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The resourceful traveler(Chicago Tribune (KRT) Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) NEW ORLEANS GUIDES _"Why New Orleans Matters" (Regan Books/HarperCollins; $14.95 hardcover) "New Orleans," writes author Tom Piazza, "inspires the kind of love that very few other cities do. Paris maybe, Venice maybe, San Francisco, New York ..." New Orleans has its own personality, its own music, its own literature, its own cuisine, its own peculiar accent (more Bronx than Dixie), its own look, its own scent. In other words, it has soul. It is also one of the few American cities that actually looks different _ no cookie-cutter blandness here. Of course, anyone who has watched the Katrina coverage knows, too, that it has enormous problems: one of the highest murder rates in the country, not to mention embedded corruption and failing public schools. But Piazza is here to tell us what we will have lost if New Orleans is allowed to disappear or turn into a Disney-like version of its former self. And now, five months or so after the deluge, the city is still struggling to get back on its feet. "Why New Orleans Matters" gives us time to reflect about the fate of the city. Piazza wonderfully captures the spirit of New Orleans or, more accurately, the spirit of its people. It is the kind of spirit that mourns death yet celebrates life, and the more joyful the celebration the better. But, most importantly, it does both at the same time. Here, then, sadness and laughter, grief and joy are all mixed together "and given tangible form in sound, movement, and communal cuisine." If you think New Orleans is only about Mardi Gras and Bourbon Street, you need to read this book. It will open your eyes . . . and caress your heart. (ISBN: 978-0-06-112483-9) _"Very New Orleans" (Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill; $16.95 hardcover) This small, handsome book also celebrates the spirit of New Orleans _ its history, its culture, its charm, and the landmarks and events that make it unique, from Jackson Square and Mardi Gras to its jazz and heritage festival. Author and illustrator Diana Hollingsworth Gessler covers not only the well-known French Quarter and Garden District but also goes farther afield to include River Road plantations and even Cajun country. What makes this book so distinctive, though, are the wonderful illustrations. They are not only colorful and beautifully drawn but also entertaining and informative. More than this, "Very New Orleans" has a distinctive quirky charm much like the city itself. One of my favorite sections is on New Orleans' architectural details. Thus, Gessler features examples of wrought iron and cast iron as well as drawings of the various house styles (shotgun houses, Creole cottages, Creole townhouses). "Very New Orleans" features author's hangouts, local cocktails such as Pimm's Cup and absinthe, how to eat a crawfish and more _ all featuring the idiosyncratic illustrations of the author. The publisher has agreed to give a percentage of the proceeds to Hurricane Katrina relief organizations. (ISBN: 1-56512-447-2) ___ GUIDEBOOKS _"Europe by Eurail" (Globe Pequot; $18.95) For generations of travelers, the best way _ the economically efficient way _ to see The Continent was by train. That is still the case perhaps now more than ever; certainly skyrocketing gasoline prices add to the appeal of train travel. The Eurail network connects more than 30,000 cities and villages in 18 countries. As impressive as those numbers might be, the real appeal here are the trains themselves, often sleek, high-speed marvels that run an average speed of 186 m.p.h. This 30th edition of "Europe by Eurail" offers suggestions on planning a Eurail trip and how to use the system, as well as describing the various rail passes. Individual chapters are devoted to each country and its attractions. (ISBN: 0-7627-3889-8) _"Pacific Spas: Luxury Getaways on the West Coast" (Chronicle Books; $22.95) This sumptuous guidebook features 20 of the most luxurious getaways in California and Washington, Mexico's Baja del Sur and Canada's British Columbia. Some of the treatments described here give decadence a new name such as the combination of a tequila massage with a margarita salt scrub topped off with drinking a virgin margarita in the spa lounge. Did I say decadent? (ISBN: 0-8118-4617-2) _"Lonely Planet Blue List: 618 Things to Do & Places to Go: 06-07" (Lonely Planet; $19.99) It's not enough that Lonely Planet is one of the best travel publishers around. Now they've even coined a new word: "bluelist." In the Lonely Planet lexicon, bluelist means to recommend a travel experience. And indeed they have here. This rather hefty book features a selection of classic and current travel experiences and destinations selected by Lonely Planet staff, authors and travelers. Somehow they managed _ in the first section _ to select 40 categories and 400 entries. In the second section they recommend 60 countries that they think are the most interesting to visit now. Here are just a few of the type of entries to expect: most remote places on Earth (Antarctica; Perth, Australia); best road trips (Route 66; Cabot Trail, Nova Scotia; Scottish Highlands); classic train trips (Old Patagonia Express, Argentina); most iconic man-made structures (Eiffel Tower; Chrysler Building; Stonehenge); great historical journeys (Darwin's Voyage of the Beagle); most unusual places to stay (Wigwam Motel in Arizona). As with any book involving lists, the fun is in the randomness of it. Browse to your heart's delight. (ISBN: 1-74104-734-X) ___ (c) 2006, Chicago Tribune. Visit the Chicago Tribune on the Internet at http://www.chicagotribune.com/ Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Information Services. For information on republishing this content, contact us at (800) 661-2511 (U.S.), (213) 237-4914 (worldwide), fax (213) 237-6515, or e-mail [email protected]. |