Knopf Guide: Istanbul (Knopf Guides Istanbul and Northwest Turkey) (Paperback)

~ Knopf Guides (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

An accelerating trend in guidebooks is the integration of graphics with text. Two new series, the "Eyewitness Travel Guides" marketed by Houghton Mifflin, and the "Knopf Guides" (reviewed here), which originate with the French publisher Gallimard, achieve new levels of visual delight. In the Knopf series each page is a rich palette of several illustrations, most colored, scattered throughout the text. There are sketch maps, portraits of famous people, cutaway views of buildings, street scenes, and works of art, plus depictions of the money used, buses, telephone booths, wildlife (yes, even cities have wildlife), and virtually everything else that can be explained visually. The Istanbul volume, for example, has sketches displaying Turkish body language and sequence shots of a bellydancer. The text is necessarily choppy but intelligent and informative, with practical information highly abbreviated and confined to the end. Indexing is excellent, and the bibliographies are thoughtfully chosen. All this is packaged in flexible covers and in a convenient carrying size. Attractive yet practical, these books will fly off library shelves. Other titles currently available cover: San Francisco, Venice, Amsterdam, and Florence, with more to follow.
- Harold M. Otness, Southern Oregon State Coll. Lib., Ashland
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Description

Completely revised and updated

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Product Details

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Knopf (October 19, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0679749160
• ISBN-13: 978-0679749165
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 4.8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #421,838 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Unexpectadly coplexed&detailed, October 27, 1998

By A Customer

This is the most brilliant book on Istanbul in it's cathegory. Very coplexed and detailed on sites, historical monuments, museums and daily life. A must see before visiting Istanbul and Turkey.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautifully produced, July 30, 2001

By	saliero (NSW Australia) - See all my reviews

This book is in the same genre as 'Eyewitness' with lush illustrations and colour. Possibly more detailed in historical information. Arranged thematically. An excellent armchair companion guide for before or after a trip. I would take 'Eyewitness' with me for the practical information (pictures of bus tickets; how to pay a dolmus driver; what to say to alight from a dolmus). But I am so pleased I purchased this book as well. Will tuck it into my bag next time, space permitting.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I can image it gets getter than this, November 6, 2006

By	J. Herman (Las Vegas, NV) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I personally do not review many products unless they are really bad, or in this case exceptional.

This book is awesome! Maybe it is because I am new to using guide books, but I can't image a better book. I read a number of reviews prior to my purchase and my 2 week trip to Istanbul which lead me to this one. I have to say that its small size and wonderful insight makes it a must. I am not much for reading history and thought that the book was a bit dry until I landed in Turkey to experience it for myself. I began with the introduction and history, but used the book to help me locate key locations.

Here is how I found the most useful way to use this guide:
1.) Skim through it looking for points of interest as well as other locations near by. This is great to do the night before or the morning of so that you can plan your day of tourism.
2.) Go there and don't forget the book.
3.) Since the best way to travel in Istanbul is by public transportation there is also a change to read while traveling to your locations.
4.) Explore the locations using the approach from the guide or just wing it (personally I found it best to use it as a guide and then explore on my own).
5.) Once you have finished your day and settled in it was wonderful to go back to the guide and read more about the locations I visited. This gave me a chance to bring into context what I saw.
6.) After reviewing where you had been, why not pick you next locations for the following day.

I am not much for history as a study, but when it comes to living history you can't beat the experience as well as the help this guide brings! I would say that with the guide my trip was at least 10 times as pleasurable and insightful. There may be better, but this was so good it does not leave you wanting.

One last piece of advice...I found that without having someone who knows Turkish with you it is not the easiest tourist destination. There are ways to get by, but knowing the language provides so much more opportunity. You will also find that everything costs more if you are not with someone who is native.

Have fun and happy travels!