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Now available in a new edition, this wonderful tour of the Holy Land has been thoroughly revised, expanded, and brought up to date. Perfect for travelers (not least those of the armchair variety), this concise, readable, and even witty book offers both an authoritative look at the history, art, architecture, and archaeological aspects of the region, and expert advice on how to find the sites and monuments of the greatest interest to the visitor. The Holy Land takes the reader from Stone Age caves and the grandiose buildings of Herod the Great, to Roman Roads, Byzantine churches, Crusader fortifications, and beautifully decorated Mameluke houses. Murphy-O’Connor–who has spent twenty years guiding tourists in the Middle East–offers detailed instructions on various routes that will encourage the traveler to venture off the beaten path, and provides the latest information on the most recent excavations, complete with detailed site plans and maps. For the visitor to a region rich in history and religious tradition the guide is indispensable; for the casual reader, it offers hours enjoyment right at home.Amazon.com Review
This book is an excellent choice for visitors to the Holy Land who want to take an in-depth look at the area’s historical sites. Among this Oxford guide’s special features are 150 site plans, maps, diagrams, and photographs; routes through the Old City of Jerusalem; a brief historical outline; and a glossary of essential terms. Oxford Archeological Guides: The Holy Land is also a useful source of practical advice on museum hours, suggested dress, travel and lodging contacts, as well as information on visiting desert locations such as the Judaean Desert and the hills of Elat.

The first half of the book covers sites in the city of Jerusalem, grouping them into areas for easy exploration. Maps accompany each site described. The second half of the book features an alphabetical listing–from Abu Ghosh to Yehiam–of key sites scattered throughout the Holy Land. Each site includes a reference to its position on the “Israel Touring Map” (available at bookstores in Israel), and especially recommended sites are starred or double-starred.

As an added bonus to this edition, more than 70 shaded sidebars offer a mini-anthology of ancient texts. “Not only do such documents illustrate the sort of material on which our historical knowledge is based, but their vividness and immediacy give a new dimension to the sites,” writes author Murphy-O’Connor. –Kathryn True
The Holy Land: An Archaeological Guide from Earliest Times to 1700

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What type of telescope is best for beginners? Can I use my camera to take photographs through a telescope? How good are the new computerized telescope mounts? What charts, books, software and other references do I need? These questions are asked time and again by enthusiastic new amateurs as they take up recreational astronomy.

But accurate, objective and up-to-date information can be hard to find. Throughout the 1990s, the first edition of The Backyard Astronomer’s Guide established itself as the indispensable reference to the equipment and techniques used by the modern recreational stargazer. Now, authors Terence Dickinson and Alan Dyer have produced an expanded and completely updated edition that again sets the standard for accessible and reliable information on one of the world’s most popular hobbies.

Dickinson and Dyer — both full-time astronomy writers — bring decades of experience to their task. They explain why telescopes often perform much differently from what the novice expects. They recommend the accessories that will enhance the observing experience and advise what not to buy until you become more familiar with your equipment. They name brands and sources and compare value so that you can be armed with the latest practical information when deciding on your next purchase. Sections on astrophotography, daytime and twilight observing, binocular observing and planetary and deep-sky observing round out this comprehensive guide to personal exploration of the universe. Dickinson and Dyer’s elegant yet straightforward approach to a complex subject makes this book an invaluable resource for astronomers throughout North America.

With more than 500 color photographs and illustrations, The Backyard Astronomer’s Guide is also one of the most beautiful — and user-friendly — astronomy books ever produced.
The Backyard Astronomer’s Guide

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“This is the book for those who want…to take the slow route…get out of the car and walk around and look and talk to the people.” —Times-Picayune

Expanded to include all U.S. designated America’s Byways as well as other selected drives in all 50 states, this stunning new edition features unique driving tours through virtually every kind of landscape—spectacular coastlines, mountains, lakes, small towns, ranch and farmlands, islands, bays, and river valleys.

Some of the routes are famous, such as Virginia’s Skyline Drive and Blue Ridge Parkway, the Natchez Trace, and picturesque sections of the Great River Road. But there are lesser-known drives here too, including the ones along Maryland’s serene Eastern Shore and Michigan’s remote Whitefish Bay, through quiet Pennsylvania Dutch Country and Texas’s undiscovered Davis Mountains. Some drives are jaw-droppingly magnificent, like Wyoming’s Centennial Scenic Byway through the spectacular Teton Range; while others possess quiet beauty, such as the lush Flint Hills of Kansas. These diverse auto adventures range from the 4-mile Las Vegas Strip to the 8,000-mile Alaska Marine Highway, offering wonderful inspiration for day excursions, weekend getaways, and longer, leisurely family vacations.

Veteran National Geographic writers combine their regional knowledge and storytelling techniques, describing the scenery, history, and points of interest along each route. Readers will also find 375 glorious photographs and four-color maps for every drive, along with information on road conditions, driving times, site addresses, visiting hours, admission fees, and more. It adds up to a “must have” reference for every adventuresome motorist.
National Geographic Guide to Scenic Highways and Byways, 3d Ed.

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Seven Great Features and Benefits offered ONLY by the Unofficial Guides:

• Practical tips on when to go and how to beat the crowds at 11 of Central Florida’s best them parks
• Firsthand information on what’s worthwhile and what’s not at major attractions
• The inside scoop on where to go for the best roller coaster action
• Complete coverage of Universal Florida, including Islands of Adventure, CityWalk, and detailed restaurant reviews
• Comprehensive chapters on SeaWorld and Discovery Cove, Busch Gardens, Kennedy Space Center, Gatorland, and the Holy Land Experience
• Comparisons of all area water parks
• The straight story on Orlando-area dinner theaters and nightlife

Beyond Disney: The Unofficial Guide to Universal Orlando ,SeaWorld and the Best of Central Florida

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How do you respond to a dinner invitation that said -Eight for eight thirty+? What might induce you to get off a London train at a place called Mud Chute? And why do the Brits keep saying -Who+s she, the cat+s mother?+ Rules, Britannia is an invaluable resource for Americans who want to make a smooth transition when visiting or relocating to the UK. It is an entertaining and practical insider+s guide containing scores of established do+s and don+ts from across the pond that only a Brit would know:¥ Showing two fingers doesn+t mean -peace+ in the UK¥ When driving, never turn on red and for heaven+s sake, keep left!¥ Don+t stress over the salad plate.Covering such essential topics as vocabulary, house or -flat+-hunting, business culture, child-rearing, and even relationship etiquette, this book will lessen the anxiety that comes with a trans-Atlantic move or extended visit, while giving the reader a leg up on the advanced communication ladder.
Rules, Britannia: An Insider’s Guide to Life in the United Kingdom

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A complete guide to Spanish for Travelers. Practical Pronunciation Exercises to Help you Sound Like a Native Spanish Speaker Useful expressions for Real Life Situations That You Will Encounter. Costa Rican Slang. Practical Vocabulary, Including Business and Legal Terms. Includes an English/Spanish-Spanish/English Dictionary.
Guide to Costa Rican Spanish

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Capital and showcase of the Roman Empire and the center of Christian Europe, the city of Rome is the largest archaeological site in the world. Here, Amanda Claridge presents an indispensable guide to all significant monuments in Rome dating from 800 BC to 600 AD. Included are such breathtaking structures as the Capitoline Hill, the Roman Forum, the Colosseum, the Mausoleums of Augustus and Hadrian, the Circus Maximus, and the Catacombs. Divided into twelve main archaeological areas in central Rome, and four in Greater Rome, this accessible guide provides a detailed overview of the sites, as well as historical reference tables listing archaeological periods, emperors, and principal surviving buildings. The introduction offers an assessment of Roman achievement along with its status as the capital of the Roman Empire, and explains Rome’s survival as the world’s most complex archaeological site.Amazon.com Review
The city of Rome is the largest archeological site in the world. If your idea of a good Roman holiday is uncovering the archeological mysteries of the Roman Empire, then Oxford Archeological Guides: Rome is your ideal guidebook.

For such a detailed guide, this book is remarkably readable. Of the Field of Mars (Campus Martius), Claridge writes,

It is the one part of Rome which continued to be quite densely inhabited after the C9 AD, becoming the center of the late medieval and Renaissance city, and is still densely inhabited today, an extraordinary blend of past and present even for Rome. The Stock Exchange occupies a Roman temple, the boiler-rooms of the offices of the Senate are set in the ruins of Roman thermal baths, a modern theatre nestles in the shell of a Roman theatre. Many of the streets are on the lines of ancient streets, and the walls of the buildings on either side of them are often balanced directly on top of Roman walls.

Among this Oxford guide’s special features are 200 site plans, maps, diagrams, and photographs; a cultural and historical overview; a chronological overview; and a glossary of essential terms. It uses star ratings to help you plan your days and divides Rome into 12 main areas: the Roman Forum, Upper Via Sacra, Palatine Hill, Imperial Forums, Campus Martius, Capitoline Hill, Circus Flaminius to Circus Maximus, Colosseum Valley and Esquiline Hill, Caelian Hill and the Via Appia, other sites, museums, and catacombs.

Shaded sidebars add anecdotal interest, covering issues such as the Seven Hills, Jupiter’s Dining Room, Tomb of Bibulus, the “Province” Reliefs, Madam Lucretia, Nero’s New Palace, and Gladiatorial Shows. –Kathryn True
Rome: An Oxford Archaeological Guide

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During two centuries of independence from colonial rule, Haiti has developed into a society quite distinct from those found in the rest of the region. Hollywood-derived images of black magic and Graham Greene-inspired conceptions of a “nightmare republic” do scant justice to the reality of life for those who make up the third largest population in the Caribbean. How did the slaves of France’s most prosperous colony defeat the armies of Napoleon, Spain, and Britain? Why did the U.S. occupation of 1915-34 fail to establish a plantation economy in Haiti? Haiti in Focus is an authoritative and up-to-date guide to this fascinating country. The guide explores the land, history and politics, economy, society and people, culture and environment, and includes tips on where to go and what to see.
Haiti in Focus: A Guide to the People, Politics, and Culture