Product Description
Cities represent civilization and human achievement: they are bubbling microcosms of virtues and vices, vanguards of technology and creative pursuits, incubators of traditions and melting pots of diversity. More than half the world's population now lives in cities, and for travelers they hold an endless fascination.

Every city has its own personality, in the form of its streets and buildings and in its human architecture. Taking our cue from the buzz on the street, we have captured the flavor of each city through the eyes of the typical citizen: hot conversation topics, urban myths, the best places to eat and rink and to seek out after dark. It's a tempting cocktail for the urban adventurer.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (18)

people
'People that might live in a city somewhere on Earth'. That is what this book should have been titled.

Yes, without people there would be no cities, but this book shows way to many people & not enough architecture, or other things that make a unique city unique. There are way too many pictures such as the following (& these are the big pictures (each city has 2 pages, on one page there is a big photo, on the other 2 or 3 small photos)):
Auckland - a guy on a sailboat
Beruit - close up of a beautiful young woman applying lipstick as she prepares to go out on the town.
Belfast- close up of some kids
Belieze City - some people dancing at a nightclub
Berlin - a bar
Bridgetown - 2 people walking away
Cape Town - a couple at a table in a restuarant
Cardiff - a guy looking at records in a record shop
Los Angeles - a boy wearing a baseball cap at a baseball field
New York City - 2 people sitting down on a subway train looking at each kind of funny
Tokyo - 4 boys in their wrestling outfits (at least that is probably unique to Japan)

many pictures of people getting a hair cut or a shave or exercising or walking or drinking.
very few urban landscapes. nothing at all showing Toyko's urban scene - its only the largest urban area on earth with many fine examples of architecture and engineering. Nothing of Manhatten's skyline (maybe that would be cliche).

any of these photos would be fine if included in a more detailed look at any particular city, but when there are 3 or 4 photos used to represent a city, they are grossly inadequate.

A minority of the photos in this book reveal something unique about the place where the photo was taken, even fewer make me say to myself "ooh, I want to go there"

Unclear who the audience for this book is...
I was looking for a book that had a few great pictures of each city and a bit of commentary.I'm more than willing to overlook the commentary -- how could any 1 page of bullet-point text ever really capture a city?But the commentary is weak -- a bizarre mix of pseudo-hipness and hackneyed stereotypes that may have been apt 20 years ago (if ever).

What I found unforgivable are the pictures.The only explanation I can come up with is they let loose an amateur photographer with instructions to be "artistic".Poor-quality pictures included of Paris: The canvas canopy of a pizzeria, pastries, the underside of the Eiffel tower, a couple kissing in a cafe.Of Rome:The face of a statue, a blurry shot of a street, a slice of a colonnade, 2 men with the city in the background.Lisbon:A tram in a narrow street next to hanging laundry, 3 undistinguished houses, a woman in a window and a crowded beach.

I've spent time in many of the cities covered and can't fathom why they chose the photographs included.They don't capture the cities and they are not good stand-alone photos.

I was looking forward to an interesting read with some evocative pictures.I don't recognize most of the cities as depicted in the book -- including New York where I live.I strained to identify all but 1 of the pictures (close shot of 2 women in the subway, a blurry shot of 2 cabs, a painting in a gallery at MOMA and the Apollo Theater sign).A little New York nit: how can one of New York's "strengths" be Dean & DeLuca and a "weakness" be "the coffee".One can find any style of really great coffee in NYC -- and Dean & DeLuca has some of it.

The book has the feel of an 8th grade social studies textbook.With the odd commentary and bad photos -- completely grim.

Quality for its purpose
I feel that this book is fairly good quality for what (I believe) was intended of it. I have the Travel Book and was excited to purchase this book also. It is a beautiful coffee table book and many guests flip through it even though they already have before.

While I can agree with everyone's comments about the cities that are included. I find it completely ridiculous that people are whining about what cities are included. Its done, that book is published. Yes some great cities are left out, I have been to many of them. But Lonely Planet put together a decent list of cities, I am not sure that anyone would ever agree with the rankings. But the Title is "The Cities Book", the subtitle even says the best cities in the world, NOT the highest ranked/favorite cities. Its just showing readers a informative/pictorial narrative of A FEW of the world's best cities. You can find amazing cities all over the world. My advice to you find some of them, either in this book or on your own, and go visit them.

This book does give an excellent quick glance at these great cities, and thus serves its purpose.... 4 stars!!

Ranking Cities is a Fool's Task
Unexpected below par book from Lonely Planet. Fair to middling at best! I gave it one star overall. This book's purport to rank world cities is a fool's endeavor. The rankings are totally subjective and are based on opinion. I consider myself a well traveled individual, and unless one has personal knowledge of each city to be ranked, they can not provide a valid ranking of any one city as it compares to all the other ranked cities. Not a valid reference work, a non-scientific amalgamation of mere opinion; to be read by those with too much time on their hands. Thanks.

Skewed rating
Flipping through this book, I couldn't help but to have a feeling that, aside from the top 10 cities, the Lonely Planet city ratings are pretty skewed.

The majority of submissions are probably done by backpackers who sneer at the "mainstream" cities and go out of their way to convince us the "obscure" ones are more "cool".In my opinion, Han Hoi (23) or Kathmandu (13) may be exotic to the unfamiliar eyes, but I fail to see how they are ranked much higher than Florence (24), Shanghai (48), or Delhi (60).

Some cities (no names mentioned) are simply, for the lack of more polite terms, wrecks, and yet they show up on the list in relatively high ranks.When evaluating the "goodness" of a city, stablity should be a pretty important criterion.But it is understandable how these young adventurous travellers who end up in these places would overlook this factor.

Not that I think they should exclude these "underdog" cities from making it to the list, but for the cities that already have a reputation, there are reasons that reputation is there in the first place.The evaluators should keep that in mind, and not let their passion cloud their judgment, whether be it for the sake of representation, political opinion, or simply to be different.

Another peeve of mine about this book, is that much better pictures could be used to represent certain cities.But I suppose sometimes Lonely Planet is at the mercy of the same travellers for footage.This begs the question, would the lack of "good" pictures indicative of the lack of willing travelers?If so, does it have something to say about the skewness of the Lonely Planet ranking system? ... Read more

Product Description
Europe is a smorgasbord of cultures, languages, cuisines, histories, art and architecture. However, look beyond the well-trodden museums and galleries and you’ll find that Europe holds many unexpected cards up its sleeve. Where else might you attend a wife-carrying competition, jump in and out of freezing water before being beaten by birch twigs, celebrate the summer solstice in a prehistoric stone circle, or choose between sweltering beaches, semi-desert, permafrost, glaciers, volcanoes, hot springs and the Arctic?

From remote, icy fjords in Greenland to wild street parties in Amsterdam, The Europe Book draws together the charms and the surprises of this magnificent continent. Step through the pages and be dwarfed by the Alps, blow your savings on a roulette table in Monaco, find a piece of the Berlin Wall and contemplate the Iron Curtain, and discover why Icelanders are the happiest people in the world. Let Lonely Planet show you this continent through new eyes and inspire you to embark on your own European journey.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

A Nice Photographic Representation of Europe and its Cultures
The book's title does include the words a Journey Through Every Country on the Continent, and as a previous reviewer has pointed out there are some geographically or politically countries found in Europe missing from the book. Which countries make up Europe is always a point of heated discussion when you're anywhere on the continent so this book is simply Lonely Planet's opinion, it includes some such as Turkey and Russia (I've always thought of Russia as in Europe), which alot of Europeans will tell you aren't in Europe geographically or politically.

Even with the misleading subtitle it's still a great book, ideal for anyone doing a school project or who just wants to see the different cultures of Europe without having to go there.There are some great visual wise photographs of the most visited city and regions attractions in each country.Granted they are all the ideal shot and not what you are likely to capture by camera yourself with great weather, no people if it's a building and if the photos of locals are people usually wearing traditional costumes or their stereotype clothing, which is unlikely to be the case when you actually go there yourself. So I guess staged romanticised photos would be the way to describe them.But they are nice.

There's a smidgen of information on the history, landscape and people, not much though, but similar in standard and length to what you would find in a junior non fiction book on each country, which makes this ideal for primary school children's school projects and the like.If you actually want to go to any of these countries you're going to need to get other books as well as there's a lot of great places to see in each country not mentioned.This book is also a lot taller and heavier than your typical Lonely Planet guidebook.

Where are the Faroe Islands?Greenland is part of Europe?
I was very surprised that the Faroe Islands are not included in the book at all despite being very much a part of Europe.Even Greenland, which is not a part of Europe either geographically or ethnically is included. So I do not understand why.Was it simply overlooked?Lonely Planet did not reply when I contacted them about it.

Beautiful, Helpful, Spectacular
In a huge pictorial tour of Europe, 37 Lonely Planet writers have combined to give you a coffee table book you will flip through again and again. Covering 52 countries, TheEurope Book is a comprehensive guide to the countries, cultures, history and peoples of Europe. Some of the smaller countries get short shrift over others, but each has an atlas-style entry, and then multiple color photos of elements of the country. The Essential Experiences sidebar to each country can serve as a quick checklist for a visit to the country or help create an entire tour. Beautiful, helpful, spectacular. Something to buy before a planned visit, or a book for armchair tourists. It will not disappoint.

Great photography and spot-on (if scant) commentary
When I saw this book at my local library I counldn't resist picking it up. I love travel books, and originally being from Europe myself, I'm always interested in how others view Europe these days.

"The Europe Book: A Journey Through Every Country on the Continent" (256 pages) is a coffee table-style book that emphasizes photography over text, and that's fine. The photography is outstanding throughout the book, and is truly eye-candy. Roughly speaking, each country gets 4 pages in this book, which does not leave room for a lot of text. But the scant commentaries are indeed spot-on. When looking at books like these, I immediately check out the chapters of Belgium (where I hail from) and the Netherlands, the two European countries I am most familiar with. The comments on these 2 countries give me confidence that the comments on the other, less-familiar countries (say Azerbaijan, Moldova or Montenegro) are equally worthwhile.

Interestingly, at the very end of the book there are 2 very interesting essays, "Europe's Unrecognised Nations" (which really is a contradiction in and of itself), and "The New Europe" (focusing on the role of the European Union as a political institution within Europe). In all, "The Europe Book" is an eye-pleaser from start to finish, and a great way to get a visual introduction to Europe's rich culture. Amazon smartly sells this at a strong discount, as the original sale value of this book is way overpriced in my opinion. If you are interested in more written commentary and travel trips, I'd recommend any of Rick Steven's travel books in a heartbeat.

LP The Europe Book
This volume gives a good overview of the Continent by devoting at least 2 pages of info and pictures per country.The countries with larger populations and political power merit 6-8 pages.The photography is candid, giving glimpses of the places one would see if one visited them as a tourist.This can be invaluable regarding places that have been recently given negative press, to see the inhabitants of such places as being human above all else.The information given about each country is both informative and anecdotal, and can be considerably deep considering the concise nature of each country's coverage.Not meant to be used as a guidebook, it functions well as a coffee-table display book or as an introductory tool to European travel for adults of all ages. ... Read more

Product Description
The Middle of Nowhere fosters the spirit of exploration and travel.It's about appreciation and seeking out adventure in all travel experiences, whether in the remote regions of Russia or the chaotic streets of Shanghai.The 80 first-person accounts weave a story about the journeys as much as the destinations.This book is a reminder to even the most seasoned adventurer, there's a lifetime of experiences to discover. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Travel Writers Seek Personal Solitude in 55 Diverse Locales Stunningly Photographed
As part of their eclectic series of coffee table books, Lonely Planet has produced a fascinating collection of essays and world-class photos strung around the theme of personal solitude and exploration. Fifty-five locales are covered by thirty-eight travel writers, most of whom succeed in evoking a sense of adventure that remarkably remains possible despite the intervention of technology and the all-encompassing Web. Most of the contributions fit the traditional image of isolated locales and exotic cultures, but some feel far more within reach, for example, Janet Brunckhorst's amusing dissection of Las Vegas and Andrew Dean Nystrom's account of the remote Thorofare region in Yellowstone National Park. The common thread among these accounts is that such adventures can take many forms and not necessarily require a backpack and a passport.

There are a few accounts that bring fresh twists to familiar landmarks such as Daniel Robinson's remembrance of visiting Angkor Wat in 1989 when the civil war was raging between the Phnom Penh government and the genocidal Khmer Rouge. Or there is Gregor Clark's nighttime exploration of Machu Picchu when the ruins took on a ghost-like pall. Colorful stories abound in places far less famous such as Lasseter's Cave in the middle of the Australian outback and the Wakhan Corridor in Afghanistan. We are given descriptions of places as far-flung as Babuskina in the outer reaches of Siberia, the depths of the Mariana Trench in the Pacific, and the harsh volcanic landscape of El Hierro, the most remote of the Canary Islands.

All the continents are covered, and even the moon is included at the end in a semi-tongue-in-cheek manner. The book ends with a reference guide for each location, giving navigational information, specifically how one would get about; its geography and geology; its history with man; its proximity to civilization; the must-haves before embarking on a trip there; and what works of art the area has inspired. If not quite in the same league as The Travel Book: A Journey Through Every Country in the World or The Cities Book: A Journey Through The Best Cities In The World for sheer breadth, this book will appeal to those with a particularly incessant and pioneering wanderlust.

Entertaining and informative.
You find yourself looking at this book and not being able to put it down.It offers unique views and perspectives on the world we live in.Typical of the Lonely Planet series, it is well done.Frankly, this book should be left on the coffee table for visiting friends that you truly do want to entertain with an interesting read. ... Read more

Product Description
One People illustrates this thought through a collection of glorious photographs, accompanied by thoughtful essays, that capture the universality of the human experience in the very different contexts of our diverse world. In this book we present people in all stages of our common life cycle, reflecting a moment, emotion, ritual, or intimacy that, be it mundane or extraordinary, is recognisable across cultures and language barriers. Regardless of nationality or beliefs, we share the joy of birth, the celebration of life's special moments, the need to find meaning in our lives, the strength to endure, the resilience to keep trying and the sorrow of death. And above all, we share a curiosity about other people that inspires us to travel and to seek them out. And it is travel that facilitates this understanding, connection and humanity in all of us, and illuminates the shared paths and crossroads in our many journeys. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Beautiful photography
This is an absolutely gorgeous and inspiring coffee table book.I love to keep this out in my kitchen and look through it in the morning when I'm done reading the paper.The photography is gorgeous and it keeps making my list of travel destinations grow larger and larger.Beautiful, simple, and important.

MASTERPIECE of 'coffee table' books
A fantastic picture collection by the Lonely Planet team sorted into chapters BREATH, PLAY, LIVE, WORK, LOVE, CELEBRATE, REFLECT and DEATH.

The introduction by Maureen Wheeler, Co-Founder of Lonely Planet, is one of the most amazing pieces of writing i've read in my life. In her words to ONEPEOPLE; regardless of nationality or beliefs, we share the joy of birth, the celebration of life's special moments, the need to find meaning in our lives, the strength to endure, the resilience to keep trying and the sorrow of death. While each and everyone of us may follow our own unique path, we are all on the same journey.

Color photos blend with essays on the current state of humanity
Other visual treats of the 'we are the world' variety have appeared in print; but ONE PEOPLE MANY JOURNEYS is the first in over a decade or more to pack a beautiful gathering of color photos of world peoples with essays on the current state of the human experience. Peoples from all stages of life, under all emotions, and of all nationalities are represented in a blend of full-page color photos and accompanying identifier of country, photographer, and description of photo contents.
... Read more

Product Description
Want to know where to discover a spectacular tropical paradise? How about journeying to the world's greatest natural wonders, or taking the road trip of a lifetime? 1000 Ultimate Experiences brings together 1000 ideas, places and activities sure to inspire and entertain. Make your own list, hit the road, and start ticking off places you've always wanted to see and things you've always wanted to do. Who knows where you'll end up!

Sleep under the stars in a Bedouin tent in Jordan
Find out the best beaches to swing a hammock
Jump on board the Ghan for a trip through Australia's remote Red Center
Spot Banksy's art in Bristol
Come on, get happy in Bhutan
... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Fun read
This book is fun to read! From a person who loves to travel this book has a range of interesting places and scenarios. Even if you can't visit the places in the book it a great for those with a stong imagination. I gave this book to my boyfriend, also an avid traveler, and we love flipping through and thinking of where we want to go next!

not as good as it could have been
I was really excited to order this book, and sadly the excitement ended there. The book seemed incredibly random to me, with a lot of repetition of places/regions that I have no interest in going...and this is coming from someone who loves to travel. On top of the the categories by which they chose to organize different stuff didn't seem well thought out. Examples: Best in slow travel, best ways to eke out your holiday money, and my favorite- quintessential travel experiences..., seriously? I though the whole book was supposed to be about quintessential travel experiences. Overall it seems like the editors at lonely planet had trouble getting to a list of 1,000 and put in a bunch of crap filler that ruins it for me. If you are interested in this type of book with brief paragraphs on cool places all over the world I suggest checking out the Rough Guide's "Make the most of your time on Earth: 1000 Ultimate travel experiences" Overall I found that one to be better written, more inspiring and better organized.

Wow!
I've done a lot of cool things and been to a lot of great places, but I guess I have a lot more to go. Thanks for the great "bucket list"!

Just enough to wet your appetite
This is a great book to get your mind working on places you many have never considered traveling to.I really like the way the book is structured by grouping places by types of interests (e.g. Most Spine-Tingling Commutes, NewYork's Best Food Cultures, Best Obscure Holidays).Each of these expose the reader to looking at travel as an experience that can be unique and unforgettable.For each section the book typically lists 5-10 different areas around the world that fit the section.These are varied consistently and provide a good mix of experiences from tame to exotic. Each area is usually covered by 1 or 2 paragraphs so it's just enough to help you figure out what's interesting enough to research in other ways.

This book is not a detailed travel guide.You won't get any details on each of the areas, no pricing, restaurant suggestions, etc.It's meant to be help you find experiences on a much higher level and leaves the detailed guidance to other sources.

The writing is clear and the photography is excellent.

I definitely recommend this book.

Excellent!
This book provides a lot of great ideas for fun and adventurous things to do.In general, the short descriptions of the 1,000 experiences are useful.Also, although it includes many pictures and web sites, I wish it had even more.Regardless, it's still excellent. ... Read more

Product Description
The Guide to the World's Greatest Happenings

A Year of Festivals takes you around the world in pursuit of festivals in all their flamboyant color and variety. Discover music, camel races, feats of endurance, manic street parties and monumental food fights! From the sublime (Venice's Carnevale or India's Krishna Janmastami) to the absurd (Finland's Wife-Carrying Championships or Australia's Beer Can Regatta) - the best of the famous and little-known alike are represented here. Be inspired and plan a year to remember!

Organized by month and week to help you to plan a great festival experience at any time of year.

Country and Festival indexes allow you to also search by the destination of your next vacation, or by the name or theme of the festival you want to experience.

Includes essential planning tips and contacts for further information on events throughout the book. ... Read more

Product Description
Flat on your back on the hotel bed, you ponder the arrow on the ceiling. Does it point past the minarets to the babbling pasar malam, fragrant with fruit and loud with language? Will it lead you to the shadowy artists of wayang kulit, or to your guide through underwater paradise? Does it prophesy a meeting with orang-utans in the unrivalled jungle beauty of Borneo? If you meet them, what on this lonely planet will you say?

Our phrasebooks give you a comprehensive mix of practical and social words and phrases in more than 120 languages. Chat with the locals and discover their culture - a guaranteed way to enrich your travel experience. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Perfect for brushing up on Malay
I needed a Malay phrasebook to brush up on my Malay before an interview. I bought this one and Everyday Malay by Oey et al. This one was very useful, the other wasn't. The topics are pertinent, detailed, and the two-way dictionary is brief yet strangely comprehensive for the most common terms. My only complaint (if I may call it that) is that the physical size of the book is a little small so can be a little taxing on the eyes owing to its small font size. Other than that, it's a top-notch phrasebook and the only one you'll need.

decent choice
extremely helpful, it can not get any better, for some thing that pocket size, it will not make you learn the language, but will be of great help. I strongly recommend it.

Just like the second edition, only with an updated cover
I was quite happy with the second edition when it came out in 2002, so I suppose I shouldn't complain too much. Still, when many other LP phrasebooks (such as Thai and Indonesian) were updated I was somewhat disappointed when I found that the third edition had not been. It remains a workable phrasebook for short-term visitors and anyone interested in Bahasa Melayu, with both local spellings and easy-to-understand pronunciation guides.

Its OK for basic phrases
This little guide gives you the basics of words and phrases - but I dont think it would give you the ability to hold more than a very simple "Where is ..." , "Hello, my name is ... " sort of conversation with anyone.

My partner grew up in Malaysia and she has spotted a few errors in the meanings given to some words - but overall its pretty accurate in the translation. One thing I did like was the Malay/English and English/Malay dictionary that is included. It is pretty comprehensive for basic words and you can sort of get by in translating simple sentences both ways. More useful for written material than for speech I find - but with a bit of thought you can use it to work out the general meaning of things eg a newspaper story, etc.

I do think though that if anyone buys this book and feels that it will help them converse, they will be disappointed. I think its a useful starting point but to develop converational skills you really need to be talking with a Malay-speaking person.

Great phrasebook!Easy to use and accurate translations!
I got this phrasebook as a gift.I was skeptical at first because of its child-like appearance, but once I started looking through it I found it to be amazing.No other Malay book has the detail that this one does.With short paragraphs at the beginnings of each section, it ensures the best understanding of the culture.The authors are very knowledgeable and knows their Malay.I would recommend this reference book to anyone who is even considering a trip to Malaysia or is interested in the culture. ... Read more

Product Description
Since 1998, Lonely Planet has been publishing our favorite travel stories. The disasters of Lonely Planet Unpacked, the romances of Brief Encounters, the random acts of generosity in Kindness of Strangers, the out-there adventures of Tales from Nowhere - these stories, and many others, explored the reasons why we travel, and what we find when we get there. Now we've selected the best of them. From the first tentative steps of the young backpacker finding her feet in a London hostel, to the beyond-travel commetment of setting up house in Delhi, the 26 stories in this collection cover the globe and reveal a world of travel experiences.

Best of Lonely Planet's Travel Writing Includes:

Tim Cahill, William Dalrymple, Jason Elliot, Pico Iyer, Jan Morris, Emily Perkins, Karl Taro Greenfeld, Danny Wallace, Tony Wheeler, Simon Winchester and more.
... Read more

Product Description
22 official languages, more than 32,000 Hindu gods and goddesses and over one billion people - no wonder India attracts! In this book we give you 15 languages that will pave your way from Punjab to Pondicherry and make your Indian experience unforgettable.

Immerse yourself in the culture section packed with fascinating and useful information on this unique region, including a look at Indian English.

Our phrasebooks give you a comprehensive mix of practical and social words and phrases in more than 120 languages. Chat with the locals and discover their culture - a guaranteed way to enrich your travel experience.
... Read more

Product Description
LONELY PLANET BLUELIST 2008 captures the best in travel - a collection of trends, destinations, journeys and experiences for the year ahead. Drawing on the knowledge, passion and miles travelled by the Lonely Planet community of authors, staff and travellers, this year's edition is a selection of the best places to go and things to do all around the world right now.

HIGHLIGHTS

Introduction from Lonely Planet co-founder, Tony Wheeler

Explore our pick of must-go destinations for 2008 in the GoList section, and set your 2008 travel agenda

Take a whirlwind ride around the world with over 300 unique travel experiences mapped out in the famous Bluelists

Explore the countries of Islam and immerse yourself in one of the world's most travelled cultures

Take a tour of the globe's threatened wildlife in our Endangered Wildlife section

Stunning travel photography from the Lonely Planet travel community - that means you!

2008 travel planner - the best places to go and things to do throughout the year ... Read more

Customer Reviews (57)

BEAUTIFUL book... but three big problems
I love just about everything lonely planet puts out, and this book is no exception. It's beautiful, with lot of interesting ideas - perfect for daydreaming that perfect vacation.

However, I suspect for most readers, these locations will remain a daydream. If you are wanting this book to help you find the best Sandals' resort spot, or the perfect hotel in Puerto Viarta,think again. Here, the Lonely Planet is wanting to send you to places like Beirut, Algeria, Rwanda, Georgia, Columbia, etc. Here are three problems with this book:

(1) It's not really for the casual traveler. I'll probably use some of the advice in this book - I think most of the listed countries are safer than most spots in the US. But I'm definitely not driving my young children through Columbia! Plus, if you are just looking for a place to spend your 1-week summer vacation, I doubt you'll spend it backpacking through the Sierra Leone. This is definitely for the adventure traveler, not the casual traveler or the family.

(2) The book reads like a travel magazine. Not only is much of this information available free through a variety of magazines, it's probably best to look it up online vs. get it from a book. Your information will be more up-to-date, and you'll get the experience and advice from a variety of real people (not professional travel writers).

and (3) I always hate books which automatically built-in obsolescence. The fact that they put 2009 on the cover is just a cheap trick to replace it in a few months. This is offensive to me environmentally, as I know first hand how many of these wind up in landfills (I do a lot of work with book recycling).

So I'm definitely grateful for the opportunity to read it, review it, appreciate the beautiful layout, and learn about some places I'd never really thought about traveling to. But in the end, I don't give it a very strong recommendation.

Beautiful, but... Rwanda? Sierre Leone? Algeria? Seriously?
This book is beautiful, and the information it contains about the various places in it is interesting; but I think it makes a better coffee-table book than an actual travel guide.

Among it's list of Top 10 Countries are Algeria, where "Give or take the odd terrorist attack in the north, peace is making a big comeback"; Georgia, which was recently attacked by the Russians when Georgians sought to sever ties with Russia to get closer to the West; Rwanda, of which the book says, "Mention Rwanda to just about anyone with a political consciousness, and images of one of the 20th century's most horrific genocides immediately comes to mind"; and Sierra Leone, of which the book says, "Yeah, we know what you're thinking. Blood diamonds. Child soldiers. Summary amputations. But that was then; this is now" (and let's not forget that, according to the book, a recent fad in Sierra Leone is "electricity." Wow. Who wouldn't want to see that?)

This is less a list of the 100 places to see before you die than it is a list of the 100 places to see if you want to die. Still, the pictures are beautiful, and the book is quite a conversation starter, if you like conversations that start with "What were they thinking?"

Is Your Suitcase Packed?
Replacing the former annual "Blue Guide" by Lonely Planet, this book retains much of the same function as the former volume, but expands its vision. This is an annual reference book that is unequaled in the travel guide business. What Lonely Planet does best is understand the heart of a traveler. It understands the overall travel favorites and takes them up a notch, as well as opening the door a little wider on the more obscure, less "well traveled" places too.

The book is both inspirational and fun, educational and off-the-wall, comprehensive and extremely specific. It operates on the macro and the micro. How does it cover all that? Well, by taking a quirky approach to the idea of a reference book. It selects themes, it looks at every country through an annual rundown, it provides a calendar of enticing events, and it focuses in on very specific places with very specific, very helpful tips and insights.

Included in the book are the following:

* Tony Wheeler's top travel picks for the year (Tony is a co-founder of Lonely Planet)
* 30 featured destinations: the top 10 countries, regions, and cities worth exploring that year
* for 2009, a special focus on water, with 70 water-oriented trips featured
* top travel lists for the year, from "Best Places to Have a Midlife Crisis" to "Best Ecotrips" to "Top 10 Places to Steal a Kiss," among dozens of others
* an annual rundown of every country on the planet (yes, EVERY)
* yearly travel planner that highlights adventures for each month

For 2009, there is coverage of countries like Canada, but also Bangladesh and Rwanda. There is a focus on cities like Chicago, Antwerp, Beirut, and Shanghai. For regions, there's the Big Island of Hawaii, but also Nam Ha in Laos. For travelers, it's as much joy to read about the places you've been as the ones you aspire to see.

It's the sort of book that is very specific to the year covered and yet is likely to maintain a spot on a traveler's bookshelf for years to come, as one digs it out to have another look at the coverage of Peru or to revisit that list on "The Best Places for Deep Thinking" or "Underground Caverns."

Its oversized paperback format makes it an affordable purchase, yet sturdy enough to withstand hours of dreamy browsing. Best of all, all the great travel information contained within this wonderful book is accompanied by photographs so stunning that they are an inspiration to embark on a journey in and of themselves.

If this book doesn't make you want to pack a bag and hit the road, you really don't like to travel. If so, pass it along to someone who does; that traveler is sure to love it.

Beautiful book, but not very useful
I don't make a habit of reading travel books, but this one caight my eye.Best in Travel 2009 is a beautiful book with many vivid color pictures of the different locations it advertises.Different locations are grouped together thematically.

I had never heard of many of the locations discussed in this book.It was inetresting to read the little tidbits of info that was provided for these exotic locations and events.

While the book has high entertainment value it is not very informational.If you ever wanted to travel to any of these places it would require a lot of effort on your part to research and plan the rip.

The roads less traveled
Looking to expand my to-travel-to destinations I figured this book would give me some helpful insight.It is pretty informative and I would venture to say entertaining, however it seemed to only scratch the surface in some instances.If I were to plan a trip to any of the 10 countries I would certainly invest in a more specific guide but as a broad overview it succeeds on that level.

The pictures are magnificent and even if you never make it to any of these places to experience them in person, it serves as a nice book of scenic photography.Eye candy aside, you're in for a treat if you're an avid traveler looking for a new destination you never would have thought of or unlikely to be recommended to you.Even if I never get to experience it for myself, I enjoyed reading up on the different cultures and insights on a completely alien world to me.There's a lot to be learned in this book that I'm sure even the most travel weary person could get something out of.

You could do better with the Rick Steves guide books which is more in depth, however I don't think Rick Steves generally covers some of the more obscure locations covered in Lonely Planet and that's the point.I will say that it serves better as a coffee table book than a serious travel guide but that doesn't stop it from being enjoyable.Check it out if you're an avid traveler or as a gift for anyone who is. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (2)

Great ART book
Too many movie 'art of' book either show silly color studies, or too many scenes from the actual movie itself (I'm talkin' to you pixar). This book shows the amazing artistry that went into making the film with a thorough display of pencil sketches and digital 'paintings'. The movie was so-so, but I loved that design that went into the world itself, and that quality is exemplified by this book. Highly recommended for any CG animation or 50's era monster art fans. Lots of good stuff.

Lots of character designs and beautiful background paintings
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R1I9BVNS0UU0Y The cover art is slightly different from the original product image. The fat alien is replaced with Lem, the main character of the movie.

This book is published by Insight Editions but doesn't come with any of special enhancement (e.g. pullouts, cards) you sometimes see with their other books.

Planet 51 is the other animated movie this year featuring aliens, the other being Monsters vs Aliens. The cast is of course different, and the set is not on Earth but on Planet 51. Planet 51 is the debut film of Madrid-based Ilion Animation. The concept artists, based off the names in the captions, seem to be all from Spain. The whole film was produced entirely in Spain.

There are more than 400 pieces of concept art in this book. Each character comes with lots of sketches. The background paintings are very beautiful and scenic. There are also many alien set and prop designs. It's like looking at a parallel universe where everything looks familiar but different. The aliens have their own version of the famous Flatiron building in Manhattan, suburbia, Area 51, vehicles, utensils, etc.

My favourites are the background and set paintings, some of which are very detailed. This book has top notch art work and variety. There are short commentary on the art and concept.

It's a visually delightful book, highly recommended to character designers and animation lovers.

(More pictures are available on my blog. Just visit my Amazon profile for the link.) ... Read more

Product Description
The Big Trip

So, you know you want to experience that ultimate overseas adventure - but where do you start? Right here, with the one-stop guide to planning the trip of a lifetime. Try these ideas on for size:

Swim with dolphins off the coast of New Zealand
Learn Spanish in Guatemala
Hike your own pioneer route through Canada
Teach Children English in Ghana
Work your way around the UK's best bars
Tend orphan elephants in Sri Lanka
Get a soaking at Thailand's Songkran water festival
Be the first in your family to go around the world

The Big Trip is your ticket to all this and more!

Also Includes

Essential pre-trip planning: health, safety, kit, costs, tickets, etc
Volunteering and working abroad - from fruit-picking to teaching, yacht-crewing and au pairing
Regional overviews, maps and a diverse range of road tested itineraries
Tips and stories from travelers and experts
Comprehensive directory of essential resources
... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Just what I was looking for!
Shortly after a trip I took to Iceland (Sept. 2009), I decided I wanted to take a gap year and travel around the world for a year (or two!). I picked this one up and instantly realized it had all the information I wanted and needed.

I love the story excerpts from other RTW travellers--whether it's tips on how to convince your parents this will be a good idea, or a story about being afraid of the locals in Sicily. It also provides a TON of online resources for learning about working and volunteering abroad, organized by region.

This book convinced me I could do this and that it would be easier than I thought. Only time will tell, but I'm definitely optimistic.

Amazing book
The Big Trip is an absolute gem of a travelling book.Although it is mainly geared at YA who have recently graduated and have not travelled all that much or at College or University students who are planning on taking a year off and just "see the world", this book is also a wealth of information on the topic of travelling itself with the added bonus of being original in the destinations that it covers.

The Big Trip is also LOADED with absolutely beautiful pictures, I found myself oohiinng and ahhhing at some of the shots in this book - makes me want to hop the next plane and go explore the big beautiful world that is out there.

While these are the more "dreamy" aspects of this book, there is also a very practical look at travelling and many, many great suggestions that most people would never really think of.Some of the chapter includde:

A very in-depth overview of many innovative destinations (and why they are of interest to YA);

Valuable advice on budgeting, volunteering and overall travelling as a whole.

As I was reading (devouring this book) it made me wish that I had all these travel opportunities when I was at an age where travelling and exploring where my biggest goals in life!!!

This book is a wealth of information and, if like me, you are not really in a position to explore the world right now, it is also a great book to daydream by.

Finally a gap year/ travel adventure book for everyone
I bought this book last week and haven't been able to put it down since.Everything that they mention and suggest comes with another idea I haven't thought of, and I am a very seasoned traveler.It is also amazing because I have felt like every gap year book I have picked up has been geared towards the UK.This book is finally geard towards everyone and it is the first time that as an American I haven't had to just dismiss many of the things in the book because well, I don't have a UK passport and I can't go find the consulate in London.Etc.Amazing book, definitely worth a read if you are planning on taking a grand adventure!

Modern Guide to The Grand Tour
The big trip is the modern equivalent of the old European tradition of "The Grand Tour", where young men of means (mostly English, but other Northern Europeans would also participate) would go visiting other countries, to see the sights, art, meet others in their social strata and of course, spend plenty of money. Now, traveling to another country is less a coming out event, and more of a rite of passage. The Big Trip is to help young adults, from recent high-school graduates to twenty-somethings out of college, or taking a break between jobs. There are plenty of tips from pre-trip planning, to staying in touch while you are away, and breakdowns of places to go. There are also plenty of suggestions for how to work or volunteer abroad and extensive reference information that will be handy to anyone not an experienced traveler. A perfect gift for someone in that age range, looking at making their first "big trip". ... Read more

Product Description
Lonely Planet's Best In Travel 2010
The best places to go and things to do all around the world right now! Drawing on the knowledge, passion and miles traveled by Lonely Planet's staff and authors, you've got a year's worth of travel inspiration to take you out of the ordinary and into some unforgettable experiences.

Highlights

Lonely Planet presents the top 10 countries, regions and cities to visit in 2010.
2010 Travel Plannner - over 30 adventures mapped out month-by-month.
Contains the best travel experiences for the year ahead, from wildlife-watching in South Africa to catching a space flight launched from the Mojave Desert.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Over 30 adventures organized month-by-month
Best in Travel 2010 surveys the best places to go and things to do around the world and uses the knowledge of Lonely Planet Publisher's own staff and authors to survey the top 10 countries, regions and cities. Over 30 adventures organized month-by-month accompany keys to obtaining the best travel experiences around the world, and make for a fine general-interest travel library's collection.

Great Christmas Gift for a World Traveler
I gave this as a Christmas gift to someone who enjoys traveling the globe.Her next jaunt is to Egypt, so this book was well received.It's a good basic book to inspire your next trip and it's fun to read, but some may prefer an additional detailed travel guide once you choose your destination. ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description

Deserving of special note is Charlton Heston, who contributed not only the foreword for this book but scores of entries from his swaggering personal journals. ("A helluva long day, in the course of which I was finally brought to earth as Taylor. Having evaded clubs, whips, horsemen, crowds, they tripped me ass over teakettle into athrown net and hoisted me high.... Upside down in a net, a man isn't worth much.") But even more interesting are the minutiae that inevitably emerge in any close examination of a production this complicated: that Marlon Brando had been considered first for the lead, that there were racial casting concerns in the wake of the Watts riots, even the fact that Planet of the Apes hit the small screen in an attempt to knock off Sanford and Son. This account may sprawl a bit in spots, with some quotes that overlap overmuch and minutiae that's awfully minute, but any fan who has even an ounce of Russo and Landsman's enthusiasm will be hard-pressed to complain. --Paul Hughes ... Read more

Customer Reviews (19)

Definitive book on a classic Movies Series
I bought this book from Amazon in 2002 and I have just finished reading it for the third time cover to cover. I find it to be a great companion to the DVD "Behind the Planet of the Apes." Many of the people mentioned in this book are featured in that filmed AMC documentary -- people like Associate Producer Mort Abrahams, Fox Studio boss Dick Zanuck, makeup specialist John Chambers, the various directors, and of course, the actors, Charlton Heston, Roddy McDowell, Kim Hunter, Natalie Trundy and the gorgeous Linda Harrison, who played Nova.

This book, of course, goes into far more detail -- all the wonderful details we Ape fans need to know, including discussions on plot changes, how the idea for the Statue of Liberty scene came about, how the movie originally came to be made, and so on. The authors are true Ape fans just like you and me, and the book was written from that perspective, by three fanatics who grew up loving the five Ape movies.

The book also brings back wonderful memories of a simpler and special time in the late 60's, early 70's (at least from a child's perspective). The book quotes extensively from Charlton Heston's personal journals. His entries are fascinating, especially those daily entries from when the movie was being made. In a few early entries, Heston wrote that he didn't believe the film would ever get made!

A great story in the book is about that famous trial scene when the three orangutan judges did the "see no evil, speak to evil" thing, and the editors almost took that out of the movie. There is even some controversy over how the most famous ending (and greatest ending of a movie, in my opinion) came about. If you are a Planet of the Apes fan, you must have this book. Enjoy it.

An Enjoyable Read
I enjoyed reading this book for its interesting information from a number of the participants in the making of the Apes movies. It is a good companion to the recently released ultimate DVD collection.

I give it 4 of 5 stars because it lacks in-depth analysis of the ideas in the films and comparison to other projects, but you can't have everything in one book. I applaud the authors for putting together what they did.

Awesome! Best Apes Fan Book Ever Written!
This book is great! It covers every aspect of all of the apes movies, including Burton's, the TV series, and the Saturday morning cartoon. It includes quotes and facts that are amazing. It's an easy read, yet it's got some meat to it. I loved reading about the script developments and alternate endings that have been discussed for all of the movies. It's got some great pictures too! Great book, awesome price!

Don't take your stings paws off this book.
This is the most comprehensive book I have come across on Planet of the Apes. The book covers everything from concept to the TV series (both live action and animated). If you are a fan of the franchise or a movie buff this book will detail how a franchise made its way through the studio process. You won't be dissappointed with this book.

A great book about a great series
Informative, with lots of behind-the-scenes information and pictures, this book is a must-have for any Planet Of The Apes fan.I enjoyed the information on alternate scripts (and wished there had been MORE of this information, but that's assuming that more even exists), and liked that the authors included some of the original reviews for the films -- a nice touch.Several of the cast and crew were interviewed for the book, and the book itself is well written.A good read.

... Read more

Product Description

1. Around Boston
2. Charlestown
3. Back Bay Area
4. Central Boston
5. Greater Boston
6. Harvard Square
7. MBTA Subway Map
8. Unique Lonely Planet Walking Tour
9. Index of all Streets & Sights

Product Description
Filled with vibrant colours, faces, landscapes and scenes of the world beyond our daily experience, this calendar is a must for diehard trekkers and travellers alike. Publishing travel guides for more than thirty years, Lonely Planet donates a percentage of profits to aid projects and human-rights campaigns around the world and actively encourages travellers to make a positive contribution to the countries they visit, through both the money they spend and their appreciation of each region's distinctive culture and features. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (21)

Audobon green Eco travel world calendar instead!
I was so disappointed when lonely planet stopped the world picture a day calendar. None of the other picture a day calendars were as interesting or picturesque.
But this year I found that the 2010 Audobon world calendar Eco-travel has the format, subject matter, and features that I loved in the Old format lonely planet calendars As good as the original!

A Big Step Backwards
I am disappointed that this calendar does not contain one prominent large picture for each featured monthly country.The "new" format of a number of smaller pictures is not as good. They should not have changed the format!!I probably will not purchase this calendar for next year.

Great calendar
I've always liked the Lonely Planet Calendars.They changed the style of them a few years ago but I've grown to love the wealth of pictures every month.I really enjoy the blurbs written about each country.I am still adjusting to having the calendar run Monday-Sunday (instead of the typical Sunday- Saturday) but overall this is a great calendar!

Not pleased with the new format
At least there is more photos in the 2009 verses the 2008 calander, but I can't stand the Monday through Sunday weeks. This would be fine for an agenda or work calendar, but not a wall calendar. For the first few months, I've missed appointments, etc. and find it very frustrating to fill out. I won't buy another LP calendar unless they go back to Sunday through Saturday.

Great format, beautiful photos
This calendar is great! It's in my favorite format - Monday through Sunday. The photos from around the world are fantastic, and the actual calendar is a pretty good size so it looks nice on the wall. ... Read more

Product Description
Publisher: Washington, D. C. : Published by the National research council of the National academy of sciencesPublication date: 1922Subjects: Celestial mechanicsNotes: This is an OCR reprint. There may be numerous typos or missing text. There are no illustrations or indexes.When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can select from more than a million books for free. You can also preview the book there. ... Read more

Product Description
In this beautiful coffee-table book Lonely Planet photographers capture the spirit of travel and adventure. Awesome landscapes, intimate rituals, extreme adventures and moments of connection evoke the sights, sounds, smells and colors of our amazing planet. The stunning and inspirational photographs in this book encourage the reader to explore their passion for travel. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Daydream
This is the perfect coffee-table book. The images completely take you away to hundreds ofdistant and nearby places and people you or I will likely never come across. ... Read more