Southwest dress code?!

It's hip to like Herodotus this year. The best-selling book Travels with Herodotus, by the late Ryszard Kapuscinski, has been raved about in the New York Times and on blogs like World Hum. However, the book recently received a strange review by Glen Bowersock, an expert on ancient history who works at the Institute for Advanced Studies, located on Einstein Drive in Princeton, N.J. Mr. Bowersock has written quite a bit about the ancient world, and he says he likes Travels with Herodotus. But he slaps the book around with so many back-handed compliments that the publisher ought to sue for abuse. Here are some key points: »Kapuscinski claimed that he carried a copy of Herodotus's history of the Persian Wars with him during the two decades he reported on wars around the world. Bowersock finds this point—the premise for the book—implausible. »Kapuscinski claimed he was so moved by the power of Herodotus's writing when he was in the Congo "that at times I experienced the dread of the approaching war between the Greeks and the Persians more vividly than I did the events of the current Congolese conflict, which I was assigned to cover." Notes Bowersock: Yet this is a conflict that Kapu´sci´nski himself characterizes by "frequent eruption of gunfights, the constant danger of arrest, beatings, and death, and the pervasive climate of uncertainty, ambiguity, and unpredictability." He says that "the absolute worst could happen here at any moment and in any place." Did all that really pale before the Persian Wars? »Kapuscinski talks about Herodotus as an early hero of subjectivity and relativism. This is not the interpretation that most scholars would give, says the professor. "Herodotus was the most direct and candid, if sometimes credulous, of all ancient historians. If there was one thing he was not, it was allusive for the purpose of conveying hidden meanings." »Several "facts" in the book have been improved to tell a better story. For example: "In the opening pages of his book, ... the author recalls that he attended the lectures on ancient Greece by Professor Izabela Bieuska-Maowist at Warsaw University in 1951. He found no trace of Herodotus in what he describes as his "careful notes" on these lectures, but he assumes that the Greek must have made a momentary appearance. It happens that I knew Bieuska-Maowist, a superb and widely admired scholar. Perhaps Kapuciski missed a lecture or two in those dark days at the university, but we can have no doubt that Herodotus appeared significantly in that course in Warsaw. Even if the city lay in ruins, as Kapuciski says, and libraries had gone up in flames, Bieuska-Maowist knew her Herodotus well and would have given him the prominence that he deserved, even with due regard for the ever-vigilant secret police." »The book "seems sadly superficial." For example, consider this passage from the book: "Where did this passion of Herodotus come from? Perhaps from the question that arose in a child's mind, the one about where ships come from. Children playing in the sand at the edge of a bay can see a ship suddenly appear far away on the horizon line and grow larger and larger as it sails toward them. Where did it originate? Most children do not ask themselves this question. But one, making castles out of sand, suddenly might." Ask any parent whether this description is believable. Few would say yes. Well, that's one critic's view of the book. Feel free to weigh in with your own by posting a comment below.

Starting Dec. 5, discount airline Skybus will fly to Chattanooga, Punta Gorda–Ft. Myers, Milwaukee, and Gulfport–Biloxi. Learn more about Skybus in this earlier blog post. Despite lots of snarky comments in the press and the blogosphere, this Columbus-based airline has packed its planes full of passengers. The additional gateways will bring the number of cities Skybus serves to 15. How can Skybus afford to offer such low fares? It's superefficient. Each of its five planes average 13.2 hours of flights per day. In contrast, United and America West, using the same model plane, fly fewer hours: 11.9 hours a day, says BloggingStocks. More hours means more cost savings for Skybus and its passengers. Photo by the inimitable Jessie Barber, via Flickr.

USA Today is reporting that starting in early November, Southwest is going to automatically give passengers an assigned number within in its current boarding groups: A, B and C. They'll get the number and the group when they check in, which can be done within 24 hours of a flight. Another change: A and B groups will also be expanded to 60 passengers. The new policy means you don't have to squat a place in line to have a chance to grab your preferred seat. [Via USA Today.] More disturbingly, Southwest is also ending its policy of allowing families with children to pre-board. Details, here.

This week, Charlie Suisman, who runs the excellent ManhattanUsersGuide.com, answered reader questions about New York City travel in a live chat at our website. Here are some of his tips. Q: Where are the cheapest hotels to stay in New York City? Charlie Suisman: Many of New York's hotels have just gone nuts with their pricing. It's ridiculous. But you don't have to spend a fortune—however, it's still going to be more expensive than most other American cities to sleep. Here are a few picks that, depending on the time of year, should have rooms between $100 to $250: The Pod Hotel, Rooms to Let, Second Home on Second Ave, Country Inn the City, Mayfair New York, Broadway Inn, Abingdon Guest House, and The Larchmont. Q. What's a good neighborhood to stay in? Somewhere besides the usual Times Square? Charlie Suisman: Definitely! Whenever my friends and family come to visit, I suggest they stay anywhere but Times Square and midtown. Nothing wrong with it, but you'll get a visitor's view of the city, rather than an insider's. And so many great chefs, and shops, and nightlife is now below 34th Street. So, I'd suggest staying in the West or East Village. If you want to get a *really* different angle on the city, try the Lower East Side. It's far from bucolic, but there's so much history there, not to mention a definite hipster scene. The Hotel on Rivington caters to the neighborhood's new-found vibe. Q.What's your advice for visiting Manhattan during Christmastime? Charlie Suisman:There are so many things to do at holiday time, it's hard to select just a few -- there are annual holiday markets at Grand Central and Bryant Park, Paul Winter's annual (number 28, I think) Winter Solstice Celebration at Cathedral of St. John the Divine, is great. There are many Messiah performances -- of all kinds. There's a tradition at the 21 Club of the Salvation Army doing these boisterous singalongs at lunchtime -- there's nothing like those anywhere. There's Tuba Christmas at Rockefeller Center (Rock Center is the city's unofficial Christmas center, with its mega-tree and ice-skating rink). Q: We only have two nights in NYC. What should we see? Charlie Suisman: The first thing I'd do is go up to one of the observation decks, either the Empire State Building or the one at Rockefeller Center. I'd go with the latter because it's likely to be less crowded. Get an overview of the city, to see how it's laid out. The best thing to do in New York is walk -- it's the best way to get a feel for the city. I'd get out of midtown, too -- go to the Flatiron district, Greenwich Village -- that's where a lot of the action is these days. But since you're here for a very short time, you'll probably want to check out a few of the must-sees. For museums, choose from the Metropolitan Museum and the Museum of Modern Art (I feel terrible leaving out so many other amazing museums!). If the weather's nice, I'd go down to Battery Park and see the Statue of Liberty from afar (rather than spending the time getting there and back). See a Broadway show. Central Park has never looked better and an afternoon stroll there would be memorable -- you could also hire a horse and carriage from the area of 5th Avenue and 59th to give you a tour of the park. Great shopping is always there for you -- Saks, Bloomingdales, and every small shop you can imagine. Or just wander. That sense of discovery can be the most fun of all. Q: My daughters and I would like to visit NYC and would like to know what time of year to come to get the best hotel prices. Thank you. Charlie Suisman: You can generally find the lowest rates in January, February, and March. Some hotels will offer weekend packages, which can bring the rate down further. And don't just assume that a rate you see on the website is the lowest price you can get. Call the hotel and chat with someone from reservations. A little luck may be involved, but you may be surprised to get a lower rate -- with some polite persistence -- if the hotel isn't that busy. (See full the transcript here.) EARLIER: Most popular blog posts. Find more tips at ManhattanUsersGuide.com.