From Library Journal
Insight Guides use expert writers and photographers to provide travelers with fairly definitive guides to countries and cities; they have a five- to ten-year shelf life. A recent example is Insight Guide: Namibia , a guidebook for travelers who are inclined to read ahead to familiarize themselves with the culture of the city or country and who also like lots of pictures. While it has about 40 pages of travel tips, most of the book details the history, people, arts, religion, flora, parks, and places that are important to visit. There are also numerous useful page maps. When travelers are ready to visit a specific city, they can take one of the new spinoff pocket guides, with a "local host" as author and guide. Smaller in size and scope, with more graphics and fewer photos and at half the price, the Pocket Guides, like the new Insight Pocket Guide: Bangkok , focus on itineraries and day/night planning, with good suggestions on how to see and experience the highlights of a city. It is written colloquially--focusing primarily on tips for the traveler with limited time. The author is forthright, explaining difficult areas of the city and how to manage; samplings of restaurants and places to stay to partake of the culture; what to buy; and suggestions on how not to offend the local populace. The approach of these two types of guidebook is distinctly different, even when they cover the same city. The larger guide has an obvious place in all travel collections; the smaller pocket guide will be useful for travelers to purchase for themselves.
- Susan Fifer Canby, National Geographic Soc. Lib., Washington,
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
- Susan Fifer Canby, National Geographic Soc. Lib., Washington,
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
