I also spent just 6 days visiting the city. I bought this guide after I arrived in Prague and it remains as one of my most cherished books. Incredibly witty, humorous, well-informed and useful. And so dead-on, it sometimes felt as if I was being teased (i.e. Mr Kadri describes a certain club as prone to "shoulder-brushing encounters"; I get there with my friends, go up to the bar to order and... someone's brushing his arm against mine! Seemed like a joke). Also, it made the most out of Prague's odd history and legends.

It's too bad it hasn't been updated, but even if you travel now to Prague, I'd still recommend it for the descriptions. You can get up-to-date phone numbers in other guides, but what Mr Kadri offers I've never seen.

By the way, who's this guy? I haven't seen any other guides by him.

I read several other travel guides to Prague while planning my trip, but I used this one exclusively when wandering through the city because of its excellent and humorous commentary. Using this guide is like having a chatty, witty, and knowledgable guide who shows you the real Prague, not the tourist Prague. Not only does this guide contain pratical details such as using the transportation system, getting to the city from the airport, weather information, travel advice, places to find helpful info, etc., it contains an accessible and enjoyable overview of the history of Prague, excellent and well planned walks through the city (complete with detailed and witty commentary), restaurant and hotel recommendations, and a few necessary (and not so necessary) phrases in Czech. Also included is a chapter on moving to Prague as nearly everyone who goes there ends up wanting to live there. Unfortunately, due to new immigration laws the process of obtaining a residential visa is a long and exasperating process.

The walks (maps and directions included) themselves are wonderful as they lead you through different sections of the city at a pace that allows you to really enjoy and deeply experience many aspects of this complex city.

The only drawback to this otherwise excellent guide is that it sorely needs an update or a new edition. Many of the phone numbers are wrong as the phone system undergoes frequent changes. Several of the businesses have closed or moved elsewhere. Other then that, this city guide stands above those that are ladened with only facts and impersonal descriptions.

This is one of the best city guide books I have ever used. Particularly good is the very detailed and enjoyable walks which bring the city alive, and the quirky history and cultural sections. Prague has such a strange and bohemian history it takes an unusual and observant writer to capture it in the written word. This book does it. Also worth noting is the Prague day trips. Visit all the towns the author mentions, they are fantastic.

First published in 1988, Orest Subtelny's Ukraine: A History has again been newly updated in a third edition. This 736 page volume spans from the earliest times to the modern day, covering everything from ancient Greek colonization to the recent Ukraine diaspora. Orest Subtelny (Professor of History and Political Science at York University) goes into extreme depth and detail with a text that is significantly enhanced with maps, tables, and the occasional black-and-white photograph. Highly recommended for its lucidity, meticulous attention to detail, and scholarly precision, Ukraine: A History is a "must" for anyone who wants to learn about this fascinating land and its people.

Mr. Subtelny's "Ukraine: A History" rates a notch above Mr. Magosci's. Well-written and very readable. This is the volume one reaches for when facts on the Ukrainian history are required.

Orest Subtelny's book on Ukrainian history is intelligently written and very readable, among the growing number of books on Ukraine. It's at the top of the list. A must for any Ukraine enthusiast!

Deborah Pacini Hernandez offers an excellently researched, intelligently written, and amazingly detailed history of the Dominican Republic's Bachata music. Be forewarned ... this is not an easy book to read; this is not a glib magazine article with a superficial history of Bachata. On the contrary, Ms. Hernandez analyzes the growth of Bachata from a socio-economic / political and cultural point of view and her discussions and overall presentation often read like a doctoral dissertation.

Despite the book's academic tone, it is a wonderfully rich, engrossing study of Bachata and I highly recommend it. The book covers the birth of Bachata (circa the early 1960's) and traces its growth up until the early 1990's. I would like Ms. Hernandez to write another book that covers the explosive growth and popularity of Bachata from the mid 1990's up to the present. Ms. Hernandez is to be commended on her extraordinary research and intelligent presentation. I rate this book: A+.

Un curioso estudio, un libro de bachata. La primera vez que lo vi no me anime a leerlo. Pensé como todo mal dominicano con el complejo de gazcue que un libro sobre una música que no me gusta no merecía que le dedicara tiempo. Tuvo que pasar un año y un despertar de mi entendimiento para saber que no importa que la música no me guste o que sea de clase baja o que sea vulgar y yo solo escuche música clásica o rock; lo importante es que es nuestra música, nuestra identidad nos guste o no. El libro como una disección cuidadosamente hecha por una antropóloga trata el tema no con la frialdad de un descubrimiento arqueológico sino con la calidez de un tema humano, bueno con toda la calidez que puede hacerlo una norteamericana. Ella trata el tema de la bachata desde la historia de la etimología de la palabra. No sabia y ahora sé que la palabra bachata significa jolgorio, reunión en que las personas tocan música con guitarras. Las influencias de la bachata según la autora provienen de cuba.

El método de investigación de la autora consistió en residir en Republica Dominicana por un tiempo, mientras entrevistaba a los bachateros de radio guarachita, a artistas famosos, a historiadores y sociólogos. El libro escrito en ingles, también posee unas cuantas letras de bachatas famosas con su respectiva traducción, una galería de fotos de bachateros y merengueros y muestra el avance de la música y su aceptación final al llegar bachata rosa de Juan Luis Guerra al escenario y darle un impulso internacional a la bachata. La autora después de este acontecimiento tuvo que cambiar su foco narrativo, porque esta música lentamente se empieza a aceptar en la radio y ha dejado de ser marginada. Me agrada mucho ver que de todas estas cosas salen estudios, libros, análisis y que mi país esta bien representado. Ojala que autores dominicanos se enfrenten a la labor de exaltar lo nuestro y dejemos nuestro complejo gazcuense, nuestra exaltación de lo extranjero sobre lo nacional y nos pongamos a escribir sobre mas cosas de nuestro país.

Luis Méndez.

This is a great book, one that challenges white male assumptions about class and its relation to music. A valuable book for anyone interested in combatting stereotypes, and patriarchal and racist interpretations of 'popular' music. I was reading a somewhat pompous academic's book about hiphop musical culture by someone named Russell Potter, and it almost made me swear off academic books about music. But Deborah Pacini Hernandez is unusual in that she understands, appreciates, and identifies with the best of Dominican popular music. What a great book!

Rarely has a non-fiction book riveted me this much. Excellent Cadavers is a story so amazing that it would seem to be the invention of a European social novelist extraordinaire. Shockingly, every word that journalist and writer Alexander Stille puts to paper is tragically true. It is the story of Italy, a beautiful and legendary part of post-war Western Europe. Home to the Vatican, of the Renaissance, and some of the most extraordinary artisans and writers in all of western history, Italy seemed relatively well suited to succeed after World War II. However, these dreams were quickly snuffed out by an organization that would use any means necessary to protect their vast international criminal empire, which brought in millions upon millions of dollars. This book tells the story of this group of murderous thugs that managed to corrupt an entire country, effectively creating a shadow government, which enabled them to profit from the hard working taxpaying citizens. It is also the story of two men who decided that it had gone far enough, and they, with the help of a precious few band of brave men, would cure the cancer that had afflicted their country and province for the better part of a century.

The group of course was Cosa Nostra, a shadowy group of professional criminals that formed a tightly knit family of crime. Their ranks were highly structured, with bosses, captains, and soldiers. Originating from the violent land of Sicily, La Cosa Nostra quickly took advantage of the turbulent world of Italian politics and the rising worldwide narcotics trade. Their access to narcotics gave them almost limitless wealth, which enabled them to bribe and corrupt whole swaths of the Italian government and the justice system. Judges, prosecutors, police chiefs, ministers, and even governors were not safe from the mafia's reach, as they would kill literally anyone to make sure everyone else followed orders. Soon, mafia wars sprung up, where hundreds upon hundreds of people would be killed. The narcotics fueled group spread to every city in Italy and even into Europe. The mafia was allied with the Gambino and Genovese crime families of New York, the Asian triad gangs, and the Colombian cartels. Their power was limitless, and few dared challenge them. As the 1980's progressed, and thousands were killed, two prosecutors, Giovanni Falcone and Paulo Borsellino, took up the challenge.

Falcone and Borsellino were not just fighting against the mafia, they were fighting against a society where organized crime was a way of life. Many of their superiors did not want to rock the boat and constantly impeded the work of the two prosecutors. At the same time, the two men were under constant death threats, as the mafia sought to kill both them and their entire families. Even with these obstacles, Falcone and Borsellino managed to bring many mafia chieftains and soldiers to trial. Surprisingly, they were initially successful, sending thousands of them to prison. However, the wheels of corruption quickly turned, releasing many of the prisoners and destroying Falcones reputation. At the same time, the infamous boss of bosses, Toto Riina, consolidated the entire Sicilian organization by murdering anyone who stood in his way. Soon, the violence and political changes forced the government to make changes. However, the only real change came when both Falcone and Borsellino were tragically murdered. Then, the people rose up and demanded justice. Soon, most of the government had been thrown out, and thousands of mobsters found themselves in jail for life. It was too late for Falcone and Borsellino, but they triumphed in death.

Stille provides just an amazing amount of knowledge as he deftly narrates an amazing range of crime and politics. It really is a general history of Italy at the time, with many different mentions of Italian society, politics, and economics. The differences between Northern Italy and Southern Italy are explained, as is the maddening bureaucratic nightmare that is European socialism. Millions of taxpayer dollars disappeared into a black hole of corruption and incompetence, and the voters had little power to do anything about it. Stille provides a great history, and one of the best examples of personal bravery I have ever read.

This book is great read. very informitive, If your interrest lies in the American Mafia then this is a great insight into the rest of the family. hard and cold and deadly "men of honor". you get to see them for what they really are. Personal terrorists. The true hero's being Giovanni Falcone, paolo Borsellino and the sicillian people.

Mr Stills makes it all easy to understand and feel the tenison that must swirl in the very air of Sicily. My admiration goes out to those involved in this strugle. and to Alexander Stille for recording it so well.

A totally first rate work of reporting and writing. stille's book never drowns in its detail, but remains readable and informative, even for someone who doesn't know the ins and outs of italian politics. he really brings anti-mafia investigators borsellino and falcone alive, and comes as close as anyone can to trying to explain what drives former prime minister andreotti. if you are interested in italy, this is a great historical document. if you aren't, treat it as a great crime thriller, except that it's all true.

An excellent addition to the literature on Yugoslav and Serbian history. A must for anyone who would like to learn more about the region. Concise and easy to read. The entries on events and important individulas and institutions have not been burdened by the subjective interpretations and judgements. Highly recommended reading for general public and Yugoslav scholars.

Finally, we have a comprehensive and coherent masterwork on Yugoslavia from a Balkan expert and an IPE scholar. The post-Cold War literature on international relations of Yugoslavia's demise, in its substance and method, for the most part, has not discriminated between truth and opinion. It has not discriminated between what is true objectively and rationally, supported by evidence and illuminated by reason, and what is only a subjective judgment, separated from the facts, unrealistic, and informed by prejudice.

Information and knowledge about the Balkans, Yugoslavia, and Serbia,have often been created and disseminated through uncorroborated reports and teleological research prone to errors: accepting a (policy) claim when it was false, rejecting it when it was true, or solving the wrong problem instead of the right one. Serious readers, scholars, and policy makers engaged in the Balkan affairs and U.S. foreign policy, therefore, should pose several questions:

(1) has the so-called "advocacy journalism" based on the reports from conflict stakeholders -- past, current, or prospective clients and proxies provided information or disinformation?

(2) has the "advocacy journalism" cultivated (a) ignorance and cognitive closure about causal links and their effects; (b) stirred input/output discrepancies that led to cognitive dissonance and suppression of reasoned judgment; or has it enhanced our understanding of causes and consequences of internal conflicts and interstate wars?

(3) have we improved our learning skills, and advanced our knowledge with briefings, statements, and judgments provided by bureaucrats, staff members, and policy makers in a ministry or agency?

Answers to these questions suggest that research and management of international affairs, so far, have been adverse for the study of history and policy. We have discovered fallacies and errors in the intelligence process and planning ex postfacto. We have had to contend with policy advocacy and policy application that stem from these fallacies and errors. Serious and much needed research to discourage the use of fallacies and to avoid costly conceptual and policy errors,so far, has been insufficient and inadequate.

Suster's "Historical Dictionary of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia" in the English-speaking world has long been overdue. Since the end of the Cold War, the public was satiated with the literature on ethnic and regional conflict. This literature, with few exceptions, lacked the precision and depth required for serious social research. Academic and policy discourse has been in need of a discriminate and balanced evidence and inference. We make history and theory synthesis possible through this intellectual production of discriminate and balanced evidence and inference.

Zeljan Suster's book fills the large factual and analytical gap that exists in the contemporary literature on Yugoslavia. Besides the comprehensive lexicon of the names, events, and processes, the book's introductory chapter provides a concise but inclusive analytical background for the main period covered in the book. This analysis is refreshing and stimulating. It makes prospects for serious research on this and similar topics important and feasible. The "Historical Dictionary of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia" is a standard reference for scholars, students, and policy makers.

S. B. M. Pesic, University of Pittsburgh

Finally, a comprehensive and coherent volume on Yugoslavia from a Balkan expert and an IPE scholar. The post-Cold War literature on international relations of Yugoslavia's demise, in its substance and method, for the most part, has not discriminated between truth and opinion -- between what is true objectively and rationally, supported by evidence and illuminated by reason, and what is only a subjective judgment, separated from the facts, unrealistic, and informed by prejudice.

Regrettably, information and knowledge about Serbia, Yugoslavia, and the Balkans have often been created and distributed by media generated and / or by media forwarded pictures, reports, and commentaries. This type of evidence has largely been based on leaks from known and unknown sources. Therefore serious readers, scholars, and policy makers engaged in the Balkan affairs and U.S. foreign policy should pose several questions.

(1) Has the so-called "advocacy journalism" based on the reports from conflict stakeholders -- past, current, or prospective clients and proxies -- provided information or disinformation?

(2) Has the advocacy journalism cultivated (a) ignorance and cognitive closure about causal links and their effects; (b) stirred input-output discrepancies that led to cognitive dissonance and suppression of reasoned judgment; or (c) has it enhanced our understanding of causes and consequences of internal conflicts and interstate wars?

(3) Have we improved our learning skills, and advanced our knowledge with briefings, statements, and judgments provided by bureaucrats, staff members, and policy makers in a ministry or agency?

Answers to these questions and the outcome of such a research and management of international affairs have been adverse for history, theory, and policy. We have discovered ex ante and the ex postfacto fallacies and errors in the intelligence process, and planning. We have had to contend with policy advocacy and implementation that stem from these fallacies and errors. Serious and much needed research to discourage the use of fallacies and to avoid costly conceptual and policy errors, so far has been insufficient and inadequate.

Suster's Historical Dictionary of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in the English-speaking world has long been overdue. Since the end of the Cold War, the public was satiated with the literature on ethnic and regional conflict. This literature, with few exceptions, lacked the precision and depth required for serious social research. Academic and policy discourse has been in need of a discriminate and balanced evidence and inference. We make history and theory synthesis possible through this intellectual production of discriminate and balanced evidence and inference.

Zeljan Suster's book fills the large factual and analytical gap that exists in the contemporary literature on Yugoslavia. Besides the comprehensive lexicon of the names, events, and processes, the book's introductory chapter provides a concise but inclusive analytical background for the main period covered in the book. This analysis is refreshing and stimulating. It makes prospects for serious research on this and similar topics important and feasible. The Historical Dictionary of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia should be a standard reference for scholars, students, and policy makers.

Boban S. M. Pesic, University of Pittsburgh

I believe this book was very well-written and fair in its evaluation of Ukrainian history. I based these comments in part on my Ukrainian descent; and my travels and discussions with Ukrainian citizens. The book does a better(and excellent) job of reviewing fairly recent events in Ukrainian politics and demographics; than it does in reviewing Ukrainian history - but that appears to be intentional. As an American, I noticed what appeared to be British colloquialisms in several places that I didn't understand.

I believe this book was very well-written and fair in its evaluation of Ukrainian history. I based these comments in part on my Ukrainian descent; and my travels and discussions with Ukrainian citizens. The book does a better(and excellent) job of reviewing fairly recent events in Ukrainian politics and demographics; than it does in reviewing Ukrainian history - but that appears to be intentional. As an American, I noticed what appeared to be British colloquialisms in several places that I didn't understand.

Wow what can I say, Mr.Wilson has written a book that will set the standard for all future works for Ukraine. As a previous reviewer said, this book tells you what it is to be a Ukrainian. At sometimes it is a bit too dry and academic but any serious student should not let that get in the way of this otherwise excellent book>

An evocative novel of loss, love, and compassion, Gilgamesh is set in Australia in 1937, just prior to WWII. When Aram a world traveler arrives with Edith's cousin, teenaged Edith's eyes are opened to a bigger world outside the small woman-dominated farm on which she lives, and her life is changed. Two yrs later, she and her young son (fathered by Aram) find themselves stuck behind enemy lines in their journey to find him. The journey from Australia to Armenia, and thru the Middle East before finally returning 'home' mirrors the Gilgamesh metaphor of the wandering king and explores the concept of Home. Stunning writing and insight into character makes this debut fiction a real keeper.

Gilgamesh is an excellent, excellent novel, well-written and interesting. The story, while not exotic or outlandish, still has a crisp, new, fresh feel to it. The novel concerns, mainly, Edith, a young Australian woman who is 17 in the late 30s. Her British cousin Leopold and his Armenian friend Aram, visit Edith's family farm for an extended stay. Aram and Leopold's travel stories spark Edith's imagination and after they leave, she decides, for various reasons, to follow them and seek them out in their home lands. Despite the war raging on around her, Edith manages to leave Australia and makes it to Armenia. Edith's life is interesting, her story, engaging. Ms. London writes extremely well and has given us a superb, engaging and compelling novel. Enjoy.

Gilgamesh is a lyrical and engaging book, and especially impressive considering it is the author's first novel. The loneliness of the characters is very aptly described, and it helps you to admire what must be the vast beauty of Australia. I found the characters to be flawed and believable, and I am looking forward to the author's next novel.

"Swimming in the Congo" by Margaret Meyers is a very good novel that reads like a collection of short stories. It is told in the first-person by a girl, daughter of missionary parents, growing up in the Belgian Congo, circa 1960. The stories are focused on the narrator and her memories of her parents and the local people (Congolese and ex-pats) in and near missionary communities. Issues the seven-year narrator deals with include the mix of American Protestant and African traditional beliefs she encounters; the meaning of the equator and scientific reality; and White racism towards the Congolese. Meyers' writing reads well and is easy to like. It would be interesting to see her story continued.

Margaret Meyers, the daughter of a missionary family, grew up in The Congo in the 1960s, and this 1995 collection of short stories was part of her later MFA Thesis at the University of Virginia. Through them, she introduces her lead character, Grace, who views the world with the freshness of childhood and shares her experiences with the reader. Her father tells her the equator goes right through their property and, at the age of six, she searches for it as if it would be a clearly marked path. Her favorite pastime is swimming in the river, a river she will miss terribly when she is sent off to boarding school a few years later. Her protestant Christianity is unquestioned and she's always exploring her own spirituality as well as making keen observations about the people around her. There are some memorable characters here, from her loving parents to the native Congolese who laugh at the foibles of the missionary families. There are the two spinster women with a secret, an unhappy former ballerina who has trouble adapting to her life in Africa, and a Frenchman who loves his garden almost as much as he loves his constantly changing women. Through Grace's young eyes we see the cruelty of racism and the stirrings of independence as political changes are happening in the country.

At 261 pages this is a fast and enjoyable read, one that I gobbled up in two sittings, letting myself travel to the lush world of Grace's Congo and view it through her child's eyes. Mainly, it's about the people and she stays away from political analysis. She tells her stories simply and creates an atmosphere, and brings the reader right into her world. If I have any criticism at all, it is that some of the characters appear in just one of the short stories and I wanted to hear more about them as the book went on. But, alas, this is a book of stories, not a novel. I loved this book; it was a small trip into a world that is now gone and which I will never get to know except for my reading. And it sure was an enjoyable journey. Recommended.

... you'll love SWIMMING IN THE CONGO! This is a collection of short stories that reads like a novel. In it, young Grace Birggen, the daughter of an agricultural missionary to the Congo in the 1960's, comes of age along the banks of the Congo River in what is now Zaire. The stories are beautifully written and the descriptions of her childhood in an emerging third-world nation are compelling. It is POISONWOOD without the poison. Yes, there are incidents of imperialism and racism, but those incidents are filtered through Grace's eyes, in much the same way that Scout narrates Boo Radley's and Tom Robinson's stories in TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and so will you.

This book really opened my eyes to the living HELL these Jewish people went through. We learn about it in school, but the schoolbooks just scratch the surface of the emotional and physical turmoil these people went through. I wanted to learn more about this period. And when I did it explained why there are some people who think that the Holocaust never happened. I think that they don't want to believe that a human being could do that to another person! They go into denial. I recommend this book to anyone and everyone who wants to learn more and can handle the very disturbing REAL events that happened to REAL people. Ruth Elias is a heroic person and I would LOVE to have the oppurtunity to meet her.

I found this book not only an unbelievable book to read but also a book which I learnt a lot from. As I am learning about the Holocaust in school now, it was good to hear a personal story from the horses mouth(so to speak) of what actually happened. Often when you hear stories they are changed each time they are retold, like the game broken telephone. But when you read a book which was written by the person who was the actual survivor, you know it isn't going to be all distorted and something you can actually learn from. I am still unable to comprehend exactly how it all happened but it did so now we should make sure that the story of the Holocaust is told to the future Jewish and non-Jewish generations to come, to make sure it is never forgotten. Also to make sure Holocaust deniers don't convince people that the Holocaust never happened as they are very persuasive with their stupid lies. Unfortunatley one day we won't have any survivors left and that is why we need to educate the future which is my generation and the generations that follow. So I recommend if you haven't read this book to read it and if you have or once you finish, recommend it to everyone to read. Ruth Elias is not only a fabulous author but a fabulous and heroic person. She is someone we should all look up to.

Triumph of Hope, takes the reader along with Mrs. Elias as she lives through her every day encounters. The pain and suffering, and also the humiliation that the Huppert family endures leaves one with a heavy heart. But the pressing memory that I have of this book, is the decision that Mrs. Elias was forced to make in order to save the life of her beautiful baby girl.

This book is simply amazing. Kovaly has had the most terrible luck imaginable (jailed in a Nazi Concentration Camp AND Stalinist Prague). She describes her life, as well as the inherent similarities/problems with Stalinism and Nazism. If you want a WWII & Cold war historical account, a gripping biography or a description of totalitarian regimes, this book is for you.

....but Under a Cruel Star is an excellent book. As a history major, I have to slosh through a lot of stuff that's not necessarily interesting or engaging, so Kovaly's book was a breath of fresh air. It was eminently readable and fascinating -- I had two weeks to read it and finished it within the space of a few hours because I just couldn't bring myself to put it down. She does a good job in her memoir of showing us what life in Prague was like after the Germans came and were followed by the Stalinists (I cannot say Communists, because Communists they were not). Her tale is gripping, speaking of the dearest hope of a people with no hope left, only to be betrayed by those who offered them the very hope that sustained them. An excellent read.

I think anyone who is interested to learn more about Communism in general should read this book. I think the author did a good job in analyzing the situation and providing insightful information on life under the communists. She gave a vivid account on how her husband, who held one a high position in the government was convicted and executed. Her life was practically ruined when people learned or led to believe that her husband was a traitor. She was denied of proper medical care, was fired at every job, was relocated to a shack and how everyone who assosiated themselves with her would lose their job.

What I like about this book is that we get to know how it was like for civilians and for people who were related to government officials, live. It was fearful, dark, full of betrayal and worst of all, selfishness. Even though people who carried out orders knew that it was not justified, they did nothing about it. Her husband, under illegal interogations and was led to believe that if he agreed to confess to those charges, the author and her child would be safe. In fact, it was far from it.

This book is a combination of both history and personal account which I find very interesting. Mrs Heda Margolius Kovaly bringing her readers from the time she was held in concentration camp to period when she returned to Prague and how communism took over the country. Another book I would recommend is Nien Cheng's "Life and Death in Shanghai" which gave an account of life in prison, under constant interogation.