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Culture Smart - Italy - Charles Abbott
by frankie1984 This guide was a book purchased by me when my Wanderlust magazine ran an offer for its subscribers to purchase books free and just pay for postage. Being a lover of the Italian places I have been to visit so far and completely loving the way of life, I felt this guide might be of some use to myself and hubby to read through and pick up ... any other bits of useful information as well as being useful to have for work purposes working within the travel industry. The publishers: The Culture smart books are published by Kuperard. They also publish a lot of other travel guides of which I have used or come across in my job. The range: The culture smart books are designed to help visitors understand cultures and customs as well as giving advice on how to get the most out of your time there including the best way to see sights, get around or connect with the locals. They are not to be bought as a guide book with a list of sights to see and opening times etc and if you bought one for this reason you would be sorely disappointed! Culture Smart Italy: The Italy guide is really quite eye catching with a bright green cover and a picture of the Grand Canal in Venice. I am a great lover of the small amount of Italy that I have managed to visit so far and I love the way the Italians are so for me, I wanted to gain as much knowledge as possible of the place. Italy is a country I have sold for years but, it wasn't really until I visited myself that I realised how diverse a country it is and also how beautiful. I was hoping when I purchased this guide that it would enlighten me in areas I may know have much knowledge of. The book, as with all culture smart guides, is broken down into chapters and this particular one has nine, each with their own sub areas. There are the expected chapters such as 'Getting around' and 'communicating' as well as such ones as 'Values and attitudes' and 'daily life'. In particular for me, I am desperate to try and eventually speak the language fully and although admittedly, it isn't go rather well just yet, I found the chapters on communicating very interesting especially in regards to body language. A part of what I love about Italy is the expressive way the Italians talk with their hands as I do the same so I feel very at home when there! I liked how they gave some small examples of hand language you might see and the differences between the North and South. The guide covers basics too such as nice little map before the introduction and a key fact page after it with capital city, currency, populations etc. There is even also a regional guide on what place is the capital of each region too which is quite interesting. There is also recommended further reading material listed at the very back just before the index. Other things: Many important top tips or need to know type information is presented in a green bubble box. In keeping with the rest of the colour scheme of the book, the text is then a darker shade of green. I like this as it gives the book a bit more oomph than just being very plain and boring. It is worth noting that these guides do not contain opening times to attractions and a literally more of a culture guide than one you would use to plan your attraction seeing. The author: This particular guide was written by Charles Abbot who has travelled extensively around Italy and has worked over the past 10 years as a consultant with many Italian firms in places such as Rome, Milan, Genoa and Naples. He is also a director for the international communications training institute at international house in London, a language school with affiliates in four Italian cities so it seems he is more than qualified to give information on this wonderful country. Prices: As I mentioned I received an offer through my Wanderlust subscription to receive these guides free although of course I did have to pay for postage. However the offer I had meant I still only paid around £5 for 7 books at the time which of course works out to a measly 71p per book - Not bad at all in my opinion! I then bought some more the next time the offer ran so I do own a large range of these books. Usually they are priced at £6.95 each and this is pretty much average for a travel guide. I would say keep your eyes peeled for offers though as they frequently run these on the Kuperard website which is where I purchased all of my culture smart guides from. Overall opinion: I personally think this is another great guide from the Culture Smart range. I do feel there are some things I already know but, this is probably due to my job and having travelled to Italy on numerous occasions. However, if you had never been or only visited once, you may find this book a useful tool in helping you enjoy your future visits. I certainly recommend it and have found lots of useful bits from it to which I am grateful for. It is only a small book and at just 168 pages long it will never give you everything you need to know but, it can certainly cover a lot. A definite recommendation from me. Read the complete review |
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The Spirit-Wrestlers - Philip Marsden
by catsholiday 'The Spirit- Wrestlers' by Philip Marsden ISBN 0006388779 I picked up this book through Bookcrossing in Derby as I was attracted by the title thinking it might be about Navaho or other Native American Indians but having read the blurb on the back I discovered it was about a religious group in Russia. As my son's partner ... is of Russian descent, now living in Canada, I thought I would give it a try. I'll be honest and admit I know next to nothing about Russia and its history apart from reading Tolstoy many years ago and also the story of Tsar Nicholas and his family being killed, Rasputin and of course seeing and falling in love with 'Dr Zivargo'. So as you can see I have much to learn. This book is a travelogue, a journey across the lesser known parts of Russia, the Adygei Republic, Karachai, Cherkessia, North and South Ossetia Georgia and he also crosses bacl and forth into Amenia. His journey is sparked by talking to a man in Moscow who points out on a map where he comes from 'The edge of the world' in the Caucasus and he claims he is a 'Doukhobor' or 'spirit-wrester'. Marsden then goes from place to place asking for different people he has been told about and discovering more and more strange beliefs and traditions. It isn't the easiest and lightest of reads and a book that will be enjoyed by those either interested in spiritual beliefs or Russian history and traditions as well as geography. I have to9 admit5 I struggled to maintain my interest at some points in the book which were pretty dry but as I was lying on a beach in Laos at the time I should have chosen a lighter read I suppose. I stuck with it to the end and feel I know a bit more about certain aspects of Russian history and the people and there were times where I was truly fascinated. I learned that the Russians love of Vodka began when in 1386 a Genoese legation brought some flasks of 'aqua vitae; to Moscow. The state discovered that taxing alcohol brought in valuable revenue. At times in Russian history alcohol has been banned, Nicholas II tried in 1914, the Bolsheviks continued the ban until around 1926 but then Gorbachev reintroduced prohibition in 1985 when vineyards were destroyed. The Russians have the highest per capita alcohol consumption and according to the author a bottle of Vodka is consumed every two days per man in the population. I am not sure if that means man as in male or meaning person, or whether the women don't drink to that extent. Apparently during this prohibition the Russians devised various strange alternatives from varnish, glue, window cleaner, brake fluid and even toothpaste in sufficient quantity was found to produce an effect not unlike Vodka. I think desperation had obviously taken over as I really can't see me going to those lengths. Apparently 'eau de cologne', the drink of the intellectual' was limited to two bottles per person and could only be bought after 2 pm. It gets worse as one particular man, Venedict Erofeev wrote a book on cocktails such as 'Lenin's Lady' concocted with' methylated spirits, Velvet beer and furniture polish' or 'Bitches brew' which combined the delights of 'Zhiguli beer, Sadko shmpoo, dandruff treatment, athlete's foot remedy and small bug killer'. As if these were not bad enough others suggested ; "Put black shoe polish on a slice of bread. Leave overnight. In the morning, remove excess polish and it's ready to eat.' I bet their teeth were a sight to see after that one. An alternative to this was to soak white bread in eau de cologne which might be better for the teeth colour but I am sure tasted equally revolting. According to Marsden eleven thousand Soviets died experimenting with similar concoctions during one year of Gorbachev's ban which he says is a figure comparable to the death toll of the entire Afghan War. Marsden describes the terror of entire villages being taken and the inhabitants deported during Stalin's time. Over two million people were removed and sent out into Siberia where few survived to tell the tale. While the author was in one such village, Hasaut in the Caucasus which was famous for its horses he was shown a photograph of what the village had once been. When he looked on the back of the photograph he discovered it had been printed in London an been taken by Negley Farson on his journey through the Caucasus in 1928/29 and was given to the lady who had the photograph by his son Nigel Farson who had retraced his father's journey. Negley Farson wrote a book about his journey which wasn't published until 1951 called 'Caucasian Journey'. Another part I found especially fascinating was when he was writing about a people or sect known as the 'Alans' which apparently featured in the Battle of Hastings. They were the section which pretended to flee from the English who then gave chase, once in full chase the Norman cavalry chased the English and the Aland turned to face then meaning that the broken ranks of the English were easy pickings. This was something the Alans were famous for but the English were unaware at the time. The Alans spread across Europe and all the people with the surname Allen or Alan or Allain are descendants of this sect of Steppe warriors. Many towns are based on the name such as Alagna and Allegno in northern Italy, Alancon, Alaincort, Courtallain in France. Even in England these Alans left their mark as the Alan word for water is 'don' and so we get Croydon which means 'mill on the water' and London which is Alan for 'dirty water'. Moving onto another topic which grabbed my attention and that is the longevity of some of the Russian people especially around Ossetia. Many have been known to live well into their second century and even though records are a bit hazy, ethnographers have authenticated long livers by interviewing them about events n their lives and what they remember. These tales were fitted into known events and chronicled so that a more accurate estimate of ages was ascertained. No one is sure what thier secret to long life is, some suggest that it is expectation. If you expect to live for longer you don't 'decide' you are old at age seventy/eighty or whatever and you continue to live and do what you did at fifty or younger. Others have said that is a life without worry or stress unlike modern life but it certainly cannot be the wonderful climate as two feet of snow was the norm in winter. The author visited one family and was taken to the family graveyard. On the gravestones their ages were 165 years, and one of 173 years old. According to the 'guide' the author was with who was a doctor he met the dates were accurate. When asked why people don't live to these ages now he answered that it was because we now eat yeast! Personally I feel that it may be more to do with inaccurate records but long life seems to have been something that happened more in days gone by . According to history books Thomas Parr in 1635 was presented to Charles I of England at the age of 154 and he had fathered a child at 120 and this child also lived to be 123!! A woman in Moscow in the 1950s remembered meeting Pushkin ad Nekrasov and she was 154. Finally a veteran of the Colombian War of Independence died in Bogotá aged 169 which is staggering. The author continues with other statistics showing that the area around Karabakh certainly has the best statistics for a long life as sixty nine out of every one hundred thousand live to over one hundred years while in the entire Soviet union the figure drops to eight per one hundred thousand. According to a book written by a Professor Manuel Aliyevich Ibrahimov ,'May you Live to be 200' in which he interviews many long-livers and tries to discover the secret. He concludes that a combination of a diet limited to 2500-3000 calories per day, limited alcohol, lots of tea and no coffee. Plenty of pomegranates, not much bread, lots of dairy produce, boiled lean meat, lots of walnuts and maintain your weight as you are at thirty ( presumably you are not over weight at thirty). Work and a regular routine is important and walk at least five kilometres a day and keep working all through your life. Well that counts me out having stopped work at fifty five and I certainly don't walk five Km a day never mind the food regime! You should also avoid negative thoughts or excessive emotions. Sex is important and should continue regularly and the centenarian men who fathered children put down their potency to a combination of honey and walnuts so there you go men off to the health food shop and eat lots of baklava!! There is so much more to the book and Marsden meets Cossacks and manages to sneak across borders in a way that most people would avoid in questionable political areas. He travel totally alone and just moves from place to place as he is told of another person he should meet and talk to. He stays with people he bumps in to casually and shares lots of vodka and food with casual acquaintances. His story is an adventure in the true sense of the word as he just moves as the mood takes him, he has no sponsors or TV crew to support him and he relies upon his wits and his obvious ability to communicate in the Russian language. WHAT THE CRITICS HAVE SAID: "A fascinating, horrifying and inspiring journey- praise seems scant reward for his efforts. The man deserves a medal." Harry Ritchie in 'The Mail on Sunday' " So other world, so strange and so fabulous are the charcaters who people 'The Spirit -Wrestlers' that the reader might be forgiven for imagining he had dipped by mistake into some ancient book of fairy tales." Teresa Waugh in 'The Literary Review' "A mesmerising account" 'the Observer' " A fine piece of writing and his descriptions are as beautifully spare as ever.... Best of all, he lets the true voices of the people sound through." Edward Marriott from 'The Times' "Beautifully evoked scenes and overheard exchanges.... there are many characters in this book whom I left with reluctance." Anatol Lieven in 'Times Literary Supplement. Thanks for reading. This review may be posted on other sites under my same user name. ©Catsholiday Read the complete review |
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A Parrot in the Pepper Tree - Chris Stewart
by Stewwydablue Introduction The author, Chris Stewart, used to be the drummer in Genesis (pre-Phil Collins, while they were still a proper band!). Now firmly middle aged, he lives in Las Alpujarras on a mountain farm where he keeps sheep, and also has a parrot in the pepper tree. This is book two of the "lemons" trilogy; ... his account of the life he leads on the mountain side with his wife and daughter. Opinion The main events in this book are the installation of a radio telephone at his farm house, the acquisition of the parrot (which is actually a Quaker Parakeet, and the pepper tree it sits in isn't actually a true pepper tree, but don't let the truth stand in the way of a good narrative!) and the installation of his "eco folly" - a naturally filtered swimming pool. Throughout the book is the looming shadow of the dam at the end of the valley which threatens to cover his land in silt, or worse, submerse it in water. I won't spoil the plot and say what happens with the dam. If you've read "Driving over Lemons", you will welcome the return to El Valero (his house) and the way in which he writes about it. The family has settled in now and life at the farm has matured. His sheep are still the scourge of his wife's veg patch, and the local characters are still the same, perhaps with the exception of Domingo who seems to be talented at anything he turns his hand to - his talents step up in this instalment and I found this turn of events really built him up as a character. I have a large soft spot for the "lemons" trilogy - I've been drawn in to the goings on at El Valero and share the author's ups and downs during his relating of events like the green algae in the swimming pool, the fight against the red tape which wraps itself tightly around the dam saga and the mini "war" he fights against Porca, the parrot. Throughout, he writes with warmth in an agreeable manner, and there is plenty of humour - not gags, just wry observations about his everyday life as a farmer, his neighbours and being a father and husband. Summary Book two of the "lemons" trilogy is a cracker, if you enjoyed "Driving over lemons" then you'll enjoy this. The full five stars from me. Read the complete review |
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Genre: Travel / Travel Book / Author: Simon Garfield / Hardcover / 468 Pages / Book is published 2012-10-04 by Profile Books |
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Genre: Travel / Travel Book / Author: Alan Root / Hardcover / 336 Pages / Book is published 2012-09-06 by Chatto & Windus |
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Genre: Travel / Travel Book / Author: Charlie Connelly / Hardcover / 336 Pages / Book is published 2012-09-13 by Little, Brown |
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Genre: Travel / Travel Book / Author: Clarissa Dickson Wright / Hardcover / 432 Pages / Book is published 2012-09-13 by Hodder & Stoughton |
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1 review Authors: Lindsay Brown, Daniel McCrohan, John Noble, Abigail Hole / Travel Book / 3rd Edition: Aug 2011 |
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1 review Paperback: 224 pages / Travel Book / Publisher: Sanctuary Publishing Ltd / Published: 5 Jan 2004 |
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Paperback: 392 pages / Travel Book / Publisher: HarperCollins India / Published: 30 Dec 2011 |
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Genre: Travel / Travel Book / Author: Julia Blackburn / Paperback / 272 Pages / Book is published 2012-07-05 by Vintage |
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Genre: Travel / Travel Book / Author: Steve Boggan / Paperback / 304 Pages / Book is published 2012-07-01 by Union Books |
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Author: Iain Aitch / Travel Book / 320 pages / Publisher: Review / Released: June 7, 2004 |
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