Martin Hughes Books

One of the most dependable series available, Lonely Planet's guidebooks are packed with essential information and accurate maps and are written with enough character that they are also good reading for armchair travelers. The series is now popular with travelers of all sorts, although backpackers and adventure travelers have long relied on Lonely Planet's guides because of the wide range of destinations offered. Whether you want to relax on the beaches of Thailand, roam the Australian outback, or explore the deserts of Iran, Lonely Planet has a practical, thorough guidebook for your destination. For dangerous or less-traveled regions, we highly recommend Lonely Planet's guides because they provide crucial information in an easy-to-use format, making it possible for travelers to handle the difficulties of language, customs, and transportation. In countries with unfamiliar alphabets, the guides include the names of cities and sights in both English and native characters, and glossaries are provided to help travelers with menus. The series offers lodging and restaurant options for all budgets, but the main focus is on getting a good deal for your money. With good writing, a wealth of valuable information, and beautiful color photo sections, Lonely Planet's guides are hard to beat.

"Bejaysus and begorrah!" The next best thing for anyone not blessed with the "gift of the gab" a grand tour through the language, lilt and laughter of Ireland old and new. So join in the "craic," forget the Blarney Stone and wrap your tongue around English the way the Irish reinvented it. Features a special section on Irish Gaelic. Lonely Planet s Language & Culture series goes behind the scenes of languages you through you knew. Get into the culture and humour behind common and not so common English expressions and learn about the local languages that inspired them.

Lush photography and tantalizing descriptions of local cuisine set these beautiful pocket guides apart from all of the other guides that pair food and travel. Each guide traces the unique cultural influences that helped shape the culinary traditions of the featured country, with fascinating sidebars on special ingredients and preparation techniques. The best feature of the World Food Guides is the fact that recipes are included, so you can try your hand at making Spanish romesco sauce, Moroccan bastila, or Vietnamese bahn xeo. You'll also find a food glossary, vivid photographs of ingredients and markets, tips and techniques, and much more.

This unique lifestyle guide is for anyone who wants to slow down and live it up. Meant as an antidote to the popular media's obsession with new and trendy, they celebrate what's local, natural, and characteristic about the city and who lives there.