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Rating: 
Summary: THIS BOOK IS AWESOME!!!
Review: I loved this book. I travel around the U.S. quite a bit. I'm really glad that someone wrote a book like this. I didn't even know we had English-style castles here in the U.S.. I loved this book and would recommend it to anyone looking to save money yet still experience a European vacation.
Rating: 
Summary: Inaccurate and Misinformed
Review: Unfortunately, Ms. Rudisill does not know her ABC's of Great Britain. Right off the bat in the book's intro, she destroys her credibility by suggesting that travelers get into the U.K. mood by listening to CD's of "British" greats like U2 and Sinead O'Connor (and O'Connor's name is misspelled in the book, to add insult to injury). Does she realize that these acts are thoroughly, patriotically Irish? Therefore, many of the "British-related sites" she highlights throughout her book are dubious. For example, she recommends dozens of Irish pubs throughout the U.S. as genuine "Anglophile" outposts: "The owners are from Killarney," she writes of one pub. Yet again, does she realize that Killarney is in Ireland, NOT the UK?! The Union Jack does not fly over Killarney, Ireland, which directly conflicts with the book's cover art, which displays a Union Jack and is meant to give the impression that the book is about UK sites in the USA. It's not simply what's in the book that's erroneous, it's what Rudisill has left out. In guiding readers through New York's Central Park, she completely omitted Strawberry Fields, the tribute to John Lennon--a Liverpool, UK native, and one of the most prolific songwriters and musicians of our time. How could she possibly have missed that must-see? Much of the text is also repetitive; an introductory paragraph to places of interest is repeated throughout the book. That doesn't make for very original or engaging writing. I returned my book. Any Anglophile with an ounce of sense (e.g., the difference between the UK and Ireland) and access to the internet can devise a far more genuine itinerary of British points of interest in the USA.
Rating:
Summary: Blokes, start your engines!
Review: With three kids in college, it's not likely I'll be able to afford a trip to Great Britain soon. No matter, with this Drive to book I can enjoy all things British and still be back at work on Monday. I loved the way the sections were organized: I could build an itinerary with the easy charts and listings or indulge my live-in-a-castle fantasy and spend the weekend seeing only that. I especially liked the "Theme Tours" section for a great escape from the everyday. This book is terrific for weekend getaways, but could easily be used to plan a longer trip. Indexes by category, indexes by zip code, websites- this book makes it easy to figure out where to go, what to eat and where to stay. The "Weekend" section ("Weekend in Philadelphia", "Weekend in Albany", etc) really sets this book apart from most travel books for helping to make the most out of only two days. If you can't afford/don't have the time to go to Great Britain, this book will help you find it right here in the US.
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