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Summary: Dr. Michael L. Johnson
Review: If you love to travel like my wife and I, then this is the book for you. I'm 45 and I hope that I can get to all of these wonderful places. A great buy!!!Dr. Michael L. Johnson author of "What Do You Do When the Medications Don't Work--A Non-Drug Treatment of Dizziness, Migraine Headaches, Fibromyalgia, and Other Chronic Conditions".
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Summary: Excellent Gift for Young Travellers
Review: I wish I had this before I did the backpack thing through Europe. Unless you're a professional traveler, you can't hit those "off the beaten path" places you hear about from people who criticize this book. This book is a great guide for travelers to see the highlights and special treasures. It was fun to put sticky notes on all the places I've been. I noticed the Asia and Africa sections are pretty bare. I'll call the travel agent tomorrow. Thanks for a terrific read and a wonderful trip down memory lane.
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Summary: Great places -- mixed with some tourism PR
Review: Wow -- so many of the places the author describes sound fantastic and unique and amazing. The Pyramids, the Alhambra, the Great Barrier Reef, etc. Great recommendations. But mixed in with all of these are hotels and restaurants, which while good and worthy, are for the most part not you-must-see-before-you-die essentials (in my book). The other problem with including such places is the fact that for the most part, the included hotels and restaurants are completely unaffordable for all but the wealthiest traveller. Unlike Donald Trump, many people have to save pennies to travel, and if I have a choice of seeing an amazing thing while staying in a sub-par hotel, I'd ALWAYS choose that over the ritzy place. But with that minor complaint, much of this book left me drooling to get on the road.
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Summary: Book should be "My favorite hotels, plus a few other places"
Review: This book was written by a tourist industry writer, and it shows. I only expect to have one life, and have maybe another 30-40 years before I die. During that time I want to see some of the amazing, fantastic, unusual, beautiful, and awe-inspiring things and places that exist on this planet (they do exist!). So what does Ms. Schultz suggest as the most important places that I should see before I die? HOTELS! Hotels???? Come on, there may be 3 or 4 hotels on the planet that are so amazing that they are worth a trip. But it seems that a third of her recommendations are for hotels. Much of the rest are the obvious famous places. In her book fantastic nature takes a back seat to hotels. Beautiful scenery is less important than hotels. Exotic cultures are rarely mentioned unless presented as entertainment at one of her 5-star hotels. Amazing art is less important than a hotel with a nice lobby. Critical places of human history are only worth visiting if there is a good hotel nearby. The book should have been named "My favorite hotels, plus some other places I like." But that wouldn't be as catchy a title as "1000 Places to See before you Die," and wouldn't have sold as well. But it would have been more honest! Other complaints include the US/Western European emphasis mentioned by the other reviewers. Also the recommendations of how to see something: "Take the $3000 tour offered by this American tourist agency to see a place that you could get to by taking a $2 bus (plus plane fare)." Again, this book was obviously written by a writer for the (high-end) tourist industry, who is used to having trips paid for by expense account, or by the hotels she is reviewing. I have never returned a book to Amazon before, but this one I will. Very disappointing.
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Summary: best present ever
Review: I purchased 20 copies for Christmas gifts and have NEVER had such wonderful compliments for any gift before in over 50 years a gift giving. It's a great read whether on a plane, enroute to anyone of the exotic and wonderful locations featured, or by the fireplace planing your next exodus!. Read it and I promise you'll be excited!
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Summary: It is like being there
Review: Patricia Schultz makes me feel like I am in the heart of the entire world! Her way with words gives the reader a front row seat at the many places she wrties about. I might not be able to stay at the wonderful 1000 places she describes but I want to go there and experiece the beauty and fun of all of them. It is a joy to read and if I get the chance to see just a handful then the rest I feel like I have experienced. A great read and guide.
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Summary: I Think I'll Wait
Review: Like some other reviewers, I found '1,000 Places to See Before You Die' aimed more at my bulging wallet and less at my burgeoning wanderlust. If it's all the same to Ms Schultz, I think I'll wait till AFTER I die. I suspect the places will be far more exotic and far less expensive. And I won't need to sell my share portfolio in order to tip the concierge.
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Summary: Excellent Book!
Review: This book is awesome for anyone who travels. We use it where ever we go as start for our trips. It has the highlights of anyplace one would like to go in a quick and easy-to-read format. I have never found any guide to be so resourceful. It is not a replacement for an Eyewitness Guide or Fodors, it is a complement. Reading this book is a great way to get excited about going anywhere!
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Summary: A great book for hotel lovers
Review: This is my first review of a book for Amazon. I just had to write this to tell the truth about this book. For a person who loves to travel, I just had to purchase this book to see what places I need to go to and review places I have been to. According to the author, I missed a lot of places because I was too busy to vistit all the recommended 5 star hotels. For an example, Torres Del Paine, Chile is one of the most beautiful nature wonder of the world with its glaciers, lakes, peaks, and majestic views. Instead of writing this, the author decide to descibe in detail about the over-priced hotel in the park. Author consistently writes about: 1. Hotel, hotel, and more hotels. Not just any hotel, but the most expensive accomodation in town.
2. Hotels, of course. I have not counted, but I can guess about 250 places to see are hotels. If you like hotels, this is a book for you, otherwise look elsewhere.
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Summary: A great choice for the traveling grandpa
Review: If grandma and grandpa are getting bored in retirement, this is a fantastic book to buy them. If *you* are looking to explore the world, consider a Lonely Planet or guide better geared at the under-65 crowd. Certainly people would quibble with my list of 1000 places, but here is why I believe this book is not appropriate for anyone who doesn't get an AARP discount: - Euro-american focus. The book is almost insulting in its lack of coverage of Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. For instance, there is nothing listed in Delhi except a restaurant vs. nine sites in over-touristed Morocco. There is virtually nothing in places not covered by travel guides, such as Central Asia and almost anywhere in Africa that doesn't have pyramids or characters from "The Lion King." Iraq is the cradle of civilization, but apparently UFOs in Roswell and Disney theme parks are more important. At least Schultz acknowledges the bias, saying that places like Kolkata and Madagascar are "arduous choices." - Cultural insensitivity. Schultz's use of the most anglicized names possible and long-replaced colonial monikers (like Calcutta and Laotian for Kolkata and Lao) makes her occasionally sound like Mr. Burns asking for "the Prussian consulate in Siam." - Intended for traveler-writers with unlimited budgets. Despite claiming with a straight face that she's "never a travel snob," Schultz typically choses the most expensive way to see a place. I am a travel snob, but sometimes Schultz's recommendations of tours are too outrageous even for me. For instance, Ayuthaya, Thailand, is easily reached by a comfortable air-con first class bus from Bangkok for 95 cents, but Schultz recommends a $390 tour. - Questionable rationales. Schultz gives the Toronto Four Seasons an entry because, well, celebrities have stayed there. Never mind that the Toronto Four Seasons is potentially the most shabby, cramped, and run-down property in the chain. I have certainly never seen it on a list of Four Seasons's top properties, and the food was nothing spectacular. Entries like that make me wonder if Schultz is holding back the truly great establishments.
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