| 1000 Places to See Before You Die | 
 enlarge | Author: Patricia Schultz
Publisher: Workman Publishing
Category: Book
List Price: £12.99
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Avg. Customer Rating:  14 reviews
Sales Rank: 4566
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 972
Shipping Weight (lbs): 2.1
Dimensions (in): 7.5 x 5.1 x 1.8
ISBN: 0761104844
Dewey Decimal Number: 910.202
UPC: 019628104847
EAN: 9780761104841
ASIN: 0761104844
Publication Date: September 29, 2003
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
Condition: new paperback copy ** PAPERBACK COPY **
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| Customer Reviews:
| Showing reviews 1-5 of 14 | | NEXT » |
 1000 places to see before you die, most of which are in the US August 14, 2008
Like some of the other reviewers, I was disappointed that there was so much of the book devoted to the US at the expense of some truly magical places in the world.
I agree that the photography is quite old fashioned (but that's not what the book is about) and I was disappointed by the heavy bias towards fancy hotels - if you're in a fancy hotel - you could quite possibly be anywhere in the world so there's little point in travelling there! The fancy hotels that have a bit of history / literary connections are quite interesting and if I'm ever in the vicinity she might have convinced me to pop in for a (cheap!) beer.
Having said that, I did love that she picked up on some really random must do's (e.g. Newark Antique Fair, Nottinghamshire!!!) that I've never seen anywhere else. Sometimes when you're heading to foreign climes, there are so many must do's that it's difficult to a) choose or b) fit them all in. I use this book just to give me some ideas - if she suggests that I ought to see a fancy hotel in say, Thailand, before I die, I tend to ignore her, but she does come up with some "gems" (to quote a previous reviewer) which are often worth visiting.
As for the indexing... I didn't find it at all offputting, it's divided into continents - but to be honest it's the sort of book that you don't mind getting side-tracked by.
To be used as a different viewpoint when undertaking some lonely-planet-esque travel research rather than as a resource on it's own, or if you're doing the Grand Tour - a good place to find all the 5* hotels (I guess) and therefore how to avoid experiencing the "real" must sees (miaow - sorry couldn't resist).
Buy or not buy... hmm overall I think I would say buy - but caveat emptor... read all the negative points first before you buy so that you know what you're getting.
Check out the list at the library January 8, 2008
I travel extensively, so I actually use this book when heading out to note some highlights. It is useful for this. It is completely useless for organising a trip, creating viable itineraires, viewing maps, etc. It simply wasn't created for this use. Hotels are all 5* * (with few surprises), restaurants are on the high end and there is no useful information about the sites like opening times, maps, etc.
Having said this, the places listed range from the obvious to some genuine gems. It is simply that, a list of places to see with a short description. If you are a frequent traveler, I would recommend the book. If you are looking for some guidance on your annual holiday, skip it or take a look in the library or bookstore. There are generally a handful of places in each country or state, so you can make some mental notes.
Very materialistic...for the rich & somewhat conventional traveller August 20, 2007
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
I was really dissappointed with this book. There are over 1000 amazing natural places to see on this planet...I cant quite understand how half of this book is filled up with "prestigious" hotels. Thats certainly not what I think visiting other places is about! Definitely for the traveller with oodles of money & for somebody who isnt too worried about getting off the beaten track. Uninspiring & pretty poorly researched in my opinion.
 Interesting and exciting April 30, 2007
5 out of 8 found this review helpful
I know this book gives you only a brief insight into each place mentioned, but it is only intended to whet your appetite. It has certainly done that for me and has made me want to travel even more than I do. I realise that there are hotels mentioned, but some hotesl are experiences in themselves, such as the Ritz for afternoon tea or afternoon tea at the peninsula in Hong Kong as mentioned in the book. I have done both of these and intend to tick them off at the back of the book. I would recommend this book to anyone one who gets excited about new places and new ideas, I hope. like me, it will make you want to try yet more ideas, for the experience rather than merely ticking them off a list.
Uneven, but overall interesting May 14, 2006
8 out of 10 found this review helpful
Any book like this is obviously subjective. Some of the choices can't be argued with, some are a bit suspect. There are an inordinate number of hotels listed which would lead one to wonder if comps were an inordinate influence. Overall however, its an interesting book. The special indexes are helpful, showing sites based on activities (bicycling, fishing, golf) Living History, Roads, Museums, etc. I doubt anyone will try to read this all the way through when they first receive, but you will find yourself going back to it from time to time.
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