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The World Atlas of Wine

Childrens Toy Shop > Books > Travel and Holiday
by: Hugh Johnson, Jancis Robinson

October 18, 2007
The ever increasing size of this book reflects the increasing interest in wine, so it now lands with an impressive thump on your desktop. Though its content doesn't always reflect who that new market is.

The authors start with a, rather meandering, description of the history and production of wine and some basic notes on tasting, appreciation and handling of wine. Some of this is very useful, most of it is very basic for someone who already knows the subject and all of it could do with some editing to make the best of their material. Some of it punctures some of the myths about wine such as how long wines should be laid down and do you really need to let wine breath. Elsewhere they perpetuate some of those myths, for example they ... Read More:

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A Parrot in the Pepper Tree: A Sort of Sequel to "Driving Over Lemons"

Childrens Toy Shop > Books > Travel and Holiday
by: Chris Stewart

May 30, 2002
I picked this book up when I saw it lying on a friend's coffee table and became absorbed from the first chapter, so much so I was barely able to put it down until it was finished. It is written in a humorous, fluent and self-deprecating style that provides a fascinating insight into life as an ex-pat in a remote foreign farming community. The book's worth is increased for me by it coming across as a very honest account of events naturally brought to life by the characters and their situation. Each chapter is a self-contained episode which keeps the whole thing fresh. I certainly chuckled aloud at one or two sections; the improptu talk given to the Swedish on cattle rearing in England being particularly memorable. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

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A Moment of War

Childrens Toy Shop > Books > Travel and Holiday
by: Laurie Lee

July 02, 1992
This is a beautiful book. It paints a picture of a country 'at war with itself', it doesn't preach, contain prose of sluttish empathy, but it does bring across the misery and degradation of moments captured on the page - moments that echo in the reader, reminding us that the grinding misery, boredom and callous cruelty of war is not contained within the dramatic, brief flash of cannon and rattle of sabres, but is steteched out in such a way that it becomes mundane, banal, and utterly smothering of the humanity that we take for granted.
I can't reccomend this book more highly.

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New York City (Lonely Planet City Guides)

Childrens Toy Shop > Books > Travel and Holiday
by: Beth Greenfield, Robert Reid

September 01, 2006
found it much more useful then the time out NYC guidebook. Went to a couple of suggested bars which were fun. the pull out map is particularly useful.
However, NYC is a city you want to get lost in so don't get the guidebook out too often!

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Adventure Motorcycling Handbook (Trailblazer)

Childrens Toy Shop > Books > Travel and Holiday
by: Chris Scott

April 26, 2005
The book has everything you need to know about doing some off-piste motorcycling. It makes some amazing trips sound vaguely feasible. Even for more mundane trips around the UK and Europe it has loads of good stuff about selection of gear and bike. It has loads of good biking stories too.

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Brazil (Lonely Planet Country Guide)

Childrens Toy Shop > Books > Travel and Holiday
by: Regis St. Louis

January 01, 2008
This book is very predictable - formula-written. Like it is by a committee not a person.

LP's great when you first start traveling. But now I want more information about the places that locals go to and the more unusual locations, hotels and restaurants.

With this book you know you are always with the crowd whether you want it or not.

And the cultural information is very thin and unimaginative. The only thing that is really good are the maps and the great binding.

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Stories from Spain: Historias De Espaana (Side by Side Bilingual Books)

Childrens Toy Shop > Books > Travel and Holiday
by: Genevieve Barlow, William N. Stivers

May 01, 1999
I am so pleased to have found this book again, I used to own it once before and enjoyed its easy style but I gave it away to a South American friend who was learning English (she loves it!).

This book is so expertly executed that even if you have only a modest level of Spanish, it will strengthen what you've already got, provide you with new words and encourage you onto more.

It's set around 18 stories or myths or folklores from Spain's past, starting with the oldest first and working towards the newest last, with the Spanish and English presented on facing pages.

But each story is introduced by a one paragraph abstract which helps sets the scene for the story that follows. And each of the stories in turn are interesting ... Read More:

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Hong Kong (Lonely Planet Encounter)

Childrens Toy Shop > Books > Travel and Holiday
by: Steve Fallon

May 01, 2007
I bought this, along with the Rough guide to Hong Kong & Macau and the Rough guide DIRECTIONS: Hong Kong & Macau (as I couldn't make up my mind which seemed best!) and have to say, this is the one I used on my trip. The pull out map is a lifesaver & I would have been completely lost without it. The book is divided up into sections by geographical area and then tells you what to see and do/where to eat and drink there. I found this much easier to use than the rough guide, which had an "eating" section - you then had to decide what type of food you were in the mood for and then see if any of the restaurants in that category were in the district you were visiting. Confusing! Obviously, the book is titchy which is great for stuffing in yourr pocket ... Read More:

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World Map Wall Chart (Wall Charts)

Childrens Toy Shop > Books > Travel and Holiday
from: Autumn Publishing Ltd

1997-12
I bought this, along with the Rough guide to Hong Kong & Macau and the Rough guide DIRECTIONS: Hong Kong & Macau (as I couldn't make up my mind which seemed best!) and have to say, this is the one I used on my trip. The pull out map is a lifesaver & I would have been completely lost without it. The book is divided up into sections by geographical area and then tells you what to see and do/where to eat and drink there. I found this much easier to use than the rough guide, which had an "eating" section - you then had to decide what type of food you were in the mood for and then see if any of the restaurants in that category were in the district you were visiting. Confusing! Obviously, the book is titchy which is great for stuffing in yourr pocket ... Read More:

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California (Lonely Planet Regional Guides)

Childrens Toy Shop > Books > Travel and Holiday
by: Andrea Schulte-Peevers, Sara Benson, Tom Downs, Robert Landon, Suzanne Park, Ryan ver Berkmoes, John A. Vlahides

April 01, 2006
I bought the 4th edition (2006) of this book, not as a travel companion, but to help me decide whether to take a trip to California. The hotel prices are more up to date now, and this is one factor which was important to me as one of my aims in reading this book was to assess the cost of a possible trip. I found the introductory sections on Environment, History and Culture really interesting, I think the thoroughness of the background information is one of the areas in which LP excel. I looked at the practicalities - food, transport, etc., and I read the sections on San Francisco and the National Parks. Despite finding the descriptions of the National Parks very tempting, the book has not yet persuaded me that California is the place for me. This might ... Read More: