5 comments about Route 66: EZ66 Guide for Travelers.

1. I travelled in spring 2007 on Route 66 from Springfield, MO to Barstow, CA. This book was an indespensible guide to the mother road. Concise easy to read directions with detailed maps. Chock full of places to see along the way. Great for an actual trip or an armchair journey. Get you kicks on Route 66!



2. I look forward to using this book this coming summer. Traveling the enigmatic Rt. 66 is exciting but sometimes confusing. At a glance I saw this book truly practices what it preaches, the directions and consultations seem EZ to follow and comprehend.



3. I was very disappointed with this book. I purchased this because my husband and I were driving from SF to Chicago and taking the old route 66. This book really did not have a lot of useful information...just weird random tidbits that weren't even interesting. The maps were confusing and drawn in a way that was cartoonish and distracting. I guess when it comes to travel guides, I prefer informative to a weak attempt at entertaining. You can find and download better information online just doing google searches.



4. This book is far better than any other 66 travel guide I've seen. Tells you about all the routes 66 takes, even rough or unusable routes. Lets you know about historic or interesting points, and tells you step by step how to drive end to end, east to west and west to east. It has maps and closeup detail maps to show what he's telling you to do.



5. My wife and I just completed our first third of the our Route 66 exploration from Joplin MO, to Santa Fe, NM. We were constantly utilizing the guide for sight seeing suggestions and historical facts. Everything presented was accurate and fun to investigate. Even if the traveler is going to drive on one of the Interstate highways for part of the experience, the guide is a great asset. "Don't leave home without!" The only nit I have with the book is a warning could have been included in the guide as to the size of Oklahoma City and the time it takes to drive the Route through it.

5 comments about Oxford Atlas of the World, 14th Edition.

1. I just bought the Oxford Atlas for a Valentine's present for my wife, and I just want to react to at least two parts of the book in which the cutting of the pages (with about 3 pages in each case) was defective and the extra width hidden by folding of the pages. I just didn't want to go through the trouble and cost of sending it back to Amazon in exchange for a new one, but I was extremely angry and disappointed. It is not only poor quality control for what is supposed to be a high quality book (and Press), but a obviously a deliberate attempt (and a successful one) to sell it anyway. This is, of course, Oxford University Press's fault, and Amazon has nothing to do with it.



2. I purchased this as an office resource so I could have a better idea of tracking my globetrotting boss! After receiving it, I realize it has much more information than I need but it is certainly informative and interesting to flip through.



3. The new fourteenth edition of the Oxford Atlas of the World is an essential acquisition for all readers who recognize the need for excellent reference materials in a home library. Truly extraordinary, it offers all the expected information of an atlas plus far more in forematter and satellite photographs. Its extremely current maps are varied in scope and highly detailed yet clear and thus easily usable. Ample legends and additional inclusions make this volume another worthy addition to the highly regarded Oxford references.



4. Oxford Atlas of the World, 14th Edition. I had hoped for more towns listed on U S States, otherwise Atlas is very useful for other areas of world.



5. The main virtue of the Oxford Atlas of the World is its clarity. It may not be as detailed as the larger and more expensive competitors (eg National Geographic Atlas of the World) but the maps as plentiful and very readable.

5 comments about Streetwise London Map - Laminated City Street Map of London, England - with integrated London Underground map including tube lines and stations.

1. Great item, perfectly suited needs. Sent to someone coming to visit London so they could get it in their heads where things were. To be totally honest the London A-Z is better, but as it's the standard among locals I guess that's to be expected.
   
   Good item, no worries about it. I'd buy it again. x



2. We just returned from nine days in London and I have to say that this map is the most useful thing we brought with us. It's laminated so that it didn't get ratty like our tube map. (There is also has a tiny tube map on it.) It was easy to slip in the front pocket of my swing pouch and it's small enough so that we didn't look so much like tourists unfolding a giant map when we had to consult it. The map had all the tiny streets in Covent Garden, the City and other areas, so I'm not sure what another reviewer had a problem with. As for covering all of London, maybe you'd need a different map if you were visiting the outer neighborhoods, but for all of the major and minor tourist attractions, this was more than adequate. It's like expecting a tourist map of New York City to cover the outer reaches of Queens and Staten Island. They're technically New York City but the majority of attractions are in Manhattan and the nearest parts of the boroughs. I would definitely buy this map again and I have already purchased a Streetwise Paris map for our upcoming visit.



3. Too small a map for my taste. It just hits the high points and you better bring some reading glasses.



4. You're going to need a map in London. This is a well crafted graphic, easy to read and understand, and appears to be constructed well enough to withstand lots of references, and probably lots of exposure to London weather.



5. Although this small, laminated, folding map will fit in you pocket or bag it was hardly ever there. On my recent trip to London I usually had it in my hand along with the London Mapguide. It is perfect for tourist wanting to see as much as possible within the city. It is very detailed with all the famous landmarks highlighted & color coded. It also has a list of the streets & other places of interest in ABC order with their position on the map, along with a subway map. Highly recommend!!!

5 comments about Cartographia: Mapping Civilizations.

1. Reviewed by Peg Brantley
   
   "X" marks the spot. Do you remember that? You knew you'd found treasure--or at the very least, an amazing secret waiting to be unearthed.
   
   Cartographia is a treasure that is waiting for map and history lovers of all generations to discover. This beautiful work of art will hold your attention for hours as you look at maps drawn on paper, on wood, on stone, on figurines, and in tapestries. World maps, metaphorical maps, a map depicting a square earth and round heaven, maps on warfare, and the Oregon Trail. From ancient maps to one of the human genome, they're all contained within the pages of this book.
   
   The text brings history alive and helps to develop an understanding of the psychology and culture behind the creation of these charted representations.
   
   Vincent Virga, "America's foremost picture editor," is well known in history circles. Collaborating with The Library of Congress (where more than five million maps reside), he has put together an awesome book illuminating the diversity of people who populate our planet. Not only their different geographic landscapes, but also their cultural and social visions of the world and how those ideas have changed over time are represented. From Africa to the Netherlands, China to Ireland, Christianity, Judaism, Islam...you will receive a sense of human attitudes and ideas thoughtfully portrayed in the permanent form of maps.
   
   If you ever get a thrill finding your destination, reading the map key to open the mysteries before you, or locating your house on Google Earth, Cartographia will captivate you.
   
   If you know someone these emotions apply to, don't let them miss this book.
   
   "X" marks the spot. You can find it in Cartographia.
   
   Armchair Interviews says: Map lovers of the world, unite.



2. In need of a gift for an adult map entusiast wanting to be intrigued and enlightened; a map with added or unusual features to inform and entertain rather than provide directions to places.



3. my 23-yr-old son loved this christmas gift. it is a beautifully illustrated book, very interesting



4. Cant say enough. Love it. Book is a great addition to anyones library.
   The delivery was swift, within a week. The price was probably a typo, but it was honored and the book was in near-new condition.



5. "Cartographia," by Vincent Virga and the Library of Congress is an amazing volume that explores in depth the development of the art of cartogtraphy, map-making, from ancient times to the present. This handsome, over-sized, volume with full color photos of beautiful and rare maps throughout the ages, is a must-have for anyone interested in history, geography or maps.
   
   The book is arranged in sections divided by region of the world (i.e. Mediterranean, Europe, the Americas, Asia, etc). The text is extremely informative, well-written and engaging, while also very concise and focused. The map photos are absolutely breath-taking! Apparently the U.S. Library of Congress map collection contains more than 4.8 million original maps, and more than 60,000 atlases from ancient times to the present- which is absolutely incredible in and of itself!
   
   Some of the maps and sections I found most interesting were: the early maps of the "New World," with all their interesting speculations and inaccuracies; the maps of Egypt- both by the ancient Egyptians, as well as maps made by Napoleon's early 19th century expedition and others. This magnficient volume also includes some early road and transit maps made right around the time that the national highway system was beginning to take shape across America in the mid twentieth century.
   
   I highly, highly recommend this excellent volume- not only for the amazing maps and excellent text, but also for a sense of perspective of how maps have been shaped by human cultural perceptions of those in power throughout the ages. It is also a great book for parents with school age children, or to display as a living room, coffee table conversation piece. Pick this one up, and enjoy!

5 comments about the Next EXIT (The Next Exit).

1. We have used this for years. it is the BEST when you are traveling across any highway system. Worth every penny!



2. I rate this product a "FUNK". This means that the product is not what one
   expects.
   The problem?: The direction that the book avails info for ONLY goes from
   East to West direction or North to South.
   If you want the mile markers from West to east you are out of luck, they
   are not there. If you are going from East to west its wonderful.
   So the book is of NO VALUE to go from West to East.
   I emailed the company but they would not respond.
   I was ready to purchase another book for the West to East mile markers
   and/or South to North also but ALAS they probably dont have it.
   Maybe this is why they dont respond.
   T



3. This book tells what is at each exit. Haven't tested it out yet but do believe it will be a big help while going on vacation with our travel trailer.



4. My husband is a long-haul truck driver. He uses this book every single day to help him know where he can pull of, what food is available, truck information, flat repair, etc. It is absolutely priceless to him!



5. My husband and I love this book. We travel in the winter and find this to be so helpful as we travel on interstates mostly. There are no guesses as to what's at an exit. We know!! We had a 2000 version and found we needed to get the newer book. It's an invaluable tool.

5 comments about Transit Maps of the World.

1. After seven months, Atlanta's transit people still haven't sent me their system map. This book provides me with their train system map, but not the bus system map.
   
   Anyway, the book reads like an Edward Tufte book - old maps show the development of today's simple, readable designs.



2. Gave this book as a gift to my cousin who is a world traveler and public transporation buff. He loved it! I ended up buying a copy for myself. Fun to read as well as a useful reference. The book is uniquely organized into 'zones' filled with colorful pictures new and old.



3. An excellent and perhaps, unique look at maps of the subway and mass transit systems of over 200 cities, large and small from around the world. The transit systems range from the large complex systems of London and New York, to the smaller basic systems of Genoa and Detroit.
   The book covers both the general development of transit map as the evolved from complex geographical accurate renditions of reality to the simplified, easy to read diagram like maps in common use today. The book also looks at the evolution of a number of specific city maps, including London, Berlin, Moscow and Chicago, among others. The last section of the book covers over a hundred of the smaller transit lines, including a number of proposed systems and expansions.
   This book should be of special interest to transit fans, as well as those interested in maps or graphic design.



4. This is definitely one of those great books you'll be pulling out for years to look at. For me this book is special because I love to travel and there is something very sentimental about looking at the Metro grid of a city you've been to and used. I'm also planning to reference it for upcoming trips I take. I enjoyed seeing the progression and history of some of the maps as well. Awesome book!



5. I took one look at the evolution of the BART maps in the two pages devoted to San Francisco's transit system and knew I had to purchase this soft-cover coffee-table book. A writer with an obvious passion for cartography, Mark Ovenden has put together a most intriguing and idiosyncratic design history book examining the maps that depict the world's transit systems. This is not an in-depth book for urban planners or for anyone interested in the workings of a transit system for that matter. Rather, it looks specifically at how transit system maps have been designed to meet the needs of commuters and travelers alike. For travelers especially, these maps often represent the first impression of the geographic breadth of a city. Instead of organizing the maps in alphabetical order of the nearly one hundred cities included, Ovenden cleverly breaks down the maps into six zones. On one end is Zone 1, which covers the eight most elaborate metropolitan systems, all with extensive histories and maps that evolved in style over time.
   
   Particularly fascinating is the evolution of the New York subway from the intricate 1905 map that places Manhattan on its side to the nearly unreadable 1948 version to the austere, straight-angle design by Massimo Vignelli in 1972 to the current version that attempts to minimize the inevitable clutter. The other Zone 1 cities are predictably Berlin, Chicago, London, Madrid, Moscow, Paris and Tokyo. On the other end of the spectrum, Zone 6 itemizes maps for relatively new systems or those still in development. Thumbnail maps are provided for these cases. In between the two zones are cities with subway maps that look surprisingly similar in their diagrammatical design, a likely intentional decision based on usability ease. Consequently, Ovenden gives good reason for not making topographical accuracy a top priority. Maps become unwieldy and inevitably more difficult to read in a hurry. He supports this reasoning by lucidly sharing key aspects of urban transportation history that have culminated into a general preference for the angular, Beck-style diagrams. Map enthusiasts will find this all quite enthralling.

5 comments about Streetwise Rome Map - Laminated City Street Map of Rome, Italy - with integrated metro map including subway and railway lines, stations.

1. Rome is a hard city to map. Lots of small streets hidden down even smaller streets (but some how the Italians still drive 70 down them), but sometimes those are the streets that you need to find. The free map I got at my hotel was MUCH better than this map and I ended up not using it.



2. This map is wonderful!!!! It was a great asset to our trip. It is laminated and folds easily so you don't have to worry about it getting ruined. I would highly recommend this map to anyone going to Rome.



3. Has most of Historic Rome but not much of the out lying area. Have bought two to use on different trips.



4. Just returned from eight days of walking in Rome. This is the only map we needed to find our way to everything that was of interest to us. It seems that just about every street and alleyway is listed and shown to scale (which is not the case with the free "tourist" maps). Experienced the joy of just wandering around following our noses to one interesting area after another, always knowing that our trusty "Streetwise Rome" would come to the rescue when we wanted to reach a particular destination. We ventured to the Borghese Gallery, the Vatican, to Trastevere, Palatine Hill, the Colosseum, Piazza del Popolo, Spanish Steps, Via Veneto, the Baths of Diocletian and from and back to the Termini Train Station. Including having the map out in the rain on several occassions, it still looks like new. The best thing is, it is only 4" X 8.5" when folded in your pocket and so easy to flip open to use (unlike so many other maps that you must unfold in several directions).
   The map also has sketches of many of the sights you will be looking for to help you quickly find them. While we only used the Metro once, all the stations are clearly marked. If you want to spend less time folding and unfolding the map and more time enjoying the sights, you may find this product very much to your liking.



5. There's not much you can say about a Map. It Works. I've used this "Streetwise" series in many cities, and I find them very handy. You don't have to worry about the map tearing, or not being able to fold it back after using it. My only regret is that they don't have more cities. How about Istanbul Streetwise?

5 comments about Streetwise Manhattan Map - Laminated City Street Map of Manhattan, New York - with integrated subway lines and stations - bus map.

1. I love my Streetwise map. Sometimes it's a little hard to read for these middle aged eyes though. All in all, I couldn't do without it on my trips to Manhattan.



2. I rate this as number three of the four references I purchased to help me navigate NYC. It's sturdy, compact, light weight and packs in all the information you might need to navigate Manhattan and hit the tourist spots.
   This is the map to buy if you want to travel light in Manhattan.



3. don't waste your money. just because its laminated doesn't make it a good map. Not all streets are on it and sections of manhattan are missing. I wouldn't count on this map to help you out if you don't know the area and have things memorized before you get here. WE got lost on more than one occasion trying to use this thing.
   Get the NFT black book of nyc instead. It has all you need and is small enough to fit into your purse or pocket.



4. I use these maps on every trip I go on! They are so accurate and easy to use. The map is durable for every type of weather and small enough to stick in a small bag. There is a streetwise map for every major city we have gone to and we love them! It's a great "memory keeper" as well.



5. This is a great map of the city, easy to carry around. It's plastic, a big plus when it starts raining or if you spill anything on it. My only complain is that it does not include a Subway Map. It has Subway Routes in the map but with all the streets, etc it get a little difficult to make out.
   Overall, great map. A must have for tourist or anyone new to the city.

5 comments about The World Atlas of Wine: Completely Revised and Updated, Sixth Edition (World Atlas of Wine).

1. Whether you want to become an expert, or your are just interested in wines this is a great book. Very well written, easy to read and remains useful as reference material



2. I looked the book through in my friend's house long ago but could not read: this was Dutch edition. Now, I wanted to have this excellent book at hand in my home and in a readable form. To my great satisfaction, the book became even more rich in content and maps. So, I am happy to have now a possibility to locate not only any of my favorite wines but also wines new for me with which I got acquainted just recently.



3. I discovered this book while visiting Burgundy last year.
   It was part of the limited offerings available near the Hospice.
   Considering the size of the book, I decided to wait until I returned to the USA to purchase it.
   The book offers a detailed review of everything from how wine is produced to the details of each terroir around the world. I believe this book is a must have for wine enthusiasts.



4. simply outstanding, in every way....very complete and detailed and the best book on wine i have seen, ever



5. THIS BOOK IS SO INFORMATIVE AND HELPFUL FOR NOT ONLY THE NOVICE, BUT THE PERSON WHO WOULD LIKE TO BRUSH UP ON THERE KNOWLEDGE OF WINES. HIGHLY RECOMEDED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

5 comments about Streetwise Paris Map - Laminated City Street Map of Paris, France - with integrated metro map including lines and stations.

1. My husband used this map to memorize the layout of Paris before our trip a few years ago. It was wonderful, lacking nothing. We were able to maneuver Paris like locals because of this map.



2. If you are a tourist this map may be adequate but for finding your way around Paris it is a disaster. Entire neighborhoods are completely left out.



3. This map came with us every day as we walked around Paris. It was very easy to orient ourselves when opening the map because of the colored pictures of landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower. The laminated format is a must with Paris's frequent sprinkles as well as it makes it much easier to handle in the wind than a paper map. While Streetwise does have the Metro stations marked on the street map and does have a separate Metro map showing all the routes, I found the Metro map in Frommer's Frommer's Paris 2008 (Frommer's Complete) easier to read.



4. People stopped us and asked if they could use our map because it looked so much better then theirs, and it was!!!!!!!!!! Won't go anywhere without one of these!!!!!!!!!



5. This map was by my side the whole 10 days in Paris and I pulled it out constantly! I love the lamination and heavy duty construction. The only reason why I didn't give it 5 stars is because the most northern, southern & eastern sections of Paris seem to be missing from the map. I would prefer the map to have the whole complete city, including a tiny piece of the outskirts because there were times when I traveled to the outer edges of Paris and the map couldn't help me. But, I will say that the detail on this map is excellent! It was the only map we saw that had every little tiny street name on it which is very important in a crowded place like Paris. I highly recommend it!