Baedeker's China

Rating:
Summary: A must to find cities, general travel info & the Map .
Review: ... when I got to the Baedecker and found the map code, things became quite clear.

To buy a map alone costs about $9. The map is integrated and keyed into the text. I was able to read about quaint and large cities, then identify the locations and features on the map. The narrative was put in better perspective. The book covers a lot of topics and does so in an efficient manner. I looked at National Geographic and found this to be a travel guide of featured cities. I looked at others and found inaccuracies as well as exclusion of some smaller but growing communities. Yes, perhaps the text can be expanded on in some sections: The authors can add 100 more pages. However, I found Baedecker to be one of the four "MUSTS" in my collection, with Learning How to Live in China on top. You may not learn all about the prices of the special dishes such as Peking Duck. But, you will find this very useful and also handy with its smaller yet highly readable size. I highly recommend this book and feel it should gain higher prominence on the Amazon list. I won't go to China and settle there without Baedecker. Preview it in a bookstore and I feel confident many will come to the same conclusion...