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Recent Comments:
Thoughts on the Lonely Planet scandal: Guidebooks are a sham {Gadling}
Apr 14th 2008 5:34PM I think guidebooks are valuable, and I'm not just saying that because I'm a guidebook author.
And I'm not talking about just bus schedules. A well-written guidebook can help change a traveler's first impression of a place and point out cultural details that they might miss. All ruins look the same until you read background info. A slick resort city like Cancun looks awful until you (by which I mean me) read a book like Cancun User's Guide. I've taken the attitude I learned from that book (don't blame Cancun for not having a pretty historic center--appreciate what's there) and used it in my own books...with attribution.
I could go on, but I'm in the middle of a research trip right now. I have much more to say about this whole Kohnstamm thing on my own blog, Roving Gastronome.
Lonely Planet writer admits he never visited country he wrote about {Gadling}
Apr 14th 2008 5:24PM I'm another LP author who actually does the work. But I've also read Kohnstamm's book, and of course his story is more nuanced than what's in the press. I also know that his Colombia gig was defined by LP as a desk job--the company did not expect him to go there, and the budget reflected that. I suspect that context got cut away from his quote, for better tabloid effect.
I'd say more, but I'm on a research trip right now...must get back to the hotel-touring grind.
