The Book of Cities

by Philip Dodd (Author)

• Used

  Hardcover
  2006

  $3.25

  'The Book of Cities' is an inspirational gazetteer of 250 cities of all shapes, sizes and moods. Each city is presented in longitudinal order, so, like a contemporary Phileas Fogg, this round-the-world trip sets out from and returns to the Greenwich Meridian. Heading due west from London it visits the Americas and beyond. The book not only contains all the great metropolises, Paris, Rome, New York, Tokyo, but also those lesser known: Nuuk in Greenland, the smallest city in the world; Cordoba, an ancient city of trade and learning. There are cities at the end of the world, such as Anchorage in Alaska, and sites of pilgrimage, whether for sacred or sentimental reasons: Jerusalem or Memphis, Tennessee. Thought-provoking photographs portray the essence of every city. These are accompanied by lively, funky text that captures the vibe and soul of the place. Additional insights are provided by wise and wry quotes from residents and visitors. Useful data accompanies each entry, such as the longitude and latitude, altitude and population. Reduced to a user-friendly and manageable size ideal for travelling, this book may well inspire a first visit, refresh the memories of the well travelled, or simply fire the armchair imagination. It will act as a bible to global urbanites and travellers of all kinds, be they city breakers preferring long weekends to long holidays, or business travellers, who regularly find themselves en route to destinations known and unknown.

• Used

  Hardcover
  2004

  $3.25

  The Book of Cities is an inspirational gazetteer of 250 cities of all shapes, sizes and moods. Cities of dreaming spires, cities that never sleep. Cities of angels and street-urchins. Cities that are brash and vital, where the memories of glories past lie hidden behind ruined facades. The 250 cities are presented in longitudinal order - like a contemporary Phileas Fogg this round-the-world trip sets out from and returns to the Greenwich Meridian. Heading West from London (closely followed by Accra in Ghana at 0[degrees] 6' W) it visits the Americas and beyond. The book contains, of course, all the great metropolises - Paris, Rome, New York, Tokyo - but also those lesser known: Cordoba, an ancient city of trade and learning or Brasilia, an architect's plaything, alongside cities at the end of the world like Anchorage and sites of pilgrimage whether Jerusalem...or Memphis, Tennessee. Each city is portrayed by photographs capturing its essence, accompanied by succinct, funky texts that, like a postcard home, capture the vibe and soul of the place as though you were sitting at a corner street cafe watching the city's life flow by. Additional insights are provided by wise and wry quotes from residents and visitors. Here you will not find recommendations on where to stay or where to shop. That is the preserve of guide books.