London for Dummies

Rating:
Summary: Didn't want anyone to see the title, but...
Review: ...it was VERY helpful. I bought 7 books on travel to England, but the ones I took with me on the trip were London for Dummies and Middleditch's London Mapguide.

The reason: "Dummies" is stuffed with practical nuts-&-bolts information. Not just suggestions of palaces & pubs, but tips on etiquette, taxes, and emergencies, and phone numbers & addresses on nearly every page. Having never been abroad on my own before, I wanted a reference with me that contained all the essential how-to information I needed-- especially on one panic-stricken morning when my credit card wouldn't work! You can believe I was hugging "Dummies" when I found my company's service number in the appendix.

When traveling, you don't want to carry unnecessary weight. Dummies gives you more practical information per oz. than the other books I examined.

Rating:
Summary: Recommended not only to tourists but also to expats
Review: Although obviously written for an American audience, this easy-to-understand guide is all you need to make the most of an unforgettable trip to, or an extended stay in, London. As someone who has lived in London for a total of eight years, I would recommend this guide not only to tourists but also to foreigners who live in London, including students and businessmen.

This guide is divided into seven parts, each consisting of between three and six chapters. Parts I & II, Getting Started and Ironing Out the Details are really meant to be read before you arrive in London as they deal with the advance planning aspects of your trip; such as booking your flight and hotel, and obtaining your passport.

The other Parts deal with transportation (including how to use London buses and The Tube), accommodation, dining, entertainment, and shopping. My favourite in Chapter 17: More Cool Things to See and Do which will really make your stay in London unforgettable. London has many unique sights and cultural features that are not available elsewhere. While many Londoners take these for granted, foreigners simply do not know that such places exist and tend to go to the usual tourist spots. Chapter 17 will be a real eye-opener to the heart and soul of historical and cultural London. Much of the information in the other chapters may be obtained for free from a number of sources, either on the Internet or tourist brochures but Chapter 17 and Part VII are what really make this guide unique and invaluable.

The final Part, Part VII, consists of various interesting odds and ends that don't fit into the other chapters. Overall, the many maps, addresses and websites make this guide extremely handy indeed.

Reviewed by Azlan Adnan, MA who has lived in lived for a total of eight years, initially as a student at Brunel University, the University of Westminster and the University of London. He has also worked in London as a research officer and university lecturer. Azlan is currently Managing Partner of Azlan & Koh Knowledge and Professional Management, an education and management consulting practice based in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysian Borneo. He may be contacted at Tel: [phone] E-mail: [e-mail]

Rating:
Summary: Great guide for visiting the most American city abroad
Review: I am not one for guidebooks with a bunch of glossy pictures and historical facts about a city or it's tourist sites. I want the practical pointed information that will help me survive in a place with which I am unfamilar; that is exctly what you get with this London Guidebook for Dummies. This book was an invaluable resource prior to my trip and while I was in London. While I did not use the hotel or airfare reccomendations, most of the other chapters were of value.Most valuable were the listings or tourist sites. Dummies provided accurate hours of operation, prices, and directions via the tube to the most popular and "off the beaten track" attractions in London. Dummies gave good feedback on the amount of time to spend at each attraction, and those attractions best visited early to avoid unbearable crowds.
The only fault I found with Dummies was the author's description of dining. He greatly overestimated the cost, structure and type of dining in London. Fixed price meals were nearly non existent, and traditional British cuisine was just as scarce. The resturants in London are nearly identical to those in the United States (save for the linen and water charges). London in fact, is as American of a city in all aspects as I have ever visited abroad...
Overall this is a great guidebook for getting you around London as a tourist.

Rating:
Summary: The Dummies books are the best ever!!
Review: I am planning my first trip to Europe this summer, and London is one of our stops and I am taking this book with me! It breaks down everything you would need to know including what to bring, what to expect, and even the different types of British food! If only other travle books could be this detailed. Highly recommended to anyone going to London.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent guide for London & a little beyond
Review: I took my parents with me to London for two weeks last year, and this book was absolutely indispensable. I went through it and marked attractions and restaurants ahead of time, and they were very easy to find once we were there. This is written with help from Frommer's, and you can tell. Again, no jokey stories, just lots of very good advice - I also appreciated the tip about using ATM's vs. traveler's checks - MUCH easier!
I would also get a spiral-bound map of the London streets (London A-Z or the Michelin map book) to help you gauge which Tube and bus stops go where. OH AND, purchase 3,4,or 7 day public transportation passes BEFORE you go (can't get them there) - it makes going to all the fun places much easier and cheaper.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent guide for London & a little beyond
Review: I took my parents with me to London for two weeks last year, and this book was absolutely indispensable. I went through it and marked attractions and restaurants ahead of time, and they were very easy to find once we were there. This is written with help from Frommer's, and you can tell. Again, no jokey stories, just lots of very good advice - I also appreciated the tip about using ATM's vs. traveler's checks - MUCH easier!
I would also get a spiral-bound map of the London streets (London A-Z or the Michelin map book) to help you gauge which Tube and bus stops go where. OH AND, purchase 3,4,or 7 day public transportation passes BEFORE you go (can't get them there) - it makes going to all the fun places much easier and cheaper.

Rating:
Summary: A NEW DUMMIES SERIES!
Review: I'm a real fan of the Dummies guides and I was surprised to see London for Dummies on the shelf when I was looking for a guide to London. It looks great! I guess the Dummies people are now launching a series of travel guides with the folks at Frommer's. I know London for Dummies looks like just what I need, and the other Dummies travel guides I glanced at looked great too. I can't wait to leave!

Rating:
Summary: Real Smarties Will Take This Dummie Book With Them
Review: In February I made my first trip to London. While I was with someone who had traveled before, it had been years between visits so this book was invaluable for both of us! The ratings for restaurants were right on! Information and ideas of places to visit were top notch (also provided times of operation, etc.) The information on how to get around, what you would need and all other information was perfect. When we needed a doctor, and our hotel was not able to help us, we referred to the guide in the book, found a wonderful service that provided a GREAT doctor who came to the hotel and took care of everything! This is a must have for any traveler. Make sure you make room to put it in your carry-on! The only complaint is the size. Not really compact enough, worth hauling around.

Rating:
Summary: Real Smarties Will Take This Dummie Book With Them
Review: In February I made my first trip to London. While I was with someone who had traveled before, it had been years between visits so this book was invaluable for both of us! The ratings for restaurants were right on! Information and ideas of places to visit were top notch (also provided times of operation, etc.) The information on how to get around, what you would need and all other information was perfect. When we needed a doctor, and our hotel was not able to help us, we referred to the guide in the book, found a wonderful service that provided a GREAT doctor who came to the hotel and took care of everything! This is a must have for any traveler. Make sure you make room to put it in your carry-on! The only complaint is the size. Not really compact enough, worth hauling around.

Rating:
Summary: Good solid travel book.
Review: London for Dummies contains a wealth of information. Information that you need before you even leave home. Just the discussion on ATM cards vs traveler's checks is worth the price of the book.

I'm leaving for London in little less than a week and this book will be going with me along with my Eyewitness Travel Guide to London. Of all of the books I've purchased about London these seem to be the most knowledgeable and interesting. The nice thing about this dummies book is that it doesn't pander to you with corny jokes as many of the Dummies series do. Just good solid informaton. I recommend it.