Customer Reviews

Mastering DC : A Newcomer's Guide to Living in the Washington, DC Area

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

 

 

This is a great book for those relocating to DC, VA, or MD. It explains the different neighborhoods and cultures, gives tips to getting past the utility and licensing red tape, and has some fun weekend acitivity suggestions, too. It's certainly not the definitive book on DC, but it has a useful level of detail on a broad array of topics.

I moved from Indiana about 6 months ago and this book was worth the price about 10 times over.

Having just moved to DC, I was inundated with books about the city. Unfortunately, most of them were meant for tourists rather than new residents. This book offered helpful and entertaining information about life in the Capitol, and some very practical tips, especially regarding transportation/getting around.

This book provides a good "intro" for a newcomer to DC- especially if you will be relying on the metro for transportation, as it lists what metro lines to take to local shopping centres. This may seem trivial, but when you need a can opener two days after moving and have no car it becomes very important.

The only problms is that the info is very likly to become dated very quickly- especially the restaurant guide. Newer establishments and attractions weren't listed. As well, there seems to be a bias to certain areas with more "trendy" attractions, and a glossing over of less popular (and less expensive to live in) areas.

As a recent college graduate and a new arrival to the DC area, I have found "Mastering DC" to be a fantastic resource. It gives the details without the fluff that I have found in many of the DC guidebooks. In addition to information on the immediate DC Metro area, it also gives in depth coverage of the surrounding areas of Maryland and Virginia, which I have found useful. The recommendations are opinionated without seeming biased and the descriptions are enjoyable to read.

I recommend this book as a gift to anyone with a loved one or friend moving to the area!