Each book in this bestselling series, edited by Hugh Johnson, the world's foremost wine writer, offers a comprehensive and inspirational guide to traveling in one of the world's top wine regions. Evocative descriptions of wine routes are accompanied by detailed maps showing the route and surrounding vineyards. Each title also includes the author's recommendations for hotels, restaurants, and producers. There are eight titles in this series on European wine regions, edited by famed wine expert Johnson (Hugh Johnson's Pocket Encyclopedia of Wine, S. & S., 1993). The authors are well-known wine writers, and the books offer tours through various wine-producing regions. There are individual maps, lists of recommended wineries with phone numbers and languages spoken, food specialties, hotels, restaurants, and places of interest. The color photographs are splendid, the information on the wines and vineyards excellent. The books, though not pocket-size, are convenient for the backpack. One wishes they had more information on travel by train. For those interested in the wine country of Europe, these are first-rate guides that may be used with more general guides. [For more on the subject of wine, see "Uncorking Your Wine and Beer Collections," p. 61-64.?Ed.]?George M. Jenks, Bucknell Univ., Lewisburg, Pa. -?George M. Jenks, Bucknell Univ., Lewisburg, Pa. Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. Maureen Ashley, Master of Wine, is a specialist in Italian wines and writes regularly for several of the UK's major wine magazines. She is consultant to the Italian Trade Centre and lectures and gives tutored tastings on Italian wines throughout the UK. Her enthusiasm and love of Italian's culture, countryside, and the Italian way of life permeates all her writing.