Koncocoo

Best Literary & Religious Travel Guides

A Pilgrim's Guide to the Camino de Santiago: St. Jean - Roncesvalles - Santiago (Camino Guides)
Now updated to include newer maps and photos - and lighter in weight to support carefree traveling - this comprehensive guidebook to the Camino de Santiago and its offshoots contains all the information needed by modern-day pilgrims wishing to walk the sacred Way of St. James. John Brierley is a former chartered surveyor and the author of A Pilgrim’s Guide to Camino de Santiago , A Pilgrim’s Guide to Camino Finisterre , and A Pilgrim’s Guide to Camino Portugués .
Reviews
"I have only one reservation to make with respect to Mr. Brierley's recommendations: His placing the " Route de Napoleon" as the recommended route for crossing the Pyrenees on the first day from St. Jean Pied de Port. The authentic pilgrims route had always been the Valcarlos/Arneguy route with its connections with the Charlemagne saga and its numerous villages are well equipped to cater to the needs of pilgrims."
"Have just returned from 3 weeks on the Camino and this book was fantastic."
"I read through about 1/2 of this in detail in preparation for making the Camino with 2 of my young-adult kids."
"Maps included in the book also seem to quite good."
"I really like Brierley's stage maps & his step by step description of the trail especially when signage is sparse."
"Quick shipping, great product, painless transaction - highly recommended."
"Good info."
"We have a friend about to embark on the trek."
Find Best Price at Amazon
Blind Spot
In this innovative synthesis of words and images, the award-winning author of Open City and photography critic for The New York Times Magazine combines two of his great passions. In Blind Spot , readers follow Cole’s inimitable artistic vision into the visual realm as he continues to refine the voice, eye, and intellectual obsessions that earned him such acclaim for Open City . Here, journey through more than 150 of Cole’s full-color original photos, each accompanied by his lyrical and evocative prose, forming a multimedia diary of years of near-constant travel: from a park in Berlin to a mountain range in Switzerland, a church exterior in Lagos to a parking lot in Brooklyn; landscapes and interiors, beautiful or quotidian, that inspire Cole’s memories, fantasies, and introspections. Ships in Capri remind him of the work of writers from Homer to Edna O’Brien; a hotel room in Wannsee brings back a disturbing dream about a friend’s death; a home in Tivoli evokes a transformative period of semi-blindness, after which “the photography changed. As exquisitely wrought as the work of Anne Carson or Chris Marker, Blind Spot is a testament to the art of seeing by one of the most powerful and original voices in contemporary literature. combines personal essay, history, biography, journalism, and photography into a seamless package, capturing human dignity and grace through careful, clear-eyed reverence.” — Vice. In this new, luminous book, Cole shows himself to be really one of the best at seeing.” — The Guardian “This lyrical essay in photographs paired with texts explores the mysteries of the ordinary. Cole’s questioning, tentative habit of mind, suspending judgement while hoping for the brief miracle of insight, is a form of what used to be called humanism.” — The New York Times Books Review (Editors’ Choice) “Stunning . [ Blind Spot ] feels like the fulfillment of an intellectual project that has defined most of [Cole’s] career.” — Slate “Dazzling . Cole has crafted a beautifully wrought and finely blended mixture of visual and narrative art.” — San Francisco Chronicle “[In] luminous prose . Cole has succeeded in shredding experience into tiny fragments, all of which add up to much more than the sum of their parts.” — Los Angeles Times “The book, quite frankly, needs to be seen for itself. “Cole transforms a simple travelogue format into something haunting and existential.” — St. Louis Post-Dispatch “A poetic reflection on the confines of vision and knowledge.” — Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “ Blind Spot is many things at once: both memoir and map of the world, both essay on photography and elegy for the lost arts of looking and seeing . the resonance of the more than 150 photographs Cole has taken and collected here is deepened for being met with such sustained and lyrical textual scrutiny, with the free forays of his capacious mind.” — The Millions “I’ll .
Reviews
"In my experience, the confluence of these two things happens only rarely, which is how Cole has come to occupy an exalted place in my pantheon of artists. I want to see the things the people who live there see, or at least what they would see after all the performance of tourism has been stripped away.”. Yes, this is my favored way of travel, for “the shock of familiarity, the impossibility of exact repetition.” It is the reason most photographs of locales seemed unable to capture even a piece of my experience. In the entry for “Palm Beach,” his picture is of a construction site, a pile of substratum—in this case, sand—piled high before an elaborate pinkish villa. His written entry is one of his shortest, only three sentences, one of them the Latin phrase Et in Arcadia ego, washing the scene with knowledge of what we are viewing, and what is to come. Cole tells us that this book stands alone, or can be seen as fourth in a quartet addressing his “concern with the limits of vision.”. I want to sink into that thought, in the context of what he has given us, because outside the frame of a photograph, outside of our observation, outside of us, is everything else. A tropical coastal swamp filled with crocodiles also had white egrets decorating the bushy green of overhanging mangroves, the large white splashes almost equidistant from one another, the closest they can be for maximum happiness, I like to think, t hough it could also be minimum happiness, I guess."
"They add depth, immediacy, and context to the brilliance of each photograph, but sometimes they seem to stand solitary in the empathy and compassion they express, the same way the power of the photographs can generate emotions beyond words. Perhaps, then, the best way to make a worthy assessment of Cole and the originality of his work is to associate his goals to those of other great minds. Cole's Blind Spot captures the extraordinary within the ordinary day, his work constantly starting anew and meticulously keeping going, striving to attain a musicality with its lushness of words and images."
"This is a unique book filled with unusual photographs that are paired with poetic essays."
Find Best Price at Amazon
199 Cemeteries to See Before You Die
199 Cemeteries to See Before You Die features these unforgettable cemeteries, along with 196 more, seen in more than 300 photographs. In 199 Cemeteries to See Before You Die , Loren Rhoads does much to restore the cemetery to its proper place as a location worthy of a pilgrimage. From the colorful wooden graves of Romania's Merry Cemetery to the creative granite headstones in Vermont's Hope Cemetery, 199 Cemeteries is filled with beautiful examples of posthumous humor, astonishing artistry, and natural settings that rival the world's best parks. "Loren's obvious affection for cemeteries is evident throughout 199 Cemeteries . A must-have book for the budding cemetery traveler and the serious taphophile." ― Lenore X, Managing Editor , Gothic Beauty Magazine "If you're like me and find cemeteries a fascinating way to view the real history of a place (or even just a nice, quiet place to eat your lunch), then Loren Rhoads's 199 Cemeteries To See Before You Die is likely to become a well-worn travel companion. 199 Cemeteries asks us: Where do we mourn, and why? "[ 199 Cemeteries ] has snippets of history, photos of eye-catching monuments, tips about what to look for on a tombstone - altogether a fascinating reminder of a time when more people understood that cemeteries are at least as much for the living as the dead.
Reviews
"I'm passionate about beautiful & historic cemeteries ("obsessed" might be a more apt description) and I've probably visited more of these cemeteries than anyone but the author."
"Wonderful book!"
"We enjoy reading about interesting places and this book has a lot of interesting places."
"My dad got this for me as a gift and I love it!"
"This is pure history."
"Such an amazing book with so many lovely places to visit."
"This is a present for my friend....but looking through it I will be getting me one..."
"From the ancient Kerameikos cemetery in Athens and the rock-cut tombs of Jordan to the Bob Marley mausoleum in Jamaica and the National Aids Memorial in California, each fascinating entry is meticulously researched and accompanied by a high-quality color photograph that makes you want to hop in the car or book a plane ticket and go."
Find Best Price at Amazon

Best Literary Travel

A Time of Gifts: On Foot to Constantinople: From the Hook of Holland to the Middle Danube (Journey Across Europe Book 1)
Hitler has just come to power but war is still ahead, as he walks through a Europe soon to be forever changed—through the Lowlands to Mitteleuropa, to Teutonic and Slav heartlands, through the baroque remains of the Holy Roman Empire; up the Rhine, and down to the Danube. * Geographical Magazine * This is a traveller's tale at its infectious and informative best; vividly remembered and beautifully written * Church Times * A tremendous journey ... and he's fabulous company * Manchester Evening News * Every page of this book is distinguished by an image, a metaphor, a flash of humour always original and sometimes as incisive as a laser beam. Architecture, art, genealogy, quirks of history and language are all devoured - and here passed on - with a gusto uniquely his * Colin Thubron, Sunday Telegraph * A treasure chest of descriptive writing * Spectator * Nothing short of a masterpiece * Jan Morris * [Fermor's] gloriously ornate account of that epic journey is a classic of what we might call the 'literature of the leg' * Robert Macfarlane, Waitrose Weekend * In December 1933, at the age of eighteen, Patrick Leigh Fermor (1915-2011) walked across Europe, reaching Constantinople in early 1935.
Reviews
"Eve though Leigh Fermor begins by explaining that he was thrown out of several schools before giving up on formal education, he had an impressive command of history, art, geography, classical literature and the English language."
"Compared with all other travel essayists with whom I'm familiar, Fermor is notable for the lens through which he observes his foreign surroundings, i.e. a knowledge of the classics acquired from an English public school's liberal education. Concave and convex uncoil and pursue each other across the pilasters in ferny arabesques, liquid notions ripple, waterfalls running silver and blue drop to lintels and hang frozen there in curtains of artificial icicles. Light is distributed operatically and skies open in a new change of gravity that has lifted wingless saints and evangelists on journeys of aspiration towards three-dimensional sunbursts and left them levitated there, floating among cornices and spandrels and acanthus leaves and architectural ribands crinkled still with pleats from lying long folded kin bandboxes." Sinuous and beautiful fortune-tellers, stagily coifed and ear-ringed and flounced in tiers of yellow and magenta and apple-green, perfunctorily shuffled their cards and proffered them in dog-eared fans as they strolled through the crowds, laying soft-voiced and unrelenting siege to every stranger they met. Sinking flush with the landscape, the town quickly fell to pieces and gave way to an ambiguous fringe of huts and wagons and fires and winter flies where a tangle of brown children scampered and wrestled in the mud among the skirmishing and coupling dogs."
"He walks through Germany, among others, and finds many of its people are cultivated and kind and generous. But as a travel writer and memoirist, he cannot be surpassed."
"The author is amazingly well read and uses an interesting, often amusing, vocabulary."
"Language so rich you want to read it aloud savoring the words and the vision they create."
Find Best Price at Amazon

Best Religious Travel

The Journey in Between: A Thru-Hiking Adventure on El Camino de Santiago (Outdoor Adventure Book 2)
El Camino de Santiago, also known as The Way, is the fabled path that weaves through French and Spanish countryside for 1,000 miles to its hallowed destination at Santiago de Compostella. Thousands attempt to hike its entirety each year: some succeed, many fail. From the pain of blisters and extremes of temperature to encountering kleptomaniacs, fake faith healers and being threatened with arrest in Spain for 'not sleeping', his hike was far from normal. 'Not only does he have astute observations about the people, places and scenery around him, he is adept at translating those observations into words, often making me laugh or nod in understanding. Keith Foskett has hiked over 10,000 miles in recent years and holds a deep respect for the outdoor spaces of this world.
Reviews
"Although Foskett documents the mechanics of his walk I.e. road, towns, and the occasional schedule, he successfully invites the reader along on his personal journey."
"Honestly, when I first started it I wasn't sure if I would like it but to my surprise I came back to it the next day and was sucked in!"
"Very enjoyable read."
"This was my 1st read of mr. Foskett’ Hiking books."
"Thoroughly enjoyed the book."
"If, however, you are looking for a "warts and all" description of walking the Camino together with a lively wit and descriptions of the scenery and pilgrims that make you feel you are there and meeting these people then ENJOY!"
"A great book that taught me lessons the author spent several months figuring out for himself."
"If you’re considering hiking the Camino you’ll find this book most enlightening."
Find Best Price at Amazon

Best Special Needs Travel Guides

I'll Push You: A Journey of 500 Miles, Two Best Friends, and One Wheelchair
Friendship takes on new meaning in this true story of Justin and Patrick, born less than two days apart in the same hospital. Patrick’s immediate response was: “I’ll push you.”. We live in a culture that values romantic love and to a certain extent familial love, but we have very few stories of brotherhood like this one: a story about lifelong friends who, when life became challenging, didn’t back away, but instead became more committed to one another, more connected, more willing to sacrifice. It’s the story of two friends who’ve spent their entire life’s journey pushing each other to be better people. I’ll Push You is a powerful story of friendship and faith, defining what it means to a part of a community.
Reviews
"“A friend in need is a friend indeed” is taken to a whole new level by Patrick and Justin of this powerful journey of true friendship!"
"Gave away my copy of the book, just bought another copy to read again and have available to gift if the opportunity presents itself."
"I started reading this book while traveling."
"An amazing true story about the bonds of friendship and faith."
"You will be inspired, challenged, brought to tears and also laugh as Justin and Patrick. share their story."
"Loved this book!!!"
"It's a glimpse into the very heart of human connection, love, brokenness and why we need each other."
"I would highly recommend this book."
Find Best Price at Amazon

Best Senior Travel Guides

Motorhome and RV Retirement Living: The Most Enjoyable and Least Expensive Way to Retire
Freedom, adventure, fun, stress-free, and relaxing are words RV owners frequently use to describe why they enjoy the RV lifestyle. You may find that retiring and living the RV lifestyle is just what you want to do. After all, the RV lifestyle is the most enjoyable and least expensive way to retire.
Reviews
"I can still use the information in this book being a part timer."
"Actually this book was ordered by accident, but does have some good tips."
"A good read if you are considering living long-term in an RV."
"Very well written with some great tips."
"I enjoyed the whole book Jerry was very informative, we had 2 tv's before one very used and one new but nothing fancy."
"He included much useful information from types of RVs to how to find work while on the road."
Find Best Price at Amazon

Best Spa Travel Guides

The Ultimate Kauai Guidebook: Kauai Revealed
Best-selling author and longtime Hawai‘i resident, Andrew Doughty, unlocks the secrets of an island so lush and diverse that many visitors never realize all that it has to offer. Explore with him as he reveals breathtaking trails, secluded beaches, pristine reefs, delicious places to dine, relaxing resorts, exciting waterfalls, colorful canyons and so much more. • Frank, brutally honest reviews of restaurants, hotels and activities show you which companies really are the best…and which to avoid— no advertisements. • Driving tours let you structure your trip your way, point out sights not to be missed along the way and are complemented by over 100 spectacular color photographs. Wizard guidebooks take over a year to compile and the writers are residents who personally and anonymously review every facet of the island. All told in a frank, humorous way that keeps the reading fun.|The Ultimate Kauai Guidebook, 9th edition|The Ultimate Kauai Guidebook, 10th edition.
Reviews
"My husband and I went on our honeymoon to Kauai but couldn't rent a car or have enough money to take advantage of all the opportunities Kauai has to offer. It warned us of dangerous terrain and locations depending of the seasons.We were able to go on several hikes and explore hidden gems."
"Then read and hilite the places, they list the address for every place there is to visit, so you can put the address for every place you want to see or the address for the 5 star pizza places and then when you get there and you want to see Queens Bath, pull it up on gps and go, we would have never found Queens Bath otherwise."
"Such great info. we stayed in Lihue at The Marriott Beach Club. rented a car from airport (cheaper than getting from hotel and its just a shuttle ride to airport from hotel). Took the car and went to the North Shore for a full day - Anini beach was our favorite but had fun visiting Hanalei Bay, Tunnels Beach and Ke'e beach as well. on the way back to Lihue that evening, We stopped at the best Mexican food spot in Kapaa called Verde. That afternoon we spent the day cruising the south shore and relaxed on Kekaha Beach. Blue Hawaiian was also super easy for us to get to...our hotel shuttle took us to their bay at the airport."
"AD makes great points about what to schedule ahead and what not to bother with."
"The book mentions and encourages you to find the Kauai APP but there isn't any."
"One of the better travel guides I've found."
"I am bookmarking so many pages before our trip!"
"Can not wait to visit Kauai but am sure glad the manager of the hotel we’ll be staying at recommended this book."
Find Best Price at Amazon

Best Solo Travel Guides

Tracks: A Woman's Solo Trek Across 1700 Miles of Australian Outback
Robyn Davidson's opens the memoir of her perilous journey across 1,700 miles of hostile Australian desert to the sea with only four camels and a dog for company with the following words: “I experienced that sinking feeling you get when you know you have conned yourself into doing something difficult and there's no going back." Why does Robyn Davidson walk 1,700 miles across the Australian desert accompanied by four camels?
Reviews
"pooled ink Reviews: If you have any interest in Australia, journeys to unfamiliar places with trials and daunting challenges, or camels, then I suggest you pick up a copy of this book or hunt down the movie and experience it for yourself."
"This was a lot more about this young woman politics an pol philosophy then it was about her trip in the desert with the camels."
"This truly enjoyable and fascinating story has been brought to my attention through the waves of promotion generated by the film--upcoming or already available, I am not sure."
"She chose to chart a course across the Australian desert in the early 80's solo with her camels and dog."
"The first half of the trip was also less enjoyable because a great deal of it was complaining about how she had sacrificed the real meaning of the trip by obtaining sponsorship."
"As the story unwinds one can almost feel they have joined the author on her quest."
"A true journey with the author!"
"A large fraction of the book deals with the challenges she faced in Alice Springs, learning to train camels and developing the equipment and skills she would need."
Find Best Price at Amazon

Best Family Travel Guides

The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World 2018 (The Unofficial Guides)
The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World 2018 explains how Walt Disney World works and how to use that knowledge to make every minute and every dollar of your vacation count. And because they've found that "spontaneity and self-discovery work about as well at Walt Disney World as they do on your tax return," The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World is packed full of essential advice for anyone braving the frontiers of the mother of all theme parks.
Reviews
"If you’re lookin for info about making a trip to Disney World, this book is absolutely amazing!"
"You don't want a rained on Kindle (God forbid ) It seemed as thought there was a lot of "filler" in this book, I understand this is a subjective book , but just my opinion."
"If you get it, go ahead and spend the $10 for their online access (touringplans.com) - it's an essential piece to customize travel plans in the parks for what you want to see and when."
"However, many rides in WDW have been closed (Maelstrom, Backlot Tour, Pirates of the Caribbean, the sorcerers hat in DHS, etc) that are so significant they need to urgently put out a revised edition."
"This book was very valuable in planning our Disney World trip in March."
"So informative, it's insightful, and it's the go-to book for how to successfully navigate Disneyworld."
"I have used this book every time to help plan my trip. I have learned that if you do not plan a WDW trip as a "type A" personality, you will lose out not only on time, but money, and in the case of Walt Disney World....time equals your money spent."
Find Best Price at Amazon

Best Budget Travel Guides

How to Travel the World on $50 a Day: Third Edition: Travel Cheaper, Longer, Smarter
If you've ever dreamed of traveling the world, flying off to Europe, a honeymoon the Seychelles, or just taking your family toDisney or a trip to London, How to Travel the World on $50 a Day will give you the practical, step-by-step instructions to get your there - from start to finish on $50 a day (or less). He interviews dozens of other travelers about their success on the road and how you can apply that to your own trip. “Whether you’re a savvy backpacker or just dreaming of getting a passport and going overseas, Matt’s collection of easy-to-employ money-saving strategies will open your eyes to the near-infinite ways of seeing the world without busting your budget.” —Matt Gross, former New York Times Frugal Traveler. Filled with insider strategies and resources, it’s a valuable primer for your upcoming adventures.” —Tim Leffel, author of The World’s Cheapest Destinations.
Reviews
"But I saved several hundred dollars instantly when I read about the various websites that Mr. Kepnes talked about in his book (specifically the ones that consolidate the low-cost airlines - not found in google travel). The cost of the book is insignificant compared to what you would save even if you are a solo traveller so don't hesitate to get this book."
"Great tips and information on traveling cheaper and smarter."
"someday i will run away from home to travel the world and i will be thanking Matt Kepnes for this little gem he put together for us hamsters & sheep that work in these endless, mind numbing jobs....someday...."
"just one chapter helped me save money on trips I was planning!"
"I leave for Costa Rica in two weeks, for four weeks."
"There's a lot of "traveling the world" blogs around Internet, and the tips on this book are likely among all of them, but the specific tips for every region of the world really worth the time (and money) you invest in the book."
"Matt's advice on budgeting and finding different modes of travel is wise and worth many times the cost of his book."
"Offers advice regarding staying in touch with your funds."
Find Best Price at Amazon

Best Theme Park Travel Guides

The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World 2018 (The Unofficial Guides)
The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World 2018 explains how Walt Disney World works and how to use that knowledge to make every minute and every dollar of your vacation count. And because they've found that "spontaneity and self-discovery work about as well at Walt Disney World as they do on your tax return," The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World is packed full of essential advice for anyone braving the frontiers of the mother of all theme parks.
Reviews
"If you’re lookin for info about making a trip to Disney World, this book is absolutely amazing!"
"You don't want a rained on Kindle (God forbid ) It seemed as thought there was a lot of "filler" in this book, I understand this is a subjective book , but just my opinion."
"If you get it, go ahead and spend the $10 for their online access (touringplans.com) - it's an essential piece to customize travel plans in the parks for what you want to see and when."
"However, many rides in WDW have been closed (Maelstrom, Backlot Tour, Pirates of the Caribbean, the sorcerers hat in DHS, etc) that are so significant they need to urgently put out a revised edition."
"This book was very valuable in planning our Disney World trip in March."
"So informative, it's insightful, and it's the go-to book for how to successfully navigate Disneyworld."
"I have used this book every time to help plan my trip. I have learned that if you do not plan a WDW trip as a "type A" personality, you will lose out not only on time, but money, and in the case of Walt Disney World....time equals your money spent."
Find Best Price at Amazon

Best Student Travel Guides

The Study Abroad Journal: Your Roadmap to an Epic Experience Abroad
This Journal helps you go beyond the superficial tasks and basic country-hopping that make many study abroad experiences less than impressive to professors, grad school committees, parents, and future employers. Built from proven goal-setting, action planning, and productivity principles and strategies, the Study Abroad Journal is designed to help you transform your experience beyond “it was awesome” to create a study abroad experience that is both meaningful for your personal and academic development and game-changing for your career and life. MEASURE THE VALUE OF YOUR STUDY ABROAD EXPERIENCE: Study abroad ain't cheap. But students often struggle to show that they did much more than “have a good time.” The Study Abroad Journal will help you dive deeper into your experience and walk away with some fun memories and some tangible, super impressive learning outcomes as well.
Reviews
"The Study Abroad Journal is the ideal companion for this course, and will provide a lasting artifact for students to keep with them as they move through life."
"As someone who has studied abroad multiple times and who now works with students as they prepare for their own international experiences, I am so excited to have a tool like this to make the value of the study abroad experience concrete."
"We are definitely excited to receive this next batch of journals and to see how our scholarship recipients in particular grow with them."
"I wish this journal had existed when my daughter studied abroad in Switzerland."
"I was able to outline my goals in a variety of fields before I had even left."
"This is an incredible tool that I wish I had when I studied abroad."
Find Best Price at Amazon

Best Business Travel Reference

Boomerang: Travels in the New Third World
The tsunami of cheap credit that rolled across the planet between 2002 and 2008 was more than a simple financial phenomenon: it was temptation, offering entire societies the chance to reveal aspects of their characters they could not normally afford to indulge. Lewis 's rare gift as a guide through the world of credit default swaps and sovereign debt doesn t come simply from his deep understanding of how the global financial system works . Combining his easy familiarity with finance and the talents of a travel writer, Mr. Lewis sets off in these pages to give the reader a guided tour through some of the disparate places hard hit by the fiscal tsunami of 2008, like Greece, Iceland and Ireland, tracing how very different people for very different reasons gorged on the cheap credit available in the prelude to that disaster. Mr. Lewis 's ability to find people who can see what is obvious to others only in retrospect or who somehow embody something larger going on in the financial world is uncanny. And in this book he weaves their stories into a sharp-edged narrative that leaves readers with a visceral understanding of the fiscal recklessness that lies behind today 's headlines about Europe 's growing debt problems and the risk of contagion they now pose to the world. Lewis's rare gift as a guide through the world of credit default swaps and sovereign debt doesn't come simply from his deep understanding of how the global financial system works . Combining his easy familiarity with finance and the talents of a travel writer, Mr. Lewis sets off in these pages to give the reader a guided tour through some of the disparate places hard hit by the fiscal tsunami of 2008, like Greece, Iceland and Ireland, tracing how very different people for very different reasons gorged on the cheap credit available in the prelude to that disaster. Mr. Lewis's ability to find people who can see what is obvious to others only in retrospect or who somehow embody something larger going on in the financial world is uncanny. And in this book he weaves their stories into a sharp-edged narrative that leaves readers with a visceral understanding of the fiscal recklessness that lies behind today's headlines about Europe's growing debt problems and the risk of contagion they now pose to the world. Combining his easy familiarity with finance and the talents of a travel writer, Mr. Lewis sets off in these pages to give the reader a guided tour through some of the disparate places hard hit by the fiscal tsunami of 2008, like Greece, Iceland and Ireland, tracing how very different people for very different reasons gorged on the cheap credit available in the prelude to that disaster. And in this book he weaves their stories into a sharp-edged narrative that leaves readers with a visceral understanding of the fiscal recklessness that lies behind today s headlines about Europe s growing debt problems and the risk of contagion they now pose to the world. Lewis s rare gift as a guide through the world of credit default swaps and sovereign debt doesn t come simply from his deep understanding of how the global financial system works .
Reviews
"He's talking about European countries that drank the elixir of seemingly endless and cheap credit prior to the bursting of the recent financial bubble. What would you call a man who owns a 40,000 square foot ranch located on thousands of acres in the middle of nowhere with its own water supply and an arsenal of automatic weapons? to various governments, to the point that eventually markets would question the credibility of these governments. Just as Bass bought credit default swaps on subprime mortgages prior to the financial crisis, Bass later bought credit default swaps on Greek government bonds, because he was convinced that Greece would be one of the first countries to experience real problems. Ireland: "But while the Icelandic male used foreign money to conquer foreign places--trophy companies in Britain, chunks of Scandinavia--the Irish male used foreign money to conquer Ireland. Germany: "Either Germans must agree to integrate Europe fiscally, so that Germany and Greece bear the same relationship to each other as, say, Indiana and Mississippi (the tax dollars of ordinary Germans would go into a common coffer and be used to pay for the lifestyles of ordinary Greeks) or the Greeks (and probably, eventually, every non-German) must introduce `structural reforms,' a euphemism for magically and radically transforming themselves into a people as efficient and productive as the Germans." We've got the core of the average lizard.'. Wrapped around this reptilian core is a mammalian layer (associated with maternal concern and social interaction), and around that is wrapped a third layer, which enables feats of memory and the capacity for abstract thought. 'The only problem is our passions are still driven by the lizard core.'."
"Just like all Michael Lewis books, a good read."
"the most engrossing 20/20 hindsight of the year."
"I found the discussion riveting on how each country, state, or city adjusts to the problems of unfunded retirement accounts, out of control deficits and the greed that drives us all."
""Boomerang" transfers that unique ability fromthe world of individual cut throats on Wall Street to the world of short sighted politicians in small countries."
"Just a quick reading review of what happened the last time our economies went belly up... Those who do not study history are condemned to repeat and all that...."
"From Iceland and Greece to Ireland, Germany and California, Michael Lewis takes the reader on an entertaining, irreverent and insightful ride through the international debt crisis and the sociologies of the places he examines. Economics 101 or a little time in front of CNN will give the reader enough financial knowledge to enjoy "Boomerang," so don't let the lack of a PhD keep you from tackling it."
"Item is exactly as described."
Find Best Price at Amazon

Best Tourist Destinations & Museums Guides

The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World 2018 (The Unofficial Guides)
The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World 2018 explains how Walt Disney World works and how to use that knowledge to make every minute and every dollar of your vacation count. And because they've found that "spontaneity and self-discovery work about as well at Walt Disney World as they do on your tax return," The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World is packed full of essential advice for anyone braving the frontiers of the mother of all theme parks.
Reviews
"Recommend, if you are going to Disney."
"You don't want a rained on Kindle (God forbid ) It seemed as thought there was a lot of "filler" in this book, I understand this is a subjective book , but just my opinion."
"However, many rides in WDW have been closed (Maelstrom, Backlot Tour, Pirates of the Caribbean, the sorcerers hat in DHS, etc) that are so significant they need to urgently put out a revised edition."
"So informative, it's insightful, and it's the go-to book for how to successfully navigate Disneyworld."
"Just got back from my first trip to Disney, information made the trip much better."
"I have used this book every time to help plan my trip. I have learned that if you do not plan a WDW trip as a "type A" personality, you will lose out not only on time, but money, and in the case of Walt Disney World....time equals your money spent."
"This fantastically organized and well-researched book includes attraction details for all four Disney Parks (Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Animal Kingdom, and Hollywood Studios), plus the same level of attraction details for both Universal Parks (Universal Studios and Universal Islands of Adventure). We admittedly went during the slower season, but following the touring plans in the book (with my modifications due to our interests) prevented us from having to ever wait in line for more than 10 minutes - and we got on most rides and attractions within about 2-3 minutes of arriving at the attraction. The Kindle version works great for how I use the book, but if you want to be able to have a hard copy of the park maps and touring plans with you, the paper book would be better. While older versions of this book would work in a pinch, I will likely continue to buy the latest edition of this book each time I plan a trip to Disney - the parks are constantly changing. I then use the touring plans in the back of the book to get an order in which to view the attractions in. Because we can ride things like that at any county fair in the state, we don't ride those sorts of rides at Disney - a fact which inevitably means the touring plans I used won't work for families with young children, as those are the rides they most want to see!"
Find Best Price at Amazon

Best Travel with Pets

Shop Cats of New York
Popular cat blogger Tamar Arslanian and Instagram pet photographer Andrew Marttila capture these deeply loved and well cared for animals in their city habitat and reveal how they came to reign over their urban kingdoms. “For Manhattanites (and those in the no-longer-outer boroughs), Andrew Marttila’s photographs of SHOP CATS OF NEW YORK, written by Tamar Arslanian, is proof that friendly felines are the best distraction when the world seems primed to topple off its axis.” (The New York Times). “Every New York cat lover has a favorite local shop cat (four of the felines in this book prowl shops in my Brooklyn neighborhood); now their star power goes nationwide!” (USA Today). “Whether greeting customers, reviewing inventory, or keeping on top of finances by sleeping across the credit card reader, the utterly endearing stars of Shop Cats of New York prove that felines make the best companions and coworkers.” (Francesco Marciuliano author of I Could Pee On This: And Other Poems By Cats). “Tamar Arslanian has collected the stories of many of N.Y.C.’s working cats for the book Shop Cats of New York, which features stunning photos of the subjects from Andrew Marttila.
Reviews
"great book for cat fanatics."
"A perfect gift!"
"Super cute and interesting."
"Beautiful photos and lovely stories shared of each of the shop cats."
"As a New Yorker, and a Brooklynite, I love the fact that I have actually seen some of the cats in this book in person!"
"Nice job on this!"
"I love cats so I just had to read this book from my hometown New York."
"Beautifully done and well written."
Find Best Price at Amazon

Best Beach Travel

Beaches
His work forges the synergy between wanderlust and adventure, creating the ultimate visual escape. Gray Malin is a photographer best known for his aerial beach photography, which he has transformed into a lighthearted, conversation-igniting, joyful brand.
Reviews
"Obsessed with every photograph in this book."
"amazing coffee table book and gift!"
"Beauty shots of gorgeous beaches around the world."
"Great coffee table book, love it!"
"Unique pictures."
"The photos are divine and expertly executed ... all while making one feel like you are off on vacation."
"Beautiful coffee table book!"
Find Best Price at Amazon
Home > Best Books > Best Travel > Best Specialty Travel > Best Literary & Religious Travel Guides