Book Description
This beautifully written, heartfelt memoir touched a nerve among both readers and reviewers. Elizabeth Gilbert tells how she made the difficult choice to leave behind all the trappings of modern American success (marriage, house in the country, career) and find, instead, what she truly wanted from life. Setting out for a year to study three different aspects of her nature amid three different cultures, Gilbert explored the art of pleasure in Italy and the art of devotion in India, and then a balance between the two on the Indonesian island of Bali. By turns rapturous and rueful, this wise and funny author (whom Booklist calls “Anne LamottÂ's hip, yoga- practicing, footloose younger sister”) is poised to garner yet more adoring fans.
Customer Reviews:
Touching, Loved it.......2007-10-17
This book was very inspiring. Of course it was self-indulgent, it was a story about the character finding herself. I personally needed this book to get out of my own funk (no, I wasn't divorced or a miserable housewife, I just had been devoting my whole self to everyone and everything else around me). Though the whole process E.G. went through wasn't for me personally, it was good to see what she learned on her journey to self-discovery! And many of her lessons can be applied to everyday life to remind yourself of what's really important!
Inspired.......2007-10-17
Gilbert shares her search for pleasure, spirituality, and balance in a truly inspirational set of tales. She lays out an intimate and personal account of her journey toward growth and life fulfillment abroad. A book I found just as fascinating is Understanding: Train of Thought.
Wherever you go there you are.......2007-10-16
Free Your Mind: The Four Directions of an Awakened Life
I really enjoyed this little book of adventure (I have just returned from overseas myself) and it really does give an entertaining exposure of how we often go searching for something outside of ourselves-but I also happened to read FREE YOUR MIND by Anthony Stultz (a friend gave it to me in Europe). It was so clear and helped me to realize that everything I need is right here in front of me. Read them both and see what you think.
One woman's inspiring journey.......2007-10-16
As some of the negative reviews of this book point out, there is a lot of self indulgence here. But that's part of what makes the book work so well. The author is really honest in sharing her journey from misery and depression to joy. If you're dealing with depression, like I was when I read the book, it can be very useful to get lost in her story, because it is a well-written and sometimes hilarious book that can help you find new ways of coping with your own depression. If you're not into memoirs, pretend it's a novel told from the first person perspective, and you'll love this book!
Not too bad, if you enjoy self indulgence..........2007-10-16
After about half-way through, I had had enough with Elizabeth Gilbert...very self indulgent. I can certainly understand and appreciate ones desire to exercise their emotions...however, this book had more "I's" than China. To give her some credit, she did display some interesting insight as she journeyed through Italy and India. But I can't help but think that someone would honestly need more than 2 years to find themself. And for someone who claims to understand yoga...she sure doesn't act in accordance. If you're too bent in one direction, you're supposed to bend in the opposite direction...not mull around in the same spot. Miss Gilbert, Throw on some Shania Twain and get over yourself...
Amazon.com
Best known for his Border Trilogy, hailed in the San Francisco Chronicle as "an American classic to stand with the finest literary achievements of the century," Cormac McCarthy has written ten rich and often brutal novels, including the bestselling No Country for Old Men, and The Road. Profoundly dark, told in spare, searing prose, The Road is a post-apocalyptic masterpiece, one of the best books we've read this year, but in case you need a second (and expert) opinion, we asked Dennis Lehane, author of equally rich, occasionally bleak and brutal novels, to read it and give us his take. Read his glowing review below. --Daphne Durham
Guest Reviewer: Dennis Lehane
Dennis Lehane, master of the hard-boiled thriller, generated a cult following with his series about private investigators Patrick Kenzie and Angela Gennaro, wowed readers with the intense and gut-wrenching Mystic River, blew fans all away with the mind-bending Shutter Island, and switches gears with Coronado, his new collection of gritty short stories (and one play).
Cormac McCarthy sets his new novel, The Road, in a post-apocalyptic blight of gray skies that drizzle ash, a world in which all matter of wildlife is extinct, starvation is not only prevalent but nearly all-encompassing, and marauding bands of cannibals roam the environment with pieces of human flesh stuck between their teeth. If this sounds oppressive and dispiriting, it is. McCarthy may have just set to paper the definitive vision of the world after nuclear war, and in this recent age of relentless saber-rattling by the global powers, it's not much of a leap to feel his vision could be not far off the mark nor, sadly, right around the corner. Stealing across this horrific (and that's the only word for it) landscape are an unnamed man and his emaciated son, a boy probably around the age of ten. It is the love the father feels for his son, a love as deep and acute as his grief, that could surprise readers of McCarthy's previous work. McCarthy's Gnostic impressions of mankind have left very little place for love. In fact that greatest love affair in any of his novels, I would argue, occurs between the Billy Parham and the wolf in The Crossing. But here the love of a desperate father for his sickly son transcends all else. McCarthy has always written about the battle between light and darkness; the darkness usually comprises 99.9% of the world, while any illumination is the weak shaft thrown by a penlight running low on batteries. In The Road, those batteries are almost out--the entire world is, quite literally, dying--so the final affirmation of hope in the novel's closing pages is all the more shocking and maybe all the more enduring as the boy takes all of his father's (and McCarthy's) rage at the hopeless folly of man and lays it down, lifting up, in its place, the oddest of all things: faith. --Dennis Lehane
Book Description
A searing, postapocalyptic novel destined to become Cormac McCarthy’s masterpiece.
A father and his son walk alone through burned America. Nothing moves in the ravaged landscape save the ash on the wind. It is cold enough to crack stones, and when the snow falls it is gray. The sky is dark. Their destination is the coast, although they don’t know what, if anything, awaits them there. They have nothing; just a pistol to defend themselves against the lawless bands that stalk the road, the clothes they are wearing, a cart of scavenged food—and each other.
The Road is the profoundly moving story of a journey. It boldly imagines a future in which no hope remains, but in which the father and his son, “each the other’s world entire,” are sustained by love. Awesome in the totality of its vision, it is an unflinching meditation on the worst and the best that we are capable of: ultimate destructiveness, desperate tenacity, and the tenderness that keeps two people alive in the face of total devastation.
Customer Reviews:
A little too much.......2007-09-19
His writing style didn't bother me. I could accommodate the lack of usual punctuation quickly. His jerky narrative ... no problem. It even enhanced the experience a bit. The conversations weren't bad either. How would YOU pass the time in a post-apocalyptic landscape?
However ... I think he could have achieved what he did achieve in about 85 to 100 pages.
Just my opinion.
A must read!!!!.......2007-09-09
What can you say about an author that can say sooo much by not having to spell it all out for us. There isnt any clear explaination for the reason things are the way they are, yet its allows you to just experience their journey with them instead of throught the view point of the narrarator. I love his style. Its genius. When you finsh with at resounding "WOW"; that pretty much sums up your time spent. McCarthy is an artist among authors in American Litature.
WOW.......2007-09-06
McCarthy has often been a bit inaccessible, especially when his western stories mix spanish with english in the most descriptive scenes. The Road is blatantly clear, a short insightful trip into darkness. Brilliantly moody, with only peeks at decent life. It can't get this bad, thank God.
Exceptionally long with repetitive sequences...........2007-08-24
I found ths book well written from the standpoint that you are instantly swept away into McCarthy's futuristic world. It is absolutely wonderful in the description of a world gone mad.
My problem with the book is it never fully explains why they are going cross country and places that would have made sense (the abandoned fall out shelter full of food) are abandoned in this mind numbing attempt to get to a coast that is no different from the hell they have left behind.
Sad & poignant, worth the read, just not a great book for me.
The Road.......2007-08-13
This book really make you think about the way of the world. Totally different perspective than Stephen King's "The Stand".
Book Description
Around the World, continent by continent, here is the best the world has to offer: 1,000 places guaranteed to give travelers the shivers. Sacred ruins, grand hotels, wildlife preserves, hilltop villages, snack shacks, castles, festivals, reefs, restaurants, cathedrals, hidden islands, opera houses, museums, and more. Each entry tells exactly why it's essential to visit. Then come the nuts and bolts: addresses, websites, phone and fax numbers, best times to visit. Stop dreaming and get going.
Customer Reviews:
1,000 Places to Go Before You Die.......2007-09-28
This book is the "real" deal, as indicated by the multitude of authors who mimic even just the title! It is well researched, well written and an awesome undertaking by Ms. Schultz. The destinations chosen are what I, as a traveller, dream of seeing and experiencing.The factual tidbits about each of the locations satiate the curious. How the Grand Tetons were named, for example, or that the "Medieval Europeans popularly believed it (Iceland) to be the threshold of the underworld.." are interesting facts that required research and outstanding editing.
1,000 Places to Go Before You Die is an excellent resource for planning a trip. Bravo, Ms. Schultz!
Pure Conde Nast.......2007-09-27
Each of the 1000 "sights" is accompanied by a resumee. The first section of these is entitled "What" (others are "How" etc) - time and time again the entry is "Site and Hotel". Have the Hotels paid to be mentioned? I know not but even the most magnificent Natural and Cultural sights seem to get associated with a hotel!
If you want to see the world a la Conde Nast then use this book as your bible. If not then start your lifetime plans with the UNESCO World Heritage Site list. Despite its undoubted "Western bias" it gives Africa and Asia a better shout than this book.
No what I was expecting...........2007-09-25
I know that in order to cram 1,000 different places in the world into one book, you are going to have to be as brief as possible, but still present enough details so that people reading the book might be interested in visiting a particular location. Well--the book gives great ideas for places to see, but just not enough information to keep you from having to go other places to do more research for your trips. Overall--not great, but not terrible either.
I don't agree.......2007-09-20
I've done a lot of world travel, and I most certainly do not agree with many of the author's choices. Almost half of the destinations are in the United States, and certain countries in Africa and Asia are completely overlooked! Luckily I just borrowed this from a friend and did not waste my money.
My advice: If you are a true blue world traveler and don't like the typical touristy stuff - you will be disappointed with this book.
Disgraceful Bias and Shameless Slant .......2007-09-17
This is a slanted politically-biased listing with gaping omissions that are simply shameful and unacceptable. For instance, it lists no sites worth seeing in Lebanon, a country that contains 6 of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites; by comparison, for instance, the list includes 10 sites in Israel, a country that contains 6 World Heritage Sites as well (counting the one in Jerusalem as being in Israel, which is disputed still). I frankly can't think of a reason for the glaring discrepancy other than political bias. You'd think a fair and balanced list (not ala Fox News) of 1000 must-see sites would at least include the World Heritage Sites (the total of which is 851 properties "forming part of the cultural and natural heritage which the World Heritage Committee considers as having outstanding universal value").
I recommend instead the gorgeously photographed "Unforgettable Places to See Before You Die" or Lonely Planet's far more comprehensive "The Travel Book".
Book Description
This comprehensive and massive 600 page new book will show you step-by-step how to set up, operate, and manage a financially successful foodservice operation. The author has left no stone unturned in explaining the risky business of running a restaurant. Operators in the non-commercial segment as well as caterers, and really anyone in the food service industry will find this book very useful.
The books nineteen chapters cover the entire process of a restaurant start-up and ongoing management in an easy to understand way, pointing out methods to increase your chances of success, and showing how to avoid the many common mistakes that can doom a start-up. The new companion CD rom contains all the forms demonstrated in the book for easy use in a PDF format.
While providing detailed instruction and examples, the author leads you through finding a location that will bring success, learn how to draw up a winning business plan, how to buy and (sell ) a restaurant, franchising, basic cost control systems, profitable menu planning, sample restaurant floor plans & diagrams, successful kitchen management, equipment layout and planning, food safety & HACCP, successful beverage management, learn how to set up computer systems to save time and money, learn how to hire & keep a qualified professional staff, brand new IRS tip reporting requirements, managing and training employees, generate high profile public relations and publicity, learn low cost internal marketing ideas, low and no cost ways to satisfy customers and build sales, learn how to keep bringing customers back, accounting & bookkeeping procedures, auditing, successful budgeting and profit planning development, as well as thousands of great tips and useful guidelines.
The extensive resource Guide details over 7,000 suppliers to the industry, this directory could be a separate book on its own. This Restaurant Managers Handbook covers everything that many companies pay consultants thousands of dollars for.
This book is also ideal for professionals in the hospitality field as well as newcomers who may be looking for answers to cost containment and training issues. There are literally hundreds of innovative ways demonstrated to streamline your restaurant business. Learn new ways to make the kitchen, bars, dining room, and front office run smoother and increase performance. Shut down waste, reduce costs, and increase profits. In addition operators will appreciate this valuable resource and reference in their daily activities and as a source of ready-to-use forms, web sites, operating and cost cutting ideas, and mathematical formulas that can be easily applied to their operations. Highly recommended!
Customer Reviews:
solid handbook.......2007-07-19
this is a solid, almost academic, handbook. it's points you toward the things you need to figure out but you'll still need to get additional information on your local regulations. personnaly, it discouraged me from opening a buisness at this time.
Outstanding book!.......2007-03-15
This book is very detailed and to the point. It covers all areas of the restaurant business. Then menu planning section is great. It gives so much foresight.
2004 Writers Notes Book Award Winner.......2005-05-18
The Restaurant Manager's Handbook is a no-nonsense, coverall manual for the food establishment industry. It's the essence of a successful handbook-no jokes, parables, and preachy lectures, just the facts. If you delve into the heal-thy index for fault, you'll abruptly bump into a page number for an answer, and if you're currently running a restaurant and afraid to appear inadequate, you can load the handy CD-ROM and pretend you're checking your e-mail while figur-ing out the monthly audit procedures or why the beer is flat. I'm not kidding. The next time your favorite kitchen runs short of the daily special or closes down for a lack of permit, serve them a copy of this great reference book.
Superb!!.......2003-10-01
The books nineteen chapters cover the entire process of a restaurant start-up and ongoing management.The companion CD rom which contains all the forms is worth the modest price of the book alone. I would highly recomend this book to anyone in the industry now or who wants to get started with sound financial planning. Also the extensive resource guide in the back of the book is superb - we will use this book often.
A solid, no-nonsense, all-encompassing curriculum.......2003-05-16
Now in a completely revised and thoroughly updated third edition, The Restaurant Manager's Handbook: How To Set Up, Operate And Manage A Financially Successful Food Service Operation by Douglas Robert Brown is a solid, no-nonsense, all-encompassing curriculum to teaching oneself the basics of the restaurant business. An exhaustive compendium of step-by-step instructions, advice, checklists, legal issues, as well as encompassing an extensive listing of state restaurant associations (and so much more!) fill the pages of this "must-have" reference for anyone with a serious and dedicated interest in the dynamics of food service oriented small business ownership. A companion CD-ROM with printable versions of all the handy and useful sample forms is included.
Book Description
A dazzling novel in the most untraditional fashion, this is the remarkable story of Henry DeTamble, a dashing, adventuresome librarian who travels involuntarily through time, and Clare Abshire, an artist whose life takes a natural sequential course. Henry and Clare's passionate love affair endures across a sea of time and captures the two lovers in an impossibly romantic trap, and it is Audrey Niffenegger's cinematic storytelling that makes the novel's unconventional chronology so vibrantly triumphant.
An enchanting debut and a spellbinding tale of fate and belief in the bonds of love, The Time Traveler's Wife is destined to captivate readers for years to come.
Customer Reviews:
Perfection.......2007-10-16
There is no review I could write that would do this book justice. I read this book Christmas Eve and thought of nothing else save the characters. This book is the most moving work of fiction I have ever come across. The book takes the reader on a journey of love that is unparalleled in it's devotion and in many ways realism. This is my favorite book and have given it as a gift to everyone I love without a single complaint.
The writing is exquisite and draws you in but it is the raw emotion that will linger long after you have set the book aside. For anyone concerned by the idea that it will be too "sci-fi" for him I can assure you it is well grounded and while may incorporate elements that make it more fantastic those events are only necessary to explain the truth of the characters who have made the decision to begin a life together while accepting that their time together will not be shared. The husband, without control, changes to different period of time. The book is about how they cope and how they love despite this unusual problem.
If you are not crying by the end you do not have a soul. This book will change your life. It is a work of fine literature for the ideas, for the writing but mostly for the hope and the imagination that it will spark in the reader. It is more than a novel about love it is a novel about our dreams.
sci fi but not sci fi.......2007-10-16
Odd mixture in many ways, combining sort of science fiction (time traveling) with an unusual love story which starts when the female character is 6. Don't be put off thinking it's too sci-fi or some slush fest as it never veers too far in either direction. The books is beautifully written, really drawing you into the story and making you feel for the characters. I did find the dual narrative style a little difficult to follow at times (it's told from the perspective of both the main characters) and the last third of the book was a little drawn out once you can kind of guess where it's going but overall it's a very moving book and well worth a read.
Frustratingly Inconsistent.......2007-10-15
I wish I could rewrite this book.
The first half was exceptional. I was so often drawn in to the characters' lives. I eagerly awaited the point where it would become obvious that Clare and Henry were meant to be together. As I reconsider the novel and the expectations I held while reading this half, I can't help but realize how deeply I was disappointed by the second half. I often felt that Niffenegger lost touch with her characters as the novel progressed. Rather than feeling as though the love between Clare and Henry deepened as their lives became more complicated, their characters started to unravel. Story lines were picked up, only to be dropped abruptly without explanation. Side characters were pigeonholed to an almost insulting degree. And the time traveling, which provided such substance and meaning to my understanding of Clare and Henry early on, added very little value my experience of the second half of the book, except to infuse everything with dread. Ultimately I was waiting for the novel to amaze me, which, unfortunately, it did not.
There were many things I loved about the book, not the least of which is how heavily detailed it was. I only wish that the potential it held for me could have been reached.
Clever Idea, But Over-rated and Unsatisfying.......2007-10-13
Henry DeTamble is a handsome young librarian who lives in Chicago and time travels uncontrollably into the past as well as the future. Many of his travels take him back to see his future wife Clare Abshire as she grows up.
I thought the premise of the book was very interesting and kept me thinking and flipping back and forth to see when events happened in time.
I really enjoyed the first half of the book and I thought Niffenegger did a very good job of making the characters of Henry and Clare come to life. But the second half of the book, after Henry and Clare are married seems to be written in a completely different style. I'm not sure what happened but the story just seems to fall apart and go nowhere. There are many pages devoted to Henry's time travel but few sentences devoted to developing realistic relationships between the characters she created.
I think this could have been a really great book but I honestly didn't feel the love in the love story. And the more I dissected the novel the less satisfying it seems to me.
Okay so that's what I'm going to say without mentioning specifics. If you keep reading you will find...
***SPOILERS AHEAD*** I guess the one thing that seems to be starkly absent from this story is the reason that Henry continues to visit Clare as she grows up. Why does he do that? It seemed to me that he was grooming her to be a better wife in the future but we never see what sends him back to her.
Some other things that seem missing are the realistic details of daily life, like when Gomez and Charisse have their children, their births are not mentioned. When Clare's brother and his wife have kids their births aren't mentioned and their names are never given, they are just referred to as their kids. I think Clare and Henry's heartache over not being able to have children could have been illustrated using the births of the many children in their life.
I thought the story line of Gomez being in love with Clare was left completely unexplored.
I thought the fact that Clare's father and brother never say anything about what happened in the field in 1984 was unlikely. Wouldn't she have talked with them about those events, at least after Henry died?
And what did they tell Alba about her abilities? I think the author addressing that would have given a richer and more realistic feeling to the book. It almost seemed like she was overly focused on the time travel and failed to pay attention to the underlying story she created.
Highly original, entertaining and moving.......2007-10-13
Whew! Did I ever love this book. Niffenger breathes such life into her characters that I actually found myself relating to the woman married to the time-traveler. It's a sweeping love story told from the perspectives of the husband and wife, and he's a librarian and they both love to read so there are lots of literary references to delight book junkies. And Niffenger is a fabulous writer; here's an analogy I loved:
"...smiles in an exhausted but warm sort of way, as though she is a brilliant sun in some other galaxy."
Customer Reviews:
alaska.......2007-10-01
I was told this is a fantastic book to answer all questions about BRITISH bolumbia and Alaska and it certinly does all that, i would highly recommend this book for travlers or people who want to see what its all about, great book. Sincerely Robert Hadlock
Don't go to Alaska without it.......2007-09-23
The Milepost has a mile-by-mile description of what's around the bend, what's to see along the route, services available - we found ourselves reading it aloud as we RV'd down the road. It's a bargain - don't go without it! One caveat, some of the descriptions are written by the business or service described so they read like paid advertisements (which they appear to be, actually) - but on the whole the Milepost is something we used hour by hour on the road and highly recommend for campers, RV'rs, those in rental cars, just anyone with wheels on the road.
Alaska travel journal.......2007-08-28
The book is complete and has some valuable information.
However, it's filled with paid advertising and very heavy. Not the type of information material that you would want to travel with. With a cost of over $25.00 it could very well elimate the advertising making the book one forth the size.
Most of the information contained is available locally or in other sources such as the Lonely Planet series at a more reasonable cost and weight.
I would skip it. In fact I sent the book home one week into a six week trip.
The Milepost 2007.......2007-08-23
Excellent information, extremely benificial in planning a trip to Alaska. I used a milepost guide going to Alaska in 1965, it was a lot different then, but it was an absolute necessity, you HAD to know where goods and services were. It is not as critical now, but, you not only find out where goods and services are, but also where historic places are, and interesting side trips. GREAT BOOK !
The Mile Post.......2007-08-09
This is a great resource and I highly recommend it for a trip to Alaska.
A ton of information on each milepost throughout the state and what to do
and things to avoid and even road conditions! A must have for that vacation.
Book Description
"A Tourist's Best Friend!"
-Chicago Sun-Times
"Indispensable"
-The New York Times
Companion podcast available on Frommers.com
Five Great Features and Benefits offered ONLY by The Unofficial Guide®:
- Exclusively patented, field-tested touring plans that save as much as four hours of standing in line in a single day
- Tips, advice, and opinions from hundreds of Walt Disney World guests in their own words
- Almost 250 hotels rated and ranked for quality and value, including the top non-Disney hotels for families
- A complete Dining Guide with ratings and reviews of all Walt Disney World restaurants, plus extensive alternatives for dining deals outside the World
- Every attraction rated and ranked for each age group; extensive, objective, head-to-head comparisons of the Disney and Universal theme parks
Sample Rating:
Ride Name: Soarin'
Appeal by age : Preschool, Grade school, Teens, Young adults, Over 30, Seniors
What it is: Flight simulation ride.
Scope and scale: Super headliner.
When to go: First 30 minutes the park is open or use FASTPASS.
Special comments: Entrance on the lower level of The Land pavilion. May induce motion sickness; 40" minimum-height requirement; switching off available (see pages 266-268).
Author's rating: Exciting and mellow at the same time; Not to be missed.
Duration of ride: 4 minutes.
Loading speed: Moderate.
This guide is a completely independent evaluation of Walt Disney World and has not been reviewed or approved by Walt Disney World or the Walt Disney Company, Inc.
Customer Reviews:
Great for pre trip planning........2007-09-20
I bought this book after picking up an older version for 1 in a bargain bin of a book shop. It is a brilliant book to have when you are in the planning stages of your holiday. It has incredibly detatiled sections on hotels, transportation, dining and ticket options. I liked this book because it was unofficial and gave an honest opinion rather than the 'Disney line'. The criticisms were fair and measured in my opinion and not 'anti-Disney' like some reviewers have said. I really liked the fact that it rated each attraction with ratings for different age groups, this was very helpful for me as it was just me and my husband (late 20's) we were able to avoid the real 'kiddy rides'. Also I found the ratings for our age group to be pretty spot on.
The amount of detail in this book is also a con as well as a pro. I really would not reccommend this book if you already have everything planned and booked. This book is too heavy to bring to the parks, so I would suggest getting a smaller book to synopsis the rides. I found that I read this alot before I went and barely looked at it while we were there.
When you purchase this book, you also get free subscription to the website which has a lot of additional touring plans and also a great 'Best Days' calender which gives every day of the year a mark from 1-10 for crowds (10 being maximum capacity). It also tells you which are the best and worst parks for crowds on any given day based on historical entrance and also special events such as Extra Magic Hours or special parties. I fould this very helpful in avoiding the worst of the summer crowds.
Great Disney Resource.......2007-09-06
I hadn't been to Disney in 2o years and would have wasted a lot of time if I hadn't read this book. We got tickets to eat breakfast with Cinderella thanks to this book. We got to ride Dumbo before the park had been open 10 minutes because of this book. It helped us have the best vacation ever! I won't go back without ordering the newest edition!
Insights and information.......2007-08-28
I went thru this big book before going to Disneyworld and my husband thought I was mental - until we actually got there.. and indeed we managed to have a lovely day at Disneyworld in mid August, we saw all that we wanted, the kids (5 and 8)loved it and we spared SO much time I cannot measure. We knew where and when to go, we skipped attractions that the kids would not have liked and really enjoyed the day (and I mean, it was almost 100°F, no joke). I had another guidebook but the Unofficial guides gives sound advice and insights.
And it was fun reading it, too!!
I would not go without.
Great unoffical guide of WDW.......2007-08-26
Great reference book to Walt Disney World, I am going their in October and this book has given me a lot to think about and has already guided me as to what to do and not to do. I would recomend this book to anyone planning a trip to WDW!
A very thorough book.......2007-08-26
The book was an excellent guideline for my trip to WDW. I highly recommend it.
There are, however, a few things that I would have liked to see. First, the book should rate rides by 'Couple' as well. Several rides were highly-rated by adults (who probably have kids and so enjoy the rides as well), but I did not like the rides at all and thought that they were too childish for me. So a rating for couples or adults without kids would have been nice. In addition, the ratings for various hotels is not really correct. I stayed at the Dolphin and the hotel did not match the ratings in this book. Which is fine I guess because with rooms it can be a hit or a miss especially with such large hotels.
Other than that, the book is excellent. The touring plans are also dot on - when I followed them, I was done with everything major by noon.
Amazon.com
Book Description
In October 1985, at age 27, Danny Meyer, with a good idea and scant experience, opened what would become one of New York City's most revered restaurants--Union Square Cafe. Little more than twenty years later, Danny is the CEO of one of the world's most dynamic restaurant organizations, which includes 11 unique dining establishments, each at the top of its game. How has he done it? How has he consistently beaten the odds and set the competitive bar in one of the toughest trades around?
In this landmark book, Danny shares the lessons he's learned while developing the winning recipe for doing the business he calls "enlightened hospitality." This innovative philosophy emphasizes putting the power of hospitality to work in a new and counterintuitive way: The first and most important application of hospitality is to the people who work for you, and then, in descending order of priority, to the guests, the community, the suppliers, and the investors. This way of prioritizing stands the more traditional business models on their heads, but Danny considers it the foundation of every success that he and his restaurants have achieved.
Full of behind-the-scenes history on the creation of Danny's most famous restaurants and the anecdotes, advice, and lessons he has accumulated on his long and ecstatic journey to the top of the American restaurant scene, Setting the Table is a treasure trove of innovative insights that are applicable to any business or organization.
Service with a Smile: Dishing with Danny Meyer
Is the customer always right? According to Danny Meyer, one of America's leading restauranteurs, the answer is no--but "they must always feel heard." Named one of the most influential New Yorkers of 2006 by New York magazine, Meyer, the founder and co-owner of 11 of Manhattan's most influential restaurants, including Union Square Cafe, Gramercy Tavern, Tabla, The Modern, Blue Smoke, and Shake Shack, has penned Setting the Table: The Transforming Power of Hospitality, a business book that reads like food lit and equal part personal memoir. Amazon.com senior editor Brad Thomas Parsons took some time from his daily long-distance day-dreaming of Shake Shack and caught up with the ever-gracious Danny Meyer over e-mail to ask about his new book, the Food Network, his favorite cookbooks, insider tips on dining out, and much more.
Read our Amazon.com interview with Danny Meyer
Books:
- Elvis by the Presleys
- Faith in the Valley: Lessons for Women on the Journey to Peace
- From Death to Birth: Understanding Karma and Reincarnation
- Geisha of Gion
- Getting Even
- Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story
- Grace (Eventually): Thoughts on Faith
- Grover Cleveland: (The American Presidents Series)
- Heartbeat
- Heat: An Amateur's Adventures as Kitchen Slave, Line Cook, Pasta-Maker, and Apprentice to a Dante-Quoting Butcher in Tuscany
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- The Ultimate Question: Driving Good Profits and True Growth
- Omaha Beach: D-Day, June 6, 1944
- Data Envelopment Analysis: Theory and Techniques for Economics and Operations Research
- College Accounting, Chapters 1-29
- History: Fiction or Science
- Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters
- Linear Measures: Essentials of Statistic Management
- Business Evaluation Systems Pro 2003
- Estimating How the Macroeconomy Works
- Toxic Plants of Texas: Integrated Management Strategies to Prevent Livestock Losses
Authors
| Arts & Literature
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Water for Elephants: A Novel
A Thousand Splendid Suns
Love in the Time of Cholera (Oprah's Book Club)
The Glass Castle: A Memoir
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan: A Novel
