The Rough Guide To Poland - 6th Edition

Paperback - 29 August, 2005 - Rough Guides
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By: Jonathan Bousfield and Mark Salter
ISBN: 1843534886

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Reviews by readers

The best Poland travel guide out there

For my first trip to Poland, I bought the Lonely Planet travel guide. And although it was very good, I decided to try the Rough Guide for my second trip. I found it to be an absolutely outstanding travel guide. Compared to the Lonely Planet guide, it has better maps (and a LOT more of them - even for smaller towns and villages), more detailed information, and more specific information about hotels, restaurants, banks, and other facts that make traveling easier.

I'm really not sure how other reviewers here came to think that this book focuses too much on the Holocaust. Sure, it's mentioned in parts of the book, but it is by no means over-emphasized. This is a travel book, and the history presented in it is fairly cursory, as it should be since the only reason it's there is to provide some context. (In fact, the history section is actually labeled "Context").

Don't let the other reviews scare you off. This is an absolutely outstanding travel guide - one that will serve you very well.

Tiresome emphasis on the Jews, Nazis and Halocaust response

I have visited Poland twice and am thinking of a third trip. The Rough Guide was the guide book I used on my last trip. Perhaps he is tired of the emphasis on Polands recent past, but I would like to remind him of the other guide books I checked out, this was the only one that provided details of the places that I wanted to visit. On my first trip there, the deemphasis of the Jewish hallocaust was astounding, I attributed to the recent change in governments. Even the Jewish Star in the Salt Mine was zipped through. If it hadn't been for the Rough Guide, my knowlege would have been less. I'm sorry he feels it is "tiresome" it is something that can't be swept away. After all it was Poland that had a pogram AFTER WW 2 in which more returning Jews were killed. If he does not wish to read about events that happened, he should find another guide.

Kind of depressing to read.

While the guide gives the usual tourist information for the main attractions in Poland, it fails to interest the reader in visiting Poland. Reading it is actually kind of depressing.

Instead of emphasizing the vibrant history of Poland and its people, the guide tends to dwell on the sadness of its past - especially in its tiresome emphasis throughout on Jews, Nazis and the Holocaust. Reading it is kind of like listening to your semi-depressed, Jewish friend tell you of his first visit to Poland on a temple-sponsered trip that he didn't really want to go on.

As an American of 100% Polish descent, I was thoroughly excited to visit Poland last year for two weeks. And I loved it. This guide does not do it justice.

I recommend the Lonely Planet guide to Poland. It's accurate, thorough in what it covers and emphasizes the appeal of Poland. But I'll admit, the Rough Guide is slightly more comprehensive.

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