A large format version of the popular Eyewitness Travel Guide features meticulously detailed three-dimensional and cutaway illustrations of popular landmarks and sites throughout Great Britain, along with fascinating travel information, full-color photography, and detailed captions. What you notice right off are the maps. They're big and easy to read, colorful, and beautifully made. The opening map reveals England and Scotland as well as the Shetland and Orkney Islands, plus Ireland and the northern coast of France, Belgium, and the Netherlands. Turn the page and you come to another outstanding map, this one of Regional Great Britain, color-coded to distinguish between East Anglia, Wessex, Devon, and the Thames Valley, and displaying all the major motorways, roads, railway lines, airports, coach stations, airports, ferry ports, and a mileage chart. Portrait of Britain may be a tad heavy (more than five pounds) to lug along on a trip, but the maps in this coffee-table compendium are well worth packing. Maps aside, the book is an Anglophile's dream, covering history, regional traditions, architecture, culture, and food. The pictures are of outstanding quality. (The hills of Widecombe-in-the-Moor are as lusciously verdant as the Eton schoolboys are austerely prim and the afternoon tea at Thornbury Castle Hotel is elegant.) Portrait of Britain explains the development of British gardens, the history of the pansy flower, the structure of stately homes, and the construction of the thatched cob cottage. There are essays on flora and fauna, aristocracy, pub draughts, the cheeses of England, tea time, the Spanish armada, and the Chippendale chair. There's also a calendar of oh-so-British happenings, including the Crufts Dog Show in Birmingham, the Oyster Festival in Colchester, and Maundy Thursday when the Queen hands out money to pensioners. Then come the regional sections, providing an extraordinary quantity of information on every segment of Great Britain, from London and Wales to the Midlands and Scotland--detailing gardens, castles, cathedrals, hikes, Museums, shopping, historic streets and suggested routes, all embellished with the kind of pictures that make it hard to plan a sensible itinerary. For inspirational photography and text, you can't beat what DK produces. It's a severe trial to browse Portrait of Britain and not book a flight to Heathrow. --Stephanie Gold Weighing in at five pounds and 720 pages, this travel guide is hardly a take-along book. However, like most of DK's lavishly illustrated efforts, this is a gem to be treasured by any Anglophile. Maps of Great Britain serve as an introduction to this island kingdom, and the tour of major roadways is followed by an in-depth look at English life that explores everything from architecture to edibles. Britain's history is delineated with an illustrated time line, which is followed by a list of special events throughout the year. Next comes an intensive tour of London, with exploration of the remainder of Britain by its distinctive regions. There's also a 14-page comprehensive index to make the book useful as a reference. Attractive illustrations and photographs add to the charm of this hefty volume, while sightseeing information makes it eminently practical for planning a trip. It's hard to imagine a more comprehensive guide to Britain's landscapes, treasures, and traditions. Highly recommended. -Janet N. Ross, Sparks Branch Lib., NV Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. A must for lovers of Britain... Dazzling! -- Philadelphia Inquirer A pictorial souvenir that takes readers on a stunning visual journey. -- Orlando Sentinel Great resource before your trip and a treasured reference after you return. -- Arizona Republic I have never seen another volume that is as informative and helpful to someone who wants to experience the wonders of great britain. -- Wisconsin State Journal Portrait of Britain will give lovers of all things British something to oooh and aaah over. -- Pittsburgh Post Gazette Used Book in Good Condition