Let's Go 2001: Middle East: The World's Bestselling Budget Travel Series [Paperback]

Let's Go Inc. (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 736 pages
• Publisher: Let's Go Publications (December 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312246935
• ISBN-13: 978-0312246938
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.1 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,688,104 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Let's Go Get Another Guidebook, January 24, 2001

By 

Le Anne Clausen (Nazareth, Israel) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Let's Go 2001: Middle East: The World's Bestselling Budget Travel Series (Paperback)

I am currently traveling and living in the middle east and have seen the strengths and weaknesses of this book in action.

You will want this guidebook because: 1) It is witty. 2) It lists prices. I think that is only fair, and the main reason I chose the book off the shelf some five months ago.

However, there are many reasons why you would _not_ want this book. You would not want this book if you wanted a deeper and accurate understanding of Middle East culture, politics or history.

You would not want this book if you wanted to travel in the West Bank or Gaza, or Cyprus for that matter. (One or two page descriptions of an entire country do not a guidebook make.)

Many places I have visited seem not to have actually been visited by the authors, but the information more likely taken off a tourist brochure. This certainly rings true about Nazareth, from where I am based. (And I will be sending several comments and suggestions to the publishers)

Some may argue with my interpretation of several comments made throughout the book, but the overall impression I got was that the authors of this guide were not particularly fond of Arabs in the first place, particularly when discussing the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. The more I read, the more disillusioned I became about the book's credibility and objectivity.

Go ahead and get this book if you will be cruising through the major tourist sites, won't be concerning yourself with the background and history notes, and aren't all that interested in the people surrounding you. Otherwise, I much preferred Lonely Planet.