Ireland

Rick Steves' Ireland 2008 (Rick Steves)

Ireland (Eyewitness Travel Guides)

You'd be hard-pressed to find a more comprehensive, engrossing and just plain fun-to-read guidebook than the Eyewitness Travel Guide: Ireland. Spilling over with all sorts of useful information for the traveler, you'll find three-dimensional drawings, floor plans, detailed neighborhood maps with a street-finder index, and even historical timelines. Broken into several sections (including "Introducing Ireland," "Region by Region," "Traveler's Needs," and "Survival Guide"), the guide paints a complete picture of the country. Readers will especially love the hundreds of color photos of everything from the Cliffs of Moher in County Clare to the Connemara landscape of County Galway to out-of-the-way pubs and street-by-street illustrated city walks (Dublin's Southeast walk takes in famed landmarks such as Trinity College, St. Stephen's Green and the Shelbourne Hotel). You'll also find listings for Aran sweaters, Waterford crystal, and Celtic recordings. --Jill Fergus

Learn about Ireland's profound cultural heritage, breathtaking scenery and famous easy-going lifestyle with Eyewitness Travel Guide. The opening chapter Introducing Ireland maps the country and sets it in its historical and cultural context. Each of the seven regional chapters plus Dublin Area by Area contains descriptions of the most important sights with maps, pictures and illustrations. Hotel and restaurant recommendations can be found in Travelers Needs. The Survival Guide contains practical information on everything from telephone system to the transport both in the Republic and in Northern Ireland. The DK travel guide helps you to get the most out of your trip to Ireland, providing expert recommendations as well as detailed practical information.

Frommer's Ireland 2008 (Frommer's Complete)

Experience a place the way the locals do. Enjoy the best it has to offer.

• Ireland is one of the most ancient and most modern countries in Europe. Our author guides you to the best of the old and new on the Emerald Isle.
• Discover the Celtic Tiger's newest cybercafes, the secrets of its ancient ruins, and the smartest ways to navigate all that green in between.
• Outspoken opinions on what's worth your time and what's not.
• Exact prices, so you can plan the perfect trip whatever your budget.
• Off-the-beaten-path experiences and undiscovered gems, plus new takes on top attractions.

Ireland (Country Guide)

From Antarctica to Zimbabwe, if you're going there, chances are Lonely Planet has been there first. With a pithy and matter-of-fact writing style, these guides are guaranteed to calm the nerves of first-time world travelers, while still listing off-the-beaten-path finds sure to thrill even the most jaded globetrotters. Lonely Planet has been perfecting its guidebooks for nearly 30 years and as a result, has the experience and know-how similar to an older sibling's "been there" advice. The original backpacker's bible, the LP series has recently widened its reach. While still giving insights for the low-budget traveler, the books now list a wide range of accommodations and itineraries for those with less time than money.

From pub-hopping and leprechaun-chasing to Ogham stones and the Book of Kells, Lonely Planet presents the essential Ireland. In addition to the requisite lowdown on food and accommodations, a detailed activities section covers everything from walking and birdwatching to hang gliding and rock climbing. The book's intriguing "boxed asides" delve into topics ranging from the mystical to the environmental, including the witch of Kilkenny, the legend of Inishbofin Island, the Birr Observatory and Telescope, even Ireland's disappearing bogs. --Kathryn True

Discover Ireland

Hear nothing but wind over stone walls as you walk the edge of the continent on Inisheer.
Taste Ireland's natural bounty as you feast on local produce in Kinsale.
Trade banter with your driver on a black-taxi tour of the political murals of West Belfast.
Tap your toes and raise your glass to a traditional music session in Doolin and Kilfenora.

In This Guide:

Seven authors, over 200 days of research, countless gallons of the black stuff consumed.
Interviews with celebrity chefs, mural artists and fiddlers.
Don't just take our word for it; see what travelers are saying at lonelyplanet.com

The Endurance: Shackleton's Legendary Antarctic Expedition

Melding superb research and the extraordinary expedition photography of Frank Hurley, The Endurance by Caroline Alexander is a stunning work of history, adventure, and art which chronicles "one of the greatest epics of survival in the annals of exploration." Setting sail as World War I broke out in Europe, the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition, led by renowned polar explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton, hoped to become the first to cross the Antarctic continent. But their ship, Endurance, was trapped in the drifting pack ice, eventually to splinter, leaving the expedition stranded on floes--a situation that seemed "not merely desperate but impossible."

Most skillfully Alexander constructs the expedition's character through its personalities--the cast of veteran explorers, scientists, and crew--with aid from many previously unavailable journals and documents. We learn, for instance, that carpenter and shipwright Henry McNish, or "Chippy," was "neither sweet-tempered nor tolerant," and that Mrs. Chippy, his cat, was "full of character." Such firsthand descriptions, paired with 170 of Frank Hurley's intimate photographs, which are comprehensively assembled here for the first time, penetrate the hulls of the Endurance and these tough men. The account successfully reveals the seldom-seen domestic world of expedition life--the singsongs, feasts, lectures, camaraderie--so that when the hardships set in, we know these people beyond the stereotypical guise of mere explorers and long for their safety.

Alexander reveals Shackleton as an inspiring optimist, "a leader who put his men first." Throughout the grueling ordeal, Shackleton and his men show what endurance and greatness are all about. The Endurance is a most intimate portrait of an expedition and of survival. Readers will possess a newfound respect for these daring souls, know better their unthinkable toil and half-forgotten realm of glory. --Byron Ricks

Narrators Michael Tezla and Martin Ruben join forces to read Caroline Alexander's extraordinary account of Sir Ernest Shackleton's improbable Antarctic adventure. Tezla narrates the text while Ruben reads diary entries from the ship's crewmembers, employing a variety of native accents. The approach effectively divides the book into listener-friendly chunks, but at times, keeping track of all 27 crewmen requires the fortitude of the explorers themselves. Tezla describes the ice and snow with a haunting beauty but manages maintain the tension throughout, while Ruben injects character and humor into his various vocal interpretations. (Running time: 6 hours, 4 cassettes) --Kimberly Heinrichs

In August 1914, days before the outbreak of the First World War, the renowned explorer Ernest Shackleton and a crew of twenty-seven set sail for the South Atlantic in pursuit of the last unclaimed prize in the history of exploration: the first crossing on foot of the Antarctic continent. Weaving a treacherous path through the freezing Weddell Sea, they had come within eighty-five miles of their destination when their ship, Endurance, was trapped fast in the ice pack. Soon the ship was crushed like matchwood, leaving the crew stranded on the floes. Their ordeal would last for twenty months, and they would make two near-fatal attempts to escape by open boat before their final rescue.

Drawing upon previously unavailable sources, Caroline Alexander gives us a riveting account of Shackleton's expedition--one of history's greatest epics of survival. And she presents the astonishing work of Frank Hurley, the Australian photographer whose visual record of the adventure has never before been published comprehensively. Together, text and image re-create the terrible beauty of Antarctica, the awful destruction of the ship, and the crew's heroic daily struggle to stay alive, a miracle achieved largely through Shackleton's inspiring leadership.

The survival of Hurley's remarkable images is scarcely less miraculous: The original glass plate negatives, from which most of the book's illustrations are superbly reproduced, were stored in hermetically sealed cannisters that survived months on the ice floes, a week in an open boat on the polar seas, and several more months buried in the snows of a rocky outcrop called Elephant Island. Finally Hurley was forced to abandon his professional equipment; he captured some of the most unforgettable images of the struggle with a pocket camera and three rolls of Kodak film.

Published in conjunction with the American Museum of Natural History's landmark exhibition on Shackleton's journey, The Endurance thrillingly recounts one of the last great adventures in the Heroic Age of exploration--perhaps the greatest of them all.

Fodor's Ireland 2008 (Fodor's Gold Guides)

With the Celtic Tiger roaring more loudly then ever, irresistible Ireland continues to boom in economy, culture, and tourism (more than 1 million North-American visitors in 2004)—little wonder Fodor’s Ireland 2008 is one of the top-selling Europe guides. Now, to make the journey even more memorable, the Emerald Isle joins the next generation of Fodor's Gold Guides, with an innovative, photo-rich, browsable design that sparkles with a bevy of new features.

·Quintessential attractions now highlighted with unique, pictorial layouts on Dublin pubs, Georgian houses, “trad” music sessions, and more

·New chapter openers feature interactive maps and Planner Pages on how to make the most of your time

·"Voices of Ireland" interviews let colorful locals explains Irish culture (for instance, a barkeep explain the tricky “rounds system”)

·Nearly double the number of maps from the previous edition, plus a new full-color, pullout country map

·8-page color photo insert reveals Ireland’s 40 shades of green

AA Road Atlas: Ireland (Road Atlas)

Round Ireland with a Fridge

On his only prior visit to Ireland, English songwriter-comic Tony Hawks had seen a man hitchhiking with a refrigerator. For years, he was wont to tell the tale during late-night drinking matches, and after one particularly heavy-duty night of partying, he awoke to find a bet scrawled pillowside: a friend wagered 100 pounds that Hawks wouldn't travel Ireland for a month with a refrigerator at his side.

Out of this stupid premise, a ridiculously amusing book was born. Quickly discovered by the Irish media, the thumbing Englishman finds that he and his box fridge are elevated to celebrity status, and there's no dearth of rides, places to stay, or goofy people to meet, from kings to spoons players to locals who take his fridge surfing. As insightful about the strange inner workings of Hawk's mind as it is about charming peculiarities of Irishmen--it's doubtful that Hawks would have been similarly embraced by Germans, Italians, or the French--Round Ireland with a Fridge is an entirely silly, heartwarming tale told in a rollicking funny and refreshing style. --Melissa Rossi

Ireland For Dummies (Dummies Travel)

Relatively tiny Ireland (32,600 sq. miles) packs great attractions into a small area. You can pack a lot of diverse experiences into your trip with this book as your guide. Climb the cliffs. Kiss the blarney stone. Have a bowl of Irish stew and a pint of Guinness in a local pub. Pay homage to literary giants W. B. Yeats, James Joyce, or Frank McCourt. Play championship golf courses. Whether you’re a book lover or a golf nut…a history buff or a Celtic music fan…a full-fledged adventurer or a laid-back sight-seer, you’ll find plenty to enjoy in this guide that gives you the scoop on:

• Historic sights, including the 5,000 year old Newgrange Tomb, the burial mounds at Knowth, the storied Hill of Tara, ancient seat of the Irish high kings, and Glendalough, a monastic community founded in the sixth century
• Gorgeous natural wonders, including the sheer Cliffs of Moher and Slieve League cliffs; the rocky, wildflower-studded Burren; the beautiful Aran Islands; the wild landscape of Connemara; and more
• Cosmopolitan Dublin, hot-and-happening Belfast, and intriguing medieval villages
• The Traditional Irish Musical Pub Crawl
• Strolling through Powerscourt Garden or touring the Waterford Crystal Factory
• Exploring Killarney National Park on horseback, on a bike, or on foot
• Driving the Ring of Kerry with its seascapes, cliffs, and spectacular mountain views or the Dingle Peninsula with its patchwork of farms, plus sandy beaches, craggy cliffs, and more seascapes
• Staying in an ancient but luxurious castle or a comfortable B & B overlooking a working dairy farm
• Dining on diverse cuisines, ranging from Italian to Mediterranean to fusion and from meat-and-potatoes to sushi; enjoying great pub food at a local haunt or feasting at a medieval banquet in an authentic castle

Like every For Dummies travel guide, Ireland For Dummies, 4th Edition helps you make the most of your vacation. It includes:

• Down-to-earth trip-planning advice
• Info on the best ships for every budget
• Tips on sightseeing at ports of call
• Handy Post-it Flags to mark your favorite pages

Michelin Red Guide 2008 Great Britain & Ireland: Hotels & Restaurants (Michelin Red Guide: Great Britain and Ireland)