Comments on: If Guidebooks Could Talk

By: Spike

Spike — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 23:02:50 +0000

The idea of guide books is enough to make me want to smack somebody.
You don’t need to plan every detail of your trip. Plan your accomidation and transport the day before and take the rest as it comes.

By: Sara

Sara — Sat, 12 Mar 2011 21:54:55 +0000

Hi there – I write for a new travel guide publisher, Other Places Publishing. They hire Returned Peace Corps Volunteers to write about the countries where they served for 2-3 years. It’s great because we speak local languages, get farther off the beaten path, and have a ton of community networks and contacts. I’m finishing up my second Madagascar book this year!

Happy travels!

By: Carl Gene Fordham

Carl Gene Fordham — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 03:57:14 +0000

I don’t mind travel books as a general reference but please, by God, stop inserting political references into them! E.g. any one with half a brain knows that China does not have an impeccable human rights record but it’s not the mandate of a guide book to shove political criticism down your throat!

By: darmabum

darmabum — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 15:38:37 +0000

OK . . . I’m going to speak for the Great Grandparents . . . Nagels. if you find ‘em. Within four days of my first RTW trip I ditched my LP guide to India, and have found the best current info was gleaned from travelers that I met – face to face – who had recently been there. With a guidebook – especially for lodging and food – I didn’t know who was writing it, what their sensibilities were; face to face, I knew who was passing on the information, had some sense of their way of travel.

But I kept the Nagels Guide, and have it to this day (28 years later). Dry?, to some, as a bone, but regarding cultural stuff, history, art, buildings, etc, a wealth of knowledge. Should “dryness” occur, I simply take another swig of Geritol

By: Natalie

Natalie — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 02:24:30 +0000

I’m glad other people like Eyewitness too! Sometimes I feel that lugging a huge book around with hundreds of pages on places you’re never going to have time to see is kind of a waste. I.E., Lonely Planet or Rough Guides. I like Eyewitness because it gets the basic points across and feels a bit more interactive, almost like a ‘for dummies’ or something, with history, full color photos of wildlife, etc. I also am kind of a nerd so I’d rather read pages about cultural things than hotel prices or admission fees.

Cool article! Thanks for sharing.

By: RollingTales

RollingTales — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 14:44:19 +0000

I have long given up on traditional guidebooks for lodging and food but for sights and suggestions I still find a quick reference nicer than net research. Its all relative thought, while cycle touring we can go weeks at a time out of the tourist grid and when we stumble across a must-see sight we’re sometimes left wondering why it got a mention while several similar towns did not. Plus one for the ‘overhaul of the travel book industry’ call!

By: Liz Hamill Scott

Liz Hamill Scott — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 01:41:12 +0000

That One Friend Who’s Always Got an Opinion: Moon Handbooks. Unlike many guidebook series, Moon authors tell their readers what they *really* think, even if it’s not a glowing advertorial for every single restaurant and hostel.

I’ve not had good experiences with Lonely Planet. If you’re not a hale, fit, 20-something backpacker who adores modern art and swilling beer with other American “travelers” in hostels, LP guides aren’t all that helpful.

By: Spencer Spellman

Spencer Spellman — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 20:02:00 +0000

The Travel Guide Book industry could use an overhaul, just not sure what it would look like. I think there needs to be some more “realness” to it, although it’s tough because how many different ways can you say “that hole-in-the-wall restaurant”. I did a search recently and it was ridiculous how many different travel guides there are. Insider’s Guides are another popular one.

By: Spencer Spellman

Spencer Spellman — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 19:59:39 +0000

I totally agree about DK Eyewitness. They are one of my faves as I’ve become disenchanted with like Fodors and Frommers which are what my parents used growing up.

By: Ivan

Ivan — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 21:30:43 +0000

i like Rough Guides,best maps and a lot of info about books and culture from every place

I dont like LP, maps are horrible during my RTW i saw a lot of people with LP on their hands and was like the holy bible for them