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.
Book Description
The ultimate guide to the hit program Charmed, this is both a book of spells and a key to the mysteries of the show.
The Book of Shadows celebrates the best of Charmed, from its roots in the ancient tradition of Wicca to insider information on the show's stars. N.E. Genge not only provides fascinating background details for the show's Wiccan elements, but also guides readers in performing their own magic. Fans with a witchy bent will learn about the tools of magic and divination and the casting of spells. Recipes and rituals -- from those that beckon love or bless a new business venture to those that bequeath strength or bestow fortune -- are all included.
The Book of Shadows is a sassy celebration of witches, sisterhood, and magic.
This book has not been prepared, approved, licensed, endorsed, or in any way authorized by any entity that created or produced Charmed.
Customer Reviews:
Neat book, not exactly what I thought it'd be........2007-06-13
I am a die hard Charmed fan and my daughter has recently through re-runs caught the bug,so I ordered this book for her birthday assuming it would be like the "Book of Shadows" on the show. I expected pictures and descriptions of demons and things and the spells they'd cast on the show. It did have some of the spells, and a lot of information on the wiccan religion but, not a demon or ghost in sight. While I find wicca interesting if I wanted a book about it I'd have ordered one on the subject. In it's favor if your'e interested in the craft or in behind the scenes information on the show you'd like the book but, it's not the companion book the title suggests.
"Charming" book..........2007-05-20
I love this book. It has all sorts of information about Wicca, spells, and more and lots of interesting tid bits about the show "Charmed" that for a fan is really a plus!!!
More about Wicca than "Charmed" .......2007-02-13
I think the book is fun to read, yet I wanted something that related more to the show. However, I have an interest in gemstones and the book goes into detail about the use of them as well as candles and herbs. So, it's interesting and fun, but may not be exactly what you want if you're more interested in the show.
Excellent.......2007-02-10
This is a really cool book has tidbits about the show and all the girls.If your a fan of the show Charmed.This is a must have for your collection.
It's interesting.......2007-01-18
The book was more about wicca then the actually show. I bought it because I thought it was more show oriented. If wicca doesn't interest you I wouldn't buy it.
Book Description
From the publishers of The Unofficial Guide® to Walt Disney World®
"A Tourist's Best Friend!"
—Chicago Sun-Times
"Indispensable"
—The New York Times
Five Great Features and Benefits offered ONLY by The Unofficial Guide®:
- Every attraction ranked and rated for each age group, based on interviews and surveys of more than 7,500 families
- When and where to go: the best times of the year and the best days of the week for each park
- All the Disneyland-area hotels ranked and rated for value and quality of rooms
- Field tested itineraries for adults and families with children that can save more than three hours of waiting in line
- Complete coverage of Disney's California Adventure® theme park and Universal Studios Hollywood
Sample Rating
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; ......5. Not to be missed. Duration of ride 4 minutes. Loading speed Moderate.
Customer Reviews:
Don't go to Disneyland without it!.......2007-09-24
I love the whole "Unofficial Guide" series and always buy it before I vacation. The Guide to Disneyland doesn't disappoint with wonderful insights about the attraction. I especially love their touring plans and count on them when I go to a Disney park. Don't go to a Disney attraction without these!
Useful.......2007-08-22
I live near the park, I have an annual pass, and I've been going on and off since I was 3. I'm well acquainted with the place I think, but I actually kind of freak out a bit when confronted with out of town friends who want me to show them around. Because that's an entirely different set of goals for a trip, particularly if they're traveling from far away and only have one day.
In an effort not to turn into Mike Griswold I got this book. Because as often as I go, I go to relax and socialize with my friends who also have APs, not to do research. The book has all of the information I had hoped for and then some. (I didn't know I wanted a "Small Child Fright Potential Chart" until I had one!) Traffic patterns, average wait times, ride length, and best of all are the suggested touring plans. (Which are good for those times I say to my day tripping friends "Okay, is there anything you just GOTTA ride or see?" and they respond with blank stares and shrugs.)
The writer has a good sense of humor and presents the information in a casual way gets the point across... I don't like the art though... The little cartoons sprinkled throughout are amusing but the style is kind of creepy. That's the worst thing I can say about it though.
Obviously, the book is more useful for travelers, but if you're a local who has some people coming in for a visit? This book is your friend too.
The Unofficial Guide - DON'T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT IT!.......2007-07-27
For every vacation we have ever taken I have purchased one of these books (Disneyland, Las Vegas, Best RV & Tent Campgrounds, etc.). That is a testimony unto itself. Reason being is that they are so full of valuable time saving, money saving, information-rich information.
The Disneyland guide told us to get to the park at least an hour before they open and get in line. With older kids/young teens it said to plan to dash to the "big" rides right out of the gate. It tipped us off on the value of the fast passes and how all that works. The first time we showed up for our time slot to ride a ride that we had a fast pass for and got to walk past the enormous lines of people to a line with a wait of maybe 5 or 10 minutes and then got to ride the ride like we were VIPs or something, WOW!!! That was awesome. The book informed us of the best and worst times of year to visit the park, and the best and worst times of day. It rated the food value and quality at all the venues, and gave us tips on how to save money on drinks and snacks.
I gotta tell ya, don't do Disneyland without this book. Read it cover to cover before you leave home, earmark the pages and make notes, and be stunned at how right on that information was. Bon Voyage!
Excelent guide........2007-07-19
Very detailed description of the attractions and the touring plans. The version we used in Orlando worked very well and we are hoping the same results in Disneyland by next week.
Good, but somewhat disappointing.......2007-07-11
The book is very useful, but after having read the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World by the same author, I was disappointed in this book. It lacked a lot of the information that I found most useful in the Disney World book, crowd calendar, best rooms in each hotel, hotel room floor plans, and ratio of kids to characters at the various character meals. I sure do hope the next edition adds this information to bring it up to the extraordinary level of the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World, which I highly recommend.
Book Description
From the publishers of The Unofficial Guide(r) to Walt Disney World(r)
"A Tourist's Best Friend!"
-Chicago Sun-Times
"Indispensable"
-The New York Times
Five Great Features and Benefits
offered ONLY by The Unofficial Guide(r):
* Each casino reviewed in detail and ranked, from the best values to the hottest slots
* Helpful hints for getting the best room and the lowest possible rate-and the inside story on packages and Internet booking
* Insider tips on casino gambling, with proven strategies for making the most of your betting dollars
* Where to find the best buffets, plus detailed reviews of more than 100 restaurants-a complete dining guide within the book
* Tips for gaining easy access to the top shows and best evening entertainment, plus reviews of each
Sample Rating
Cirque du Soleil's Mystere
Appeal by Age under 21 21-37
38-50 51+H
Host casino and showroom T. I.-Cirque du Soleil Showroom; # 702-894-7722 or 800-392-1999
Type of show Circus as theater. Admission cost with taxes $95/$60, limited seats. Cast size 75. Nights of lowest attendance Thursday. Usual show times Wednesday-Saturday, 7:30 and 10:30 p.m.; Sunday, 4:30 and 7:30 p.m. Dark Monday and Tuesday. Special comments No table service (no tables!). Topless No. Author's rating ..... Duration of presentation 1H hours.
Customer Reviews:
Good Book to Take to Vegas.......2007-07-17
We have used the other "Unofficial" Guide books and this one had good info that we used while in Vegas. Excellent reviews for shows and food. We were not disappointed. Would like to see Timeshare Accomodations included in the lodging. Our timeshare experience was excellent. A great option instead of the standard hotel. Another excellent "Unofficial" guide.
Good to know info before you visit Las Vegas.......2007-05-12
My wife and I spent a week in Las Vegas recently. We've been going there every few years. The information and maps provided come in very handy. The hotel reviews are on the button. We stayed at the New York New York, and the review was about right. Last year, we stayed at the Monte Carlo, and again, the review was on the button. We had some excellent steaks at Mon Ami Gabi, not far from our hotel. If you plan on staying in Las Vegas for longer than a week, you will want this book.
Second "Unofficial" book I purchased!.......2007-04-07
I really like these "Unofficial" guides. Las Vegas changes so much that you almost have to buy a book yearly but I waited for 4 years to buy this one and it's just right! I can't tell you how accurate the information is until I take my trip but it sure has helped in the planning stages.
All things Unofficial.........2007-03-18
Great source of information for my Vegas trip. I love all of the unofficial Guides. Great for finding in city discounts and information.
Going to Vegas? Read this first!.......2007-03-11
If you want the skinny on Las Vegas this is a great book to read. With a city as spectacular as "Sin City," you want an authoritative book that spells it all out. This book does just that. Definitely worth reading before you go to the glamor capital of the world.
Frank Scoblete: author of Golden Touch Dice Control Revolution! and Golden Touch Blackjack Revolution!
Average customer rating:
- Doesn't "Officially" measure up
- Good basic guide to traveling in the District of Columbia
- Invaluable planning guide
- All things unoffical
- Ehh, I took it, I used it, I found the errors
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The Unofficial Guide to Washington, D.C. (Unofficial Guides)
Eve Zibart , and
Joe Surkiewicz
Manufacturer: Wiley
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Similar Items:
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Streetwise Washington, DC (Streetwise)
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The Official Guide to the Smithsonian
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Frommer's Washington, D.C. 2006 (Frommer's Complete)
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Frommer's Washington, D.C. 2007 (Frommer's Complete)
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Washington, D.C. (Eyewitness Travel Guides)
ASIN: 0470042087 |
Book Description
- Guides travelers to Washington's best cultural and historic sights-and offers helpful hints on how to beat the crowds and avoid long waits
- More than 75 in-depth restaurant reviews explain where to find a good meal
- Incisive hotel ratings show how to find the best lodgings at the best prices
- Shows how to get around, how to see the government work, and where to find parks and outdoor activities.
Customer Reviews:
Doesn't "Officially" measure up.......2007-08-05
Bought this book because I wouldn't go to Disney World without the Unofficial Guide. Several errors. Should have mentioned the Circulator. We took a family of 4. The review on several attractions - including the International Spy Musuem contained too much of the author's own political agenda. There were not enough family oriented and reasonably priced restaurants reviewed. I discovered I was only a couple blocks from a lot of good restaurants, but couldn't figure out, from this book how far they were. I would buy the other books before this one.
Good basic guide to traveling in the District of Columbia.......2007-06-26
A good basic guide to travel in the District of Columbia, although the author (at least in the 2007 edition I read) seems unnecessarily obsessed with crime in DC (I traveled in DC mostly by myself this past week and felt pretty safe) and gives out some dangerous advice for dealing with crime (such as throwing your wallet at a thief and running in the other direction and shouting at the top of your lungs, which sounds like a great way to get shot or stabbed). Some details are also just inaccurate: a week pass for the Metro costs $32.50, not $11.00. The instructions on using Metro farecard machines are too detailed to do anything but confuse you if you've never used the machines before. There's a little too much space spent on getting oriented and not enough spent on what you can do for fun and excitement and interest once you've gotten oriented.
But the book does have some good descriptions of the basic tourist attractions (not much on attractions in the outer neighborhoods, though), along with some detailed and helpful advice on how to navigate the confusing DC area as a first-time visitor. All stuff you could find in other guidebooks, perhaps, but there are also some surprisingly good maps of the center of DC, and there's even a map of the Convention Center. The informal tone of the book is a nice change from the usual bland tone you find in Frommer's and other guides.
Invaluable planning guide.......2007-04-30
The Unofficial Guide to Washington, DC offers comprehensive information in a clear, concise style. There is plenty of basic information about how to get around in the city using the Metro, what time of year to go, how to stay safe, etc. In addition, you will find hotel ratings and detailed entries on all major attractions inside the city. The hotel section is probably the weak point of the guide. It offers a numerical rating system but only a few basic items of information on the hotel. There is no written description with the pros and cons of each hotel spelled out for you.
The section on attractions is where this guide makes up for the lack of hotel info. It covers all the museums, memorials, monuments, government buildings, etc. Each entry is highly detailed with full contact information, nearest Metro stop, tips on when to go, full descriptions, touring tips, and other things to do nearby. It is literally everything you want to know when considering a visit to one of the many tourist attractions in the city.
While planning my trip to Washington, DC I bought three guidebooks to the area. This is the only one that I used in the latter stages of planning and also the only one I used when I got to the city. It was easily the most comprehensive and useful of the lot once I had booked my hotel. If you're planning a trip to the capitol and can only buy one guide, get this one.
All things unoffical.......2007-03-18
I really like these guides they provide detail information on anywhere you may decide to travel. I own 3 disney, las vegas and washington dc. I learned where to eat, sleep and tour.
Ehh, I took it, I used it, I found the errors.......2006-07-25
The errors in this guidebook, let me count them.
(1) Information on the Mount Vernon tours was wrong. The departure times for the two touring companies were mixed up. (It's a good thing I thought to call ahead!)
(2) The phone number given for the National Archives was no longer in operation.
(3) Yes, it's true the subway doesn't go to Georgetown, but as of 2006, D.C. offers a bus line, The Circulator, that does.
(4) The Smithsonian National Museum of American History had already begun a staggered closing of many of its exhibits for a 2007 building renovation, something this guidebook never mentioned. (Thanks NMAH web site!)
I bought this title particularly because it was published in 2005 & it was the most up-to-date, well-reviewed title I could find, but I found a handful of time-wasting errors in it over a span of four days.
Being a first time visitor to Washington D.C. I would have appreciated a guidebook that had color photographs of buildings, monuments, & major art works, but except for the front cover this book has no photos. As for the book layout, I appreciated the subway & D.C. maps on the inside front & back cover, but I had a hard time finding sections of the book without laboriously using the index. This is not a guidebook to be looking through while you're on the go. The restaurant listings also seemed unnecessarily limited. I didn't spend much time sightseeing because I was attending a convention, or I, no doubt, would have encountered more inaccurate information.
After thumbing through several guidebooks before my visit, I would recommend the DK (Dorling Kindersley) Eyewitness or Top 10 glossy photographic guidebooks. You can probably find sites with hotel ratings & information just as easily on the web. And you can always look up phone numbers & addresses for attractions in your hotel's yellow pages, which you may have to do anyway with this book. I wanted to purchase a guidebook that was text-heavy, but that also increases the odds that some of the information will be wrong.
If you e-mail your U.S. Senator or Representative or visit the D.C. tourism website, they will send you free guidebooks with a Calendar of Events & descriptions of tourist attractions that are as helpful as what you will find in this book &, in my experience, more up-to-date. Three-and-a-half out of five stars for this guidebook. Wasted time is wasted money.
Book Description
What exactly is a slope? What's the difference between a tile and a plate? Why is it bad to simply stack bricks in columns to make a wall? The Unofficial LEGO Builder's Guide is here to answer your questions.
Focusing on building actual models with real bricks, The Unofficial LEGO Builder's Guide comes with complete instructions to build several cool models but also encourages you to use your imagination to create your own fantastic creations.
Inside, you'll learn:
- The best ways to connect bricks and creative uses for those patterns
- Tricks for calculating and using scale (it's not as hard as you think)
- The step-by-step plans to create a train station on the scale of LEGO people (a.k.a. "minifigs")
- How to build spheres, jumbo-sized LEGO bricks, micro-scaled models, and a mini space shuttle
- Tips for sorting and storing all of your LEGO pieces
The Unofficial LEGO Builder's Guide also includes the Brickopedia, a visual guide to nearly 300 of the most useful and reusable elements of the LEGO system, with historical notes, common uses, part numbers, and the year each piece first appeared in a LEGO set.
The firm foundation for your LEGO hobby starts here!
Customer Reviews:
Excellent Reference Book and Helpful Author.......2007-09-16
The Unofficial Guide helped me to figure out the next step to helping my sons with Legos. We have several kits and its all a big mess. However, now with this book, I have been able to organize my thoughts and come up with a way to make Legos a good learning tool. The book has many helpful tips about Lego building techniques and terminology. Its a great reference book. Specifically, the Brickopedia section in the back shows that each part has a part number. In addition, the reference to the BrickLink web page to order missing parts was helpful. I also sent an email to the author and Mr. Bedford responded within 24 hours with a kind and courteous note. Its a great book with an honest and helpful author. Five stars!
The Unofficial LEGO Builder's Guide.......2007-05-08
this isn't very understandable. I didn't like it at all
Helpfull guide with lots of examples.......2007-01-16
As a adult fan of Lego (AFOL) it was a helpful guide in helping me
to design and build my own creation (MOC).
I now have detailed plans combined with creativity and it has begun
to take shape.
Like in the real world building your own house;
With this book you become archetect, contractor and builder.
The book gives a lot of infrmation in 320 pages!
Packed with useful information.......2007-01-13
Who knew there were so many ways to put bricks together? I loved the part showing building techniques which I hadn't tried before. The tips on microscale building allow you to build large scenes with less bricks than other scales. There is a lot of content here, and I highly recommend it.
Eric and Barbara Strand Frisco, TX
The ultimate book for the ultimate building toy!.......2007-01-13
Lego may be the most versatile and beautifully designed construction toy of all time. It's an ingenious blend of engineering, art and fun. Read Allan Bedford's book and you'll probably agree!
I've been a Lego fan for over 40 years, but most of the time I've just been reliving childhood memories from the mid-1960s - occasionally building houses out of red and white bricks, then putting them back into storage. Allan Bedford's book has changed all that. It has shown me what I've been missing all these years!
The creative - and yes, artistic! - potential of Lego is absolutely mind-boggling. Bedford's book explores areas most people couldn't even imagine. There's something for everyone: mosaics and sculptures for artistic types, buildings and vehicles for aspiring architects and engineers, microscale projects for those who prefer or need to keep things really small (note: it's the best way to build things at work without attracting too much attention!), and even sorting and storage tips for serious builders and collectors. And be warned: after you read this book, you won't be able to resist buying a LOT more Lego!
A special feature of Bedford's book is the Brickopedia - an appendix illustrating hundreds of Lego pieces, including the year each was introduced. It alone is worth the price of the book. It made me appreciate the truly brilliant design of the Lego elements that have appeared since the 1960s.
Once you're familiar with the newer Lego bits in the Brickopedia, you'll be delighted with the way they can be used in different Lego constructions. Just recognizing them is half the fun: the front of Santa's sleigh can show up as part of an automobile spoiler; a shark's tooth can morph into the visor of a traffic light; and a snowman's nose can be used as a fire hose nozzle.
One of Picasso's most loved and whimsical sculptures is a bull's head fashioned from a bicycle seat and a pair of handle bars (Tête de taureau,1942). It took artistic vision and a playful creativity to put these components together. Lego opens the door to the vision and creativity that reside within us. Allan Bedford's book is the long-awaited key!
Book Description
From the publishers of The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World
"A Tourist's Best Friend!"
--Chicago Sun-Times
"Indispensable"
--The New York Times
Five Great Features and Benefits offered ONLY by The Unofficial Guide:
* A complete planner to Florence, Rome, and the highlights of Tuscany, Umbria, Latium, and the Marches
* Honest advice that lets you feel safe and comfortable in the heart of Italy--whether you speak Italian or not
* Insider tips on finding the most charming hotels for the best price
* Hundreds of restaurants reviewed and ranked for quality and value
* A complete guide to the region's cultural and historic sights--with helpful hints for making the most of your time
Sample Rating
The Leaning Tower (Torre Pendente)
Appeal by Age Preschool Grade school Teens Young adults Over 30 Seniors
Campo dei Miracoli; # 050 560 547; www.torre.duomo.pisa.it
Type of attraction Icon of Pisa. Admission ¿15 at ticket office; ¿17 for online bookings. Hours Daily, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., guided tours every 40 minutes. When to go This site is always mobbed. Reservations Required. Special comments Local superstition has it that seeing the Leaning Tower before an exam will guarantee a bad grade. How much time to allow 30 minutes. Author's rating
Customer Reviews:
Extremely useful!.......2007-10-04
My husband and I used this guide on our first trip to Rome and Florence. It was well written and well organized. The book contained some great tips about getting around using public transportation in both cities; the included maps were helpful.
Sights were rated based not only upon how interesting they were but on what age groups would be interested in them, from children through senior citizens. The restaurant reviews and recommendations were right on target. Everything from "inexpensive" to "very expensive" eateries were included.
This book was obviously written using input from a variety of real travelers, not some "high-brow" travel critic! The book included information on many smaller towns, too. The only drawback was that the book was a bit on the large side. It fit into a backpack but with the other things we commonly carried, (water bottles, camera), it was a little cumbersome. However, this book contains so much useful information, it was worth taking along! Read it before you go to Italy and take it on your travels. We were glad we did!
Good, Practical guide.......2007-07-25
This guide was very practical and useful in comparison to the guidebook my friend had with her. Hers had a lot of pictures but less practical information. We tried several of the restaurant recommendations - one in particular in Florence was one of our best meals and one of the best prices - half of the cost of any other meal on the trip. One recommended wine shop though was no longer open.
I was also dissappointed that the information on the galleries was not specific about how difficult it can be to get in on certain days - for example, The Uffizzi in Florence is quite difficult to get in to without an advance reservation on a Tuesday because it is closed on Mondays. This was the day I had planned to go and the line was 5 hours long just to attempt to get in.
I think it would also be helpful to include some information on the "after hours" touring options. While pricey, several of the Galleries, including the Vatican Museum have services that can provide a tour after the normal hours of the Museum when all the crowds are gone. This would likely be well worth it if you can afford the option or want to treat yourself to one special tour.
Overall I thought this was a good guidebook and easy to use.
Fun and Well-Rounded.......2007-01-13
I was pleasantly surprised with this book.
The way the attractions are organized, with star ratings for different age groups (apparently culled from tourists at each site) as well as the author's rating (sometimes the same, sometimes better or worse) helped give a better picture of each option, since not everyone likes the same thing.
The mini-history lesson for each town is also a bonus in my opinion. I really enjoy knowing a little background on where I'm going, as I feel it leads to better understanding of the things I see & people I encounter.
It is a little heavy on Rome & Florence, but is also sure to include some really unique spots.
I would definitely buy another one of these guides, but be sure to check the publication date to be sure it's within the last couple of years.
I don't rely on guide books too heavily for lodging or restaurants (I use internet research for that) since even a most recent edition takes some time to come to press and things change. I generally see that section of guide books as a starting point or fall back if needed but not as the primary source. Also, various attractions can vary widely in hours (sometimes they just change or are closed/limited due to constant renovations - just the nature of things in Italy), so be sure to double check directly with the attraction (by phone, e-mail, or on the website) before you go to avoid unexpected dissapointments.
It is also well written (although the editors missed some major typos in page headings and the like, but nothing that detracts from the book) - engaging but still informative, not fluff or personal opinion.
Details, Details..........2006-08-30
This book details each and every inch of Rome and Tuscany. In addition to this, the book was easy to read and follow, complete with excellent hotel, eating and shopping suggestions. I would reccomend it to anyone traveling to Italy!
Awesome, especially restaurant picks.......2006-08-16
My husband and I took this book on our honeymoon to Rome and Florence. We especially enjoyed the restaurant recommendations..every place we tried was excellent. Some things were a bit exaggerated, for example, the book indicated that we needed to be dressed in evening wear at some places, but the other patrons were wearing jeans! Also, it said that English was not spoken at some of the restaurants, but we found that all menus had an English translations and servers were mostly able to communicate with us.
We found the information regarding sightseeing to helpful and accurate as well.
Book Description
Will Harry return to Hogwarts? Is Draco a werewolf? What did happen at Godric's Hollow? What is the sixth Horcrux? Is Snape truly evil? Truly good? Or just out for himself? Who will live?... Who will die? You may think you have to wait for HP Book 7 to answer these questions. But the clues... the set-ups for them have already been cleverly established in Books 1 through 6, and are just waiting for you to put the pieces together. WHAT WILL HARRY DO? is the unofficial guide that will help you unlock the puzzles of the all-encompassing question: What Happens Next?
Customer Reviews:
What Will Harry Do? The Unofficial Guide to Payoffs and Possibilities in Book 7.......2007-08-14
The Book Help alot with some of questions that I had. Then there were some questions that were not answered.
Payoffs and Possibilities in Book 7.......2007-07-28
I found What Will Harry Do? The Unofficial Guide to Payoffs and Possibilities in Book 7 to be excellent. It reminded me of things I had forgotten and some things I had not picked up on while reading. This book not only was a help while waiting for book 7 to be published, but is helpful to those who want to gain a deeper understanding of Harry Potter. I highly recommend reading this book.
QUICK & EASY READ.......2007-07-23
It was a fun book to read prior to the release of The Deadly Hollows.
Best of the Pre-Book 7 Harry Potter speculation books.......2007-07-20
This was the most interesting, readable and new ideas book on speculation of what will be in Harry Potter Book 7 and why.
Fun and Insightful.......2007-07-01
I really enjoyed this book. I think it can be read on many levels by all ages. It serves as a primer or review of unanswered questions in Harry Potter through book six. It offers an analysis of J. K. Rowling's "set ups" and "pay offs" i.e. Rowling's prior mention of important people, items and ideas that will matter later on in the series. For this reason I think this book will be useful even after publication of Book 7 for anyone interested in better understanding Rowling's methods. It does not really offer spoilers for "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" but does offer well reasoned and well defended arguments supporting Batchler's speculations.
Book Description
When you read the Amazon reviews for LSAT prep books, you will see that many make the same recommendation. They recommend that you buy real LSAT tests-specifically "10 More Actual Official LSAT PrepTests."
Unfortunately, there is a dilemma if you use real LSATs. As all the reviewers will caution you, "10 More Actual Official LSAT PrepTests" contains NO explanations for why the correct answers are correct and why the wrong answers are wrong. So, if the answer key says (C) is correct, and you don't understand why, then expect to be very frustrated. Also, the "10 More" book gives no advice for how to solve the problems, how to diagram the games, how to eliminate wrong answers, or how to use simple strategies and shortcuts to find the correct answers.
"LSAT Answers" solves this problem. It explains all 1010 question in "10 More Actual Official LSAT PrepTests." It has detailed analysis and contains the vital strategies, techniques, tricks, and tips you need to achieve an excellent score. It reveals the testing patterns that are repeated year after year.
Use LSAT Answers and learn how to:
Analytical Reasoning Puzzle Games -
Choose and execute the correct diagram (hint, there are only four common diagrams).
Skip the diagramming step for many questions. You will save time, yet still answer them correctly 100% of the time.
Significantly and quickly improve your score in the puzzle games.
Logical Reasoning -
Find the correct answer, faster, by identifying the key issues.
Avoid the "red-flag words" that fool most test takers.
Master the three question types that account for 65% of your logical reasoning score.
Reading Comprehension -
Read for the only three issues that are tested.
Maximize your efficiency if you are a slow reader.
Thousands of Get Prepped classroom students have used "LSAT Answers" to raise their scores. Now you can obtain the same time-tested strategies and techniques for the price of this book.
If you buy only two LSAT prep books, buy "LSAT Answers" and "10 More Actual Official LSAT PrepTests."
Customer Reviews:
Skip it.......2007-01-05
Powerscore gets my thumbs up over anything else out on the market. I took Kaplan and bought books like the one this review is based on and performed mediocre on the LSAT. I took PS weekend course and completed their books on the LSAT (logic games, reasoning, reading comp) and I got into the law school that I was shooting for from the get go. My score increased from 70% percentile to 86% percentile. If you are going to spend the time and effort studying for this most important test, spend it wisely.
Mediocre LSAT Study Aid.......2005-11-28
This book could be a lot stronger. The answers are not visually appealing, the games are laid out in ridiculous ways, there are numerous typos, the authors resort to explanations that amount to "just because", and I have found reasoning flaws in some of their explanations of why an answer is correct.
You might be wasting money on the book, but there isn't another option out there. GetPrepped's explanations in this book are of the same caliber as what I've seen of Kaplan and possibly Princeton Review. The explanations are also surpassed by GetPrepped's next attempt at explanations: 'LSAT Explained: Unofficial Explanations for "The Next 10 LSAT PrepTests"'
If you get this book you'll want to try to figure out why you got a question wrong before you turn towards "Answers" for explanations; even then the explanations may not be completely helpful. Personally, I wouldn't want my understanding of the LSAT or the individual questions to hinge on this books but it is a mediocre supplement for thinking in greater depth and getting another perspective on the questions.
good for arguments and reading, but not necessarily games.......2005-11-14
This book is pretty helpful in terms of discovering what you did wrong - unless it's in the games section. The diagrams that this book creates are unrealistic in my opinion because they take up too much space and also they are difficult to follow. They look like something done in a word processor, so they aren't aesthetically pleasing, but also, more importantly, they're not great at organizing lots of information. There are crazy lines and arrows all over the place that are supposed to show flow of logic, but I don't see it. There are just too many and it's difficult to discertain which arrow came first.
Princeton Review did a good job explaining games and how to diagram. I wish they made an answers book. Because then I would understand what I did wrong.
But this book gets 3 stars nonetheless because it was helpful for the other sections.
Be Careful Assuming It Actually Has All the "Answers".......2005-09-12
Because there aren't comparable books out there with explanations for every test question in every released LSAT Preptest included in "10 More Actual, Official LSAT Preptests," I would still consider buying this book for lack of a better option. However, calling the explanations "Unsurpassed" is reaching quite a bit.
The reasoning given for why wrong answers are wrong is often not helpful, and sometimes even incorrect. The book occasionally makes a correct answer sound like it should have been chosen as the best selection among poor choices, but if someone understands the actual logical basis behind a correct answer, then the correct answer is clearly the only choice that would satisfy a question.
For example, the book has a habit of dismissing incorrect answers with the terribly unhelpful explanation, "So what?" That is not a paraphrase; the book will actually analyze an incorrect answer choice with the words, "So what?"
Now, if someone picked that answer choice, and needed help understanding why it was wrong, "So what?" would not even begin to help him or her. "So what?" is not a sufficient explanation because, if it were that obvious, no one would have ever been tempted to choose an incorrect answer choice in the first place!
Regarding the inaccurate reasoning given for eliminating wrong answer choices and selecting the right one, an example wouldn't be very clear here because it would be totally out of context for someone who didn't have the Preptest questions in front of him or her to examine. However, consider looking through the book at a bookstore after taking a Preptest, and carefully reading the explanations that "LSAT Answers" provides for why any of your correct answers are correct. You won't have to read many before you'll find one that is really nothing but fluff.
As I said, because it suffers from a lack of competition, the book still might be worth buying. But don't make it your only source of reference because there are better explanatory texts out there, even if they don't cover all of the questions from all of the Preptests in one of the 10-Preptest volumes.
OK if you're struggling to understand wrong answers.......2005-07-07
If you are taking LSAT tests 19-28 and are able to figure out why your incorrect answers are wrong then do not waste your money on this book. I immediately purchased this book when I bought tests 19-28 assuming that I would need the book to improve my performance. The book has turned out to be unnecessary. Of the dozen or so old LSATs I have taken I have yet to find an incorrect answer that didn't become apparent within a minute or so of reflection. When I initially consulted this book for help in understanding my mistakes I was very disappointed with the superficial reasoning and, in some cases, by the text's failure to actually explain the reasoning behind some of the answers. I gleaned some useful tips (ie, save parallel reasoning questions for the end of the section, etc.) but otherwise it was a wasted thirty bucks. If you understand your mistakes save yourself the cash.
Book Description
From the publishers of The Unofficial Guide
® to Walt Disney World
®
"A Tourist's Best Friend!"
—Chicago Sun-Times
"Indispensable"
—The New York Times
The Top 10 Ways The Unofficial Guide® to Maui Can Help You Have the Perfect Trip:
- Candid, critical, and objective information covering Maui, Molokai, and Lanai
- All major hotels and resorts rated and ranked for quality and value—plus, proven strategies for getting the best rates and tips for B & B and condo stays
- Detailed reviews and ratings for 30 diverse restaurants, with a culinary guide to Hawaii's regional dishes
- The inside story on the top attractions, including Haleakala National Park and other natural wonders, ancient temples and historic homes, museums and art galleries, even a winery
- A complete guide to exploring the awe-inspiring islands of Maui County, from winding cliffside drives to strolls along the beach
- Advice for families on how to have a Maui vacation that keeps everyone thrilled
- The best places to shop for haute couture and kitsch alike, especially local art, aloha shirts, and Hawaiian music
- Where to get wet: the best beaches for tanning, surfing, snorkeling, and scuba diving
- All the details on Maui's world-famous golf courses
- The complete rundown on Maui nightlife, from bonfire luaus to bars and clubs
Get the unbiased truth on hundreds of hotels, restaurants, attractions, and more in The Unofficial Guide
® to Maui—the resource that helps you save money, save time, and make your trip the best it can be.
Customer Reviews:
BUY MAUI REVEALED INSTEAD.......2007-08-17
I bought both Maui for Dummies (Feb 2007 edition) and The Unofficial Guide to Maui (May 2007 edition) and my friend got a Maui Revealed book only and was MUCH MORE INFORMED than I was with my TWO books. I highly recommend either of these books (Maui for Dummies was the better of the two in my mind) but only AFTER you have already purchased Maui Revealed! Also, make sure you are always getting the newest edition on these books...it matters
nothing new here.......2003-05-30
After reading Frommers and Maui Revealed this book had nothing new to offer. A big disapointment. I left it in the hotel room.
Books:
- The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World 2007 (Unofficial Guides)
- Tokyo City Atlas: A Bilingual Guide (3rd Ed.)
- Tokyo City Atlas: A Bilingual Guide (3rd Ed.)
- Tough Cookie
- Travelers' Tales Brazil (Travelers' Tales Guides)
- Tun-huang Popular Narratives (Cambridge Studies in Chinese History, Literature and Institutions)
- Under a Cruel Star: A Life in Prague 1941-1968
- When in Germany, Do as the Germans Do: The Clued-In Guide to German Life, Language, and Culture
- Yes We Can!
- A Year in Provence
Books Index
Books Home
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Birnbaum's Walt Disney World 2007 (Birnbaum's Walt Disney World)
PassPorter Walt Disney World 2007: The Unique Travel Guide, Planner, Organizer, Journal, and Keepsake! (Passporter Walt Disney World)
Birnbaum's Walt Disney World for Kids, by Kids 2007 (Birnbaum's Walt Disney World for Kids By Kids)
Fodor's Walt Disney World® with Kids 2007 (Special-Interest Titles)
Hidden Mickeys, 2nd Edition : A Field Guide to Walt Disney World's Best Kept Secrets
