One for the Road: Phaidon Atlas of Contemporary Architecture

by Kelly Amabile on

The Phaidon Atlas of Contemporary Architecture is one of the publisher’s bestselling titles, and has been around for awhile. The 800+ page book is an obvious coffee-table staple for design lovers — it features over 1,000 of the most outstanding works of architecture from all over the world that have been built since 1998. With over 5,000 color illustrations, the book covers structures that range from small churches to massive airports.

But it’s a beast of a book, which was why I was happy to recently discover the Travel Edition – a 440-page softcover version that is lighter than some guidebooks. Architecture fans who want to be in the know while on the go may choose to pick up a copy of this smaller companion. The same 1,000 structures are included, but with condensed content about each one. On the plus side, there are additional maps to assist with locating buildings. It seems to be an indispensable must-have for travelers with an eye for design.

One for the Road: The Globetrotter’s LogBook Series

by Kelly Amabile on

Here’s an interesting travel book series from Belgian publisher Morton, Diaz & Cook that I stumbled upon yesterday. There are currently five titles in The Globetrotter’s LogBook series, with a 6th promised to be on the way soon. These stylish souvenir books are meant to be used as journals for recording specific trip information — details on countries of the world, or notes about vaccination and flight records.

But what makes these books special is that they are all a mixture of content and creative space — facts and figures for the traveler are interspersed with blank space to allow for stamps, stickers or personal journey jottings.

The publisher’s most recent title marks a new direction for the series. It is the first one to focus on a particular region of the world — Produced in collaboration with the Flemish Tourist Office, Flander’s Six Divine Cities is a guidebook and traveler notebook dedicated to Antwerp, Bruges, Brussels, Ghent, Leuven and Mechelen. Peppered with maps and color photos, this latest book presents an “at a glance” perspective for 118 sites in the Flanders region. And one corner of each page is reserved for traveler scribbles – memories and moments can be captured and recorded with ease, creating an organically evolving guidebook experience.

One for the Road – This is Hong Kong

by Kelly Amabile on

This is…only one of several Miroslav Sasek books from his famous series to be reissued in recent years. In 2007, This is Hong Kong and This is Rome were re-released, updated with facts about the cities that are correct for modern day. And over the past few years, the same has been done for the Paris, London, Edinburgh, New York and Venice titles. The Czech author and illustrator is best known for his colorful stories about these great cities of the world, and it is nice to see the collection being shared with a new generation of young readers.

Throughout the late 1950’s and 1960’s, M. Sasek created 18 titles in this award winning series, although he only planned to do three at first. One of these books might be a nice gift for a child getting ready to embark on a city trip for the firs time, or as a fun coffee table book for someone living on one of these places. Although the books were originally intended for children, these travel classics can be enjoyed by wanderers both big and small. Folks who want to learn more about Sasek and the “This is” series can start here, and check out the corresponding films that were also created.

One for the Road: Atlas, Schmatlas

by Kelly Amabile on

The world is pretty good. Yup. And so is this brand new silly book about the place we all call home. I came across this refreshingly different and humorous look at the world while browsing in a Melbourne bookshop the other day, and thought it a perfect title with which to re-launch One for the Road (which has been on hiatus while I was immersed in a temporary life downunder — more to come on that.)

But for now, dear readers, it’s back to the daily book suggestion here at Gadling, and I begin with this creative gem written and illustrated by Berlin-based Craig Robinson, an artist who does wacky things with maps and computer images, among other things. Atlas, Schmatlas is packaged as “A Superior Atlas of the World…with lots of exciting maps and illustrations.” That translates into a witty look at the world, complete with observations like “Kyrgyzstan is the world’s leading exporter of typos.” and “Uruguay’s capital Montevideo is soon to be re-named Montedvd to make it sound less eighties.” Robinson’s punchy sarcasm and signature pixel-style images combine to create a one-of-a-kind guide to the globe. If you’re looking for a clever, unique and alternative atlas to complete your collection, pick up a copy of this 128-page laugher.

One for the Road – China: Chinese Foods

by Kelly Amabile on

As a sidebar to this month’s Chinese Buffet series, throughout August, One for the Road will highlight travel guides, reference books and other recommended reads related to life or travel in China.

Those darling dumplings are just one example of traditional Chinese cuisine. So where do you turn to learn more? There are tons of books that could be mentioned here, but I just picked one title from a bunch I recently looked at from China Books. These guys carry books about all aspects of life in China. This Chinese Foods book is from the Cultural China Series of China Intercontinental Press, and has been translated into English by William W. Wang.

The book contains beautiful images and follows a clean, crisp design. It begins with a chapter on traditional foods native to China and is then followed by a look at foods introduced from other places — like corn and chili peppers. Most of the book is dedicated to traditions, local delicacies, tools of the trade and the Chinese eating experience. There are also sections dedicated to tea and wine. If you’re going to China on a culinary journey, this book might serve as a fine introduction to the history and culture of food throughout the country.