Israel Handbook

Rating:
Summary: If you live there, LIVE the country
Review: A Pro-Palestinian view? Well, if you aren't a cold rigthtist is hard not to write against Israel policies. But that's not the issue. This guide is the ultimative way to know this country. I live in Israel and I've known places that my friends even haven't heard of, because of this guide. When you live in a country and you had already been in the major sites, this guide brings you to the interesting places near home that you passed by bus every day and you didn't know they were there. Also, the historical background is superb; I've used it even for college papers (a constant in Footprint guides). For a traveller staying only two weeks, I would choose a less comprehensive guide. But if you really want to KNOW the country, to be informed about israeli everyday behavior, and to be entertained, this is the book. A critic: I like the maps and walktroughs of the Michelin's Green Guide Series. There aren't here. But also aren't all the drawbacks of the Michelin book (sites in alphabetic order? that's lame for a real traveller).

Rating:
Summary: If you live there, LIVE the country
Review: A Pro-Palestinian view? Well, if you aren't a cold rigthtist is hard not to write against Israel policies. But that's not the issue. This guide is the ultimative way to know this country. I live in Israel and I've known places that my friends even haven't heard of, because of this guide. When you live in a country and you had already been in the major sites, this guide brings you to the interesting places near home that you passed by bus every day and you didn't know they were there. Also, the historical background is superb; I've used it even for college papers (a constant in Footprint guides). For a traveller staying only two weeks, I would choose a less comprehensive guide. But if you really want to KNOW the country, to be informed about israeli everyday behavior, and to be entertained, this is the book. A critic: I like the maps and walktroughs of the Michelin's Green Guide Series. There aren't here. But also aren't all the drawbacks of the Michelin book (sites in alphabetic order? that's lame for a real traveller).

Rating:
Summary: Welcome to Footprint!
Review: Dear Traveller,

Thank you for choosing to check out our Israel Handbook. Footprint are an independant British publisher based in Bath. We specialise in providing travellers with guide books that are second to none in terms of accuracte, up-to-date information. You will find that most of our guides are simply the most comprehensive available with in-depth commentary on history, culture and customs as well as practical travel information such as where to stay, places to eat, and getting from A to B. Our major titles are updated ANNUALLY to ensure you have the best info to hand. If there are no reviews for this particular title we recommend you check out the reader reviews on the Peru and South American Handbooks which give a good flavour of how useful our guides are. You might like to know that we also publish Handbooks to Jordan, Syria & Lebanon and Egypt as well as an extremely useful general guide to travelling: The Traveller's Handbook. Finally, whichever guidebook you choose, we would like to wish you an exciting, illuminating and above all enjoyable trip! Best wishes, Footprint.

Rating:
Summary: Good Guide to Israel
Review: I found this to be a good comprehensive guide during my trip to Israel: helpful information about how to get around, good maps, a lot of historical/political background, and a very nice format. It has quite a bit of detail in it and some witty editorials. If you're looking for something more general, with less reading, the Rough Guide is also quite good.

Rating:
Summary: A brief guide to a Guide to Israel and the PA areas
Review: I've just returned from three weeks in Israel and the PA areas, using the Footprint as my primary sourcebook. Here's what I liked and disliked. Likes: - I haven't seen a more comprehensive selection and description of sites to visit. - Notably good Introduction, Background, Hiking, and History sections. - Lots of Monty Python references (in fact, if you didn't enjoy "The Life of Brian," you may not appreciate this guidebook). Dislikes: -The lack of a good Index largely negated many advantages of the comprehesiveness. - Despite its comprehensiveness, it ignored much of value. Many maps were inadequate (I got way lost arriving in Haifa with their map), and the Internet section was weak (except for PA sites). I found my favorite hotel (the Kibbutz Ginnosar) and the best source of Christian travel info (Jerusalem's Christian Information Center) barely mentioned. Many travelers to Israel now visit Petra, and the Handbook should have done more than just recommend you buy their Handbook for Jordan. - The Handbook was frequently wordy, and best suited for someone with lots of time on their hands. - Sure, we all need to be Politically Correct these days, but I thought the Handbook overdid the "Big Bully Israel, Poor Innocent Palestinian" tack. -The Handbook was pretty hefty and I think too much volume dealt with topics that quickly change, such as the quality of budget hotels and restaurants. SUMMARY: Travel guides are a highly competitive area. This one was reasonably good, but next time, I may just go back to the Lonely Planet and some current internet info. Because of the comprehensive descriptions, the Handbook would make a superb backup if you have room in your luggage.

Rating:
Summary: Footprint is definately the way to go
Review: It is my opinion that the Footprint series is great! The Footprint Israel handbook gave alot of useful information, yet tried to write the book so that it wouldn't go out of date so fast. Thus, there is a lack of information on backpacking and student travel specifics.

My issues with this book: 1-Monty Python's Life of Brian wasn't 'that' good. Why do they have to constantly mention it? This was irritating. 2-People who want a travel book on Israel don't want to read pro-palestine/anti-israel propoganda. This was somewhat annoying.

Overall, a good read, and definately take it with you, keeping it handy, when going to Israel. Take the feeble attempts at humour with a grain of salt. Try to ignore the palestine bias in the content. Palestine is not a perpetual victim. With this in mind, enjoy this edition. It is usefull.

Rating:
Summary: Sorry. It is anti-semitic and it is notably anti-Israeli
Review: Maybe even pro-Palestinian. There is no doubt that anyone having problems with Yad Vashem (as this author does, arguing that the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem should not have been included in the exhibit, never mind that he was a major reason Jews could not go to Palestine to escape the holocaust) has to be at least a bit anti-semitic and anti-Israel There are other problems in this guide. Having been in Israel many times before, I agree that this guide has many items other guides do not have. But the tone and the bias of the author is hard to overlook. I suggest you look elsewhere for a more balanced view. All in my opinion, of course. I'd have preferred giving it no stars.

Rating:
Summary: Marred by anti-Israeli and anti-semitic commentary
Review: This book does present a fairly comprehensive guide to the country of Israel. If not for its strong political biases, alluded to by other reviewers here, it would be a book worthy of recommendation.

As a personal disclaimer, my serious charges against this book are not labeled by a "crazy extremist." I am Jewish, but I support Palestinian statehood, within the framework of real security for Israel. And I believe you can criticize Israel without being anti-semitic. However, some of this book's statements are simply intolerable.

The egregious behavior of the Palestinian Authority, Hamas, etc. is consistenly explained away, given context, etc. whereas almost all criticisms of Israel are given without emphasis at all on the context, namely that of consistent use of terrorism against it by internal and external forces, numerous wars of aggression by other Arab countries, etc. In addition, there are highly offensive remarks throughout the textincluding, a joke about desecrating a Jewish grave, a ridiculous and offensive discussion of the "Jewish Lobby" in America (Yes, Mr. Winter, there is a Pro-ISRAELI lobby in America, supported by many Jews and Christians) but there is no unified "Jewish Lobby" representing the beliefs of all, or even most Jews as a religion or people. In addition, The author recommends a couple of books that are only a step above "The Protocols of the Elders of Zion" in terms of the way they slander Jewish people. Full criticism of the many biases in this book would take far more space than I have here. Suffice it to say that until this guidebook drastically changes its editorial attitude, I would go elsewhere for less-biased information about Israel.