Bangkok - ISBNLookup.com

Library Journal

Insight Guides-known for their photography, historical overviews, excellent narratives, and, to a lesser extent, essential travel tips-are great resources. But in these days of luggage weight restrictions, many travelers may prefer to carry a compact guide with detailed accommodations, dining, and sight information. In 2004, Insight Guides, in conjunction with the Discovery Channel, launched the "City Guide" series, which not only displays the publisher's traditionally gorgeous photography but also offers essential city travel information in a portable size. Volumes are replete with location finder indexes on the front and back flaps, detailed street atlases, historical and cultural information, "Best of" recommendations, removable restaurant guides with city maps, web sites and further reading sections, detailed offerings on places in and around the city, and information on the city's accommodations, dining, and transportation. These latest editions are in keeping with the series' ethos. The San Francisco guide comprehensively covers the city itself and includes nice overviews for excursions in the Bay Area and to notable locations in the Wine Country, Tahoe, and Yosemite. Similarly, the Brussels guide covers areas around the city including Bruges, Ghent, and Antwerp, and, like the Bangkok edition, contains a section on language with useful words and phrases. Each guide captures the essence of the city's people and its culture with narratives covering notable features of the city: "Literary San Francisco," Bangkok's "Spa and Wellness Centres," and Brussel's "Caf 's and Bars." Recommended for all libraries with large travel sections. [Other titles in the series include Paris, Sydney, and Tokyo.-Ed.]-Louise Feldmann, Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.