Reviews (1)

Wow!
This isn't the perfect coffee-table-travel-reference book for golf in Scotland and Ireland, but then Tiger Woods isn't the perfect golfer either.If you've golfed in Scotland and Ireland, if you're planning to play in Scotland and Ireland, or if you're only dreaming of playing in Scotland and Ireland, this is absolutely one book that you must have.It's a steal at Amazon's $37.80.You may recognize some of the text, paraphrased a bit, from Finegan's 1996 "Blasted Heaths and Blessed Greens" [Scotland], and "Emerald Fairways and Foam-Flecked Seas" [Ireland], but this large format book is in no way a duplicate.What can I say?The golf course photography by Laurence Lambrecht is spectacular.Finegan's prose sparkles as ever.Any negatives?Sometimes, I think, Finegan goes a little over the top, maybe even a lot over the top.But who cares? ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Golf    2. Golf - General    3. Golf courses    4. Guidebooks    5. Ireland    6. Scotland    7. Sports    8. Sports & Recreation    9. Sports & Recreation / Golf   

Reviews (7)

A must have for a London vacation
I purchased this book 6 weeks before my trip to London - and it was money well spent!Before leaving, I planned my entire vacation using the D&K Travel guide (and tripadvisor dot com for reviews).The map section is excellent and accurate as I used it continually on walking tours as well as when on the buses and tube.I really loved the map section.The maps are broken down into sections of London with arrows at the edges of each map pointing to the page number that the map continues on (depending which direction you are following) - so no struggling with a huge unruly map.There is a handy tube (subway) guide at the back of the book.The book fit nicely into my purse, and this was very important to me as I wanted it with me at all times.Not only did I find the road maps terrific, but also the various overview maps of specific areas (i.e. Covent Garden, Russell Square, Westminster & Whitehall) which had recommended walking tours marked up.The individual attractions diagrams (i.e. Westminster Abbey, British Museum, National Gallery), were excellent too and right on the mark as I used them for planning exhibits to see in advance of the trip.Being a full color guide divided into locations, you'll find information easily and be able to organize a flowing itinerary.The tips section is excellent with bus, telephone, currency and many other important tidbits of info.As for the hotel/B&B selection, I found it limited, but the information accurate as to the accommodations listed.My vacation in London was fabulous and I truly think this book had a big part in my trips success.Almost all of the museums in London are free - enjoy!

The One Best Guide to London
The City of London is one of the most fascinating urban areas on the planet.Its remarkable history, from its founding by the Romans and its long years as the center of the British Empire to its vibrant present as a cultural and commercial center provide venues of interest for almost everyone.
Informative and easy-to-use resource
After looking through many other travel guides, mostly copy-dense volumes with only a section or two of color photos, I admit to having been skeptical of the utility of this large, colorful, profusely-illustrated book. Would it really have the in-depth info I wanted? I shouldn't have worried. When my wife and I took a vacation to London this spring, this (along with one or two more specialized guides) was the book we ended up taking with us.
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Subjects:  1. Europe - Great Britain - General    2. Europe - Gt. Britain/London    3. Guidebooks    4. London (England)    5. Travel    6. Travel - Foreign    7. Travel Guides    8. Travel / Europe / Great Britain   

Reviews (5)

Bundle with Party London and Paris
What a great guide. Rick Steve's told me so many chill, off the beaten path things to do in London and then I picked up my Party London & Paris guidebook and hand the most fun and social days and nights. What a great combination of books.
Rick Knows London
Rick Steves has never directed me to a bad hotel or a bad meal.He protects his readers from overpriced tourist traps.A deep knowledge of the areas he visits and much time spent talking with the locals are what makes his books, in my opinion, among the best travel guides one can find.He knows where Londoners go when they want good food and where you can find a hotel that is quiet (by British standards), clean, and affordable (again, by British standards).His suggested museum tours and maps of the major London museums are another major point in his favor.

Very good book
the best books to have. All the information is up to date. Most of the other books are out dated and dont have as much information. I used his books on every trip around Europe and see many other people with his books as well!!! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Europe - Great Britain - General    2. Europe - Gt. Britain/London    3. Travel    4. Travel - Foreign    5. London, Greater London    6. Travel & holiday guides    7. Travel / Europe / Great Britain   

Editorial Review

Reacting to an itch common to Midwesterners since there's been a Midwest from which to escape, writer Bill Bryson moved from Iowa to Britain in 1973. Working for such places as Read more

Reviews (249)

Hilarious
I love Bill Bryson's books, even though I've criticized a couple of them. He's witty, urbane, insightful and an all around fun guy. In fact, he's my favorite liberal and one of only 4 or 5 with an I.Q. above 95. This book is just a wonderful insight into the mind of the British, and a sad eye-opener to some of the tragic destruction of the environment that made Great Britain what it was. If you want to have a wonderful, relaxing and quite funny journey through Great Britain from the eyes of an American who lived there for many years, do read this book. In fact read all of Bill's books, you won't be sorry. Thanks Bill, you're my hero!!!

Great stories, good humor, bad narration voice
The book is brilliant, no question about it. His stories are great, his humor dry and culturally insightful. The problem is that, like all audio books, the voice of the narrator can make or break the experience. And in this case, unfortunately, the voice of the author fails the material.
Laughs galore
This is the third Bill Bryson travelogue I have read.This has several laugh-out-loud sections, particularly if you have travelled in the United Kingdom.It is excellent for relaxing on weekends or on a plane.If you have never been to the UK and don't know any British people, then don't form all your opinions based on this one book, but Bryson does a good job distilling some of the differences between our nations into an amusing few hundred pages. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Bryson, Bill    3. Civilization    4. Description and travel    5. England    6. Essays & Travelogues    7. Europe - Gt. Britain/England    8. Form - Essays    9. Journeys    10. Topic - Political    11. Travel    12. Travel - General    13. Travel / General   

Reviews (1)

Review of the 2nd edition
I am a reader of the 2nd edition of this book, as I have not got the 3rd edition that , sorry, just give you some comment to the 2nd edition. I believe, however, you can glean how good the 2nd edition is. Firstly, itgive some hits of writing a cover, or , what essential information shouldbe given i your cover letter. For instance, you should tell the potentialemployer whet you are available to attend the intervew. Secondly, Whatvisas/permits would you be necessary to got. Thirdly, after arrival, thefirst stuff you have to do is how to fight with " Customs Not onlythose information, it also drops the hints down, say, the issue ofaccommodation, public transport, insure , etc.. Indeed, I highly recommendthis book to whom want to work inthe UK. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Employment    2. Europe - Great Britain - General    3. General    4. Great Britain    5. Handbooks, manuals, etc    6. Life skills    7. Travel    8. Travel - Foreign    9. Travel - General    10. Living & working abroad    11. Travel / General    12. United Kingdom, Great Britain   

Reviews (7)

Convenient design, but inadequate detail
The Streetwise London map is very convenient if you limit yourself to central London and only need to find importantattractions and/or streets of major or moderate significance. But many smaller streets in central London are NOT even named on the map and are not listed in the index. This was definitely a problem for me in finding smaller hotels, restaurants, etc. and lesser tourist attractions. In addition, the map includes some decent subway information, but nothing about buses. The reason for these inadequacies appears to be that the map is not detailed enough for there to be room to label the smaller streets and lesser tourist attractions. In summary, I suspect that this map will work better for first-time visitors than for repeat visitors.

There are much better options
I ordered "Streetwise London" based on reviews such as "must have" and "don't go without it." For central London it's a great tool!
A week in London, and this map was with me on every outing. The Streetwise Map is a great help in navigating Central London, but if you want to go beyond "Zone One" on the London Bus and Underground system, this map will be of no help at all. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Europe - Great Britain - General    2. Europe - Gt. Britain/London    3. Maps & Road Atlases    4. Travel    5. Travel - Foreign    6. England    7. London    8. London (England)    9. London, Greater London    10. Maps, charts & atlases    11. Travel / road maps & atlases   

Reviews (2)

A great guide with only one flaw.
My buddy and I just got back from our trip to the U.K. We used this book almost exclusively and it was a huge help in planning our time. The only flaw is that there is very little info on the eastern portion of the big Island from lower Scotland to Cambridge.
Very helpful!
Unfortunately, the only well-worn portion of my book is the 'London' section, but the rest will eventually get used!This book was such a great help to me in not only finding a moderately priced hotel (prices...yikes!) but in getting to all the places I wanted to see.The color maps of London and the Tube system up front are easily accessible!If I needed a quick look at a map, they were right up front so I didn't have to dig through the book and stand out as a tourist.
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Subjects:  1. Europe - Great Britain - General    2. General    3. Travel    4. Travel - Foreign    5. Travel Guides    6. Travel & holiday guides    7. Travel / Europe / Great Britain    8. United Kingdom, Great Britain   

Reviews (5)

Scotland ~~ Eyewitness Travel Guides
As always, this Eyewitness guide provides lots of beautiful pictures and basic information. If you just want to preview the country before visiting it's great. If you are going on your own, I'd suggest a guide with more detailed information.

The best one book for planning a vacation to Scotland
The DK Eyewitness Guide to Scotland is a superb one book resource for planning a vacation in Scotland.DK's combination of pictures, maps, facts, and commentary allow the visitor to find not only the major tourist attractions but also the places and events off the beaten path that are often even more worthwhile.The Eyewitness guide includes a nice history of Scotland as well as practical information on travel, custons, money, safety, and climate, as well as tips on food and uniquely Scottish souvenirs. The cut-away sketches and diagrams of castles and historical sites increase the visitor's appreciation of the place.The guide provides some useful tips on places to hike.This reviewer and his wife found this guide, supplemented by local roadmaps, entirely adequate to plan and enjoy two weeks in the Scottish Highlands.This guide is highly recommended to the traveler planning a vacation in Scotland.
Excellent overview
Fantastic book if you are thinking of visiting Scotland but are not sure which parts of this beautiful country to visit. Maps and drawings are great; cutways of castles and homes very interesting; sections on history and culture excellent. The book divides Scotland into geographical regions, describing the climate and terrain of each, the highlights of the area, sites to see; even walking or touring maps to follow.Perfect for an overview of the country as a whole, and if you are planning to travel there, use this book to narrow down the parts of the country you want to visit and then get more specific information on them.
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Subjects:  1. Europe - Great Britain - General    2. Europe - Gt. Britain/Scotland    3. Guidebooks    4. Scotland    5. Travel    6. Travel - Foreign    7. Travel / Europe / Great Britain   

Editorial Review

You'd be hard-pressed to find a more comprehensive, engrossing, and just plain fun-to-read guidebook than the Read more

Reviews (21)

Pretty but One-sided
This is a very good-looking book and has good information. However, it is only recommended to those who only wish to see picturesque villages, Buckingham Palace and the like. It contains almost no information on anything modern or even slightly off-the-beaten-track and many major sights are completely ignored.

Great Britain( Eyewitness Travel Guide)
I love this book, and would recommend it to anyone!

Eyewitness travel guides are great
I loved this comprehensive guide.The pictures and information are well presented. When planning a trip I first buy an Eyewitness guide.Its easy to understand and covers the history, food and other interesting areas.A great buy. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Europe - Great Britain - General    2. Great Britain    3. Guidebooks    4. Travel    5. Travel - Foreign    6. Travel Guides    7. Travel / Europe / Great Britain   

Subjects:  1. Europe - General    2. Europe - Great Britain - General    3. Europe - Gt. Britain/London    4. Travel    5. Travel - Foreign    6. London, Greater London    7. Travel & holiday guides    8. Travel / Europe / Great Britain   

Reviews (4)

less than meets the eye
If you've never been to Scotland, or want a feel for how it is to play the Old Course and the others in St Andrews regularly, you'll enjoy this book somewhat.
Loved every sentence - thanks, George!
I've taken two trips to St. Andrews and can definitely relate to George's Peper's outstanding take on the place.I treasured every sentence of these 299 pages.He's really nailed the spirit of St. Andrews, both the setting and its people.I'm not a mad, keen golfer, and my wife - like Peper's - is disinterested in the sport itself.But - like me - she loves the atmosphere of the place.One of the greatest things in the world is to sit on the steps in front of the 18th green and watch group and group tumble home with big, goofy grins on their faces.It's a fabulous way to spend an early evening.
Contrasts in Golf and Life for Two
An experienced wordsmith, Peper memoirs his decision to spend two years in their invested real estate lining the sacred 18th at golf's home.
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Subjects:  1. Description And Travel    2. Europe - Great Britain - General    3. Golf    4. Golf - General    5. Golf courses    6. Scotland    7. Sports    8. Sports & Recreation    9. Sportswriters    10. United States    11. Sporting venues    12. Sports & Recreation / Golf    13. United Kingdom, Great Britain   

Reviews (4)

One Of The Top Guides To London
There are many guides to London. From what I can see there are two good general guidebooks. These are the Eyewitness Travel (DK) guide which is the one that I personally prefer or Lonely Planet (the present book). These two books are both just around 500 pages and both are tremendous efforts. They are well balanced guides with lots of photos, maps, history, etc. Both are clearly 5 star guides.
Average London travel guide
It seems like the Lonely Planet guides are really hit and miss. Some are outstanding, but others are quite lacking. Unfortunately the London guide is not very impressive. For starters, the entire book is poorly organized and confusing. London is an enormous city, with several distinct areas, but this book does a very poor job of helping the reader understand where things are. There is almost no cross referencing to help the reader find things that are described in it. I was also disappointed with the maps, which have decent detail in some parts, but no detail whatsoever in many other parts. Finally, this book lacks the detail that I was able to find in some other guides. Overall, I was quite disappointed with this book.
The perfect London tour guide, for the budget traveller or the crazy spender.
Lonely Planet always publishes up-to-date issues of your city of choice. They cover the board and general to the minute and often times over looked hidden treasures. The 2006 London edition follows exactly with that tradition. I went to London for 4 days and there wasn't a day that passed that I didn't have something to do or experience (aside from the typical major tourist attractions). LP provides ideas for walking tours, mesuem tours, bus tours, shopping tours, and even rainy day tours. What I appreciate the most about LP are the maps and train routes that are provided in the back. London can be a tough place to navigate on foot, since a lot of roads just suddenly end or turn into something else, so a good map is key to keeping your sanity. The only limitation that I found with this book was its excerpts on other cities outside the city limits. It only offered a few agendas for day trips outside of the city. But then again, I guess if I really wanted to leave London and go somewhere else, I'd just have to buy that city's LP guide. Also, if you are looking for a hotel, London is SO incredibly large, there is no way that the LP can list each one, so do your homework online, becuase there might be better deals that aren't listed in the book. Overall, this book is an imformative read and a great travel companion. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Europe - Great Britain - General    2. Europe - Gt. Britain/London    3. Reference - Guides (General)    4. Travel    5. Travel - Foreign    6. London, Greater London    7. Travel & holiday guides   

Editorial Review

On his only prior visit to Ireland, English songwriter-comic Tony Hawks had seen a man hitchhiking with a refrigerator. For years, he was wont to tell the tale during late-night drinking matches, and after one particularly heavy-duty night of partying, he awoke to find a bet scrawled pillowside: a friend wagered 100 pounds that Hawks wouldn't travel Ireland for a month with a refrigerator at his side.Read more

Reviews (63)

Silly, silly, silly
I loved this book from the start!I first read the book shortly after my first trip to Ireland.While my trip did not involve a kitchen appliance, we kept to same kind of 'go where the road takes us' kind of philosophy.I have given this book as a gift a number of times and every friend I've given it to has adored it.People who can laugh at themselves and make you laugh right along are a rare and wonderful breed.Wouldn't it be lovely to find and appreciate the absurd all the time?

Funny Funny Funny!
This was a great book to read as I am heading to Ireland in 3 weeks.I hope I meet as many warm and funny folks as Tony did in his travels.Light and warmhearted and a quick read.Buy it!

Share a Pint with Tony
Now that I finished reading Round Ireland with a Fridge, I miss it. I miss hanging out with Tony Hawks, the English comedian dubbed Fridge Man, and all the people of Ireland who befriended him along the way.
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Subjects:  1. Description and travel    2. Europe - Ireland    3. General    4. Hawks, Tony    5. Humor    6. Ireland    7. Northern Ireland    8. Travel   

Reviews (12)

Great Planning Book
This book showed me a great view of what to do and see in London. I have been slowly planning my trip for awhile and this book is the cornerstone to that planning. The only thing I wish though was that they showed more pictures of the things in the book.

Good solid travel guide
Frommer's does a solid travel guide, and I will definitely purchase these again.I especially like that they come out with new books every year that are always up-to-date.

Low quality information
Have listed at least one non-existing restaurant in London. The other suggestedrestaurant had a different name from the one specified in the Guide. We almost went hungry. Do not buy this book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Europe - Great Britain - General    2. Europe - Gt. Britain/London    3. Guidebooks    4. London (England)    5. Travel    6. Travel - Foreign    7. Travel Guides    8. London, Greater London    9. Travel & holiday guides    10. Travel / Europe / Great Britain   

Editorial Review

The essence of London, found "in the swing, tramp, and trudge; in the bellow and uproar; the carriages, motor cars, omnibuses, vans, sandwich men shuffling and swinging; brass bands; barrel organs; in the triumph and the jingle and the strange high singing of some aeroplane overhead..." (Read more

Reviews (57)

Smart, User-Friendly Guidebook Has Legs After Your Trip to London
From Lonely Planet to the Rough Guides, location-specific guidebooks generally seem so transient since a purchase generally depends upon an upcoming trip and soon afterward ends up in a storage box collecting dust or on craigslist for sale. That's not to say they don't have valuable information when you need them, but there is no incentive to return to the book once the trip has ended. The one exception to the rule is the series of Dorling Kindersley's Eyewitness Travel Guides. The London guide is as good as any in the series as it presents a graphically pleasing, intuitively organized guidebook with detailed pictorials that show animated aerial shots of neighborhoods like Covent Garden or cut-away floor plans of heavily visited buildings like Westminster Abbey or the Tate. It also helps make geographic sense of neighborhoods that allow you to navigate easily through them by pointing out recommended sights.
A Must Have
We only spent a few days in London but this book helped us to plan which sights we'd have time to see. It also has a great map of the tube which helped us, more than once, find our way around Central London. A Must Have!

The travel book you really need!
I have many travel books for London but I have to say this is the best.Updated frequently, it contains a vast amount of information.I found the book to be very acurate with opening times and ticket prices for events, as well as travel directions. If you have never been to London before, you will appreciate the back section of the book which covers the basics (using a payphone, the different coins and notes, airport and train iformation etc). Even though I know London very well now, I still find the book very useful when planning a day out.The photography is amazing as well!This is a must have! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Europe - Great Britain - General    2. General    3. Guidebooks    4. London (England)    5. Travel    6. Travel - Foreign    7. Travel / Europe / Great Britain   

Subjects:  1. Europe - Great Britain - General    2. Europe - Gt. Britain/London    3. Travel    4. Travel - Foreign    5. Travel Guides    6. London, Greater London    7. Travel & holiday guides    8. Travel / Europe / Great Britain   

Editorial Review

From Antarctica to Zimbabwe, if you're going there chances are Lonely Planet has been there first. With a pithy and matter-of-fact writing style, these guides are guaranteed to calm the nervesof first-time world travelers, while still listing off-the-beaten-path finds sure to thrill even the mostjaded globetrotters. Lonely Planet has been perfecting its guidebooks for nearly 30 years and as a result, has the experience and know-how similar to an older sibling's "been there" advice. The original backpacker's bible, the LP series has recently widened its reach.While still givinginsights for the low-budget traveler, the books now list a wide range of accommodations anditineraries for those with less time than money.Read more

Reviews (17)

The best of the Great Britain travel books that I have read!
In planning a trip to Great Britain, I have purchased three travel books: Lonely Planet, Eyewitness and Frommer's. I would rank them in that order as far as helpfulness in planning our trip. Here are my reasons: I have found Lonely Planet's sections on "where to sleep" and "where to eat" are much more extensive, informative and include a wider variety in price ranges than the other two books. Also, they have more information on some of the smaller towns, that are off the beaten track. I enjoyed the wonderful photographs, maps and illustrations in the Eyewitness Guide to Great Britain and if you can afford two books, it is a great way to prepare for what you will see. However, since I only have room for one travel book in my small suitcase, I plan to take the Lonely Planet book with me on our upcoming trip.

Excellent, but many poor maps
This is an excellent guidebook.The only problem with it is the quality of the city maps, which are almost impossible to read.I saw an earlier edition in which they were in color and much better.They must have tried to save money in this edition by doing them in grayscale.

Never Shipped
Item never shipped.Canceled my order after waiting five days past the shipping date. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Europe - Great Britain - General    2. HotelsInnsetc.    3. Travel    4. Travel - Foreign    5. Travel & holiday guides    6. United Kingdom, Great Britain   

Reviews (1)

Fantastic guide to London but the print in the index is microscopic
We just got back from a fantastic trip to London. We brought several guide books with us but Time Out London proved to be the only one we needed -- except for the fact that the type size in the index is microscopic -- and therefore completely unusable.
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Subjects:  1. Europe - Great Britain - General    2. Europe - Gt. Britain/London    3. Travel    4. Travel - Foreign    5. Travel Guides    6. London, Greater London    7. Travel & holiday guides    8. Travel / Europe / Great Britain   

Reviews (2)

Too big
The map was quite legible, and seemed accurate.But it was very unwieldy, due to its large size.Trying to unfold and fold it in a small car just didn't work.

great trip planner
I constantly get asked about good maps to plan out trips through Scotland.Michelin really gives you a good one.Large so 'baby boomer' eyes can see all the details.It's clearly marked so it's very easy to use, with a trip times chart.I especially liked they have the outer isle marked well.Some maps of Scotland will skimp on these.So if you are going to Lewis or Skye then this one is hand.
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Subjects:  1. Europe - Gt. Britain/Scotland    2. Maps    3. Maps & Road Atlases    4. Travel    5. Travel - Foreign   

Reviews (1)

Well researched and organized, compact size that travels well
I have used the Michelin Green Guides on many trips to Italy.They have always provided accurate information in an easy to use format.I particularly like that they are small enough to pack in a suit easily.This might not sound like much to you.But I am a one carry-on suitcase kind of girl, so I don't have much room to spare for lots of travel guides.I always have at least one Michelin Green Guide in my suitcase for each new adventure.
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Subjects:  1. Europe - Gt. Britain/London    2. Europe - Italy    3. Travel    4. Travel - Foreign    5. Italy    6. Travel & holiday guides