Loved it!

I laughed, I cried. A great read about a woman trying to make sense of her life's choices and what to do next about it all.<br /><br />A mid-life crisis with lots of laughs. Gilbert endears you to her plight for life to just make some damned sense.

...cakes, sausages, curios and Kaisers...

I'm really, really upset with this book! Why? Because I've finished it, that's why. And it's the best book I've read in years. There ought to be a law compelling all history / travelogues to be written like this.<br /><br />To be fair I knew very little about Germany pre 1914, and this was a real eye-opener. But it's the way it's written that makes it so compelling. If I could have written a book, then I would want it to be like this. History is presented in a lively, entertaining way, but never at the expense of a good cake or sausage related fact. They're all here.<br /><br />As are the assortment of madmen, mentalists and ne'er do wells who seem to have accidentally invented a country. It's rare to hear me laughing out loud, so Mrs H had to check carefully to see that I wasn't up to anything nefarious, and was mighty relieved to see that I was actually reading a book.<br /><br />Mr Winder may wander hither and thither, but he always entertains and educates in equal measures. The book of the year? Well, certainly of my year.

Brits Guide to Orlando

Having got several travel books from my public library,one of which was 'Brits Guide to Orlando 2008', I was more than impressed by this book I went out and bought the 2010 copy! It's usefulness lies in that it's aimed at brits and is full of very useful information and tips rather than a gereral travel guide (which it is as well!) Well worth the money - saved the cost of the book using the vouchers inside the back cover and tips about other atractions in Orlando which are free! Buy it!

India (Lonely Planet Country Guides)

Firstly, its looks nice when you see it but it is quite a bulky item to be carrying around with you with just a backpack. Its too long and too detailed and I would have liked it to be a little slimmer, easier to read i.e. quick reference index more user friendly and in fact it weighed over a kilo inc. of packaging.<br />Thank you<br />Shan Reesp-Price

Travel Aus

If you are going to Australia this is the only travel guide you need. It covers not only budget hostels but more upmarket hotels. All of the things you need to see and the costs. I took other travel guides to Aus but this is the only one that gives you the prices of activities.<br />On your long flight to Aus this would be a good read. I have used Lonely Planet Guides for other countries and have to say they never fail to give the right information from internet cafes to tourist attractions. Buy it you won't regret it.

the perfect travel memoir

I love Stewart's understated style. He is of the same school of self effacement as Eric Newby (A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush) yet his is a learned book and his descriptive prose is perfect.

Conversation

The philosopher Michael Oakeshott wrote that the appropriate image of human intercourse was the conversation, in which diverse voices and idioms meet and enrich each other. He described as barbarous attempts to dominate conversation. This marvellous, gentle, book is about as civilized an article as it possible to imagine, a paradox given its subject matter. I am not a great walker, a rambler, a mountaineer. I am a city dweller who likes the city. I would like to like the wild as much; in Macfarlane's prose, reminiscent of Heaney and Fermor, I find I do. I find the conversation enhanced.

Epic journey

It was very sad to leave Clive after having happy married life with him for 20 years. A Swiss-born lady, Rosie seems to be a very friendly and pleasant lady. She decided to something drastic and appealing to the public, i.e. World marathon to raise cancer awareness. She started running with her cart from Wales to Europe, Moscow to Siberia, from Alaska to east side of North America Continent, and went through Greenland, Iceland, and United Kingdom, using 53 pairs of shoes. Her diary and collections of photos convey the readers insights of wilderness with traces of wolves and bears, local people living in the very cold climate with temperature dropping -60 and derelict site of the former Soviet factories, and demonstrate survival skills and wisdom e.g. collect source of water from icy tree bark from the fallen branches to make a tea with primus stove, which she gained from the local people. She also raised an awareness of hopeless orphanage in Kitzech and one of the Siberian villages where villagers have been suffering from the cancer for having polluted water. The diary shows her emotions and feelings, e.g. struggles, triumphant, astonishment of each day during the five-year of journey, and strong determination to complete over 20,000 miles journey. <br /><br />Rosie had done an extraordinary run. Her husband must have observed her run from haven and is proud of her. <br />

Maps are rubbish

Not a cheapo book, and no doubt up to date, but beware, badly let down by incoherent maps.

"11' Late"

"11' LATE: A Train Journey to the Soul of Britain" Matthew Engel<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Having bought Matthew Engel's"11' Late: A Train Journey to the Soul of Britain" as a gift for a railways' enthusiast, I couldn't resist browsing through it myself before parting with it. I was rapidly engrossed. <br /><br />Engel loves Britain's railways. He relishes planning his journeys across the country, the prospect of meals in train restaurant cars - breakfast a particular favourite. He's delved into the history of the railway system, uncovering fascinating facts about the anxieties and optimism of the early days. He laments the loss of so many lines and local stations closed in the l960's when Lord Beeching wielded his axe in a bid to stem financial losses. Many of Engel's experiences bear testament to years of under-spending and poorly conceived planning, but these can't spoil the pleasure he takes in railway travel. His observations on rolling stock, ancient and modern, punctuality and the lack of it, and - not least - his fellow passengers always raise a smile. His descriptions of his journeys bring alive the urban and country landscapes he travels through. This is a book that makes you forget the grim daily rail commute, one that really makes you want to travel by train. <br />

A useful compendium

My wife and I rely upon this publication, as we have done for a number of years, as a guide to those pubs which offer a good standard of food at a reasonable price.

Good Book

Takes you to the hidden side of London, which is all the more interesting for being unknown and off the beaten track

brill

it's brilliant, get it.<br />covers almost all you need. rely on it for coffee and muffin suggestions

excellent help for planning your trip

I already have quite a collection of travel guides for planning my journeys into Japan and this one clearly rates amongst the best. Full of very helpfull information on locations and destinations barely mentioned in other guides. Very practical and detailed with a lot of handy maps to get around. Don't buy it for the (few) pictures. There are other guides out there with many many pictures, but those don't go so much into detail. So to get a good"picture" of Japan I would recommend buying the also excellent"DK Eyewitness Travel Guide" or the"National Geographic Traveler" (full of pictures to wet your appetite) together with this one, they are very complementary guides. I got a lot of essential information from this guide I couldn't find anywhere else.

as rich as Italy itself

This, like all other lonely planet books, is a great edition. It's as Rich in Information as Italy's culture. Great practical tips, awesome recommendations for food, bars, sights to see, things to do, walking tours... you name it and this book has it.

Superb!

An excellent guide for a wonderful part of the world! Gave some extremely useful tips and made out trip easy to plan, enjoyable and memorable! I don't think we missed a thing - really helped us get the most out of our time there!

new york new york

This book has everything you want to know about New York and more information you didn't think you wanted to know. its clear and consise with excellent reviews and honest comments about aspects of the big apple

Really helpful

Just travelled to New York with this book and another two. Found this the most helpful as it was area by area, with<br />a map of each area. Just enough information and up to date. Would have liked a little more on shopping.

Guide Book

<br />I'll keep this brief, but basically I have found this rough guide book extremely useful! Straight to the point, informative and current - provided you get the October 2009 edition.<br /><br />Not only does it have names of places to stay, but it also provides you with web addresses and telephone nos!<br /><br />Lots of facts and includes price comparisons for taxis, tuk tuks and boat journeys. Although fairly accurate, when you get to Thailand, you'll find that the locals here do their own price fixing, especially during the peak seasons. So budget for a little extra on top!<br /><br />Other than that its a good read and fab guide!

The real china

I found this book very disappointing and is clearly written just for the western traveller from a western travellers viewpoint (Considering lonely planet is meant to be international). The majority of the writers are foreigners and there are only 2 who are Chinese though only one from mainland and the other from Hong Kong. Alot of the prices and journey times is dated and the book seems to skim over areas when it was unsure. I also dont really appreciate a book which constanly be-moans that no-one speaks English and nothing is up to western standards......duhhh! are you in China or not? This guide clearly needs some real insider info from actual Chinese people and not people who think they are in the know but are not.