The Middle of Nowhere (General Pictorial) (Hardcover)

~ Lonely Planet Publications (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The Lonely Planet Guide to the Middle of Nowhere pictorially encourages an all-out search for adventure." -- Publishers Weekly, January 23, 2006

Publishers Weekly, January 23, 2006
'The Lonely Planet Guide to the Middle of Nowhere pictorially encourages an all-out search for adventure.'

Product Description

The Middle of Nowhere fosters the spirit of exploration and travel. It's about appreciation and seeking out adventure in all travel experiences, whether in the remote regions of Russia or the chaotic streets of Shanghai. The 80 first-person accounts weave a story about the journeys as much as the destinations. This book is a reminder to even the most seasoned adventurer, there's a lifetime of experiences to discover.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Lonely Planet; illustrated edition edition (October 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1741047846
• ISBN-13: 978-1741047844
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 9.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #581,988 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Travel Writers Seek Personal Solitude in 55 Diverse Locales Stunningly Photographed, April 30, 2007

By	Ed Uyeshima (San Francisco, CA USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

As part of their eclectic series of coffee table books, Lonely Planet has produced a fascinating collection of essays and world-class photos strung around the theme of personal solitude and exploration. Fifty-five locales are covered by thirty-eight travel writers, most of whom succeed in evoking a sense of adventure that remarkably remains possible despite the intervention of technology and the all-encompassing Web. Most of the contributions fit the traditional image of isolated locales and exotic cultures, but some feel far more within reach, for example, Janet Brunckhorst's amusing dissection of Las Vegas and Andrew Dean Nystrom's account of the remote Thorofare region in Yellowstone National Park. The common thread among these accounts is that such adventures can take many forms and not necessarily require a backpack and a passport.

There are a few accounts that bring fresh twists to familiar landmarks such as Daniel Robinson's remembrance of visiting Angkor Wat in 1989 when the civil war was raging between the Phnom Penh government and the genocidal Khmer Rouge. Or there is Gregor Clark's nighttime exploration of Machu Picchu when the ruins took on a ghost-like pall. Colorful stories abound in places far less famous such as Lasseter's Cave in the middle of the Australian outback and the Wakhan Corridor in Afghanistan. We are given descriptions of places as far-flung as Babuskina in the outer reaches of Siberia, the depths of the Mariana Trench in the Pacific, and the harsh volcanic landscape of El Hierro, the most remote of the Canary Islands.

All the continents are covered, and even the moon is included at the end in a semi-tongue-in-cheek manner. The book ends with a reference guide for each location, giving navigational information, specifically how one would get about; its geography and geology; its history with man; its proximity to civilization; the must-haves before embarking on a trip there; and what works of art the area has inspired. If not quite in the same league as The Travel Book: A Journey Through Every Country in the World or The Cities Book: A Journey Through The Best Cities In The World for sheer breadth, this book will appeal to those with a particularly incessant and pioneering wanderlust.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining and informative., February 2, 2007

By	Father of four (Colorado United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

You find yourself looking at this book and not being able to put it down. It offers unique views and perspectives on the world we live in. Typical of the Lonely Planet series, it is well done. Frankly, this book should be left on the coffee table for visiting friends that you truly do want to entertain with an interesting read.