City Travel Guides > Books > Travel Writing

Average Rating:

.A Parrot in the Pepper Tree: A Sort of Sequel to "Driving Over Lemons"
City Travel Guides > Books > Travel Writing
by: Chris Stewart

May 30, 2002
I picked this book up when I saw it lying on a friend's coffee table and became absorbed from the first chapter, so much so I was barely able to put it down until it was finished. It is written in a humorous, fluent and self-deprecating style that provides a fascinating insight into life as an ex-pat in a remote foreign farming community. The book's worth is increased for me by it coming across as a very honest account of events naturally brought to life by the characters and their situation. Each chapter is a self-contained episode which keeps the whole thing fresh. I certainly chuckled aloud at one or two sections; the improptu talk given to the Swedish on cattle rearing in England being particularly memorable. Hope you enjoy it as much as ... Read More:
>>See More Reviews & Details on A Parrot in the Pepper Tree: A Sort of Sequel to "Driving Over Lemons"

Used Price: £0.01

Average Rating:

.California (Lonely Planet Regional Guides)
City Travel Guides > Books > Travel Writing
by: Andrea Schulte-Peevers, Sara Benson, Tom Downs, Robert Landon, Suzanne Park, Ryan ver Berkmoes, John A. Vlahides

April 01, 2006
I bought the 4th edition (2006) of this book, not as a travel companion, but to help me decide whether to take a trip to California. The hotel prices are more up to date now, and this is one factor which was important to me as one of my aims in reading this book was to assess the cost of a possible trip. I found the introductory sections on Environment, History and Culture really interesting, I think the thoroughness of the background information is one of the areas in which LP excel. I looked at the practicalities - food, transport, etc., and I read the sections on San Francisco and the National Parks. Despite finding the descriptions of the National Parks very tempting, the book has not yet persuaded me that California is the place for ... Read More:
>>See More Reviews & Details on California (Lonely Planet Regional Guides)

Used Price: £8.57

Average Rating:

.Venice
City Travel Guides > Books > Travel Writing
by: Jan Morris

October 07, 2004
I decided to read "Venice" in preparation for a week-long stay in the Italian city.

Broken into three sections -- The People, The City, The Lagoon -- "Venice" is not a chronological history of the city but a meandering look at its past, present and future. Nor is it a guidebook, although it does contain a mine of information about what to see and where to go.

I think "The Times" probably described it best when they said it was "a classic love letter to Italy's most iconic city", because it is, indeed, a beautiful missive dripping with exquisite descriptions. I found it an enormously engaging and evocative read by an accomplished writer who really knows how to string a simile or two together.For example: "Venice is a cheek ... Read More:
>>See More Reviews & Details on Venice

Used Price: £4.03

Average Rating:

.Francesco's Italy
City Travel Guides > Books > Travel Writing
by: Francesco da Mosto

June 15, 2006
Thankfully i managed to record all four episodes of Francescos very entertaining Top to Toe series on Italy onto disc.

His ladish exploits in that gorgeous Alfa Spider made the series a more lite hearted affair to his magnificent Venice,and his influnce in being one of the oldest Venitian families opened doors into fabulous palaces and villas that are barred to all members of the public.
Naturally he could not spend too long in the north of the country but witnessing Lucca, Puccinis birthplace and Bolognia the oldest university in the world made what he did choose trully excelleny.Veronia was where Shakespeare based Romeo and Juiliet but Shakey never visited the place.

The highlite of the series for me was when he travelled ... Read More:
>>See More Reviews & Details on Francesco's Italy

Used Price: £12.84

Average Rating:

.Me Talk Pretty One Day
City Travel Guides > Books > Travel Writing
by: David Sedaris

January 03, 2002
Me Talk Pretty One Day is the first Sedaris book I've read. It is a series of anecdotes and reminicences and, as such, the chapters are rather uneven. The best of them (towards the end of the book) are genuinely laugh-out-loud funny; when Seadris pulls it off he creates that magical mixture of insightfulness, charm, bitchiness and wit that makes you wish he were singing for his supper at one of your dinner parties.

Clear-eyed observation of both the eccentricities of family and friends, and the moments we all can relate to, however obliquely, is at the base of the best humour and Sedaris definitely has this.

Inevitably, he does not quite pull it off with all his stories, which can then seem slight, rather staged and a little mannered. ... Read More:
>>See More Reviews & Details on Me Talk Pretty One Day

Used Price: £1.98

Average Rating:

.Bill Bryson African Diary
City Travel Guides > Books > Travel Writing
by: Bill Bryson

December 02, 2002
Bill Bryson is the funniest travel writer working today, I believe, and even when he takes on what is an unpleasant task - visiting one of the most depressed areas of the world in order to raise funds for CARE, he does it in a hilarious way.

In this short little book, Bryson not only shares with us his (by turns) funny and heartbreaking journey, we also get to meet some amazing people. The lady who works twelve-hour days in order to get a profit of some $7 or $8 - the farmer who has made a fantastic farm and is very proud of it - the villagers who come out to welcome the visitors with open arms because of a well that was built, eliminating the need for the women of the village to make a seven-hour roundtrip journey to the nearest water source. This is ... Read More:
>>See More Reviews & Details on Bill Bryson African Diary

Used Price: £2.38

Average Rating:

.London Street Atlas
City Travel Guides > Books > Travel Writing
by: Geographers' A-Z Map Company

December 13, 2006
a very good atlas, good handy size, easy to read reference, and clear and up to date road/station/building points. bought this for use in the car and has not let me down. thought it might be squishy in between pages, but isnt at all.
>>See More Reviews & Details on London Street Atlas

Used Price: £1.90

Average Rating:

.The Almond Blossom Appreciation Society
City Travel Guides > Books > Travel Writing
by: Chris Stewart

May 26, 2006
This is the 3rd book in the series from Chris Stewart about his life in Spain. Although it suffers from comparisons with the previous 2 books, taken in isolation it is still a great read. It is full of humour and is an entertaining read.
>>See More Reviews & Details on The Almond Blossom Appreciation Society

Used Price: £0.01

Average Rating:

.Istanbul: Memories of a City
City Travel Guides > Books > Travel Writing
by: Orhan Pamuk

April 06, 2006
An unusual and insightful guide to what remains for many a mysterious city. At the same time, a personal memoir that is wry, moving, and original. I feel as though I now have a good friend to whisper in my ear as I navigate the streets of Istanbul, no longer clueless.
>>See More Reviews & Details on Istanbul: Memories of a City

Used Price: £2.55

Average Rating:

.DON'T RUN, Whatever You Do: My Adventures as a Safari Guide
City Travel Guides > Books > Travel Writing
by: Peter Allison

October 04, 2007
Well written and funny in places, but not that dissimilar to other books in this genre.
>>See More Reviews & Details on DON'T RUN, Whatever You Do: My Adventures as a Safari Guide

Used Price: £4.00