Synopses & Reviews
Drawn from the life lists of National Geographic's expert travel writers and photographers,
Best of the World takes you on an inspiring tour of the world's most appealing and transformative locales, both natural and man-made.
Best of the World directs readers to hidden mountaintop communities; medieval alleyways in thousand-year-old cities; scenic tropical atolls; spectacular national parks; ancient wonders; buzzing metropolises; remote corners of the globe, tropical rain forests; the heartland of America; and hundreds of other unique places. The sites are organized in themed chapters titled Country Unbound, Wild Places, Urban Spaces, Paradise Found, and World Wonders. Some places are small and distinct enough to be life-changing just from their unique nature. For larger locations, such as major cities and regions, Best of the World will point readers to the specific experiences that will make their trip stand apart from the everyday and the ordinary.
Both inspirational and practical, Best of the World captures the imagination while also giving readers the tools they need to plan their dream trips. Each chapter features stunning photographs, full-color maps, evocative text, and useful information--including how to get there, when to visit, and insider tips on how to make the most of the journey--all packaged in a luxurious, oversized volume to treasure and peruse for many years to come.
Sidebars include "My Best Place" (more than forty literary expressions exploring a destination's intrigue by luminaries such as Andrew McCarthy, Jan Morris, and Rudy Maxa; "Best of the Best," which provides expanded details on one particular feature of the destination; "In the Know," which offers background on an ancillary or secondary facet or theme of the place; and "Transformative Moments," first-person subjective accounts by Traveler magazine and Traveler guidebook writers of personal and life-changing travel experiences.
Each chapter contains two to five separate "Best of the World" lists, which feature shorter entries on a wide variety of themed categories, from "Best Uninhabited Islands" to "Best Transporting Works of Art" to "Best Ancient Roman Ruins Outside of Italy."
Synopsis
Including contributions by Bill Bryson, Anna Quindlen, Andrew McCarthy, Pico Iyer and many other notable travel writers, this lavish, evocative travel gift book spans the globe to offer entrées to the world's most transformative places.
Written in the spirit of top-selling Journeys of a Lifetime series and National Geographic Traveler's acclaimed "Places of a Lifetime," discover amazing destinations from around the globe, from Thailand's Chiang Mai to Australia's Uluru monolith to California's Channel Islands.
Chosen by National Geographic's family of globe-trotting contributors, the lavish Best of the World offers in-depth site descriptions; dozens of fun, themed "Best of the World" lists; locator maps; illuminating sidebars, several by travel and literary luminaries; and hundreds of dazzling, oversized, full-color images to bring to life 500 awe-inspiring locations in a wide variety of categories--from entire countries to mountaintop villages to pristine lakes to ancient wonders. This broad, general interest travel title will appeal to active travelers looking for the next great trip as well as to the many readers who simply love dreaming of visiting far-flung, idyllic destinations, and for those who love to be "in the know" of the next travel trend.
Five years after Journeys of a Lifetime hit the stores, fans are eager for the next great set of can't-miss travel hits revealed in this beautiful 2012 gift book.
Synopsis
Popular actor and award-winning travel writer Andrew McCarthy writes the foreword to this lavish book, offering 400 awe-inspiring destinations chosen by National Geographic's family of globe-trotting contributors; dozens of fun, "Best of the World" themed lists; illuminating sidebars, several by travel and literary luminaries such as Anna Quindlen, Bill Bryson, Gore Vidal, and Pico Iyer; and hundreds of dazzling, oversized, full-color images to bring to life a wide variety of location categories--from entire countries to mountaintop villages to pristine lakes to ancient wonders. This broad, general interest travel title will appeal to active travelers looking for the next great trip as well as to the many readers who simply love dreaming of visiting far-flung, idyllic destinations, and for those who love to be "in the know" of the next travel trend. Five years after Journeys of a Lifetime hit the stores, fans are eager for the next great set of can't-miss travel hits revealed in this beautiful 2012 gift book.
About the Author
Born in the Democratic Republic of Congo, KEITH BELLOWS has launched 30 magazines, television, and radio properties and has lectured around the world. He is editor-in-chief of National Geographic Traveler and project leader of Learning2Go, an innovative program he developed to bring children and parents together around travel as a learning tool. A graduate of Gordonstoun School in Scotland and Dartmouth College, Bellows has appeared regularly on The Today Show and Good Morning America.