Reviews (24)

Spanish in 10 Minutes a Day
This text is either for the very beginning beginner or a good review for the person who has been away from Spanish for a time.
A good Start
I have read almost all of the book. Along with the CDs I think the set would be very good for a beginner but not enough for adequate conversation. No conjugation rules mentioned. You have to be enrolled in a spanish teaching class to fill in the defecits that this set have. Overall I think my spanish improved alot from 0% spanish to 50% now,which is not bad to a beginner....

Wonderful Product
We are a homeschooling family and we were looking for a good beginning Spanish program.This program was recommended to me by several people so I thought we would give it a try.My daughter and I are learning together and we are finding this program easy to use and alot of fun.I think it would be a great program for older elementary (my daughter is 14) - adult.The CDs are a must because they teach you the correct pronouncation for each word.The stickers are a great way to incorporate Spanish into your everyday life. Excellent program. I would recommend it to anyone who is looking to learning Spanish for educational purposes and for those who are planning a trip to a Spanish speaking country. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Conversation and phrase books    2. English    3. Foreign Language - Dictionaries / Phrase Books    4. Foreign Language Study    5. Self-instruction    6. Spanish    7. Spanish language    8. Spanish: Adult Nonfiction    9. Travel / Europe / Spain & Portugal    10. Language self-study & phrasebooks    11. Spain   

Reviews (135)

phenominal
Bill Bryson is a genius. This book is absolutely hilarious. I was never much of a reader, but i got this book for a present and when i started reading it i couldnt put it down. This is a must read. Bill Bryson, please right more (italy, islands, etc.)!!!

Bill Bryson is no Mark Twain, but who is?
Why not just read Mark Twain's Innocents Abroad instead? Bryson's account reads like a bad rip-off at many points, and while Twain's mockery of a typical American tourist in Europe is clearly coming from love of and respect for his fellow Americans, Bryson comes off as snobbish and superior, wishing to distance himself from all things American, quick to point out that he is an ex-pat. Also, Twain is funnier. Of course.

Bill Bryson is always great
You must know by now that I never write a bad review about this guy. In this book, we take a whirlwind tour of Europe. You can read the cover blurbs about how funny and perceptive he is, and how skillful he is with the language, and how eminently readable he is. I agree with every word. But I'd like to mention that this isn't some snooty tour guide or gushing forth bubblehead. He's an average guy who won't hesitate to tell you what sucks, or leave a place that he doesn't like, or bend over backwards to say nice things. He'll bash anybody, himself included. He's refreshingly honest.
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Subjects:  1. Essays & Travelogues    2. Europe - General    3. Europe - Western    4. Form - Essays    5. Travel    6. Travel - Foreign    7. Travel / Essays & Travelogues   

Reviews (16)

Bundle with Party Europe
LP is a great book and had lots of awesome ideas. If you really want to have the best time of your life, buy a copy of Party Europe as well. LP tells you where to stay and eat, Party Europe will tell you how to have fun. Great combination. Can't wait to head back to the old country.

Too many countries
The book itself is awesome, lots of useful info.
Essential, perfect for a road trip
I bought Europe in a Shoestring as a preparation for my move from Italy to the UK. The book is an excellent reference for accomodation and eating, plus it gives the essential info on places to see and where to go.
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Subjects:  1. Europe - General    2. Travel    3. Travel - Foreign    4. Europe    5. Travel & holiday guides   

Reviews (1)

Bundle with Party Europe
Just as good as previous versions with lots of off the beaten path fun things to do. I brought it with a copy of Party Europe. It was a great combo. Rick Steves to chill, Party Europe to have the most fun possible.
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Subjects:  1. Europe - General    2. Europe - Western    3. Travel    4. Travel - Foreign    5. Travel Guides    6. Europe    7. Travel & holiday guides    8. Travel / Europe / General   

Subjects:  1. Discovery And Exploration (General)    2. Europe - General    3. History    4. History - General History    5. History Of Civilization And Culture (General)    6. History: World    7. Reference    8. Renaissance    9. American history: c 1500 to c 1800    10. Europe    11. European history (ie other than Britain & Ireland)    12. History / Renaissance    13. Social history    14. The Americas    15. c 1500 to c 1600    16. c 1600 to c 1700   

Reviews (10)

Good Beginning Study Guide for the Dedicated Learner
"Norwegian in 10 Minutes a day" is designed for the person who is self-motivated enough to devote at least ten minutes a day to the lessons and who is familar enough with the study of foreign languages to pick one up without outside coaching.The study guide is highly portable and can be used anytime the student has the opportunity.
stickers are great, but the book a little out-dated.
This book was one of several purchased in order to get my hubby speaking Norwegian. The book itself is good, but I did find it to be quite outdated and to have an "old" feel to it. Which can be explained so simply as to the fact that it is an old book!
learning basics with no audio.
I was looking for Norwegian books that would help me improve my knowledge of the language as I've been studying it for over a year, so I went through all the available ones over there.
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Subjects:  1. Conversation and phrase books    2. English    3. Europe - General    4. Foreign Language - Dictionaries / Phrase Books    5. Foreign Language Study    6. General    7. Language    8. Norwegian Language    9. Scandinavian Languages    10. Self-instruction    11. Textbooks for foreign speakers    12. Europe    13. Language self-study & phrasebooks    14. Norwegian   

Reviews (6)

Can pay for itself
We took a cruise that stopped at 5 islands listed in the book and found the information provided helpful to interpreting the cruise line's descriptions and deciding which land tours to take.We were able to by-pass several expensive tours yet see the major sites on our own.

Love the DK travel guides!
The DK books are my favorite travel guides and even though I've never been to Greece (yet!) I still like to page though the book. The pictures and diagrams are gorgeous and I like how the authors always bring the culture and history of the area into the discussion.

A beautiful, classy, picture journey!
This is a portable, soft cover, coffee-table book!It is beautifully crafted, with exquisite pictures, maps and diagrams of ancient buildings and modern towns. The book takes you on a cultural journey through Greece and its history.If you haven't visited Greece, it's a motivator.If you have, it brings back wonderful memories.This book is a broad sweep, you will need supplemental information, but it is unique in providing a visual overview of a beautiful and enchanting land! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Aegean Islands (Greece and Turkey)    2. Europe - Greece    3. General    4. Guidebooks    5. Ionian Islands (Greece)    6. Travel    7. Travel - Foreign    8. Travel / Europe / Greece   

Reviews (22)

A great introduction to Spain
While visiting Spain with my wife we bought this book in Seville. I enjoyed every part of it especially the end of each chapter which holds a list of the monuments relevant to the history of that chapter. I took it on a trip to Spain with my wife and it made the trip magical.
Trust the negative reviews and save your time
Is there substance?Yes, not a lot, but there is a brief overview of history here.
Hollywood Movie
No wonder this book has not been translated into Spanish. It would be an absolute fiasco. "The Story of Spain" was so obviously designed to be a good seller among American tourists, that it would make an excellent Hollywood movie -such is the distortion of history!
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Subjects:  1. Europe - Spain & Portugal    2. History    3. History: World    4. Spain   

Reviews (3)

A nice comprehensive travel aid
This is a reasonably comprehensive travel guide to Turkey. All regions of the country are well covered, with lots of good information on local sites and amenities. It is small enough for travel and is up-to-date. It also includes good basic maps.

Lavishly Illustrated
DK's Eyewitness Travel Guides are perfect for your next vacation or they can be illustrated journeys into new worlds you wish you could visit. These guides help me to understand the world and the 1,200 photographs, illustrations and maps in the Eyewitness Turkey Guide are stunning in beauty. I loved the two page spread of the Library of Celsus (one of the most famous Roman sites in Turkey) that is still standing after an earthquake.
Scrumptious photo feast for your eyes, makes you want to go!
I'm a fan of DK publications in general, and their style is well suited for these 'big picture' Eyewitness travel guides. The maps, photos, illustrations and contexts excel at giving you the bird's eye view of what is outstanding in Turkey.
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Subjects:  1. Asia - General    2. General    3. Middle East - Turkey    4. Reference - General    5. Travel    6. Travel - Foreign    7. Reference works    8. Travel & holiday guides    9. Travel / Europe / General    10. Turkey   

Reviews (13)

Good place to start
I am a native speaker trying to teach my hubby a few words for our trip to Brazil.I found the book very easy to use.Most nights he practiced by himself and I reviewed the material.He was able to get pretty good pronunciation using the books guidelines, but emphasis was harder.It think this is true anytime you are studying language through a book.The stickers were fun to use, we did label items around the house.After getting this book down we moved on to a CD ROM package which has been useful as well.My husband felt that the book did not do a very good job with teaching tenses and conjugating words.This is true, the books aim was to teach you useful phrases and words, you would still be limited in your ability to understand a native speakers anwers to your questions.However, after only one month he definitelty learned quite a bit.Even though I am fluent it is easier to work from a program, as learning from me is hit or miss, this way we have the basics covered.
Great product
I enjoyed this book a lot. It is a great way for a beginner to pick up the basic words and phrases needed to communicate in Portuguese. When you actually follow the directions and spend the 10 minutes a day, you really pick up the language quickly! I like the way the book is written and found it easy to follow and understand. Great way to learn!

Trying to Learn
This is a wonderful book if you are going to be in Brazil for a very short time. It is also a good beginner book. Unfortunately the pronunciations (esp at the end of words) is hard to understand. My husband is from Brazil and we will be going there soon. He had to correct me the majority of the time when I was pronouncing the words how this book has outlined how they should be pronounced. Overall it is a nice book but you might want need a tutor as well to get the sounds right.If you are going to be staying in Brazil for a longer time you will need a better book for sure. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. English    2. Europe - Spain & Portugal    3. Foreign Language - Dictionaries / Phrase Books    4. General    5. Grammar    6. Language    7. Portuguese    8. Portuguese language    9. Reference    10. Self-instruction    11. Textbooks for foreign speakers    12. Conversation and phrase books    13. Language self-study & phrasebooks    14. Portugal    15. Spain   

Reviews (5)

Anotherbeautiful, classy, picture journey!
This is another portable, soft cover, coffee-table book with the same high standards as the one on the the Greek islands! It is beautifully crafted, with exquisite pictures, maps and diagrams of ancient buildings and modern towns. The book takes you on a cultural journey through Greece and its history. If you haven't visited Greece, it's a motivator. If you have, it brings back wonderful memories. This book is a broad sweep, you will need supplemental information, but it is unique in providing a visual overview of a beautiful and enchanting land! It is particularly nice that with the exception of the cultural history part, this book is basically not redundant with the Island book, covering the mainland as the title indicates.
Great overview, but you'll need a more detailed guide
The colorful photos and diagrams found in the DK travel books are a big plus for some and a major detraction for others. Personally I think this is a great book to use while making preliminary travel plans because it's very difficult to decide where to go if you can't see pictures of it first. Then once you narrow down your choices you'll want a more comprehensive travel guide, such as the Lonely Planet guides, which contain better maps, travel information, hotels, etc, but which have very few photos. I'm holding off on giving this book 5 stars because it lacks that kind of detail. However, I still pull it off my shelf frequently when I want to look up someplace on the Greek mainland I have not visited before.

love the photos but it needs more maps
On a 10-day driving trip around mainland Greece this guide proved a disappointment.There aren't enough city maps so you need to buy a Lonely Planet guide as well.I love the DK guides to London and Paris where the neighborhoods and sights are so intricate that the DK diagrams and walking tours are immensely helpful.The restaurant recommendations turned out to be rather poor from the DK guide.Frommer's and Lonely Planet were a lot more reliable.
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Subjects:  1. Europe - Greece    2. General    3. Greece    4. Guidebooks    5. Travel    6. Travel - Foreign    7. Travel / Europe / Greece   

Reviews (10)

Spain. Eyewitness Travel.
Great book, lots of information of where to go, things to do and
GREAT EYEWITNESS GUIDES
I have used these guides for my travels in Ireland, London, Scotland, Rome, Florence, Venice, Switzerland, Germany and Amsterdam.These have to be some of the best guides ever.
To plan your trip
Eyewitness Guides are beautiful, gorgeously illustrated books on glossy paper that are perfect for planning a trip but not so good for carrying along with you. But they don't need to be! I used the guide to Spain to plan my 5-city itinerary, including a stop in Ronda which I'd never heard of but ended up being one of the highlights of our travels. This guide gives you a general view of the sights to see, with many photos and maps. But especially in a country like Spain, the wise traveler makes his or her first stop the tourist office--there's one in every city and many towns. That's where you get your map, the info on walking tours, a schedule of museum openings and closings, etc.
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Subjects:  1. Europe - Spain & Portugal    2. Guidebooks    3. Spain    4. Travel    5. Travel - Foreign    6. Travel Guides    7. Travel / Europe / Spain & Portugal   

Reviews (8)

All time favorite
I've had this book for years and it's one of my all time favorites- a must read, insightful. Beautiful- exquisiteillustrations.

Well worth the price
I first read this magnificent tome on Russian history and culture in 1997.As it was part of a history class in college, the first read was a bit of a drag...page after page of description concerning the minutia of Russian life: clothes, churches, meals, religious & superstitious rituals, architecture, commerce, political strife, and so on.Really, with the whirl of the Social Circus of that college year, trudging through all this obscure information brought me no end of grief and silent lamentation!To think of all that time I could have been out with friends looking to score whatever cheap release was on hand or burning inside...spent instead sludging through *detailed history*! Priceless
I bought this book in the early 80's and absolutely loved it.I recommended it to friends who were going to spend a year in Russia.They took it with them and shared it with their Russian friends, who copiedwhole chapters by hand -- all the while bemoaning the loss of so much oftheir rich, pre-revolutionary culture. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Europe - Russia & the Former Soviet Union    2. Former Soviet Republics    3. History    4. History - General History    5. History: World   

Reviews (13)

Presenting Prague
This is the best travel guide I have ever used.Prague is presented in a way that does justice to its beauty and storied past.The richness and detail of the (mostly) color images of the sites being discussed give the guide a usefulness that I have not found in other guides.It is one of the few travel guides that I will keep in my private library long after my recent trip to Prague and the Czech Republic has ended.

Excellent for general-purpose tourism
I recently spent nine days in Prague, including a day and a half of a group tour, and about five full days of touring on my own.I found all of the information in the guide to be accurate and up-to-date, and to be at an appropriate level of depth and detail.I was able to prioritize and choose what I wanted to see, and get to everywhere.The information on public transit (metro and trams) was very helpful.I traveled to and through all the primary areas of interest without any additional maps or guidance.Because I went with a group, the hotel was pre-selected (and not one that was in the guide), so I cannot comment on that aspect of the guide.
The Best guide book you can get
I have traveled the world over, usually I use the lonely plant series. But now that I have used the Eyewitness Travel Guide to Prague I am hooked. This is a fantastic travel guide, you could not ask for anything better. There are clear maps with photos and drawings, so you can find everything. Then for each item it goes into details. For example the charles bridge has a four page spread where is has a drawing of the bridge and then a description about each statue. It is so EASY TO USE, and it has everything you will need. I had this and small map and that was it for a four day trip in Prague. I didn't really need the map as the book has all the maps you need. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Europe - Eastern    2. Guidebooks    3. Prague (Czech Republic)    4. Travel    5. Travel - Foreign    6. Travel / Europe / Eastern   

Subjects:  1. Europe - General    2. Europe - Western    3. Museums, Tours, Points of Interest    4. Travel    5. Travel - Foreign    6. Travel Guides    7. Europe    8. Travel & holiday guides    9. Travel / Europe / General   

Editorial Review

From the assassination that triggered World War I to the ethnic warfare now sweeping Serbia, Bosnia, and Croatia, the Balkans have been the crucible of the twentieth century, the place where terrorism and genocide first became tools of policy. Read more

Reviews (106)

A Thick Description of the Balkan Landscape
Having read "Balkan Ghosts" after "Imperial Grunts," the experience of reading this book was disconcerting."Imperial Grunts" tells of the present and is much faster-moving with only enough historical background beginning each chapter, to bring the reader up to pace with events in Columbia, the Philippines, Yemen, etc.
Fascinating Corner of the World
I was very intruiged by Balkan Europe and wanted to learn more. This book, while a travelogue, was also a great historical primer. I've had several friends who've also been very impressed with it.
Best snapshot of Balkan history available
I bought this book because I needed a crash course in Balkan history.I am married to a Macedonian and we were getting ready to visit together for the first time.
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Subjects:  1. 1952-    2. Balkan Peninsula    3. Description and travel    4. Eastern Europe - Balkan Republics    5. Essays & Travelogues    6. Europe - Eastern    7. General    8. History    9. History - General History    10. History: World    11. Kaplan, Robert D.,    12. Travel   

Reviews (5)

Excellent guide - ausgezeichnet!
I used this book as my guide travelling around Munich and I can strongly recommended it to others. The layout of the book is clear and logical which makes choosing destinations and getting there easy. The maps in the book are all in full colour, as always in this series, showing roads as well as public transport routes. Countless illustrations enrich the reading - each carefully drawn so as to say more than a thousand words found in other guides. The choice of restaurants, hotels etc were all great picks. I managed to find a couple of real gems of restaurants in the recommended list here. I can assure that speaking from personal experience: you can use this book with complete confidence!
The best guide on Munich
If you're planning on spending just a few days in Munich, then this compact little guide will be indispensible in locating the famous beerhalls and tourist sights. The maps are more than adequate and the walking descriptions to each locale are precise and accurate. There is also corresponding material on how to use the U-Bahn in the city and which station to take for each particular site. There is a separate chapter on the beerhalls of the city with a brief ranking system for the nosiest places, the friendliest, the cheapest beer, etc. As a resident...
...I can affirm the genuine worth of this book.The maps are convenient, easy to use, and marvelously clear.Furthermore, the organization of the guide is wonderfully helpful in assisting the traveler (or resident, as the case may be) in finding cultural destinations, culinary spots, that may have otherwise been missed.Read more

Subjects:  1. Europe - General    2. Europe - Germany    3. Travel    4. Travel - Foreign    5. Travel / Europe / Germany   

Reviews (10)

You can never go wrong with Rick
Rick is the best ... I gave this book to my parents after I had used his Paris book. He'll never steer you wrong, and he has the best self-guided tours of anyone. I used to use the "eyewitness" books, which are pretty to look at, but there is nothing like Rick's. The last time I was in Paris, I ran into a couple of people who were using his book, and we struck up a great conversation, and at the end we all agreed that Rick's books are the best way to go. It'll be money well spent.

Great book!
This is a great book to start you out if you've never been to Europe.It starts out with general information on how to prepare for the trip and what to expect.I recommend reading this first, then getting another Rick Steves book that specifies your destination country (this book gives general info about the different countries but his other books are full of details on one specific destinations).
Best of Eastern Europe 2006
Rick Steves' travel books never let us down.This book lists websites to get further information and to send for more brochures, however, we've found all the information we need in this book.He discusses each country and their cities.You get trip costs, sightseeing priorities and how long to stay to see the best areas, how to get around on public transportation and driving tips,and history.We used his travel books in the past and found them to never lead us off course.Steves' spends time in Europe researching all you could possibly want to know and can lead you around each country to get the most bang for your buck! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Europe - General    2. Europe - Western    3. Travel    4. Travel - Foreign    5. Europe    6. Travel & holiday guides    7. Travel / Europe / General   

Reviews (8)

Rick's advice and judgments are helpful
We have just returned from 2 1/2 weeks in Spain and Portugal, using the Rick Steves 2006 guides to those two countries.We also carried the Michelin Green Guide, and this was a good complementary pair.We appreciated the fact that Rick tells the reader: this museum is boring, another museum is underrated and worth visiting, the Costa del Sol is gridlock, etc. - in other words, he makes judgments and offers frank advice where other guidebooks are politely descriptive.Michelin has more detail and lists more places but makes fewer judgments.
Bundle with Party Spain
What a great guide. Rick Steve's told me so many chill, off the beaten path things to do in Spain and then I picked up my Party Spain guidebook and had the most fun and social days and nights. What a great combination of books.
Steves' Spain- not the color one!
I was disappointed with this order. I had previously borrowed this book from a friend and loved it. It was most helpful while in Spain.However, I was surprised [and felt fooled] that THIS version has almost none of the glossy color photos that another seemingly same edition had.Misleading description. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Europe - Spain & Portugal    2. Travel    3. Travel - Foreign    4. Spain    5. Travel & holiday guides    6. Travel / Europe / Spain & Portugal   

Reviews (7)

Great Book
We went to Turkey and this book was the best guide for us. We had a very short time to get ready and this told us everything we needed to know. Culture, food and the way to dress in a Muslim country.Plus,the must see sights. Remember some Mosque and palaces are closed one day a week.

difficult to please
Although on the heavy side, I have bought a number of the "eyewitness travel guides" because they are easy to use, and have great pictures - which is very important to me indetermining which places I want to visit, what food I would like to try and so on.The maps are ok, but do not include all the sites in the book.I tried to get the "streetwise" map for the trip because they are awesome, but they don't publish any of Istanbul.Although the guide isn't perfect it is better than the competition - I recommend it.

Istanbul (Eyewitness Travel Guides)
This book is a travesty, not a travel guide.I found it really lacking in substance.Mostly pictures, not much text, lots of platitudes designed to dazzle you, and made of heavy paper that is a drag to carry around. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Europe - General    2. Guidebooks    3. Istanbul (Turkey)    4. Middle East - Turkey    5. Travel    6. Travel - Foreign    7. Travel / Europe / General