I was surprised so many people critiqued this book as if it could even begin to be a comprehensible travel book for the ENTIRE WORLD. When I bought it (in a bookstore, so I knew the format beforehand), I never intended for it to guide me to certain things in certain countries. I reviewed many of the pages of countries I had already been to, and according to Lonely Planet, I'd missed some stuff, but whatever. That happens with any book -- I wouldn't give up my nights relaxing at the Okey Dokey off of the Vltava subway stop in Prague just because Lonely Planet said I needed to walk across the Charles Bridge at the break of dawn. (I did that at 2 a.m., and it was just as peaceful.) Rather, I looked on it as a representation of my greatest pipe dream ... to experience, not just see, every country in the world. My husband and I live on a tight budget; he was surprised I'd spent $30 on a book. But when he started to flip through it, he was likewise enchanted. (I knew there was a reason I married him.) It's just so inspiring ... it reminds you that there is so much out there to see and explore. During the 2008 Olympics, I kept the book by my side, and every time some teensy-weensy country would stroll out with an athlete, I'd look it up in the book, thinking, surely this isn't in there. They all were.

My husband is in the process of applying for jobs abroad, finally having heeded my pleading (I teach school and ESL). When he told me that he was not applying for positions in Singapore, I pulled the book out again and had him look at the size of Singapore and its closeness to other amazing countries. Now he's applying there, too.

Look, if you need a travel guide, this isn't it. But it you love this planet and the myriad of people who inhabit it, well, this is a good place to start.

I loved this so much I bought one for a gift. It's a wonderful look at EVERY country in the world.... amazing!

I bought this book and find it absolutely useless. If you expect to learn something about a country this is not the book for you. It is a big waste of money. A huge heavy book that will gather dust on your coffee table. Very little information about the countries. I found it absolutely uselss and rather typical of the out-of-date information that Lonely Planet turns out today. If you are a traveler and want to learn something about the countries of the world, find another book. Very sorry that I bought it.

This book is excellent for anyone who has a good sense of wanderlust. It gives a good snippit for each country and the pictures are beautiful. You will be planning trips in no time!

My family and I are avid travelers. I bought this book for my dad for Christmas.I just had to have a copy, too. It's nice to have a resource for planning new adventures!

High-fives and congrats to the smart people at Lonely Planet Publications. This beautifully photographed book is a treasure that you must see for yourself. The somewhat plain cover hides the wonder you'll find inside. Every country is included with multiple photographs and brief, but relevant (and sometimes humorous) information. This is not a detailed book to use when planning a trip. It is a starting place for travelers and armchair dreamers. There is beauty in every country in the world and the proof is within these pages. Buy multiple copies. You'll want one to keep and several to give away as gifts to anyone interested in travel or photography.

I just received my book and as many reviews state, yes it has wonderful pictures but as far as detail for a travel book, not something that you would want to use as a referance book. It's better for the coffee table than for anything else. I would recommend this for someone who does not travel as it is essentially useless to someone who goes out into the world and sees it for themselvs. I have been to 16 countries and will be going to 7 more and the only thing that I liked about it is the pictures and how it describes American cities as dangerous. As many travel agencies and airlined caution, you are now entering the United States of America.

This book gives a clear view of different countiries of the world. It gives suggestion of places to see and the best times to see them. Not only is it informative but a wonderful coffee table book aswell

Perfect. Nice to know at least a little about each country you have heard of,knowing you will never get there to see it in person. Pat

This book is supremely cool. The photos are amazing - simply breath-taking.

4 stars instead of 5 because in the paperback edition, the binding will crack if you actually read the book more than once.

This book is fantastic for the travel lover. Beautiful, colorful pictures highlight each of the countries. I saw countries I thought I knew well in a whole new light!

This book is huge, letter format and has a good quality. Every country in the world is introduced on a double page - this often leaves only the most obvious tourist sites for display, albeit with nice pictures.

If you look for some inspiration where to go to and which country to explore, this book is well suited for you. If you are looking for more details, you will be disappointed. However, you can always get yourself excited for a particular country and then read more literature about it.

You won't regret the money spent, but you may not be amazed by the book.

This book will may make you feel proud to be live on this beautiful planet. Hopefully you will also feel inspired to plan travel to one or more of the amazing places documented in this book.

While a bit light on each place, of course, the book does a great job of being entertaining and interesting. This tome should open your eyes to many places you've heard of but know nothing about. If it doesn't make you want to travel then you shouldn't have bought it ;)

Purchased 12 of these massive tomes to give to a volunteer committee - theme was global connections. I think they were well received, as no one bopped me over the head with 'em! :)

Seriously, the images are gorgeous and the book is well written - short of actually hopping on a plane, you can't get much closer. Happy reading / imagining / traveling!

I am taking my teenager on a backpacking trip around the world, and this obviously requires a bit of research. I have to admit that I have done most of this in the bookstores, sitting with a book such as this one, and taking notes.

This book, this massive tome, though, kept calling to me every time I went in. I came up with a justification for buying it easily enough - it will look great on the coffee table! (And it does)

It impresses in several ways

1- The breadth - every country in the world - every single one - has a 2 page spread. (Only thing left out are the micronations, but don't worry, LP has a separate book just for them!)

2 - The pictures - in true LP fashion, the photos are stunning views into another place, a different culture, often taken from an angle you don't expect.

3 - The information - concise, accurate, up-to-date. Included are little bits you won't easily find elsewhere, like how much for a cup of coffee, or the best things to shop for, or unexpected experiences one may find just off the beaten path. Of course, you will also find the essential bits of history and culture to help you get a feel for the place.

I find my self turning to it time and again as I research our trip - it gives me just enough info to know if I want to further investigate a place, or if I should just leave it to armchair travel. This book, by the way, is the ultimate guide for the armchair traveller!

My son has used it for school projects. When he had to write a paper on Africa that included 5 different countries, this is the book he used to determine which countries to research.

Also, it really does look FANTASTIC on your coffee table! Your friends will pick it up as soon as they sit down - you'll see. It is such a large and gorgeous book, and at such a crazy cheap price, there's little risk here.

If your considering buying it, go ahead, you will be happy to own it. And your friends will be glad you own it, too!

I am taking my teenager on a backpacking trip around the world, and this obviously requires a bit of research. I have to admit that I have done most of this in the bookstores, sitting with a book such as this one, and taking notes.



This book, this massive tome, though, kept calling to me every time I went in. I came up with a justification for buying it easily enough - it will look great on the coffee table! (And it does)



It impresses in several ways



1- The breadth - every country in the world - every single one - has a 2 page spread. (Only thing left out are the micronations, but don't worry, LP has a separate book just for them!)



2 - The pictures - in true LP fashion, the photos are stunning views into another place, a different culture, often taken from an angle you don't expect.



3 - The information - concise, accurate, up-to-date. Included are little bits you won't easily find elsewhere, like how much for a cup of coffee, or the best things to shop for, or unexpected experiences one may find just off the beaten path. Of course, you will also find the essential bits of history and culture to help you get a feel for the place.



I find my self turning to it time and again as I research our trip - it gives me just enough info to know if I want to further investigate a place, or if I should just leave it to armchair travel. This book, by the way, is the ultimate guide for the armchair traveller!



My son has used it for school projects. When he had to write a paper on Africa that included 5 different countries, this is the book he used to determine which countries to research.



Also, it really does look FANTASTIC on your coffee table! Your friends will pick it up as soon as they sit down - you'll see. It is such a large and gorgeous book, and at such a crazy cheap price, there's little risk here.



If your considering buying it, go ahead, you will be happy to own it. And your friends will be glad you own it, too!

I am taking my teenager on a backpacking trip around the world, and this obviously requires a bit of research. I have to admit that I have done most of this in the bookstores, sitting with a book such as this one, and taking notes.

This book, this massive tome, though, kept calling to me every time I went in. I came up with a justification for buying it easily enough - it will look great on the coffee table! (And it does)

It impresses in several ways

1- The breadth - every country in the world - every single one - has a 2 page spread. (Only thing left out are the micronations, but don't worry, LP has a separate book just for them!)

2 - The pictures - in true LP fashion, the photos are stunning views into another place, a different culture, often taken from an angle you don't expect.

3 - The information - concise, accurate, up-to-date. Included are little bits you won't easily find elsewhere, like how much for a cup of coffee, or the best things to shop for, or unexpected experiences one may find just off the beaten path. Of course, you will also find the essential bits of history and culture to help you get a feel for the place.

I find my self turning to it time and again as I research our trip - it gives me just enough info to know if I want to further investigate a place, or if I should just leave it to armchair travel. This book, by the way, is the ultimate guide for the armchair traveller!

My son has used it for school projects. When he had to write a paper on Africa that included 5 different countries, this is the book he used to determine which countries to research.

Also, it really does look FANTASTIC on your coffee table! Your friends will pick it up as soon as they sit down - you'll see. It is such a large and gorgeous book, and at such a crazy cheap price, there's little risk here.

If your considering buying it, go ahead, you will be happy to own it. And your friends will be glad you own it, too!

I have given this book as a gift (appreciation, birthday, etc) a number of times and each time the receipient has LOVED it!

i absolutely love this book. it's great to learn a little bit about each country in the world. it has fantastic pictures. great for the world traveler or the person that likes to dream about the world!

I am so happy I decided to buy this. It helps me understand what other parts of the world are like the people and land. Places I never even knew existed. I have a better understand and Idea of what the world is like now. I have even become very interested in learning about other places and to visit them. It is my first resource to picking a place to go on vacation. This is a great resource if you want ideas for places to travel. My only complaint is that I wish the book listed a little more practical information on each country. They dont tell much about the countries. Also I would highly recommend purchasing the hardcover edition as the paper back in this book is so large that it quickly became unglued from the spine. Definatly get this book if you are curious about places of the world or if want to glimpse into all the countries looking for places to visit. I didnt know how many choices there are. The photographs are wonderful and real of what daily life is really like in each country. Not like the romantic touristy photos in other books. This is really healpful because you dont just see all the beautiful good places in a country. You get to see the reality wich is really helpful when choosing a vacation destination. I only give 4 stars because of the lack of information provided on each country is very small.

This is a beautiful coffee-table sized book that gives the reader a "taste" of every country in the world. As a traveler, I love the pictures and the opportunity to learn about countries I read and hear about. It'a a great introduction and the references to movies, books and movies about the country are helpful too.

This is a very thoroughly written travel reference book which gives an overview as well as many beautiful images of every country on the globe. To top it all off: This book also contains further info about movies, music, and books about each country, so you can expand your cultural experience...

I especially liked reading the vivid descriptions of local foods. For some countries this book has become a substitute for traveling to them, for other countries it has sparked more curiosity!

This lonely planet book represents an interesting and entertaining addition to our home travel library which gets consulted frequently!

It is a good looking book and is often picked up for a quick glance. I find it to be an interesting book for looking into countries I have never visited or even considered visiting. It piques your interest enough to do further research. I cannot comment on the accuracy or selection of information on each place.

It is a good looking book and is often picked up for a quick glance. I find it to be an interesting book for looking into countries I have never visited or even considered visiting. It piques your interest enough to do further research. I cannot comment on the accuracy or selection of information on each place.

Interesting aaproach to travel info. Weather and best time to travel, for instance

Interesting aaproach to travel info. Weather and best time to travel, for instance

I love this book! great pictures of every country, a book and film to go with the country. If you're a visual person and want to get a sense of the country I think it's great, my favorite find of 2006.

This is a great coffee table book. Its very interesting and the pictures are great. There isn't a lot of information on each country but still a fun book.

This is a fantastic reference book which gives succinct descriptions and images of every country on the globe. There are suggestions for further readings, films, music, and books about each country, mouth-watering description of local foods, evocative descriptions of language and music, etc. A lovely and valuable addition to our home library which our children have really taken to.

This book is a wonderful journey into every land on the planet. It has large colorful photos and gives consistent insight on each country. It's a great coffee table book. Add it to your collection.

As an "Intrepid" traveller, I loved this book, it serves as a whilstful reminder of the beautiful places I have visited and better still as a valuable "taste" of the countries I have yet to visit. It's doubtful I will get to all 230 countries featured in this great coffee table book, but of the 67 I have visited, the pictures for those have done complete justice to the location. Simply stunning. Good to have general facts and figures listed, enough for you to see if you need to delve further in exploring a country. In fact my last trip was brought about by this book, I closed my eyes, opened the book randomly and it opened on Nicaragua so off to Central America I went. Don't Analyse the book, simply try to live it.

This was a lot bigger than I expected -even after reading that from someone else. I guess I was expecting the fattest lonely planet book ever and instead there was this fabulous, large coffee table book. I like how you can look up any country and learn something about it. You can get inspired to go somewhere new. I was dissapointed in some of the photographs, all of which are beautiful, but they don't always depict a typical scene and can seem somwhat misleading about the atmosphere or culture of some countries.

This is an oversized book. I envisioned it more enlightening, specific, inspiring. However it's a casual read, information limited and not enough unique traveler quotes. The perspective is so limited, it's difficult to take much from it and I wonder how accurate it is. There are some great images, but not enough unique ones. For example, several African countries are represented by an image of a child's face, which seems like a cliche. Maybe there isn't much else to photograph in these places, but I doubt it. The book does a fair job of covering every country even those you'd likely never visit, but unfortunately gives short shift on enormous and varied destinations like the USA.

This books has amazing and breathtaking pictures that makes you want to go to each country listed in it. I can't stop flipping the pages... A must have in your library.

I bought this book as a present for my father. Once I got it I was truly amazed. Having information and photographs about almost every single country in the world in one book is a most for all world travelers. I liked it so much that I bought one for myself as well.

Contains wonderful pictures, facts and maps of every country on earth. I never get bored flipping through it. People are always amazed and look through it when they come over to my house, it is always sitting on the coffee table. Well worth the price, perfect for planning your next holiday or if you're just a dreamer like me, this book can take you anywhere. Another great release from the guys at lonely planet.

I own the beautiful hardback copy of this book. I have had it over a year but I never get tired of flipping through it. It is informative and the photos are amazing. My fiancee and I flip through it and dream of our next adventure.

Every country in the world is listed in this book alphabetically from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe. Each country has a double-page spread with colour photos and a brief description of the country, with advice on the best time to visit, what to eat, drink, listen to etc, and a list of 'essential experiences'. Also what to read if you want to know more about the country. There is no favouratism, every country has the same amount of space regardless of size.

One major irritation for me was the omission of Hawaii. Yes, I know it's part of the USA, but come on, it's thousands of miles from the mainland in the middle of the Pacific, a large collection of islands with a fascinating history and culture of it's own, and I think it should have had its own entry.However, there are lots of other fascinating places listed in here, some of which I had never heard of. I could have done with more views of places, and fewer close-ups of faces and the sides of buildings, but overall I think this book is very good value considering the amount of fascinating information it contains.

This book, in fact, is a very like a kind of reference book of geography rather than a travel book but you can use it to give you a rough idea of the countries you want to visit before you are really going to plan your trip.
Anyway, after reading this book, you will know how large is the world and make you always dream of the next destination for the travellers.

I didn't know there were so many different countries in the world! I may not be able to visit all (or most of them), but this book helped me experience them from a distance through this fact-filled and gorgeously illustrated volume. A must for any armchair traveler, and especially essential if you plan to journey widely.

I love to travel. I've been overseas countless times, but not to half of these beautiful looking places. Not once have I been to Europe, yet in these pictures it looks spectacular. This book will make you want to travel. I did take off a star for it's size. It's heavy and huge. It's a little hard to look at on your lap, but overall, the quality is in the pages. As you come to expect from the people at Lonely Planet, they again do a fantastic job at informing you of hot spots to visit. I'd love a job there if I could get to go to these places. This book will open your eyes to the huge world out there and even if you only get to one new place as a result from reading this, then the purchase has been worth while. Great book.

Look, this is a gorgeous book, but careless. So I get to Slovenia and find that a local drink is called ganje and a local food is called likrofi (or was it ganci). I don't remember about the latter because the mistakes I found were why I didn't buy the book but only browsed in it in a bookstore. In other words, somebody dropped the z with the little rooflet on top, which is a Slovenian letter, but which Lonely Planet was not up to. The drink is zganje, not ganje, but there is an accent on the z which I am not technically up to, but LP should be. And the food is zlikrofi, same accent on the z, not likrofi(or zganci,not ganci, if I misremember). This is an old problem with LP. You should see the howlers in the Italian Food book. What, for instance, dear Lonely Planet, is Italian for mushrooms? LP gets away with all this carelessness because nobody dares correct venerable LP and so they rest on their laurels. Believe me, there are worse problems with LP.

Lonely Planet travel guides have long served as the backpackers'Bible. In this smorgasbord, the entire library has been reduced to a single gospel. The good news is that everyone's Eden can be found here. With antipodean justice, each country is given the same treatment: a two-page spread with superb photos and a short text under standard headings. The 230 entries include politically contentious "countries" like Palestine and Tibet; and many overseas territories.

BEST PLACE TO READ
Not for the beach - 1.75 kg of art-quality paper. Keep by the bedside for dream destinations; and to get up and go there in the morning.

ESSENTIAL FEATURES
Sums up each country in a few sentences - always under 100 words: wicked!

One large photograph and four or five small ones to capture its visual essence.

A map (capital, population and area run down the outside of each entry).

Recommendations for mind and senses: one or two books to read, a film to watch and music to listen to; what to eat and drink.

Short quotation from a relevant Lonely Planet publication.

DOES IT GET UNDER THE SKIN?
Yes, creating an intolerable itch to pack up and go.

IN A WORD (or a simile)
Amazingonia! (An awe-inspiring anaconda, digesting everywhere from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe.)

TRADEMARKS
Written by cosmopolitan xenophiles; hits the big time, but does not leave shy flowers to blush unseen; clean design; inspirational; reliable.

SURPRISES
Sometimes fails to shine a light on the planet's dark side (eg tyrants in Uzbekistan and the Maldives). Full of quiddities - gives the title of the only book published in Antarctica. A baker's dozen of dependencies that are "not large enough or on a road not well enough travelled" to merit a full entry.

"At £20 (RRP in the UK), this is first-class virtual travel at a budget fare. For a luxury present, get the limited kidskin private press edition by the Ki-Flongian Press of Port Clarendon, San Serriffe (the only island state not to have an entry in The Travel Book). This should be accompanied by an oblate speroid, the only shape that could accurately match Lonely Planet's triumph of coffee-table sized miniaturization."
BioDiplomacy's "Best Books for the Third Millennium"

This book has been well reviewed already. I only wish to state that I love this book, and the photos. Each time I look at it I find myself expanding the list of "places to go" on my palm pilot. It is a wonderful colleciton of appetisers to each place. Just enough pictures and facts to tempt you to find more information.

This book was an early Christmas present to myself. I am an avid traveller, and this book allows me to "get away" in the in-between times when I'm not away travelling.

What a beautiful book!...except that lonley planet forgot to include two of my favourite places on earth, Hawaii and Alaska...WHAT A MISS!!

What a beautiful book!...except that lonley planet forgot to include two of my favourite places on earth, Hawaii and Alaska...WHAT A MISS!!

Lonely planet has really impressed me. This book is beautiful! The photographs are just gorgeous and captivating. Everytime you open the book there is something just lovely waiting for you. The Travel Book includes every country in a two to four page spread with pictures, geographic information, population,language, and cultural facts. These cultural facts are what I most enojy, they include popular sayings, music, foods, and a book or movie that relates to the country so that you can learn more. This book is fantastic for anyone interested in culture, travel, or photography. Its great for a coffee table or office book and its just an interesting guide for countries you have wanted to learn about. Lonely planet also has many other great books and travel guides but this is my favorite.

This is a book that has fantastic pictures of all the countries in the world, but it lacks information about each country. I travel a lot so I like to keep travel books of all the countries I been to not only containing pictures, but also information. I thought "The Travel Book" would have more details of places to go and visit, but it didn't. If you are a demanding traveler I would only recommend this book as one to have with nice pictures, that's all. Thank you.
Malala, Argentina.