Book Description
Hebrew culture experienced a renewal in medieval Spain that produced what is arguably the most powerful body of Jewish poetry written since the Bible. Fusing elements of East and West, Arabic and Hebrew, and the particular and the universal, this verse embodies an extraordinary sensuality and intense faith that transcend the limits of language, place, and time.
Peter Cole's translations reveal this remarkable poetic world to English readers in all of its richness, humor, grace, gravity, and wisdom. The Dream of the Poem traces the arc of the entire period, presenting some four hundred poems by fifty-four poets, and including a panoramic historical introduction, short biographies of each poet, and extensive notes. (The original Hebrew texts are available on the Princeton University Press Web site.) By far the most potent and comprehensive gathering of medieval Hebrew poems ever assembled in English, Cole's anthology builds on what poet and translator Richard Howard has described as "the finest labor of poetic translation that I have seen in many years" and "an entire revelation: a body of lyric and didactic verse so intense, so intelligent, and so vivid that it appears to identify a whole dimension of historical consciousness previously unavailable to us." The Dream of the Poem is, Howard says, "a crowning achievement."
Customer Reviews:
The Dream of the Poem Fulfilled.......2007-05-13
Peter Cole has provided the literary world with an astonishing service;he has managed to recuperate an entire poetic tradition and securely place it within the crown of the greatest achievements of the Western canon prior to Shakespeare. It is humbling to read these poems, many of which were almost lost forever, some of which were not discovered until the 20th century. They are arguably the finest poems written in Hebrew since the Bible and, unlike medieval and Renaissance poetry in English, Cole's remarkable translations allow them to be read fluently with a diction and tone that is uncannily modern. References to religious and cultural borrowings, from the Arabic tradition, from the Torah and from the Psalms, as well as the manner of choosing a particular word, are clearly explained in more than 200 pages of Notes, and do not in any way impede the pleasure of the general reader. Many of the poems feel strictly contemporaneous. Here is "The Apple", an ekphrastic poem by Shmu'el Hanagid (993-1056):
I
I, when you notice,
am cast in gold:
the bite of the ignorant
frightens me.
II
An apple filled with spices:
silver coated with gold.
And others that grow in the orchard
beside it, bright as rubies.
I asked it: Why aren't you like those?
Soft, with your skin exposed?
And it answered in silence: Because
boors and fools have jaws.
Cole's careful attention to half-rhymes and his skill in metrical pacing are evident throughout. Secular poems on many subjects, from the joys of wine and sangria to sexual passion and romantic ambivalence are given the same loving attention as those that are more obviously devotional and pietistic. Cole's general introduction to the volume is exemplary in laying out the method of translation and his rationale for it. In addition to generous selections from the four giants of the period (Hanagid, Shelomo Ibn Gabirol, Moshe Ibn Ezra, and Yehuda HaLevi), many poets here receive their first exposure in English. Among the many felicities of this volume are the brief and touching biographies devoted to each poet as the heading to his selection of work. This is one of the finest examples of the art of poetic translation in modern times; an abridged bilingual edition of just the major poems would be a further gift.
Medieval Hebrew Poetry in Translation .......2007-05-09
This book contains translations into English of the Hebrew Poetry written in Muslim and Christian Spain from 950 to 1492. It is the labor of love of one translator Peter Cole, who has also provided a rich and informative background introduction to the period and the poetry. There are also extensive notes on the poems in the back of the book. And there are brief biographical sketches of the poets. Along with the giants of medieval Spanish- Jewish poetry Yehuda Ha-Levi, Moshe ibn Ezra, Solomon ibn Gabriol, Shmuel ha- Nagid, Cole has included the work of over fifty poets who have never been translated into English before. Here Cole does the admirable work of bringing to a wider audience poets who have no previous place whatsoever in the consciousness of English - language readers.
Regretfully the Hebrew originals are not printed in this volume. Cole wanted them to be at the back but for reasons of economy Princeton University Press decided to make them available only on their website. This is a deprivation for those who would like to read through the volume comparing in as convenient way as possible, original and translation.
I lack the knowledge and skill to fairly assess the faithfulness of the translations to language and spirit of the originals. What I can say is that the poems can be read with real pleasure. They flow and are understandable, their language moving and clear. They reflect a wide range of life, and especially religious, experience.
Here are three brief examples:
First, a short lyric of longing of the great Shlomo ibn - Gavriol.
I LOOK FOR YOU
I look for you early,
my rock and my refuge,
offering you worship
morning and night:
before your vastness
I come confused
and afraid, for you to see
the thoughts of my heart.
What could the heart
and tongue compose,
or spirit's strength
within me to suit you?
But song soothes you
and so I'll give praise
to your being as long
as your breath-in-me moves.
And here one of the most famous of these medieval lyrics by the great poet of longing for Zion , Yehuda Ha- Levi.
My heart is in the East-
and I am at the edge of the West.
How can I possibly taste what I eat?
How could it please me?
How can I keep my promise
and ever fulfill my vow,
when Zion is held by Edom
and I am bound by Arabia's chains?
I'd gladly leave behind me
all the pleasures of Spain-
if only I might see
the dust and ruins of your Shrine.
And here is Cole's translation of what he says is the sole poem by a woman " in the entire medieval canon." The wife of Dunash Ben Labrat leaves us this single poem. This work Cole says was "reconstructed from torn Geniza fragments by scholar,Ezra Fleischer."
WILL HER LOVE REMEMBER
Will her love remember his graceful doe,
her only son in her arms as he parted?
On her left hand he placed a ring from his right.
on his wrist he placed her bracelet.
As a keepsake she took his mantle from him,
and he in turn took hers from her,
Would he settle, now, in the land of Spain,
if its prince gave him half his kingdom?
a literary planetarium in which to glimpse lost worlds.......2007-01-28
peter cole in this book achieves the near-impossible: recuperating a lost and scattered corpus of material and re-presenting it to our eyes with such stringency, music and force that the word "translation" does the act an injustice. it is more a transfiguration, and the book, which presents the hebrew poetry of muslim al-andaluz against a brilliantly detailed and contextualized backdrop, is one of the most important additions to world literature i've read in years.
Book Description
View the
Table of Contents. Read the
Foreword by E.L. Doctorow.
When the Spanish Civil War began in 1936, loosely affiliated groups of writers, artists, and other politically aware individuals emerged in New York City to give voice to anti-fascist sentiment by supporting the Spanish Republic.
Facing Fascism: New York and the Spanish Civil War examines the participation of New Yorkers in the political struggles and armed conflict that many historians consider a critical precursor to World War II. Nearly half of the 2,800 Americans who volunteered to fight in the Abraham Lincoln Brigade against Generalissimo Francisco Franco came from the New York area. Fundraising, propaganda, and deployment for anti-fascists everywhere in America were orchestrated through New York City. At the same time, powerful voices in New York expressed sympathy for the pro-fascist side.
The fighting in Spain brought to the surface the complex ideological and ethnic identities always present in New York politics.
Facing Fascism examines the full range of this experience, including that of the New Yorkers who supported Franco. It addresses the role of doctors, nurses, and social workers who left New York hospitals to provide assistance to the defenders of the Spanish Republic, as well as those who remained active on the home front. The book also describes the involvement of students in the war, the key role of writers and the media, and the contributions made by members of New York's art and theater communities.
Facing Fascism also serves as the catalog to an exhibition of the same name appearing at the Museum of the City of New York in the spring of 2007. The book and exhibition both make use of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade Archives' extensive holdings, which range from historical documents to video recordings of oral histories. Numerous other libraries, archives, museums, and private collectors have also been consulted to make this the most complete exhibition of its kind ever mounted. The exhibition will also appear in Spain.
Book Description
This enthralling life of the legendary fifteenth-century Portuguese prince, Henry the Navigator, is the first comprehensive biography in more than a century. Examining the full range of the prince's activities as an imperialist and as a maritime, cartographical, and navigational pioneer, Peter Russell shows that while Henry was firmly rooted in medieval times, his innovations set in motion changes that altered the history of Europe and regions far beyond.
Customer Reviews:
Into the Unknown.............2004-02-10
Prince Henry 'the Navigator' provides the reader an intricately detailed account of the life of this crusader, geographical visionary, and aggressive entrepreneur. Seeking an end around the Saharan caravan trade, Henry pushed maritime exploration down Africa's Atlantic coast into a region shrouded in myth and mystery. Ostensibly claiming a crusader's fervor for the conversion of the barbarous, Henry initiated the Afro-Atlantic slave trade, charted Africa's western shoreline, commercially developed the Azores, battled desperately for control of the Canaries, and, as time and events allowed, launched invasions of Morocco with varying degrees of success.
Henry thrust medieval Europe into the Atlantic providing the impetus for empires to come. Like any mortal, he was imprisoned by the consciousness of his times, yet unfettered in his drive to explore the unknown. Both flawed and famous, P.E. Russell's Prince Henry is placed firmly within the chronological context. He can be detested for his commerce in flesh, his cynical exploitation of faith, and his innate impulse to conquer, but he would then be measured not by the standards of his day, but of our own. In settling this score, Russell admirably adheres to objectivity.
Despite spotty source material, P.E. Russell has presented a comprehensive, entirely readable account of Henry the Navigator. This is a solid and satisfying book which easily merits a rating of 4 stars.
Great book, but don't take this one to the beach !!.......2003-08-04
Mr. Russell's book is superb in many ways: the prose is very elegant, even to a French speaking reader, the author's erudition is impressive and any amateur historian will find here a fascinating introduction to a side of European history which he or she is most unlikely to have been familiar with prior to acquiring Mr. Russell's book. That "the navigator" hardly ever set foot on a ship of any kind, I must confess I didn't know! His cupidity, pettiness in certain ways and magnanimity in other are very intriguing. The context is beautifully described. In other words, here is a splendid book by a very gifted historian. One word of caution, though: this is not an easy read! Don't take Mr. Russell's book to the beach after a stressful few months at the office. It takes a relaxed and attentive mind to really enjoy the book. I read it whilst in a yoga camp on a carrot juice fast. Both were perfect!
Henry the Navigator: Debunking or Hatchet Job?.......2003-05-19
In 1385, when Henry the Navigator was born, Europe was a Eurasian backwater--fragmented and poor, inferior to China in marine technology, and far behind the Islamic world in geographic scope and cultural achievement. Two centuries afterward, Europeans dominated the world. Henry was one of the individuals at the root of this turnaround.
As Peter Russell's biography is at pains to point out, Henry himself had no such grandiose vision. As a younger son of King John I of Portugal, he helped lead an attack on the Moroccan port of Ceuta in 1415, and was given responsibility for governing and supplying the enclave afterward. In the course of this work he seems to have devloped an appreciation for the special capabilities of Portuguese sailing caravels, and to have seen how they might be used to promote Portuguese expansion overseas.
Beginning in the 1420's, Henry sent out a series of state sponsored voyages of exploration and commerce. As Russell relates, his motives were not always clear and were sometimes contradictory. At various times his captains sought uninhabited land to colonize, pagans to convert and enslave, allies to fight against Islamic North Africa, and new markets in which to trade. At times Henry seemed to relish fighting for its own sake, since the medieval culture in which he had been steeped required worthy enemies against whom to perform chivalric deeds of valor.
In the 1430's Henry's captains began charting the coast of Africa south of Morocco, which had previously been unknown to Europeans. By his death in 1460 they had reached as far as Sierra Leone and had established profitable trading relationships with many of the kingdoms of West Africa--with slaves, sadly, as one of the principal commodities. After Henry's death the project continued until Portuguese ships had rounded Africa and reached India and the Far East. Henry took time off from these endeavors to sponsor further (unsuccessful) attacks against Morocco and to intrigue against his fellow Christians in Castile and Aragon.
Russell, however, emphasizes Henry's medieval mindset so much that he almost misses what was unique about Henry's life and work. No other ruler of his time thought to direct state resources to maritime expansion. No other prince required his captains to keep such careful charts and records so that discovery might be cumulative. No one else, a century before Columbus, saw the potential for improved sailing ships to revolutionize commerce and warfare.
Nevertheless, for all its flaws, this is a ground-breaking and carefully researched biography, marked by judicious evaluation of source material. One only wishes that Russell had not been so anxious to debunk his subject as to make him seem like just another medieval grandee, rather than the remarkable innovator which he was.
What did Henry know?.......2003-02-04
A fascinating book for history buffs and professionals, although maybe hard going for the general reader. It's wrong to criticize an author for not writing a different book, and this is a biography rather than a history of maritime technology but I felt shortchanged in the scientific history department. Why were the Portuguese able to make these voyages at this particular time? He mentions the caravels as better able to sail close to the wind than were purely square-rigged ships but does not say when and where they were developed or what the evidence is that this was a major development. Did anyone in Portugal possess any kind of sextant? Did the King really have "a court astrologer" ? Did Henry have access to the Majorcan maps? I'd like to have known more about these, and how they were circulated.
Sir Peter's main message is debunking. He wants to show that Henry was a narrow-minded incompetent, literally Quixotic, medieval bigot and not a scientifically curious Renaissance man. He holds no punches about his involvement in the slave trade.
Without endorsing post-mortem psychanalysis it seems strange that the author so resolutely withholds comment on Henry's celibacy and relationship with his adopted heir, while freely speculating about his motives in other areas.
I was puzzled about the fate of Henry's brother Don Pedro. Regent of Portugal. The table at the front shows that he was killed in 1449, and on page 357 of my paperback edition we are told that Henry contributed to his death, but no details are given. Did I miss something?
An Entrepreneur Who Rarely Himself Went To Sea.......2002-03-15
Don Henrique, younger son of Portugese royalty, represents the cusp between the medieval and the Renaissance; the 14th and 15th centuries. As Russell's life of Henry shows us, he was a passionate crusader whose stupefyingly backward prejudices fueled a succession of costly wars against the Arab world (and won only one prize: the Moroccan port of Ceutes, still technically part of Europe). He founded his own religious order and lived a wholly ascetic life. Yet he was also an extremely risk-happy entrepreneur, funding exploration to the Azores, Madiera and the African coast as far as Guinea. Henry is not to be glorified, and in fact Russell's portrait is quite damning; he was a stubborn, greedy, violent man responsible for killing and enslaving countles Africans. But he was a force of history, and can be argued to have pioneered Spanish and Portugese expansion, even if, as Russell shows us, he may not have been fully conscious of this.
Book Description
Translated by Geoffrey Brooks.
The Deutschland, Admiral Scheer and Admiral Graf Spee were revolutionary warships when they first appeared in the 1930s and proved formidable opponents of the Allies in World War II. This valuable reference book, using the same successful format as companion volumes on the battleships of the Bismarck and Scharnhorst classes, traces the development of the Deutschland class and charts its wartime career. Detailed statistical information is included along with the career history of each vessel, and supplemented with extracts from the ships' logs and official battle reports. Supporting the text throughout are illustrations of technical plans, camouflage drawings, maps, and hundreds of previously unpublished photographs.
With the displacement of a cruiser and the armament of a battleship, these pocket battleships proved their worth in World War II, according to the author, a World War II veteran of the Kriegsmarine. The Deutschland operated against merchant ships in the Atlantic and, renamed Lutzow, undertook anti-convoy operations in the Arctic before being scuttled in 1945 to prevent her falling into the hands of the Soviets. The Admiral Scheer raided the South Atlantic and was then relegated to the Baltic before serving as floating artillery against the Red Army in 1945. The Admiral Graf Spee had the most dramatic career of the class, raiding the South Atlantic before being scuttled off Montevideo.
Customer Reviews:
Good pictures and text, mediocre drawings...........2001-12-03
This is a must have if you are building a Lutzow/Deutschland Class model and need good picture references. Fairly good text and statistics. The only drawback are the line drawings which are far too small in scale (you need a magnifying glass) to be of any use and the camouflage drawings which are done in black and white and are also of limited use. Otherwise, tons of very useful black and white photos...
Book Description
“No man ever entered earth more honorably than those who died in Spain.”
—
Ernest Hemingway
In 1937, Hank Rubin, a twenty-year-old Jewish pre-med student at UCLA, volunteered for service in the International Brigades combating fascists in the Spanish Civil War. In his illustrated memoir, Rubin reflects on those events, making no apologies for his youthful impulsiveness, bravado, and ideology, but recalling the heroics and sufferings he witnessed and experienced in Spain, as well as the disappointing treatment he received upon his return.
Customer Reviews:
A Must-Read for anyone interested in the Spanish Civil War.......2006-10-16
One of my main historical interests is the Spanish Civil War and the role played in it by the International Brigades to combat Franco's Nationalist forces. I read "Spain's Cause Was Mine" a couple of years ago, but I recently revisited it and was once again struck by the humanity, nobility and idealism of Hank Rubin. Any historian of the International Brigades will tell you, that a good number of volunteers were college students. Rubin begins his account by retelling how, while sitting on the steps of the UCLA library, someone approached him and asked him if he would like to fight in Spain. He replied 'yes.' So begins his journey from college student to volunteer, to medic, to casualty, and cecoming ultimately, survivor. Rubin provides a simple yet poignant narrative of what went through his mind and what all the volunteers had to face in combat. While initally, disappointed that he was not assigned to front-line duty, he came to appreciate his role behind the scenes. This actually, allowed him to absorb it all and put down his thoughts in writing.
Rubin writes about some of the brutal campaigns from Brunete to Teruel and Grañen. He also places the Spanish Civil War in an international context, noting Germany and Italy's aid to Franco's troops and the US position of maintaining an embargo against the Spanish Second Republic. To anyone knowledgeable about the Spanish Civil War, this isn't anything new. However, coming from an actual participant, who was fully aware of his own government's indirect complicity in causing the demise of the Spanish Second Republic, it is worth reading.
I was touched by a poem written by Rubin following the death of a comrade at arms, who he was unable to save in the medic tent. It captures fear, hesitation and pain that too often accompanies any soldier who goes off to war. I quote it here: "From far away, from Everett on the Puget Sound with the peace of its water the serenty of its green hlls you came from so far to a dusty plain, to mountains without peace. You expected to fly to strike the enemy boldly from the sky, guns roaring your strong hands guiding your plane, triggering your guns. Instead you had to fight on foot, did you ever expect to die? To have a bullet in your head? To suffer your guts torn apart? And was it worth it? Was the pain too much? Was there even pain for you? Was the cost of death too high?
This is an excellent memoir from someone who participated in an event that far too many Americans are unaware of. I recommend this to anyone interested in learning more about the Spanish Civil War. Other recommended books along this vein: Peter Carroll's "The Odyssey of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade," and "American Commander in Spain," by Marion Merriman and Warren Lerude.
A remarkable military memoir.......2004-12-21
"Spain's Cause Was Mine: A Memoir of an American Medic in the Spanish Civil War," by Hank Rubin, is a well-written and enlightening narrative. A large chunk of the book details the long odyssey that took him from Los Angeles and through France enroute to service in Spain--a quest taken in defiance of an international non-intervention pact. This section of the book is a real adventure story with an almost dystopian flavor.
Equally fascinating is the portion of the book detailing his actual time with the Spanish army, during which he served in a machine gun squad and as a medical laboratory technician. Rubin explores the unique challenges in putting together a multinational, multiethnic, and multilingual fighting force. He details the illness, discomfort, and deprivations that the troops endured in order to uphold their ideals.
In addition to covering such down-to-earth issues as mail call and footgear, Rubin also offers some potent reflections on wartime morality and medical ethics. Particularly interesting are his thoughts on the impact of his Jewish identity on his decision to enlist. His writing style is largely straightforward, but graced with occasional passages of great beauty and power.
Rubin's narrative really educated me about the unique place of Spanish Civil War veterans in the United States. This book is a valuable and enjoyable addition to the canon of American military memoirs.
Book Description
You'll never fall into the tourist traps when you travel with Frommer's. It's like having a friend show you around, taking you to the places locals like best. Our expert authors have already gone everywhere you might go – they've done the legwork for you, and they're not afraid to tell it like it is, saving you time and money. No other series offers candid reviews of so many hotels and restaurants in all price ranges. Every Frommer's Travel Guide is up-to-date, with exact prices for everything, dozens of color maps, and exciting coverage of sports, shopping, and nightlife. You'd be lost without us!
This first edition of Frommer's Madrid is the definitive guide to the capital city of Spain. We journey to the nation's capital for a taste of Madrid's tapas bars, incredible nightlife, and the artistic treasures of the Prado, and suggest several day-trips. It's all done with the trademark Frommer's attention to style, accuracy, and detail.
Download Description
You'll never fall into the tourist traps when you travel with Frommer's. It's like having a friend show you around, taking you to the places locals like best. Our expert authors have already gone everywhere you might go – they've done the legwork for you, and they're not afraid to tell it like it is, saving you time and money. No other series offers candid reviews of so many hotels and restaurants in all price ranges. Every Frommer's Travel Guide is up-to-date, with exact prices for everything, dozens of color maps, and exciting coverage of sports, shopping, and nightlife. You'd be lost without us!
This first edition of Frommer's Madrid is the definitive guide to the three premiere city of Spain. We journey to the nation's capital for a taste of Madrid's tapas bars, incredible nightlife, and the artistic treasures of the Prado, and suggest several day-trips. It's all done with the trademark Frommer's attention to style, accuracy, and detail.
Customer Reviews:
Great book for a great vacation........2007-09-04
I went to Madrid by myself last year and relied on this book for most things. I had a great time!!!! The maps and walking tours gave me a good sense of the city to then go back and explore on my own and the night spots that I chose from the book were a lot of fun and I met very nice people.
Book Description
The third book in the award-winning series by the author of Snowball Oranges and Mañana Mañana.
Book Description
"I wanted to be a painter, and I became Picasso," declared Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) in an apt survey of a triumphant career. He had good grounds for the confidence palpable in his statement, for in the history of 20th century art, his name stands out over all the others. In Picasso's paintings, drawings, lithographs, ceramics, and sculptures, he was tirelessly inventive and innovative, exhibiting an aesthetic bravado that kept him one step ahead of his contemporaries. From subject matter to new forms and techniques to new media, Picasso got there first. The Spanish artist's enormous output, from the eight-year-old's beginnings to the late work of a man of ninety-one, is surely one of the most diverse and creatively energetic in the whole history of art, and it is no exaggeration to see him as the genius of the century. Carsten-Peter Warncke's study is a thorough review of Picasso's entire oeuvre, from the early Blue and Rose Periods, through the analytic and synthetic cubism and classicist phase all the way up to the art of the old savage Picasso.
Our study of Picasso, the most exhaustive record of his work to date, contains almost 1500 illustrations--from his earliest drawings to the master's very last painting.
Extensive bibliography section as well as illustrated section about Picasso's life and work
Index of Names
Customer Reviews:
Complete Picasso.......2007-05-30
It is no small feat to gather the whole of Picasso's career in one, easy to read (and to carry) volume. This has been done through this book, the most comprehensive sum on the artist available on the market, for a reasonable price. Lavishly illustrated (many rarely-seen works, owned by private collectors, alongside well-known masterpieces housed in museums all over the world), it covers every single period from the very beginning (paperworks from the early 1890's) to the much criticized (and, today, highly regarded) late paintings of the early 1970's. If there is one book on Picasso, this is it. The text follows a chrological pattern and is full of technical, historical and anecdotical details.
Note: the new edition is divided into two volumes (same text and illustrations as the one I reviewed above).
Doing justice to Picasso.......2007-05-18
This edition comes in two books in a cardboard sleeve. Book One covers his works from 1890 - 1936.
Book two covers his works from 1937 - 1973.
There is a detailed chronology at the back of book two with many black and white photographs of Picasso and his family and friends. As well as notes, an index of names and a comprehensive bibliography.
The text is well written and engaging, describing the how and why of Picasso's techniques and themes; with historical personal, and technical considerations.
There are many good quality pictures of his work from all facets of his careers, some depicting a series of the same image as he experimented with different ideas. It is remarkable to see the breadth of his talent laid out as it is in this book. It gave me a strong impression of his talent and dedication to his art.
I looked at many books on Picasso to compare with this Taschen publication but none that were in my price range came close to comparing with the quality of the production and content of these books.
Book Description
You'll never fall into the tourist traps when you travel with Frommer's. It's like having a friend show you around, taking you to the places locals like best. Our expert authors have already gone everywhere you might go -- they've done the legwork for you, and they're not afraid to tell it like it is, saving you time and money. No other series offers candid reviews of so many hotels and restaurants in all price ranges. Every Frommer's Travel Guide is up-to-date, with exact prices for everything, dozens of color maps, and exciting coverage of sports, shopping, and nightlife. You'd be lost without us!
This updated edition of Frommer's Barcelona is the definitive guide to Spain's capital of style and culture. From the wild modernist architecture of Gaudi to the astounding Picasso Museum, and the colorful street life of La Rambla, we list all the best hotels, restaurants, nightlife, shopping, and more. We also cover Mallorca, Sitges, and Bilbao, the hottest destination in Spain.
Customer Reviews:
Tons of info but frustrating to use.......2007-08-27
I have purchased a number of Frommer's books over the years and overall I have found them to be among the most helpful guides that exist. This Barcelona edition has been frustrating for me to use for my upcoming trip to Barcelona.
The advantage that this and all Frommer's guides will give you is a star rating for various sights, hotels, restaurants, etc:
3 stars = must see
2 stars = very highly recommended
1 star = highly recommended
reviewed but no stars = recommended
This feature is why I continually use Frommer's guides, they help me find the "priority" spots so that I can most efficiently use my vacation time. The Barcelona edition is no different, they have helped me identify the must-do activities on my upcoming trip.
The downside of the Frommer's Barcelona guide is 2 fold:
1) There are no pictures with in the book - a picture on the front cover and on the back cover, that is it. Most Frommer's guides have a few pages within them with a few photos. I don't buy Frommer's guides for the photos, that is not the kind of guide they make. But a few photos would have made the book better. There is however a color page included in the middle of the book, an advertisement for Travelocity.
2) The bigger issue I have with this edition is the lack of useful maps. There is not a single map that shows the entire Barcelona region. There is a map of the Barcelona attractions (which is helpful), but it does not include a number of things mentioned in the guide and does not include the Barcelona airport. In addition they have separate maps of the same area over and over again, one for sights, one for hotels, one for restaurants, one for the metro system. It would be very helpful to have a map that has the metro system locations included in the "What to see" section so that travelers would know how to get to what they want to see.
Frommer's Barcelona is packed with information (most of it very useful) but could use a few more pages from some useful maps and maybe a photo or two.
Books:
- The English Room
- The Fashion Book
- The Mermaid Chair
- The Monk and the Philosopher: A Father and Son Discuss the Meaning of Life
- The No Asshole Rule: Building a Civilized Workplace and Surviving One That Isn't
- The Not So Big House: A Blueprint for the Way We Really Live
- The Paint Effects Bible: 100 Recipes for Faux Finishes
- The Rose That Grew From Concrete
- The Secret (Unabridged, 4-CD Set)
- The Simple Home: The Luxury of Enough (American Institute Architects)
Books Index
Books Home
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General
| Classics
| United States
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
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| Books
The Penguin Book of Hebrew Verse (Penguin Classics)
The Collected Poems: 1956-1998
The Book of Psalms: A Translation with Commentary
Jews and Power (Jewish Encounters)
How to Read the Bible: A Guide to Scripture, Then and Now
