Knopf Guide: Morocco (Knopf Guides) (Paperback)

~ Knopf Guides (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

"Bright with mosaics of paintings,drawings, graphics, photographs, city plans -- the fabric of 'place'...brilliant" -- New York Magazine

Standing at the gateway of the Mediterranean, Morocco can easily lay claim to being one of the most beautiful places in the world. Greatly influenced by the Porteguese, French and Spanish, all the while maintaining its own indelible mystique, Morocco is a country of walled cities, snowcapped mountains, royal palaces, spicy cuisine and chaotic, labyrinthine souks. It is romantic, exotic and at once sophisticated and primitive.

Begin your travels across the country -- filled with untold treasures and possibilities as magical as its night-blooming jasmine -- with a journey to the Portuguese citadel of El Jadida and then move on to the stunning cities of Fez, Tangier and Marrakesh. Become knowledgeable in the local culinary specialties such as ras el hanout or "head of the house", a blend of cloves, roses and cinnamon mixed by well-practiced grocers.

Filled with information on Morocco's rich artistic heritage from the many foreign artists who were inspired by its landscape and people (Henri Matisse, Eugene Delacroix and Paul Bowles among them) to the indigenous production of rugs, jewelry and zellige (elaborate tile patterns) that has gone on for centuries.

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: French

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Product Details

• Paperback: 408 pages
• Publisher: Knopf (June 21, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0679753133
• ISBN-13: 978-0679753131
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 4.8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #657,351 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not a guide for the unguided, October 8, 2000

By	R. E. Lomas Nd "mancorn" (Long Valley, NJ United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is a beautiful book, as it should be, given its price. The cultural and historical narratives and pictures are excellent. However, the lack of practical detail is appalling. There is no useful map of Tangier, for instance, and the "useful addresses" section for Tangier lists only two hotels and two restaurants, with only one of each actually in the city. A similar dearth of information fails to cover other regions. The "Food" section consists of two pages on how to prepare Tanjine of Mutton. There is no list of useful phrases in French or Arabic, and under "Finding Your Way Around," the book advises you to hire a guide or to ask the staff at your hotel. This book was probably written for the tourist being escorted in a group where all details of the trip are taken care of by the tour operator. By that standard, this book provides hours of reading to fill the time which would otherwise be spent on navigating, planning, finding accommodations and meals. If you are planning to visit Morocco on a tour, buy this book to read on the bus between scheduled stops on the itinerary. If you're going to Morocco unescorted, you will need something like Lonely Planet or The Rough Guide to help you get around. Morocco is an interesting country, but unless you are an experienced adventure traveler, it is not the type of place you want to visit without a practical travel guide.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best Guide Book on Morocco, February 25, 2001

By A Customer

When I moved to Morocco, I bought many books to learn about the country. This was and is the best. The most helpful feature is the many pictures of things that are virtually unknown outside of North Africa. Also useful are the thumbnail histories. It is short on restaurant recommendations because outside of the major tourist destinations, Morocco is short on restaurants. The recommendations that are in the book can be trusted.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars touched by European culture, July 6, 2003

By	daznote "Daniel" (Toronto, ON, CANADA) - See all my reviews

excellent and insightful guide , with amazing history. Morocco touched by European culture.I recommend this book to everyone