Average customer rating:
- Totally original!!
- Good, not great Isles
- pretty good
- Not One of My Favorites
- Who is God?
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The Footprints of God
Greg Iles
Manufacturer: Pocket Star
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ASIN: 0743454146
Release Date: 2004-02-24 |
Book Description
From acclaimed New York Times bestselling author Greg Iles comes a cutting-edge thriller in which the next phase of human evolution may not be human at all....
In a secret government lab, America's top scientists work on Trinity -- a supercomputer that could surpass the power of the human mind. As the project's ethicist, Dr. David Tennant works in a firestorm of limitless science and ruthless ambition. After a fellow scientist is murdered, David uncovers who the killer is. Desperate, he turns to Rachel Weiss, the psychiatrist probing the nightmares that have plagued him since joining the project, and both are forced to flee for their lives.
Pursued around the globe, David and Rachel piece together the truth behind Project Trinity, and the apocalyptic power it possesses. But Trinity's countdown has already begun, and humanity is now held hostage by a form of life that cannot be destroyed. The only hope for survival lies in the shocking connection that exists between Trinity and David's tortured mind. Mankind's future hangs in the balance -- and the price of failure is extinction.
Download Description
From the acclaimed New York Times bestselling author comes a cutting-edge new thriller rich with imagination and vision. In the heart of North Carolina's Research Triangle stands a corporate laboratory much like the others nearby. But behind its walls, America's top scientists work around the clock to attain the holy grail of the twenty-first century -- a supercomputer that surpasses the power of the human mind. Appointed by the president as ethicist to Project Trinity, Dr. David Tennant finds himself in a pressure cooker of groundbreaking science and colossal ambition. When his friend and fellow scientist is murdered, David discovers that the genius who runs Project Trinity was responsible and that his own life is in danger. Unable to reach the president, and afraid to trust his colleagues, David turns to Rachel Weiss, the psychiatrist probing the nightmares that have plagued him during his work at Trinity. Rachel is skeptical of David's fears, but when an assassin strikes, the two doctors must flee for their lives. Pursued across the globe by ruthless National Security Agency operatives, David and Rachel struggle to piece together the truth behind Project Trinity and the enormous power it could unleash upon the world. As constant danger deepens their intimacy, Rachel realizes the key to Trinity lies buried in David's disturbed mind. But Trinity's clock is ticking... Mankind is being held hostage by a machine that cannot be destroyed. Its only hope -- a terrifying chess game between David and the Trinity computer, with the cities of the world as pawns. But what are the rules? How human is the machine? Can one man and woman change the course of history? Man's future hangs in the balance, and the price of failure is extinction.
Customer Reviews:
Totally original!!.......2007-09-12
Awesome storyline with a super beginning. Most of Greg's books that I've read have that great un-put-downable quality, and this one is no exception.
Good, not great Isles.......2007-08-16
As a big Greg Isles fan, I have been spoiled by his caliber of writing. The plot is uneven in spots, but still manages to be a page-turner. As a computer scientist, I question some of the underlying premises, but that did not detrct from my enjoyment.
pretty good.......2007-06-08
i would say the last 100 pages were the best part of the book, however that doesnt mean the rest of the book was bad, it just means the last 100 pages were that good. though i didnt think the ending was great, i didnt think it was horrible either. it was just a different perspective that i thought of.
some parts of the book were predictable, other parts were just far fetched, but i would definately read this book again in the future if just for those last 100 pages.
another thing, i measure books by if when im reading it, i cant wait to find out what happens, this is one of those types of books for me.
Not One of My Favorites.......2007-04-27
I've read eight of Greg Iles' novels, and THE FOOTPRINTS OF GOD is probably the most disappointing one.
I do admire what Iles tried to do here. This book has an enormously ambitious sci-fi plot that tries to combine all sorts of interesting ideas about religion, technology, quantum mechanics, and new age spirtuality. Unfortunately, Iles' reach exceeds his grasp in this case, and the end result is something of a mess. There are just too many ideas and concepts thrown into this book, and they never really gel together into a well-paced, believable story.
Even worse, there is no depth of characterization in this novel. All the characters are cardboard, and the villains are simply cartoons. The romance between the two main characters just kind of happens and there's no real effort to develop it. When I don't really care for the protagonists, it's hard for me to feel truly engaged by a book such as this one. That's a shame, because Iles' is normally very good at creating fascinating characters.
I enjoy most of Iles' work, and heartily recommend novels such as THE QUIET GAME, DEAD SLEEP, BLOOD MEMORY, and 24 HOURS. Iles is a writer of enormous intelligence and range, and I give him credit for taking chances. But my advice is to skip this particular effort.
Who is God?.......2007-04-03
A mixture of religion, science, philosophy, hi-tech, and murder. This is the story of one mans search for ultimate power and another mans quest to stop him. A journey seen through the pursuers eyes from present time to the birth of the universe with possible scenarios for the future.
Written in the 1st person, every chapter moves right along culminating in an ending which although improbable is a distinct possibility.
Book Description
Travel guides come and go, but the Footprint South American Handbook, now in its 82nd edition and with over 1 million copies sold, holds a special place as the gold standard in the field. With nearly 1,700 pages, this guide contains almost 40 percent more information than its nearest competitor. Footprint South American Handbook 2006 takes the adventurous traveler far from the gringo trail to explore the landscapes, wildlife, archaeology, and folk culture of this vast continent, from the Orinoco Delta to the southern ice fields of Chile and Argentina. Called the "Backpacker’s Bible," this guide covers every inch of South America, including the Guianas and the Falkland Islands. Rigorously checked and updated each year, the book features objective recommendations of great places to stay and eat, from colonial haciendas to simple palm-thatch beach huts; an extensive planning section with tips on how to get off the beaten track; historical and cultural background; and a full-color highlights map.
Customer Reviews:
Not Delivered.......2007-07-23
This item was never delivered so I did not have a chance to review it.
Comparing Footprint.......2007-03-09
This Footprint guide definitely compares to Lonely Planet. It is laid-out very well and easy to follow. The only thing I miss is the actual prices for accomodations. Even though they change quickly, it is a better way to make comparisons.
Less Budget Accommodations/Youth Hostels than 2003 Ed........2007-01-14
I am a budget backpacker. I owned and used the 2003 S.A. edition three years ago and must say that the 2007 S.A. edition is not as budget friendly when it comes to accommodations. I am in South America for 5 months and left the 2003 edition at home thinking that the 2007 edition would have the same listings along with new listings. Not so. For example, one of my favorite budget hostels in Argentina that still exists and was once in the book is no longer in it. When I asked the hostel why they are not in the 2007 Footprint book they said that one has to pay several hundred dollars to be in it these days. And that's just to have a few sentences about the place. I have just about found each city's budget accommodations (i.e. youth hostels) on the internet during this trip because the 2007 Footprint just doesn't cut it in this department.
Otherwise, the book does have good information in other areas. But I don't know if I'd be carrying this thick book all over the place for 5 months if I had known about its lack of budget accommodations listings.
Footprint South American Handbook 2007.......2007-01-09
Simply excellent! Not only for backpackers but for everyone who need detailed information on travelling in South America. What a pity there is no German edition of that book.
Great for getting an idea of what you want to do; packed with information.......2006-11-27
I love this handbook! If it weren't so big, I would bring it with me when I go down to South America. But it's wonderful for planning purposes. I didn't have a clue as to where I wanted to go in South America, but this guidebook is helping a ton. I'm hoping I can find guidebooks for each country that are smaller but just as packed with info. If you don't mind carrying around a heavy book, then definitely take this with you when you go to South America.
Bottom Line: TONS of excellent information, but too bulky for me to travel with.
Book Description
The ultimate guide to tracking man or animal, from the SAS.
Customer Reviews:
Very interesting and educating.......2007-07-28
This is a very interesting book to read and has lots of great illustrations.
Note that this book is not about the SAS, just great tracking skills and it is well worth reading.
Exciting read.......2007-02-16
Exciting book to read. The information offered in this book is very convincing, and it gives the reader an insight in what it takes to track humans or animals. I haven't practised everything I learnt from reading, but that's the other attractive aspect of this book: it is exciting and interesting just to read as a pastime and learn something more about human and animal behaviour.
The Best.......2006-08-05
The drawings are clear - if a bit crude. A novice will learn and enjoy just flipping through the book. It may take a few hours to digest everything crammed into a single chapter or even a few pages. Carrs is a very good communicator, though, so this is an excellent tool for teaching and learning.
The real Deal.......2006-03-25
In the brief of the book, it states the information was gleaned from FM 7-42, That is incorrect. The five Sgt's that wrote
FM 7-42 are all graduates of the SAS tracking school that Bob is writing about. That information was a result of the SAS trackers during the Borneo and Malaya insurections in the 1950's. FM 7-42 was not written until 1970 and approved in June 1973. I was one of those five Sgt's. David Scott-Donlane, author of Mantracking is also a graduate of that school. I would highly recommend both books if you are interested in tracking an armed enemy.
Loved it!.......2004-08-11
I bought the SAS Guide to Tracking on the sole purpose of needing a book to read on a long red-eye flight. Instead, this book has changed my whole outlook on the outdoors!
No, this isn't a miracle book that will help you track your prey just like Sam Fisher. However, this book WILL help you to further appreciate the outdoors. This SAS Guide goes into teaching animal prints, outdoor features, and general observations. It'll help you to notice these kind of things. It also covers more in-depth topics, such as how you can tell the gender of a deer by looking at the height of it's tracks in the mud.
The SAS Guide to Tracking is quite an interesting read for anyone interested in the outdoors, animals, or tracking.
Book Description
More popular than ever, Tom Brown, Jr.'s unique approach to inner growth through outer awareness has gained a wide audience, ranging from weekend campers and nature lovers, to serious survivalists and college students. The Science and Art of Tracking expands upon Tom Brown's most enduring subject: the important life lessons to be learned through tracking skills. Tom Brown was taught the ancient skills of survival by a Native American he called Grandfather. His most advanced lessons were those of the scouts, members of a secret society who were highly attuned to nature. The scouts refined tracking to a disciplined science and art form. With these physical skills came enhanced perception and true enlightment. "Tracking was their doorway to the universe," Tom Brown writes, "where they could know all things through the tracks..." Now Tom Brown, Jr. shares generations of wisdom through one of the most rewarding pursuits to be found in nature. Tracking lets us unlock the secrets of each animal we follow, and in turn, to become more aware of our own place in nature and the world. It is a journey of discovery that engages the senses, awakens the spirit, and enlightens the soul.
Customer Reviews:
Good read.......2007-05-14
Some of the stuff is a little too huggy feely for me, but if you work through that stuff, there's a lot of EXCELLENT information in this book about tracking. This book will make you a better outdoorsman. All you've got to do is read and practice.
Excellent........2007-03-21
This book is a must buy for all "Brownies" who have attended his Standard classes and had as much a hard time as I did taking notes. I went to his school in early March and my pens kept freezing up. There was Tom, wearing a T-shirt and jeans, never even shivering! This book will help complete any notes you might have missed. For new readers, this gives a good insight into just how good Tom is at what he does. Tom is the master. There is no one anywhere like him.
Buy it you'll learn and live better for it........2006-01-14
This is a great book on three levels. 1. On the practical level it will make you a better tracker because of its simplicity and organization. 2. On the scientific level it will help you analyze and synthezise tracks because of its system for measurement and classification. 3. On the metaphorical level it will help you connect the search for the unseen in tracking to the search for the unseen in your psyche, spirit or soul. It is rare to find a manual that moves from the worldly or practical to the religious or spiritual. Buy it you'll learn and live better for it. Roberto
quite useful, more so than his other books.......2005-03-17
there is a good summary of basic pressure points and many of the important complicated ones. If you are at a point in your tracking studies when you are ready to start working beyond basic animal signs to reading track movement, this is a good guide. But you might not need it for long, because all of its exercises are carried out in a tracking box with relative ease. It is very hard to teach this stuff to yourself, as I am finding, so find yourself a teacher to set you on your way. Or go to Tom Brown's tracking school for more detailed instruction. If you want to be inspired and drawn into tracking for life, read The Tracker first, then read his other books. A lot of stuff is repeated amongst all of his books, so don't buy them unless you really need them. This is the only book with really concrete tracking instruction, which is why I bought it. Kind of sad really, I wish he would write more books about this and less about old man stories.
Charlatan.......2004-06-20
Brown's revelation of pressure releases is nothing new. Any tracker worth his or her salt knows Brown's new revelation is just common sense. Trackers have been using this technique for centuries. Brown's "adventures" with grandfather are fiction. Brown is a charlatan who couldn't track a muddy-footed elephant down a dry sidewalk.
Book Description
Reviewed and recognized as the most authoritative source in the field, this book describes the methods used worldwide to recover and identify footwear impressions from the scene of a crime. In this new edition, everything, including the original twelve chapters, bibliography, appendix, etc., has been clarified, updated and expanded. This edition includes updated and new information on recovery procedures and materials such as lifting, photography and casting; chemical enhancement; updated information about footwear manufacturing; footwear sizing; and known impression techniques and materials. WHAT'S NEW IN THE SECOND EDITION: Besides updating and expanding the twelve original chapters, Footwear Impression Evidence: Detection, Recovery and Examination, Second Edition adds three new chapters: one chapter on barefoot evidence, which concerns impressions made by the naked or sock-clad foot or those which remain in abandoned or discarded footwear; another new chapter on several cases in which the footwear impression evidence was of primary importance in bringing about a conviction or confession; and finally, a new chapter on the footwear impression evidence in the O.J. Simpson criminal and civil cases.
Book Description
Rashid Khalidi_s powerful book examines the record of Western involvement in the Middle East and analyzes the likely outcome of our most recent incursions into the area. Drawing on his encyclopedic knowledge of the political and cultural history of the entire region, Khalidi paints a chilling scenario of our present situation and yet offers a tangible alternative that can help us find the path to peace rather than Empire. Additionally, Professor Khalidi contributes a new introduction to this paperback edition, covering recent developments in Iraq and the aftermath of the U.S. presidential election.
Customer Reviews:
Not "Fair and Balanced", But...........2007-07-16
Other reviewers are certainly correct that Professor Khalidi has a very obvious and largely one-sided agenda which I doubt he would deny. (He does teach at Columbia, after all.) Having said that, I don't believe we Americans are sufficiently exposed to that "other" agenda, and the book serves that purpose if no other. Khalidi, moreover, does a superb job of briefly and compellingly describing colonial involvement in the Middle East by way of supporting his contention that, in brief, we had no idea (but should have) of what we were getting ourselves into in Iraq. In the course of this discussion, he admirably minces no words in describing the failings of the indigenous Middle East regimes and, among other things, their indifference to their peoples' sufferings and refusal to use their oil wealth to alleviate them.
The book understandably suffers from its topicality. Last released in 2005, the author's castigation of the neo-con's and their theories reads like ancient history. Also, it would have been interesting to get the professor's views on what has happended since in Iraq and more generally in the "war on terror". Neither here, nor, I suspect, in such a commentary, does he address the very real, if quixotic, undertaking by Muslim fundmentalists to impose their theocracy on the world. By way of example, Fox News in mentioned (unfavorably!) four or five times while the word "sharia" appears, if I'm not mistaken, once.
Having said all this, the book is well-written and thoughtful, and if you have any lingering doubts about how "Operation Quicksand" is likely to turn out, it will certainly exacerbate them.
So we are left with picking up the pieces in the metaphorical Pottery Barn, forever wondering why we (i.e., our leaders) didn't know better. Perhaps it was too much to expect that they would ponder the history so ably discussed by Khalidi before making their move. I've always thought they could have learned as much by re-screening 1962's "Lawrence of Arabia" in which Peter O'Toole's Lawrence upbraids Omar Sharif's Sherif Ali at the Harith well just after Ali has killed Lawrence's guide because he was a Hazimi and thus could not drink from it. Lawrence says to Ali: "So long as the Arabs fight tribe against tribe, so long will they be a little people, a silly people, greedy, barbarous and cruel, as you are." Yes, indeed.
vibrant argument.......2007-03-02
I enjoyed reading Resurrecting Empire. The argument of the book is precise, informative, and thorough. It is valuable to learn that before finding ourselves into a long bloody war with another nation, we should explore the past, learn its history, and find better ways of dealing with the situation. This book explains not only the importance of history, but also how to learn from historical events and not commit the same mistakes over again.
Unbecoming of a scholar with such a pedigree.......2007-02-23
Rashid Khalidi begins Resurrecting Empire with a brief discussion about why he wrote the book. He describes the public speeches he gave during the process and found, believe it or not, that everyone who came to hear him agreed with what he had to say. He wonders if these people are just a marginalized group of malcontents, but he quickly brushes that notion aside. Surely he, and his audience, must be right. This type of arrogant approach sums up the rest of the book. The supreme irony here is that Khalidi is guilty of nearly everything he blames others for. At the end of his introduction, he has faith that his book will "initiate a more informed and more rational debate," but he has unfortunately produced little more than a rant that preaches to the choir. According to Khalidi, Resurrecting Empire's purpose is to shed light on how America is viewed in the Middle East. This is a worthy goal, certainly deserving of much analysis and debate. Instead of actually doing this, Khalidi presents a hodgepodge of watered-down chapters that do not do the subjects justice.
The 2003 war against Iraq is primarily what inspired the book, but there is not much discussion of the war itself. Khalidi does not completely butcher the analysis of foreign policy under the Bush administration, but there is a serious misreading of the motives behind the invasion. He puts way too much emphasis on the neocon conspiracy theories without bothering to go beyond what was an oversimplified and lazy set of arguments so many others were making. Khalidi uses language like "the war party" when referring to people like Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz, not the type of language that inspires "informed and rational" debate. Also included in this discussion is the hypocrisy of the U.S. when it comes to democracy promotion. He accurately points out that the U.S. still gives support to the governments of Egypt and Saudi Arabia, but demonstrates a double standard when dealing with countries like Iraq and Syria. He acts as though democracy promotion for the U.S. only includes overthrowing people like Hussein, when in fact there is much more to this policy than Khalidi admits. An excellent overview of these policies can be found in a book edited by Thomas Carothers and Marina Ottaway called Uncharted Journey: Promoting Democracy in the Middle East.
Khalidi presents a very selective and misleading set of arguments. Others are certainly guilty of the same thing, but Khalidi acts as if he's setting the record straight here. To take one example, he grossly misrepresents America's role in Iraq during the 60s. He makes it seem as if the U.S. were allied with Hussein and the Baath party all along. He even states that the U.S. was involved with the Baath takeover in 1968, but the footnote he provides mentions nothing about that particular coup. On top of that, no other Iraqi scholar implicates the U.S. in this coup. Khalidi is presenting what he wants his audience to believe, not what actually happened. These types of problems of selectivity run rampant through the book. The other main chapters deal with Oil and the Arab/Israeli dispute. While he makes a convincing argument in some respects, Khalidi does nothing more than tell a partisan and one-sided story.
What is most disappointing here is that Khalidi should be capable of producing rational and thoughtful debate. Resurrecting Empire does not even begin to reach that threshold. He teaches at Columbia University and has impressive academic credentials, this is not the type of person that should be in the business of producing rants. The book only makes sense if one takes the view that the real goal was to merely produce a book that Khalidi knew would sell, not something that really contributed to the debate over current Middle Eastern events.
The book Bush should have read.......2006-12-21
Khalidi's knowledge on the Middle East is beyond evident in this book, but his distortions and views can be at times somewhat misleading. The information and knowledge given to us from the view of someone within is phenominal. His thoughts and views on why the war in Iraq happened and what should have been done before we went in are fantastic. My problems stem from the obvious bias within that seems to point all the problems in the region on the US and other Western countries.
Strongly Recommended.......2006-11-05
The reviews by the standard troupe of Israel apologistas and Judea-Samaria crowd aside, this is a great book for the novice reader of contemporary Middle-East history. It is not exactly an easy read, perhaps due to language barrier issues, but with a little patience, the Westerner who has only been exposed to drivel from mainstream media has a lot to learn from this book.
To those who fault this book, and many like it, for being "one-sided", I have to say, I wonder how you would write a book about a murder or a rape? Validate both sides equally? The obvious point being, there do not exist two equally valid sides to all human conflicts, and to admit to that is the first step to find a workable remedy.
And to the other few who have trashed this book and other works by Khalidi, I have seen from your other reviews that even works by Israeli Zionist foreign ministers (Shlomo Ben Ami) and pro-Israeli historians (Benny Morris) don't please your taste, since any criticism of the State of Israel is tantamount to an unforgivable sin to you. People like Ben Ami and Morris, despite being strongly pro-Israel and unabashed Zionists, have the couraged to admit that many massacres and atrocities were committed by the Yishuv and later Israel. Their justifications may not appeal to the non-Jewish non-Arab outsider (Morris' famous line: "You have to break quite a few eggs to make a good omlette"), but at least they do not try to deny all historic facts. But to some, mere mention of such facts is a deal-breaker. Let the silence go on ...
Book Description
This comprehensive guide provides up-to-date, lively descriptions of Argentina’s hotels, restaurants, bars, and all-important Tango clubs. It offers detailed coverage of Patagonia and the adventure and eco-travel scenes, and features both major attractions and the best off-the-beaten-track spots. Also included is a wealth of information on feasts, festivals, food, fashion, fads, and folklore.
Customer Reviews:
This 2007 / 4th Edition is a great guide for Argentina and an excellent guide for Patagonia. .......2007-02-27
There was a day when Rough Guide and Lonely Planet were the best guides for travelers that sought to leave the tour groups behind and explore on their own. But slowly, year by year, Footprint has improved, and now this 4th edition is one of the best guides for Argentina that you can buy. *Note that this review is for the the 4th edition, other reviews below are probably refer to the 3rd Edition.
I took five travel guides with me to explore Argentina/Patagonia and I found myself consistently reaching for Footprint first. It is the most current (2006) and the guide consistently listed quality accommodations and good restaurants, some of which were exemplary. The city maps in the guide are excellent. All the restaurants and hotels are well marked on each map. Kudos.
Footprint Argentina's background section (history, religion, culture etc.) is well written, brief, yet informative. There is an abundance of website references throughout the text and a website listing for almost every accommodation = excellent.
I spent five weeks exploring Patagonia and found Footprint to be the best single guide to have. More than 200 pages in this Argentinean guide are devoted to this region, including a section on Chilean Patagonia. If you purchase "Time Out Patagonia" (see my review) you will have the best two guides possible for Patagonia.
On the downside Footprint uses a cumbersome letter system instead of just telling you the price for accommodations (i.e., LL=$200 plus, L=$150-$200, AL=$101-$150, A,B,C,D,E,F etc. -- putting the legend at the back of the book - a serious hassle). It also fails to tell you what is the price range for the restaurants; so at one eatery you could pay $10 for your meal, then have a $35 bill at another. Not good. The descriptions of the restaurants are insipid and verge on being meaningless: "tasty food", "cosy", "very popular", "delicious food". Whereas, other good guides (Rough Guide - also highly recommended - see my review) give you pointers: "best grilled shrimp ever" / "the steaks here are the best in town" etc.
Bottom line: this is a very good guide for Argentina and the best guide for those that are going to Patagonia. Highly recommended
Totally useless!.......2006-05-26
Everything about this book, from phone numbers to accommodation reviews, has been almost laughably wrong. I've never felt compelled to write a review on amazon before, but this book has been so inaccurate I think I should warn people. The only reason anyone should buy this book is to do the exact OPPOSITE of whatever it says. I doubt this author has even been to the places she writes about, that's how consistently wrong this book is. It is impossible to locate a copyright date, and they probably did that on purpose, considering many places have closed and info is obviously outdated. I understand that some places change over time, but I've given this book a chance in 10 different places throughout Argentina and the advice here has failed miserably.
Not bad, but...........2005-12-25
I returned from Argentina just two weeks ago, and I used this book exclusively. I usually use the "Let's Go" guides when I travel, and I didn't like this one nearly as much. Too many superlatives throughout the book - unfortunately not everything can be amazing or fantastic - so after a while there was really no way to differenciate the truly fantastic (the falls or Perito Moreno Glacier), from the just so so things. And regardless of what the book says, unless you love to eat beef and pork every meal, the food is terrible. Very mediocre pasta and pizzas everywhere, and vegetarians are highly restricted. The food was definitely the lowlight of our trip. If interested in hiking and the outdoors - plan on spending the majority of your time way down south. El Calafate, El Chalten, and Ushuaia are all truly amazing areas. And if you can fit the Falls in, they are definitely worth the trip. The prices in the book were pretty accurate, although things tended to be a bit higher. But it is still quite inexpensive. We thought the book did a poor job of letting you know just how difficult it would be to get to many of the wilderness areas without your own car or hiring an expensive guide. Another thing to remember when planning your trip is that it is much cheaper in the North, and the buses are nicer and more plentiful. Overall, I thought it was a good book, but the authors could have been a bit more honest about the shortcomings of the country.
Highly recommended -.......2004-12-03
We travelled around Argentina out of season using this guide and the Rough Guide, and found that we turned time and again to the Footprint Guide for reliable and up-to-date information. I broke my ankle in Salta, but thanks to this guide, we were booked into a fantastic hotel, and later spent a few nights luxuriating in a gorgeous and fantastic value for money estancia in Pumamarca, which went some way towards saving the holiday from disaster. If you're thinking of going to Argentina, go now, and take this guide with you!
A fantastic book.......2004-12-03
We travelled to Argentina recently and used this as our only guide. The information was accurate, well presented and current. My wife particularly enjoyed the writer's excellent and as she herself said, elegant descriptive prose. We had a marvellous time on the strength of some of her recommendations, most particularly the Lake district and Mendoza where we ate enough meat to see us both through to our pensions. Many thanks Ms Dilks!
Book Description
From the publisher of the legendary South America Handbook comes the fifth edition of the most practical and informative guide available to this remarkably diverse country and its breathtakingly beautiful island neighbor. Husband-and-wife team Robert and Daisy Kunstaetter bring a combined total of 40 years of living and traveling in Latin America to their coverage of this tiny equatorial nation, leading readers on excursions both on and off the "banana pancake trail," including Quito, the jungle, the Pacific Coast, the national parks, and volcanoes. Footprint Ecuador and Galápagos also includes full coverage of the islands that inspired the theory of evolution, from the legendary "center of the earth" to the Avenue of Volcanoes. Fully researched, checked, and updated by the authors, this guide includes tips for culture-sensitive travel, advice for women traveling alone, and a comprehensive background section with Spanish words and phrases.
Customer Reviews:
Bang for the Buck This is the Best Equador Guide Out.......2006-02-22
There was a day when `Rough Guide' and `Lonely Planet' were the best South America guides available for travelers that go "off the beaten path." But slowly, year by year, `Footprint's coverage of South America has improved, and now Footprint is the best Ecuadoran guide you can buy.
I have lived, on-and-off, in Peru for 10 years. Being allergic to the fumes of tour buses and the crush of camera slinging sightseers, I seek out South America's extraneous locations. For the past few years I have used my slowly disintegrating car to drive the highways (poco) and byways (mucho), that South America offers. This year I drove from my home, near Cusco, to Equador.
Of the five guide books that I took with me, I found myself consistently reaching for `Footprint' first. The guide listed the best (clean & reasonably priced) accommodations, and the best restaurants, some of which were exemplary. Most important, `Footprint' listed places that the other guides missed completely, and they were great "finds"!
Regarding Quito, the Galapagos and other "must see" tourist destinations, `Footprint' has solid recommendations and very good coverage. FYI - Quito has become one of the top centers for studying Spanish in Latin America, and the Spanish language school section in this guide is excellent. Also, noteworthy is the "Special Interest Travel" section, which includes: Birdwatching, Climbing, Scuba Diving, Rafting, Biking, Trekking, etc.
All that glitter is not gold (so said Pizarro), and the guide does have flaws. `Footprint' continues to use the cumbersome use of letters to tell you the `approximate price' for accommodations (i.e., LL=$150 and up, L=$100-$149, A=$66-$99, B=$31-$45 until you get to my price range - G=$3 and under). The legend is at the front of the book, and, unless you have a good memory for the mundane, you will find yourself flipping back and forth. It would definitely be more "user friendly" just to quote the price in dollars. The city maps are too small, and definitely not as good as most other guides; and the guide has more than 60 intrusive advertisements for hotels & tour companies which causes one to question the integrity of the author's recommendations.
Bang-for-the-buck, this is the best guide out for exploring Equador. It gives you more choices than the other guides and I found the listing always reliable. 4.5 stars
Really Disappointing.......2005-08-11
Having used a couple of Footprint Guides in Southeast Asia, I came to think of them as the best of all guidebooks. So I was really excited to see a new edition of this book coming out a month before I'm due to leave for Ecuador - both the Lonely Planet and Rough Guide were last published a couple of years ago, making the information several years out of date.
The book is a real disappointment for the independent traveler. Descriptions of sights are terse, more on the level of Lonely Planet than Rough Guide's sometimes overly detailed enthusiasms. That would be excusable if the coverage of basic travel information were complete, but it's not. Worst of all, there's a single bus chart at the front of the book, with prices and travel times but not frequencies. Individual cities sometimes have bus schedules, sometimes not, and some bus connections that are in RG and LP simply aren't listed. Does the bus to where I need to go run once a day, once an hour, every 10 minutes, or never? Tell me, dammit...I'm sorry, that's a lot more important information than where to get a great French meal in Quito. (The authors basically say, "There are a lot of excellent luxury restaurants in Quito, so we'll tell you where to find expensive fondue, but we can't be bothered listing inexpensive places." Jeez...)
Astonishingly, there's not even a schedule of when and how often buses leave Quito for other destinations. That's understandable in a Fodor's, but when the much shorter Ecuador chapter in the South American Handbook is of more concrete help in planning a trip than the new Ecuador Footprint, something's wrong.
Used to be that Footprints had compact and reliable hotel, restaurant, and transport information. In this one, the list of Quito restaurants and nightclubs is nearly as long as the entire section on sightseeing. It's not a total disaster, but it's really a letdown. I'll be taking the Rough Guide, too, and if this weren't a lot more current than RG, I'd return it.
Book Description
Covers the pick of diving, surfing and trekking plus where to eat, sleep and drink from the Tortilla Curtain to the Darien Gap.
Customer Reviews:
As always - Footprint Guides are the best!.......2007-05-26
I love Footprint! Since I began traveling I've used these books. Everyone has their opinion, but I trust only these. I'm moving to Mexico in a few months and this is the only guide I'm bringing with me. Very detailed, readable, with good maps and contact info.
Very good!!!.......2007-03-08
Many usefull information in this addition!!Easily to understant!!It helped me to plann all my trip.
I didn't find this useful........2007-01-11
It's big and current but it stayed in my suitcase while I traveled with my backpack. Part of that was due to its weight and part that it was not detailed enough to be helpful to me.
Book Description
This handy guide spotlights the best places to eat, drink, play, and stay, with choices for every budget. Comprehensive restaurant and bar reviews cover chic spots on the Platinum Coast along with local favorites, with tips on where to find authentic rum cocktails and the tastiest flying fish. The island’s many outdoor activities, including hiking, golf, sailing, and surfing, are covered in depth.
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