Review When I buy a guidebook, I usually look for the Frommer's $ a Day budget guides Washington D.C. from $80 a Day, Paris from $95 a Day, etc. Why? Well, mostly because I'm a creature of habit. I started buying the Frommer's and Let's Go guides years ago because they focus on budget travel. Let's Go is great for backpackers and those on a really tight budget. Frommer's is a bit more mature but still budget-minded (think hotels rather than hostels), and I like their ''Suggested Itineraries'' section and their maps (Frommer's maps are among the best). But now that there are so many other guidebooks to choose from, I buy Frommer's mostly because I can be in and out of the store in minutes rather than hours and I know I'll come home with a reliable guide. Then, just this past month, everything changed . . . I discovered something new . . . You see, when I went to the bookstore to pick up guidebooks for my upcoming honeymoon, I got an idea . . . Why not, I thought, buy five different guidebooks (from five different publishers) and compare them to find my favorite. So that's what I did. I bought one brand for each stop and then, on my way out, I saw a little Paris guide I'd never seen (or heard of) before. So I picked that up too. (I go to Paris at least once a year so I can never have enough Paris guidebooks.) Here's what I found . . . and it surprised me: My favorite book of all for both pre-trip planning and on-the-ground support is The Little Black Book of Paris. The other guides I bought are all divided into sections this way: Where to Stay, Where to Eat, What to Do. But The Little Black Book of Paris is divided by area. And each area has its own fold-out map (which, to be honest, blows the Frommer's maps out of the water). While the guide doesn't have an entire history or culture section like most of the others do Lonely Planet, TimeOut, Fodor's, etc. it's well written and there's an overview of each area at the beginning of each section. I liked the guide so much I went back to the bookstore to buy more. --Lori Appling - The Travel Writer's LifeBest Travel Series of the Year, 2008 ''We select the Little Black Travel Books as our travel guide series of the year. The main reasons for designating these guides as best of the year are their portability and user friendliness. (The spiral binding allows the reader to keep the book open to a certain page.) Individual volumes are small enough to fit into a pocket, but in terms of helpfulness, they are twice their physical dimensions. The other reason these guides are so worthy of praise is the fact that each volume has a neat, tidy, and nicely detailed foldout map to the particular area under discussion. The chapters in each volume correspond to the geographical areas into which the authors divide the city for the tourist. Each chapter gives basics on places to see, available art, and entertainment venues, places to eat and drink, where to shop, and where to stay. You can study a range of guides before your actual trip, but this is definitely a commendable candidate for carrying with you on site.'' --American Library Association, Booklist Read more About the Author Author Margaret Littman contributes to Moon Metro Chicago, Real City Chicago, and Chicago SHOPS. Read more
K**D
the only guide book I used in Chicago
This guidebook is compact, fit in my purse, and we used it constantly. The maps are very easy to read and useful. It provides phone numbers for calling a taxi and information on public transportation. I purchased other guide books but this is the only one we used while we were in Chicago. I loved the way it broke up Chicago into neighborhoods with a concise map of each neighborhood. I would definitely purchase this series for other cities that I visit. As a sidenote, the best guide in Chicago are the people of Chicago. I'm not used to people being so friendly. When I was reading the guide book, people would stop and ask me if they could help me find something or recommend a restaurant. Midwesterners are amazing!
E**N
Excellent going away/welcome gift
My employee is leaving me and moving to Chicago this week. Today, I presented her with "The Little Black Book of Chicago - 2013 Edition". I was so excited when the book arrived and I saw how convenient this little book is with cute little maps of every neighborhood, bus and metro line info, and so many helpful little hints to open up the doors to her new city...she was SO HAPPY! The whole office signed our names in the "Notes" section in the back to make it a memorable keepsake. It's such a great gift!
S**M
Good for a quick trip
I went to visit some friends in Chicago for a long weekend. They were my tour guides for most of the time, but this book was helpful for filling in the gaps. It lays out the neighborhoods in a very clear way and has good maps of the public transportation. It really just highlights major things though, so if you want something really detailed I would suggest a different book.
M**E
Dividied by neighborhoods
I bought this friends who visit me... they love it. It's divided into neighborhoods which is how Chicagoans see their city.
M**A
Good buy
Great informative guide for my son's trip to Chicago. It's easy to read because it is divided into the major parts of the city.
D**A
Very up to date and convienent
We used this Little Black Book when we traveled to Chicago. The ideas and maps were perfect. Plus, it's an ideal size since it can almost fit in your pocket.
T**I
Five Stars
A very useful, but non-traditional, guide to the sights of Chicago.
P**N
Nice book, great size
My son moved to Chicago and this gives a breakdown of the city. It has nice maps and worked well for our fist visit.
Trustpilot
1 month ago
1 week ago
