ASIA A TO Z

Asia-bound? This is the most satisfactory all-round guide we have found for the area covered. Virtually everything needed is there and in the main so arranged that it provides practical advance reading and on the spot use. The countries omitted in Asia are ones unlikely to be demanded by the tourist: the inclusion of Iran accepts the fact that round-the -world travellers will make it a postlude or to Asia proper. One reservation, which may be unnecessary when maps are available (19 are planned), is that the relation of areas and districts one to another in countries like India- to a lesser extent Japan- is not sharply enough defined to make advance planning easy unless there is a carefully detailed accompanying map. For the rest, you can count on data on preparation, requirements, festivals, hotels, transportation, shopping hints and sightseeing against excellent summary information on history, politics, etc. The arrangement is alphabetical by countries; within the countries regional grouping. Index for ready reference. Mr. Kane has a pleasant style, brisk, informative, and when he can do it, sincerely provocative and alluring. Check his other travel books on Asia, Africa and South America.