Lonely Planet has done something very unusual here. With 213 countries (from Aghanistan to Zimbabwe -- and yes, in alphabetical order), with four pages per entry, they manage to get across a great deal of information.Each country's entry has the same subsections: best time to visit (sometimes this is a different historical era), essential experiences, getting under the skin (with sections on what to read, listen to, watch, eat and drink); in a word (usually a greeting); trademarks, surprises, and a small map. There are always interesting photos, and not usually of the big landmarks for each locale.In other words, what "The Travel Book" aims to do is give you a taste of what to expect, and an idea of where you can get more information before a trip so that you are more culturally aware than the average traveler. This book is an entertaining addition to any travel buff's bookshelf.
