This is yet one more best-selling book, by Rabbi Shmuel Boteach. He has written on topics as varied as the interpretation of dreams, the Talmud, and Judaism altogether - all presented to a widely non-Jewish audience of readers. But his main area of interest are relationships, namely love and sex, between the two of which he of course makes a distinction. Before you think this book may not be for you, one thing has to be overwhelmingly stressed: Rabbi Boteach has his views and sticks firmly to them. Yet, the book will not try to "convert" you to those views (in fact, they are views which I do not wholly share myself). You are quite likely not to share any of the author's views on love and sex, and not change your position at all after reading the book. Yet, this is a book that will make you think. It will uncover many aspects of love, sex, marital life and relationships, which you may have never thought about. It will be extremely enriching reading, for soul and mind, and perhaps - not kidding - also for your more intimate parts. Needless to say, it is written with superb literary maestry, with a rich prose but yet extremely fluid to read. The author's words come out of the book, in the same way that they come out of his debates (he was, indeed, the winner of the prestigious Times "Preacher of the Year Award" !). A number of topics are covered, questions asked and possible answers put forward. It will be thought-provoking (but not giving any head-ache). It will be light reading touching on very deep issues. By all means, this is a book all of humanity should read.

Almost everyone in the world has heard of the Guinness Book of Records. Yet, not so many people bother buying it, despite that the price is more than affordable. Why buy this product ? I personally find that when I am too tired to read, do not feel like reading any work-related stuff, nor any heavy novels, and not even any lighter reading, this book does the job. It is filled with curiosities, with things guaranteed to fascinate, to perplex, to cheer up, to cause laughter or concern. You can open and start reading on any page, and then close and put it down at any time. If you are feeling more sophisticated, a great index will guide you to what you are looking for, and you will be amazed at how many absurdly curious records there are. Whether you use it for five minutes or spend hours on it, it is sure to be time well spent. It is fun, relaxation, as well as knowledge. And if you think about it, you get each record for less than one tenth of a cent ! At least for one year, you should definitely consider buying this world-famous book.

En este libro, Jorge Masetti expone su camino de vida en Cuba. Críado como "hijo de la Revolución", de hecho trabajando para los servicios secretos de Castro desde muy bien dentro del sistema, pasó a través de esos caminos de dudas ideológicas (además de situaciones de dramas prácticos) que muchos cubanos enfrentan. Y luego vino su desilusión, que lo llevó a emigrar a Francia y pasar su vida en el exilio, en la disidencia, entre Europa y el "centro de la contra-revolución" de Miami. Este libro es la historia de un cubano, y es una historia de espionaje. Y sobre eso hay que decir dos cosas. Primero, muchos cubanos han contado o pueden contar historias verdaderamente escalofriantes sobre su vida en Cuba, pero muy pocos de ellos pueden contar lo que vivió Jorge Masetti, y que nos cuenta en este libro. Segundamente, en el mundo pueden haberse publicado muchas novelas de espionaje, pero pocas son historias reales - esta, de hecho, es una historia muy muy real, que tiene lugar en la Cuba de hoy, a noventa millas de la Florida. Con suma maestría y excelente prosa, con un estilo muy fluido, fácil de leer pero sin embargo denso y rico, el autor fascina los lectores - los más informados sobre Cuba, como los que no sepan nada del tema. Sus cuentos parecen a la vez haber salido de una gran novela o pelicula de espionaje de los tiempos de la Guerra Fría. Pero esta no es ninguna novela, sino la pura realidad. Y digamos enfín: aunque haya quién pueda no creer todo lo que cuenta el autor, eso no disminuye la magnificencia de esta obra. Quiera Usted leer cosas fascinantes sobre el país de la tiranía castrista, o quiera Usted una "novela real" de espionaje, este libro no los desilusionará.

This edition of "Lonely Planet India" is better than the previous one, which was very very good itself. Despite the immensity of India and the numberless topics and regions that therefore have to be covered, the authors have done an excellent job indeed. Some weaknesses are inevitable, and this is perhaps why this is not one of LP's masterpieces, but it is indeed inevitable for travel guidebooks to be the better, the smaller the region they cover - this is why this book should perhaps be complemented with the individual LP guides to different Indian regions. But in itself, this book does cover most of what a visitor will need or want to know. And in a place that is chaotic and tough for foreigners like India, this may indeed be an essential tool for the less experienced travellers. The coverage of places to stay and eat is absolutely excellent, not just for the major cities but also for minor towns and sites (the authors would indeed seem to have been on every single square foot of land in India !). The section on permits and other legal matters is of immense value to anyone, and well up-to-date. And of course, the sections and special chapters on history, culture, religion, are extremely well written, great for the traveller and the armchair reader alike. Even though the best discoveries are those a traveller will make herself / himself, this guidebook is surely a great tool and help in anyone's discovery of this wonderful land. All in all, a masterpiece despite its limitations. A weakness is of course that things being as they are in India, information is subject to change, and some may have become out-of-date by the time this book was printed. But this is of course inevitable, and it simply means that - as in any country - a traveller should not rely on only a guidebook, but make a considerable effort to grasp as much as possible of current circumstances on her / his own.

I have been spending prolonger periods of time in Lisbon, and thought I felt a 'local' there. I thought I knew all of it - its unique Old City and other sights to see, the places to hang out, things to do. I would have never thought that I would need a guidebook. In fact, Lisbon is a very easy and relatively inexpensive city to get around (unlike chaotic Rome, ... London, or confusing Asian cities). It is a wonderful place, which I thought I could fully enjoyn without the help of any guidebook. Yet, even for someone like me who knows the place and speaks the language, this Lonely Planet guidebook proved extremely useful. It is indeed one of the best LP books I have ever used - extremely well-written, entertaiting, easy-to-use, and filled with precious information. I thought I had seen all the beautiful sites, but this guidebook led me to even more places which I would have not otherwise found: to beautiful coast resorts just outside the city, Estoril just on her outskirts, etc. - with full advice on places to visit, to eat, etc. I thought that I knew what to do at night (it's not hard to find night life in Libson), but this guidebook opened my eyes even more to the wonderful life of the city after dark: the less-known discos and cafés with live music from São Tomé e Principe or Cabo Verde, the Angolan and Mozambican restaurants, etc. Also, I had been unable to find more 'formal' places for business lunches, and this book has that also ! All this is, without mentioning the excellent coverage on the city's history, art, architecture - an excellent guide indeed to her museums, churches and other sites. So, even if you do feel confident, don't go to Lisbon without it - you might be missing something you would not otherwise find.

H.R.H. Prince El-Hassan bin Talal of Jordan wrote: "In the modern world, it has become clear that people of all religions must bridge these differences and work together, to ensure our survival and realize the vision of peace that all faiths share". Yet, how do we put these beautiful words for world peace and harmony into real practice ? Is it enough to simply "tolerate" or "put up" with someone else's religion, barely trying to squeeze some vague common grounds out of one another's religious creeds ? The answer is a definite no, as this author shows us: we can easily go one step further. We can actually come to embrace one another's religions, by learning from them, and incorporate some of their principles and values into our everyday lives - which usually does not conflict with, but rather reinforces or enriches, the values or beliefs we may already be holding through our own religion. This step is extraordinarily exposed by H.E. Great Rabbi Shmuel Boteach, one of the world's greatest orthodox rabbis, and surely one of the top Halachic thinkers of the XXI Century. When he was appointed as Rabbi to Oxford University at age 21, young 'Shmuley' immediately embarked on an extremely challenging task, yet very successfully: to bring the students of Oxford - Catholics, Protestants, Mormons, Buddhists, Hindus, Sikhs, and even Muslims - to share in the spirit of Judaism, through his marvelous creation which lives to this day, the renowned "L'Chaim Society". Students from all sorts of cultural, social and religious backgrounds came to experience the atmosphere and magic of the Holy Shabbat, the teachings of the Sacred Torah and the Holy Talmud, enriching their lives spiritually and culturally, yet without ever giving up anything from their own religion. Without any attempt whatsoever at proselytization, Rabbi Boteach has always worked to propose the great values and teachings of Judaism - universal values for all mankind - to those of other faiths. Indeed, to become just "a little bit Jewish", as shows us the author, can considerably enrich our daily lives, minds and spirits. This book, a true masterpiece not only in terms of intellectual work and rich content, but also for its superbly ravishing prose, is Rabbi Boteach's culmination in bringing Judaism to the world. It is a book truly "for everyone" who would like to learn more about Judaism, and maybe (no commitment !) put a bit of Judaism into their lives. Easy to read, fun to browse through, this book is great material for mind and soul alike.

As all of Lonely Planet's guidebooks, this is of course an excellent travel tool, and truly "sets the standard". Any traveler is surely better off to the South Pacific with, rather than without, this densely written and wonderfully filled book (even though, for this particular destination, the Moon Handbook for the South Pacific would also be a very good choice). However, two things should be said about this particular LP guidebook. First, its coverage is hampered by the region's magnitude and diversity. The effort to cover so many different islands, with their own realities, their own peoples and cultures, is surely a noble endeavour. Yet, it resulted in lack of clarity, and data which is vague or uncomplete, especially on some countries (such as those of Micronesia) more than others. Getting separate LP guidebooks for individual countries or sub-regions (Micronesia, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, Samoa, Fiji, Tonga, Rarotonga & Cook Islands, Tahiti & French Polynesia, etc) would be a much better choice for the discerning traveler - even though it may involve carrying a bit of extra weight around the beautiful seas and skyes of the South Pacific. Second, this guidebook suffers from an evident's "author's bias" in favour of the region. It is quite natural and inevitable, and also very positive, for authors to feel that their region is the best and nicest on our planet, home to the finest wonders of this world (to have the opposite, namely authors who are biased against their own regions, would be horrible). Yet, not all regions of the world can be great and perfect, and their peoples the finest and most friendly. Unknowing travelers should not be led to believe this. The South Pacific can indeed be a very tough place: not all islands and places are as great and beautiful as they may appear from this guidebook, getting around and having a nice time is not always easy (in fact, the region can be horribly frustrating), and the people are not always as pleasant as one might wish. By following indications for visa requirements for the Republic of Kiribati ("British citizens do not require visas"), I found myself pushed back on the aircraft, having to force my way in order to remain on the ground, and avoiding one nigt in a cell only thanks to the intervention of HM High Commissioner. Likewise, in Nauru it is not true that "you'll get a visa on arrival, provided the hotels have rooms". The Otintaai Hotel in Kiribati (allegedly the best in the country) does not have hot water as is claimed in the guidebook, and the Waterfront Villa Hotel in Palau (allegedly "the best deal around") is apparently so simply because the owners are extremely rude and prone to cheating, able to make your stay in beautiful Palau a real hell. Altogether, many countries which may sound like earthly paradises, are simply not so. The people, who are made seem friendly almost without exception, can be extremely obnoxious and difficult, not always happy to receive foreigners - especially in Micronesia and to a lesser extent in Melanesia, yet not so much in Polynesia. The advice contained in this guidebook should be taken with great care. Yet, in the end this remains a truly valuable tool, in a region so hard to get to know, where getting around and finally managing to enjoying one's trip - for those who do decide to go - can be truly hard. The sections on culture, wildlife, etc., despite their being rather summary, are extremely valuable and provide enjoyable reading. This book may not be up to the Lonely Planet standard (we should also consider that this is only the guidebook's first edition); but, considered LP's already high standards, it is not bad at all.

H.R.H. Prince El-Hassan bin Talal of Jordan wrote: "In the modern world, it has become clear that people of all religions must bridge these differences and work together, to ensure our survival and realize the vision of peace that all faiths share". Yet, how do we put these beautiful words for world peace and harmony into real practice ? Is it enough to simply "tolerate" or "put up" with someone else's religion, barely trying to squeeze some vague common grounds out of one another's religious creeds ? The answer is a definite no, as this author shows us: we can easily go one step further. We can actually come to embrace one another's religions, by learning from them, and incorporate some of their principles and values into our everyday lives - which usually does not conflict with, but rather reinforces or enriches, the values or beliefs we may already be holding through our own religion. This step is extraordinarily exposed by H.E. Great Rabbi Shmuel Boteach, one of the world's greatest orthodox rabbis, and surely one of the top Halachic thinkers of the XXI Century. When he was appointed as Rabbi to Oxford University at age 21, young 'Shmuley' immediately embarked on an extremely challenging task, yet very successfully: to bring the students of Oxford - Catholics, Protestants, Mormons, Buddhists, Hindus, Sikhs, and even Muslims - to share in the spirit of Judaism, through his marvelous creation which lives to this day, the renowned "L'Chaim Society". Students from all sorts of cultural, social and religious backgrounds came to experience the atmosphere and magic of the Holy Shabbat, the teachings of the Sacred Torah and the Holy Talmud, enriching their lives spiritually and culturally, yet without ever giving up anything from their own religion. Without any attempt whatsoever at proselytization, Rabbi Boteach has always worked to propose the great values and teachings of Judaism - universal values for all mankind - to those of other faiths. Indeed, to become just "a little bit Jewish", as shows us the author, can considerably enrich our daily lives, minds and spirits. This book, a true masterpiece not only in terms of intellectual work and rich content, but also for its superbly ravishing prose, is Rabbi Boteach's culmination in bringing Judaism to the world. It is a book truly "for everyone" who would like to learn more about Judaism, and maybe (no commitment !) put a bit of Judaism into their lives. Easy to read, fun to browse through, this book is great material for mind and soul alike.

The "Yeoman of the Guard" is undoubtedly one of Gilbert & Sullivan's finest pieces. With Gilbert's witty words and the marvelous music composed by Sullivan, all in the fabulous atmosphere of the Tower of London and its picturesque surroundings, this is most definitely one of the most wonderful embodiments of the English spirit. And the same goes, to a good extent, to the "HMS Pinafore". This particular recording provides a true - that is to say, an excellent - rendering of these pieces, the best of English operetta. The level of the performers is excellent, and the quality of the sound is normal and genuinely fine (although, of course, you still won't feel as if you were in Covent Garden in person). I am horribly upset by the previous review, apparently written by someone from bottom-under who comments on our European music with no due respect and consideration towards Gilbert. Gilbert & Sullivan are and will always be one and the same, irreplaceable, thing. The fact that Gilbert himself directed these recordings, is already an assurance of their value.

Lile most Lonely Planet guidebooks, this travel guide won't come as a disappointment to any of its readers. The unmistakable excellent standards we can expect from LP, combined with the fact that this particular guidebook is in its 8th edition already, makes of this book a masterpiece no traveller to the region should leave behind. The information about hotels and restaurants, things to see and do, etc, is dense, well-written, excellently ordered, and up-to-date. Likewise, the maps, the various tips on do's and dont's, are invaluable. As always, the sections on history, politics, culture etc, are excellently written and well condensed, ensuring pleasant reading for the traveller and the prospective traveller alike. Without exaggerating nor diminishing the fascination of this wonderful part of the world, this guidebook does great service to Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei. It is the ultimate travel tool for those intending to visit these countries, enabling them to make the most out of their stay, as well as ensuring moments of fascinating reading.