One Hundred Desert Wildflowers of the Southwest

One Hundred Desert Wildflowers of the Southwest
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One Hundred Desert Wildflowers of the Southwest
Janice E. Bowers
Manufacturer: Western Natl Parks Assoc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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70 Common Cacti of the Southwest

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Sonoran Desert Wildflowers: A Field Guide to the Common Wildflowers of the Sonoran Desert, Including Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, Saguaro National Park, Organ Pipe National Monument, Ironwood Forest National Monument, and the Sonoran Portion of Joshua Tree National Park

ASIN: 091140872X

Book Description

Describes and depicts 100 Southwest desert flowers. Photos by the author and others. Includes index.

One Hundred Desert Wildflowers in Natural Color (Popular series)

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One Hundred Desert Wildflowers in Natural Color (Popular series)
Natt Noyes Dodge
Manufacturer: Western Natl Parks Assoc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Seaworthy Offshore Sailboat: A Guide to Essential Features, Handling, and Gear
Average customer rating:

Alll of what you need to know

Buy This Book

Good Advice

Have some doubts

The Seaworthy Offshore Sailboat

Seaworthy Offshore Sailboat: A Guide to Essential Features, Handling, and Gear
John Vigor
Manufacturer: International Marine/Ragged Mountain Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 007137616X

Book Description

"An invaluable resource. [Vigor's] practical wisdom gives you the know-how and confidence to prepare your boat for the sea."--Cruising World. Here is the book that answer the sailor's fundamental question--"Can my boat take me offshore safely?"--then shows how to make it happen.

Customer Reviews:

Alll of what you need to know.......2005-10-06

This book is well written and covers everything you need to know for an off shore voyager. I believe it is a must read for before a first time offshore journey.

Buy This Book.......2003-06-18

Even if you do not plan to sail shorthanded thousands of miles offshore it's a very good idea to understand in detail what makes your boat seaworthy in difficult circumstances and to make it so.

This book is a very thorough and very readable treatment of the subject of everything you need to know about a sailboat (except how to sail; that part is assumed). These sorts of things distinguish good sailors from the mass of recreational sailors and I, for one, have an ambition to become the former. If you do, too, then this is a great book to read several times.

The Black Box theory of why some people are lucky and others aren't relates to preparedness and if only once in your life you need it, then it's worth it to you and your companions to have taken the trouble.

Good Advice.......2002-01-23

You can easily pick up three books on offshore sailing and get three separate opinions of what type of boat you need. A fast boat will get across the pond faster. A big boat adds stability and can carry lots of accessories like auxiliary generators and water makers. John's theory is that you should get a boat that can be handled well by a small crew and tough enough to handle any weather that you are likely to run into. Since his opinion parallels my own, I can only assume that he is obviously a sailing genius. This book is highly recommended for anyone contemplating a voyage over the horizon.

Have some doubts.......2002-01-09

I'm not 100% sure of the value of the book, most of the concepts are well known and of little importance for my point of view. In some arguments it lacks of depht...

The Seaworthy Offshore Sailboat.......2001-12-28

This book presents the detail descriptions of what makes a boat seaworthy. This is immediately followed by suggestions on what to improve and methods to go about doing so. The author does not just turn you over to the yard but rather recommends the procedure to be done. A welcomed addition to my library and a recommended read for anyone considering going offshore.

Book Description

There's no need to lose face, forgo the Peking duck or miss the slow boat down the Yangtze. This phrasebook will prove more valuable on the road than a bicycle in Beijing.

Customer Reviews:

LonelyPlanet delivers once again.......2007-10-13

In my opinion, these are the best phrasebooks out there. The sections are all color coded and organized in an easy to use way, making it easy to locate the phrase you want to use. Much easier than the rest of them out there that are just white page after white page which makes it incredibly hard to dig through. These books will teach you what you need to know.

The universe in a nutshell.......2007-09-27

This book has almost everything you need, although i think you need some sort of knowledge cause its kinda hard too, but anyways this book its worth it, trust me

Useful but Flawed.......2007-07-11

This book is flawed, but I use it anyway because it's easy to carry around and use.

My qualifications: I live in Taiwan. I've been studying Mandarin for about a year, but only in a class for the past six months. I have carried this guide around with me almost continuously for most of the past year and have used it in a variety of situations.

The flaws:

-Some words are incorrect. Example: the word for "jump" is "tiao2" not "pao3" (which means "run"). The word given for "pineapple" is the Thai word. My Chinese teacher has also corrected my use of various dairy product words such as "cream" and "yogurt" (I derived them from this book). Perhaps some of this is due to the difference between Taiwan Mandarin and Beijing Mandarin, but I doubt all the errors can be explained in that way.

-The book only has simplified characters, which means it's more difficult to use in Taiwan (which uses traditional characters.) Lonely Planet does not provide an equivalent phrasebook with traditional characters.

-Some of the words are not useful. Why would a traveler need to talk about the ozone layer in Mandarin? If I go to mainland China, would it be sensible to discuss Tibetan separatism or the Falun Gong? Though interesting, some of the vocabulary is useless, or perhaps even dangerous to use on the mainland (I'm speaking from what I have read about free speech in the PRC, not personal experience).

-The pronunciation guide to Pinyin makes generalizations that can be damaging to the accents of students of the Mandarin language. For example, "q" is not equivalent to the "ch" in "churn". It's a different sound altogether (though it seems similar to the untrained Western ear). I understand the author simplified the pronunciation guide for clarity and brevity, but I have found it quite misleading.

-Some of the phrases do not literally mean what the book says they do. Putting the literal meaning in parentheses would be helpful (the guide does this some, but not enough). Example: "bu2shi4" literally means "is not" not "no". (This means it doesn't make sense to use it as a response to statements or questions that don't use "shi4"). Perhaps my Mandarin isn't that good (I've been formally studying for half a year now), but I've noticed differences between literal and supposed meanings several times.

-The cover is not durable. I've had to bind mine with tape to keep it from falling apart.

But, the phrasebook has these good points:

-It's small and easy to carry.

-The dictionary in the back is easy to use and has a lot of useful words.

-This guide is more practical than some others on the market.

PINYIN IS BACK IN 6TH ED.......2007-05-25

Please note that the product sold on this page is the 6th edition September 2006. This edition marks REINTRODUCTION OF PINYIN.
Best phrasebook on the market though not perfect. Issues with format, not really with content.
Front grammar section is useful, but compartmentalized format in relatively newer editions makes it harder to follow. Questionable advice claims no tones are more understandable than bad tones.
Very thorough coverage of situations, including those never encountered (e.g. drugs, expressing interest in indigenous issues). As a 5 years student of Mandarin, I find the phrases accurate if sometimes stilted, but colloquial expressions given are still current.
I only wish the color coded category tabs were more effectively used. It is hard to find phrases quickly, as it is hard to find specific situations within the five categories of tools, practical, social, food, safe travel, and dictionary.
Anyhow, I will take this book along on upcoming trip to Beijing. (Have studied mostly modern literature and newspaper in Chinese, still don't know word for can opener!)

I couldn't have survived without it! .......2006-09-13

I think for the tourist, this phrasebook is invaluable. Honestly, in 2 weeks I wasn't going to learn to write or speak Chinese well enough to hold a conversation. I used this book as a rudimentary way of communicating, by looking up phrases or words, then pointing to the characters. It really helped me in quite a few different situations. Also made a nice conversation piece on a long distance train ride--the staff were looking up words and trying their English! I can see how this would be useless if you are trying to navigate street signs, or learn to speak the language. But for a tourist who will be in and out of the country, I thought it was great!

Average customer rating:

Great travel companion
4th Edition - please!!
Without pinyin, this book is close to worthless
Useful
Fine for Tourists

Mandarin Phrasebook (Lonely Planet)
Charles Qin , and Justin Rudelson
Manufacturer: Lonely Planet Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Foreign Languages | Reference | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0864426526

Book Description

Mandarin is the official language of China, Taiwan and Singapore and one of the most widely spoken languages in the world.

phrases cover everything the traveller in China might need
plenty of cultural information as well as tips on what to do and see
Chinese script and a phonetic transcription is included with every phrase
pronunciation section includes easy-to-understand details on tones so that your Mandarin will be understood
grammar section for those who want to know a little more than just phrases
thumb tabs and index for easy reference

Customer Reviews:

Great travel companion.......2005-10-28

This book is a great travel companion if you go to China and speak little mandarin. It saved me on numerous occasion (train station, shopping, restaurant); I like it so much that i bought the Italian and French one for other trips.

I like the topics covered and having the characters, pinyin and english translation side by side is very convenient. I often pointed at a sign or a sentence to get some help. Tourist books vocabulary section are really useless for a weeklong trip.

Quick note: the back cover states: USA 7.95$...

a HAPPY TRAVELER

4th Edition - please!!.......2005-07-28

Yep, the latest edition of Lonely Planet Mandarin Phrase book, (5th) edition, is indeed next to useless for those of us actually trying to learn the language. In their wisdom the publishers decided to drop Pinyin for a phonetic system that no one understands. Word is from LP they have had plenty of 'feedback' on this issue, but are not planning to change anything at the moment. The only alternative is to find the $50 or so for a used 4th edition, or try Berlitz or other competitor.

Without pinyin, this book is close to worthless.......2005-07-12

I have to admit great disappointment when I picked up the latest edition of the Mandarin Phrasebook. I've studied Chinese for about 2 years, but enjoyed the quick, portable convenience of LP's previous phrasebook editions. The removal of pinyin in this one, however, was idiotic. Pinyin is used on a great many things (signs, ads, street names, etc) in China, and can be decently understood by the time one's plane touches down. Only a few letters differ significantly from standard English speech. For me, and anyone else who is used to pinyin, it's a pointless hassle trying to decipher this book's non-standard pronounciation system.

Useful.......2004-10-23

This book has two uses, for people who know nothing about the language it can be used as a way of pointing to the phrases so people can read the characters from the book. I wouldn't rely on the book as a translator for that purpose. It has quite a few basic phrases but the two way dictionary does have many typo's as well as it isn't always two way.

When you have some experience with how to pronounce pin-yin (which will require some immersion in the language either through some formal course, or a chinese friend) you MAY start to be able to use the book to build your vocabulary. As mentioned it is focused on the beijing speak, which a lot of Chinese will understand) However you may not understand them.

If you have never learnt to pronounce Chinese you simply can't just read the pin-yin and have people understand you. Buy a language course to complement this book.

Fine for Tourists.......2004-03-05

This little book includes the basics that you would expect from a pocket phrasebook and also includes a two-way dictionary which may come in handy. This latter feature is an addition to the previous edition and it adds considerably to the heft of the book. It is pretty much what you would expect from a phrasebook with the requisite inclusion of the counting system (with pictures of the hand-signs which is helpful), useful expressions, and help getting around. It also includes both pinyin and simplified Chinese characters which means that if you cannot pronounce the tones correctly (you won't!) you can show it to someone. Be warned, I have met taxi drivers who cannot read Chinese.

A major caveat is that most Chinese do not speak Mandarin but a local dialect. They mention this in the introduction but it could be stronger. Even in the large cities there are some who do not speak Mandarin and although you may be able to make yourself understood, you will not understand them!

There are a few problems with the book, beginning with several typographical errors and exclusions. This seems troublesome when you may be relying on it to get you out of a jam. Secondly, this edition includes a list of profanity with the caveat that if "you hear these words you should be on your way." Users of this book will not know enough Mandarin to recognise what they are hearing and it seems an invitation for assault to consider using them yourself.

Customer Reviews:

Great phrasebook.......2000-02-19

This is an excellent little phrasebook. I'd have to say I like the Rough Guide one a little more, but that is somewhat personal preference.

LP gives you a great grammar introduction and gives practical phrases for a lot of situations. The "vocabulary" section is a poor substitute for a little dictionary and this is my biggest complaint.

The Rough Guide Phrasebook is much better........1999-03-26

I used the Lonely Planet Guide until I found the Rough Guide Phrasebook. I found myself using more Chinese once I started using the Rough Guide because I could find the words I needed more quickly. The Chinese-English section is brief but invaluable.

As EVERYONE knows..........1998-10-16

Anyone who has gotten this far to check the reviews and knows LP for their work, knows that you can't consider travelling in China without the LP China book. It is to those people I speak when I say, I would not return to China without the phrasebook as well. Unlike the rest of SE Asia, having the phrasebook for Mandarin REALLY makes your life easier in mainland China. The 'meals' catagory alone pays for itself. (You can point to something and they can tell you if they have it).

Some phrasebooks only have the pin-yin not the characters ! USELESS ! You need this book as much as the LP China. It is a great conversation starter on the train when you pass it around (much safer and easier than passing around your invaluable LP China bible). You will find the locals love to point at characters and then have you figure out what they mean. (Also bring a picture phrasebook if you can find one at a Travel store...usually a brochure sized card).

Lonely Planet Traveltalk Mandarin Chinese (Traveltalk)
Average customer rating:

Old and Bad Material!

Lonely Planet Traveltalk Mandarin Chinese (Traveltalk)
Lonely Planet
Manufacturer: Penton Overseas
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD
ASIN: 1591258286

Book Description

Get the words you need to communicate and get around, plus a musical introduction to your destination! The classic audio of 300 essential travel words & phrases. An enhanced audio CD with the U-Print PDF quick-reference audio guide NEW! A music CD offering a variety of selections reflecting national culture NEW! The latest edition of the comprehensive Lonely Planet Phrasebook with two-way dictionary and cultural insights. The unique audio includes both what you hear and what you say to interact with locals at hotels, restaurants, shops - anywhere your travels take you! The enhanced CD with PDF audio guide means that you can reprint it any time you need - perfect for groups! Meanwhile, what better way to immerse yourself in the culture than listening to its rhythms!

Customer Reviews:

Old and Bad Material!.......2007-05-12

As a Chinese language teacher, this book is the worst of the many Chinese language books that I have. Like any music, some are good and some are bad. The music CD inluded in the book is so bad, all the way through! The whole thing seems to be repackaged and converted to a CD from an old cassette. Do not waste your money.

Lonely Planet Traveltalk Chinese Mandarin (Traveltalk)

Average customer rating:

Lonely Planet Traveltalk Chinese Mandarin (Traveltalk)
Inc. Penton Overseas
Manufacturer: Penton Overseas
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: 1591252970

Average customer rating:

Chinese Cantonese : Travel Talk

Lonely Planet Travel Talk Chinese Mandarin (Travel Talk)
Justin Rudelson
Manufacturer: Penton Overseas
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette

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Book Description

In each compact TravelTalk kit: 60-minute audio cassette in both English and the target language provides key words and phrases with accurate native pronunciationHandy fold-out audio guide for quick on-the-spot reference and reinforcementLonely Planet Phrasebook/Dictionary features clear and comprehensive grammar chapters, an extensive, 2-way dictionary, information on local culture plus travel tips

Customer Reviews:

Chinese Cantonese : Travel Talk.......2000-09-13

The book's great, the cassette is crap. So I'll only tell you that what you learn on the cassette is a series of disconnected words or phrases, which will only help you if you have the precise problem with you hotel room as the speakers on the tape - otherwise, you're stuck.

Taalgids - Mandarijn (Lonely Planet Dutch Phrasebooks)

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Taalgids - Mandarijn (Lonely Planet Dutch Phrasebooks)

Manufacturer: Lonely Planet Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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