly revealing. He works for the Wall Street Journal in Beijing, clipping news stories about China from other newspapers and living in a back alley where Westerners usually cannot stay legally. Residency rules, like so much else in China, are in flux.

China's emerging economic power has prompted many Western writers to employ fantastical or alarmist views of the country as a gold mine or a fire-breathing dragon, neither of them realistic. Hessler's writing is refreshingly free of breathless superlatives. He admits being a lousy deadline journalist, preferring to look past the daily trivia that makes headlines for the deeper phenomena and to make note of the accidental nature of history."The past is under construction," Hessler writes. "It lies under houses, beneath highways, below building sites. Usually it reappears by chance - somebody digs, something turns up. In the end, luck discovers most artifacts in China."

His narrative is littered with intriguing observations and answers to his incisive questions. Tea drinking, for instance, is often assumed to be as old as China itself. Yet Hessler discovers that Chinese people thought of tea as a drink for barbarians until the Tang Dynasty. Hessler reveals little about himself. He seems to thrive on what he calls the "floating life" of a writer, observing contemporary China with detachment. The power of his storytelling would be even stronger if his own personality emerged in it. Yet Hessler has achieved something quite special in "Oracle Bones," conveying the idiosyncrasies of China in a way that makes its people palpably human and distinctly memorable.

A terrific view of China from a point of view of a yanguezhi, July 23, 2006
It is a bit disconcerting for a person of Chinese descent to learn about himself and his culture from a yanguezhi (foreign devil). Yet this is exactly what happened when I read Oracle Bones.

This is an extremely fine book, full of subtle observations and exquisite narratives of matters great and small. Like Pankaj Mishra's An End to Suffering, Peter Hessler attempts many things in this moveable feast. This is a travel journal, a small peek at how Hessler was able to parlay a stint in the Peace Corp teaching English in China to a freelance gig writing for the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and The New Yorker. Mostly this is a expansive look and humanistic rumination on how the globalization of the free market has touched the lives of common people of China, as exemplified by a number of Hessler's English students. Hessler used the story of his Uighur friend Polat to give us a view of every day street life in Beijing as well as the life of an oppressed asylum seeker in the US.

This style can easily become clumsy and ponderous, but Hessler does a masterful job of keeping the narrative interesting and colorful enough to lead the reader along through the turbulence of the serial form without losing each of the intricate interweaving threads.

The key to Hessler's success with this form is his usage of the archeological history of the Oracle Bones in China as the rhythm section to his narrative. Much like a steady drum beat in a good song, the rhythm soon overtakes much of the decorative accompaniment and dominates the song. The story of the archeology serves as a solid counterpoint for Hessler's riffing on globalization, on the ever-changing business environment in China, and on the peculiar yet inscrutable reactions of the Chinese government to all these changes. As the story evolves, the story of the Oracle Bones and the scholar who deciphered them comes around to dominate the narrative. The story wends itself around all the previous threads and makes the juxtaposing lines of inquiry reasonable. The story of the scholar, his wife, his family, and his wife's family, and his various colleagues - friends or foe- is transcendental in its universality. The latter part of the book, majority of which is devoted to the story of the Oracle Bone scholar has the impact of a fine mystery novel and it gives the reader the punch in the gut that one rarely gets when reading a travelogue or a book of history, or an autobiographical portrait.

This book was thoroughly enjoyable; it was concomitantly informative and soothing to the soul. The writing was superb, rhythmic, and transformational in its structure and meaning.

Endearing portrait of the impact of China's changes on her people, November 14, 2007
China is undergoing an unprecedented (in scale), historic, monumental transformation as the country sloughs off the shackles of communism and various failed political ideological witch hunts, and focuses instead on modernizing and industrializing, to raise hundreds of millions of people out of the poverty of subsistence farming. Reading the newspapers in the United States, one catches only the briefest glimpses of what is really happening and what it means to people inside and outside China. And if one pays attention to the words of the top politicians of the U.S. and China, and the key political issues that the two countries tussle over, one is likely to completely miss the true nature of China's transformation.

In "Oracle Bones", Peter Hessler has done a remarkable job capturing and communicating the impact of China's changes on her people, in an endearing, highly readable narrative. Hessler focuses on a few individuals from "the masses", rather than "the elites": a money changer/trader, a few teachers, factory workers, a taxi driver, plus some archeologists and others working to understand and preserve China's past. The stories of what these people experience as China undergoes its latest transformation (as well as prior ones) put China's changes into a human context, and explain in emotional and personal terms what could never be adequately captured by a list of statistics. Occasionally the words or actions of the political leaders intrude into the stories, and one gets a strong sense of just how disconnected the leaders are from day-to-day life. China's latest transformation, while initiated by a few key actions from the top leaders, is truly an all-encompassing grass roots change in behavior, attitudes and values.

Hessler has a great vantage point to bring these stories of average Chinese folks to English readers. He speaks Chinese, and taught English in China for two years (an experience captured in his previous book, "River Town"). For the years that Oracle Bones covers, he was primarily a free-lance writer based in Beijing and traveling throughout the country. With few attachments to other people or institutions, he is free to pursue his stories wherever they take him. He practices longitudinal narrative fiction, meaning that he follows the storyline of various people over a multi-year period. Interwoven with the present day stories are stories about various historical artifacts, sites and the people exploring them, which convey the high degree of importance the Chinese place on their history and culture.

I highly recommend "Oracle Bones" to anyone interested in learning about the impact that China's present-day changes are having on the people of that country.

Excellent take on history, May 3, 2006

Oracle Bones is an exciting and interesting narrative approach to history.

Instead of dragging us through centuries of kings, emperors, and battles, the author tells us stories of individual people, their struggles and triumphs. We know what kinds of food they eat, beer they drink, languages they speak, and what kinds of jobs they might have. From within the context of their city and circumstances, we are then shown the greater sweep of history - the deeper history of their region. From their individual circumstance, we then move out to the long and complex Chinese history backdrop from which they emerge.

Unlike some other Chinese scholars that I have read whose work is weighted down by unreadable academic writing, this author can tell a story with informed authority. He is a terrific writer that has the rare ability to weave history and story within the same narrative.

I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in world history and contemporary world culture.

A disappointment after "River Town", June 1, 2006
Oracle Bones retains many of the ingredients that made Hessler's earlier work "River Town" such a success: the effortless prose, the dry humour, the incisive mind, the kind heart. But in Oracle bones, Hessler struggles with structure.

Hessler uses the story of one man (a scholar of ancient Chinese inscriptions) as the line on which to peg recycled research for articles that Hessler has published elsewhere, along with progress reports on his former students. Late in the day, the author appears to recognise the awkwardness of this contrivance; but by then he is into his penultimate chapter and well past the point of no return:

"It's all connected: menus and bootlegs, history and movies, language and archaeology. Texts create meaning, regardless of how arbitrary the process may seem."

Few will dislike Oracle Bones (though I suspect many will skip some of the interwoven chapters about Chen Menjia; you can have too much of a good thing). But whereas River Town is still fresh in my mind a couple of years after reading it, much of Oracle Bones will have faded in a couple of weeks. What will remain, though, are the flashes of dry humour. These even carry into the author's Acknowledgments: "John DeFrancis gave me excellent guidance.... I've never known another ninety-four-year-old who responds so quickly to e-mails about morphemes".

Hessler doubtless has the self-awareness to recognise that Oracle Bones shows him going a little stale in his present environment. Let's hope he finds renewed vigour in pastures new.

The Warp & Weft of Chinese and Uighur Lives, April 7, 2008
It's refreshing to find a book on China by a journalist with some knowledge of and, even better, an interest in really learning about sinological matters. Since the end of the Cultural Revolution, Western journalists have written their books on China: at first largely from the perspective of being the rare Westerner in a newly opened up China, and then over time with increasing emphasis on his or her observations of China's political and economic situation--invariably in the context of the reporter's personal experiences in China.

ORACLE BONES, too, is personal, not that we get to know Peter Hessler very well (though a "Postscript" titled "Meet Peter Hessler" presents a short autobiographical sketch), but in the sense that we experience China through his "I"s. Unlike many earlier books by journalists, though, there isn't much focus on leadership politics here; instead the warp of the fabric of this book is perspectives on Chinese (and Uighur) culture and history.

If that is the warp, the weft principally follows the story of Chen Mengjia, a renowned scholar of "oracle bones" (scapulae and tortoise shells inscribed with writing and used in divination practices a few thousand years ago). Chen Mengjia was branded a rightist in the late 1950s, and he subsequently committed suicide at the onset of the Cultural Revolution. In the course of Hessler's journeys--not all related to Chen--the writer learns pieces of Chen's story (only a little of which is consistent) and a whole lot more about 20th century Chinese and Western sinological history. It's refreshing to find Hessler's views so well informed; you'll find nothing here, for instance, about the so-called Chinese "ideograph" that sullies so many books that refer to the Chinese writing system.

Hessler, now a Beijing correspondent for The New Yorker magazine, was once a Peace Corps volunteer English teacher in China, an experience that he describes in his earlier book, RIVER TOWN. He devotes a good part of this book weaving in descriptions of his encounters with his former students and of their post-education lives. Hessler also discusses the life of a Uighur that he befriends in China, and who subsequently travels to the U.S. and successfully seeks asylum. In these stories, Hessler doesn't flinch from the terrible realities of Communist China, and they are often brutal; at the same time, though, the U.S. (specifically, Washington, D.C.) doesn't get off easily in the depiction of the everyday difficulties that confront Hessler's Uighur friend, including racism and robbery.

Hessler's style gives the appearance of effortlessness when you just know how much work must have gone into the book. His keen observations often express subtle truths, such as when he comments, "There is always something sad about furniture in a museum" (p. 384) and his empathy conveys genuineness, e.g., when he confronts a scholar with a personal criticism of Chen Mengjia that the now old man felt forced to write when he was a youth (p. 390). You want to continue hanging out with Hessler and see what more he learns. It's a disappointment then when, even at some 450-plus pages, the book quietly ends.
... Read more

Editorial Review

Hailed as "extraordinarily learned" (New York Times), "blithe in spirit and unerring in vision," (New York Magazine), and the "definitive record of New York's architectural heritage" (Municipal Art Society), Norval White and Elliot Willensky's book is an essential reference for everyone with an interest in architecture and those who simply want to know more about New York City.
First published in 1968, the AIA Guide to New York City has long been the definitive guide to the city's architecture. Moving through all five boroughs, neighborhood by neighborhood, it offers the most complete overview of New York's significant places, past and present. The Fifth Edition continues to include places of historical importance--including extensive coverage of the World Trade Center site--while also taking full account of the construction boom of the past 10 years, a boom that has given rise to an unprecedented number of new buildings by such architects as Frank Gehry, Norman Foster, and Renzo Piano. All of the buildings included in the Fourth Edition have been revisited and re-photographed and much of the commentary has been re-written, and coverage of the outer boroughs--particularly Brooklyn--has been expanded.
Famed skyscrapers and historic landmarks are detailed, but so, too, are firehouses, parks, churches, parking garages, monuments, and bridges. Boasting more than 3000 new photographs, 100 enhanced maps, and thousands of short and spirited entries, the guide is arranged geographically by borough, with each borough divided into sectors and then into neighborhood. Extensive commentaries describe the character of the divisions.
Knowledgeable, playful, and beautifully illustrated, here is the ultimate guided tour of New York's architectural treasures.

Acclaim for earlier editions of the AIA Guide to New York City:

"An extraordinarily learned, personable exegesis of our metropolis. No other American or, for that matter, world city can boast so definitive a one-volume guide to its built environment."
-- Philip Lopate, New York Times

"Blithe in spirit and unerring in vision."
-- New York Magazine

"A definitive record of New York's architectural heritage... witty and helpful pocketful which serves as arbiter of architects, Baedeker for boulevardiers, catalog for the curious, primer for preservationists, and sourcebook to students. For all who seek to know of New York, it is here. No home should be without a copy."
-- Municipal Art Society

"There are two reasons the guide has entered the pantheon of New York books. One is its encyclopedic nature, and the other is its inimitable style--'smart, vivid, funny and opinionated' as the architectural historian Christopher Gray once summed it up in pithy W & W fashion."
-- Constance Rosenblum, New York Times

"A book for architectural gourmands and gastronomic gourmets."
-- The Village Voice ... Read more

Reviews

The Ur-Guide to New York's Buildings, May 30, 2010
I had anticipated that this version, with Norval in France, with an interloping 30(?)-something as (new) co-editor, and using student labor, would be thin and watery. Hardly! This version, full of the same level of piquant and candid observation of the Ancient and Honorable first two editions - when the original authors were both driving the bus - but also rich and intricate with observations on the tidal wave of new architecture which has swept over New York in the last decade-plus. And these are not, I feel sure, only the input of estimable but newcomer Fran Leadon, but also Norval White who was intensely interested in what was happening on the New York streets until his last days.

Even back past Lewis Mumford and Montgomery Schuyler, New York has not yet had the equals of Elliot and Norval in writing about New York's buildings - they are on every page.

Christopher Gray

PS The necrology is back!

A wonderfully descriptive, accurate guide to the Big Apple, June 15, 2010
What an amazing book!! Of course it is impressive for the sheer breadth of entries--like no other book on my shelf, thumbing through it feels like holding the entire city of New York in my hands. As a long-time resident of the city, as the years pass it becomes easy to overlook the marvels all around. This has been especially true of my current neighborhood, the Upper East Side, or, more specifically, Bed Pan Alley, as the NYT dubbed the far-east sixties for its abundance of medical facilities. Apparently a great place to have a heart attack and not much else. But the fifth edition of the AIA guide gives me a whole new appreciation for the architectural and design gems right outside our door--even including my local pharmacy's sign (no not the Duane Reade), which I've always loved! Great to have its importance verified by such a thoughtful expert as Mr. Leadon-- I happened to catch his interview on the Leonard Lopate show on NPR and was very impressed. I hope he writes a long-form narrative about New York one day, I thoroughly enjoyed the writing throughout and found the entries on my neighborhood to be right on the money. Highly recommended for locals and visitors alike.

For New Yorkers willing to look up and gawk, June 14, 2010
As a NYC resident of more than 25 years who has broken the spines of both the third and fourth editions of the AIA Guide to New York City, I think the latest edition is a must-have item for any New Yorker with an ounce of curiosity about the buildings and history of the five boroughs. During the decade since the last edition, the cityscape of NYC has been changing at a frenzied pace--at least until the housing bubble popped and the luxury condo boom crashed. This new edition revisits the old, updates the transformed, and point out the new in concise paragraphs of historical fact and pithy architectural criticism. I may not always agree with the authors' opinions but I do appreciate their dry, witty style. The fifth edition has also improved the quality of the maps and the photographs enormously, and I really enjoy the addition of the "necrology" sections--paeans to buildings that are no longer there.

New Yorkers--buy this book and look up! You'll never look at your city the same way.

AIA guide to New York, June 27, 2010
I have purchased earlier editions of this book for many years and consider it an important part of my library. My husband and I both refer to it whenever we're interested in a particular part of the city.

Gone are the Walking Tour Maps, September 1, 2010
The delicious 3rd Edition had wonderful step by step Walking Tour Guide Maps of selectd areas decribed in the Guide. The highlighted places of interest along the way. This Fifth Edition makes narrative text references to these Walking Tour Guides, specifically naming each Tour,such as West Village "Walking Tour A, B, C, or D" but the actual maps are omitted from the this Edition.

To add insult to injury, the tours are different than the ones in the Third Edition. (I do not have the Fourth, so I do not know what the OUP did there.)

I think that the least that OUP should do would be to send the omitted Walking Tour maps to those that have bought and will be this Fifth Ed.

The problem overall is that notwithstanding the above, this is the only book of its kind and is indispensible to anyone with a serious interst in New York City.

Mistakes, June 9, 2010
Ignore the number of stars. It's probably premature for me to write a review, since I can only report on my initial impression, which was formed by my examination of the listing for Roosevelt Island. Suffice it to say at this point, that there are errors, both of omission and commission. The entry for Roosevelt Island in the fourth edition is much more accurate for the buildings that existed at the time the book was published. (Of course, it does not have any information at all for the buildings that came after.) I can only assume that the revision was created by the new editor, Fran Leadon. I wish the entries were initialed, because the inaccuracies of this one entry lead me to question the others.

... Read more

Editorial Review

When Union General George McClellan marched toward the Confederate capital of Richmond in 1862, he encountered the Warwick River where it wasn't supposed to be, causing a delay in his strategy and criticism from Northern press. McClellan was following a map created by an esteemed and experienced topographer, but the map was wrong! The map McClellan was following, reproduced in Great Maps of the Civil War, shows lines in pencil along the true course of the Warwick, apparently drawn after it was too late.

Most people interested in the Civil War are fascinated by maps – for what they tell about the battles, for what they tell about the terrain, and in some cases for their artistic beauty. But maps reproduced in books have limitations and there is not a good way of preserving a map collection – until now. Fifteen chapters in Great Maps of the Civil War each contain two or three maps that can be pulled out of a pocket. Ten of the maps are 18 x 24; others are smaller. In addition to a discussion of the battles and the roles of the maps, the book tells about Civil War mapmakers and the methods they used.

Stunningly designed, this unique full-color book will make a significant addition to the library of any Civil War enthusiast or those who are fascinated by maps and mapmakers.

Reviews

Maps really mattered in the American Civil War, June 1, 2005
As the Forward to this beautifully rendered large format book states, "The war was first waged on paper. Before troops engaged in battle, both sides plotted strategy and tactics on the maps of the day. Knowing the field, understanding the terrain, recognizing the route of assault--and the line of retreat--could determine triumph or defeat." Perhaps more so than in wars since, the American Civil War was fought primarily by massing large troop formations against each other. As a consequence, moving those men and their equipment using the most efficient and advantageous route became paramount. More often than not, occupation of key terrain meant victory, and therefore, arriving at the right spot, first, and with the most men was a strategic necessity in every encounter.

Typical in books of this nature, what you experience is a detailed depiction of the array of military forces produced on a map after the battle was fought. What the author (William J. Miller) states as one of his primary objective in this book, was to provide the reader with a set of maps (in this case there are actually 32 removable maps) that were used by the participants in this war or would have commonly been available to them at the time. And to present with these maps, the same depiction of the terrain as seen by the commanders as they planned their operations. Miller's stated intent was to help the reader understand why a particular battle was fought the way that it was, rather than just how it was fought, as an after-the-fact. Having said that, Miller does include a number of very detailed and artistically accurate post battlefield maps, like the famous and extremely collectible Bachelder Bird's-eye Panoramic of Gettysburg. He also devotes a great deal space in the book to describing the technology of map making and reproduction at that time in history, and fills his book with interesting stories about the consequence of fighting blind or with gross geographically errors.

All in all this is a wonderful book. It is probably not the type of book to be read in one sitting or even sequentially, rather one to be kept as a reference and authoritative resource for reading and rereading. It simply is a beautiful book, truly unique in its field, and more than worth the price that is sells for new. It is a collectible filled with removable copies of collectible material. My highest recommendation for the Civil War enthusiast!

This Is A Must Book for the Civil War Enthusiast, December 22, 2004
Great Maps of the Civil War is as stated, a museum in a book. If one already has Rod Gragg's poignant collection of Civil War letters, "From Fields of Fire and Glory", or the Civil War in a box collection that was a bestseller some years back, then this book is a must for your collection.

Mr. Miller has chosen some 32 wonderful and even some little-known maps, including the "Cram map" that was ill-used by McClellan in the Peninsula Campaign, the bloodstained map that Union General James McPherson was using when he was killed in action during the Atlanta campaign (one can clearly see the blood stains on this removeable map - starkly bringing the reality of the Civil War home). There is even a unique map illustrating the proposed Confederate defenses of Danville, Viriginia, the town that Jefferson Davis and the Confederate cabinet fled to on the eve of Appomattox. The plan to defend Danville as if it were the new Confederate capital came to an abrupt end as Lee met Grant at the McLean home.

This is as close as one can get to holding history in his or her hand without possessing the actual document or map. My only qualm is the $35 price - amazon offers it pretty reasonably - and the knowledge that many books like this one do end up on bargain tables in about a year at a 1/4 of the price. Having said that, though, this is probably the best new Civil War gift book one would be most happy to receive this holiday season.

I was expecting maps I could read and use...they're not, June 17, 2009
I was hoping and expecting to see some great maps I could use in my Civil War reading and study. They are not that. The maps are so small (can we say font size 2 or even less) for the most part, so faded, and so crowded with detail that I find them essentially unusable for what I wanted. I live in Yorktown, Virginia, for instance, and had a hard time trying to figure out what was what on that map when I know all the landmarks. The text is mostly about the history of map making during that era. Interesting enough but not a high priority on my reading list now. There are a number of nice period photographs which are fine. Still, with what I was needing and expecting, I am disappointed. I would not recommend the book unless you want to know about making maps during the Civil War rather than using Civil War era maps as maps.
margaret1115

It's excellent, but better exists, October 3, 2005
This text by Miller is excellent, but "Maps and Mapmakers of the Civil War" by Earl B. McElfresh is superior. I suggest reading McElfresh's book first and this one second.

Maps Transport Us, October 27, 2004
As schoolchildren we all gazed in wonder at the crude, fanciful and often highly distorted maps of other ages. The nuances and truth of a map are alas diminished by reproduction. Take note that all great libraries have map rooms, with elegant thin-drawered cabinets that hold the worldviews of the ages. And that is the genius of this volume. By providing the maps so they can be pulled out, laid on a table and pondered, traced, turned and measured, it is easy to be transported to a dimly lit tent on a soft Southern night. In the age of Mapquest and GPS handhelds, nothing is more real than a contemporaneous map. It is a record, a voice, and an accoutrement, as vital to understanding as any diary, written record or photograph.

A beautiful book. Recommended for map lovers and hard-core Civil War buffs (a history teacher's review), January 10, 2008
Thomas Nelson's Rutledge Hill Press publishing division has created a lovely book that tells a simple narrative of the Civil War focusing on the importance of maps in the war and the men who made them.

The cover of the book is designed to look like a leather bound canvas portfolio, much like a mapmaker's sketchbook of the era. The text of the book is beautifully printed on high quality paper. I appreciated the fact that the publishers included lots of pictures of everday soldiers - not just the same old posed shots of the generals and politicians.

There are 32 removable maps included as well. The removable maps are stored in between the pages. The publisher has printed on only one side of the thick paper pages and then glued the blank sides together on the edges to make an envelope of sorts between the pages. The maps are securely stored so there is no chance of accidentally losing a map.

I would not recommend this book as an introduction to the topic of the Civil War since it does precious little to introduce the issues that caused the war or Reconstruction. However, it is an attractive volume that would be welcome in the collection of any Civil War buff.

WHAT A BOOK!, January 9, 2007
I don't know where this book has been hiding since it was published, but what a find! It is absolutely gorgeous in ever detail! If you are a Civil War buff - as my husband is, this is a MUST HAVE for your library! He was stunned when he opened this on Christmas day - he owns many, many fine books on the Civil War - but he declared this was undoubtedly one of the best he'd ever received. It is amazing for the money. I can't describe it here with any justice - you must SEE this book to believe it!

very informative, May 24, 2007
this book will be convienent for any civil war buff, historian,and wargamer. I really like the way the maps also can be removed to look
at better,this comes in handy when reading other civil war sources
for ease of reference or when visiting the actual sites. It also explained
the map making process at the time and the various methods used, with the
mention of many of the cartographers of the time, and in both armies.
I personally wish they would make more of these books on different eras of history

Great Maps of the Civil War: Pivotal Battles and Campaigns Featuring 32 Removable Maps, April 11, 2007
I purchased the book for my son-in-law, who is a Civil War buff, mainly for the removable maps. I was quite pleased to see that it will be not only a nice addition to his collection but also is a handsome tabletop book. Since he and his family live near sites of some of the great battles they, they'll be able to take a map with them when they visit. My grandson, aged 11, should also enjoy this as the commentaries bring the War to life. Now I'm going to have to buy one for us as my husband wanted to keep it for his own enjoyment!

Great Maps, February 20, 2007
I gave this book to my husband for his birthday and he was ecstatic. He has studied each map and marked them with colored markers. He emerges from its covers about twice a week to thank me again for getting it for him. I don't think I've ever given him a birthday present that he has liked more. ... Read more

Reviews

Excellent travel guide, October 17, 2007
I bought three travel books for Egypt (also Rough Guide and Lonely Planet), and this was my favorite. It is loaded with pictures and 3D layouts of the tourist attractions and cities. It lists the sites not to be missed and gives a great summary of the places and history. The section on practicalities of travel is also complete and helpful. Although the latest Rough Guide to Egypt has more in-depth coverage, the DK book will be going with me to Egypt.

Pretty good but Lonely Planet is 10 times better!, March 1, 2008
While this book has a lot of pretty pictures, and quite a bit of information, I found the lonely planet guide to have about twice as much information on any given area, and cover more of the obscure places in Egypt.

Limited Detailed Information, December 12, 2008
Not a bad guide, decent overview of all the sites and also cultural aspects of Egypt. My major complaint is that the maps are terrible. There is only one actual map, and it is only of Cairo (East of the Nile). So if you're staying in Giza (Cairo west of the Nile) you are kind of out of luck. Additionally there are loads of restaurants listed, but if they don't happen to be in Cairo then they will be no map of the location. If you're considering eating out, or doing anthing without a guide then you will need an additional guide book.

Beautiful but not enough content, March 29, 2009
Purchased this book for our recent trip to Egypt, it's beautiful as they all are, but I don't believe they include enough content as say Frommer's or Rick Steve's books.
I love the pictures, but if I was going somewhere and needed an in depth guide I would not get it.

Great Guidebook, January 30, 2008
This book is a beauty. The photos are beautiful and the information is well presented and easy to use. I have used these books before and really like them. We have not gone on our trip yet but on other trips these guidebooks have helped us find places and sites that we probably would have missed otherwise. Well worth the price.

Complete and well illustrated, December 31, 2007
I used this book for a trip to Cairo and Luxor. The book is complete and very well illustrated. A must-have when travelling to Egypt.

Don't Go Without This, November 1, 2008
I've been to Egypt twice before, and on my third trip I decided to bring this guide with me, and am I ever glad I did. Though I am quite familiar with the bigger sites, the maps in this book are not to be outdone, and I was impressed by the list of smaller sites I had never considered visiting before.

Great Primer on Egypt, October 9, 2008
This is a great first book to begin an understanding of Egypt before travel. It covers all major areas in extensive detail; provides suggestions for the best places to visit while in the country; detail pictures of what to look for at various sites;and the last section on travel tips I found invaluable. It is current (2008 ed) and I especially like the size of the book, which can be tucked into a carry-on bag or a back-pack while touring and doesn't weigh a ton. "Don't leave home without it!"

A helpful guide, November 28, 2007
The pictures in the guide were great. I also liked the history and cultural information about Egypt. The only thing missing for me was a bit more analysis and ratings for hotels, restaurants and points of interest.

Love all the DK books, May 19, 2010
I love the DK books because of all the pictures. They give you a really good idea what a place looks like before you get there plus gives you brief descriptions of the most interesting and popular places to go. It is not a stand alone book however, because it is not filled with details. For the details, you'll also need a Rough Guide or Lonely Planet. Those books are much more in depth. I always combine a DK book with one of the others and have all the info I need. ... Read more

Editorial Review

In the heart of China's Sichuan province, amid the terraced hills of the Yangtze River valley, lies the remote town of Fuling. Like many other small cities in this ever-evolving country, Fuling is heading down a new path of change and growth, which came into remarkably sharp focus when Peter Hessler arrived as a Peace Corps volunteer, marking the first time in more than half a century that the city had an American resident. Hessler taught English and American literature at the local college, but it was his students who taught him about the complex processes of understanding that take place when one is immersed in a radically different society.

Poignant, thoughtful, funny, and enormously compelling, River Town is an unforgettable portrait of a city that is seeking to understand both what it was and what it someday will be.

Reviews

Thoughtful account of an American's life in China, March 26, 2003
In his concluding remarks of River Town: Two Years on the Yangtze, Peter Hessler points us to the nub of his experience in China:

"I had never had any idealistic illusions about my Peace Corps 'service' in China; I wasn't there to save anybody or leave an indelible mark on the town. If anything, I was glad that during my two years in Fuling I hadn't built anything, or organized anything, or made any great changes to the place. I had been a teacher, and in my spare time I had tried to learn as much as possible about the city and its people. That was the extent of my work, and I was comfortable with those roles and I recognized their limitations."

In fall 1996, Peter Hessler, at the age of 26, took a Peace Corps assignment that relocated him to a small town in the Sichuan province of China. Many natives let alone a young American who made his inaugural entrance into the country did not know and hear of Fuling. It's a former coal-mining town that is bounded by the Yangtze and the Wu. Chongqing and the Three Gorges are just hours away by boats. The book chronicles, in a rather casual but detailed way, Peter's teaching experience at the Fuling Education College and his life and anecdotes in town. Interwoven into Peter's diary are descriptions of local landmarks and customs. This book is by far the most passionate and yet accurate and objective account written any foreigners. Peter really does possess a keen sense of his surroundings. Throughout his crisp, interesting prose and attention to details, the Chinese 'laobaixing' (common people) become alive as if we are actually interacting with them.

I am in awe of how far Peter has gone in making meticulous observations of the Chinese culture and its people. A lot of what he mentions in this book is often overlooked by foreigners. To cite some examples:

1)Cultural shock: Wherever Peter goes in town, he often gathers a crowd looking dagger at him, saying 'hello', calling name and following him. To his surprises later on, he realizes the town has never had a foreign visitor for at least 50 years. It is a mixed bag of xenophobia and curiosity for foreigners. No soon than Peter arrived in town than he realized that foreigners are usually treated differently in daily necessities and accommodation. Certain inns were forbidden to accommodate foreigners due to the untidiness. Foreigners often had to pay a higher fare for the steamboats.

2)Teaching style: Learning Chinese was excruciatingly painful for Peter (and for many Americans I'm sure). The Mandarin comes with 4 intonations and the thousands of characters have complicated strokes and dots. Suffice it to say that the slightest mispronunciation or missing a stroke in writing will reap a harsh admonishment from Peter's native Chinese teacher. 'Budui' is the devil word meaning 'wrong'. As Peter has pointed out, the Chinese teaching style is significantly different from the western methods. If a student is wrong, she needed to be corrected (or rebuked) immediately without any quibbling or softening. It is the very strict standard that motivates Peter to determinedly show his teacher he is 'dui' (right). His bitter encounter with the Chinese way enables him to finally relate to his Chinese-American peers, who go to school and become accustomed to the American system of gentle correction. But the Chinese parents expect more-unless you get straight A's, you haven't achieved anything yet! Hey, I can relate to this Peter!

3)Hong Kong handover: Little did I know about how the mainland Chinese made such a big deal about the turn-of-the-century event in 1997 until I read Peter's account. His students have been drilled on the shamefulness of history, of how the Britain defeated the Chinese in Opium War, of how China was coerced to cease the fragrant city for 150 years. I knew about how the Chinese (especially the Party leaders) awaited the moment when the five-star red flag ascend to full staff in Hong Kong but shamefulness? The magnitude of the colony's return to motherland simply overwhelmed Peter (and myself): the handover lapel pin, the handover umbrella, and the handover rubber flip-flops!

4)Chinese collectivism: This is something that not only amazes but also puzzles me and Peter has nailed it to the root. The Chinese people are often nonchalant, indifferent, and apathetic to politics, crisis or crimes. Well, according to Peter, 'as long as a pickpocket [or whatever] did not affect you personally, or affect somebody in your family, it was not your business.' So this is the usual Chinese mind-my-own-business attitude. This attitude is so implanted inveterately into the Chinese due to decades of isolation (from media and geography) and political control. I think Peter really brings it home. The consequence is a strictly standardized education system, common beliefs among the people, common reactions toward political issues, and an unchallenging submission to authority.

River Town is indeed one of the best books I've ever read for years. Peter is not only an on-looking 'waiguoren' (foreigner) but he has found his identity among the Chinese. He befriended the owner of the restaurant and his family. He established daily and weekly routines which include newspaper reading at the teahouse and chatting with the teahouse 'xiaojie' (girls), hiking up to the mountaintop, visiting the vendors at a local park, and hanging out with his students after class. During the summer vacation, he took an excursion to the Great Wall in Shanxi and Urmuqi in Xinjiang. The prose is vivid, crisp, and gripping. I really appreciate how he approaches the people and culture with an honesty-to have gone so far as some of the moments of candor become unpleasant. This is a page-turner, the kind of book that you don't want to end so soon. 5.0 stars.

From a Chinese point of view, February 12, 2001
Humane and observant. I was thoroughly impressed by the author's willingness to share his life with the ordinary Chinese, for I know it is difficult to do.

Exactly because of that, many of his poignant remarks and analyses did not bother me at all. In fact, I envy him, for I cannot observe in the same way as he did, simply because I am a Chinese. I know he is so right on the numbness of the people who could quickly gather into a crowd over any stanger's suffering, so right about the linguistic violence to women done by the Chinese language, and so right about the senseless macho baijiu culture among men. I could have made the remarks, too, but I know they would lack the same sad humaneness. I do not have his detachment and therefore his penetrativeness.

There was a haunting scene of Father Li's conversing in Latin with the author's own father, while the author was standing by and watching. Like the book itself, this scene shows that any barrier between peoples and men is either false or self-imposed or downright intellectual sloth. I really respect Peter Hessler!

An honest, engaging, amusing portrait of contemporary China, September 20, 2002
Modern China is a place ripe with ironies, and among the greatest of them is them is that the Chinese have no sense of irony. It takes an understanding outsider to appreciate these ironic idiosyncracies that Chinese themselves are so oblivious to, and a gifted and sensative writer to portray them without resorting to caricature or mockery.

River Town is the most honest and insightful portrayal I have read of China in the late 1990s. Although it takes a small town in Sichuan as its focus, most of Hessler's astute observations are applicable to the rest the country, from metropolis to village. The book is not so much a travelogue as a 'socialogue'.

Personally, having lived elsewhere in China during the same periods that the book describes in Fuling, I found myself nodding in agreement throughout the book, and laughing aloud in many a section. Hessler's characterizations, both of China and of how a Westerner changes after a few years in China, are dead on.

River Town is the best book available for getting a sense of what China is like, on the most basic level, and explains why we who live here simultaneously love and despise the place. If you are an old China Hand, you will love this book. If you are a total novice to the subject, you couldn't find a more accurate and enjoyable introduction.

Excellent book! Funny, accurate, even-handed., February 19, 2001
River Town is the best book I've read about China in a _long_ _long_ time. Having lived and traveled extensively in China, I can say that Hessler's descriptions are wonderfully accurate -- not only does he explain the physical features of the countryside well, he shows the complexity of being a _yangguizi_ in China, and how one's "foreign-ness" colors all of one's experiences.

Hessler's self-mocking tone when he talks with locals about cheating foreigners, his interactions with _xiaojie_, and his students (especially Mo's last name) are hilariously accurate. His dealings with authority and China's past are insightful and balanced.

I strongly recommend this book - those who have been to China will be flooded with memories, and those who haven't will learn about an important part of China from a perspective that is rarely seen.

Very engrossing...the best book I've read in awhile, February 20, 2002
As a young Chinese-American who has traveled in China, River Town has quickly become one of my favorite books. Peter Hessler is both thoughtful and descriptive of his experiences as a PCV in China. I especially loved the parts of the book in which he talked about his students...he really brings them to life. It's easy to see that they changed his life as much as he impacted theirs.

I also found Hessler's acclimation to his environment particularly fascinating. His reactions to new and sometimes delicate cultural situations reflects his laidback attitude, but is also telling of how willing he was to be apart of Fuling culture and society. He is also brutally honest, even with his own shortcomings in the face of his new experiences.

It's true, he does come to the book with a Westerner's perspective, but then again, what do you expect? His love for China, however, and his willingness to engage the people in Fuling...to take on a Chinese identity, speaks louder than any detached political analysis could. He simply writes about his reflections, and I appreciate the honesty.

I plan to give this book to all my friends who have moved to and travelled in China. It's definitely one of the best books I have read in a loooong time.

River Town, January 21, 2001
This book was an incredible eye-opener about Chinese culture. A sprinkling of wit binds together a string of vignettes which lay bare the society of this remote, interior, Chinese city. Hessler's personality rings through the pages as he draws you into his world and his experiences.

This is a must read for anyone who wants to travel in Asia or who wishes to understand the role that China will have in the coming century.

Simply a fabulous book.

A Rare Perspective, February 6, 2002
This is not an easy book to discuss because it does so many things so well. On the surface, it is the story of a young Peace Corps volunteer, named Peter Hessler, who goes to China to teach English literature to college students. The town where the college is located is known as Fuling. It is in the remote province of Sichuan along the Yangtze River. Hessler and his partner, Admam Meier, are the first foreigners to be seen in the town in 50 years. This alone would make Hessler's situation a little unusual, but the fact that both he and Meier immediately begin to question and indirectly challenge the roles they have been assigned, means that Hessler's experiences develop into real adventures.

Hessler's first year in Fuling is characterized by culture shock, disillusionment and a stubborn refusal to give up on his goal of learning to read and speak Chinese. He is shocked by the brainwashing of his students, by their intelligence and insightfulness when they are dealing with subjects that they don't have preprogrammed responses to. He struggles with the isolation imposed on him by the rest of the faculty, and begins to make forays into the hills just to get away from the regemented college routine, pollution and crowding.

In his second year, his Chinese improves and he begins to make friends in Fuling. He is still frustrated by attempts to control what he teaches, still struggles to understand his students' behavior, but he has begun to find his way in this strange new land. He makes friends with two of the professors, is befriended by a family in town and by a few of the people who have stopped to talk with him. On his breaks he travels to other parts of China. He hikes back into the hills for a second year and talks to the farmers.

But for all his understanding and insight, Hessler is never really happy in Fuling. His health is poor, he is disturbed by events at the school, by the fact that all his mail is opened before he receives it, by the political climate of the town and most especially by an alarming encounter with a group of angry townspeople. This last incident seems to crystallize many things for him, and he is ready to leave as the last few weeks of his term come to an end.

What makes this book special is Hessler's ability to capture the essence of Fuling - its sights, smells, people and overall character- and his willingness to share his inner process. We are there with him during drinking matches sponsored by the head of the English Department, and are introduced to each of his students. We watch as he struggles to understand their responses, and feel his frustation as he struggles with Chinese. Likewise we can see and smell the food at his favorite noodles shop, applaude his victory in a local cross country race and know his feelngs of anger and helplessness when he learns that one of his students has died.

If you have ever wondered what is is like to live in a foreign country, to try to cope with a culture that is radically different from your own; if you have wondered about China and its people, then this is a wonderful place to start your exploration. When you put down River Town you will feel that you have been there too.

The rewards and frustrations of trying to understand China, June 27, 2001
Peter Hessler's "River Town" ranks among my favorite three books about China, the other two being Mark Salzman's "Iron and Silk" and Simon Winchester's "The River at the Center of the World".

More than the other two books, "River Town" is the story of a love-hate relationship with China. In my experience, this is the mode of existence that is predominant among expatriates in this country. What is quite unusual about Peter Hessler is the determination with which he tries to see China through Chinese eyes (quite unlike W. Somerset Maugham in "On a Chinese Screen"). He learns the language, he travels hard-seater, takes the slow-boats on the Yangtze, goes hiking among the rice fields, talks with the locals. He takes note of what he sees, and he takes notes. Lots of notes. They become the basis for the abundance of details about everyday life in the city and the college where he teaches.

The book is an impressive document of Hessler's love for the country, and at the same time, beneath the armor of his love, there is the anger and frustration he feels about not being accepted as the well-meaning, open-minded individual that he is (almost like a missionary whose good intentions are not valued). He works admirably hard at understanding the people, the culture, and the land, but the majority of Chinese do not change their idea of who he is, and very few change their behavior towards him. His frustration at being treated as a wai guo ren (the summary term for a person from a foreign country), as opposed to being treated as an individual, is palpable.

I am confident that this book will find readers years from now. For the time being it provides the most comprehensive picture of city life in the rural hinterland of a country in transition. Hessler has witnessed a very traditional China that is about to disappear in the process of the economic modernization, just like parts of the river town are about to be submerged in the lake created by the Three Gorges Dam. He is not sentimental about the old customs and traditions, but there is a whiff of nostalgia and a sense of loss in his book.

River Town is a memoir with an ambition to be more. It is not as original, crisp and witty as Salzman's memoir, and not as erudite as Winchester's travel book. Its ambition is to be poetic and realistic at the same time. Poetic in its depiction of the land, realistic when describing life in Fuling. This makes for a somewhat uneven mixture, and I think the book would have gained if Hessler had kept his talent for poetic evocation apart from his talent for reporting. He is very good at both, no doubt. My feeling was simply that the book would have been even better, albeit shorter, if he had concentrated on just one of his strengths.

River Town has the potential to become a classic China memoir. Peter Hessler is a gifted observer, and a person who has great empathy with the Chinese people. He is someone who tries to understand the country from the bottom up. Very admirable.

A Review of River Town, Two Years on the Yangtze., May 17, 2005
During his two years spent as a volunteer teacher at the Fuling Teachers College, Peter Hessler learns much about modern Chinese culture. He takes the Chinese name He Wei, and immerses himself in the local Fuling culture as much as possible. He keeps and open mind while observing every day life around him while keeping a detailed journal which he later uses to write and publish River Town: Two Years on the Yangtze in 2001.

It is hard to imagine a place like Fuling, a remote town in the Sichuan province of China. It is amazing how different it is compared to the suburban America that surrounds us. The experience Hessler describes often sounds like something that could have occurred decades ago, not something that happened within the last ten years. This contemporaneous nature of the novel makes it all the more intriguing.

Fuling is a place where no American had been for over fifty years until Peter Hessler and Adam Meier arrived in 1996 as Peace Corps volunteers. It is also a place where the term Peace Corps has such a negative connotation that it was changed to U.S.-China Friendship Volunteers.

When Hessler first arrives in Fuling his status as an outsider is painfully awkward. He does not know the language. His uncommon physical appearance draws unwanted attention everywhere he goes. Neither he nor Adam know or understand the social norms or taboos and both make frequent blunders.

Yet, Hessler is undaunted by his "waiguoren" status. He does not allow the locals' taunts, or the administration's isolationist policies deter him. Instead, he bravely and eagerly sets out to learn all things Chinese.

First, and foremost he must learn the language. Naturally, both Hessler's and the reader's understanding of Fuling parallels his progress with the language. As he becomes more fluent he is able to communicate with local people outside of the college. He prefers the company of the working class and discovers much about everyday Chinese life through these people. It is as if a veil is slowly lifted from the city around him as he forges new friendships and gains experiences.

He talks to as many people as possible and one of the most interesting topics is that of the building of the Three Gorges Dam. At the time of Hessler's visit, the proposed dam is to be the largest in the world. To make way for the reservoir behind the dam, the massive project will flood a huge area of land. The dam will drastically impact everything: environment, local ecology, economics, historical sites, as well as where people live and work. He tells how there are signs everywhere marking where the future water level will be in a few years. In total, all along the Yangtze River 1,352 villages will be submerged (Hessler, River Town 103).

Yet, when Hessler asks people their opinion on the project, few seem to know exactly what will happen and none seem worried about the impending changes. A project like the Three Gorges Dam in the United States would have spawned constant protest, debate, and controversy. Yet, the Chinese continued to go about their daily lives and put their trust in whatever the government has planned. Hessler questions people's faith in the project, and the feasibility of the government's promise to build a 150 foot dike around the town. Especially, since there was no sign of a dike when he left Fuling in 1998 with the reservoir was scheduled to start rising in 2003 (Hessler, River Town 102).

Several years later Hessler returned to the Fuling teachers college to give a lecture on why he wrote the book. While there he found much progress had been made including a new dike (Hessler, Time). So it seems faith of the residents of Fuling was not unwarranted.

Overall, River Town is a fascinating and fast read, and I am not surprised by the cover's statement that is a "New York Times Bestseller". It does an excellent job at capturing Fuling at a specific moment in time as well as provides glimpses of Chinese cultural as a whole. Being the same age as Hessler during his time in Fuling I could not help but wonder how I would fair in a similar situation. One can only admire Hessler and the other Peace Corps volunteers for their willingness to throw themselves into such a completely foreign world. I would love to read a follow up book, since according to the credits Hessler choose to stay in China and now lives in Beijing.

"gambei" to Hessler, March 20, 2005
I spent three years in China on the Yangtze River (Wuhan), overlapping one of those years with Hessler. It has been five years since I left but the memories remain fresh and intense. I read Hessler's account of his two-year teaching stint in the smaller town of Fuling, with delight and astonishment. It was as though someone had read my own journals and put into words what I never could. His ability to evoke the Chinese character and nuances and place his subjects in authentic surroundings is an amazing feat given the complexities of Chinese life. There are no sterotypes here. I had so many similar experiences and conversations with my own students, it defies logic. Yet such is the nature of a country that idealizes uniformity of thought and practice. Hessler is a hero for mastering the language in so short a time for the sake of clarity and understanding those around him. His two-year linguistic journey and the revelations they unfold, are the heart of this book and the one area I so miserably failed in. My regrets are tempered by his success and the fact I now have a brilliantly written book to hand someone when they ask about my experiences in China. ... Read more

Editorial Review

A James Beard Award finalist: "User-friendly recipes for people to take nutrition seriously."—Florence Fabricant, The New York Times.This long-awaited collection of more than 350 recipes represents favorites from EatingWell: The Magazine of Food & Health that have migrated to the top of an elite line of new and classic dishes now numbering well into the thousands. These are exciting new recipes that EatingWell's own staff members take home at night alongside the time-tested winners that dedicated readers call and write to request over and over again. All are freshly updated, with improved nutritional analyses and an eye to today's fast-evolving nutritional guidelines. Within these pages you'll find clear, simple and often very quick recipes. You'll also find a unique Healthy Weight Loss Index that identifies which recipes fit into particular diet guidelines, rating them on overall health (calories, carbohydrates, and fats), fiber content, and which recipes best address the needs of those on low-carbohydrate weight-loss plans. Losing weight no longer has to mean sacrificing great tastes and fine dining.

• Good carbs: don't abandon the things your body needs and craves: whole grains, great-tasting vegetables and fruits
• Good fats: enhance your recipes and your family's health with the right fats and oils, while lowering saturated-fat content
• Great flavors: savor rich taste using trustworthy recipes and the secrets of award-winning cooks and the best tricks and techniques from EatingWell

Recipes include:

• Chicken Saute with Mango Sauce
• Updated Mac & Cheese
• Asian Stir-Fried Shrimp with Snow Peas
• Grilled Pork Chops with Rhubarb Chutney
• Pizza with White Beans, Prosciutto, and Rosemary
• Spring Vegetable Stew
• Fragrant Bulgar Pilaf with Toasted Almonds
• Grilled Vegetable Salad
• Sunday Sausage Strata
• Vegetarian Hot Pot
• Salmon with North African Flavors
• Blueberry Danish
• Fruit-Filled Crepes
• Double-Raspberry Souffles
• Lemon Almond Polenta Torta
• Chocolate-Hazlenut Cake
• Pineapple Upside-Down Muffins
• Mango Brulee

Learn the flavors, strategies, and insights to help you keep fit and stay healthy while never boring your palate.

Reviews

Excellent results - even for a beginning chef, November 24, 2004
I enjoy delicious, healthy foods but I have neither the time nor the will to cook every night.

Since I bought this book, I can't wait until I can try a new recipe. Each dish has prescribed preparation time broken down into actual hands-on prep time and oven time. This has simplified my life and allowed me to quickly change a menu at the last minute if I suddenly have less time to spend at the kitchen counter in the middle of my multi-tasking.

Even the recipes that I'm skeptical of turn out delicious and I find I'm craving some of the new taste combinations.

I've developed some health issues lately and this book makes me confident that I'm eating the best possible foods to help me get well.

I suppose the best thing to say about this book is that the work that goes into the recipes is well-rewarded with delicious meals.

Other recipe books are inconsistent but, with guaranteed success, I'm more prone to cook.

Excellent, April 18, 2005
I checked this book out from my library because I was getting bored with chicken breast, chicken breast, chicken breast...Trying to eat more healthfully was taking some of the joy out of cooking for me. I love to cook and I always want the things I make to be the absolute best, so substituting low-fat products and reduced calorie products always made me feel like the dish was not going to be good. Since I checked the book out a few weeks ago, I have tried several recipes and they have all been GREAT. The moroccan style chicken kabobs marinated in yogurt were especially tasty. I don't often eat muffins for breakfast, but the recipes in the book sounded so good (and nutricious) that I tried a couple. The Maple Blueberry Muffins were great, sweetened entirely with maple syrup, no white refined sugar, and with ground flax seed for extra omega-3. The Bannana muffins were also great, made with whole wheat and unprocessed wheat bran. Seriously-try them. Delicious, and each muffin has 4g of fiber. You can't beat that! I plan on purchasing this book today. I don't want to retur the borrowed copy to the library ntil I get my own. Highly recommended.

Excellent cookbook!, December 29, 2005
This book was given to me as a gift when I first began cutting out white flour, rice and sugar from my diet. I have cooked many of the recipes and have found each to be very good. I have five children and they all enjoy and ask for many of the muffin recipes. (They especially love the banana.) I have substituted other flours in place of the white flour called for in some of the recipes with brown rice flour, etc. and they have all turned out marvelous. I have served these meals to guests, brought many things in to work and everyone agrees, they are awesome! Just today I made the black bean with brown rice and chicken wraps. They were wonderful! It is very easy to eat healthier with this cookbook. You will not regret purchasing it.

Fantastic taste, easy to find ingredients. #1 on our shelf, September 23, 2005
I've got a lot of cookbooks and this one ranks #1 on our list. It's got clear instructions, tasty recipes, and it appeals to a variety of taste buds--tonight we served quinoa stuffed peppers for our vegan friend, the other night edamame/feta dip. We've not had a failure yet. And we're feeding a 3 and 4 year old too. No rejections on their parts either!

Clear the shelves. Rachel Ray move over (yeah--30 minute meals using ingredients that you spend hours trying to find in the gourmet shops mega miles away).

Buy this book.

Great Cookbook for Nutritious Eating, April 19, 2005
I'm a little bit of a cookbook junkie, and I'm always on the lookout for cookbooks that emphasize healthy recipes with whole grains, good fats, and low sugar. This book meets and exceeds all those desires. So far, I have made several recipes, and all were delicious. Recipes that I have used have inspired me to experiment based on some of the interesting combinations presented--with great results. The soup and stew recipes are wonderful. I highly recommend this--especially if you have the fear that healthy eating will taste bad, because the recipes in this book will prove you wrong.

One of my favorite cookbooks!, September 2, 2006
I've been a fan of Eating Well magazine for years, so it's no surprise to me that they would produce such an exciting, delicious and usable cookbook. Every recipe is based on real food, not the Frankenfoods that many dieters are used to. The recipes do take some time to prepare, but the outcome is well worth it.

The recipes are perfect for most diet plans, as well as anyone not on a diet that just wants to eat better. South Beachers can use this book, so I'm not sure why the previous reviewer gave it a poor review, especially since she hadn't even browsed the book. Some of the recipes do use white sugar, but there are plenty of recipes in this cookbook to qualify for the South Beach and Sonoma Diets. Weight Watchers are in luck because every recipe includes calories, fat, and fiber counts, so they can easily calculate the points.

This is a cookbook that I would recommend to anyone, not just dieters. Every recipe focuses on flavor and high quality ingredients, and just happen to be reduced calorie. My favorite recipe would be the Mediterranean Burgers with Olive Ketchup. Had it not been for this recipe, I would have never tried millet, a very nutritious whole grain.

I refer to Eating Well magazines and cookbooks at least once a week, usually more often. I've never been disappointed in one of their recipes. I highly recommend this cookbook :)

Great resource, April 18, 2006
If you care about the nutritional value of your meals, but don't want to sacrifice flavor this book is a gem. So far I have made several different recipes and I have been pleased with the results. I recommend adding extra herbs and spices for those of you who are "flavor-junkies" like me.
The baked goods are not super sweet, but at least they are good and you can eat them relatively guilt-free. Buy the book, experiment a little, and feel good about what you're eating!

You must stock this in your kitchen library!!, July 20, 2005
This is a great cookbook filled with a ton of healthy, tasty recipes. Recipes are interesting and focus on well-balanced nutrition and taste - not just low-fat, boring diet food. I literally make the morning glory muffins every couple of weeks - they are perfect to satisfy my muffin cravings but aren't loaded with grease and saturated fats.

I also recommend checking out Eating Well magazine that this cookbook complements. It's a fantastic magazine for people who love food and want to be healthy.

An excellent guide for those who really want to change their eating habits!, March 8, 2006
This book is exactly what is needed for people who are committed to changing their eating habits. The contents are well organized, the logistics are clear, the recipes provide pertinent nutritional information, are easy to follow and give excellent results. As a physician that I am I will most certainly recommend it to patients and friends. Congratulations on the team work!

Good health, a little too gourmet for me, December 26, 2008
I love to cook, but I have a large family and these recipes are nutritionally sound, but a little more extravagant than I cook. I have Tosca Reno's line of Eating Clean cookbooks and I use them at least 3-4 times a week for different things. Those are more my style, these recipes aren't as family friendly when cooking for kids. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Nobody knows Costa Rica like Lonely Planet, and our 9th edition helps you build the perfect itinerary. Whether that’s whitewater rafting down the Río Reventazón, sunbathing in laid-back Montezuma, quetzal-spotting in the Monteverde Cloud Forest, or swaying to reggaetón at an open-air bar in Cahuita – you decide.

Lonely Planet guides are written by experts who get to the heart of every destination they visit. This fully updated edition is packed with accurate, practical and honest advice, designed to give you the information you need to make the most of your trip.

In this Guide:

Essential highlights chapter showcases the very best of Costa Rica
Tailored itineraries for easy trip planning
Unique Green Index helps you step lightly on your travels
... Read more

Reviews

Necessary to know what to avoid, March 8, 2004
Just got back from Costa Rica (2 wks), and had a good time, though it wasn't without serious disappointment.

While there we noticed that almost all the guidebooks people were carrying around were Lonely Planet (LP). But everywhere we stayed that LP raved about was very disappointing, and the few places we stayed that were very understated in LP were excellent.

My theory is that so many people are using LP that if a place gets a rave recommendation the business just pours in. They jack up their prices, sit back and rest on their reputation, and the facility and service deteriorate. But the money keeps pouring in because of that great LP review. Meanwhile the underrated places have to work their butts off to get business. Even though LP CR is only 2 years old, the prices of the highly rated hotels were off by as much as 50%, whereas the ones with understated descriptions were right on.

Generally, I like using LP, but for CR I would say that too many people do. Grab a different guidebook and cross-ref it with LP. If it has a nice sounding place that's not in LP, stay there!

We also used Frommer's even though it doesn't have much of a selection of budget places. Frommer's descriptions are so much more colorful and accurate. You get the impression that they only write about places for which they have first-hand knowledge. Plus Frommer's 2004 edition is new and the prices were exactly right. But, it's not sufficient by itself because it just doesn't list enough places.

Our rule of thumb for LP CR: If LP writes more than half a column about a hotel or lodge, avoid it! It will be overrated by now, with ridiculously high prices, and an inattentive staff.

Next gripe related to the advice in this guidebook: all the concerns and warnings are grossly exagerated. The roads are bad, but they don't swallow cars and break axles. There may be some crime, but there aren't people learching in the shadows to flatten your tires every time you stop. The busy season doesn't fill every hotel -- in fact without reservations, we got our first choice of hotels every night. I wonder how much more fun my trip would have been if I hadn't let this book make me so defensive!

Here's a tip for Costa Rican hotels: it doesn't matter how expensive the place is, the showers are lousy, with very little hot water and terrible water pressure. So don't pay $45 for a place just because it has hot showers when the place next door is only $25.

Conflicted author may depress you, July 10, 2007
While I agree with the conservationist spirit and general distaste for overrun tourist traps expressed throughout this guidebook by Matthew Firestone (one of the book's two authors), I found his relentlessly negative tone to be extremely off-putting. While the sections written by the other author (Mara Vorhees) are more neutral, informative and generally reflect the high quality I've come to expect from the Lonely Planet series of guidebooks, Matthew Firestone's sections have fully succeeded in dampening my enthusiasm for a trip to Costa Rica before the trip has even begun.

While it may be that the beach at Playa Tamarindo "is full of blubbery North American and European holidaymakers who spend most of their time frying in the sun like beached whales" turning their complexion "from a pasty white to a rosy shade of skin cancer," and while that description does indeed sound like a scene I would rather avoid, I find the author's consistent haughty tone and overriding negativity to be out of place and offensive in a book that is intended for - after all - tourists.

I am still planning what I fully expect to be an exciting and fun vacation in Costa Rica, but now I have to do so in spite of the author of this book's overbearing negativity. It's true, I'm sure, that Costa Rica was once better to visit than it is today, but this book is not for people who knew and loved the country years ago. It's intended for people who have never been there before, and since Mr. Firestone couldn't put aside his sour gripes and focus on what's great about the place rather than bemoaning what's been lost, his words and advice won't be making the trip with me.

This book has been my first disappointment in the Lonely Planet series.

Great Guide; Excellent vacation, October 20, 2001
I ended up a few weeks and travelling through parts of Central America. This travel guide is one of the ones I took with me, and I highly recommend it.

This guide proved to be invaluable, and saved me a lot of headaches and money. Traveling solo, I rarely make reservations or plans until I actually get there. This is what I did when I got to Costa Rica.

Thanks to this LP guide I can report the following highlights: $7 per night hotel room in San Jose, watching a live volcano (Arenal), spending time in the hot springs at the base of a live volcano, visiting a coffee plantation, hiking through Cloud Forest, and seeing several breathtaking waterfalls. Travelling through Nicaragua to Tortugero to watch the endangered turtles lay eggs was definitely a worthwhile adventure.

A few words of advice: If you are going to visit the rain forest, bring a poncho. It rains in the rain forest. A lot, especially during the rainy season. Perhaps that is why they call it a rain forest. Secondly, visit the local tourist offices in San Jose. I went in looking for some free maps, and got a lot of good advice. It never hurts to have some extra advice about where to go to supplement the guide.

A little dense, it becomes hard to visualize places when planning a trip, but the real value is when you are the ground and moving. Highly recommended.

The only one you'll need, January 4, 2007
As usual I bought a few guide books and took them all with me. I had the National Geographic, the Tico Times book (Exploring Costa Rica) and the Lonely Planet. Lonely Planet was the bible. All the rest were fluff. As my trip progressed I put the others in the glove compartment and eventually deep in my luggage. The only time I needed anything else was consulting the map (I had a waterproof detailed Costa Rica map which I also recommend) and once when a phone number was misprinted.

As for the preachy tone, yes, I agree, there was a huge element in the book. A lot of it I tended to agree with (I personally think zip line tours are a terrible idea and would make more sense over Manhattan skyscrapers than in one of the world's most precious cloud forests and I also agree that Tamarindo is a hole) so it didn't bother me as much as some of the other reviewers. I wouldn't lower my score by more than half a star for that so they still got 5 stars.

Least helpful travel book I've ever used, January 18, 2006
I bought this book before a trip to Costa Rica, based on the "Lonely Planet" name alone. Lonely Planet usually publishes the best travel books, but not in this case. We found that the directions to many of the establishments were incorrect, as were the descriptions. Some of the locals even pointed out parts of the book that were blatantly incorrect, such as certain restaurants or bars that were in a different part of town than stated in the book. This particular book could have used a better fact-checker. I will not be taking it with me on my next trip to Costa Rica.

Outdated, sorely lacking, get Tico Times in-country, June 1, 2006
I bought this book for my Costa Rica trip (8 weeks w/ a class, 3 weeks w/o), and replaced it within the first week. Most of the hotels are priced above what is listed, if they even exist anymore. Same with the restaurants. Also, LP over-emphasized many extreme tourist hotspots without giving enough info about smaller towns (don't miss Cauhita!), lesser-known forests (check out the Children's Eternal Rainforest), getting around by bus, super-budget hotels or border crossings. My advice: wait until you get into Costa Rica, then get the Tico Times guidebook, updated EVERY YEAR, written by the local english newspaper. It's easy to find and so much more relevant, with maps of every town, bus schedules, local festivals (where and when), border information, updated hotel + restaurant info, and how to find the information you can't find anywhere else.

Find a new author Lonely Planet, January 16, 2008
If you want to enjoy traveling to Costa Rica I would recommend another book. If you want to spend your time lamenting about how Costa Rica has changed, how Americans are annoying, and be afraid to take your valuables out of your hotel safe than I recommend you check this book out. I would often read passages out loud to different people I was traveling with. You would think that Jaco is similar to Jersey but with more crack and lots of prostitutes from reading this book. In fact, when I went it was mostly families, a little sketch, but man get a grip. I read the chapter on San Jose and was to afraid to take my camera to the central market and downtown. What a regret! The people everywhere in Costa Rica were so nice. Downtown was crawling with tourists with their cameras and police. It wasn't even remotely sketchy. We could only get reservations in Tamarindo for Christmas day and I was terrified that it was going to be like Myrtle Beach on Spring Break. Yes there were lots of condos but it was still Costa Rica! Dirt Roads. you could walk from one end of town to the other in less then 10 minutes, everyone was nice, the beach was pretty. I just couldn't understand why the authors seemed to hate travel so much and be so hateful towards places where we were going.

Also, the book didn't give a lot of key information about how to get around without a car. We wasted so much time in La Fortuna trying to figure out how to get to the different places we wanted to go. It turns out there isn't a bus, there are only guided tours. They are all expensive. We finally hitchhiked which worked out well but I never go to go on the hanging bridges. I loved Cahuita (it wasn't dangerous) and Dominical. I loved Costa Rica. I am ready to go back.

I just wanted to warn people to stay away from this book. I love guidebooks. I am the kind of psycho that gets them from the library and reads through them even when I am not going anywhere. This one was the worst.

I'm sure it was good once upon a time..., December 22, 2001
I have used Lonely Planet guides for the past 8 years during my travels everywhere from Cambodia to New Zealand to Japan, and they have yet to disappoint... until now. I'm sure that this book was once good, but it was written nearly two years ago, and Costa Rica has changed so much since then.

With the recent real estate/construction boom, this book is simply too old. I spent a month in Costa Rica (Nov./Dec. 2001) and found that in many towns HALF of the hotels and restaurants mentioned in this book no longer exist or are under new names/ownership. Also, there is a large number of new lodging places that have been built in the past years that LP excludes. Many of these are the best deals in town.

For the ones that it does include, prices are slightly outdated (although not horrible). Bus schedules are less than accurate (understandable for a two year old book). Especially in remote places like Corcovado, this book was of little help and in certain cases genuinely misleading about ways to get around and the distance of certain extended hikes.

Like I said, I use LP books all the time and they are usually great. I'm sure a 5th edition would fix 90% of the problems with this book, but until then I would strongly recommend a different publication. My friend had the Moon Handbooks guide (which I had never used before) and it was significantly better than the LP in all aspects but maps. My recommendation would be to get that book (or a different one if you know that it is newly printed) and a DETAILED map of the country. That should treat you fine until the 5th edition LP comes out.

Enjoy your trip!

Lonely Planet Costa Rica review, July 8, 2002
We used this book when traveling through Costa Rica as well as the Explore Costa Rica by Harry Pariser. The Lonely Planet Guide was a little out of date. It seems like many places and events have changed in Costa Rica since the book was written. We found that Pariser's book was much more complete, fun to read, and accurate. The in-depth ecological commentary was greatly appreciated. Lonely Planet can sometimes be overrated.

A Good Second Choice, March 1, 2004
In preparing for a four-week trip to Costa Rica, I bought both the Lonely Planet Guide and Moon Handbook to Costa Rica. Although both were very good, I would give the edge to the Moon Handbook which provided more detailed and personalized descriptions of places to stay, eat, and visit.
I have used Lonely Planet books in many parts of the world and have long considered them my travel Bible. However, I have noticed that they seem to have lost some of their spark and have become more mainstream and institutionalized in recent years.
For those planning an extensive trip to Costa Rica, I would suggest buying both Moon and Lonely Planet guides as each provides information and insights the other lacks. But I would give Moon the edge if you are planning to purche only one. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Be reminded—day after day after day—of why you love France. Reflecting the beauty of the landscapes, the art, the food and wine, and the pure romance that pervades the land, 365 Days in France is the next best thing to being there. A weathered stone farmhouse surrounded by vineyards. Parisian sidewalk cafés. Golden baguettes fresh from the boulangerie. Plus the glitz and glamour of the Côte d’Azur, fragrant lavender fields, multihued macaroons, the grand hotels of Nice, bustling outdoor markets, and simple, from-scratch meals at cozy bistros. Filled with hundreds of full-color photographs by Steven Rothfeld and transporting text by Patricia Wells, this calendar is a Francophile's dream.
... Read more

Reviews

Life in France, December 1, 2010
A nice gift for family and friends. My wife who is French really enjoys the calendar with all the photos of France and life in France. ... Read more

Editorial Review

An illustrated cartographic history of the City of Angels from the colonial era to the present. Los Angeles inhabits a place of the mind as much as it does a physical geographic space. A land of palm trees and movie stars, sunshine and glamour, the city exists in the imagination as a paradise; of course, the reality is much bigger than this. Through seventy reproductions of seminal and historic documents, Los Angeles in Maps presents the evolution of this almost mythical place. Maps featured include historic Spanish explorers’ charts from as early as 1791, as well as more recent topographic surveys, tourist guides, real estate maps, bird’s-eye views, and more. Like the course of the Los Angeles River, the book winds through essential terrain: the discovery of oil, the rise of Hollywood, the streetcar system, Los Angeles Harbor, earthquakes, sprawl, and splendor. ... Read more

Editorial Review

The Top 6 Ways The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World with Kids Can Help You Have the Perfect Trip:

• Comments and tips on Walt Disney World from surveys of more than 12,500 families
• Advice on how to prepare mentally, physically, and logistically for your ideal Walt Disney World vacation
• Information on which attractions frighten kids and why
• When to go, where to stay, and how to beat the crowds
• Field tested touring plans that can save you up to four hours of waiting in line.
• How to keep your family happy on vacation and how to return home rested and relaxed

Reviews

A 'must have' book for anyone going to Disney, November 2, 2010
This book was such a great resource to have when taking kids on thier first trip to Disney. It really helps you to remember all the rides (we had not been there for over ten years) and what they are like for kids of different ages. It also gives you great websites to look at, and reviews for the restaurants and hotels. It was a great investment!

WDW guide is great., November 7, 2010
Hints and clues to the Walt Disney World that will make our family vacation better and we'll be better prepared for reading this book.

Great Guide, November 2, 2010
This book is great for planning a trip to Disney. I have made several trips with no guide and now realize I have been missing a lot of things. I think we will be a lot more prepared for this trip. ... Read more

Editorial Review

This deluxe, entertaining dream guide showcases the experience and savoir-faire of such luminaries as Prince Charles on architecture, Arnold Palmer on favorite golf courses, Luciano Pavarotti on opera houses, and Baron Philip de Rothschild on the best vintages. Scores of experts name the 10 best islands, poshest pubs and polo clubs, best things to do on Sundays afternoons in the world’s best cities, and a treasure trove of musts for the high-end traveler or anyone who aspires to be.

The 2008 edition is expanded with much new material—latest discoveries of jet-set authors Nathaniel Lande and Andrew Lande in hotels, restaurants and resorts, plus many up-to-date revisions in their top ten lists. The new Grand Tour includes 20 classic adventures, all experienced by the veteran travelers, with lush and enticing journeys to the Amalfi Coast, Great Barrier Reef, Shanghai, the Greek Isles, Antarctica, and more.

Studded with colorful illustrations, cosmopolitan sidebars, and savvy tips, as well as a wealth of options for getting there via land, sea, or air, this elegant and sophisticated book will awaken yearnings for exotic travel in readers everywhere. ... Read more

Reviews

the best gift, April 20, 2008
I did not see the 2006 copy, so the information was new to me. It was the perfect gift for a couple friends that have a taste for travel and the best.
I was impressed that they listed my favorite beer(Westvleteren)as number one.

Engaging and fun, May 9, 2009
Lande goes further than you might expect in detailing what is best and why, across a range of travel-related topics. Experienced travelers will find much that's familiar, and even more that is yet untried and ripe for one's "must see, must do" list. Very entertaining; a breeze to read because it's broken into highly consumable small sections.

This book is also a wonderful all-purpose gift for relatives, friends, and even your travel agent, because it has something for everyone who appreciates a bit of sophistication in their travels. Also, the book is composed of high quality paper with graphics throughout to enliven the pages and keep things interesting even for those who don't read a great deal.

The Best 10 of everything, April 23, 2009
This book is really neat!!!!!! Literally the 10 best of each category in book. Some food categories, restuarants, travel places, etc...etc.... Would make an awesome coffee table book too!!!!!! Would recommend to others!!!!!

exactly what was expected, November 18, 2009
if anything, the product condition was better than what was described. flawless transaction from start to finish; highly recommended.

Great for travel dreamers, June 9, 2008
This book is a great read for people who like to travel but don't always have time to sit down and read for hours. Going through some of the lists gives me ideas on the next trip and makes me curious to learn more about the places or things listed.

Best little book!, November 14, 2010
Like to travel? this is the book! Like the best of everything? this is the book! It's a bargain for the whealth of information you get. I buy them to give as present and it makes a great gift.

A Unique and Superb Travel Guide, July 24, 2010
The original edition of this book was terrific, and when I went to order a copy to give as a gift recently, I was delighted to find the second edition. The updates, the even sturdier paper, and the additional recommendations in the new Afterward have made this already excellent guide even better; in fact, I ended up keeping it for myself!

I appreciate more than ever Nathaniel and Andrew Lande's commitment to accuracy and enduring quality, and particularly their effort to ensure that information is as current as possible (especially after my vexing experience in Europe this summer with a different, more expensive, well-known guidebook, which, despite being "updated" every year or two and being touted as a "2010 edition", lists an appallingly large number of restaurants that have been closed for 5-10 years!!).

My 2006 review of the first edition of "The Ten Best of Everything" is below; everything I wrote holds true for the second:

This superb book immediately earned a place of honor on the shelf of Very Special Favorites in my personal library, and has retained that position each time I've succumbed to the delightful temptation of re-reading it. I recommend it enthusiastically and wholeheartedly.

Unique in purpose and content, "THE 10 BEST OF EVERYTHING: PASSPORT TO THE BEST, An Ultimate Guide for Travelers" stands well above today's flood of look-alike travel and "best-of" books, and measures up to top travel literature from the past. Selective without being superficial, it's a great read. It evoked resonant memories of places I know and love (New York, Buenos Aires, the Amalfi Coast...), offered new takes on subjects I *thought* I knew (cameras, coffees, Paris...), and enticed me to add to my agenda much I might never have considered (Antarctica, comfy hand-made mattresses from London, a jet-boat safari through a New Zealand World Heritage area...). And it's great fun: the colorful tales with which these two master travelers and raconteurs regale us ("Waiting for MacPherson", "The Chair: Backstage at the Bolshoi"...) make me wish that I'd been along for the ride on their past adventures and that they'd accompany my future ones -- or at least plan my itineraries!

The clever organization and interweaving of this book's rich contents exemplify "thinking outside the box". It's really several books in one. Aside from the authors' personal recommendations and reminiscences and their wealth of ingeniously arranged lists, from which you'll be hard-pressed to tear yourself away, you also get what amounts to an exquisite art book -- the text is lavished with gorgeous historic travel posters and other travel-related art, providing evocative scenery for an armchair tour.

I marveled at the authors' combined range of experience and expertise, from high-end pursuits (Argentine polo, vintage wines, escapes to paradisiacal Malaysian resorts...) to equally satisfying simple pleasures that fit even the humblest budget (top-rated `burgers, flea/antique markets on several continents, awe-inspiring cathedrals for quiet contemplation, the religious experience of eating Arthur Bryant's barbecue in Kansas City...).

This book is a perfect and very classy gift at a reasonable price -- my holiday shopping will be VERY easy this year! It's already received raves from seasoned travelers to whom I've recommended it, and has inspired some friends who are confirmed homebodies to think about setting out to see the world.

More than all its absorbing narratives and intriguing recommendations, though, the real glory of this book is that it's a rare, totally unpedantic education in how to truly live well -- not necessarily expensively (although those seeking luxury couldn't have more savvy mentors than the Landes!), but to the fullest. The book has been a beacon illuminating the path between my dreams and the memorable journeys they're becoming.

If you travel, you must read this!, January 15, 2009
My husband and I love to travel and this guide opened our eyes to even more wonders that await us. You can't go wrong.

Excellent Second Edition, July 9, 2010
Surely Mr. Hedge is misguided and perhaps remedial. The Second Edition has a heavier cover and better paper stock, and contractually, 25 percent of the Second Edition updated and changed including an AFTERWARD TO THE SECOND EDITION on pages 466 and 467 by the authors with new information. In our opinion, Amazon is being complicit in publishing a customer review that is inaccurate and not fair or objective to their buyers.

In HIS opinion, May 3, 2010
It's not like a million people voted here. It's random lists and entries are questionable. It's also outdated on several things, like cruise ships. And I wonder why Tempur-Pedic wasn't listed as a top bed? It seemed like a great reference book till I read the whole thing. But it's something to start with if you're searching for something on one of the lists. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Other Appalachian Trail guidebooks tell you about notable scenery, trail history, or changes in terrain. This one tells you exactly what you need to know to prepare for and complete a long-distance hike on the Appalachian Trail. From determining a budget, preparing an itinerary, and packing gear to resupplying, using bounce boxes, and staying on schedule, this book will help any hiker to make certain their long distance trek is a success. ... Read more

Reviews

Excellent how-to book for Appalachian Trail, January 16, 2009
Michelle Ray's "How to Hike the A.T." is the most comprehensive book I've read on the subject. I could have used her advice back in 2003, when I thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail myself. Aside from the logical layout of chapters, there is an index, and even a few pages on trail terminology. After reading this book you will not only be prepared, but begin to feel like a long-distance hiker. I was particularly impressed that she devoted a final chapter to: Lightweight and Ultralight Backpacking. If you are thinking about this, you need to do it right, and she covers the basics. The book also includes lists of trail organizations, and suggested resources, including the written media and Web Sites.

For anyone thinking about a long hike, or who wants to learn about hikers and the culture, this is the place to begin.

Current, concise AT guide book, January 11, 2009
Michelle Ray's AT guide book is the most current, concise, and entertaining resource for anyone even considering hiking the Appalachian Trail. She has put a tremendous amount of research into this book. What's more, she manages to convey a sense of adventure and excitement with all the information and advice. She brings not only her own experience as a thru-hiker, but, as a librarian has managed to compile a wealth of information in a very readable fashion. There are lots of books about the AT, but this one should be the prospective hiker's main standby. It is light enough to carry in your backpack. Frank "The Walrus" Miller, Havre, MT

A mostly well written how to guide, August 10, 2009
This guide to how to prepare for a Thru Hike is one of the best I have seen, except for one chapter, Chapter 5, Getting Your Gear On, The Pack.

Little is more important than sellecting a good pack. The author does not fairly state the advantages and disavantages between internal and external packs. To say that the external frame pack was used mainly between the 50's and the 70's on the AT is totally misleading and incorrect. External frame packs have been the backbone of hiking the AT. They still should be considered, when choosing a good durable, sturdy, highly useable, yet comfortable pack for a thruhike.

For good reading, to help you select the best pack for your Tru Hike, I would recomend, Long Distant Hiking, Lessons from the AT by Roland Mueser, Backpacker & Hiker's Handbook by William Kemsley Jr. or The Appalachian Trail Hiker by Victoria and Frank Logue,

After becoming well informed, go to a GOOD pack shop and try on the various packs you read about. Don't be pressured into buying the pack that the salesperson is currently pushing. Know for your self what to look for in a good pack and why. Your salesperson may be into the current fad of Ultra Lite Backpacking, but is a super lite, one large pocket frameless pack, your best choice for a tru hike?.

The rest of the book is very well written and I recomend it highly.

Wonderfully researched, May 28, 2009
She did the research and product testing; so you don't have to. Just read the book, follow her suggestions, buy the appropriate gear, prepare physically and mentally for the journey. Enjoy yourself!

Starter for the rookie AT hiker, February 8, 2010
This is a good starter book for the rookie hiker that wants to hike the AT and has no idea where to begin.
The book has a lot of basic information for the non-hiker who wants to tackle the AT.
Using this book will get you off on the right foot.
Big Mike

What you need to know, February 3, 2009
If you are getting ready or have just thought of hiking the AT or someother long distance trail you must read this book to prepare yourself for the challange. She has done it and then some.
A Must Read!

Hiking the A.T.? Read this book!, May 24, 2010
I am Definatlly not an experienced hiker, but I will tell you that I got alot from this book. It answered questions I didnt know I should ask. This book should be a part of your reading if your thinking of hiking the A.T.. From equipment, to clothing, to tips about getting started with your hike. I recommend this book, and also Long-Distance Hiking: Lessons from the Appalachian Trail by Roland Mueser which does give a bit more info on backpacks in particular, as another reviewer stated,

Excellent general book for backpacking, November 12, 2009
This is an excellent review of more or less modern approaches to backpacking in general, which means more than just the AT. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Sarah Vowell exposes the glorious conundrums of American history and culture with wit, probity, and an irreverent sense of humor. With Assassination Vacation, she takes us on a road trip like no other -- a journey to the pit stops of American political murder and through the myriad ways they have been used for fun and profit, for political and cultural advantage.

From Buffalo to Alaska, Washington to the Dry Tortugas, Vowell visits locations immortalized and influenced by the spilling of politically important blood, reporting as she goes with her trademark blend of wisecracking humor, remarkable honesty, and thought-provoking criticism. We learn about the jinx that was Robert Todd Lincoln (present at the assassinations of Presidents Lincoln, Garfield, and McKinley) and witness the politicking that went into the making of the Lincoln Memorial. The resulting narrative is much more than an entertaining and informative travelogue -- it is the disturbing and fascinating story of how American death has been manipulated by popular culture, including literature, architecture, sculpture, and -- the author's favorite -- historical tourism. Though the themes of loss and violence are explored and we make detours to see how the Republican Party became the Republican Party, there are all kinds of lighter diversions along the way into the lives of the three presidents and their assassins, including mummies, show tunes, mean-spirited totem poles, and a nineteenth-century biblical sex cult. ... Read more

Reviews

If only Vowell wrote the texts...., March 28, 2005
I've never really gotten the whole idea behind "American Studies" in universities. I really did not enjoy history as a student. If only Sarah Vowell had written the texts or been the teacher. She is a history nerd, geek, whatever--she is brilliant, laugh out loud funny, and earnest all at the same time. Her take is on three presidents who were assasinated (the majority of the book describing Lincoln's life, assasination, and the lives of his assasins). This book is something of a departure from her previous two collections of esssays, which ranged over a wide variety of topics. This book is more focused, but Vowell's voice and wit are intact, even more entertaining than in previous volumes. I hope Vowell's next book tells us about Hollywood, animation, and her other passions on the heels of her performing a voice in The Incredibles. There has to be so much fodder for her droll observations there. Sedaris might be getting a little stale these days; Vowell certainly is not.

I'll buy a Vowell, Pat., March 29, 2005
Actually, two. Or maybe three. Or as many as I want! Sarah Vowell has produced a delightfully charming, witty, and introspective look at, of all topics, presidential assassination, in her new witty and evocative book "Assassination Vacation".

Those of us who know Vowell from her numerous and witty appearances on the highly respected "This American Life" series know exactly what to expect when picking up a Vowell book: something interesting, funny, with pieces of introspection thrown in. She delivers her promise in her new tome. Vowell, a self-avowed history nut, decides to drag certain hapless aquaintances around the places associated with three presidential assassinations: Lincoln, Garfield, and McKinley.

Along the way, she shares information she has researched or learned, which makes this book one of her more scholarly, if that word could ever be applied here. She actually makes history more palpable, more real for people to digest in an entertaining way. How many of us would desire reading a book about the famed assassin Leon Cgolgosz? Put Vowell's name on the cover, slap a salty title on the book, and bang, we're lining up book-in-hand to purchase it. (Oh, and by the way, Vowell finally deciphers the mystery of pronouncing Cgolgosz, which is.... is... hmmm, I suddenly can't remember).

Whenever you read a piece by Vowell, invariably, you never read it in your own voice, but her Sarah's voice ringing through, or was it Violet Parr from the Incredibles... oh wait, it's the SAME person). I guess that's the mark of a good writer, that she has developed her own style strong enough for us to hear her reading it to us. At any rate, this history nut who also goes ballistic whenever he comes across a plaque, gives this book five stars for a truly enjoyable read from a truly enjoyqable writer.

History, humanity, and humor, August 19, 2005
I have read "Take the Cannoli" and am halfway through "The Partly Cloudy Patriot", I read these books because Assassination Vacation was the best book I've read by an uncelebrated author in my life. Sarah Vowell is witty and independent, she makes one feel a connection to her and a profound enlightened guilt at the loss of history.
The assassinations of Lincoln, McKinley, and Garfield are the book's topic. But the true value of Vowell's Vacation is the wonderment of where we came from, and how men who shaped the world are remembered only by small bronze plaques that are at once unremarkable and intriguing. For any kid that was in AP or Honors US History this book will make you grin remembering the stories layed out on chalkboards that seemed so dull then, but Vowell gives them meaning and life.
She is neurotic, patriotic, intelligent, witty, and alluring; in other words she is a perfect political writer. There is no paragraph that seems a waste of time. No story that isn't fascinating. You become a small child staring up at the Lincoln Memorial again, jaw on the floor, eyes wide staring at the man who saved the Union. And you feel a quiet drumming in your chest to do something about it, to make people remember what matters.

She makes history entertaining, August 20, 2005
The book is fascinating not only for the historical trivia it provides, but the author's introspective look at herself. She knows she's weird, but she also can't understand why everyone is not as fascinated as she is with presidential assasinations. Her precocious and morbid nephew is fascinating as well.

She has a fond affection for Garfield and McKinley. She worships Lincoln. She totally hates G. W. Bush. She humanizes the assassins without excusing them. She likes to tie the assassinations together by showing the historical thread.

It is a very remarkable book. I disagree with her on several points, but I am fully entertained at all times. The depth of scholarship is amazing and her journey to different historical sites provides a list of potential vacation sites for history buffs that will last for years.

Brilliant, January 6, 2006
The intelligent, witty, slightly neurotic and definitely morbid Vowell strikes again with her personal journey on the trail of three presidential assasinations (two of them largely forgotten). Only someone like Vowell could turn this potentially dark topic into something funny and interesting. Though not intended as a pure history, there is plenty of historical tidbits thrown into this commentary, woven into Vowell's contemporary experience and personal voice. Highly entertaining!

The Darling of the Day, January 16, 2008
Sarah Vowell's very chatty and informal overview of the first three successful presidential assassinations manages to chart, in its off-kilter way, a compelling if highly selective version of American history from the Civil War to the Spanish-American War through a series of anecdotes concerning the assassinations, the presidents who were the victims, the assassins themselves, and most of all the U.S. historical events associated with these events which Vowell manages to visit with the help of her friends and family, and where she meets a charming assortment of local volunteers who become the unofficial heroes of her narrative. Even if you're well versed in Stephen Sondheim's ASSASSINS, which explores much of the same territory in a completely different manner (and which Vowell enthuses over at the very beginning of her narrative), there's still much to find new and interesting here, and Vowell's candidness about her political affiliations and enthusiasms are very refreshing.

Vowell does identify herself on the bookjacket as "a McSweeney's person," and for better or worse that is a fairly accurate self-assessment. On the plus side, the book is charming, hip, ironic, and clever. On the other, it can be a bit self-consciously twee (favoring anachronistic terms in her writing like "looky-loos" and "mosey"), it's in strong need of an editor, and Vowell seems to need to tell us constantly how many supportive and brilliant friends and relations she has. It's almost impossible to nitpick, though, about someone who can be fervent and honest about her nerdy love for American history. This is a fun book to read.

Maybe educational, definitely fun!, March 3, 2007
You're about to read a book about 3 U.S. presidential assassinations. (1) The book will include some information on the assassins, the culture of the US at the time they were killed, and what remains to honor the fallen presidents today. (2) you're about to have a kick-in-the-pants good time.
Those two concepts sound incongruous, but the really fun part is experiencing the author, Sarah Vowell, pull them together chapter by chapter. The author is opinionated, and open about it. She doesn't like the Bush administration and says so. If that is enough to keep you from enjoying this book, give it a pass. If you're on the more rational side, you ought to have a ball. I did not know that Abraham Lincoln's son Robert was actually present at 3 assassinations. I howled with laughter when Vowell describes him as a sort of Zelig of presidential doom. I did not know that the original Oneida Commune embraced free love. I loved it when Vowell sums up their religious theology as "Let's move upstate and sleep around". Vowell is smart, sassy, and neurotic, luckily for us, she is also obsessed with history. Seeing presidential assassinations through her eyes is just about as much fun as assassinations can get. You may think that a severe understatement, but if you read this book, you'll know what I mean. Begin sceptical, finish laughing (and slightly more informed).

She went on, and on, and on..., October 14, 2009
Here's the thing -- I love, love, love "The Partly Cloudy Patriot." It might be one of my top 10 books ever. And, after reading "Assassination Vacation," now I know why.

I think Sarah Vowell is hilarious in small, diverse doses. But "Assassination Vacation" was a different kettle of fish. I have to admit that the singularity of her historical fascination/geekiness on the topic of presidential assassinations got on my nerves after a while. I got bored and skipped a few paragraphs here and there, to be honest.

I kept thinking back to her description of Al Gore in the "Partly Cloudy Patriot" as a smarty pants, which I agree is why he probably "lost" the election to George Bush. (He didn't, really, but that's another story...) There was a tinge of smarty-pantedness here, and, frankly, I got annoyed. But if you are really interested in the minutiae of presidential assassinations, this is the book for you.

PS -- lest anyone think I am a conservative crank, I am, most emphatically, not.

4 stars for the idea, January 20, 2006
I am a fan of Sarah Vowell. I enjoy her commentaries on NPR and as part of this American Life. I LOVED Take the Cannoli, but somehow Assasination Vacation didn't live up totally to it's glory. It was good and I would recommend it, but it pales a little in the shadow of Take the Cannoli.

But being a slightly morbid person, I couldn't pass up a book themed on assasinations, especially from someone so wry and amusingly bitter.

On the trail of Jinxy McDeath, July 17, 2005
Sarah Vowell, most fascinating of young writers, has taken on a macabre subject - the first three assassinations of US presidents - the topic of her obsessions and nightmares. TV interviews with Vowell might give the impression that this is a lighthearted romp through the deaths of our leaders. While her book has its funny and ironic moments, Vowell truly has spent quite a bit of time haunted by this topic...much to the detriment of her social life.

The book follows Vowell and her sister, young nephew and various boyfriends, as they travel to various sites associated with the assassinated presidents. Some sites are neglected statues to nearly forgotten leaders like Garfield and McKinley. Some sites hold more public interest, relating to artifacts associated with Abraham Lincoln. There are stops at obscure museums contain bits of bone from Lincoln or his assassin. Former sites associated with the assassination night - such as the house where Secretary of State Seward was attacked - that are now gone, victims of a century's worth of urban change. A truly creepy scene occurs in the woods near the site where John Wilkes Booth died: Vowell stumbles upon a hidden shrine to the killer of our 16th president. Sic Semper Tyrannus, indeed.

Throughout, there is the human fascination with the remains of the dead - to desire to personally see or hold a portion of the body of a person one has known only through reading or lore. Vowell explores her own need to handle or visit these modern relics, and this brings the reader an echo of the semi-religious pursuit of connection with people of the past. To her credit, Vowell moves away from the merely macabre to discuss the political atmosphere at the time of the assassinations. Garfield's death allows her to explore the Oneida Commune in upstate New York frequented by psychotic assassin Charles Guiteau, probably the only guy who couldn't score in that free-love environment. McKinley's death gives Vowell a chance to examine the anarchist movement that was so attractive to immigrants and those dispossessed by Gilded Age America. She takes a detour to give witness to Teddy Roosevelt's heroics - including a pit stop in the Spanish-American War to witness the putatively heroic ride up San Juan hill that cemented his reputation for bravery.

While enjoyable and informative, the book left me wanting more information about Garfield's and McKinley's deaths. Obsessed with still-extant remains, Vowell sometimes skimps on details of the actual events. And sometimes her liberal politics and observations on her personal life take her too far off-topic. But other items - like her hilarious focus on Robert Lincoln - son of Old Abe - make up for these imperfections. Bizarrely present at the assassination or death of three presidents, Lincoln earns Vowell's nickname "Jinxy McDeath." Rubbing shoulders with so much high-profile death, Lincoln himself had a long if ordinary life, living long enough to attend the 1923 dedication of his father's memorial in Washington. It is these details that make "Assassination Vacation" a delicious read, and their lack that left me craving more. ... Read more

Editorial Review

An unsparing and hilarious account of one man's rediscovery of America and his search for the perfect small town. ... Read more

Reviews

Wicked humour, May 26, 2000
Bryson was born in Des Moines, and moved to England in his early twenties, marrying and settling down there. This book documents a trip by car around America, starting and ending in Des Moines, after many years in the UK. The ostensible theme of the book is a search for the perfect small town; a sort of Ray Bradbury idealization of fifties America. There's no such town, of course, but Bryson just uses the theme as a springboard for some of the funniest descriptions, stories, and digressions I have ever read.

When I started reading this book, I laughed so much my wife wouldn't let me read it in bed. Then she picked it up and discovered how funny it was, and wanted to read it before me. Eventually we compromised, and kept it in the car; the rule was that whoever was driving had to read it to the driver. Several times, however, the reader was laughing so hard that they couldn't get comprehensible words out, and the driver had to pull over to the hard shoulder and grab the book for themselves.

Yes, he's a curmudgeon, as other reviewers here have noticed. That's just his style. He's not deep, either; his occasional ruminations aren't negligible, but he's no Mark Twain. But he has an acidly sharp eye for inanity and stupidity, and his anecdotal technique is flawless.

His other travel books are along much the same lines, but to me this is the funniest, though "A Walk in the Woods" does show he is capable of good introspective writing. "The Lost Continent" is sharp, satirical, acute, and unkind--wickedly funny in every sense of the word.

Depressing and repetitive. Move on to his other works, May 31, 2006
I had high hopes for this book since I thoroughly enjoyed and laughed out loud while reading Bryson's 'In a Sunburned Country'. I was more than a little disappointed after finished `Lost Continent' I came away feeling more than a little disappointed.
Before I bought this book I was puzzled at the contrasting reviews here and I initially took the most of the negative reviews with a grain of salt. I figured these were written by people who mostly just took offense way too easily and were unable to laugh at themselves as Americans. I have to say though, after reading the book I find myself agreeing with some of the negative reviews of this book.

First off, as an American that has lived overseas for 3 years now, I feel I'm more than capable of looking at America with an objective eye. I'm completely aware of America's many shortcomings - ie. the propensity for urban sprawl, the seemingly declining interest in it's rich history, the ever growing dependence on technology and increasing laziness that invariably comes with it etc. etc.

Having said that, I still regard this book primarily as just one endless, tiring, repetitive rant by an unhappy man. One would be hard pressed to find more than a couple instances where Bryson spent more than three of four sentences at a time describing anything he found ENJOYABLE. As one reviewer pointed out, Bryson comes across as being exactly like the kind of people he constantly complains about in this book...rude, ignorant, and, just like Bryson himself, overweight (apparently he hasn't stepped in front of a mirror lately). One has to wonder why someone would put out a book that is so consistently sour in tone. If I had just finished such a thoroughly unsatisfying and unhappy trek as this, I would be hard pressed to come up with a good reason (other than a quick buck perhaps) to actually write a book about it. Let me get one thing straight, if this were a book about Canada or anywhere else outside the U.S. I would feel the same way. Yes, there are a few funny passages in his book, but his air of superiority along with the overuse of metaphors pretty much dampen it at times. As demonstrated in `In a Sunburned Country', his strength lies in sharing facts and history of the places he finds himself in, and the humor is always much more engaging when it isn't over the top and written as if he's trying to impress himself.

There was a span of about 12 years between the writing of `Lost Continent' and `In a Sunburned Country', and it shows. This is a younger Bryson, a man who seems to have a problem with every little detail, and it becomes increasingly tedious and irritating as the book goes on. He rarely displays anything other than contempt for the places he finds himself in. A couple of other reviewers also made valid points when they found it curious that (with the exception of his Iowa drug buddy) he never manages to engage anyone in anything resembling a meaningful conversation to actually get a handle on their mindset (as he did in "In A Sunburned Country' for instance). His interactions with locals are mostly limited to ordering food at local restaurants and asking for directions. He seems perfectly content coming to conclusions about entire groups of people based on no real substance and communication whatsoever.

In this book, sadly, he comes across as nothing more than a sarcastic, anti-social loner with a bone to pick with just about everyone and everything. Any remotely kind words he has about anything (and they are few and far between) are all but smothered by the sour tone of the book as a whole. I SO wish I could recommend this book for others to read, but I'd be lying if I said it's time well spent.

Young Bryson Can't Match the Mature, September 6, 2001
This is my third Bill Bryson book. Thank goodness this was not my first, for I probably would not have picked up "In a Sunburned Country," and "A Walk In The Woods."

Where Bryson's latest books are droll, witty and endearing, "The Lost Continent" is frequently petty, forced and mean. In this book Bryson travels around 38 states in a beat up Chevette, often through small towns and out of the way places not usually visited by many. He didn't have a very good trip.

Most of this book revolves around the author's put-downs of people he sees and caustic comments about places he visits. After a few hundred pages, the observations seem awfully gratuitous. Where disappointments, angst and difficult people were treated with amusement in his later books, here he often dismisses similar trials here with the brilliant and trenchant observation "FU". Not much authorship in those moments.

Not to say that there aren't some funny passages. Several times on the train, I found myself reading out loud. However, I also found myself speed reading ahead several times, an unfortunate first for a Bryson Book. Bryson's later works also weave a good deal of interesting historical background and place descriptions into the book. That is almost totally missing in this effort.

He occasionally comes up with some awfully good writing. For example, he described driving toward the mountains in Colorado as "driving into the opening credits of a Paramount Picture." (sic). Unfortunately, there are not enough of those moments and instead too many paragraphs describing how he had another bad meal in another bad town with too many ice cream and pizza parlors and not enough ambiance or fetching waitresses to suit his tastes. Bryson has produced much better. But don't let this book (or review) put you off an author whose books can be very satisfying companions. Just go for his more recent stuff.

Possibly Bryson's funniest book, May 15, 2007
It would be a real stretch to say that Bill Bryson thoroughly researches everything he writes about, goes out of his way to learn about and see and document only the most interesting aspects of places, and presents his portraits of places fairly and with an effort to see every side of both places and issues.
A real stretch.
But, it wouldn't be a stretch at all to say that Bill Bryson is undeniably loaded with wit and humor. This book is, I believe, Bill Bryson's very funniest. I laughed so hard at his descriptions of eating in small town diners that I woke my wife up who was sleeping next to me, several times. I tried to read passages from it to my brother over the phone, but couldn't get certain words out because I was silenced by laughing, by the sort of full-body laughing usually only high schoolers drinking milk get to enjoy.
This book is not an objective or a thorough or a totally accurate picture of America; its passages about the West, places I'm especially familiar with, almost appalled me at the total lack of effort Bryson made to go out of his way to see anything other than major attractions like the Grand Canyon. Even there, he just stood on the edge and looked over. However, what this book is, is funny. Very funny. Dangerously funny, especially if you ever find yourself hiding in an Anne Frank-style bunker, living secretly in fear of the government, where laughing very loudly could end your life.
I highly recommend this book. Writers about American subjects will find quotable quotes on almost every region, and lovers of good comedy will find a very enjoyable read.
Plus, and I couldn't believe this, it's really well-indexed.

Humor -- and much more, June 19, 2001
Since many of the reviews below do a fine job of describing this book's general attributes, I'll just mention a few things you'd best remember when reading a Bill Bryson book, particularly The Lost Continent:

First, Mr Bryson's doesn't write guidebooks or serious travelogues. He writes anti-guidebooks. Much of The Lost Continent is a counterpoint -- indeed a cure -- for the attacks of 'Meaningfulness And Insight' one sometimes suffers when reading even the best of the 'serious' travel writers such as Jonathan Raban.

Second, he's not making fun of the places he goes, the people he meets, and the things he sees because he's a big old meanie. He's trying to be funny, and he tells the unvarnished truth about what he sees and experiences, unlike many travel writers --both professional and amateur -- who simply cannot admit they've come a long way to see something, only to find it disappointing. Mr Bryson is criticized in many reviews for being a 'tourist' not a 'traveler', but it's only tourists who think every sight they see is fascinating simply because they've chosen to see it.

Third, Mr Bryson's not 'arrogant' because he doesn't praise everything about America and Americans. In fact, if American readers can hold back their splutters of outrage, they'd realize very quickly that he's *including himself* in nearly all the jokes he makes. A surpassingly ignorant reviewer below has asserted, for example, that our Bill's a hypocrite because he makes jokes about fat people, but then dines on a six-pack and candy bars. Well, of course he does -- Mr Bryson's acknowledging that, for all his griping about fast food and convenience stores and fat bellies, he's no better able to resist temptation than any other American. How many other travel writers -- or any writers at all -- allow us to see them being so fallible? This is arrogance?

Finally, I would recommend that the careful reader of The Lost Continent will find much more here than humorous description and anecdote, although both abound. There's also a story. Its only real character, of course, is Bill Bryson, but it's a character who is ultimately open to and changed by his experiences, both in making his comic journeys and in the remembrances of his boyhood his travels evoke. Mr Bryson is seeking more than just an elusive epitome of small-town America; he's trying to learn how to be an American again after a long time away, and he's finding it tough going at times. As an American (an Iowan, even) who's lived overseas for more than a decade myself, I find this story more and more compelling every time I come back to visit both 'lost continents' -- the real one, and this fine book.

Highly recommended.

An unsparing look at America, January 5, 2003
This book was mean-spirited, misanthropic, and cruel--I loved it. I think most of the negative reviewers of this book would benefit by lightening up a little and getting a sense of humor. If you're a blind, gung-ho, flag-waving, patriotic America-booster then this book will deflate your bubble. I think America is the greatest country the world has ever seen and I love it, but if you sincerely love your country then you will be able to criticize it and laugh at it sometimes. Bryson's hilariously sharp eye catches all of middle America's absurdities, but what saves the book's harshness is that he doesn't forget to target the biggest absurdity here--himself (yes, the [sad man] who whines about how boring everybody is around him but spends most of his time alone in a motel room drinking beer and eating candy). For me the main joke of the book is that Bryson spends most of his time trying to escape from somewhere rather than looking forward to his next stop. Yes, perhaps some of his targets are a little too easy, but still hilarious. As a travel book: 1 star. As a comedy: 5 stars

A TRAVEL WRITING GENIUS AND FUNNY TOO !!, August 10, 2000
I rather like Bill's writing style and lets face it when it comes to humourous travel writing Mr Bryson is a genius. Before setting out to comment on this book I read a sample of the reviews already penned and what a disappointment! I note the reviews are mainly by Americans who, some of them it would seem, have taken it all a little too seriously, have lost the plot, and quite obviously dont take to criticism.

The human race and this rock we call Earth is diverse and varied and Mr Bryson has had the immense fortune to have swallowed a large chunk of it. This book is penned in his own inimitable style and reflects his own personal views/opinion, which we are all entitled to give and should respect. I like the way he seems to stand back and with time seemingly to have been slowed to an imperceptible pace he captures all the myriad foibles and characteristics of the American way of life. So what if America is loud, brash and over commercialised, dont ya just love it! I'd love to see the waitresses with beehive hairdo's, the awful, mind numbing television shows, the small town tacky museums, the endless plains and digitless/limbless farmers of Iowa - all so I could say "yup Billy boy, yer were right". I rather think dear old Mr Piper got a hard deal seeing as he is now pushing up the daises but maybe the good lord thought that the Brysons had suffered enough.

I am fortunate to live in Yorkshire, England where Bill lived for 20 years and is quite obviously where he got his zest for life. I have been enjoyed America's enchanting character many times and I love her just the way she is - may she never change. This book is a dammed good read, it kept me gripped from the word go and its a crying shame that any criticisms appear here at all. Buy the book, dont have any preconceptions, read it through Mr Bryson's eyes and enjoy the finest piece of narrative I have digested in a long while!

Flawed but entertaining, January 17, 2001
I should state up front that I am a huge fan of Bryson's and usually snatch up his books the moment they hit the bookstores. I re-read this one recently and had a few thoughts to share.

Compared to his books about England and Europe, this one falls a little flat. There's a lot more personal observation and anecdote and less history. The constant references to his father (cheap, bad driver, obsessed with historical trivia) grow a little wearing. One can't help wondering what the rest of the family thinks of all this.

As a veteran of long road trips across North America myself, I can sympathize with the boredom he feels. If it weren't for the changing geography, it would be hard to tell where you are sometimes; everywhere you see the same tourist junk, fast food and strip malls. Bryson is rightly outraged at the disappearance of local "character" and the cheesiness of mass culture.

I think many of the negative reviews come from people outraged to find their own hometowns, states or regions slighted, which is understandable but does colour their opinion too much, I think. Try to set aside the outrage and ask where Bryson is coming from.

There's one thing Bryson consistently does in his books which I find very tiresome: pointing out women he finds fat or disgusting, enumerating their faults, and even extrapolating on their character flaws, personality defects, etc. Bill, I'm a big fan, but you're no poster boy for sculpted abs yourself. ;) Even if you were, it wouldn't give this observations any validity. It's a cheap, nasty, adolescent thing to do and frankly I expect better. (OK, off my soapbox now)

Overall, a book that locates the tackier, more disappointing sides of American life in a very amusing fashion. Let's not try to pretend that everything about America is always wonderful, pretty or important.

Small Town America Like No Other..., May 28, 2005

It was the coffee stain that first caught my attention. I was walking out of the bookstore and there sat a book with a coffee ring on it. I paused and smiled. The book looked like it came from my desk, coffee stain and all. I smiled at the yellow roadside sign with the red arrow. I had observed many of these as I crisscrossed the United States over the last several years. With all these associations, how could I not pause and begin reading?

A few minutes later I walked out of the bookstore with a smile and the book under my arm. Here was a kindred spirit, a sojourner lost in his own country, navigating his way through all that was familiar and strange.

Mr. Bryson encircles the United States in a large figure eight with Des Moines, Iowa in the center, as it should be. He covers every region of the nation, aghast and agape at what he sees. He describes it in dry prose punctuated by laugh-out-loud comments. Mr. Bryson is pithy and riotously funny.

If you are not planning on traversing the byways of the U.S. soon, by all means read this book now. If you have a trip planned, hold off reading this. Have your own experience, then pick up this book and see how many times your paths crossed. You'll laugh out loud too.

A Crank Insults People and Places Nationwide, November 11, 2001
It seems that Bill Bryson is into the same things as me. In "A Walk in the Woods" he tackled my top hobby, hiking ridiculously long distances. In this book, he covers my other hobby, driving ridiculously long distances. Bryson's travelogue through small towns in 38 states is very observant and often hysterically funny. He's got good insights into the attitudes and friendliness (or lack thereof) of people in different regions of the country, and he writes thoughtfully on the destruction of America's small town charm by never-ending stretches of strip malls and fast food joints.

But even though Bryson is very thoughtful and funny, this book can really get on your nerves at times. This is because Bryson is an extremely arrogant and tactless man. He dislikes everybody with different backgrounds than him, and every place that is different from his home area. He calls people and even entire groups of people obscene names throughout the book. He's got a serious problem with fat jokes, obsessively ripping on overweight people in extremely cruel ways. (By the way, look at the picture of Bryson on the back cover. You can only see his head and shoulders, but he still doesn't look like the skinniest guy in the world). Bryson demeans people who choose to live in big cities, which he can't understand, and he demeans people who live in the countryside, which he also can't understand. He hates people who can't follow directions, but gets lost several times in the book himself. At the lowest points of the book, Bryson mentions how he wants to punch an old lady in the head for cutting in line, how he wants to whack a panhandler with a stick, and how he would like to slap a little boy in Vermont just for being ugly. And he's going to get in a lot of trouble if he doesn't tone down his descriptions of poor black people in the South.

Bryson also can't stand any of the places he visits. Through most of the book, he obnoxiously rolls into a location expecting simplistic stereotypes, then criticizes each place for not living up to his unrealistic expectations (a major problem in the section covering New England). He calls almost every small town backwards and boring without taking the time to explore, and passes judgment on large cities (Cleveland and Detroit) after driving right through without stopping. He even finds a way to hate the tremendous national parks out west, like Yosemite for having road signs that aren't descriptive enough, or Sequoia because he couldn't drive his car through a tree (and manages to insult the trees in the process). So I can sort of enjoy Bryson's books on a general level, but I sure was glad when he got back home and brought this book to a close. ... Read more