Travel Recent Picks

December 2010

The title-underlined links will take you directly to our catalogue.
Some featured items are linked via a book cover to enable you to read more reviews.

Art + travel Europe : step into the lives of five famous painters : a curated guide to your obsessions / [editors: Heather Corcoran, Stef Schwalb].
"It's amazing what the imagination can divine. It's even more amazing when you can see it. That is what makes some artists so unique and some creations so iconic. It's easy to become obsessed with a painting that inspires you, but the question remains: What inspired the artist? The answer: Inspiration can come from anywhere or anything but is most often influenced by ones surroundings. So that's where we're going. Join us on a literal expedition to the places your favorite artists lived, loved, and labored. Get in sync with the cities they're synonymous with, and in the process, become inspired all over again." (Syndetics summary)

Nothing to lose but your life : an 18-hour journey with Murad / Suad Amiry.
"A tomboy at heart, driven by adventure and a desire to understand what her less privileged compatriots go through, architect and university professor Suad Amiry disguises herself as a man and crosses the Israeli border illegally to seek work in the Israeli town of Petah Tikva. The 18-hour journey that she braves with Murad and his brother Mohammed starts with a bumpy late night ride in a bus crammed with other illegal workers - all men - whose endless stories are both horrifying and amusing. "Nothing to Lose But Your Life" is a vivid account of a grueling journey but also a lamentation for lost land and for simpler, more peaceful times". (Amazon UK)

A rift in time : travels with my Ottoman uncle / Raja Shehadeh.
"Raja Shehadeh is the most celebrated Palestinian writer working today. To his surprise, when researching his family history, he discovered a great uncle who had also been a writer entangled with the authorities, and who, like Raja, had dedicated his life to the freedom of the Palestinian people. Najib was a journalist and romantic living in Palestine, then part of the Ottoman Empire. When he voiced his opposition to Ottoman participation in the First World War, a death sentence was put on his head. So he fled, living on the run and off the land for nearly three years. The quest for Najib, the details of his life, and the route of his great escape consumed Raja for two years. As he traces Najib’s footsteps, he discovers that today it would be impossible to flee the cage that Palestine has become. A Rift in Time is a family memoir, but it is also a reflection on how Palestine – in particular the disputed Jordan Rift Valley – has been transformed. Most of Palestine’s history and that of its people is buried deep in the ground: whole villages have disappeared and names have been erased from the map. Yet by seeing the bigger picture of the landscape and the unending struggle for freedom as Raja does, it is still possible to look towards a better future, free from Israeli or Ottoman oppression." (Amazon UK)

Escape to the Pole : two Kiwi guys dodge crevasses, starvation and marriage / Kevin Biggar.

Beneath the sands of Egypt : adventures of an unconventional archaeologist / Donald P. Ryan.
"Ryan, an archaeologist, Egyptologist, and writer who teaches in the humanities division at Pacific Lutheran U., provides a memoir of his experiences excavating sites in Egypt, including his rediscovery of Egypt's famous female pharaoh, Hatshepsut, in the Valley of the Kings. He recounts his adventures from his first trip in 1981 as a graduate student to his discovery of Hatshepsut in 1989 and subsequent discoveries, as well as his education and experiences in Egyptology, the process of becoming an archaeologist, working with eccentric colleagues, and presenting archeology to the public. B&w photos are included. Annotation ©2010 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)" (Syndetics summary)

Live fast, die young : misadventures in rock 'n' roll America / Chris Price & Joe Harland.
"Disappointed to learn that Hotel California isn’t actually in the phone book, radio producers Chris and Joe resolve to seek out the true spirit of rock and roll America. Roof down and stereo up, they drive coast to coast on a mission to ‘live the music’. They will sell their souls to the devil on the same crossroads as Robert Johnson, taste the loneliness of the ‘Wichita Lineman’ (and the fried peanut butter sandwich that finished off The King), hang out with the spirit of Johnny Cash in his own front room and, sitting on a jetty by an alligator-infested lake, sing ‘Happy Birthday’ to country-rock musician Gram Parsons. But first they must learn the ukulele, grow preposterous facial hair and fail to get into the Chateau Marmont with a rising popstar – and that’s just day one. It’s a tale of friendship tested to the limit, great melodies, perfect lyrics and noble myths."(Amazon UK)

52 weekends by the sea / Brigid Benson& Craig Easton.
"Every year we have 52 weekends--104 days--to ourselves, to do whatever we want. Yet how often to we actually take advantage of this precious time? This inspiring collection is about getting out there, exploring, and celebrating the best the British coastline has to offer--52 great escapes for explorers, romantics, moms, dads, and kids seeking to savor the seaside in all its moods...." (Syndetics summary)

Cruise ship SOS : the life-saving adventures of a doctor at sea / Ben MacFarlane.
"Who are you going to call if it all goes wrong at sea? Sometimes funny, sometimes sad, always absolutely real, "Cruise Ship S.O.S." is a unique account of one incredible year at sea for Dr. Ben MacFarlane....." (Syndetics summary)

Portugal / main consultant, Martin Symington.

San Francisco & northern California / [main contributors, Jamie Jensen, Barry Parr].

The rough guide to Crete / written and researched by John Fisher and Geoff Garvey.

Reykjavik.
Thomas Cook pocket guides

Kiev.
Thomas Cook pocket guides

Previous Travel Recent Picks