Taking this book on my next London trip
358900
I found this book in the travel section, which I thought at first might have been a mistake. The first chapter felt very much like memoir. The expatriot brings his wife home to meet his parents and chaos ensues. But as I continued reading, the travel aspect became more apparent. Like the travelogue writers of the 19th century, Mr. Lipman takes us away from the five-star hotels and the bright city lights. Out beyond the tourist maps, royal dungeons and double-decker buses, into the true heart of England. Quaint and beautiful nooks and crannies that Americans never set foot in, unless they've gotten lost on the way to Stonehenge or Bath. Elegant mansion gardens, quiet cathedrals, cozy small-town pubs, and rustic rental homes. This is where the postcard photos end and the real England begins.

But venturing into the English countryside with the Lipmans is a journey not for the faint of heart. It has all the hazards of an African safari. Interrupted naps, swarms of tea-guzzling relatives, strange encounters with locals, treacherous quests for food, half-broken telephones, and the occasional "grr" from somewhere behind us. Mr. Lipman faces it all with unending patience and an unwavering sense of humor. His dedication to the tale is obvious right from the start. He doesn't even allow the almighty euro to distract from the narrative. He focuses on the quality of his experiences, or lack thereof, and rarely mentions the actual price of anything.

At its core, A Yank Back to England is the story of a son and his parents trying to relate to each other. The son reluctantly rediscovering his past and the parents struggling to keep up, both literally and figuratively. Charged with emotion, the story surrounds us and makes us feel it. Mr. Lipman paints a picture of not only his colorful family, but of the world they've lived in, the memories they share, and the things that just won't change.
2276825
Love it.  Haven't used it yet! But looking forward to using it when I go to London in a week!
2030786
Great book.  It was essentially my bible for when I was in London.  The museum guides were priceless.  His museum guides were so good that even museums that I wouldn't usually enjoy sounded amazing.  I did have to reign myself in a bit because I didn't have time to go to all of them!  His guides of other areas of the city were equally as good.  Not only were the guides usefully, they were well written with a fair amount of humor thrown in, making just reading them fun.  I could not have done my trip to London as well without the book and will buy his books for all future trips when they are available.
3567033
Someone once wrote, perhaps joking, that if you wanted to have a great time on vacation, look up all the places Lonely Planet recommended and DON'T go there.  I think the idea was that so many tourists rely on Lonely Planet guides that the LP recommendations would result in massive throngs of visitors.

All joking aside, I do like the Lonely Planet guides for their straight-talk on what is good and what is not about locations around the world.  This latest edition of their Great Britain book is very readable, with colored page tabs, lots of photographs, maps and descriptions of places to stay, things to see, where to eat and more.  I will be traveling to London later this year and will be keeping this book's advice in mind.

There are some downsides, though. Because this guide covers all of Great Britain, it doesn't say a lot about any one area.  If you will be traveling through much of the region, then this particular book might make a lot of sense, but if you would be visiting only London, say, I agree with another reviewer who said that buying a book specific to London would be more practical.

The Great Britain book is also heavy - so much so that I can't see taking it with me on a trip.  Sadly, this is typical for travel guides, no matter who publishes them.  So they're good for reading up on things before you leave, not so good for keeping in your pocket while there.

One feature I did like was where they had locals from some of the popular attractions (British Museum, for example), explain what they thought you should see and do while visiting.
103477
WOW, this book is great, I did all my bookings and reservations using this book and TripAdvisor. I am traveling in about a month and I feel confident that I will be happy with my decisions. I will surely be taking it with me as well. Great tips, very useful information, and a down to earth style of writing.
455234
While visiting London during summer, I went on a tour featuring British Rock'n'Roll history, people and places. The tour in itself is a must for almost everyone that ever listened to British rock bands in their life, and the tour guide was using this book as a prop. Back in the States, I purchased the book, and it is an excellent read, complementing the places I've seen with a lot of detail. Even if you'll never make it to London or you intend to visit in the near future, this book would provide a plethora of information about many places of interest. By reading it, you'll realize how many of our cultural icons originated, lived, performed, died in this amazing city that is London.
3495689
This book includes the most useful information about London. It's a great travel companion and the layout and maps are excellent
1687713
I enjoyed this book by Bruce Wheeler so much that I'm looking forward to returning to London to 'Experience' walking and checking out all of these Historical Land Marks.
2192985
This was a gift for a traveling student and they loved it. They really liked the book and found the map inside it extremely helpful. I say a must for a first time London traveler, I know it will be in my carry on when I finally make it to London!
2405540
The cost of the book alone is repaid by the information about how to get into the city from Heathrow! In fact, the 2013 guide was especially useful with some of the changes in terminals and construction at Heathrow. (I would also recommend checking the website for the tube for changes/closures and he provides this in the book)It's full of very practical tips and informations about London and, especially, getting around and the neighborhoods. I don't usually try his restaurant selections-I prefer to discover these on my own-but I do appreciate his advice on cafes and restaurants at the tourist sites-and these were again solid and useful with good tips.
I chose this on Kindle because it's easy to use on my Fire and has links to sites and it did not disappoint. Easy to carry with me and I was able to bookmark the pages I need. The tube map was perhpas a bit hard to read on the kindle but Tube maps are easy to find. Sometimes travel guides lose something in Kindle format-totally not the case with this one.
1073105
Haven't been to London yet, but the map looks like it will be helpful
4923093
This book will help you to arrange yourself for the climate conditions and it will look out of your health. Even it will assist your travel documents. I am very happy that I have found this excellent this book. It is the perfect guide for the persons who are planning to move for London.
I have come to know through this book when and where to move within the city. There are phones numbers and several valuable links for our assistance. This book contains everything as if I made a program to find a good bar, this book will lead you there and many more exceptional points. A must book if you are planning to go to London.
4503025
I bought this book a couple of years ago and have shared it with so many people that I miss it when it is gone. I love the personal histories about the authors, as much as the beautiful photographs. It has encouraged me to search out new books to read, as well as inspired me to add the authors' homes to my traveling itinerary. I am planning a trip to England next year, focusing on authors' homes and gardens, totally inspired by this book. I wish I could manage all of them, but have had to limit myself to a select few. Kipling's Bateman's, Churchill's Chartwell, Virginia Wolf's Monk House, and Jane Austen's Chawton are all on the agenda. I have already been to Wordsworth's Dove Cottage and Beatrix Potter's Hill Top and enjoyed them immensely. I will have to leave others for another day, but look longingly toward Agatha Christies's Greenway and Thomas Hardy's cottage. I hope to have another chance to visit my favorite country, where stepping into the English countryside is like walking the books that have kept me company since childhood.
1061787
Outstanding book.  Very helpful in planning my 1st trip to London.
2109675
Essential reading for anyone planning a trip to London who loves food.  Contains excellent restaurant reviews as well as valuable information on food shops and markets.  Well-written and beautifully photographed - can't wait for the next edition!
4139733
The DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: London is such an exciting travel book. It promises to lead you straight to the best attractions that London has to offer and it really does. There is a free walking tour app you can download and it will walk you across all the great sights of London. It also has so many interesting facts and figures about the history of London. I think that part is worth the price of  the book. I cannot wait to travel to London next year and carry this very valuable travel guide.
3566111
Came a month before expected. I was so surprised. Thank you so much. I opened it up and immediately started reading. I've been waiting to buy a copy in my price range for so long. I'm so excited... and the fact that it came from London makes it even more special.