The Worst Journey in the World Penguin Classics

The Worst Journey in the World Penguin Classics

The Worst Journey in the World is to travel writing what War and Peace is to the novel… a masterpiece. — The New York Review of Books

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Information about editions
`The Worst Journey in the World` (1922) is often cited as a masterpiece of travel literature. It is number one on National Geographic’s list of 100 all time best travel literature, and is the first title in the prestigious Picador Travel Classics series. A. Alvarez has praised its “perfect prose: lucid, vivid, bone-simple, and full of feeling.” The expedition was literary from the start and the “good modern fiction” the party brought along included Thackery, Charlotte Bronte, Bulwer-Lytton and Dickens. The poetry packed to the pole on the final fateful journey was Browning and Tennyson. Authors who stirred discussions included Shaw and Wells. Authors who were friends with members of the expedition included Galsworthy and Barrie. Robert Louis Stevenson is often mentioned. Each of the chapters of the book begins with poetry fragment from Shakespeare, Browning, Huxley, etc.. even the structure of the book is literary, re-telling the same events from different perspectives, building up to the climatic discovery of the fate of Scott. Cherry himself often delights with brilliant insightful views on travel, man, the meaning of life. This is Travel “Literature” with a capital L.

Apsley Cherry-Garrad (”Cherry”) was the wealthy heir of two estates who joined Scott’s team as an assistant zoologist at the age of 24. He was educated at Oxford in Classics and modern history. In the tradition of the British amateur explorer he took on multiple roles, ultimately becoming the expeditions historian. He wrote Journey using the diaries of the team in the years after WWI while recovering from an illness.

From their base camp at McMurdo Sound the three-year expedition made a number of trips composed of different groups. The trip to the pole by Scott is the most famous, but there were others. The title of the book, “Worst Journey”, actually refers to a 67-mile 5-week trip by three members, including Cherry, in what at the time was twice as long as any previous Antarctic journey on the open ice. It only composes about 1/8th of the books length but is probably the most remarkable. They survived -70 degree temperatures and hurricane storms with primitive gear made from leather and canvas while man-hauling multi-hundred pound sleds and living on 4000 calories or less per day of nearly vitamin-free biscuits and pemmican (considered “adequate” at the time, today twice that is usual for explorers). Cherry interlaces his narrative with allusions to Dante, The Pilgrims Progress and Walt Whitman all the while maintaining that plucky cheery Edwardian foolhardiness that would run aground in the trenches of WWI. Cherry’s teeth shattered from the cold, killing the nerves.

The retelling of Scott’s trip to the Pole is equally gripping, and “horrific”, also living up to the books title. In later years Cherry suffered from survivors guilt and wrote `Postscript to the Worst Journey in the World` (1948) in which he severely reproaches himself for not doing more to save Scott and the party. Cherry died in 1959.

EDITIONS: Only some editions contain this Postscript. The Penguin edition does not. Officially it was re-printed in the 1951 edition, and in the 1994 Picador Travel Classics edition with an Introduction by Paul Theroux. I also found a 2004 paperback edition with an Introduction by Paul Theroux which might contain the Postscript but I don’t know for sure: The Worst Journey in the World: Antarctic 1910-1913 (Explorers Club Classic) (2004). It should also be noted the 1951 edition was “corrected by the author” so it probably contains other changes - these changes I believe are also reflected in the Picador edition, but not the Penguin edition which is based on the 1922 text, as most are since it is now in the public domain. If you can afford it, the 1994 Picador hardcover appears to be the most up to date authoritative edition, otherwise the 2004 paperback looks like a re-reprint of the Picador for a lot less, but I have not seen it to verify.

5 Stars Great Adventure Book - These Guys Were Crazy Tough
The exploration described in this book is almost unbelievable in terms of its difficulty. It describes amazing feats but it also describes day to

day activities and experiences.

The book is readable enough. It is not a classic turner but anyone should be able to read it. It is definitely worth reading.

I am not sure they make people this tough any more.

5 Stars One of the greatest polar exploration stories of all time
I’ve read almost every book written on exploration of the South Pole, and this book - by Apsley Cherry-Garrard, a member of Scott’s expedition who never wrote anything else - is one of the best. The other reviews here give many of the details, so I won’t repeat them, but this is worth reading by anyone who loves a great adventure story.

5 Stars Will
The Worst Journey in the World By Apsley Cherry-Garrard

Apsley Cherry-Garrard was a privileged English gentleman of twenty-four when he paid 1,000 pounds to accompany Robert Falcon Scott on his ill-fated “Terra Nova” expedition to the South Pole in 1911. It was the twilight of the British Empire, although no one knew it, and there was only one place on Earth left to explore: Antarctica. Scott had prepared for this expedition with his earlier “Discovery” mission, even leaving stores of supplies at various points. Things began to go bad almost as soon as the ship left port: animals sickened, the load shifted, the winds didn’t blow enough or blew too much, and the ship got stuck in the Ice.

The general plan was for the group to proceed by sled hauled by themselves, not dogs or machines. This “man-hauling” concept had been abandoned as worthless by Amundsen, the Norwegian who would haunt Scott throughout the journey. Everything that could go bad, did. Animals got sick and died; food spoiled; fuel ran out; men became blinded by the snow glare and frostbitten. The idea was to slog as far South as possible as a group, and then for a smaller force led by Scott to reach the pole.

But it was far colder in the interior than Scott had believed possible - down to Minus 45 and Minus 50. With their limited equipment, survival in those conditions was impossible. Scott and his group essentially froze to death at their last camp. One man walked into a blizzard saying ” I am just going outside. I may be a while.” Cherry and his group found the leader and his team dead in their final camp, and built a cairn in their honor. One of the final entries in Scott’s journal:

“The Norwegians have forestalled us and are first at the Pole. It is a terrible disappointment, and I am very sorry for my loyal companions. .. The Pole, yes, but under very different circumstances from those expected… Great God, this is an Awful Place!”

Cherry never doubted Scott’s judgment or character, but others have. Recent biographies including Roland Huntford’s “The Last Place on Earth” depict Scott as vain, headstrong, resistant to criticism and petty. Huntford, referring to Cherry’s account of Scott’s admission that he may have failed to use the dogs properly, says: “this is Scott’s first recorded admission of a mistake…that the fault may have been his, and not the animals’. Scott…had begun to feel very doubtful that the ponies will do their job & evidently thinks Amundsen with his dogs may be doing much better. The sight of a commander not only rueing his actions, but lacking the self-control to hide it, was hardly uplifting.” (Huntford, “The Last Place on Earth, P. 406) But Scott, despite his many flaws, remains a hero to most of the English speaking world. Cherry himself, having accomplished so much so young, settled into a comfortable upper middle class life in England. writing and speaking of his experience.

“The Worst Journey in the World” is a classic of human endurance and will.

It is inconceivable that men of today’s world, using Scott’s equipment, technique, and knowledge, could have done what he did.

# # #

Suggestions for Further Reading:

South: The Last Antarctic Expedition of Shackleton and the Endurance (The Explorers Club Classic)

The Last Place on Earth (Modern Library Exploration)

5 Stars WHAT YOU HOPE YOUR HUSBAND COULD DO
Get this book and read it to your children. Teach them of the days when men were men (and British at that!). Wean them from the cultural myth that whining and wimping and looking out for yourself alone are desirable traits. This book is about more than survival; it is about life and living. Here men give their all for the mission, for each other, for the animals in their service. You read it and wonder, could I have lived it? The book will answer, reminding you that there is more to life and more to live for, than we ever realized.

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The Voyage of the Beagle Charles Darwins Journal of Researches Penguin Classics

The Voyage of the Beagle Charles Darwins Journal of Researches Penguin Classics

This richly readable book is the product of Charles Darwin’s amazing journey aboard the Beagle where he made observations that led to his revolutionary theory of natural selection.

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars The Voyage of the Beagle
The Voyage of the Beagle: Charles Darwin’s Journal of Researches (Penguin Classics)

IT was very new looking, the book had detailed information, more like a catologe of species(of course the book was charles darwin who it was based of, where it listed the new speciies he found), it was what my class needed….

5 Stars Amazingly EXCITING!!!
I got it and read it in less than a month over Mexico and US while traveling birding…. even big small-letters book, the history and stories of Sir. Darwin in South America are awesome… inspiring!!….

a must read book!!!…

saludos,

Diego

www.colombiabirding.com

5 Stars An incredible adventure and a most enjoyable read
One of the amazing things about the voyage of the Beagle is that Darwin survived it! On the voyage south along the eastern coast of South America and then later on the western coast he would frequently take to the land and meet the Beagle at its next port of call further south or north. He would travel the land hiring gauchos or other guides and horses and mules so that he could study the geology and the flora and fauna. The hardships and dangers he encountered and survived would in some ways put Indiana Jones to shame. In Patagonia amidst the constant gaucho and Indian wars, rife with wanton bloodshed and a kind of genocidal determinism, Darwin rode on horseback and slept on the ground and ate mostly animal flesh of all kinds, including mare’s flesh. In Tierra del Fuego the cold and barren lands were enormously forbidding, the inhabitants savage and the dangers very real. One senses in the young Charles Darwin a determination to be the kind of naturalist who leaves no stone unturned, no ridge unclimbed and no species uncollected.

What most surprised me was how well and vibrantly he described the many people he met. Here he speaks of the governor of St. Fe: his “favourite occupation is hunting Indians: a short time since he slaughtered forty-eight, and sold the children at the rate of three or four pounds apiece” (from the entry of Oct 3 and 4, 1832). And here is his description of Queen Pomarre of Tahiti: “The queen is a large awkward woman, without any beauty, grace or dignity. She has only one royal attribute: a perfect immovability of expression under all circumstances” (entry of November 25, 1835). Darwin was quite taken with the Tahitians lauding their sobriety (thanks to the temperance movement of the missionaries) while at the same time bringing a flask of spirits on his travels there. He seemed unaware of any inconsistency.

I was also surprised by Darwin’s vigor. I had thought that he was prone to being sickly, and indeed at times, he reports that he was confined to his quarters and that he suffered from seasickness and even homesickness; but when one considers all the miles he travelled on foot, on horseback, and all the mountain peaks he obtained, and the deserts he crossed, the many insects bites he endured, and the hard, cold and wet ground on which he often slept, one has to applaud his strength of body and character. Another surprise was the amount of time he devoted to geology and speculations about the how the land came to be the way he found it. When he spoke of how the land had risen and the mountains formed I had the sense of how thrilled he would have been to have had the modern understanding of plate tectonics.

At a couple of points in the narrative, Darwin speaks of how the most luxurious vegetation does not support the greatest number of animals, or the largest. He compares the plains of Africa and Patagonia with the Brazilian rainforest and speculates on why this should be. At no point does he use the term “grasslands,” and so I think we can conclude that he didn’t have the knowledge we have today about how fertile grasslands can be, nor did he realize that most of the nutrients in the rain forest are contained within the living plants and organisms above ground leaving the soil relatively poor compared to grassland soil. In the entry for September 15, 1832, he writes: “In grassy plains unoccupied by the larger ruminating quadrupeds, it seems necessary to remove the superfluous vegetation by fire, so as to render the new year’s growth serviceable.”

Another bit of modern knowledge that would have pleased him to know is that the marine iguanas of the Galapagos Islands cannot just jump into the very cold water that exists there but must warm themselves first, and even then can only stand the water for a limited period of time (an hour or two, I believe). Darwin kept tossing one of the lizards into the water only to watch it return inexplicably again and again to the land.

I was looking for hints that Darwin was already thinking about natural selection, but the text contains nothing that I could find that is directly specific although at one point he refers to the origin of species as that “mystery of mysteries.”

The book was written (and obviously rewritten and polished many times over) after Darwin returned to England after comparing notes with other naturalists. The advantage of this approach is the scientific rigor with which he is able to describe and evaluate his experiences. As a professional scientist, Darwin wanted to get all the scientific names right and avoid errors. One would expect through this approach that some immediacy would be lost, but if anything I suspect his journal gained in vividness and was made all the more intriguing for the precision of expression. It is, after all these years, still a most engaging and readable account of a most remarkable adventure–one of the best I’ve ever read, and I am surprised that it took me so many years to get to it!

The Voyage of the Beagle is also a book that will stay in print for many decades if not centuries to come, partly because it is so well written, and partly because Darwin is Darwin, but also because he was so precise in his descriptions of the animals and the people and the lands that he visited. By reading this we and future generations can learn of the changes that have taken place.

In short I was thoroughly dazzled at Darwin’s enormously wide range of knowledge. But I shouldn’t have been. In just reading this journal, one can easily see that young Mr. Darwin was already a superb naturalist and a brilliant thinker and observer.

4 Stars One of the best travel books written by one of the best scientists
Forget the image of Darwin as an old white-beard scholar. In The Voyage of The Beagle, written in 1839, we have the discoverer of the theory of evolution as an energetic young man in his early twenties travelling aroung the world in a three-mast ship. After a brief stop in Cape Verde, he travels to then slaveholding Brazil (where he visits for the first time a tropical jungle), to the Plata region (he visits both Buenos Aires and Montevideo and travels on horseback on the surroundings), to the Patagonia (where he meets strongman Juan Manuel de Rosas as he launches a campaign against the pampa Indians), the Falkland Islands, Southern Patagonia, Tierra del Fuego (where they bring back three Fuegians previously kidnapped by an earlier expedition), Chile from south to north, the Galapagos Islands (whose findings would be crucial for the theory of evolution), Polynesia, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa. As he travels, he writes about both the natural history of the places as well as the people he meets. He does a lot of fearless things, travelling on horseback around the Pampas then under the dominion of hostile indians, crossing the Andes from Chile to Argentina through some of the world’s highest mountains outside the Himalayas, witnessing the life of the now extinguished Fuegians (considered to be among the most primitive societies in the world), crossing the dense, cold forests of the island of Chiloe, witnessing the aboriginal australians as they cope with the massive arrival of white people to their land, seeing the gravestone of Napoleon Bonaparte in the island of Saint Helena. Darwin was no racist and he forcefully denounces the slavery he witnesses in Brazil (in this respect, he was much more thoughtful and liberal than some of his later disciples). In short, one of the greatest travel/adventure books by one of the greatest scientists of all time.

5 Stars Another Handy Penguin Edition of Darwin
Much as is the case with the Penguin edition of Darwin’s “On the Origin of Species,” this relatively inexpensive edition is packed with helpful features that add to the reader’s understanding of what Darwin was about on his prolonged scientific voyage. First among these features is an excellent introduction by Janet Browne and Michael Neve, both of that wonderful Wellcome Institute in London. Dr. Browne is the author of what many consider to be the finest biography of Darwin ever written; Dr. Neve also has contributed to the Darwin literature. Although 26 pages in length, a bit shorter than that in the “Origin” edition by J.W. Burrow, this introduction nicely puts the “Journal of Researches” into context, while pointing out several areas that are of special interest to the reader. While the text is abridged about 1/3 in length, a Note carefully explains how and why the deletions were made. For example, nothing relating to the Galapagos has been cut. The editors have added a brief guide to the individuals and books mentioned in the text which is quite helpful. Also added as appendices are the Admiralty Instructions for the Beagle voyage and an essay by Captain Robert FitzRoy on “Remarks with reference to the Deluge,” reflecting his reversion to traditional Christian thinking during the voyage. Several very helpful maps and a chronology are also included, which come in quite handy. Obviously, it is of immeasurable value to read the “Journal of Researches” in conjunction wit the “Origin.” One comes away truly amazed at the dedication and professionalism of Darwin (who was only 22 when he commenced his five year excursion) as he collects his speciments and charts various geological dimensions. So, this book is to my way of thinking indispensable for getting a grasp on Darwin, and this skillfully edited edition makes the experience a most pleasing one.

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A Travelers Guide to D Day and the Battle for Normandy

A Travelers Guide to D Day and the Battle for Normandy

These insightful new titles represent a good start to a unique travel series that attempts to re-create some of the fiercest and most critical battles of World War II through photographs, maps, eyewitness quotes, and captivating narratives. Shilleto (The Fighting Fifty-Second) and Tolhurst (The Battle of the Bulge) reconstruct the scenes and mood of the crucial battles of Normandy, France, and tell the reader where to go and how to get there, providing information on museums, monuments, cemeteries, memorials, and statues. Whiting, a distinguished military writer and historian who saw combat himself, describes battles in which the resolve of the Allies was tested and a revitalized German army emerged amidst an elaborate system of defenses, eventually loosing to a superior allied force. He captures the flow of events and sentiments as he guides the tourist through selected sites on a battlefront 400 miles long and 70 miles deep. Both guides retain a historical sensitivity that one hopes will be a hallmark of the entire series; even though they are intended for tourists, they still succeed in fully conveying the ordeal of combat. Historically enlightening, touristically informative, educational, thorough, and enjoyable, these books are recommended for all libraries.DEdward K. Owusu-Ansah, Murray State Univ. Lib., KY
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Help Along the Way of Liberty
Mike Tolhurst’s father fought in the battle for Normandy. Perhaps that is why the narrative portion of this book reads with such emotion, not just military matter-of-factness. This book would succeed, I believe, simply as an account of this part of the war, even without the “travel guide” aspects. Eyewitness accounts and quotes from German as well as Allied soldiers bring what was happening to life.

I had already decided to go to Normandy when I purchased this book. But it was invaluable in helping me decide which places to see, since I knew my time would be limited. Each chapter consists of a narrative of part of the battle, then an accompanying suggested tour which touches on cities and places mentioned in that chapter. I ended up not following the plans exactly, but still basing my choices of places to go on the authors’ narratives.

I found Normandy to be beautiful and welcoming, and would recommend that every American, Canadian and UK native visit these sites if you can, most especially if a relative fought in the war. If you do you’ll need some guidance as to what to see and where it is, and this book will help a great deal.

4 Stars Take this One With You
This is a great guide to take with you on a trip to Normandy. I carried it with me throughout my tours and was able to read aloud about the events that took place-standing on Omaha Beach and reading about the various divisions that struggled where I stood was of great value to myself and my husband.

The eyewitness accounts bring it to life as well.

If you plan on touring the D Day beaches and sites, bring this one with you!

5 Stars Fascinating read
What makes this book stand out for me is the eyewitness reports, which are dotted throughout as you read this account of the D-Day landings. They bring alive the personal experiences of those who fought and help the reader appreciate the scarifices made.

The book is a nice mix of the history of this particular military campaign, and what the traveller to Normandy can hope to see today. This means the book is a good read for either the armchair military buff or the interested tourist.

Lots of photos and clear maps also add to this very good and highly readable book.

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Maiden Voyage

Maiden Voyage

Challenged by her German-Swiss father, an 18-year-old New York City bicycle messenger in 1988 became the first American woman, and the youngest person, to sail alone around the world. In this jaunty account of her journey, she veers between the perils of solo sailing, her relationships with her separated parents and the death of her mysterious mother. Aebi, writing with freelancer Brennan, reveals her lack of sailing knowledge and experience, describes the heavy seas and weather she endured, her numerous problems with malfunctioning equipment, the countries, people and cats she encountered and a sympathetic French-Swiss whose boat sometimes accompanied her own. The story is so compelling that sailing enthusiasts will read avidly on to the triumphant finish. Literary Guild alternate; author tour.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Excellent reading
Excellent read. Good pacing, just enough excitement to keep you going. Read over two days.

5 Stars Exulting story
Recently my sister recommended this book, now almost 20 years old, to me for reasons that have no bearing on this review. I picked it up, and I am glad she did. This is quite the remarkable story, even 20 years later.

“Maiden Voyage” brings the remarkable story of 18 year old Tania Aebi, pressured to some degree by her at times overbearing dad, sailing around the world by herself in a small (27 ft.) boat. Tania brings the story as you would expect a young person, full with astonishment, anxiety, and amazement. While the book is at times heavy, and repetitive, of the struggles at sea (the storms, then the sea quiet), the book really shines in bringing her experiences of visiting the far away places she has never been, and how deeply influenced her: the Galapagos, Tahiti, Samoa, Christmas Island, and so on. Along the way, Tania falls in love, gets her heart broken, falls in love again, and she brings it in this book with the young perspective you would expect (this book was originally released when she was 22). The family (read: mom and dad) aspects are quite important as well (her mom passed away while she was on her round the world trip, which took 2 1/2 years in all).

In all, I was mesmerized by the book, and I turned the pages. Upon finishing the book, I looked up the author on what she’s become since then. I found out she’s written another book (”I’ve Been Around”) a few years ago, and I have ordered it. Can’t wait to read that.

5 Stars Excellent! Incredible journey, interesting locations…
This book was pure enjoyment from start to finish. Travel with 18 year old Tania as she sets out on a journey of a lifetime sailing to distant ports around the world. As she sails alone, she meets a variety of interesting people, has intense moments at sea, and takes the reader through the picturesque and memorable islands and ports around the world. This is a very interesting book for anyone that enjoys travel and adventure.

3 Stars Typical teenage girl
The book is interesting and fun to read. Her adventures real and inspiring. However… The thing that struck me about this book is that this girl had, as so many girls do, no interest at all in learning the skills needed to accomplish her goal. She knew for months that she would be making this trip, but made no effort at all to master navigation, diesel maintenance or repair, fiberglass work, basic seamanship, or sailing. She seems to dismiss those basic skills as being somehow beneath her. If she had put as much effort into understanding her boat as she put into understanding makeup, this would have been a much more interesting voyage.

5 Stars Inspiring amazing real story - Loved it!
Tania Aebi’s book is a truly inspirational story. My wife and I read it simultaneously and we argued about whose turn was it all the time! Tania’s story leaving NY at a very early age in a Contessa 26 for a two and a half years around the world trip without much sailing experience is amazing. Since I like sailing I enjoyed it as a sailing adventure but I was equally engaged with such personal inspirational story. We “traveled” with her and admired her courage every mile she did. If you don’t sail, you will enjoy it too.

When we finished the book, both my wife and I, had the sad feeling that only a reader can understand…”I wish I wouldn’t have finished it yet!”

We followed up looking for more books and end up finding what was of her life and learned that she’d been cruising with her two sons 22 years later to expose them to such amazing experience. She was the first woman who did a circumnavigation solo despite her record (for which she didn’t care) was not granted because of a very small cross between two islands that she did with a friend. I am sure she is perceived as the first woman who solo circumnavigated and that’s when you understand that the record was the less important part of her journey. You will love this book and if you are a sailor, you will start dreaming about doing it yourself.

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Usborne Time Traveler

Usborne Time Traveler

A one-volume edition of four time-travelling accounts which shed light on the life of typical families in ancient Egypt, Rome, medieval times and during the age of the Vikings. With full colour illustrations.

User Ratings and Reviews

4 Stars Good as a supliment
We used this book as part of the Sonlight curriculum for 1st and 2nd grades. My son loved this book; it brought history to life for him, and made it more exciting. It wasn’t my favorite, but it really added fun to the course and my son’s enthusiasm made the whole lesson more fun.

5 Stars What a great book!
This book is recommended for ages 9-12, but my 6-year-old ate it up and my 4-year-old enjoyed it too. I bought it because my girls are going through a knights and castles thing, and this was recommended as a good place to learn about them. I thought we’d just read that section and put it on the shelf until the other subjects came up. Well my 6-year-old saw things differently. She loves this book. She loves the way it is laid out and what she is learning from it. She had no interest in Vikings or Romans or Egyptians before this, but now she wants more on all these topics. And it is a fun book for me to read too. It is reminding me of things I hadn’t learned since I was a child, and the diagrams are so clear that maybe I am learning things better than I did when I was a child.

5 Stars Four books in one, excellent information!
WOW, this is a compilation of four different civilizations, it includes ALOT of information on understanding how these ancient groups lived. I have learned alot of interesting facts every time I haved looked through the pages. The illustration in it is amazing, there is not a corner left empty in this huge book!

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Italian Survival Guide The Language and Culture You Need to Travel with Confidence in Italy

Italian Survival Guide The Language and Culture You Need to Travel with Confidence in Italy

Italian Survival Guide is a down-to-earth, bare-bones introduction to Italian that aims to make a trip abroad as smooth and enjoyable as possible. This information-packed mini-course concentrates on preparing readers to travel in Italy in a limited time by focusing on what is most useful or interesting to travelers and cutting out unnecessary vocabulary and grammar.

This Survival Guide helps readers communicate in the Italian language and culture. It prepares travelers for what to expect and how to deal with it, what to say and when to say it. It’s like three books in one–a phrase book (so you know what to say), a grammar book (so you know how to say it), and a culture book (so you understand daily social expectations)–all focused on a traveler’s needs.

Learn how to greet people and introduce yourself in Italian, how to line up lodging, order food and pay properly, how to shop and ask for directions in Italian, how to drive a car or take the train in Italy, how to get help in an emergency or talk about your family or discuss the weather, and much, much more!

Get key insights into Italian social conventions: how to talk to people, how to avoid taboo subjects, how not to look like a tourist, how to tip, how to have good table manners, how to be a gracious guest, how to discourage unwanted admirers, how to overcome poor customer service, how to avoid petty crime.

Discover the fine points of city buses, grocery stores, train stations and coffee shops. Read how to achieve la bella figura–the style and classiness Italians prize. Learn gestures and geography and how to pronounce Giorgio.

Italian Survival Guide is packed with culture notes, study tips, travel hints, and reality checks galore. It includes optional exercises for practicing material from the lessons, Italian-English and English-Italian dictionaries, and inside-the-cover Survival Summaries travelers can use on the spot. In addition, Italian pronunciations are written throughout the book, so users always have guidance on how to pronounce new words and phrases. Includes an extensive index to help readers find the topics they want, fast. All this packed into one volume small enough to tuck into a bag and take along.

User Ratings and Reviews

4 Stars 12 days in Italy
This was a gift for my son and his wife for a recent trip. They said it was very helpful. It has wbsites to the accual places they wanted to go so that was very helpful.

5 Stars Worth every penny!
I have bought just about every book on Italy and this is one of the best! It has great tips and information! Unlike other books, I find this information to be truthful! I lived in Italy and now take students on exchanges every year. This book has really helped them! I think it’s a must!

5 Stars Quick survival guide for traveling in Italy
Elizabeth Bingham’s Italian Survival Guide is clear and concise in its presentation of the most important information a traveler needs to use while traveling in Italy. The guide is organized well; therefore, finding the information one wants is not difficult. The pronunciation guide is invaluable. The book itself is not so big that a person gets lost in it when trying to find a specific piece of information. The cultural notes are short and to the point, so that one can read them quickly and gain important information about interacting with the people of Italy. I would be apt to photocopy the information on the inside front and back covers to carry along on daily excursions. Overall, this guide would be extremely helpful to take on a trip to Italy!

5 Stars Very interesting!
I read the cultural insights on Italy first. They are great! The practical hints are superb. Even though I speak Italian, I will take this book with me when I go to Italy.

5 Stars Pack this Book in Your Travel Bag
Bingham’s book Italian Survival Guide is a must-have resource to pack in your travel bag for Italy! This book is practical; including pronunciation guides for many of the common phrases used to interact with native Italians. I particularly appreciated the Culture Note sections interspersed through the book. I visited Rome and Florence last year, and found these sections accurate and insightful–a big help to the traveler who does not want to look like a tourist!

This book is invaluable and I plan to have a copy stuffed in my handbag when I return to Italy in 2009!

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India

India

In a style that blends encyclopedic knowledge with a travel narrative, Wood (In Search of the Trojan War) presents the history of a country which, he claims, is itself “a tale of incredible drama, of great inventions and phenomenal creativity, and of the biggest ideas.” Combining ancient and recent history with archaeology, anthropology, religion and linguistic studies, Wood provides a thorough view of India’s journey to the present. Woods has a long personal history with the country and he uses it to great effect, combining first person accounts (such as hunting down an original manuscript of the ancient Rig-Veda text in a Calcutta library and stopping for tea at the “bazaar of storytellers”) with discursive accounts of Tamil literature, the analysis of Hindu legends and subtle historical interpretation. As in the past, India’s greatest strength, Wood claims, will be to “adapt and change, to use the gifts of history and to accept its wounds, but somehow, magically, to always be India.” Filled with photographs and artwork, this is an excellent primer for anyone wishing to know about the evolution of this growing world power.
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The Disney Mountains Imagineering At Its Peak

The Disney Mountains Imagineering At Its Peak

How high? How fast? How’d they do that? The top favorites at any Disney Theme park always include the roller coasters. The Disney Mountains: Imagineering at Its Peak will tell you that and more-not only about the current Disney mountain range and its show enhancements, but about mountains unclimbed and mountains yet to be. Attractions include:

Disneyland: Matterhorn Bobsleds, Space Mountain - old and new, Splash Mountain; Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Never built: Big Rock Candy Mountain and the Western River Expedition

Disney’s California Adventure: Grizzly Peak and Grizzly River Run

Tokyo Disneyland: Mysterious Island (Journey to the Center of the Earth)

Disneyland Paris: Big Thunder Mountain and Space Mountain

Walt Disney World: Space, Splash, and Big Thunder at Magic Kingdom Park; Mount Mayday and Mt. Gushmore, and the latest mountain-Expedition Everest at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Beautiful book!
As a huge disnerd, I am clearly biased in writing this review, however have to say that I loved it!

This book is chocked full of great photographs and full of interesting information on the conception and creation of the Disney Mountain Range!

A must for any collector!

5 Stars A book about Imagineering
Absolutely disagree with the negative reviews. Those readers missed the point of this book.

As the title says — this is a book about Imagineering. It’s all about the how’s and why’s of the Disney mountains’ creation. It is not about all details and facets of the attractions, as Jason’s also excellent Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean books were.

And it is not just concept art. There are many photos of development models, before and after’s of the sites, etc., — all helping to the explain the Imagineering of the attractions.

Want to know why there’s a little bit of Switzerland in Southern California? Want to know the backstory behind Big Thunder Mountain, and why it even has a backstory? Then this is the book you want to read!

5 Stars Great Book
One of my favorite books! Jason Surrell has done a great job writing all 3 of these books!!

5 Stars Amazing!!
This book is awesome! I love all the concept art and stories behind all the attractions. Very good buy!!

5 Stars A Great Book for Fans of Disney Parks
I really enjoyed this book. This the third book Jason Surrell has written about rides in the disney parks and although it isn’t the most detailed of the three, it’s still excelent in it’s own right. His first two books,

The Haunted Mansion: From the Magic Kingdom to the Movies &

Pirates of the Caribbean: From the Magic Kindom to the Movies (Welcome Book)

are excelent very detailed stories of each ride at the various parks. The only reason The Disney Mountains comes in 3rd, is because it covers ten different rides (One of which, never came to be) and obviously cannot fit the same amount of detail in a book the same length as the previous two. Still though, a great read and fun for people that love the Disney Parks.

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The Walt Disney World Trivia Book Volume 2 More Secrets History and Fun Facts Behind the Magic

The Walt Disney World Trivia Book Volume 2 More Secrets History and Fun Facts Behind the Magic

Fascinating tidbits about the history and operation of Walt Disney World. — Bookwatch, “The Travel Shelf,” November 2006

Mongello loves Disney and he loves trivia, and it shows in his newly-released “Walt Disney World Trivia Book, Volume 2. — Scott Powers in The Orlando Sentinel on July 12, 2006

You’ll learn something new reading this book, and you’ll have a lot of fun learning it. — Paul Schnebelen, FantasyLine EXPRESS, August/September 2006

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars What fun!!!
Just received the Walt Disney Trivia Books, Volumes 1 & 2. I’ve read through both and cannot wait until my next WDW vacation. Thank you, Lou, for writing the best Disney trivia books ever. Just one question, when will there be a third?

5 Stars Disney Fan
My son and I love this book and we’ve only read the first section. We can’t believe how much we’re learning and how much we didn’t know. We’re enjoying finding out all the “little” things we never knew about Disney World.

5 Stars A Little Piece of the Disney Magic
The Walt Disney World Trivia Book is like the friend I’ve always wanted who flies me down to Disney (for free!)and proceeds to take me through every park, attraction, and resort, telling me things I never knew about my favorite place. With a loyalty only a true Disney connoisseur can possess (”ever hear of some guy named ‘Bugs Bunny’? Hmph. Me neither.”), Lou presents his information the way I like it-it’s personal, frank, and fun. Kind of like Lou himself…drop him an e-mail, and you actually get an answer! If there is one Disney informant to swear by, it’s Lou Mongello. Some of his facts I knew, some made me laugh, and some made me realize that perhaps I’m not the Disney expert I make myself out to be. All I know is that those around me will have to endure new rounds of Disney fact-spouting. I almost feel bad for them. They had assumed they were safe after our (sniff!) last Disney trip in 2005. Although I shouldn’t really mourn the trip’s passing; with the WDW Trivia Book, I’m there all over again.

5 Stars Fun Facts - Everything you should know about Walt Disney World!
I purchased Lou’s book after I had found his website when I was planning my latest trip to Walt Disney World. After looking at his site and even signing up for the forum, I knew I had to purchase this book I’d been reading about! And I am so glad I did. The trivia is fun if you’re reading alone or if you take turns reading with a partner and it’s multiple choice too. Even more, the answers are found following each section with a short statement to provide further information about the correct answer. What I really love about this book is that the layout makes it a simplistic read that doesn’t get boring. Even though it isn’t a guide book, anyone (or any family) planning to take a trip to WDW can benefit from the exciting learning experience the book has to offer. It is a must read for first timers and fanatics!

5 Stars Disney Trivia
Fantastic book! What you may have thought you knew…but didn’t! An interesting book of facts that help you understand the making of Walt Disney World. A must have book for Disney mania! Volume 1 is just as interesting!

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Viking Ships At Sunrise Magic Tree House 15 paper

Viking Ships At Sunrise Magic Tree House 15 paper

Jack and Annie are off in search of another story in jeopardy, this time at

a monastery in ancient Ireland. Trouble arrives when Vikings land, and Jack and

Annie must find a way to escape!

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars by Max
Jack and Annie go out of their minds trying to leave ancient Ireland without the book. “Beware of Vikings,” Morgan warns as Jack and Annie are wisked back to Ancient Ireland.

You’ll love Viking Ships at Sunrise. It’s an interesting book. Just by reading it takes you on an exciting adventure. It can be funny at times, too like when Brother Patrick and the monks just had to bring the books. Your eyes will be glued to it front to back until it’s done.

5 Stars My four year old loves them
My four year old son is in love with this chapter series! A friend suggested it to us since he seemed ready for a more advanced reading material at bedtime. My husband reads him a chapter every night…sometimes more because they don’t want to stop. It’s become a great tradition for them, and something they both look forward to. We love that there are so many in the collection! Start with number 1 and just continue.

5 Stars Son Loves To Series
When my son REQUESTED “Magic Tree House” books I knew they had to be great reading! I ordered the complete 40 book series. He’s almost 9 yrs old and reading two “Magic Tree House” books a day.

5 Stars MY BOY LOVES READING
My 1st grader hates to put it down, he would rather read Magic Tree House books, than play video games. He even reads them to his class and explains the story for show and tell. In his kindergarten class the teacher would also let him read the Magic Tree House books out loud, not to give her a break, but to promote reading out loud. Great books!

5 Stars Very Good Book
I read The Magic Treehouse # 15: Viking Ships at Sunrise. This book is very good. Whenever Jack and Annie want to visit a place, they point to a picture and say, “I wish to go there.” Morgan sent Jack and Annie to Ireland to solve a mystery. They had many adventures. The most exciting part of the book was when the serpent rose out of the water.

I learned some interesting facts when I read this book. Ireland is a country in Europe. Each day there is a dark hour in Ireland. Vikings were very dangerous.

I would recommend this book for three reasons. It teaches you interesting things about Ireland and its history. The characters were realistic, and you can relate to them. This book was very funny. The Magic Treehouse #15: Viking Ships at Sunrise is a great book.

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