Guide book 2036479 226084404 2008-07-16T19:29:03Z Iridescent 937705 Cleanup/[[WP:AWB/T|typo fixing]], typos fixed: english → English, the the → the using [[Project:AutoWikiBrowser|AWB]] A '''guide book''' is a book for [[tourist]]s or travelers that provides details about a [[geographic location]], [[tourist destination]], or [[itinerary]]. It is the written equivalent of a [[tour guide]]. It will usually include details, such as phone numbers, addresses, prices, and reviews of hotels and other [[lodging]]s, restaurants, and activities. Maps of varying detail are often included. Sometimes historical and cultural information is also provided. Different guide books may focus on different aspects of travel, from [[adventure travel]] to [[relaxation]], or be aimed at travellers with larger or smaller travel [[budget]]s, or focus on the particular interests and concerns of certain groups, such as lesbian and gay singles or couples. Guide books are generally intended to be used in conjunction with actual travel, although simply enjoying a guide book with no intention of visiting may be referred to as "[[armchair tourism]]". ==History== [[Image:BaedekerGB 1937.png|thumb|right|150px|''Baedeker's Great Britain'' (1937)]] The modern tourist's guidebook was separately invented by [[Karl Baedeker]] in Germany ([[1835]]) and by [[John Murray (publisher)|John Murray III]] in England ([[1836]]).<ref name=buzzard>[[James Buzzard]]. "The Grand Tour and after (1660-1840)" in ''The Cambridge Companion to Travel Writing'' (2002). Page 48-50.</ref> Baedeker and Murray produced impersonal, objective guide; works prior to this combined factual information and personal sentimental reflection.<ref name=buzzard/> The availability of the books by Baedeker and Murray helped sharpen and formalize the complementary genre of the personal [[travelogue]], which was freed from the burden of serving as a guidebook.<ref name=buzzard/> The Baedeker and Murray guidebooks were hugely popular and were standard resources for travelers well into the 20th century. As [[William Wetmore Story]] said in the 1860s, "Every Englishman abroad carries a Murray for information, and a [[George Gordon Byron, 6th Baron Byron|Byron]] for sentiment, and finds out by them what he is to know and feel by every step." Following World War II, two new names emerged which combined European and American perspectives on international travel. [[Eugene Fodor (writer)|Eugene Fodor]], a Hungarian-born [[travel writing|author of travel articles]], who had emigrated to the United States before the war, wrote guidebooks which introduced English-reading audiences to continental Europe. [[Arthur Frommer]], an American soldier stationed in Europe during the [[Korean War]], used his experience traveling around the Continent as the basis for ''[[Europe on $5 a Day]]'' (1957), which introduced readers to options for budget travel in Europe. Both authors' guidebooks became the foundations for extensive series, eventually covering destinations around the world, including the United States. In the decades that followed, [[Let's Go Travel Guides|Let's Go]], [[Lonely Planet]], [[Insight Guides]], [[Rough Guides]], and a wide variety of similar travel guides were developed, with varying focuses. With the emergence of digital technology, many publishers turned to electronic distribution, either in addition to or instead of print publication. This can take the form of downloadable documents for reading on a portable computer or handheld device such a [[PDA]] or [[iPod]], or online information accessible via a web site. This enabled guidebook publishers to keep their information more current. Traditional guide book incumbents [[Lonely Planet]], [[Frommers]], [[Rough Guides]], and [[In Your Pocket City Guides]], and newcomers such as [[Schmap]] are now offering travel guides for [[download]]. New online and interactive guides such as [[Tripadvisor]], [[Wikitravel]], [[World66]], and [[Travellerspoint]] enable individual travelers to share their own experiences and contribute information to the guide. Wikitravel, Travellerspoint and World66 make the entire contents of their guides updatable by users, and make the information in their guides available as [[open content]], free for others to use. ==Series== This list is a select sample of the full range of English language guide book publishers - either contemporary or historical. * [[Avant Guide]] * [[Blue Guides]] * [[Dorling Kindersley|DK Eyewitness Travel]] * [[Footprint Books|Footprint]] * [[Frommer's]] * [[Fodor's]] * [[Insight Guides]] * [[In Your Pocket City Guides]] * [[Let's Go Travel Guides|Let's Go]] * [[Lonely Planet]] * [[Not For Tourists]] * [[Rough Guides]] * [[Schmap]] * [[Spartacus International Gay Guide]] * [[Time Out]] * [[Wikitravel]] * [[Wikivoyage]] ==Notes== <references/> ==See also== {{Wiktionary}} *[[Audioguide]] *[[Mirabilia Urbis Romae]] *[[Tourism]] *[[Travel writing]] *[[Travel literature]] [[Category:Travel guide books]] [[Category:Travel books|*Guide book]] [[Category:Travel gear]] [[Category:Literary genres]] [[de:Führer (Nachschlagewerk)]] [[fr:Guide touristique]] [[he:מדריך טיולים (ספר)]] [[nl:Reisgids]] [[ja:旅行ガイドブック]] [[zh:旅遊指南]]