middle east

The Places In Between

Egypt (Eyewitness Travel Guides)

Istanbul: Memories and the City

A shimmering evocation, by turns intimate and panoramic, of one of the world’s great cities, by its foremost writer. Orhan Pamuk was born in Istanbul and still lives in the family apartment building where his mother first held him in her arms. His portrait of his city is thus also a self-portrait, refracted by memory and the melancholy–or hüzün– that all Istanbullus share: the sadness that comes of living amid the ruins of a lost empire.

With cinematic fluidity, Pamuk moves from his glamorous, unhappy parents to the gorgeous, decrepit mansions overlooking the Bosphorus; from the dawning of his self-consciousness to the writers and painters–both Turkish and foreign–who would shape his consciousness of his city. Like Joyce’s Dublin and Borges’ Buenos Aires, Pamuk’s Istanbul is a triumphant encounter of place and sensibility, beautifully written and immensely moving.

Lonely Planet Turkey

From Antarctica to Zimbabwe, if you're going there chances are Lonely Planet has been there first. With a pithy and matter-of-fact writing style, these guides are guaranteed to calm the nerves of first-time world travelers, while still listing off-the-beaten-path finds sure to thrill even the most jaded globetrotters. Lonely Planet has been perfecting its guidebooks for nearly 30 years, and as a result has experience and know-how similar to an older sibling's "been there" advice. The original backpacker's bible, the LP series has recently widened its reach. While still giving insights for the low-budget traveler, the books now list a wide range of accommodations and itineraries for those with less time than money.

This bestselling guide is the ticket to no-nonsense travel in Turkey. Far-reaching coverage of the sights--from the modern to the ancient--is complemented by a Turkish food guide, useful language section and glossary, and thorough accommodation coverage (from hostels to hotels). A section devoted to Turkish carpets explains everything from traditional patterns to making a good buy. --Kathryn True

Imagine Byzantine chariot teams clashing as you cross the Hippodrome in Istanbul. Hear the whoosh of the flame in the balloon as you float over the fairy chimneys of Cappadocia. Tackle Yusufeli Gorge's mighty 'King Kong' rapids on the Coruh River. Learn how to cut your raki with water to lessen a hangover.

Eight authors, more than 300 days of in-country research, 123 detailed maps, dozens of doner kebaps consumed.

Special trekking chapter, complete with resources section, by trekking specialist Kate Clow.

From the caravan trail to tips for daredevils, explore Turkey your own way with our in-depth itineraries.

Content updated daily: visit lonelyplanet.com for up-to-the-minute reviews and traveller suggestions.

Turkey (Eyewitness Travel Guides)

From Greek and Roman ruins such as Ephesus to busting bazaars to virgin beaches, this guide brings the reader the best that Turkey has to offer. Includes extensive coverage of the different quarters of Istanbul and highlights places such as Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque.

Jerusalem and the Holy Land (Eyewitness Travel Guides)

Istanbul (EYEWITNESS TRAVEL GUIDE)

Shadow of the Silk Road

Shadow of the Silk Road records a journey along the greatest land route on earth. Out of the heart of China into the mountains of Central Asia, across northern Afghanistan and the plains of Iran and into Kurdish Turkey, Colin Thubron covers some seven thousand miles in eight months. Making his way by local bus, truck, car, donkey cart and camel, he travels from the tomb of the Yellow Emperor, the mythic progenitor of the Chinese people, to the ancient port of Antioch—in perhaps the most difficult and ambitious journey he has undertaken in forty years of travel.

The Silk Road is a huge network of arteries splitting and converging across the breadth of Asia. To travel it is to trace the passage not only of trade and armies but also of ideas, religions and inventions. But alongside this rich and astonishing past, Shadow of the Silk Road is also about Asia today: a continent of upheaval.

One of the trademarks of Colin Thubron's travel writing is the beauty of his prose; another is his gift for talking to people and getting them to talk to him. Shadow of the Silk Road encounters Islamic countries in many forms. It is about changes in China, transformed since the Cultural Revolution. It is about false nationalisms and the world's discontented margins, where the true boundaries are not political borders but the frontiers of tribe, ethnicity, language and religion. It is a magnificent and important account of an ancient world in modern ferment.

Streetwise Jerusalem Map - Laminated City Street Map of Jerusalem, Israel - Folding pocket size travel map (Streetwise (Streetwise Maps))

Streetwise Jerusalem Map - Laminated City Street Map of Jerusalem, Israel - Folding pocket size travel map

This map covers the following areas:
Main Jerusalem Map 1:17,000
Old City Map 1:7,000

Lonely Planet Israel & the Palestinian Territories (Lonely Planet Israel)

Listen for church bells and the call to prayer as the golden light of late afternoon illuminates Jerusalem, p. 88.
Dig your feet into the sand at a Tel Aviv beachside bar, p. 175.
Tend organic vegetables and fertilize your mind at Kibbutz Lotan, p. 344.
Start a conversation in the West Bank - how do you pickle olives? p. 295.

Six authors, 234 days of research, 12 army roadblocks, countless falafels.

History and Environment chapters by renowned experts.
The only guidebook with detailed coverage of the West Bank and Gaza.
You asked for it, we researched it: more sustainable travel experiences than ever, from eco-hotels to hiking trips.