Reviews (6)

Excellent Information
Rick Steves did his homework and this book definately helped in the small details.Especially helpful was the section regarding Auschwitz.Getting to and from can be tricky, and the book helps the situation.However, the minibus system wasn't as described in the book.Overall, a fantastic resource for traveling to Eastern Europe.

Needs improvement to be user-friendly!
Although there was a wealth of information within the book, it was almost impossible to locate through the Index.If you are trying to find an explanation or discussion quickly, do not bother with this book, as we found it necessary to leaf through pages and scan for key words, which often were noted museums, churches, palaces, etc.
This Book is an Eastern Europe MUST
05/06/06 I will be traveling to Eastern Europe this summer on a tour, but I wanted a guide book that would help me prepare for my trip.Rick Steves book is full of great history, knowledge and background information.It also covers many major cities (five of which I will be visiting). I like that he's usually "wallet friendly" and you'll know that his recommendations aren't going to max out your credit card.The maps are clear and I have been able to locate my hotels.I will admit, I love to shop in Europe and his guide books don't tell you where to go---for good shopping recommendations check out Fodor's new gold series.
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Subjects:  1. Europe - Eastern    2. Russia    3. Travel    4. Travel - Foreign    5. Travel Guides    6. Eastern Europe    7. Travel & holiday guides    8. Travel / Europe / Eastern   

Reviews (12)

Great Travel Book
This book is a gem!!I love the colorful photographs and the chapter on the history of St. Petersburg.

You can't go wrong with Eyewitness Travel Books!
I typically buy 3 or 4 books for each city I visit and I would have to say Eyewitness Travel Books are my favorite... Their list of hotels, resuraunts, clubs and sites are dead-nuts!

St. Petersburg (Eyewitness Travel Guides)
Beautifully photographed, very easy to follow, informative, great guide for what to do first.When I got home, I could look at the book to mark my photos!! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Russia    2. Travel    3. Travel - Foreign    4. Travel / Russia   

Reviews (9)

A usefull ADD on
This book is ok to augment your other language course, which should include a cd, dvd or cassette. Without that you wonmt understand how to pronounce anything. I found teh stickers useful as I wanted to be able to read russian rather than just 'parrot' it. whle i agree with most of the negative reviews I did find myself referring to this book quite often, BUT i also own teh pimsleur and 'in your car' russian cds. If this came with a CD it would be great.
10 minutes a day, everyday for the next 30 years...
Be wary of any Russian course that promises quick, effortless results.Learning Russian grammar is like putting together a 5000 piece jigsaw puzzle. Without a picture, it's pretty tedious.This book will not help you get "the picture". It teaches 1st/2nd conjugation verbs and a couple of necessary irregular verbs, but that's all the grammar you get.You do get some basic vocabulary words, but not ones that will help you very far in conversational situations. If you are a traveler and need a crash course to survive your trip through Russia, a good phrase book will better serve you.Finally, I have no idea why this book is called "10 minutes a day", there is no plan of attack included to tell you how to meter your studying, and 10 minutes is a little short to get something like Russian to sink into your brain.

Big book, pretty pictures, not much to learn.
This book might be okay for kids, but it's not really a serious learning tool.Learning a language in ten minutes a day may be a fun fantasy, but the resources available in this book won't do much to help you learn Russian.Read more

Subjects:  1. English    2. Foreign Language - Dictionaries / Phrase Books    3. Foreign Language Study    4. Language    5. Russian    6. Russian language    7. Self-instruction    8. Textbooks for foreign speakers    9. Travel / Russia    10. Conversation and phrase books    11. Language & Linguistics    12. Language self-study & phrasebooks    13. Russia    14. Travel   

Subjects:  1. Asia - China    2. Description And Travel    3. Railroads    4. Railroads - General    5. Russia    6. Travel    7. Travel - Foreign    8. Siberia    9. Trains & railways: general interest    10. Travel & holiday guides   

Reviews (12)

DK Eyewitness Travel Guides- Moscow & Prague
These are by far the best travel books out there, because of the detailed picture maps and the specific historical info for each area of the cities.

GOOD, BUT NOT GREAT
Its up to the minute information is invaluable as you travel around St. Petersburg.But, its AAA apearance is so dull you hardly want to use it.My recommendation is to buy this for the current info. and the EYEWITNESS GUIDE for its intelligent and beautifully illustrated usability.

Moscow for Dummies
Greetings,
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Subjects:  1. Russia    2. Travel    3. Travel - Foreign    4. Travel / Russia   

Reviews (8)

trans Siberian Handbook
Have just finished the trip - this guide is fantastic the trip would have been a lot less without it.Every one around us borrowed it

The best book for Trans-Siberian travelers
I have used this book multiple times while traveling the Trans-Siberian.During my first trip, it helped me to get my bearings and to plan the practicalities.On subsequent trips, I was able to enjoy the detailed maps and information about stops along the way.It is very accurate and detailed.I still found a previous version useful several years after publication.It does focus primarily on stops directly on the route.For those who with to travel further afield, I wrote the book ROAMING RUSSIA: An Adventurer's Guide to Off The Beaten Track Russia and Siberia.The Trans-Siberian Handbook is an essential book for Siberian rail travelers.I highly recommend it.

Really helpful
I found this book to be of great help in planning my Trans-Siberian trip.It is organized and contains information that will definitely be indispensible along the way: basic translations of common terms, general info on departure cities other than Russia and things I would never think of adding to a travel guidebook.Read more

Subjects:  1. Former Soviet Republics    2. Railroads - General    3. Russia    4. Travel    5. Travel - Foreign    6. Siberia    7. Travel / Russia    8. Travel / road maps & atlases   

Reviews (5)

very helpful
I gave this book as a gift to a family member who was going to the Ukraine, and we found it to be very informative and useful.

Ukraine Travel Guide
This is a great book to learn part of the history of the Ukraine, what to see while you are there, what to be cautious of, and how to get around.Very informative.I really liked the section in the back with Ukraine/English translations.This book will travel with me as a ready reference while I am in the Ukraine!!This is the first Lonely Planet book I've purchased and I'm sure there will be more!

Not up to lonely planet standards
The lonely planet series has generally been wonderful.Every time I bought one, they were not only a fun read but were chalk full of info on things to see and do.The Ukraine book, however, seems very disappointing in comparison.For one, the book is very small for such a big country.The author only visits a number of selected cities and totally ignores whole sections of the country, especially in the east which has 5 pages for the entire section.Even within those cities she does visit, however, the sightseeing oppurtunities (according to her) appear very sparse, the accomodations listed are very limited, and there is very little information about day trips or things to see outside the city. Finally, the entire book is very politicized.It looks like she wrote the book during the Orange Revolution, and got caught up in the strong nationalistic and anti-russian feelings that accompanied it.Unfortunately, this also shows through in her writing.
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Subjects:  1. Former Soviet Republics    2. General    3. Russia    4. Travel    5. Travel - Foreign    6. Travel - General    7. Travel & holiday guides    8. Ukraine   

Reviews (2)

Robert Young Pelton
I've read everything he has out.Loved it!It's current (as books go), funny, serious and a great read!

A must of the armchair traveller....
Not exactly LP, but it tells stories of two places that beenRead more

Subjects:  1. Biography / Autobiography    2. People of Color    3. Special Interest - Adventure    4. Travel    5. Travelers    6. Australasia, Oceania & Other Land Areas    7. Chechnya    8. Papua New Guinea    9. Russia    10. Sierra Leone    11. Travel / Adventure    12. Travel writing    13. Warfare & Defence   

Editorial Review

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Reviews (28)

Hauntingly Perfect
Thubron brings Siberia to life, he gives you the chill of the barren landscape while holding in the warmth of the people.He evokes Siberia in an almost Tolkien-like way, the barreness recalls the vast streches of Tolkiens middle earth.If you even have a passing intrest in Russia or Siberia get this book, it is worth every minute you get lost between the pages.If this book has a failing, that is a big if, it is that it is too short, I wanted to be lost in Thubron's Siberia much longer.

Beautiful--every sentence a poetic observation of Russia!
If you love Russia, or anything about Siberia you will love and cherish this book! Thubron writes with a Byronic majesty but in such a down-to-earth fashion. He draws the reader right into his travels and conversations with Siberian natives. A truly awesome book!

A serious book
This is a serious book, not a page turner, perhaps not a book for the young and optimistic who might prefer to look forward and meet hopeful young Siberians than to slowly unfold the memories of some of its older citizens. Nor is it a book for the lexically impoverished. I first encountered it as a full text audio book on about a dozen cassettes. I greatly recommend this slower-paced way of getting to know the book. Later consideration of the written text only confirmed my delight; this is an impressive writer who reconsiders his sentences and uses a wider range of the resources of our English language than many of us may be used to. As a result, he manages to give a precise and individual tone to each description, whether of the land or of its people, despite the similarities that will recur.Don't expect a travel guide or an engaging host: the book gives little or no practical information and reveals little too about the author, except his obvious talent for drawing out personal stories and his pluck in venturing into remote and dangerous contexts. No, this is a serious book and, all in all, a terrific achievement, as its readers will begin to understand a most significant and oversized piece of the jigsaw of human history. Every serious minded person should know about this book and try to find time to read it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1939-    2. Description and travel    3. Europe - Former Soviet Republics    4. Europe - Russia & the Former Soviet Union    5. General    6. History    7. History: World    8. Journeys    9. Russia    10. Russia (Federation)    11. Siberia    12. Siberia (Russia)    13. Thubron, Colin,    14. Travel - Foreign    15. Travel / General   

Reviews (1)

The CD needs an editor
The CD badly needs an editor.Unless you're going to learn Russian in a single sitting, you'll need to listen to the CD multiple times.The narrator's annoying statements of the obvious in English will drive you up the wall after the first time through. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Audio Adult: Language    2. Foreign Language Study    3. Russian    4. Unabridged Audio - Misc.Nonfiction    5. Language learning: audio-visual & multimedia    6. Language self-study & phrasebooks   

Editorial Review

Richard Feynman, brilliant physicist and inspirational teacher, wasn't much for coats and ties. He lived a life that the adjective "bohemian" doesn't begin to cover, scripting percussion scores for avant-garde ballet troupes, musing over life's imponderables, and delighting and annoying his many friends with odd-duck questions--all the while teaching generations of students at CalTech.Read more

Reviews (28)

More than a book...
It was all just accidental. I stumbled upon this book through a documentary that I rented, called Ganghis Blues. I like all types of music and thought "A documentary about Blues music, cool..." After realizing what a fortune of life I had found in this movie, I was drawn to everything TUVA. SO, to the book I go. The book of course came before the documentary, and obviously was an influence in the boys who produced it. When was the last time a book did something for your soul? This one touches your soul, your heart and your longing to achieve a goal or live out a dream. Aaaah. I loved it.

Off-beat , wonderful video!
If you are a fan of Richard Feynman, the nuclear physicist that dreamed of going to Tuva, you will just love this video. If you know nothing of Mr. Feynman, you will still enjoy it. It tells the story of Paul Pena's visit to Tuva in a delightful way. You will like seeing the culture of these peaceful, music-loving people.

Great story, though it loses its steam
I would never had read this book had I not recently had the chance to see Huun Huur Tu, a throat-singing voice from Tuva. But now that I am fascinated by this little-known, remote area along the Russian-Mongolian border, I found this book very entertaining. It chronicles the enormous challege of trying to visit such a remote land in the days before Glasnost and a fascinating cast of characters at its heart.
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Subjects:  1. Adventurers & Explorers    2. Biography    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. Biography/Autobiography    5. Feynman, Richard Phillips    6. Physicists    7. Russia (Federation)    8. Scientists    9. Travel    10. Travelers    11. Tuva    12. Tuva (Russia)    13. United States    14. Journeys    15. Science: General Issues   

Reviews (4)

Interesting for what it is...
The premise of this book is fascinating, and for what it is it's an interesting read.I found the book a little long winded and dramatic in its descriptions, and a little quick to jump to far-reaching conclusions.I don't think anyone will be surprised to learn that the well-trained "intourist" guides spout the party line (but - shockingly! - probably have opinions of their own), and that the average Soviet citizen wasn't thrilled with their government (is anyone?).
Detailed account of travels through a vast land
As an interested reader of the Soviet Union and Russian culture, I picked this book up two years after I read In Siberia. I was amazed at the amount of detail the author poured into his journeys across the Soviet Union. He was able to visit the Russian citizens, homesteads of famous icons of years back (Tolstoy among them) and see cathedrals we can only see in pictures. His writing style and demeanor may strike readers as distant and unattached but he went over there to observe and he did not observe this place through rose-colored lenses-he showed us what Russia was really like in 1980. If you strictly want to read about Russia, you may be disappointed when you read the material towards the end which is about Georgia and Armenia, but my ignorance of those former republics were replaced with notions that they might be more beautiful and more interesting than all of Western Russia. The whole way through you will be captivated, appalled and intrigued with his journey. This is a must-read for anyone interested in Russian culture.

A trip through the Soviet Union
Written by someone who somehow managed to drive a clunker with UK plates through the Iron Curtain between West and East Germany and all the way to Moscow.Thubron then motors all the way to present day Azerbaijan and St.Petersburg.It is a snapshot not of present day Russia but of 1980 Soviet Union.Read more

Subjects:  1. 1939-    2. Description and travel    3. Europe - Russia & the Former Soviet Union    4. Former Soviet republics    5. General    6. Russia    7. Thubron, Colin,    8. Travel    9. Travel - Foreign    10. Journeys    11. Thubron, Colin    12. Travel / General   

Reviews (4)

Belarus, huh?
What to say about Belarus? Well, we spent the day the White Russkis commemmorate the end of WWII there, so I've seen it in all of its "grandeur". Not much to recommend it, go and see Belarus if you missed out on the post WWII East European dictatorships, because Belarus is the last of its kind. A genuine personality cult around the president runs politics, and you can get a feel for what it was like in 1970's E. Europe. Guess what- you will not like it. Take some pics of Minsk & move on to Moscow. And if you can find a decent hotel in Minsk, you've done better than my wife and I did.

Don't be paranoid!
There is a wealth of information in this book but some of the information is way off.For example the restaurant Lechaim is said to be "excellent"and the cooking is "served in hearty portions".I got a small portion of fish, two soups and salad for an outrageous price of $50.LP warns that prices change but the book is only a few months old.Also the authors are overly sensitive about fitting in by suggesting that you use a plastic bag like the locals instead of a backpack to carry your things.First of all what is wrong with looking like a foreigner?Are they suggesting that Russians don't like foreigners?Anyway many locals use back packs.I also didn't get stopped by police outside the Moscow railway station.The book sanctions some level of paranoia possibly to protect themselves.Maps are accurate and so are many of the museum schedules.I would suggest trying some of the restaurants not mentioned in the book.You can find some good food that way.

Big Russia
The only problem with this book is that if you're planning to travel just to an area of Russia, you won't need as much information of others. Russia is huge so the place you're travelling to, probably just will have a couple of paragraphs.... ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Former Soviet Republics    2. Russia    3. Travel    4. Travel - Foreign    5. Belarus (Belorussia)    6. Travel & holiday guides   

Reviews (6)

This book.
A very boring book. It goes into the very basics of Russian culture. It only had a couple pages about dating a Russian. I have been there twice in the last year, and didn't find the book useful at all. Find another book to read about Russian Culture and social dynamics.

Some useful information, but nothing earth shattering
This book is relatively good, but basically all the information in the book can be found by a couple of simple google searches.The information is presented in a rather matter of fact way, but I just don't feel that I learned much or got anything in the way of new insight into Russian culture. Bad Book?
This was the worst book I have ever read.It was so boring.I have never spent so much money on such a stupid book!! I can't believe that anyone would say that they liked this book!! And I really wouldn't recomend anyone else buying or reading it!! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Sociology    2. Russia (Federation)    3. Travel - Foreign    4. Social Situations And Conditions    5. Russian    6. Anthropology - Cultural    7. General    8. Customs    9. Foreign Language Study / Russian    10. Russia    11. Social issues    12. TRAVEL & HOLIDAY    13. Customs & Traditions    14. Sociology - General    15. Social Science    16. Handbooks, manuals, etc    17. Manners And Customs    18. Social life and customs   

Reviews (2)

Fascinating study offascinating subjects
Steve Heimoff has written a wine book, a geology text, and a history lesson all in one volume. A superb treatment of several complex subjects, he writes with an intense love of his subjects....and has obviously spent an enormous amount of time researching each facet of it.It should be a must for anyone interested in California wine.

Along the Russian River. . . . . . .
. . . . which flows into the Pacific Ocean north of San Fransisco, is a marvelously varied strip of wine country. The river itself, as author Steve Heimoff makes clear, cuts its way through many different wine areas, and so this geographical feature--rather than winemaking itself--constitutes the unifying theme of the book.
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Subjects:  1. Beverages - Wine & Spirits    2. California    3. Cooking    4. Cooking / Wine    5. Essays & Travelogues    6. Russian River Valley    7. Tourism    8. United States - Pacific - California    9. Wine and wine making    10. Cooking / Wine & Spirits    11. Wines   

Reviews (4)

A Most Wonderful Book For St. Petersburg Visitors
I happened on this wonderful book by reading all the reviews written by one of its reviewers.It is small, light weight and so very easy to use.The pictures are beautiful.We went to St. Petersburg last December with the book in hand.Each night we decided where to go the next day.Planning is important because each museum is usually closed at least one day a week.Unfortunately the museums were so interesting, that we often stayed way longer than we planned to.We never would have gone to some of the museums had we not had this little book.We especially liked the maps showing the ocation of each museum in relation to the others.Because of this book, we will return to St. Petersburg in the off season and enjoy many more of its amazing little museums -- after all what better way is there to spend a cold December day?

Discovering St. Petersburg's 40 Unknown Treasures
As the founder of a company devoted to business and cultural travel to Russia, it pains me that so many tourists come to St. Petersburg for a day or two and only visit the Hermitage, Peterhof, and a ballet.Russia is like a Faberg� egg-a beautiful exterior with a hard-to-open but spectacular hidden interior.Among the little known gems in St. Petersburg are the Museum of Theatrical and Musical Arts, the Nabokov Museum (former residence of Vladimir Nabokov), the Russian Ethnographic Museum, the Rimskii-Korsakov Memorial Apartment-Museum, the History of Religion Museum (formerly the "Anti-Religion Museum), the recently-opened Museum of Toys, and the Museum of Russian Vodka.All these treasures and more are fondly catalogued in Cathy Giangrande's Saint Petersburg: Museums Palaces and Historic Collections (Museums).
An outstanding guidebook to St. Petersburg
I began reading Cathy Giandrande's little guide to St. Petersburg with a great deal of skepticism. As I kept exploring the book, all my doubts quickly disappeared. That alone came to me as a surprise. Unlike most Russians who still suffer from a mild identity disorder, Petersburgers have a strong sense of local patriotism and know what they are and what their city is about. From time to time, their patriotism mutates into a peculiar kind of city chauvinism. It is taken for granted that no temporary visitor, be he or she from Moscow or Paris, can know the city or truly appreciate it. I am no different. As a Petersburger, I would never think that an outsider, least a foreigner, least someone from a culture many Russians perceive as hostile and extremely russophobic, would be able to put together a concise guide to the lesser known museums and landmarks of the city and do it in such a low key, friendly and unbiased manner, that the final work is a joy to read and is more useful from any practical standpoint of city exploration than many far weightier and thicker "serious" guides. Read more

Subjects:  1. Art    2. European    3. Museums, Tours, Points of Interest    4. Russia    5. Travel - Foreign    6. Museum, historic sites, gallery & art guides    7. Palaces, chateaux, country houses    8. Travel / General   

Subjects:  1. Asia, Central    2. Bulgars (Turkic people)    3. Description and travel    4. Europe - Russia & the Former Soviet Union    5. History    6. History: World    7. Russia    8. Russia (Federation)    9. Tatarstan (Russia)    10. Travel - Foreign    11. Volga River Region    12. ASIA    13. Central Asia    14. Classic travel writing    15. Eastern Europe    16. c 500 CE to c 1000 CE   

Reviews (19)

Read the book in the country - a hilarious account!
Having just traveled through Moldova on a cycling trip through Eastern Europe, I was fortunate enough to have the chance to read this whilst staying at the one and only hostel in Chisinau, the capital of Moldova.
good preparation for a visit to Moldova
Without this book - I would surely have fallen down a manhole! As soon as I finished reading I added a head torch to my equipment list! I knew I was about to visit for 6 months and found the book fantastic preparation - whilst also being gut-wrenchingly funny. I have a massive collection of photographs of open manholes if anyone wants proof of the authenticity of this particular aspect of life in Moldova.
Laugh out loud funny
Having met a Moldovan at work and realising I knew nothing of the place, I typed in Moldova into Amazon's search engine and found this book.
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Subjects:  1. Description And Travel    2. Essays & Travelogues    3. Europe - Ireland    4. Europe - Russia & the Former Soviet Union    5. Hawks, Tony    6. Moldova    7. Tennis    8. Tennis tournaments    9. Tournaments    10. Travel    11. Travel - General    12. Journeys   

Reviews (1)

A realistic look into the current Siberian prison experience
I saw this book in the bookstore of the Pompidou (which could be one of the better modern art bookstores in the world).The photos are fantastic, very human and each one tells a story of a life that none of us can imagine.As great as the photographs are, the text at the end of the book enriched the experience far more - it gives you a context for his photography, how contrived the censorship could be (and how funny - the story about the tennis court is hilarious).The bottom line is that you get to see something that nobody else has photographed, in a high quality format, that will educate you and give you something more than the typical horror stories of the former Soviet Gulag system.If you're like me and you love photography that is unique and really MEANS something, buy this book! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Ethnic Studies - General    2. Individual Photographer    3. Photo Techniques    4. Photoessays & Documentaries    5. Photography    6. Pictorial works    7. Prisoners    8. Prisons    9. Russia (Federation)    10. Siberia    11. Subjects & Themes - Travel - General    12. Subjects & Themes - Travel - World/Europe    13. Photographic reportage    14. Photography / General    15. Russia   

Reviews (5)

Couldn't live without it
I traveled to Moscow in 2003 and 2004 and took this book both times.I honestly don't think I could have survived without it.Since I spent numerous weeks in Moscow I covered a lot of territory and especially took advantage of a lot of the information provided in LP, including the info on sites in outer Moscow.Moscow is a wonderful city, but can be confusing and sometimes a little dangerous.However, I found the maps very helpful for making my way around, and especially the map of the metro.The restaurant listings are helpful as well (the descriptions of Georgian food are dead on, it's really that good), though because I lived in dorms I didn't have much experience with the hotels.Prices for museums or other attractions are iffy since they do change a lot but this book was a must for both of my trips.

good reading, facts not 100%
The Lonely Planet Moscow guide was extremely enjoyable to read and provided excellent maps, though a magnifying glass was necessary to read the details.My only qualm with the book was that despite having a recent publication date of March 2003, some of the details were out-of-date.Specifically, the Metropol Hotel was listed as part of the Intercontinental chain with an intercontinental e-mail but when I called Intercontinental I was informed that they sold ownership of the hotel several years ago (current e-mail is metropol@metmos.ru).Thus, I recommend the book as good reading but for detailed planning caution is necessary.
A good book, replaced by a newer edition.
This has been replaced by an updated edition. Search for 1864503599, or look under "Our Customers' Advice" above. It is still a great guide for your journey of Discovering Russia. Read more

Subjects:  1. Russia    2. Travel    3. Travel - Foreign    4. Travel Guides    5. Travel & holiday guides