This sumptuous travel guide offers up hundreds of gorgeous, full-color photographs and first-person reminiscences of "400 of the world's best destinations in winter, spring, summer and fall." Among the destinations covered are Edinburgh, London, Victoria Falls, Queenstown, New York City, Lake Como, Oaxaca, the Atlas Mountains, Newport, St. Petersburg, Verona, Custer State Park, Victoria Falls, Venice, Prince Edward Island, Loch Lomond, Paris, etc. Armchair travelers will get endless hours of enjoyment from this wonderful travel guide.

Mike O. / Marathon County Public Library
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This book left me frustrated. Overall, it seems like an excuse to publish a bunch of beautiful National Geographic photographs.

It’s a collection of travel destinations, organized by the seasons of the year. Worldwide, but weighted toward Europe and North America, the destinations are a mix of the familiar and an idea book of unfamiliars. In most cases, it’s obvious why the location/event is matched to the season (e.g. conditions of nature, cultural calendars, etc.) but there are a few surprises (e.g. Yosemite in winter). Each entry is accompanied by beautiful photographs -- full-color; often full-page and even two-page spreads -- plus a bit about the location/event, sources for more information (e.g. websites), and a sidebar with some tips or trivia. Some of the entries prompt separate Top 10 lists (e.g. where to go for the best holiday lights, the best outdoor music venues, the best carnival-type celebrations, etc.).

But the book annoyed me rather than inspired me. There’s not much information, and the short essays that are sprinkled throughout (“recollections” by a few celebrities and some NatGeo writers) are underwhelming and forgettable. And it's gratuitously huge -- the pages are too thick and the book is too heavy. At best, this is one to browse through at the library. Or, much better to browse (or to own) is Off the Tourist Trail.

(Review based on a copy of the book provided by the publisher.) ( )