Published in association with
Cosmopolitan magazine, of
which she is travel editor,
Amanda's new book – The
Globetrotter's Guide – is
packed with practical advice
and useful information
covering all kinds of travel.
 

Published in May in
paperback (£8.99), it targets
anyone bitten by the travel
bug whether gap year
travellers or people on work
sabbaticals.

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It's not everyday that a non-specialist gets a commission to write a coffee table book about bridges in just six weeks. So this month, Bookshelf goes behind the scenes on Tim’s fascinating commission from the AA, which he shared with his wife Anne.

Tim admits he was slightly in awe of the idea as civil engineering is such a technical subject, but once he and Anne started their research, they realised how much there was to write about.

‘Not just in the sheer variety of bridge structures, but also the number which tell a story,’ he says. ‘Some bridges were spectacularly bungled affairs that wobbled, buckled or simply fell to bits. Some became film icons, whilst others transformed entire regions or even countries.

‘Some are famous for people doing odd things like jumping off them for fun or flying under them for a bet. Some were brilliant engineering concepts; others were just downright strange.
 

‘The world’s second iron bridge, for instance, built by revolutionary writer Thomas Paine, was plonked on Paddington Green simply to advertise the virtues of iron. And the Clifton Suspension Bridge was largely made of recycled bits of Brunel’s earlier bridge, Hungerford Bridge, which started out as a very fetching pedestrian bridge over the Thames – the pillars still stand next to the railway bridge.’

Great Bridges of the World retails at £25 but costs £16.25 post free from Amazon. Tim and Anne have covered both old and new bridges with about 70 main features and many extras written as side panels.

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Many members will share the sentiments of Paul Wade when they read Nick Parsons’ new book Worth the Detour, a 380-page history of the guidebook.

'Why didn't I think of it first?' wonders Paul, who says that Nick's caustic sense of humour is allied to impressive research in a tome that begins with Erastosthenes of Cyrene and ends with a Traveller's Guide to Hell. In between, Paul reckons that Nick's detail and understanding of Greek and Roman, German and French, British and American guidebooks is worthy of a PhD, but that his wit keeps readers hooked.

As Nick himself points out 'Our choice of guidebook, and the ways in which we choose to use one (dutifully, with scepticism, with blind obedience, or even with mockery), reveal a good deal about us and the cultural attitudes we instinctively subscribe to.'

So if you're looking for a Christmas present for a fellow travel hack, look no further. Worth the Detour by Nicholas T Parsons is published by Sutton Publishing and costs £20. For a review copy, contact Yvette Cowles, Head of Marketing and Publicity, on 01453 883300 or e-mail
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .
 

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Jane Egginton's guides to Argentina, Peru and Brazil have all been published by Thomas Cook as part of the Travellers series (£9.99 each).

Informative and distinctive in tone, these colourful, highly illustrated guides focus on a country's best sights and experiences with concise, carefully selected eating, sleeping and entertainment listings.

They are compact enough to be used as a resource on the road, while in-depth background features on culture, people and history make them an interesting read from cover to cover.

'Although firmly aimed at the mainstream market with clear maps and tailored drives and walks, Thomas Cook's Travellers titles include interesting off-the-beaten-track destinations, and considered suggested for children and sustainable travel options,' says Jane.

For further information and review copies, contact This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .
 

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