Advantages: Great layout and graphics, good writing
Disadvantages: -

...I use the Cambridge Illustrated History of Religions in a course I teach on World Religions for my university – it has a good breadth of coverage, good detail, wonderful photography, and a very nice colour layout that makes for easier reading. Editor John Bowker provides an introduction and conclusion as well as one of the topical sections. In the introduction, Bowker writes, ‘There is no known society in which religion has not played a part, and frequently a controlling and creative part. This seems to have been true of the earliest societies, but in their case the history of religions is not easy to write.’ Bowker traces the reconstruction and speculation of prehistoric societies, with illustrations of cave paintings, totem poles, Mayan pyramid structures, Native American costumes, and maps of South America and Oceania to help... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: High scholastic standards. Many are beautiful
Disadvantages: Very competitive

...The University of Cambridge, one of the most famous and renowned universities in the world has a long and illustrious history, and is organised on a collegiate system. Many well known figures in history are graduates of Cambridge including Wordsworth, Bertrand Russell, LOrd Keynes, and former Indian prime minister Mr Nehru and nobel laureates such as AK Sen. What follows is a short round-up of some of its well-known colleges and their famous former students. Clare Clare College, is the second oldest college, originally founded in 1326 as University Hall. In 1338 Lady Elizabeth of Clare refounded the college calling it Clare Hall, it was renamed Clare College in 1856. It is one of the most beautiful colleges and is hugely popular. Famous alumni include Hugh Latimer (Protestant reformer), Siegfried Sassoon, Lord Cornwallis... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Shopping, nice architecture
Disadvantages: Not all it's cracked up to be

...Be prepared to be seriously underwhelmed if your idea of Cambridge is a glorious, posh, classy city full of culture. The bit by the river and the old University buildings is nice, there are some big open parks, and here are some splendid churches and other historial buildings dotted about the place, but I'm afraid once you've seen those then there isn't a lot left to see. The rest of Cambridge is drab, grubby and in parts really quite seedy, especially around the Mill Road and Arbury areas. Everyone I know who has driven in Cambridge has seen their blood pressure rise through the roof, as the road system is horrendous (although they do have a park and ride facility). and quite apart from that, the train station is literally miles from the city centre. You have to walk not only down Station Road but then down Hills Road, and trust... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Great places to visit, many things to do, new technologies
Disadvantages: some things are pricey especially the latest technologies, jet lag

...I visited Japan last summer with a friend and we spent about a month there. We visited the following cities: Tokyo, Osaka, Hiroshima and Kyoto. ~Tokyo~ Tokyo is a lot like London. It's made up of a number of very distinct villages - each with their own character and often populated with a variety of characters - some of whom may only come out at night - and are not necessarily vampires! Most of the main areas in Tokyo are stops on the Yamanote Line - Tokyo's equivalent of the Circle Line (only more efficient!). Getting a day ticket to go round this line doesn't turn you into a train spotter. It is an ideal way to get your bearings and it provides a reasonable overview of the City. The streets of Tokyo are laid out in a grid pattern similar to those of New York and other larger cities. At first sight, each street not only looked... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Witty, fast-paced dialogue...
Disadvantages: The movie tends to drag...

...Directed by Nicholas Hytner Play / Screenplay by Alan Bennett Comedy / Drama Released 13th October, 2006 (UK) MAIN CAST: Samuel Anderson as Crowther James Corden as Timms Stephen Campbell Moore as Irwin Richard Griffiths as Hector Frances de la Tour as Mrs. Lintott Andrew Knott as Lockwood Russell Tovey as Rudge Jamie Parker as Scripps Dominic Cooper as Dakin Samuel Barnett as Posner Sacha Dhawan as Akhtar Clive Merrison as The Headmaster Penelope Wilton as Mrs. Bibby Adrian Scarborough as Wilkes Georgia Taylor as Fiona SUMMARY: Having managed excellent results in their A levels, and possessing what it takes to make it into the prestigious schools of Oxford and Cambridge in 1980's England, a group of history pupils attending a grammar school in Sheffield are told... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: An intelligently crafted film
Disadvantages: Extras not worth watching repeatedly

...When I sat down over Christmas 2007 to watch a BBC showing of "The History Boys", I did so with no real expectations. I was aware it was written by Alan Bennett, who was someone I was aware of, but whose work had largely passed me by. I also knew that it had started life as a highly successful play, but that was about the extent of my knowledge. I thought it would make for acceptable enough background noise as I read my book, never thinking that not only would the book be forgotten that night, but that the DVD would soon go straight onto my Amazon Wishlist and soon become part of my collection. In 1980s Sheffield, eight students at Cutler's Grammar School have gained the best A-Level results the school has ever seen. Keen to go to either Oxford or Cambridge Universities, they return for an extra term to study for the entrance exams... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: In English, in paperback
Disadvantages: You tell me

...Further to your comments a review update : A History of Economics the past as the present by John Kenneth Galbraith who is Paul.M.Warburg Professor of Economics emeritus of Harvard University. He has published many books, this included. MORE ABOUT GALBRAITH Born in Ontario and a graduate of the University of California. He was Social Science Research Fellow at Cambridge University. During WW11 he was Director of the Office of Economic Security Policy in the Department of State. He received the Medal of Freedom. He has been closely identified with the Democratic Party (USA). He is an Honorary Fellow of Trinity College Cambridge. He is a member for literature of the American Academy and Institute. He delivered the Reith Lectures in 1966. He is married with 3 sons. *** THE BOOK *** The paper back version I bought is 324... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Incredibly accessible introduction to science
Disadvantages: None

...A Short History of Nearly Everything - Bill Bryson What a good idea this book is. Take one of the most engaging writers around today and say "you know all this complicated science stuff out there; go and have a look and then come back and explain it to us." The result is a cracking book that fizzes along and manages to tell you more than you ever thought you needed to know. The book is divided into sections, each roughly assigned to a particular discipline. These cover physics, particularly the study of the universe. Geology, including the history of the Earth as a physical entity, and then moving into chemistry. And finally a history of life on Earth and evolution. Each topic is given ample room to be discussed and Bryson moves at an agreeable pace throughout. Bryson mixes history and exposition easily throughout, depending... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Fast weight loss
Disadvantages: MIGHT be bad for your health

...I went on the Cambridge diet last summer and lost 3 stones. I was once 12 st 12 & I went down to as light as 9 st 9, which is a really healthy weight for my height (5 ft 5). I'm currently studying at university & since my exams began, I've put on weight again. I put on about a stone! This diet was really good though, but not the healthiest diet so I wouldn't recommend you go on the sole source of the diet unless you SERIOUSLY need to lose weight. What's sole source? You eat virtually nothing. It consists of 3 or 4 Cambridge diets depending on your gender and height (I will explain this later once I've explained what you can eat). One thing that I liked most about this diet is that there are different stages of weight loss. Once you reach your goal, you can go up the stages of maintenance. When I was maintaining my weight, I... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: really beautiful if you know where to go
Disadvantages: really shoddy if you don't know where to go

...I spent three years in Cambridge as an undergraduate, and this is a guide of Cambridge about where to go! (but sorry, I can't give you information about where to stay because I just stayed in college...) These are the things that I really enjoyed! 1. The colleges (well duh!) but not every single college, of course. Kings College Chapel (admission fee needed) is really worth going because that ceiling is very impressive. St John (also needs to pay) is less impressive, but if you want to see another big college, then go for it. You will see the famous Bridge of Sighs, which is similar to that in Venice. Smaller colleges will have better courts, and Christ's College has a gorgeous first court with beautiful purple flowers in bloom from April to July, around the entrance to the Master's Lodge. Christ's College's fellows garden... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful