Customer Reviews

Atlas London A to Z

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

My sister and I just returned from a visit to London, and I can say without a doubt that this book helped us to make the most of it. We never had a doubt about where we were, or where the nearest tube stations were, and which route they followed. I would have been lost without this handy guide, and I STRONGLY suggest you pick it up before you set foot in London.

The "A to Zed," as it is called in London, is a must-have whether you are going to the city for a week, a semester, or the rest of your life. Londoners themselves carry the book, because it is so useful for navigating the otherwise confusing maze of city streets (which do not come even close to conforming to the traditional city grid that those of us who've been to say New York City might expect from a big city).
Do not buy this book if you are looking for a traditional tour book, with restaurant reviews, hotel recommendations, and price listings. You won't find them here. Do buy this book if you plan to move about the city on your own, independent of a tour guide. Not only is it easier to reference, it's much less conspicuous than a cumbersome, folding map.

This is a street atlas that has proven its worth over and over down the years. The newer edition is in color and it has become slightly larger, making it easier on the eyes. The old black and white edition had its own convenience, though; it was of a slightly smaller size size that would just about fit into the pocket of a coat jacket. I hope the publishers will reconsider bringing this back, while still keeping the bigger sizes for those who would rather have them.

We bought this book, thinking that in addition to maps, there would be some explanations, you know--stuff to read. Nope, it's just maps in microscopic proportions. DO buy 55 day trips in London--larger maps,lots of good advice and well worth the money!

I think the best possible review of this book is the book itself, after all, the implicit authorial (or narratorial) intent is the de-mystification of self-referentialism. That said, on a rather banal level I did find the book useful in plotting a journey from Walthamstow to Barnes. It's as vibrant an example of the genre as I have seen for a while, written with genuine verve, though the thematic crux of the darkness of the modern mind presented from the vantage point of one geographical location has, perhaps, one inherent strain too many.