A place to find tons of history and culture, as well as beaches and unique cuisine and crafts
922158
FODOR'S ISRAEL is a 556-page guidebook by Balint, Balint, Bronson, Kraft, Rogoff, Steinberg, and Sussman.  The front and rear inside covers have color maps of the Old City of Jerusalm, and of all of Israel (with parts of Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, and Syria).  The book is printed on glossy paper with color photos or maps on every other page.

The book has eight chapters, including Jerusalem (Chapter 2); Dead Sea (Ch. 3); Tel Aviv (Ch. 4); Haifa (Ch. 5); Lower Galilee (Ch. 6); Upper Galilee and Golan (Ch. 7); and Eilat and the Negev (Ch. 8).

The full page photos include an interior of a mosque (Dome of the rock) built about 1000 years ago, and filled with mosaics (page 80); Jewish cemetery on Mt. of Olives (page 98); aerial view of Masada, a fortress built 2,000 years ago by Roman emperor Herod, with a panorama of the cliffs below (page 186); swimmers busily floating in the Red Sea (page 198); photo of Bethlehem, with churches and such, where most of the buildings seem to be made of white stone (page 216); photo of Shrine of the Bab on Mt. Carmel, located in Haifa (page 292); photo of vineyard at Golan Heights (page 329); photo of Nimrod's Fortress, built in 1218, on Mt. Herman (9,230 ft. elevation) (page 443); photo of camel in Negev with a teenaged girl and boy on top (page 496); photo of Pharaoh's Treasury, a 130 ft. building carved out of a mountain, and located in Petra (Lebanon) (page 507).  All of the photos are of professional quality, that is, one does not find elements that are random or confusing.

Pages 18-19 outline Israel's top attractions, with ten little photos and ten paragraphs, and these include Old City in Jerusalem; Masada; Makhtesh Ramon (colorful natural stone formations in Negev desert); Western Wall; and Old City of Akko, with its well-preserved medieval quarters.  As a whole, the book is careful to disclose temples, artwork, and historic spots from all the local religions, e.g., Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and Baha'i.

Israel's history is disclosed by text, along with photos, on pages 24-27; 47-52; 95 (Jerusalem's history); 109 (electoral system); 180 (Dead Sea Scrolls); pages 186-191 (Masada); 212-213 (Bethlehem's history); 290 (Haifa's history); and page 339 (history of City of Akko).  A continuing theme in this book is the adventures of the Romans and the Crusaders, in their attempts to gain control of the land.

Other frequent topics in this book are cuisine, hotels, beaches, music, dance, and crafts.  Initially, in attempting to immerse myself in this complex and detailed guidebook, it seemed to consist mainly of narratives of hundreds of hummus cafes.  Obviously, there is much more to Israel than hummus cafes.  But, just for fun, here is some of the writing about hummus:

"CRUSADER'S RESTAURANT.  Expect the menu to include plenty of fresh seafood, caught right from the sea below, as well as juicy steaks and kebabs.  An excellent starter is salad of grilled eggplant, hummus, and fried cauliflower, with crunchy pita rounds toasted with olive oil." (page 315).

A 2-page spread on "street food" includes a photo of hummus (pages 246-247).  Also, page 135 is devoted to Jerusalem's cafes.  A 2 page spread (pages 124-125) is devoted to holiday foods, and the reader is treated to a photo of hamantaschen.
4770074
1,000 Places to See Before You Die gave me a lot to look forward to in planning my vacations. The places mentioned are unique, and of course not every single tourist attraction needs to be mentioned. That is what the local hotel and tourist information is for. I love this book as a resource for places to visit, and unique places that I did not know existed before I bought this book. If you love to travel as I do, then this book can be a great help for far away places that capture imagination and intrigue.
2800646
I did not know there are so many interesting and wonderful places in theThe Bronx.  Most visitors, even New Yorkers like myself, are not aware of them.  This book makes all those places accessible with clear direction and info.  I was not aware that the Bronx is 25% parkland ! Well written, easy to read with lot of interesting historical and other info. Orchard Beach is certainly on my list of places to visit this summer.  The book also has walking tours -- which I plan to take to get to know the Bronx.  Great guide that I will be using for a longtime.
4910834
Florida has history, of course, much more than the search for the Fountain of Youth. There are a number of good books detailing its early "frontier" years from both American Indian and European-background settler perspectives. This is not one of them. This will give you just about everything else: beautiful photographs, in-depth information about lodging, restaurants, recreation, current trends in various areas and even what not to do when you visit the Keys (slightly tongue-in-cheek).

This travel guide is everything the visitor to Florida might want (well, except its in-depth history). It occurs to me that it also can be a most valuable guide to someone considering relocation to this sunny clime - helping you decide just where you might want to live in Florida.
839699
A guidebook to touring the ancient world is unusual to say the least.  Scarre has managed to create one, and it's an admirable job.  Sifting a wealth of research, he's produced a string of vignettes depicting archaeological sites available to visitors.  He reminds us throughout the book that we have learned a great deal about our ancestors, but there's still much to be achieved.  Some sites have room for volunteers to assist in the recovery of buildings, religious centres and graves.  It's a thought to keep in mind as you go through the photos and text he's provided for guidance.  If you can afford to buy this book, you can probably afford visiting at least one of the locations.
Scarre's opening is also unique in that a location map is provided in the end papers with a chronological chart running along the bottom.  If you have an interest in a particular time period, you can determine which sites are represented.  On the other hand, if you want to visit a particular site, you can determine where it stands in the course of history.  It's an effective beginning for this special book.  Reading this book should be incentive enough to visit one or more of the sites.  The maps show both the layout of the find and its relationship to the surrounding area.  The photography is exquisite, complemented by numerous useful diagrams.  A short "Further Reading and "Further Viewing
Each reader must make their own priorities in choosing preferred sites to visit.  For me, two stand out - Avebury in southern Britain [Chapter 6] and the long stone avenues of Carnac in southern Brittany [Chapter 4].  Avebury and Carnac overlap slightly in the chronology, and scholars debate on Brittany's influence on megalithic monuments in the British Isles.  Both sites cover an immense amount of landscape.  Anyone thinking to gain a meaningful view of either in one day is doomed to disappointment.  For these or any of the sites Scarre introduces us to, read him, keep a map handy and put his resources for the location to use.  There is much here to learn and enjoy.  [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]
1334625
This is a big, heavy coffee table book with enticing colour pictures on every page. It is divided into 9 sections: high altitude points, wilderness, islands, the road less traveled, ancient sites off the beaten path, sites tucked away into quiet corners, undiscovered villages, city secrets. Each section is then divided into sites in North America, South America, Australia-Oceana, Asia, Europe, and Africa. In these sections are several top 10 lists for world sites such as; top 10 wildflower displays, top 10 islands in cities, top 10 religious art - each of these has a description and a sentence on planning and a web site.

The  500 best travel gems each have a page and at least 1 picture, a small location map, some text telling about the site and when to go, how to find it, planning, and websites.
I did find one problem with one of their sites, which hopefully isn't an indication of poor details in the others. It lists St Michaels Maryland as an undiscovered village...anyone who has tried to find a parking place, or a table at a restaurant on a summer Sunday afternoon there would find this hilarious. Strange because if they would have investigated a bit further there are several other small towns on the Eastern shore of Maryland that are perfectly charming and wonderful examples of what they purport St Michaels to be.

All of this information and the pictures combine to make you wish you had unlimited funds and time to start on a journey. If you are lucky, you have been to a few of these places - whether you have or not, you would certainly find this book interesting for its photography and facts about these faraway places.
1743604
A great book for visitors as well as locals.  I enjoy learning a little history of each restaurant and the people behind the food, this book does just that.  Easy to follow guides like the "Slippah Code" and B L D for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  Gives you more than enough info to make a decision on whether or not you should give a restaurant a try.  And that's what books like these are for, right?  The other reviewer who said that it did not help her because many restaurants were closed or impossible to find obviously does not read well.  The addresses and phone numbers for each restaurant are clearly listed.  Book was printed in 2014 and all of the restaurants featured were open at the time.  Since then, some have closed and many more have been opened.  Lots of new reviews to do and anxiously awaiting Marta's next book!

A little about the author Marta Lane, who is one the greatest human beings you'll ever find.  She and her husband Daniel have been donating to the Hawaii Foodbank - Kauai Branch for many years.  In addition, she has designated a portion of the proceeds from this book to be donated also (see photo).  Marta and Daniel are incredibly awesome!  Buy this book, you won't be disappointed.
3893713
If you live in the Bay Area, you've probably driven past Los Banos at some point and thought about the fact that "baos" can refer both to bathrooms and baths themselves. You probably wondered if there were actually baths there at some point.

And that's where this book comes in: if you wonder where something got its name, you look it up. Some of them may surprise you. Learning why and how things were named actually teaches you a lot about California history, so this is a good book for that curious 11-year-old in your life.

It's no trivial guide, though: it has ample information and hefty research, but it's also lovingly detailed, too (I love the entry on the way the Yuba River's parts used to be named).

You could spend hours looking things up. I did, and so has everyone else I've given this book to.
3081624
These are beautiful and informative.  They offer more histories and wierd stories, as well as recipes. The photos are incredible and I have tried every one of the recipes!
A great gift or buy for yourself.
3777071
I have seen nice coffee table books on Angkor with great pictures but poor comments, also some very boring historical books. This one is a perfect mix between history (religions/country/art) and guide with a lot of detailled pictures, maps and genuine explanations that sometime may challenge the current academic research. A great tool for before, during and after a visit to this amazing place.
3262345
I'm familiar with many of the Lonely Planet books and find them wonderful for gathering information about various destinations across the world. This one has some unique qualities, making it well worth adding to a traveler's bookshelf. At nearly 1000 pages, it is an incredible resource.

At the same time, if you want a close-up look at a particular country, complete with extra details and itineraries for that specific area of the world, you may want to add a Lonely Planet book which focuses on those areas. But the Lonely Planet:the World book is still an excellent reference for planning a vacation. It might even simplify the process.

In the beginning section of the book, there is a checklist of cities and countries which might have extra appeal for people with specific interests. Like beach vacations? Australia, Spain, and the Seychelles are recommended destinations  (with page numbers to indicate where to find more info on these areas). If you prefer to see natural wonders, this guidebook advises travelers to visit the Great Barrier Reef in Australia or Lake Balkal in Russia. With these general suggestions, readers can decide whether to gather more information and plan their trip.

There are also some general itineraries included, with stopping points and a basic map for each area (very basic). Examples of some itineraries: A mighty Asian Junket (Tokyo, Halong Bay, Hanoi, etc), The Hippy Trail (London to
Melbourne), Road Trippin' the Americas (Philadelphia to San Francisco and beyond).

Plenty of intriguing trivia abounds among the book's pages, too, from the best movies of the Philippines the tradition of giving Thai babies nicknames (other names are reserved for bureaucratic forms). There are 221 countries covered, 228 maps, 700 images, including many breathtaking photos, and 1595 highlights.

Whether you're an armchair traveler or like to take off for frequent excursions across the world, this makes for some fascinating and very informative reading. And of course you can read it in any order you want, perhaps browsing through a single section or spending longer periods of time enjoying the wonders contained within.
742661
This is a beautifully written, historically informative, and fascinating cookbook. The cuisine is unexpectedly unique, a sort of melding of Western European produce, game, and cooking techniques, with spices of the Near, and Middle East. This book will appeal to both the reader of history, and the cook. The foreward had me dreaming of culinary adventures, melded with Renaissance themed feast-parties, and this was before I had even read a recipe! My first recipe venture, spur of the very last moment, was #113 Black-Grape Sauce, tried because I just happened to have a very large bunch of these grapes on hand, and because of the general blandness of the meal I planned to serve my guests (bland at the behest of my picky niece, whose birthday we were about to celebrate!). All of the more daring of palate, were delighted to have something to put on their utterly plain, roast pork, and proclaimed it delicious, including my soon-to-be 23 year old son, who announced after one bite, "Can you make me a big batch of this stuff, to put on the meat I'm grilling for my birthday party?". (I'll be making that batch tomorrow for him!) I highly recommend this cookbook, for it's delicious recipes, and it's wonderful glimpse at a little heard of, or read about, facet of Medieval life. Every recipe is written out in it's original format, then in it's modern variation, with commentary by the authors explaining how they arrived at their adaptations. Some of the ingredients listed are hard to come by, but fortunately for us, less so than upon the cookbook's original publication in 1991. To help you out on your upcoming, Medieval cooking journey, see the list, below. Some of these are pretty pricey, but everything hard to come by is. The list is informational, only, I have not purchased everything mentioned, from every supplier. Have fun!

All online:

Amazon- verjuice, grains of paradise, cubeb pepper, and long pepper
The Spice House- cassia buds and grains of paradise
Temple of Thai- fresh galangal
Salt Traders- cubeb pepper and long pepper
Maggie Beer or Frog Rock Wines- verjuice
1827094
While this book contains some hotels, etc. that I wouldn't take the time to see, there are many beautiful and interesting places not to be missed.  Can't wait to check off more!
56033
If you have any interest in the look and style of the Grand Hotel that once dotted the New England coastline, this is your best resource and guide. The written history of these areas is an added surprise.
4090441
This is more than a cookbook, it is a beautiful compilation of family stories, personalities and recipes.  Because there is more than one ethnic background represented in Tessa's family it makes for a very interesting set of recipes.

I tried the chicken with lemon and oregano and it was delicious.  When I looked for it again in the index, I couldn't locate the recipe listed under "chicken", but finally found it listed under "lemon".  So the book has some flaws, but the recipes, stories and photographs make up for them.  Looking through the book makes me feel as if I've gone on a mini vacation.  I'm looking forward to "vacationing" in Greece, Italy, South Africa and possibly Finland in my own kitchen this summer.
2305811
I actually ordered this a while ago based on the recommendation of a very dear friend. (I'm considering a second copy to send as a gift). There are a TON of recipes in here, each organized by country and peppered with history lessons about their respective regions. The instructions are easy to follow (which is a big deal for someone like me who is not much of a home cook) and the food is great. The curried beef with cinnamon is a favorite.

I'd recommend this to anyone who enjoys history, travel and good food. That covers just about everybody, doesn't it? Def a good deal.
4705391
This is a beautiful BIG book - so much more than an illustrated history book. It is a Trip through Time.
Before starting, you are instructed how to 'travel' through the many colorful pages, researching human origins or choosing to just wander back and forth enjoying human progress around the globe. You will be acquainted at a glance with how people lived, what they ate and their cultures. Their creative art and the advance of the technology of the time.
The team of Smithsonians have put together a wonderful collection of interesting material on a number of major civilizations stimulating readers of all ages to want to search  for more as our human history unfolds.