Ornithography: An Illustrated Guide to Bird Lore and Symbolism by Jessica Roux

 

Reviewed by Jeanne

Previously, I reviewed Jessica Roux’s Floriography, which is a beautifully illustrated book about Victorian flower language—a romantic and/or secret way to send messages based on the plants used.  In this book, Roux looks at the folklore associated with birds.  While the text is brief, the glorious illustrations are indeed worth a thousand words. 

Starting with Albatross and continuing through to Woodpecker, Roux gives a meaning associated with a bird as well as some information.  The content varies depending on the bird, naturally.  For example, for Crow Roux notes they symbolize cleverness and retells the Aesop story about how a crow figures out how to get a drink of water from a bottle and refers the reader to the related Raven and Magpie.  While the majority of birds are familiar to North American readers, there are some species native to other continents.  Similarly, the folklore comes from a variety of cultures. 

The artwork is stunning.  The color choices tend to give the pieces an old-fashioned feel but are frequently also dramatic.  This is a splendid browsing book, one in which the illustrations will command as much if not more attention than the text.

I found this another wonderful example of Roux’s artistry and love of folklore.

Nevermore: Night Watch, Ornithography, Conclave

Reported by Rita

Night Watch by Jayne Anne Phillips

In 1874, in the wake of the War, erasure, trauma, and namelessness haunt civilians and veterans, renegades and wanderers, freedmen and runaways. Twelve-year-old ConaLee, the adult in her family for as long as she can remember, finds herself on a buckboard journey with her mother, Eliza, who hasn’t spoken in more than a year. They arrive at the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum in West Virginia, delivered to the hospital’s entrance by a war veteran who has forced himself into their world. There, far from family, a beloved neighbor, and the mountain home they knew, they try to reclaim their lives.

Excellent! Beautifully written with well-formed characters. A real page-turner.     -KN      5 stars

Ornithography: An Illustrated Guide to Bird Lore & Symbolism by Jessica Roux

In Jessica Roux’s Ornithography, each of 100 entries focuses on one bird species, featuring a full-page color illustration in her detailed, darkly romantic style, and the lore behind each bird.

This is an easy read with gorgeous illustrations. I found the mythology of birds very interesting.     - KM      4 stars

 

Conclave by Robert Harris

The Pope is dead. Behind the locked doors of the Sistine Chapel, one hundred and eighteen cardinals from all over the globe will cast their votes in the world’s most secretive election. They are holy men. But they have ambition. And they have rivals. Over the next seventy-two hours, one of them will become the most powerful spiritual figure on earth.

This was a quick, easy read with a surprise ending. It gave great insight into the Catholic church.     - GP      5 stars

 

Other Books Mentioned

 

River of No Return: Tennessee Ernie Ford and the Woman He Loved by Jeffrey Buckner Ford

Stars in Their Courses: The Gettysburg Campaign, June-July 1863 by Shelby Foote

Life in the Coal Camps of Wise County by Brian D. McKnight

The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky

A People’s History of the United States by Howard Zinn

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

How They Croaked by Georgia Bragg

The Gates of Evangeline by Hester Young

The Seamstress by Allison Pittman

 

New Books

 

Raising Demons by Shirley Jackson

Change the Recipe by Jose Andres

The Eights by Joanna Miller

Waiting for the Long Night Moon by Amanda Peters

When the Moon Hits Your Eye by John Scalzi

 

Reviewed by Kristin

If we could package John Scalzi’s sense of humor, I think we might solve all world problems.

In this case, the world does have a big problem. Or the moon has a big problem, which is causing humans a big problem. The moon is suddenly larger and brighter in the sky than it should be. Moon rocks in museums and labs all over the world have changed consistency, and the scientists will only say that they appear to be made of some kind of biological matter. Pretty soon someone takes a sniff, then a taste, and finds that the moon is made of . . . cheese.

The decades since someone landed on the moon have been frustrating, and astronauts have been preparing a trip back to the lunar surface. But if it’s cheese, is it safe? Is it gooey or stringy or shredded or grated?

This tale takes us through exactly one lunar cycle, told through many characters’ points of view. Scientists, kids, billionaires, college students, and politicians all have their opinions and intentions when it comes to finding out exactly what has happened to the moon. From hijacking a rocket to literally howling curses at the moon, this wild romp kept me turning pages long after I should have been asleep.

I guess Scalzi’s books are little packages of his humor, and I know that I can always count on them to make me smile. Scalzi writes space epochs, private investigators, pop culture satires, scathing political commentaries, and so much more. Plus, he loves cats. That is all I really need to know.

The #1 Dad Book: Be the Best Dad You Can Be—in 1 Hour by James Patterson

 

Reviewed by Jeanne

Just in time for Father’s Day, which is probably NOT a coincidence, James Patterson has a little book of advice about how to, well, be the best dad you can be.  It’s both a light-hearted and serious look at the best way to parent.  Patterson says not every suggestion will work for every parent, but he does give easy tips and things to think about.  It’s like having a nice chat with someone whose been there, done that, and here are the highlights of what he’s learned.

One tip I thought was interesting was the suggestion to talk to male friends about being a dad.  Patterson points out that men talk about all sorts of things from business to sports when they get together, but it’s also good to be able to talk about parenting—even if it’s just to vent.  There might be a new perspective from other fathers dealing with the same thing.

Another one I liked was about choosing a name for offspring which involved saying the name out loud many times to decide if it’s really a name that you like, day in and day out, in joy and in frustration. 

He also lists books on parenting and explains why he chose these particular titles.

The book is sprinkled with quotes from fathers, mostly not famous ones, which give insights or tips. 

Finally, he has 17 items on a checklist of things to look at and think about, distilled from the book.  He doesn’t expect everything will work for every dad, but if even a few of these resonate then the time spent with this book will be worth it.

I liked the friendly tone of the book and the simple suggestions.  There were a number of things worth thinking about and not just for parents: some of them are just ideas for human beings.

Nevermore: I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Ride of Her Life, Desert Rose

 Nevermore 5/13/25

Reported by Rita

 

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou

This 1969 autobiography captures the longing of lonely children, the brute insult of bigotry, and the wonder of words that can make the world right.

The audiobook read by Maya Angelou is phenomenal! While parts of her story are painful to hear, her words and voice are powerful.   - HM    5 stars

 

The Ride of Her Life: The True Story of a Woman, Her Horse, and Their Last-Chance Journey Across America by Elizabeth Letts

The incredible true story of a woman who rode her horse across America in the 1950s, fulfilling her dying wish to see the Pacific Ocean.

It was amazing the amount of help she received from strangers along the way. A really interesting story.     - MH     4 stars

 

Desert Rose: The Life and Legacy of Coretta Scott King by Edythe Scott Bagley

Desert Rose details Coretta Scott King's upbringing in a family of proud, land-owning African Americans with a profound devotion to the ideals of social equality and the values of education, as well as her later role as her husband's most trusted confidant and advisor.

Filled with moving photos and stories. Worth reading.    AH   - 5 stars

 

Other Books Mentioned:

 

Grace Hopper and the Invention of the Information Age by Kurt W. Beyer

Crime & Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Sunpath by Michael Maryk

Cats of the World by Hannah Renâe Shaw

The Easiest Mediterranean Diet Cookbook for Seniors by Mary Ellsworth

Ellis Island & Other Stories by Mark Helprin

Phantom Islands of the Atlantic: The Legends of Seven Lands That Never Were by Donald S. Johnson

The Cartographers: A Novel by Peng Shepherd

My Name is Eva by Suzanne Goldring

The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky

The Black Spectacles by John Dickson Carr

Vera Wong's Guide to Snooping (On a Dead Man) by Jesse Q Sutanto

The Year 1000: What Life Was Like at the Turn of the First Millennium, an Englishman's World by Robert Lacey

 

New Books:

 

Sipsworth by Simon Van Booy

The Measure by Nikki Erlick

Ornithography: An Illustrated Guide to Bird Lore & Symbolism by Jessica Roux

TVA Photography, 1963-2008: Challenges and Changes in the Tennessee Valley by Patricia Bernard Ezzell

The Paranormal Ranger: A Navajo Investigator’s Search for the Unexplained by Stanley Milford, Jr.

 

Reviewed by Jeanne

Stanley Milford, Jr. was born to a Navajo father and Cherokee mother who divorced when he was a child.  Growing up, his life was divided between living with his mother in Oklahoma and with his father’s family on the Navajo Reservation.  He never learned to speak Navajo but learned the traditional stories, folklore, and beliefs.  He had an interest in law enforcement from a young age, so becoming a Navajo Ranger was in many ways a dream come true. 

Navajo Rangers aren’t strictly law enforcement; their duties are wide-ranging and may include anything from inspecting stock to joining a manhunt to investigating reports of unusual creatures or activity.  The latter investigations increasingly fell to Milford and his fellow Navajo Ranger, Jon Dover.  Many such reports were dismissed by the police and other authorities, but Milford had a commanding officer who felt even these seemingly off-kilter cases should be examined to show the community that their concerns were being taken seriously.

That is one of the major themes running through the book: treating people with respect and not belittling their experiences or accounts. Sometimes the things they investigated could be proved to have a non-supernatural explanation, such as a woman who kept hearing odd noises and finding strange bundles of twigs around her home; others were much more elusive.  Milford himself had some inexplicable experiences, so he has a great deal of empathy for victims.  He also set high standards for the investigations, laying out procedures to be followed just as he would for a more mundane investigation. He also began working with others who had experience in the paranormal world, such as MUFON (Mutual UFO Network) in order to get more expertise.

The book is as much about life on the reservation as it is about the paranormal, which is a plus as far as I’m concerned.  As someone who read all the Tony Hillerman books, I was aware of some of the tribes’ beliefs (the area is also home to other tribes, such as Hopi and Zuni) as well as conditions, but Milford’s vivid accounts made it all feel very real. There are few Rangers in a vast area; the terrain can be difficult to travel; and people often live isolated lives.  Milford also retells some of the Navajo stories about creation and explains a bit of their belief system about skinwalkers, ghosts, and other beings.  Some of these more or less fit into Navajo traditions; others less so. 

I liked Milford’s measured approach to the unknown.  He sometimes speculates about some of the phenomena for which he has no explanation but doesn’t try to come to definitive conclusions.  His approach is open but with a healthy dose of skepticism, though no matter what he concludes, he respects those who tell the stories.  I also like the way his descriptions make the reader feel as if they are right there with him in the heat and the scratchy vegetation.

In short, I quite enjoyed this account.

What Does It Feel Like? By Sophie Kinsella

 

Reviewed by Jeanne

Evie Monroe is a best-selling novelist who has it all, including a case of writer’s block. She’s bored with the book she’s writing when all at once she decides to take her own advice to would-be authors:  write what you know, and write the book you want to read. Immediately she knows what she wants to write and the words just burst forth into her biggest selling novel yet, one optioned for a movie.  It’s a dream.

And then Eve wakes up in a hospital, not sure why she’s there or how long she’s been there.  Her devoted husband Nick is there and says he has been all along. Her children are being taken care of by their grandparents. There was an operation for a brain tumor.  Eve is going to have to relearn a lot of things, and Nick will be by her side.

The advice Eve gives is also the advice Sophie Kinsella takes in this short novel. In 2022, Kinsella was diagnosed with a stage four glioblastoma. She underwent surgery to remove the tumor and has since been undergoing treatment. As she explains in the afterward, this is not her memoir but it is her story. And what a story it is:  courageous, tender, loving, and against the odds, hopeful.  I found it to be both moving and uplifting; treating the story as fictional allows a distance for author and reader to connect in a way that’s personal but not intrusive. It’s very much a love story, but not really a tearjerker. It’s gently amusing, and gently thoughtful, dealing with questions we tend to avoid. 

This was a lovely book and deserves the accolades it has received. I know I will be recommending it to others.

Nevermore: Black Bird Oracle, Happy-Go-Lucky, Chicken Soup for the Soul

 Nevermore 4-29-25  Reported by Rita

 

The Black Bird Oracle: A Novel (#5 in All Souls Series) by Deborah Harkness

When the Congregation demands she and Matthew test the magic of their 7-year-old twins, Oxford scholar and witch Diana Bishop forges a different path. She confronts her family's dark past and reckons with her desire for even greater power—if she can let go of her fear of wielding it.

Not my favorite book in the series, but it ties up loose ends. It's a really good read.     - MH     4 stars

Happy-Go-Lucky by David Sedaris

The best-selling author offers a new collection of satirical and humorous essays that chronicle his own life and ordinary moments that turn beautifully absurd, including how he coped with the pandemic, his thoughts on becoming an orphan in his seventh decade, and the battle-scared America he discovered when he resumed touri

9 out of 5 stars! This was touching and funny. Absolutely great!     - CD     5 stars  

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Laughter's Always the Best Medicine: 101 Feel-Good Stories by Amy Newmark

Chicken Soup for the Soul's first-ever humor collection, including stories from spouses to parents to children to colleagues and friends that tell about their own mishaps and those most embarrassing moments.

The stories are very happy, funny, and good, but some felt a little repetitive.     - MS     4 stars

 

Other Books Mentioned

 

Make Me by Lee Child

A Woman Who Went to Alaska by May Kellogg Sullivan

Moment in Peking by Yutang Lin

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

We Were the Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter

Boom!: Talking About the Sixties: What Happened, How it Shaped Today, Lessons for Tomorrow by Tom Brokaw

Ernie's War: The Best of Ernie Pyle's World War II Dispatches by Ernie Pyle

Sunpath by Michael Maryk

The Fellowship of the Ring by J. R. R. Tolkien

The Power of the Dog by Thomas Savage

Living in the Light by Deepak Chopra

13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do by Amy Morin

Against the Wind by J. F. Freeman

 

New Books

 

Who Is Government?: The Untold Story of Public Service by Michael Lewis

Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green

The Next Conversation: Argue Less, Talk More by Jefferson Fisher

King of the North: Martin Luther King's Life of Struggle Outside the South by Jeanne Theoharis

New Books for June!

June

Abbot, Megan  El Dorado Drive

Armstrong, Kelley  Writing Mr. Wrong

Battles, Brett  Stuart Woods’ Finders Keepers

Brennan, Allison  Beach Reads and Deadly Deeds

Burke, James Lee  Don’t Forget Me, Little Bessie

Carr, Jack  Cry Havoc

Castle, Jayne  It Takes a Psychic

Coble, Colleen  Where Secrets Lie

Constantine, Liv  Don’t Open Your Eyes

Cosby, S.A.  King of Ashes

Freeman, Dianne  A Daughter’s Guide to Mothers and Murder

Harmel, Kristin  The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau

Housewright, David  Them Bones

Jackson, Lisa  It Happened on the Lake

Jewell, Lisa  Don’t Let Him In

Johansen, Iris  Death Mask (Eve Duncan)

Khavari, Kate  A Botanist’s Guide to Rituals and Revenge

King, Laurie   Knave of Diamonds (Mary Russell & Sherlock Holmes)

Lamb, Wally  The River is Waiting

Lippman, Laura  Murder Takes a Vacation

Novak, Brenda  The Summer That Changed Everything

Patterson, James & Clinton, Bill The First Gentleman

Preston & Child  Badlands (Nora Kelly)

Reid, Taylor Jenkins Atmosphere:  A Love Story

Rosnay, Tatiana De  Blonde Dust

Sager, Riley  With a Vengeance

Schellman, Katharine  Last Dance Before Dawn

Shalvis, Jill  The Love Fix

Smith, Martin Cruz  Hotel Ukraine (Renko)

Steel, Danielle  A Mother’s Love

Stiefvater, Maggie The Listeners

Swanson, Peter  Kill Your Darlings

Thayne, RaeAnne  The Lost Book of First Loves

Weaver, Ashley  One Final Turn  (Electra McDonnell)

White, Randy Wayne  Tomlinson’s Wake  (Doc Ford)

Remainders of the Day: A Bookshop Diary by Shaun Bythell

 

Reviewed by Jeanne

When the local distillery closed, the small Scottish town of Wigtown found itself without a major industry to employ its residents and so Wigtown reinvented itself as a book town.  It was a move that proved successful enough to have Wigtown designated as “The National Book Town of Scotland,” complete with a book festival.  There are over a dozen bookstores, not to mention other book-themed or book related stores.

One of these is The Bookshop, the largest second-hand bookstore in Scotland.  Owned by Shaun Blythell, the shop boasts over 100,000 books.  While that might sound like a dream come true to most readers, the reality can be very different: leaks in the roof, wonky internet connections, obnoxious customers, and unreliable shop assistants. I know this because Mr. Blythell has written three books with his diary entries about the shop.

This is the sort of book that some people would pick up, scan a page, and put down.  My view is that they would be missing an absolute treat.  Blythell doesn’t suffer fools gladly but he doesn’t exempt himself. He also has quite the way with words and a deep love of books and literature.  He almost had me coveting a book of maps and I don’t know beans about maps.  He’s also very funny, in a cantankerous sort of way.  For example, a former employee asked for a reference.  Blythell noted that she “was idle, obstreperous and treated the shop as her own empire.  She was in many ways the perfect employee.”

Or when unexpected (okay, they WERE expected, he just forgot) guests stop by for lunch, all he has is stale bread (he did scrape the mould off first while they weren’t looking) and some pate. He noted they probably expected better but that the best they could realistically expect “from their culinary experience above The Bookshop is that they’ve dodged a case of listeria.”

He also buys books, often going to people’s homes to evaluate the volumes. Sometimes there are wonderful gems, but just as often most of the offerings are popular fiction with little value.  I enjoyed reading about the things he looks for in a book, how the book trade has waxed and waned, and how the advent of the internet has changed book buying for both buyers, and sellers. I also have a very different view of Amazon and certain other online used book outlets.

I’ve taking my time with this book, reading a few entries each night to make it last.  I’ve already read the two previous books (Diary of a Bookseller and Confessions of a Bookseller) and so far there isn’t a fourth.  I’m making do by following The Bookshop online but may just have to start re-reading at night.

Remainders of the Day is the third in the series but you needn’t have read the others to enjoy it.

Nevermore: The Art of Power, Endurance, Last Day the Dogbushes Bloomed

 

Nevermore 4-22-25

Reported by Rita

 

The Art of Power by Nancy Pelosi

The first woman to ascend to the most powerful legislative role in our nation, passing laws that save lives and livelihoods, tells the story of her transformation from housewife to House Speaker, becoming a prophetic voice on the major moral issues of the day who's not afraid of a good fight.

I found it to be very informative and interesting.     -  KM     5 stars

 

Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing

Describes how polar explorer Ernest Shackleton's ship became immobilized in ice for ten months on his 1914 expedition to Antarctica, resulting in an 850-mile journey back to civilization with only a skeleton crew remaining.

Incredibly tedious, but fascinating and enjoyable.    - CD     4 stars

 

The Last Day the Dogbushes Bloomed by Lee Smith

Recounts the last summer of innocence for nine-year-old Susan, who witnesses the disintegration of her parents' marriage, and learns of people's cruelty from the visiting nephew of a neighbor.

Lee Smith is an extraordinary writer, and this book is absolutely amazing!    - MD    5 stars

 

Other Books Mentioned

 

Kills Well With Others by Deanna Raybourn

The Sunflower House by Adriana Allegri

The Shadow Girls by Henning Mankell

Wreck of the Whale Ship Essex: The Extraordinary and Distressing Memoir That Inspired Herman Melville's Moby-Dick by Owen Chase

The Thread That Runs So True by Jesse Stuart

Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis

1984 by George Orwell

The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods

The Faculty Lounge by Jennifer Mathieu

Afterward by Jennifer Mathieu

The Girl on Legare Street by Karen White

The Third Girl by Nell Goddin

The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabella Wilkerson

Ernie's War by Ernie Pyle

 

New Books

 

Kate & Frida by Kim Fay

The Paris Express by Emma Donoghue

Penitence by Kristin Koval

Theft by Abdulrazak Gurnah

Lonely Planet’s Guide to Death, Grief, and Rebirth by Anita Isalska

 

Reviewed by Jeanne

As a child, I picked up a joke book which had an anecdote about a man visiting a cemetery.  As he put flowers on a grave, he noticed another man putting a food offering on a grave.  The first man laughed loudly and said, “So, when do you think your friend is going to come out and eat that food?” The second man replied, “When your friend comes out to smell the flowers.” 

This was my introduction to the fact that mourning customs can vary widely and there is no one right way to pay respects to the dead.  Growing up, Memorial Day was a day when one went to the various graveyards and put flowers on all the family graves:  failure to do so was a disgrace that brought shame on the family.  Later I was surprised to discover that Memorial Day was actually meant to honor only those who had died in service and our insistence on decorating all the graves was an aberration.

That’s why when I saw the book with the vivid pink cover and flower bedecked skull, I had to take a closer look. I was also attracted by the “Lonely Planet” part of the title, wondering why an imprint known for its travel books would take on such a topic.  The book’s subtitle, “How Global Grieving Customs Can Help Us Live (and Die) Well” offered a pretty good clue, as did the table of contents.  The book is divided up into four main categories: Celebrating, Commemorating, Mourning, and Offering.  Under each heading is an article on a particular culture’s observance, such as Irish Wake, New Orleans jazz funeral, fantasy coffins of Ghana, Lakota soul keepers, and so forth. 

Each article is a respectful look at how a culture handles death.  While not in depth, there are beautiful color photographs and notes about various aspects of funerary rites, rituals, beliefs, and customs.  The Irish wake reminded me in some respects of the Appalachian custom of sitting up with the dead, which I had heard stories about from older family members. Music plays a big role in many cultures, as does food.  Certain plants may be associated with death, such as calla lilies in Western cultures or eucalyptus bark in Aboriginal rites. 

The photographs are wonderful and I was fascinated by the ways that people observe death, grief, and loss. In Ghanaian culture there are coffins that look like lions or a fishing boat or a cell phone or a mermaid, created to reflect the personality or desires of the deceased.  These are one of a kind art objects, and some of the makers have become well-known artists such as Paa Joe.

Attention is paid to the views about death held by different religions, including Christianity, Judaism, Islam, and Buddhism.  Ancient Egyptian culture is also addressed and symbols such as the phoenix and the Grim Reaper.

Along the way, there are sidebars with gentle, helpful notes about the grieving process, poems, songs, and commentary. There is also a section on preparing for death: end of life doulas, Swedish death cleaning, or making funeral arrangements, including some thoughtful ideas about alternatives—body donation, green burials, etc.

There is an index, but unfortunately it is a bit limited. For example, there was no entry for “grave goods,” those items either buried with a person or left at a graveside, though there were some references in with the individual cultures.  A friend who documents cemeteries sometimes mentions the items she’s seen left on gravestones, anything from charms to rocks to photos to children’s toys. I once saw a can of beer and a pack of chewing gum—both unopened, so obviously left in memory.

The reviews I saw remarked on how ultimately uplifting the book is, and I certainly found that to be true.  There is no one way to grieve, no right way to memorialize the dead.  I’ve always enjoyed reading books about other cultures and traditions, and this is a truly fascinating look at what is, after all, a fact of life.

Travel Guides

 Summer is a traditional time for vacation and travel.  We’ve already had several people in for books to help them plan their trips, so I thought it was time for a post on travel books.

If you had asked me a decade ago, I would have said sadly that travel guides were on their way out.  Fewer and fewer were being published as people apparently took their searches online.  When I tried that before a trip a couple of years ago, the results were frustrating, to say the least.  Every site seemed trying to sell me something: tours, tickets, hotel rooms, etc.

My suspicion is that a lot of people had the same experience because guidebooks are definitely making a comeback!  We have been getting in a number of new books on various places, both inside the U.S. and international destinations.  When possible we get more than one because each publisher has a slightly different focus.  To compare, I picked books on Italy and checked out what each had to say on Pompeii.

Fodor's is one of the best known names in travel guides for good reason.  Fodor's Essential Italy  had a bit on how to get to Pompeii (and nearby Herculaneum), a brief history, and information what to see. Small color photos give an idea of what there, and a map gives a good idea of what is where.  They suggest packing snacks as food can be expensive but note luggage is not allowed. They also give a few warnings about content:  Pompeii had more than a few brothels and their explicit murals are still there.  Suggested time spent is four or five hours, and tips on getting a guide are included.

DK made its name years ago for doing informational books with fabulous photographs.  In many ways, they set the standard.  When they moved into guide books, they brought that aesthetic with them.  The DK Italy book only had two pages on Pompeii but gives some background information, where to book tickets, and of course some very good color photographs of what can be seen.  None of the photos come from the brothels, by the way, but the text does mention them and the murals.

Lonely Planet is a guidebook I used to avoid.  Oh, the information was very good and they tended to do some books on lesser-known destinations but the very small print and lack of illustrations made it a chore to read.  That has changed; while the print is still small, it’s more readable, offset with text boxes with tips and bits of information.  It had four pages on Pompeii, two of which gave an illustrated timeline of what would have happened on the day the volcano erupted.  There are fewer travel tips and more information on what is being seen.

Rick Steves is the go-to guide for many.  He specializes in European travel and his guides are top notch when it comes to the mechanics of travel.  His book on Italy lists all the different ways to get to Pompeii, which takes up several pages and includes going by car. There are detailed instructions on getting tickets and hiring guides, even listing specific companies and individuals with contact information. He lists where the restrooms are, places to eat, how long to plan to stay, and, oh, yes, that there are some risqué murals which you may want to avoid if traveling with children.  Steves is opinionated, which is not necessarily a bad thing though I have to say on one trip we skipped something he panned and I still regret that I didn’t disregard that advice.  I might have been disappointed but since I’m not a seasoned traveler as Steves, I might have enjoyed it.  Steves’ books are much like his TV spots and podcasts: he gives fascinating background, personal observations, and detailed descriptions of parts of the site, putting places in context. It’s arranged as a walking tour. There is a small map which shows a tour route.  At least in this edition (2022; 2025 edition is due out next month), there are few photos and, except for some in front of the book, all are small and black and white.

Which guidebook is right for you really depends on what you want from a guidebook. All have their strong points.  I really like to consult two or three to get a well-rounded picture of what to see and how to see it.  Happy travels!