2024 the best of everything book review

Price: $21.95
(as of Oct 22, 2024 22:35:16 UTC - Details)

This deluxe, entertaining dream guide showcases the experience and savoir-faire of such luminaries as Prince Charles on architecture, Arnold Palmer on favorite golf courses, Bob Ellsasser, head of the esteemed Country Walkers, on the best walks and hiking tours, and Baron Philip de Rothschild on the best vintages. Scores of experts name the 10 best islands, poshest pubs and polo clubs, best things to do on Sundays in the world's best cities, and a treasure trove of musts for the high-end traveler or anyone who aspires to be. But there are simple pleasures that fit even the humblest budget here, too, including top-rated 'burgers, flea/antique markets on several continents, and awe-inspiring cathedrals.

Sprinkled throughout the book, Lande and Lande weave colorful tales ("For the Love of the Game," about polo; "The Unique Irish Pub," "Flying the Coral Route") that will make you wish you'd been along for the ride--and will inspire you to start planning your own experiences.

Anyone with a sense of nostalgia for travel will appreciate the book's second part, The New Grand Tour, featuring detail-filled itineraries including South Africa via the Blue Train; the Orient Express from Singapore and Kuala Lumpur to Bangkok; and retracing literary steps along the Amalfi Coast.

Studded with colorful illustrations, cosmopolitan sidebars, and savvy tips, as well as a wealth of options for getting there via land, sea, or air, this elegant and sophisticated book will awaken yearnings for exotic travel in readers everywhere.

The 2012 edition is expanded with much new material--latest discoveries of the jet-set authors in hotels, restaurants and resorts, plus many up-to-date revisions in their top-ten lists.

ASIN ‏ : ‎ 1426208677
Publisher ‏ : ‎ National Geographic; 3rd edition (April 3, 2012)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 480 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9781426208676
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1426208676
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.86 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8 x 1.2 x 8 inches
Reviewer: Penelope Manzi
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: "The Ten Best" gets even better!
Review: I enjoyed the first (2006) and second (2008) editions of this unique and splendid book so much that I just bought the third (2012) edition, and it's absolutely terrific. Despite my familiarity with the earlier versions, I've been spending hours completely absorbed in this one, both for the sheer pleasure of reading and re-reading it and as a tremendously useful resource for my upcoming summer travel. There's not one page that isn't captivating.Fortunately, the enchanting format, appealing design, elegant layout, high quality paper, exquisite artwork, engaging style, and vast international scope of the previous editions have been retained, and updates, additional recommendations, and five new chapters make the 2012 edition well worth purchasing (especially since its price is amazingly reasonable for such a sumptuous book containing such a wealth of information).The rich content is organized efficiently and imaginatively, lending itself equally to reading straight through or dipping into at random. This book doesn't only provide information; it feeds the soul and the imagination as well. Reading it is a memorable and rewarding journey in and of itself.My 2006 review of the first edition of "The Ten Best of Everything" is below; everything I wrote at that time applies to its excellent 2012 successor:<>

Reviewer: M. Lohorn
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title: fun
Review: this is an entertaining book; lots of the events or destinations are outside the affordability of regular folks, though. it is probably best to view this as a fun look at the good life. there are inclusions which are doable for everyone; that is helpful info, and the book itself is nicely produced. don't pay full price for this one...

Reviewer: Crystalfox
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: 10 Best of Everything
Review: Cool Book! I'd love to do some of these someday soon! In fact, I purchased the book b/c we're going to be staying at one of the top ten hotels next month. I'm going to take the book and have them sign it for me! Didn't know this fact when we made our reservations earlier in the year! Pretty Cool!

Reviewer: Stephanie A. Bell
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Fascinating!
Review: I was at my doctor's office with my Mom and this book was on the coffee table in the waiting room. She picked it up, was immediately entranced and I ordered it as a Christmas present for her. But, I haven't been able to put it down myself!!!

Reviewer: JMalone
Rating: 3.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Good and Bad
Review: It's hard not to have mixed feelings about the "The 10 Best of Everything"... I mean, everyone likes lists, right? And the title... so ambitious! Unfortunately, the lists happen to be the weakest part of the whole book.Collections like these are idiosyncratic by nature, and that's certainly the case here (top 10 mattresses, anyone?) - the authors' tastes might be described as old-fashioned, genteel, upper-crust - with topics like best polo clubs, tennis venues, cigars, watches, pens, tailors... you get the picture. And that's fine, lists are meant to be personal.What's disappointing is how arbitrary they often are. Lists are fun to debate and argue, but that's hard to do when no reasons are given for why one thing is ranked higher than the other, or why it was chosen at all. Instead, you just get flat, dry descriptions - facts you could find in an encyclopedia. It might be something if the choices were unique or inspired; instead, they are frequently head-scratching... the only thing unique is how often Quebec and Malaysia keep popping up throughout (not that those aren't nice places).For every reasonable selection, two more questionable ones sit alongside: the Hamptons are better than any beach on Hawaii? The best cultural event in the *world* is Cirque du Soleil??! (And they even name-check some of their worst shows as "highlights"!) Never mind a local festival that actually captures the heart and soul of a culture such as Carnival languishes at number 6, and is really the only listing of its type. The New Orleans Jazz Historical Park is declared a better national park than Yosemite, Hawaii Volcanoes, or the Grand Canyon... (Jazz is great, but why not put it in the culture section?) American Airlines: the best airline in the world, apparently! And I mentioned every list is up for debate, but Oregon and Massachusetts BBQ over Texas is NOT. I could go on and on.If you're going to go against the grain, at least justify your decisions. Further compromising the lists are the many chain restaurants and stores peppering the food section, often sitting at or near #1 in many categories, including coffee houses, burgers, marketplaces, steakhouses, even "destination & special" restaurants. We're talking best in the _world_ here - if you can't find a local place better than a chain, you failed your mission. There are so many big name brands throughout, it's hard not to wonder if money played some part in it.The problem with the whole shebang is that the authors aren't experts searching for the best beer in the world, the best drives, the best shops - it's just random stuff these two guys happened upon during their travels, and they're clearly not knowledgeable in many of the categories. The lists pertaining to outdoor activities - Climbs, Horseback Rides, Walks & Hiking - are literally ads for tour companies. In fact, the most interesting lists tend to be the ones written by guest authors, as they actually have a deep knowledge of their subject.I don't mean to be too harsh, because when it comes to the actual travel writing, there is good to be had. The "Ten Best Things To Do On a Sunday Afternoon" lists are full of excellent, must-do experiences in 10 world cities. The last half or so of the book: "The New Grand Tour" chucks out the lists in favor of a guidebook-style catalog of the authors' journeys... Surprise! It's engaging and informative. At the very end is "Lande's Famous List", a compilation of "tried-and-true" upscale hotels around the world - also useful (if not too different from the "Best Hotel" issues Travel + Leisure and Conde Nast Traveler put out annually).In the end, half of this book is lists and although I would not recommend those, the other half is worthwhile as a globe-spanning travelogue. If you'd rather not invest in more detailed standalone travel guides, or you just want a coffee table book (or a nice, in-theory gift for someone), you could do worse.

Reviewer: Andrew
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Great bathroom reading
Review: You have to be in the right mindset to read this book, or even consider perusing it. When you are in the right mindset, you are free to read, dream, and imagine.I had to quickly steel my stomach to digest the tone of the book, a somewhat antediluvian anachronicstic aristocratic tone, to get through to the meat and bones.Great bathroom reading; where else does one read these listbooks?

Reviewer: HAPPY REVIEWER
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Awesome book.....
Review: This book is a terrific gift solution. Lists of so many things. I love my copy....refer to it often.You won't be disappointed.

Reviewer: Darcy Fleur
Rating: 1.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Shallow
Review: Too little detail and too many topics to be either interesting or useful. Type is huge to try to mask the lack of content. Useless.

Reviewer: R Victoria Taylor
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Interesting book. Met the author by chance in London and he recommended the book!!

Reviewer: Tomking
Rating: 3.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Ganz ok, aber absolut amerikanische Standardsicht. Nett für den Abend zum rumblättern und fürs ins Regal stellen. Sieht toll aus.

Reviewer: Filaferro Enrico
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: ... is missing in this book: the perfect legal way to achieve the money needed to see, to buy, to obtain the fantastic things listed in it.