Tokyo Vice: An American Reporter on the Police Beat in Japan (Vintage Crime/Black Lizard) Tokyo Vice: An American Reporter on the Police Beat in Japan (Vintage Crime/Black Lizard)
Price : $15.95 $10.76

Average Customer Rating :

Customer Review :

Reportage that dances with personal memoir

This is how great Twitter can be: when I was just 20 pages into Tokyo Vice, I posted this update:
"Jake Adelstein's TOKYO VICE makes me want to be yakuza"

He responded the next day with:
"@calebjross It's supposed to have the opposite effect. :)"

Considering that this exchange was completely unanticipated, I was quite surprised by the direct line of contact with the author. I anticipated the exchange ending there. But, then I finished the book, and I realized how insulting my first comment could have appeared. Tokyo Vice is such an amazing story, one that, though filed under "true crime" touches on memoir. Adelstein's position as a reporter with the unique opportunity to out certain immoral (to say the least) yakuza behavior, bleeds into his personal life in deeply affecting ways. As soon as I finished the book, I posted again on Twitter:
"@jakeadelstein I must apologize for my earlier statement of wanting to be yakuza. I just finished TOKYO VICE. Incredible story, sir."

And he came back with:
"@calebjross Apology accepted. :)"

Such a gentleman. Tokyo Vice goes highly recommended.


Rating :



This book is not 352 pages long...

Tokyo Vice is one of my favorite novels of all time. Not just because of the content within the confines of the hardcover, but because of the support the author has put behind it. This story covers such a wide spectrum of Jake Adelstein's life that writing it seems to have become his lifestyle. Which makes this book never ending. Once you finish the novel it points you towards a website: <[...]>. I read about this website with great doubt, the only reason I went to it was to see the one post I would expect on a personal website attached to a recent novel: "Sorry I can't update that often, very busy doing a book tour, etc., etc." Instead I found multiple posts as long as chapters in the book describing recent events that have happened since the novel finished. Not only are the posts well written like the novel, but he comments back in full to each comment left on his posts! Or in my particular situation I left him my e-mail and he sent a personal e-mail to me providing contact information since I was curious about going to Japan in the near future.

I can not believe the support behind this novel and I may pick up an extra copy to have in pristine condition (I have a tendency to rough up my novels when I read them the first time.) This is a novel for a new age where people are always connected to the internet, Jake's Twitter also provides access to any book tours that he may be on or whether he is going to have a reading here in America or back in Tokyo.

Rating :



Great book, it was a page turner!

I heard about Tokyo Vice from the Daily Show and another friend who read the book. I finally started reading it and couldn't put it down. Jake Adelstein is great story teller and his experiences in Japan were incredible. I didn't know anything about the yakuza before reading the book, I'm interested in finding out more now. I highly recommend this book!

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Gripping, amusing, ultimately horrifying look at Japan's underworld

Having lived and worked in Tokyo in the 80's and 90's, I found Jake Adelstein's detailed narrative about Japan's criminal underworld fascinating. Most of his book is written with wry humor and the no-holds barred approach of a young, street-wise, foreign reporter fluent in the local language, who can explain the nuances and details of Japanese culture. Ultimately it is a horrifying tale of criminal exploitation, human cruelty, horrific violence and human misery -- very unsettling. Japan and Japanese culture have so many positive and admirable aspects, but this well-written book paints a horrifying look at the underside.

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Exellent Read! Fascinating window on the darker side of aspects Japanese culture and the human condition.

When I started reading this book I had a very different expectation as to its content based on my perception of Japanese culture. This book opened a fascinating window on darker aspects of that culture I was only peripherally aware of. It is also an interesting tale of slow self corruption where the fall is not from on high. Rather a fall from a place of moral ambiguity at best to a place that is way dark and twisted. One wonders if there is any true recovery from such a place but hopes that there is.

I highly recommend this book as a fantastic (if dark) read and a real page turner.

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Rick Steves' London 2010 Rick Steves' London 2010
Price : $17.95 $10.37
Features :
  1. ISBN13: 9781598802917
  2. Condition: NEW
  3. Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
  4. Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

Average Customer Rating :

Editorial Review :

You can count on Rick Steves to tell you what you really need to know when traveling in London.

With the self-guided tours in this book, you’ll explore historic Big Ben, bustling Trafalgar Square, and the Tower of London—home of the crown jewels. Learn how to save time and money on the Tube, and how to avoid the mobs at the Changing of the Guard. Investigate London’s world-class museums, where you can trace Western civilization from the Magna Carta and Shakespeare to Van Gogh and Picasso. Venture into Soho’s theater district for a glitzy musical or a delicious Indian dinner. End a great day at a neighborhood pub, sharing a pint and a chat with a friendly local.

Rick’s candid, humorous advice will guide you to good-value hotels and restaurants in delightful London neighborhoods. You’ll learn how to get around by bus and on the Tube, and which sights are worth your time and money. More than just reviews and directions, a Rick Steves guidebook is a tour guide in your pocket.

Customer Review :

Rick Steves London

An easy to read and easy to follow travel guide. It's fun to read and will make your trip a good experience.

Rating :



It's Steves . . .

Some parts of me do not want to like Rick Steves, but the fact is HE IS REALLY HELPFUL. Some of the basics are solid for folks who have not traveled, and for those who have traveled, the specifics of changing a train, tube stops, etc. are VERY helpful.

The down side is that the value of his books manifests itself in legions of humanity, Steves' guides in hand, go to all the places he suggests. The places he says ,"EAT" or "STAY" get swamped. The up side is that his recs. are good. Example : Rodin Museum in Paris, which is not a MAJOR site, but due to his rec. brings many people there. And it is worth the visit.

All that said, one must keep in mind his MAIN travel advice: try to be a local. Try new things. Try to get off the beaten path--and I think he would agree that path now includes (ironically) HIS path! That is, some of the stuff--esp. restaurants and hotels--are now VERY popular. However, his book can serve as enough of a confidence builder on the basics of London that even on a first trip, you might feel comfortable enough to go off that beaten path--and (for example) instead of going to Buckingham Palace for the Changing of the Guard (crowded, crowded, crowded and a tad overrated), you might wander down a side street and find a great local restaurant or funky SOMETHING to visit, tour, experience that will live in your memory forever.

Rating :



London, Oh London!

Rick Steves is a brand name, and a trustworthy one. His new guide to London is very useful to any middle-class or student tourist. He includes maps, lots of walking tours, and up-to-date descriptions. He understands that any tour of London requires the traveler to lollygaggle- to select from the countless items on the menu, and to shape a personal agenda based on idiosyncratic interests and passions. Start out with this book; once you're orientated, give it away.

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Nice Book

Used it. Loved it.

Seller was a pro and a smooth transaction followed.

Thanks.

Rating :



All you need to know

Typical Rick Steves book - all you need to know to effectively and efficiently visit London and have a great time. Tells you what to do, how to do it, where to stay and where to eat. Best travel books in the business.

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The Places In Between The Places In Between
Price : $14.00 $3.50
Features :
  1. ISBN13: 9780156031561
  2. Condition: NEW
  3. Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.

Average Customer Rating :

Editorial Review :

In January 2002 Rory Stewart walked across Afghanistan-surviving by his wits, his knowledge of Persian dialects and Muslim customs, and the kindness of strangers. By day he passed through mountains covered in nine feet of snow, hamlets burned and emptied by the Taliban, and communities thriving amid the remains of medieval civilizations. By night he slept on villagers' floors, shared their meals, and listened to their stories of the recent and ancient past. Along the way Stewart met heroes and rogues, tribal elders and teenage soldiers, Taliban commanders and foreign-aid workers. He was also adopted by an unexpected companion-a retired fighting mastiff he named Babur in honor of Afghanistan's first Mughal emperor, in whose footsteps the pair was following.

Through these encounters-by turns touching, con-founding, surprising, and funny-Stewart makes tangible the forces of tradition, ideology, and allegiance that shape life in the map's countless places in between.

Customer Review :

The place in between

Firstly, once I FINALLY received the product, it was in almost mint condition. So that was definitely a plus.
The downside, however, was that it took almost a month for it to come, no big deal if you're not in a hurry, though, extraordinarily annoying otherwise.

Rating :



Following in Babur's footsteps

"The Places in Between" is the chronicle of Rory Stewart's journey by foot from Herat to Kabul, accompanied by nothing else but the occasional villager or passing soldier and his local dog, named Babur. This is a fitting name because Stewart, who would later be appointed to an important government post in occupied Iraq (The Prince of the Marshes: And Other Occupational Hazards of a Year in Iraq), not only wants to explore the beautiful Afghan landscape but also study the traces of its history in the present. The original Babur was one of the few leaders in Afghan history who had united the whole territory and who considered it central to his empire, and he is particularly interesting because he left an autobiographical text which is remarkable for its honesty, its objectivity, and its insight into the norms of those days. With these two Baburs, knowledge of local language and customs, and a bag full of medication, Rory Stewart sets out to traverse the sublime deserts and snow-capped mountains of central Afghanistan.

The tale is very well written and makes for easy and highly compelling reading. It is a telling fact that he makes his journey, which consists in essence out of endlessly repeated harsh day marches from one village chief's tent to the next, interesting to people who have never even been near the area. Stewart is very nonjudgmental overall, probably in part because he is entirely reliant on the kindness of strangers (who are often as hostile as they are hospitable to travellers) in the classic manner of travel writing. The book sheds some light on the highly complicated chain of political and ethnic conflicts within Afghanistan - almost every Afghan male has fought in at least one, if not more, war in the country. It is clear that loyalties are usually not quite as clear-cut as one would like them to be in order to understand them: very often the same feudal lords who had opposed the Taliban later joined them, and sometimes Iran-supported islamists are the greatest enemies of local chieftains, and so forth. Stewart's book does not really delve into political analysis, but certainly shows 'ad oculos' what the real meaning of politics is in Afghanistan.

All this is not to say that Stewart is necessarily an entirely reliable guide. The American edition of the book indicates that Rick Loomis took pictures of him along the way, but having a cameraman along is not mentioned anywhere. Moreover, it is clear from the facts that Stewart has been in the British Army, knows Dari as well as local politics thoroughly, has been involved with the Kennedy School of Government and finally his later appointment as governor in the occupying government in Iraq, that it is highly likely that he is a spy of some sort. Given this fact, the fact that Stewart was allowed to undertake his trip at all is quite remarkable, and it does seem some strings were pulled to make it possible. Of course, he himself says nothing about this. The result in any case is an insightful and highly readable book that will appeal to anyone interested in Afghanistan.

Rating :



More about "the places" than the "in betweens"

Some things don't require explanation. People just do things, perhaps on impulse or some hidden private passion. But partaking in something as daring as walking for twenty months on foot through potentially dangerous territory would, it seems, necessitate some fundamental reason for doing so. But maybe not? In any case, Scottish journalist explorer turned Parliamentary candidate Rory Stewart set out on such a journey in 2001. His bipedal voyage was chronicled in "The Places In Between," which was hailed as a masterpiece and has helped put Stewart into the Academic (he now holds a chair at Harvard) and political spotlight (he is campaigning as a Conservative Party MP). Maybe his walk was inspired merely by the desire to "be somebody?" A sort of distinguishing for the marketplace? Whatever the reasoning behind it, the book's first line provides no illumination: "I'm not good at explaining why I walked across Afghanistan. Perhaps I did it because it was an adventure." He was thankfully good enough at explaining it to Afghans who allowed him to trudge through their volatile war-torn country. Stewart told them that he's retracing the steps of the 16th century Mughal Emperor Babur, that he's writing a book, that he's a history professor, he basically told them whatever he needed to tell them to maintain his quest. Sometimes, and he admits this openly, he lied to secure lodging or to avoid threats. One salient feature about his journey is the amount of tall tales told by Stewart and his companions along the way. One of Stewart's guides tells suspicious visitors that he is an American, and that his metal tipped walking stick can summon American helicopters at a moment's notice. They subsequently leave him alone. At another time a guide tells a host that Stewart is a doctor. More than once Stewart claims that he's an important personal friend of such and such powerful person, which allows him to scramble out of some tough spots. He wisely dodges some questions about his belief in Islam, but when pushed he gives a very Islamic interpretation of Christianity to questioners. This method never gets him in trouble. So apparently a fair amount of truth bending is required for a foreigner to pass through Afghanistan. This isn't surprising considering the state of that country.

Those seeking an ultimate reason for Stewart's journey may remain frustrated throughout the book. They will nonetheless encounter a highly charged and very readable narrative of what must have been a harrowing and perspective-building experience. The trip starts at Herat in western Afghanistan and grinds slowly through rough terrain all the way to Kabul to the far east. Along the way Stewart encounters the good, the bad, the beautiful and the ugly. He meets very few women, veiled or unveiled, and their sighting provides a litmus test for the tolerance of a region. Once he enters a room to see women fly into the shadows. He receives some of the best treatment in places where women appear openly in public. On the last leg of his journey, in Al-Qaeda and Taliban territory, he gets punched in the face and threatened with physical violence. Some amazing landmarks also appear, such as the mysterious Minaret at Jam. He falls down its spiral staircase. People at Jam tell him about excavations, mostly mercenary, in the hills surrounding the minaret. They find antiquities which lead them to believe that Jam was the legendary "Turquoise Mountain." In Chist-e_Sharif he sees the famous hollowed out domes. And at Bamiyan he sees the empty mountain crevices that once held the enormous Buddha statues destroyed by the Taliban. Those sites alone were probably worth the trip. In Dahan-e-Rezak he is given a maltreated dog he names Babur and who accompanies him until sickness prompts Stewart to ask Doctors Without Borders officials to drive Babur to Kabul. Stewart eventually catches up with him, but Babur's fate remains uncertain until the epilogue. The walk ends in ravaged Kabul where a local, mistaking him for an Arab, warns him that he just can't walk into Kabul "there are British and American soldiers ahead." He meets up with a well fed Babur in Kabul.

Though "The Places in Between" provides for great travel writing, it does not present a complete or even clear picture of Afghanistan or its people. The book is really about the author's journey. True, those who know nothing about the country will pick up some interesting tidbits, but this isn't an anthropology or an in-depth study in any sense of the word. It's a travelogue, and a highly entertaining one. Those looking for detailed analysis of Afghanistan should look elsewhere. Though he meets many interesting people, Stewart does not see or speak with enough people to consider his story representative of Afghanistan. He spends most of his time walking in unpopulated areas. Also, Stewart himself does not really emerge from the narrative. His focus remains on telling the story of the journey, not on personal introspection, though some of this does appear in smatterings. This somewhat belies the title, which evokes uninhabited landscapes where Stewart did in fact spend most of his time. But ultimately, the book spends more time on "the places" than on the "in betweens." Still, anyone looking for an intriguing story about a lone person in unknown territory will find a good read here. And perhaps we'll hear more about Stewart if he wins the Parliamentary seat and maybe someday he'll either figure out or reveal why he set out on this Quixotic quest.

Rating :



Excellent Read

This book is a fascinating personal perspective of Afghanistan. Stewart allows his readers the opportunity to appreciate the human element of a war torn country as he tells his story of a journey on foot from Herat to Kabul. His insights are a refreshing take on the region and include the historical, political, anthropological, cultural and social strengths of this beautiful country.

I commend Stewart for his resilience and motivations to complete his walking journey through this politically unstable region of the world. This personal journey is an intriguing and inspirational story that will captivate anyone who reads it. This said, it is a book I own multiple copies of and have lent and given to a large number of friends, family and travelers- all of whom have also thoroughly enjoy it.

Rating :



Poignant and poetic

Mr. Stewart's writing style is not lyrical yet it can be said to be poetic, evoking emotions and images of the country through which he walked. All too often, the only images we have of Afghanistan are of war and repression of women. Walking across Afghanistan shortly after the fall of the Taliban, Mr. Stewart writes of a country re-awakening, full of hope for the future, and marked by the years of war...the changes to the culture, the scars on the land-scape. The book is all the more poignant given the subsequent abandoning of the country by the US to focus on Iraq and the inevitable decline in to chaos again. Mr. Stewart paints a vivid yet un-romanticised pottrait of the people, and changing culture of resilient peoples. ùit is not a book about politics or nation-building, but a bok about people and places...the you and I of another place. It is a must-read for anyone who has ever heard the name Afghanistan on the evening news.

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PassPorter's Walt Disney World 2010: The Unique Travel Guide, Planner, Organizer, Journal, and Keepsake! PassPorter's Walt Disney World 2010: The Unique Travel Guide, Planner, Organizer, Journal, and Keepsake!
Price : $23.95 $15.19
Features :
  1. ISBN13: 9781587710735
  2. Condition: NEW
  3. Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.

Average Customer Rating :

Editorial Review :

With four major theme parks and 20 hotels packed into 47 square miles, planning a trip to Disney World can be a daunting task. This indispensable travel planner simplifies the process, keeping travelers on schedule, within budget, and ready for fun. Each of the four major parks — Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney's Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom — gets an in-depth layout, complete with full-color fold-out maps and a description of every ride and attraction. Exhaustive profiles of Disney-owned resort hotels feature detailed maps, color photos, and room layouts. The guide also covers all of the park’s 300+ dining options. A concise, up-to-date review with average meal cost is provided for each venue, from full-service restaurants to counter-service eateries. Fourteen handy organizer pockets store maps, passes, receipts, itineraries, notes and to-do lists.

Customer Review :

great planner!

This book is a great all-in-one Disney planner! Compact, colorful, organized and on and on. I have used another book in the past and while it served its purpose, this one exceeds it.

Rating :



Excellent tWDW travel planner

I just received my 2010 Passporter and I love it!! It is a wonderful guidebook and planning tool which I would recommend to anyone planning a trip to Walt Disney World. The colorful pages, maps, pockets, and more make this planner amazing. On our trip a few months ago to WDW I purchased a rather pricey watch. When it recently stopped working I was able to pull out my 2009 Passporter and easily locate the receipt. Thank you Passporter!!

Rating :



Absolutely the best available Walt Disney World Guidebook

Being a regular Walt Disney World (WDW) traveler, I have learned the value of planning each trip. The 2010 Passporter guidebook enables any traveler to WDW to plan as extensively as either they wish or their experience level dictates. The book is very helpful for the rookie (which we all were at one time) as well as the ultra experienced WDW visitor.

There are a number of items in the book that enable the traveler to plan and track every aspect of their upcoming vacation. The various charts, graphs, and reviews of everything at WDW enable you to have a central place to file and locate all of your information. The pass pockets in the back of the book are invaluable while traveling to keep track of park hours, Extra Magic Hours, Advanced Dining Reservations, etc. I could go on about everything in the book but those things have been covered in other reviews.

The things that impress me most about the whole Passporter package are:
1 - the book which is as up to date and accurate as any annually published guidebook can be
2 - the Passporter website which provides updates to everything in the book as they occur, you don't have to wait for the next issue
3 - the Passporter online community which is second to none for information from experienced travelers to WDW without the condescension which is so prevalent in some other forums
4 - the Passporter Club which provides tons of information for all levels of travelers as well as interactive books and worksheets that allow you to really get down to the "nitty gritty" of travel planning
5 - this is probably the most important thing, the authors have a large group of contributors and reviewers but they, themselves, make numerous trips each and every year to stay current. They know their subject matter inside and out.

There are lots of guidebooks and other WDW travel information sources out there and I do use some of them but my primary resource is Passporter. Although I don't travel to WDW every single year, I do get a new passporter every year.

Ken Brown



Rating :



Best Disney Book

As a kid we visted Disney every year, and last year and this year I am bringing my daughter there, this is by far the best book I have seen out there! Yes it is a little expensive, but it is so worth the extra money!

Rating :



Passporter's Guide books are the best!

I have traveled to Disney several times in the last 10 years. At first, I used several of the other guidebooks out there, but they always seemed to be missing something, then in 2006 I discovered Passporters. I've never looked back! I now own Passporters for Walt Disney World, Disneyland and Disney Cruise Lines.
I personally own the deluxe versions of the books because I love the leather binder, the ease of adding and removing pages and updating the book every year. I use the book for planning our trips, and have purchased books for family and friends who are traveling with us or are planning their own trips! I find they make wonderful Christmas presents!
One feature I really enjoy with the deluxe is the ability to remove unneeded pages from the book for the actual trip, leaving a slimmed-down version to carry to the parks.
It is by far the best guidebook I have found for Disney. It is clear that the books are written by people who know and love Disney.

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Rick Steves' Ireland 2010 with map Rick Steves' Ireland 2010 with map
Price : $21.95 $13.03
Features :
  1. ISBN13: 9781598802900
  2. Condition: NEW
  3. Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.

Average Customer Rating :

Editorial Review :

You can count on Rick Steves to tell you what you really need to know when traveling in Ireland.

With this guide, you can explore lively Dublin, quaint Kilkenny, and the moss-draped ruins of the Ring of Kerry. Navigate meandering back roads that lead to windswept crags on the dramatic Dingle Peninsula. Explore Ireland’s revered past by following St. Patrick’s footsteps to the Rock of Cashel. Marvel at Newgrange, the mysterious mound older than the pyramids; then connect with today’s Irish culture by grabbing a pint at the local pub, enjoying the fiddle music, and jumping into conversations that buzz with brogue.

Rick’s candid, humorous advice will guide you to good-value hotels and restaurants. He’ll help you plan where to go and what to see, depending on the length of your trip. You’ll get up-to-date recommendations on what is worth your time and money. More than just reviews and directions, a Rick Steves guidebook is a tour guide in your pocket.

Customer Review :

Great "Back Door" philosophy

Getting Through the "Back Door"
Review of Rick Steves' travel guidebooks
Since 1980 Rick Steves' "back door" travel philosophy has guided Americans through Europe. Before publishing his first Europe Through the Back Door guide, Steves taught about travel in a classroom. Now he has a series of travel guides and is the host of a public television series and radio show. His expansive knowledge and experience with European culture and his charming personality have attracted many followers. Rick Steves' travel guides are ideal for the inexperienced traveler or for those going to an unfamiliar destination. Useful information for traveling in Europe is provided in a compact, affordable, paperback book. Steves' Ireland 2010 book costs [...] at Borders ([...] on Amazon) and his Italy 2010 book costs [...] at Borders ([...] on Amazon). Most of the guides are around 8 x 4 inches and weigh around one pound. The cost is suitable for a budgeted audience and its size is adequate for traveling.
Rick Steves' travel guides are colorful, neatly organized, and easy to read. At first glance readers will see a small, blue and yellow book with a destination labeled in large letters above a welcoming image of the location. Readers open up to a table of contents, making it easy to locate particular sections of interest. This is followed by a short overview of the country's history, culture, and people, accompanied by vivid pictures. The bulk of the book contains detailed information covering a number of topics. An index, map index, and appendix are also provided at the back of the book. While packed with information Steves' travel guides are never boring. In
fact readers will fly through the pages as Steves shares fun facts and important tips in an honest and sometimes humorous manner. He admits that when traveling things that seem "God-given" like "cold beer" and "bottomless cups of coffee" are no longer true. Instead of instilling fear in the reader, Steves evokes excitement.
There are several maps included in the guides displaying the country, its main destinations or cities, and other points of interest in the surrounding areas. A foldout color map of the country is provided in the back of all of his 2010 books, which can be carried while walking. Durable and small, it is a smart and useful item for any traveler to have. Besides maps there are also pictures on almost every page of the country's landscape, sights, and people. Most of the pictures and maps in the beginning of the guides are in color but the majority of them are in black and white. While color may be more appealing to the reader, it doesn't seem to detract from the quality of the guide. Steves' textual information is intriguing enough on its own, and pictures, while nice to look at, are not crucial.
Before journeying to a destination, Steves provides travelers with a handy set of packing and preparation tips. He explains what is essential to bring based on his own experience. This "packing checklist" is very helpful and easy to adjust according to the length of one's trip and one's personal taste. Steves also gives advice about when in the year is the best time to go to a particular destination. Preparing finances and insurance is also addressed. On top of it all he has a three-week trip plan with destinations and attractions that will ensure a memorable trip.
If there is a special place that may be under looked by travelers, Steves will make sure that the readers of his guides do not. Often Steves will provide information about small villages or towns away from the tourist scene. He is wonderful when it comes to encouraging readers to
explore the culture of a place, and become "temporary locals." He stresses the importance of communicating and connecting with the people, giving a culture "the benefit of your open mind." If a traveler is not enjoying a place, Steves feels that the person does not know enough about it. He urges people to wander and "seek the truth." To help direct them in their investigations, he provides routes for self-guided walks. These walks are an adventurous alternative to sightseeing tours, at no cost.
At the same time he acknowledges that people want to be tourists too, and certainly provides the information they are looking for. In his Ireland 2010 guidebook a section called "Ireland at a glance" provides highlights of popular areas and attractions on the island. Besides just giving information about these hot spots, he also mentions where and how to get discounts. He makes sure to include important sight rules and guidelines so readers know ahead of time how to behave and what can or cannot be brought. Special passes are also mentioned, particularly for seniors and children.
Sleeping arrangements are made easy with Steves' help. Steves lists different types of sleeping accommodations available in each destination, discussing quality, numbers of beds and baths, and costs. These accommodations range from hostels to hotels to farmhouses. Steves provides a rating system, or "Sleep Code", which categorizes accommodations by price. He also uses coded letters to distinguish what a room has in terms of beds and baths, and so on. His use of codes saves space and ink, also making the book itself smaller. While some accommodations such as hostels go for [...] a night, others such as farmhouses cost [...] per week. Hostels are good for backpackers and students on a budget, while farmhouses are better for families or adults who want to indulge a little. While some places are more expensive than others, Steves
provides readers with tips for saving money. To make reservations easier, he also supplies hotel reservation forms in the Appendix of the book.
As already seen, costs do vary depending on preference. But it is fact that one needs money to travel. Rick Steves values a tight budget and is constantly searching for the lowest prices without compensating quality. For sightseeing and entertainment costs in Ireland, Steves estimates that a person would spend an average of [...] a day. Airfare (if coming from the U.S.) is estimated at [...]. Steves also recognizes adults and students who are traveling, and provides different calculations for the two. For example, in Ireland 2010 Steves would say that the average adult should be prepared to spend [...] per day. On the other hand a student should be prepared to spend around [...] a day. This takes care of food, transportation, sleeping, and other miscellaneous things.
Although Rick Steves' travel guides contain no interviews or eyewitness accounts, they are not necessary. Steves is a man with great experience and dedication to his work. Every year he travels to his destinations to keep updated on current events and changes to businesses, costs, sights, and more. His Europe Through the Back Door series has become widely known for its outstanding information and advice. One Amazon reviewer regards his guide as "the most valuable resource" to have while traveling. Another claims that he has "used Rick's advice before and [has] never been let down."
Steves' travel guides can be used for any adult, family, or student traveler. His focus on low cost traveling appeals to anyone traveling on a budget. The ease with which information flows through the guidebooks makes traveling simple and less overwhelming for a person with little to no experience. For further information Steves provides his self-titled website on the back
cover of the book and also tells the reader to check out his television series. Follow Rick Steves' guidelines and get through the "back door" of Europe with the guarantee of an exciting trip.

Bibliography:

"Customer Reviews." Amazon. Web. 15 Feb 2010. [...]

"Rick Steves." Wikipedia. 24 Jan. 2010. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., Web. 4 Feb 2010. [...]

Steves, Rick, and Pat O'Connor. Rick Steves' Ireland 2010. Pap/Map ed. Avalon Travel
Publishing, 2009. 504. Print.

Steves, Rick. Rick Steves' Italy 2010. Pap/Map ed. Avalon Travel Publishing, 2009. 1024.
Print.

Rating :



Great day on Dingle Peninsula

We spent 9 days in Ireland in summer 2009. We're a 50's couple and have traveled a lot and like to stay out in the country side. This guide is by no means a complete guide to Ireland, and there are a lot of places that are not mentioned. For example, we spent a great nice at Bantry House in Bantry Bay, not even in the index. But, if you follow his guide, you will see a lot of interesting things. We took his tour around the Dingle Peninsula and found it to be a great day and he made some great suggestions, like going the opposite way of the buses. I would get a rather conventional guide book and this one and use them both. Then, for your next trip you'll know if you are a Rick Steve kind of traveler or not.

Rating :



Euronut

As usual, Rick has done a supurb job at bringing a country to life. A little history, a little joking, and a lot of what to see and where to go. Rick is right up front, Ireland is a country to be experienced, not just seen. The people are the real key to the heart of Ireland. Bring your voice and dancing shoes and be prepared to stay late!

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Rick steves Ireland 2010

This is probably the 10th book I have bought by Rick Steves. I travel alot. His books are full of information you can use or not it is your choice. I have nothing bad to say about his books. We are going to Ireland this summer for several books and have booked many B&B's he has suggested, also going to visit many of the places he suggested.
We hope to have a marvelous time as usual.

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The Family Roots

It is always a pleasure to be in the old country. But things/shops/restaurants change of course. Rick Steves gives current news which helps the traveler re-visit the " I gotta go back and see the......... again" and dine/stay/travel/visit with ease and confidence.

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