2 comments about Weird Kentucky: Your Travel Guide to Kentucky's Local Legends and Best Kept Secrets (Weird).

1. I was rounding the corner in Joseph Beth when I saw the Weird Kentucky display and I was giddy with glee!! This book is amazingly great for all us weirdos and you know who you are!! Don't bother trying to hide:)
   
   For starters, did you know about the "blue people" in Perry County, Kentucky? Heck, I live just a few miles from there and I didn't. But some investigation on my part, and the book facts are dead on. The blue people did exist!!
   
   Did you know that Kentucky has their own versions of Bigfoot, the Jersey Devil and the notorious "Goatman"? We also have our own version of AREA 51 in Bluegrass Depot. Amazing scary stuff.
   
   There are giants and secret midget villages. Ghosts and lost cities, both above and underground. Secret societies abound, along with mysterious mounds.
   
   This is really good stuff!! I felt like a kid on Christmas morning poring over the photos and all the nifty factoids. After reading this volume I know my summer vacation plans have changed. I want to go exploring my mysteriously fasnicating state.
   
   Jump into WEIRD KENTUCKY with both feet. You're gonna to love the swim:)



2. I recently picked up a copy of Jeffrey Scott Holland's "Weird Kentucky" book and, being from Kentucky, I was amazed at the stories I had never heard. The book is full of photos and every story is professionally written. I plan on purchasing extra copies and giving to friends. I certainly hope Jeffrey Scott Holland will be providing us with future books of the same caliber.

5 comments about Rand McNally Goode's World Atlas 21st Edition.

1. I really like this atlas and I can foresee using it in my classroom when I start teaching in a couple of years. It is full different maps and data. It is very thorough in overall continent and the maps show a large amount of detail. There are some negatives to it though. Rivers and other points of interest are hard to find for the most part. Some parts of the world aren't shown in much detail as far as a larger scale representation. Overall, I think this is a good atlas that I will use for many years (or until a new edition comes around). I would recommend it.



2. There is much more detail than I expected in this atlas. I could not believe how many cities, with the locations, were in it. I fly planes on
   my flight simulator and, now, I can know exactly where I am while on
   my flight path. IT IS GREAT.



3. Great book. I'm using it for my current geography class and the map scales and legends are easy to understand.



4. I have always used Rand Mcnally maps of the US. When I wanted a comprehensive world map, I chose the Rand Mcnally, Goode's World Atlas. I found it to be an excellent work of reference. It provides information for many aspects of each nation, from crops and climate to political persuasion.
   
   This book is a valuable addition to my 'library'.



5. Goode's atlas is lacking in cohesiveness. The maps often are bound so far into the page it is difficult to find a map item that is close to the inside edge of the page. A map of a country often does not have the same detail for a bordering country on the same page (example: I would expect to see the area surrounding Basel, SW on the maps of Germany or France). I would also have liked to see a single map devoted to an single country for most countries (a map of Spain and Portugal is common, but a map of Italy should show only Italy and portions of bordering countries).

5 comments about The Complete Walker IV.

1. This is the fourth edition of a book which first came out in 1968, which I read probably around 1970, and which as the name implies is all about walking. Or more accurately about hiking, backpacking and camping in all sorts of environments and situations.
   
   The author is a colorful character named Colin Fletcher, although for this edition (which came out in 2002) he has a co-author named Chip Rawlins. He needs the co-author since he was just short of 80 in 2002, so wasn't getting out on the trails as frequently as he used to. And there's a lot of new gear out there.
   
   Over the years Fletcher has written a number of books about his long hikes, including a six month walk through the Grand Canyon.
   
   The Complete Walker IV contains a huge amount of information, much of it irrelevant to me, since I wont be snowshoeing through mountains or crossing the Colorado river on my air mattress. But it also contains great information if, like me, you are planning on doing some brief campouts in the spring and summer, including two and three night backpacking expeditions with young sons.
   
   This is why I decided to re-read the book in it's new edition. After all, there's plenty of stuff that didn't even exist in 1970, like fleece clothes and self-inflating sleeping pads, as well as huge improvement in things like tents and backpacking stoves. So figured it was worth re-visiting the book.
   
   And I wasn't disappointed. The Complete Walker IV is still a breeze to read (skimming or skipping the irrelevant sections), written with elegant humor and vigorous prose and loaded with advice on equipment and technique. It is very comprehensive, and also offers many suggestions for additional reading. For example, based on their recommendations I looked at a number of books on first aid and mountaineering medicine and have purchased two through Amazon.
   
   So highly recommended if you have any interest at all in the subject - still "the hiker's Bible" as it was first labelled by Field and Stream in 1968.



2. I brought this book in the hopes it would tell me about walking. I was very disappointed that it appears to simply be a gear guide. If you are into that good, but it's not all that useful for someone like me. A sleeping bag is a sleeping bag I don't need 20 pages tell me about them.
   
   I also expected a little more that just gear information. Obviously this is something you need to take into account but it's not everything. I would perhaps have called this book the complete gear guide but it is certainly not the complete walker. The index also leaves much to be desired.



3. This is a solid book of information, a great resource. A ton of good reading and reliable wisdom. You could use this book to train anyone to hit the trail, you just may not want to carry it, it's BIG! Highly Recommended.



4. I checked this book out from the local library, along with several other books on backpacking. This one, by far, was the most in-depth, realistic and FUN to read book. Not only does it give you information on choosing gear, leave-no-trace ethics, how to pack, what to bring, how to select a campsite, etc, it also has excellent illustrations and a generous amount of humor. I was actually quite crushed when I discovered that one of the authors, Colin Fletcher had died as a result of complications from being struck by an SUV. You kind of feel like the two authors become good friends of yours by the time you finish this book. It's a great book, both for learning practical backpacking techniques AND for reading on cold days when you're tucked up safe and warm in the house and you're just daydreaming of future trips. Even though I've already read it from the library, this is one of those books I need to own and will be buying shortly.



5. Anything and everything you ever wanted to know about the art and application of walking with your "house" on your back.
   This edition Mr. Fletcher has teamed up with Chip Rawlings to help with the deatails of some of the newer gear and the combination is a winner.
   If you could only get 1 book on the topic of backpacking make it this one!

5 comments about Getting Stoned with Savages: A Trip Through the Islands of Fiji and Vanuatu.

1. Since I'm really busy I admit to being picky about what I read. This book didn't do it for me: after 2 weeks I'm only on page 45. The concept of a middle class man in his early 30's going to discover himself in a 3rd world country might be cool, but it's not different or new anymore. Nowadays there are many people who do what the author did, or something similar it. I would feel bad giving this book such a bad review except that the author seemed a little arrogant and I'm sure he's made a lot of money off his "sex lives" "getting stoned" books. I will not finish this book. I'm glad that I didn't actually spend money on it but rather found it left behind in an airplane.



2. We spent almost three months Cruising in Vanuatu in 2007. This book gave us some great insight complementing our first hand experiences about how this fascinating country operates and where a big percentage of the locals live a true subsistence life without the hassles of western civilization. Plus the book is a very fun read!



3. excellent book. funny and unpredictable. makes you believe you can invision his trips. highly recommended



4. This was my first Troost book, and I found it laugh out loud funny, witty, and a light, fun, fast read. It was well worth the day it took to read it. I'm not going to suggest it was profound, thought provoking, or a must read from a literary sense, but it's one of those books that you read when you want something funny and light. It sounds like the people who first read "Sex Lives of Cannibals" were somewhat disappointed in this book. (Which just tells me that "Sex Lives of Cannibals" must be hilarious! Maybe everyone should read this one first.) Without having read that to compare to (therefore rating purely on a stand-alone basis), I found this book really enjoyable. Troost's witty humor, sarcasm, and ability to poke fun at himself make for an enjoyable read (especially between books tackling heavier subject matters). It's like taking your own mini vacation.



5. Not as good as the first, even though more timely. As I read about the coup in Fiji four years ago in Troost's book, the day's headlines on Yahoo.com included a story describing the continuing infighting!
   
   Troost's strengths are not as a journalist, but as an observer of the cultural and social divides and denominators that bring us together and tear us apart. His first book, perhaps with the fresh eyes of innocence, was better.
   
   Following The Sex Lives of Cannibals: Adrift in the Equatorial Pacific with Getting Stoned, I can't wait for the third installment on rock and roll.

5 comments about Central America (Shoestring).

1. This guide would be very useful for someone coming to Central America for tourism. It has a wealth of information and many maps and tips you won't find anywhere else. It is also small enough to fit in a small bag, and this would be the only guide you would really need if you were to travel all over Central America, for a few days in each country. I live in Central America, and I find that this guide has information that even the local tour guides can't provide.
   
   However, as it happens with any printed materials, the guide now needs an update on some information, which can be crucial, such as the exchange rate or the availability of ATM machines. Also, some of the information the book provides has an obvious bias or is shallow, and, therefore, the guide misinforms, particularly as to the country contexts.
   
   On the other hand, it would be better if you bought the Lonely Planet guides for each country. This one book is very useful, but the individual guides have a lot more information.
   
   Four stars out of five.



2. I used this guide in Belize and Guatemala and found it very useful. I appreciate non-exhaustive guidebooks, they don't spoil the "discovery". This book has just enough information to get you by, you'll still have to talk to locals and figure things out on your own (this is a good thing!). The maps are very useful.
   
   The hotel listings give you a price range in actual dollars, this is much more useful than lumping them into a few predetermined price categories like other guides. Even if it's been a couple years and prices have changed you still have a better relative idea of what you're going to pay at one place versus another.
   
   If you want a super detailed guide, then buy the specific book for the country or city. If you want enough information to wet your appetite, get you around the country, and give you a general idea of prices without spoiling the "adventure" and "discovery" of experiencing a new place... this is the guidebook for you.
   
   Get out there!



3. I have wonderful memories of my days as an ultra cheap backpacker who averaged about $5 a night for hotels while travelling around Central America in the late 80's-early 90's. But now, as part of a married couple approaching middle age, my wife and I are inclined to travel on a more mid-range budget. As one of only three companies that publishes a guidebook for the whole of Central America you would think that LP would be interested in reaching out to a broad range of travellers. But this book is very much geared for "shoestring" travellers only. Fodors is certainly a better choice for those who want options in a wider range of prices and perhaps Rough Guide is as well. I haven't yet read the Rough Guide book so I can't really confirm this.
   
   This is a shame since LP does some things very well, particularly in terms of providing detailed information on places off the beaten path. LP usually provides excellent maps. But the ones in this guide were low quality and difficult to read. Also this guidebook often has an uptight and self-righteous tone to it. The earlier LP guides had a more free-spirited sense of fun. But nowadays the company has become way too "politically correct" for my taste.
   
   In any case, I would encourage mid-range travellers to seek out the Fodors' guide and perhaps the Rough Guide one as well. This LP book still has it's good points but is too limited in its options for any but those on the most "shoestring" of budgets.



4. This guidebook is pretty much the best you can get if you only want 1 book to cover all of Central America, it covers all the main touristy places, and a few that are a little more out of the way (but definitely NOT off the beaten track).
   There are some serious problems concerning organization. You have to do a TON of page flipping trying to figure out all the relevant information, this is at it's worst when it comes to using buses to cross borders. Another very irritating thing is that the "Getting There and Getting Away" sections really only contain information on getting away from that particular location, so you have to continually flip back to other cities to figure out bus costs, times etc..
   Also, you have the classic problem of the book highlighting cool places that are not very popular, then they explode with people because so many people use this book. Some of the places they recommend feel like you never left the U.S.
   Another problem, This edition is a just a little bit dated, a lot of the prices are a bit higher than they are listed, but this is due to the exchange rate for USD, so it's not really Lonely Planet's fault, just keep that in mind when calculating your budget!
   But overall, I recommend it.
   
   One note, this edition includes coverage of the southernmost part of Mexico, but this section is pretty inadequate, so buy a supplemental guidebook if you plan on spending some serious time in the region.



5. I just returned from Central America from a month long trip,during which I used this book exclusively. I've heard a lot of people knocking Lonely Planet's "on a shoestring" series but I found the book to be invaluable. The maps are excellent and provide a side legend that lists the area's Hostels bars and tourist spots. But aside from listing cheap places to stay "on a shoestring" is a fascinating read. Informative information is provided on travel safety, current events for the Central American countries (and their national parks) and important travel schedules(for instance, when I was in Gracias, Honduras the book showed that I had to catch a 4.am mini van to begin my journey out of the country. It showed exactly where the pick up was. I would of been lost and clueless if I didn't have the book). I found the book to be greatly helpful and every place I stayed or went was exactly how the book described it. The only problems I had was not every town they listed had a map and some of the prices they listed in the book where a little different in actuality(Most of the time $5 more but prices could of changed since the book was published)So. This is an excellent choice for backpackers and should definitely be their choice of guidebook for your next trip.

No comments about The World's Coolest Hotel Rooms (The Cool Hunter).

5 comments about The Most Beautiful Villages of Tuscany (Most Beautiful Villages).

1. Since I love Italy as a place to visit, this book is great to own.



2. This is the best for someone wanting to visit interesting places in Italy. It is not only well arranged and written, but it helped so much in trip planning. I highly recommend this to anyone traveling on their own to Italy.



3. Great service and beautiful pictures of Tuscany but somewhat dissapointed at the lack of an organized route map for efficient traveling to the various villages.



4. Yes, the photos are nice, but how many coffee table books with pretty Tuscan villages, cypress trees, and silvery olive leaves shimmering in the wind do we need?
   
   Someone who reviewed this book suggested bringing it along on a Tuscan trip; if you put this large and heavy book in your luggage, you will have to leave the toothpaste, underwear, and a number of other things at home, particularly now that some airlines are apparently toying with the notion of lowering weight allowances and charging for the excess.
   
   The text in most instances is not particularly helpful. There are quite a few books on Tuscany that do a much better job. And I was truly surprised to see the town of San Quirico d'Orcia included in the list of "most beautiful villages". I happen to know San Quirico and because it is off the usual beaten tourist path, it retains an "Italianness" that has been lost by, for example, Greve in Chianti, where one would be hard-pressed to find an Italian in that town's lovely main square on a Saturday afternoon. But San Quirico could never be called "beautiful", by any stretch of the imagination.
   
   Despite my reservations about this book, it would probably be a welcome present for a friend who has recently returned from the grand tour of Tuscany and it will, at least for a while, have a prominent place on this friend's coffee table.



5. i orignially purchased this book as a resource for a paper i was doing on tuscany, but when i received it and began to browse through it, i sat down and read the entire thing from cover to cover. the photography was magnificent; the information was just the right amount without going on and on; the entire product was stunning. i wanted to run to the internet and book the next flight to tuscany!

5 comments about Tales of a Female Nomad: Living at Large in the World.

1. "Rita introduces the normal housewife and career woman to the nomadic lifestyle. Her choice to leave a lavish world of Hollywood parties and famous friends for a backpack, muddy flipflops and no how-to map for foreign travel was to say the least, CRAZY. But it works. It is encouraging, exciting, uplifting and inspiring. Couchsurfers of the world will embrace this novel. "



2. Interesting places and I really wanted to like this book. I love inspirational books about adventerous, unconventional females! But the author was so self-absorbed that I had to force myself to finish it, and I did so with increased annoyance and anger.
   
   Everything revolved around her and what she can take from people. Everywhere she went, she expected freebies, special treatment, and go-to-the-head-of-the class opportunities. And she always got them by men who rescued her and solved all her problems, offering her food, shelter, transportation, companionship, most of the time while insisting she go out with them to boot. One even said "maybe wife die and we marry"!! When she was not able to get onto a flight that had a very long waiting list, she said she was just trying to figure out "how to get around the system" (WHY does she feel special enough to feel she can get around the system???), when lo and behold - of course a man miraculously appeared and solved all her problems - even ahead of missionaries who were there to help hungry people.
   
   The author, who seemed to be in a full-blown mid-life crisis, seemed to create this new life and title (Nomad) for herself to flag a sagging ego and career. However it somehow seems wrong to go to these countries with only an agenda of her own. Her other foot is firmly planted in her independently wealthy safety zone with no real desire to offer any long-term assistance to these people she took so freely from. It would have seemed way more valid if she had been a Peace Corps volunteer, but then I suppose it would not have appealed to her had she been one of a group of many, and to not be able to be such a novelty and queen bee. It also would have been nice to hear that she chose to direct some of her royalties from her experiences to these countries as well, especially the starving children she speaks of but does nothing to help except offer English lessons.
   
   And what is with leaving her mother and kids? I feel that there is a time and a place for everything and when we have responsibilities on the home front, those must come first before our own whims. Her kids were only around 20 and certainly still needed some normalcy; and the treatment of her sickly mother is appalling!! OK so she hired a woman to live in and take care of her - and that woman had family and they all became one big happy multicultural multigenerational family..I'm sure the mother was just "thrilled" with that while battling sickness and old age. And one of the most egotisical things of all was when the author claimed that the mother actually timed her death to the author's advantage.
   
   When she moves to Canada and Seattle, again she places herself as the recipient of everyone's charity as all of her MANY friends (she painstakingly lists them all MANY times) scramble to furnish her living quarters since she only had a bag of clothes and she wanted to do LOTS and LOTS of entertaining with her many, many friends.
   
   This is a woman who likes to hold court, be the center of attention, and I suspect that is the motivation for all of her "nomadic" activities in a "Wow! Look at me!" kind of way. And that continual bragging makes for some pretty boring reading.



3. It is very likely that I will not be a world traveler till I am much older since I have two little ones still at home. But that doesn't mean that I cannot enjoy another's travel stories. This one is full of stories, but it is lacking in some respect. I was expecting a little bit more information on the cultures of the people that the author has talked with and perhaps a little bit more on the politics of the countries she has traveled.
   
   Rita Golden Gelman finds herself at a crossroads in her life where her marriage fell apart and her children have left the nest. She takes a trip to Mexico to figure out what she wanted to do with the rest of her life. She decided to be a world traveler and visit the places she has always wanted to see. She did not want to travel the normal touristy routes, so she chose to see the back regions of countries that she has only heard of or read of. Her first place was in a Zapotec village and thus the wanderlust was developed.
   
   The places that she visited seem to be so remote and so far away. It was so much fun to read about different places that I'd love to go someday. However, I am questioning one thing. If some of the places that she has revisited have taken a downturn in economic woes, why didn't she bring back food that might actually help the people that she claims to love? I understand that people give gifts better than accepting, but still, couldn't she have found a way to distribute powdered milk for kids who need it? It's just a thought.
   
   Also, I am not sure if I think she is blessed to have so many friends where she can borrow their houses temporarily or if she is a moocher. Maybe she is the combination of both. Another thing that does disturb me in this book is her lack of responsibility in taking care of her mother in her last days. There are quite a few things in this book that makes me question her decisions, but it is her life.
   
   This is an armchair travel book and while I didn't agree with everything in this book, it is well-written and the travels are fascinating, even if she is a bit self-absorbed. (I have yet to read a memoir where the author isn't self-absorbed, other than "Glass Castles by Jeannette Walls and "The Three Dog Life by Abigail Thomas.) The author has whetted my appetite to see New Zealand and learn more about that country, more than any other country that she has mentioned in her book. The descriptions of food are beyond belief. I am not a fan of Thai food but sure wish I could eat some right now based on her descriptions. And she does provide some interesting insights to different people of different cultures, even though she admits at the end that she's always weaving something and loving it at the same time.
   
   So if you like to travel, this book is great for you. You won't be able to put this one down.
   
   6/22/08



4. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Not only is the author's unique path in life inspiring, but the experiences described are a much more intimate look at people from other cultures than what you typically find.
   
   Gelman forms relationships with the people she meets - mainly because she lives among them and isn't traveling as a tourist.
   
   Even if you don't end this book wanting to buy a backpack and a one-way ticket to anywhere, this book will remind you that people are the same everywhere, just the clothes, customs, and food are different.
   
   I had to edit my review after reading some of the surprising comments about Gelman's ego/arrogance, America-centric viewpoint, etc. The jaundiced tone of these reviews doesn't gel with my impression of the book - or of the author.
   
   I was fortunate to meet Rita recently and found her very down-to-earth. A group of us had a delightful lunch, talking, asking, listening. As for the criticism that the book is very America-centric in its assumptions about the rest of the world, I don't see it. Gelman is very respectful of other cultures, exactly what most Americans abroad are not.
   
   And my favorite section of the book was Bali...the section of the book that seems to have received the most negative comments. I was completely drawn in to the story of those years.



5. Other reviewers have summarized the book's premises, so I'll just add my perspective.
   
   I was blown away by Rita's ability to handle herself in all sorts of situations. Living with someone else's family is tough under the best of conditions. Rita lives in rooms, shacks and houses. I'm trying not to think about the bathrooms. She eats whatever she's served.
   
   Rita doesn't spare herself when she describes her mistakes and missteps as she makes her way from one place to the next. She doesn't just present a travelogue: she shares her own identity questions, especially in the chapter on Israel.
   
   What I got from this book is: You have to be a very special kind of person to go on this type of journey. Rita seems to have a low need for solitude and privacy.
   
   Eat dinner alone? No way. She looks for people. I felt a little embarrassed when I read about her first efforts to connect with others.
   
   Finding herself alone in Seattle, she heads to REI for shopping. Shopping? Seattle is filled with bookstores, libraries, museums and just beautiful places to walk. But I can see wanting to take part in the quintessential American shopping experience.
   And REI is a landmark.
   
   Bottom line: Rita is one of the most other-oriented people we'll meet in a book. She loves being with people and she has a gift for getting others to help her. I don't think she's manipulative - just naturally friendly and authentic. Life coaches would say she's a natural attractor.
   
   That's the kind of person you need to be if you're going to explore other cultures from the inside out. I read somewhere that he best Peace Corps volunteers are those who can enjoy the present moment.
   
   Besides a gift for people, Rita's got two amazing kids. She says they missed having her around while she was adventuring, especially in the early years. I say, "Too bad!" Who wouldn't want a mom like this one? What a role model and sometime travel partner.

3 comments about Frommer's New Orleans 2008 (Frommer's Complete).

1. This guide provides a variety of interesting facts about New Orleans, its culture and history, as well as information for selecting activities, restaurants, tours, and other in and about New Orleans. Very helpful as a pre-trip planner, and its maps assist getting about while there. It also gives a brief section about Katrina's impact.



2. I purchased this book for a recent trip to New Orleans and found it a valuable resource, both for myself as a somewhat frequent visitor to the city and for my boyfriend, who was experiencing this wonderful place for the first time. We were guided to some absolute restaurant gems, both inside and outside of the Quarter, and to some fabulous music venues. We also spent our days on the recommended walking tours (the book pays for itself in walking tours alone--you will see and learn about a great deal of history and beautiful architecture at your own pace without being stuck in a group). The post-Katrina information was helpful and up-to-date, especially considering that so many businesses and services are still in a state of transition. The Frommer's guide enhanced our New Orleans experience immeasurably, and I would recommend it to anyone planning a trip to the Big Easy.



3. I have now almost worn out my second copy of this book and have been thinking I need to invest in a third. This is THE best travel guide to New Orleans (actually, to any destination, come to think of it) I have ever read. I bought three or four different guides before my first trip to New Orleans; this is the one that made the others unnecessary. Many NOLA trips later, this book that still goes with me every time I return. In this Frommer's edition, Mary Herczog's voice is not so much that of a travel expert--although she is indeed that, and her advice is thorough and invaluable. But reading her pages is like having a friend in New Orleans--a native who knows all the good stuff, has all the real stories, knows the places YOU would want to visit. Her style is warm and conversational; her knowledge exhaustive, well-organized, and accessible. I've made so many margin notes "in answer" to her entries that my book has become as much a dialogue as a guidebook. Ten trips later, I am still learning from it.

5 comments about PassPorter's Walt Disney World 2008: The Unique Travel Guide, Planner, Organizer, Journal, and Keepsake! (PassPorter).

1. For all the planners out there, this is the book for you! I have just finished planning my family's first trip and can't imagine how I could have done it without the Passporter. This is a God-send! Don't go to Disney without it!!



2. I have 4 Disney books, and this one is the ONLY one that gives a complete guide to everything Disney! It's packed with SO much information and has helped me tremendously with the planning of our up-coming trip! You don't need any other book! (This is the small version that you can carry with you to the parks, they do offer a larger one that I wish I had known about first)



3. Loved this book. A must have if you are going to Disney for the first time or for the 100th time. Gave me lots of inside advice, great restaurant reviews, which were right on, and the maps were so much better than the ones you get at Disney. This is a must have. I will get a new one each time I go to Disney. I suggest getting it as eary as you can as it was so much fun to read and review before the trip. Made the vacation feel longer than just one week for me . . . .



4. This book has answered just about every question that me and my family has about WDW. It truly helped us make our decisions about our upcoming WDW vacation.



5. I've bought a few books for our upcoming WDW trip, and this one has by far the most detailed maps that I've seen. It shows where the restaurants are, the bathrooms, shopping areas, etc. so you can get yourself well-oriented with the layout of the parks before actually getting there. As far as the whole WDW complex, the map is not too bad, but I've been looking at google earth for that kind of detailed information - the proximity from the hotels to the different parks, where the toll plazas and parking lots are - things of that nature. This book doesn't have extremely detailed touring plans - just some general guidelines, but still a lot of very helpful information. It has some good tips and info regarding the dining plan - the breakdown of prices, which I thought was very useful because then you can straight up compare how much money you are actually "saving" if you choose to purchase the Disney Dining Plan. And it has a little journal where you can keep records/memories of your trip, and it's spiral bounded, which I love. So if your looking for planning info, it's great, but if you've already planned and want actual touring plans, you might be happier with a different purchase.