The Travel Book: A Journey Through Every Country in the World

Features

• Cover Type: Paperback with 448 pages
• Published by: Lonely Planet September 1, 2005
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 1741046297
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-1741046298
• Book Dimensions: 12 x 8.9 x 1.2 inches
• Weighs: 4.7 pounds

From Booklist
*Starred Review* Even the most avid readers of travel guides and travel literature will not have encountered a book quite like this one. It is huge and heavy but reasonably priced, and it is vastly informative, which is its calling card. All the writers who contribute to the Lonely Planet travel guide series have put heads, knowledge, and experience together and come up with an A-Z series of capsule profiles of every country in the world, 230 in number. Each country gets a two-page spread, on which are placed, like luscious dishes set before one at a feast, illustrations that are typical of Lonely Planet's unique, non-picture-postcard brand of shots. The accompanying text presents a cogent rundown of the best experiences for gaining the essence of the place; books to read beforehand; music to listen to before you go; food and drink to consume once you are there; and a few brief but pungent closing comments on the trademark things to do and buy and see and what, ultimately, is the best surprise awaiting the tourist. For borrowers in the travel section to sit down, look at, and make notes from, without taking off the premises. Brad Hooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Review
San Francisco Chronicle, November 14, 2004
'Lonely Planet's photographs are technically perfectand with all those images, every reader will find something to admire.'

Reader Reviews
This review is from: The Travel Book (Hardcover) I had no idea the editors of the Lonely Planet guides would have such an extensive library of National Geographic-quality photographs. After all, like other travelers, I am used to the miniscule text and overabundant data of their inevitably tattered handbooks. But this oversized coffee table book is nothing you can carry with you too easily, nor would you want to as this is not a comprehensive reference source for global travel. It's merely a staggering feast for the eyes. The stunning images in this wonderful book provide a potent reminder of what a diverse place the world is, as it covers each of the 230 countries existing today in visually enticing two-page entries. The text for each country is minimal but creative within the following standard sections: --"Best Time to Visit" - Not only time of year but in some cases, when in history was the best time to be there. --"Essential Experiences" - A bulleted list of the top five to eight things to do in that country. --"Getting Under the Skin" - What to read, listen, watch, eat and drink in each country...what happened to "smell"? --"In a Word" - The one word or expression in the country's native tongue that epitomizes its spirit. --"Trademarks" - What you immediately think of when someone brings up the name of the country. --"Surprises" - ...which really amounts to some interesting trivia and arguable observations, e.g., under the entry for the United States - "New Yorkers love to help strangers." Your enjoyment of this comprehensive approach will depend on what your degree of wanderlust is. Since mine is quite high, I love poring through the book to get a visual sense of each country's identity. Unless you are a geography addict, you will be surprised that many of these countries even exist. It's also intriguing to see the entries for current hotspots like Iraq and North Korea where their political turmoil is mentioned but contrasted with some unexpectedly vivid photos. Note the surcharge for delivery above as this is indeed a big book, over eight pounds. Say, isn't that the weight of the human head according to the little boy in "Jerry Maguire"? I wonder if that's a coincidence.