Editorial Review

First published in 1934, Freya Stark's classic tale of her travels through Persia has been reprinted once again and is just as much a gem now as when first published. At the age of 37, Stark shocked her fellow Brits by moving to Baghdad, befriending the locals, studying Arabic and the Koran, and then setting out on expeditions to remote and uncharted areas of the Islamic world by foot, donkey, camel, and car. With her fascination for secret Islamic societies, she resolved to travel to the former home of the Cult of the Assassins and locate an ancient fortress described by Marco Polo. (The founder of the cult inspired his recruits to murder through the use of hashish, hence their name Read more

Reviews (4)

Dull, Perhaps, But Groundbreaking
I agree with much of what is said in the reviews below: Stark's travelogues aren't to be read in bed if you have any intention of keeping your eyes open for more than a dozen pages or so. Her writing is clear and concise, but not scintillating by any means.What's of interest in this book is less the style of writing and more the travels themselves. Here was a single woman in the 1930s traveling in an area of the world virtually unknown to Westerners, making the radical choices, for instance, to study the Koran and live with the locals. She was a true radical of her own time who dared to tread places that Marco Polo didn't even approach, despite his (in)famous claims to the contrary.
Surprisingly dull
This book was disappointing, especially considering that some call it a classic. Wonderful Travel Story
Like jeffergray, I wish there were maps and would agree that the title was somewhat misleading.At times, I found myself confused by some of the historical references since they were cursory and seemed to assume a good knowledge of the history of the Middle East.Perhaps I need to go back to school...Read more

Subjects:  1. Assassins (Ismailites)    2. Description And Travel    3. Essays & Travelogues    4. History    5. History: World    6. Iran    7. Iran - History    8. Middle East - General    9. Travel - General    10. History / Middle East    11. Middle East    12. Travel writing   

Reviews (3)

Good basic map
I purchased this map to help my kids keep track of the location of their father in Iraq.It is all on one side so we could post it on a large bulletin board.It works well for our purpose.I only which it showed long. and lat. but it is meant to be a road map so I suppose I am expecting a lot.

The best of a weak collection of available materials
This product is useful for area familiarization for the American on his or her way to Iraq, the best of three different maps I ordered.A good reference for the lay of the land of the entire country, but no detailed inserts of cities other than central Baghdad. The map is printed on only one side, so there would have been more than enough space to cover the provincial cities. The ITM Baghdad map is not quite so worthwhile, almost no detail whatsoever, but a handy sketch of the main districts of the city. I had hoped to find maps with the Arabic script place names alongside the English, but perhaps that was too much too hope for.

Perfectly serviceable map of Iraq
Bought this to be able to follow news reports.It has towns, cities, roads, railways, political divisions, contour lines and color coding, oilfields (though not very detailed).Read more

Subjects:  1. Maps    2. Iraq    3. Travel / road maps & atlases   

Reviews (3)

2004 Edition
There have been some rumors concerning a previous edition. I have just been to Iran (in September 2006). The 2004 edition is as witty and informative as any Loney Planet book. When compared with two German books for travelers it is a notch above the others. I haven't found any insensitive orbelittling remarks only the usual sarcasm, just as the description of Ahvaz: "Unremitting Iraqi bombing during the Iran-Iraq War didn't beautify it and subsequent redevelopment has faild to offer much inspiration." Some telephone numbers and addresses are however outdated.

I totally agree with the first reviewer(LJ Brouwer ?)
I totally agree with the first person who reviewed the update of the LP Iran. The first edition, written by David St-Vincent was a real masterpiece (not exaggerating there !), but the following updates were made by someone who obviously did not know much about the country and didn't even like it. It was a disaster. It's great that LP has finally commissioned a worthwhile update, getting rid of the not-so-worthy author whose name I will not mention here.

A welcome replacement for the previous edition.
These are some excerpts from the new edition from the section entitled 'The National Psyche':
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Subjects:  1. Middle East - General    2. Travel    3. Travel - Foreign    4. Iran    5. Travel & holiday guides   

Reviews (3)

Very useful indeed
This book became a surrogate Bible for my father and me on a recent trip to the UAE, Yeman and Oman. It's a tad out of date as regards the big cities - Dubai, for example, has even more hotels and malls than the book would indicate - but the information was still exceptionally useful.
a useful guide to have along
I recently used "Arabian Peninsula" on a trip to four Gulf countries: Bahrain, Qatar, UAE, and Oman. The only country in which the book led me astray and caused inconvenience was in Qatar. Things are changing so quickly in Qatar that it isn't surprising that the guides are out of date. There's now a city bus service in Doha (which unfortunately goes nowhere near the airport), and a huge Museum of Islamic Art is nearing completion on the Corniche. The book is correct in saying you can get your Qatar visa upon arrival at the airport, but they don't warn you that payment of the visa fee (under US$20) is by credit card only (cash not accepted). In the Doha section, the guide says "some budget hotels are not suitable for, nor will they accept, solo women travellers. The hotels listed below are the exceptions to this rule." Well, that's all fine and dandy, but as a solo male traveler, I'd have liked to have been told which perfectly acceptable (and much cheaper) Doha hotels were available to men. And since politically correct Lonely Planet doesn't care to say, here they are: Doha Hotel, Golden Hotel, and Doha Tower Hotel all behind the Gold Souq, and the Hotel Inter-Diplomat near the National Museum. All these charge about 50 percent less than the cheapest hotel listed in "Arabian Peninsula". And yes, I didn't see women in any of them. I came across another example of Lonely Planet-style bias in Dubai. This book raves about the rather mediocre Jumeira Mosque, but fails to mention the very interesting Dubai Zoo just a 10-minute walk away. Yes, the enclosures are too small, but if that's the problem, why not list the zoo and say so? It's probably the only chance budget travelers will have to see many endangered Arabian animals. Is Lonely Planet trying to pressure the Dubai authorities into moving their zoo to some remote location inaccessible to most of their readers? It grates when a guidebook consciously makes choices like these for its readers. Anyway, I'd like to note here that I felt perfectly safe in all four Gulf countries I visited, and that virtually everyone I met was very friendly and helpful. It's an interesting area, and this handy little book will certainly see you through.

Great for Travel in Yemen and Dubai
It's not easy to write reviews of travel books- they don't lend themselves to the task as well as a good novel. I am not so much judging the quality of the writing as I am the quality of the research. It is doubly hard to write a review of a travel book that covers six different countries. It is hard to visit all the places- being that, with the possible exception of North Korea, some of these countries are the hardest ones in the world to visit. So I am of necessity limiting my review to those countries which I did visit, and thus the review will be unable to cover the entire book.
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Subjects:  1. Middle East - General    2. Travel    3. Travel - Foreign    4. Arabian peninsula    5. Travel & holiday guides   

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 nerves of first-time world travelers, while still listing off-the-beaten-path finds sure to thrill even the most jaded globetrotters. Lonely Planet has been perfecting its guidebooks for nearly 30 years, and as a result has 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 giving insights for the low-budget traveler, the books now list a wide range of accommodations and itineraries for those with less time than money.Read more

Reviews (31)

Good, but not as good as other Lonely Planet
As a disclaimer, I am a huge fan of the Lonely Planet travel guides. I like to travel, and have lately traveled to quite a few countries following recommendations from Lonely Planet. Just before going to Turkey, I was in Greece "with Lonely Planet".
Inaccurate and out-of-date
This guide is seriously out of date. This applies not only to prices, and relative prices, but also to critical information about what is available and how to find it. Having used it (Sept., 2006), my advice is not to rely on it without checking independently that what it says is available and how to get there is correct. Otherwise you may find that you have been expensely (in time or in money) misled. Since you should check with other sources, you might as well simply forget this guide, which is one of the worst I have ever used. Its recommendations about what is worth seeing and the state of hotels, while often useful, can also be wildly wrong.

Reliability is 50-50
My wife and I just returned from a two-week trip to the Aegean coast of Turkey.While we were certainly better off with the LP than without it, we found the sections on the Aegean coast to be unreliable.
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Subjects:  1. Europe - Eastern    2. Middle East - General    3. Middle East - Turkey    4. Travel    5. Travel - Foreign    6. Travel Guides    7. Travel & holiday guides    8. Turkey   

Reviews (3)

This book doesn't live up to the Title
The author shows little respect for Ethiopians in General, numerous instances he describes Ethiopians artifacts as "meager", "dingy" etc. This is unacceptable in my opinion because if your going to write about a place then at least be respectful of the place and the people,the author shows little respect for the overall Culture. Ethiopia has been through many violent episodes in the past so if little fragments of history survive in a tarnished manner take account of the fact that wars are usually unkind to places where wars were fought. I read the intro and noticed the author focused on the Names Aksum which is correct towards one of the ancient name of Ethiopia, also correctly naming Kush a neighboring country north of Ethiopia that impressed me so I bought the book anticipating some quality information. After receiving and reading the first 15 pages the author begins to show his unethusiatic attitutde for Ethiopian History which turned off this reader so I returned my copy and will continue searching for quality unbiased information for Ethiopia.

Be Cautious of the Title
I purchased this book because I was looking for an in-depth study of Ethiopian culture, both past and present.However, it soon became apparent that the book's subtitle "A Cultural and Historical Guide" was somewhat misleading.Rather, Mr. Munro-Hay provides a detailed and scholarly analysis of Ethiopian historical sites.The publisher would have been well-advised to use the subtitle "An Archaeological Survey" instead.If that is what you're looking for, then this book is ideal.But if you want information on contemporary Ethiopian culture, it would be best to look elsewhere.

An explorer's companion
Although not a "tourist guide" this book is a handy reference for anyone with interest in this land.Munro-Hay's subtitle: The Unknown Land provides a clue to the problem he faced in summarizing the history and culture of this ancient country.Known to early Christians as the land of "Prester John," Ethiopia's nearly landlocked location and rugged terrain has made it a challenge to scholars for millennia.Munro-Hay makes an earnest effort to enlighten us on many aspects of Ethiopian history and culture.Rather than provide a surface overview, he divides the country into regions based on ancient kingdoms.It's an effective means of organizing the complex store of research he's brought to the task. Read more

Subjects:  1. Africa - East - Ethiopia    2. Description and travel    3. Ethiopia    4. History    5. History - General History    6. Middle East - General    7. Travel    8. African history    9. African studies    10. Egypt    11. Travel & holiday guides   

Reviews (2)

Thebook is reflecting the reality in a distorted mirror
The writer thought she has written about Israel.But actually she has written just about the things that her narrow perception has caught. Thefact that she is very bright misleading to conclude she is reflecting thereality.

a challenging account of an individual arab-israeli relation
I was simply amazed by the courage of Sana Hasan and admired her. I wouldbe very interested to talk to her and ask her about some details in herbook that especially influenced me. E.g. the mental pressure on her whileshe was living on the kibbutz - sharing the room with her israeli lesbianfriend. I'd be happy to discuss the book with anyone interested. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1973-1993    2. Arab-Israeli conflict    3. Biography/Autobiography    4. Description And Travel    5. Hassan, Sana    6. Israel    7. Jewish-Arab relations    8. Biography: general    9. International relations    10. Islamic countries    11. Non-Classifiable    12. Travel writing   

Subjects:  1. Collections, Catalogs, Exhibitions    2. Individual Photographer    3. Morton, Hugh M    4. Nature photography    5. North Carolina    6. Photo Techniques    7. Photography    8. Photojournalism    9. Pictorial works    10. Pictorials    11. Subjects & Themes - Travel - U.S/South    12. United States - South - South Atlantic (General)    13. Individual photographers    14. Linville Peak; Grandfather Mountain; Mount Mitchell; Black Mountain Range; Blue Ridge Parkway; Boone, NC;Grandfather Mountain's Cub Habitat; Mile High Swinging Bridge; Catawba Rhododendron; Turkey Beard; Roan Mountain; Biltmore Estate; Asheville, NC; Pisgah National Forest; Luther H. Hodges; Linville River; Looking Glass Falls; Pilot Mountain; Alleghany Sandmyrtle; New River; Deep Gap, NC; Blowing Rock, NC; harvesting tobacco; Jesse Brown's Cabin; Calloway Peak; Blue Ridge Mountains; Blue ridge Parkway Viaduct; Black Rock Cliffs; Mildred the Bear; Sphinx Rock; Rough Ridge Rock; Indian House Cave; Attic Window Peak; John McNeely; Grandfather Mountain Highland Games and Gathering of Scottish Clans; Balsam Nature Trail; Gray's Lily; Wilson Creek; Daniel Boone Wildlife Refuge; Fields of the Wood Park; Old Salem; Morehead Patterson Bell Tower; Azalea Festival; Orton Plantation; Outer Banks, NC; Ocracoke Lighthouse; Cape Fear Lighthouse; Bodie Island Lighthouse; Carolina Yacht Club; Battleship North Carolina; Brunswick River Layup Basin; Camp Davis; Wright Brothers National Monument; Cape Lookout Lighthouse; Frank Porter Graham; Eleanor Roosevelt; Josephus Daniels; General George C. Marshall; Ronald Reagan; Bob Hope; Terry Sanford; Congressman Herbert Bonner; John F. Kennedy; Aycock Brown; Robert House; Johnny Cash; Patty Berg; Byron Nelson; Sam Snead; Ben Hogan; Gerald Ford; Frank Borman; Tony Waldrop; Coach Dean Smith; Michael Jordan; Phil Ford; Mia Hamm; Jerry Richardson; Coach Leroy Walker; Boots Randolph; Jesse Helms; James Hunt; Hugh Shelton; Franklin Graham; Billy Graham; Charles Kuralt; William and Ida Friday; Charlie "Choo Choo" Justice; General Douglas MacArthur; Andy Griffith; Erskine Bowles    15. Nature in art, still life, landscapes & seascapes    16. Photographs: collections    17. Photography / Subjects & Themes / Sports   

Reviews (2)

A world without Jews
For those who wish for a world without Israel or Jews, this is the guide for you. All the land between the Jordan River and Med. Sea is called Palestine, in effect wiping Israel off the map. Iran would be proud!

Rich land and people
Palestine is a thick and juicy travel book. It is rich in the arts, in architecture, in culture. It is a journey through history, through the land and the people of Palestine and Gaza - with an array of visual feasts in Azar's photography.
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Subjects:  1. Gaza Strip    2. History    3. Israel    4. Israel - History    5. Middle East - General    6. Palestine - History    7. Palestinian Arabs    8. Social life and customs    9. Travel    10. Travel - Foreign   

Subjects:  1. General    2. Reference / Maps    3. Travel - Foreign    4. Travel / Middle East / Israel    5. ASIA    6. Israel    7. Jerusalem    8. Maps    9. Maps, charts & atlases    10. Middle East - Israel    11. Reference    12. Travel / road maps & atlases   

Reviews (4)

Believe the hype!
My '5 stars' are for Dubai. I'm one of the authors and lived in the UAE for almost 8 years. I guess we do believe the hype, because we've lived it. Dubai is an extraordinary city, the country offers one of the best lifestyles in the world, and the Emirati people - Dubai locals in particular - are incredibly dynamic, funny, laidback, hospitable and tolerant. Having travelled all over the world (to over 50 countries) and recently moved to Europe, Dubai remains one of my favorite cities.
Mediocre
Of all the LP books I've read (probably 30 or 40), this is my least favorite.The authors seem to be working way too hard to sound hip and cool and impress their readers to produce an interesting book for travel addicts.Perhaps they've just been into Dubai a bit too long and have bought into the hype...

Interesting facts and figures
This books brings a good overview of the city (although I haven't been there yet) with nice quick tips and facts that usually go unoticed on other travel books.
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Subjects:  1. Middle East - General    2. Travel    3. Travel - Foreign    4. Travel Guides    5. Travel & holiday guides    6. United Arab Emirates   

Reviews (27)

As an Arab, I recommend this book of "understanding"
I could not find a truer book that this one to describe us, the Arabs in the proper & correct way. The Arabic mentality is fully explained in this book. Although the incidents occurred more than fifty years ago, the true essence of Arab culture today is still mirror image of ancient times, which was described fully in this book.
Why did he do it?
I'll admit I've got a deep suspicion of comfort and convenience, probably because they seem so inexplicably important to a lot of people.Sure, we can like our easy chairs; but without a steady diet of raw experience and unprotected (social) intercourse we lose our edge.Thesiger was addicted to living on the edge, and he was lucky and intrepid enough to capitalize on some sweet opportunities.He had the explorer's instinct to be the first one in, the humility to be accepted most places he went, and the intelligence to understand and record what he experienced.
Vanished world
I feel strongly for an era now gone. It used to be a much simpler world, with different values that developed slowly, and endured longer. Mr.Thesiger belongs to that era of rugged adventure, and I have enjoyed reading this book. There is a connection between people's feelings, and a developed respect, instead of just avarice. Good reading! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1910-    2. Arabian Peninsula    3. Description and travel    4. Europe - Scandinavia    5. Middle East - General    6. Thesiger, Wilfred,    7. Travel    8. Travel - Foreign    9. Middle East    10. Travel / Middle East / General    11. Travel writing   

Reviews (2)

Excellent Resource
Gorgeous photos.Fabulous information.It's a shame we can't visit this architecturally historic country.

An absolute "must-read" for any male or female visitor to Iran
Patricia Baker is a lecturer, writer and tour leader specializing in Islamic are and having traveled to Iran over 16 times since her first visit in 1971. She draws from his considerable experience and expertise in Iran: The Bradt Travel Guide to provide the tourist, student, or businessman with guidance on cultural awareness, religious sensitivity, and absolute do's and don'ts as well as a region-by-region guideline to getting around in different areas of Iran with black-and-white maps to follow. An absolute "must-read" for any male or female visitor to Iran, as familiarity with rules and customs could spare one from an unhappy detention; for example, the Iranian prohibition against cards, gambling and backgammon extends to such things as fuzzy car dice, woman must not walk unescorted at night or they will be presumed prostitutes, and no visitor should eat, drink, or smoke during the daylight hours of the Ramadan religious holidays regardless of their personal faith, else the repercussions to themselves and their sponsors will be severe. Yet Iran: The Bradt Travel Guide is far more than a list of proscriptions and warnings; it is also a tour of the cultural and historical wonders of Iran, a glimpse into the recent transformations of the society, and an in-depth guide of where to go and what to experience. Now in an updated second edition, Iran: The Bradt Travel Guide is a "must-have" for visitors who want not only to see the sights of this proud nation, but to understand its character as much as possible.
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Subjects:  1. Middle East - General    2. Travel    3. Travel - Foreign    4. Iran    5. Travel & holiday guides    6. Travel / Middle East / General   

Reviews (2)

An excellent reference on the Arab-Israeli conflict
This little volume is one of the best books ever written on the Arab-Israeli conflict. It is almost all maps.
Incredible Resource About the Arab-Israeli Conflict
The Arab-Israeli conflict is a fiercely debated topic with numerous accusations constantly being thrown back and forth. For someone just beginning to study the Arab-Israeli conflict, it can be overwhelming. This book is a collection of maps drafted by a professional cartographer to show the real dimensions of treaties, ceasefires, boycotts, and other historical moments in the Arab-Israeli conflict. Read more

Subjects:  1. Atlases - General    2. History    3. History & Theory - General    4. History - General History    5. History: World    6. Middle East - General    7. Asian / Middle Eastern history    8. Atlases    9. Middle East    10. Peace studies    11. Political science & theory    12. Reference / Atlases    13. World history: from c 1900 -   

Reviews (1)

Lonely Planet Jordan
I bought this book after my trip to Jordan.I usually buy my Lonely Books before I make the trip.Even after the trip, the book was very useful.I was able to better understand and appreciate the sights I saw while in Jordan.I have had very good impressions with all the Londly Planet books I have used. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Description And Travel    2. Middle East - General    3. Travel    4. Travel - Foreign    5. Jordan    6. Travel & holiday guides   

Reviews (24)

One of the funniest books ever written
When I read Chapter 13 of this book where he describes the scene in Paris where 'Ferguson' is eating his breakfast and generally ripping them off as he pretends to guide them to the Louvre I had to put the book down because I was giggling and laughing so hard. Even now when I reread it for the 100th time it never gets old. Anyone who feels Twain was racist doesn't get how universally he applies his satire.
Irreverent and satiric - traveler Twain
The great humor and satirical power of Mark Twain are evident often in this work. As his ability at precise observation and understanding. His account of the 'Holy Land'as wasteland is still one of the best descriptions ever given about the Middle East.
A Travel Book from 1869 That's Worth Reading Today
Reading early Mark Twain is like watching a young David Letterman. The brilliance is there, but its owner is still learning how to use it. In 1867, Twain was dispatched by a San Francisco newspaper to be a passenger on the first organized tour group of Americans making their way through Europe and the Near East. In 1869, he reworked his newspaper dispatches into something resembling a book, although that book is more like Gulliver's Travels than Moby-Dick. Twain's modern detractors don't approve of how he wrote so dismissively about "the natives." What they overlook is that he is even more cutting when he is writing about the pious, provincial Americans he is traveling with. The Innocents Abroad is one of the first books that grapples with what it means to be an American. And it's a lot more fun to read than Henry James. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1800-1918    2. Description and travel    3. Essays & Travelogues    4. Europe    5. Europe - Western    6. Literature - Classics / Criticism    7. Literature: Classics    8. Middle East - Egypt    9. Voyages and travels    10. Classic travel writing    11. Fiction / Classics    12. Middle East    13. Other prose: 19th century   

Reviews (2)

Useful book
I bought this "Time Out" Book along with "Lonely Planet" copy of Dubai. I found the "Time Out" issue to be very informative with suggestions of hotels, nightlife bar/club, restaurants, entertainment for kids and adults, maps and cultural life. I couldn't put the book down since it covered alot of interesting short reads. I reccommend this book as a start for a quickie read and to take along with you as a guide when you visit Dubai. I thought it was worth the buy and there is very little guide books of Dubai. Also, the "Lonely Planet" book covers the sameinformation as "Time Out" but less interesting but focus more of History,tourist sites, and culture.

Time out Dubai
This is a good short guide to Dubai and the UAE, especially for first time visitors.the information is accurate and uptodate,especially considering how rapidly Dubai is changing. The warning about driving is more than accurate as the accident rate is very high and lethal. Most fees and entry costs are accurate. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Dubai (United Arab Emirates)    2. Dubayy (United Arab Emirates : Emirate)    3. Guidebooks    4. Middle East - General    5. Museums, Tours, Points of Interest    6. Travel    7. Travel - General    8. United Arab Emirates    9. Travel & holiday guides    10. Travel / Middle East / General   

Reviews (1)

An OK Book, but LP is getting more chinsy by the moment
First of all, let me say I always travel with Lonely Planet books (even in my native Pacific Northwest) as there is no better product on the market for the independent traveler.Others may have their niche:Let's Go! for the college party crowd, Footprints Handbooks for the snooty, Frommer's and Fodor's for those who don't know any better, etc etc etc.
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Subjects:  1. Middle East - General    2. Travel    3. Travel - Foreign    4. Travel Guides    5. Middle East    6. Travel & holiday guides   

Reviews (1)

Rich visual guide to Croatia's cultural, natural, and historic heritage
I took three guides on a three week trip to Croatia in 2006: Lonely Planet, Bradt's, and this one. I used the first two to learn about where to stay and eat. I used the Knopf guide to truly learn about Croatia's amazing natural and cultural offerings.
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Subjects:  1. Europe - France    2. Europe - General    3. Fiction - Fantasy    4. Middle East - Egypt    5. Travel    6. Travel - Foreign    7. Travel Guides    8. Travel / Europe / General