Every book isn’t appropriate to read online and Lonely Planet’s The Travel Book is a perfect example. This exquisitely
photographed coffee table book belongs in the home of every traveler, would be traveler or armchair traveler. Two page entries for the 230 countries in the world may not seem enough at first glance. But, as you open the book and read each country’s selections, you’ll detect that there is an amazing amount of information on those two short pages, accompanied by stunning pictures of the people, scenery, sites and food from each country. There are short lists of Top Things to Do, Top Things to See, and, the most outstanding part is the Getting Under the Skin section. Read these columns first! They contain recommended books to read, music to listen to, movies and documentaries to watch, food and drink to try-all geared to the specific country you are reading about.
What a fast and excellent way to immerse yourself in different countries with the added benefit of receiving quick advice you may have trouble finding in other sources. Do yourself a favor and learn more about other countries and people. It will make you a more informed citizen of the world!
Another not to be missed gem for travel aficionados and history buffs is Journey: an Illustrated History of Travel. This book chronologically traces the history of travel from the Ancient days to modern space exploration and all sorts of travel in between. Maps, illustrations, travel posters and photographs of different locations, famous explorers and modes of transportation are complemented by short biographies of explorers and essays of famous trips.
This is a wonderful browsing book that will bring much joy to the reader or peruser and can be shared with all members of your family. As an added benefit, it may pique an interest in faraway places and history in some of the younger readers, too.