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A Cape Cod Walk with Thoreau
Thoreau visited Cape Cod in 1849, 1850, and 1853.These trips formed the basis for a series of essays, several of which Thoreau published in magazines. After Thoreau's death, the essays were gathered together and published as "Cape Cod" in 1865.
Great Humor
This book details the flora, fauna and people that Thoreau found in Cape Cod in the 1850s.Thoreau organizes the book around a single trip to Provincetown, although much of the material that he uses in the book came from various visits to the Cape, and to the ocean in general.He starts with a description of a shipwreck at Cohasset, then a stagecoach ride from Plymouth, then a walking trip with a companion along the outer shore to Provincetown.Along the way, he describes not only the plants and animals he encountered, but also the people who he met.The book finishes with a lengthy academic historical account of the discovery and mapping of the Cape.
Leave your brain at the door.
You will forget about the outside world when you read this; nothing but sand, wind, and water. Plus some natural history, local folklore, a few shipwreck tales. Typical Thoreau; he finds beauty, interest, detail in the wilderness. The desolate landscape will help to clear your mind. Highlyrecommended. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Audio Adult: Books On Tape    2. Environmental Science    3. Essays & Travelogues    4. Travel    5. United States - State & Local - General   

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Don't judge a stiletto by its cover
Don't let the cover of this book fool you.Susan Orlean does NOT travel to the many crevices of the earth in stiletto heels.At a wedding/skeet-shooting party in Scotland, she "was tripping around in rubber flip-flops."In Hungary, she walked around the Thermal Hotel Aqua in rubber thongs and "dangled from a sort of traction device at the deep end of the thermal pond."
Great Essays!
Susan Orlean is an outstanding author and reporter.I love her style of composing well-written, sometimes humorous, always perceptive accounts of offbeat subjects that most reporters would never think of covering.She bravely enters new worlds with a very objective mind and an exceptional pen.I highly recommend this book of short stories, as well as her other books.Don't forget to look in the New Yorker for her articles (like this week Feb. 14 & 21, 2005).

A good collection of vintage Orlean
Susan Orlean's third collection of essays includes thirty pieces that were previously published, most of them in The New Yorker, between 1990 and 2003. Orlean explains that the essays she chose for the book are connected in that the sense of place in them is especially important: "When I wrote these pieces, the sense of where I was--of where the stories were unfolding--seemed to saturate every element of the experience, to inform it and shape it, and to be what made the story whole." In some cases the importance of location to an essay will be apparent to the reader, as for example Orlean's piece on the student president of Martin Luther King Jr. High School in Manhattan ("Madame President"). But in other cases the reasons for the author's inclusion of an essay are not apparent. Readers, at any rate, are unlikely to care whether the essays are connected to one another by a meaningful theme. Orlean divides her book into three sections: "Here" includes essays set in the United States; those set abroad--from Cuba to Hungary to Thailand--are included in "There"; and "Elsewhere" is a hodgepodge of mostly short (some as brief as two pages), mostly whimsical essays set in any number of places.
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Subjects:  1. Abridged Audio - Travel    2. Audiobooks    3. Essays & Travelogues    4. General    5. Political Science    6. Politics/International Relations    7. Travelers    8. Voyages and travels    9. Travel / General   

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A life saver
I highly recommend this course. When I first came to the States all my English was British. At the hotel there was a mix up because my words for the items in the bedroom / apartment were all different. They did not know what I was talking about. I have now recommended this course to people who are coming for the first time. Very useful.

Not really American
This book is okay if you know a little English and you want to learn a little more, but the English in it is not really American.The cassettes might have American voices, but you can see that people in England wrote the dialogues.The people in the dialogues say many things that Americans would not say.For example, one teacher says his students are "lovely"".It is very common to say this in England, but not in the United States, and in the U.S., you seldom call men "lovely", because it sounds too feminine.There are also other things that tell you Americans did not write the dialogues:The characters often say, "Do you?" in places where Americans would say, "You do?"They also use the word "actually" too much, and in places where an American would probably not say it unless he's been living in England for many years.You can use British English in the United States, of course, but if you really want to learn *American* English, it is better to get a book that was really written in America.There is a huge number of real American books to choose from, so you don't need this one.

You need that book
That book is very good, but if you don't have the cassette tape you gonna stay crazy, 'cause you need that too, to learn very fast, enjoy it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. American English    2. ELT audio-visual (video & audio cassettes)    3. ELT self-study texts & phrasebooks    4. ELT: English for business    5. ELT: English for travel & communications   

Editorial Review

West of China, south of Russia, hemmed in by mountains, steppe, and desert, lie the five Central Asian republics of the former Soviet Union. Cut loose from Moscow in the early '90s, the five "Stans" (Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan) discover that their newly found freedom plays tug-o-war with despair and a nostalgia for the certainties of the Soviet past. It's during this time that author Colin Thubron travels the width of central Asia, asking questions about the past, present, and future. Not content to simply bounce from place to place, Thubron travels from person to person, uncovering their many vibrant stories and developing a deep understanding of the area's lesser-known history. Kyrgyz and Uzbeks debate the place of Islam. Koreans and Germans, descendants from forced migrants, wonder if they know enough of their ethnic tongue to return to their homelands. Russians find themselves left behind, disbelieving, as the tide of Russian power recedes toward Moscow. Read more

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Talented writing, but with flaws.
From the get go it is abundantly evident that Colin Thubron is an extremely talented writer. He has a way with words that I have not seen in any other travel writing I read; his book is the first I have went through that transcended a quaint, shallow, "Let's Go Travel Guide" type of narrative that storms through cities in a few days, marvels at surface elements, then moves on. There is nothing rushed about Thubron's writing style, his descriptions are thought out, in depth, and delicate. This unique distinction I think is vital for anyone doing travel writing in Central Asia: in the minds of Westerners (who will compose the bulk of people reading this kind of writing), Central Asia is a vacuum, both geographically, culturally, and historically. Few Westerners know much about this area, which is a shame, since geographically, culturally, and historically Central Asia is perhaps one of the most evocative places in the world. It is therefore vital for any travel writing to bring Central Asia to life, which Thubron definitely succeeds at.
Cultural confusion from a traveler's perspective
Colin Thubron, in this extremely interesting and well-written travelogue, has shed a common (or, owing to his previous experiences, uncommon) traveler's light on this amazing region of the world. Set amid the turmoil and confusion of the year following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Thubron portrays the incredible diversity of sentiment displayed by the area's inhabitants. From fatalistic apathy to alcohol-driven nationalism, he finds it all as he makes his way between crumbling ancient cities and Soviet-era apartment blocks. Chronicling the tentative resurfacing of Islam and hesitant steps toward fumbling democracies, the author has described the birth of these fledgling nations, offering a wonderful snapshot of the dynamic countries. Reporting to You from the Edge of Nowhere
In this intriguing book Colin Thubron travels throughout the mysterious lands of Central Asia, the five "Stans" which had just emerged from the yoke of the Soviet Union. Thubron's travels took place in the early 90's just after these new nations were formed from the disintegrating USSR, and were emerging in a confused state toward the "independence" they couldn't manage, after the colonialism they didn't want. Central Asia has been shrouded in mystery since the dawn of time - surrounded either by impenetrable mountains or never-ending deserts, and spawning obscure peoples who periodically burst out in waves of conquest before settling back into obscurity again. These mostly Moslem peoples (with some imported Caucasians mixed in) obviously never meshed well with the rest of the Soviet empire, with their cultures, languages and histories being suppressed for the past 70 years; and Thubron now reveals their confused state. Here you will meet many sadly interesting people in dreary locations, who are ignorant of their own histories (after Soviet revisionism and flat out lies) and have no idea what the future holds. You will find that Thubron's basic writing style is rather depressing, as he tends to focus on the negative aspects of the locations he visits, usually describing them as dreary and soulless, and he concludes that most of the people he meets have hopeless futures in store. However, his attitudes are not that different from the interviewees themselves. In the end, Thubron proves that this region and its myriad peoples will continue to be shrouded in mystery and obscurity, but in the meantime he provides an enjoyable travelogue of an area and people that few outsiders have or ever will see. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. ASIA    2. Travel writing   

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Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Nonfiction    2. Children: Grades 1-2    3. Foreign Language Study - General    4. Juvenile Nonfiction    5. French    6. Language teaching & learning material & coursework    7. Modern language learning material   

Reviews (2)

Too many errors!
The wordlist that accompanies Level 1 is fraught with errors - errors in the pinyin; errors in the tone markings; errors between what was included in the wordlist and what was recorded; errors in the English; and annoying music in the background, which is supposed to help you learn (claims the publisher), but actually drowns out the recording at points. Chinese Cantonese : Travel Talk
The book's great, the cassette is crap.So I'll only tell you that whatyou learn on the cassette is a series of disconnected words or phrases,which will only help you if you have the precise problem with you hotelroom as the speakers on the tape - otherwise, you're stuck. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Audio - Language    2. Audio Adult: Language    3. Chinese    4. Chinese language    5. English as a Second Language    6. Foreign Language Study    7. Self-instruction    8. Sound recordings for English speakers    9. Spoken Chinese    10. Cantonese    11. French    12. Language self-study & phrasebooks    13. Language teaching theory & methods   

Subjects:  1. Arizona    2. Audio - Travel    3. Museums, Tours, Points of Interest    4. National parks and reserves    5. Petrified Forest National Park    6. Tours    7. Travel    8. Travel / Museums, Tours, Points of Interest    9. Travel / United States / West / Mountain (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NM, UT, WY)    10. United States    11. United States - Mountain - Arizona    12. United States - West - Mountain (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NM, UT, WY)   

Reviews (9)

Terrible CD!
I went through three lessons before canning this CD.The lessons were terrible!Sometimes they stated the French word before the English word and sometimes afterward, which meant you could be learning the wrong word!The pronounciations were nowhere near the way the French speak; they were like what a HS French teacher who'd learned from a book and never been to France would speak.

This book is not for the novice
This book is not for someone who just wants to pick up enough French to get them through a trip unless they have a good ear and memory.I found "French in 10 Minutes a Day" much better as you must write what you learn in a workbook.

Stop thief!!
Get this set if you plan on having a bad time.Barely will you be in to 'Good evening' when the lessons quickly turn to "Stop thief!" or "He stole my watch"or better yet, "I want an attorney"-- all of which are phrases I have NEVER used in France.Fodor's should have had the good sense to give practical lessons first,etiquette, directions, service, culture etc. before launching into rude commands and pick-pocket paranoia. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Audio - Language    2. Audio Adult: Language    3. Conversation and phrase books    4. English    5. Europe - France    6. Foreign Language Study    7. French    8. French language    9. Polyglot Phrasebooks    10. Unabridged Audio - Misc.Nonfiction    11. Language self-study & phrasebooks    12. Travel / General   

Subjects:  1. Arizona    2. Audio - Travel    3. Hopi Indians    4. Museums, Tours, Points of Interest    5. Tours    6. Travel    7. Travel / Museums, Tours, Points of Interest    8. Travel / United States / West / Mountain (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NM, UT, WY)    9. United States - Mountain - Arizona    10. United States - West - Mountain (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NM, UT, WY)    11. Wupatki National Monument (Ari   

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Her Handbook is excellent
I would recommend her Italian language book: "Cassell's ContemporaryItalian"-- although I haven't listened to these tapes ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Audio Adult: Language    2. Travel - United States    3. United States - General    4. Italian    5. Language self-study & phrasebooks   

Subjects:  1. Audio Adult: Other    2. Europe - Italy    3. Unabridged Audio - Travel    4. Italy    5. Travel & holiday guides   

Subjects:  1. Audio Adult: Language   

Subjects:  1. Travel writing   

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Subjects:  1. Audio Adult: Other    2. Europe - Great Britain - General    3. Europe - Gt. Britain/London    4. Unabridged Audio - Travel    5. England    6. London, Greater London    7. Travel & holiday guides   

Subjects:  1. Abridged Audio - Travel    2. Audio Adult: Other    3. Unabridged Audio - Travel    4. United States - South Atlantic - Georgia   

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Subjects:  1. Travel   

Subjects:  1. Audio Adult: Other    2. Europe - Italy    3. Unabridged Audio - Travel    4. Italy    5. Travel & holiday guides   

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Subjects:  1. Audio: Juvenile   

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Reviews (15)

Saving those corks
Self-promoting?Yes.Poorly written?No doubt about it.Filled with annoying, saccharine-sweet vignettes about one man's pseudo-problems and his triumph-of-the-human-spirit approach to overcoming them?Absolutely.
Great story, passable writing
While this book doesn't rank as great literature in my opinion, it did read well if one is already inclined to enjoy travel articles.Yes, some of the personal material was surprisingly embarassing in it's clumsiness, but the overall storyline made it a pleasant little read.Certainly not Paul Theroux for travel, but that would be a very high mark indeed.But c'mon: a boat made of cork?Quirky enough to like.

A real life fantasy come true
The author, a former speechwriter for a Congressman and Clinton, quits his job to build a boat made out of 165,000-plus corks held together by rubberbands, which he then sails with friends down the Douro River in Portugal.It sounds like a fairy tale, and it practically is, a heart-warming true fantasy story of childhood dreams and adult sacrifice and priorities and adventure.Pollack is, of course, a gifted writer, adept at spinning a tale and interweaving personal remenisces, anecdotes and a few strands of history here and there.But it's Pollack's determination and optimism, though, that make this such a sweet story. After the descriptions of camraderie, community, despair and dedication, I felt like cheering along as they pulled into Porto on the final day. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Abridged Audio - Travel    2. Audio - Travel    3. Audio Adult: Books On Tape    4. Audiobooks    5. Boating - General    6. Boating And Sailing    7. Boats and boating    8. Cork    9. Duero River (Spain and Portugal)    10. Essays & Travelogues    11. Europe - Spain & Portugal    12. General    13. Sports & Recreation    14. Biography & Autobiography / General