I’ve lived in Bangkok for over 6 years, and found that Suzanne missed a lot of great places to eat or stay just in Bangkok. Chiang Mai’s section was the same thing – obvious places that any local should know about weren’t included in the book, which was a pity. She writes very well, but the information in the book was minimal at best, so, unfortunately I wouldn’t recommend it (although like others on here) I wouldn’t recommend Lonely Planet either – a lot of their information is often outdated and useless.

Good interview!

http://www.OurExplorer.com
local guides, local wisdom

Thanks very much for the clarification. If you re-read the first couple of sentences in the second paragraph of your interview introduction, above, I think you’ll see why this misunderstanding occurred.

I appreciate your taking the time to explain, and I’m sorry for hijacking the conversation about Thailand!

William Friar
author, “Moon Guidebooks: Panama”
http://www.panamaguidebooks.com

Suzanne’s book left out a lot of details about places to go and see and I was surprised to find that her accommodation and dining section were so short. She missed a number of big places to stay and eat in Bangkok and on many of the islands I know.

Thailand is a huge country and I don’t think doing a 400 page guidebook on the country does it much justice in the way of nuts and bolts. Overall, I found Suzanne’s book to be great for the story, not so great on practical options.

I don’t have that critic of your book though and was not slightly you or your guidebook. Comments on our interview suggest that your guidebook is the best. Many readers like it. My thoughts are on the Thailand book

Thanks for your kind words about my Moon guide to Panama. But I was surprised by your suggestion that it is “short on detailed practical information.”

I suggest you take another look, as that’s not a comment anyone’s ever made. Every destination in Panama is covered in detail. For larger destinations, I list and describe dozens of places to eat, stay, things to do, etc. If an area is a tiny backwater, I still include the most promising holes-in-the-wall to try and how to find them.

The book includes everything from detailed trail guides (along the lines of “turn left at the second stream”) to comparisons of hidden gay bars to how to hitch a ride on boats sailing to Colombia.

It was especially ironic for you to suggest the Lonely Planet as a source for more detailed information. The Lonely Planet guide to Panama has not been properly updated since 2001. The most current edition raves about a Panama City restaurant that closed in 2004, leaves out a hotel that Conde Nast declared one of the 10 best in the world in 2006, describes a region that’s been booming for several years as a remote backwater with only one place to stay, and so on. (Don’t take my word for it — check out the LP’s Amazon reviews.)

My book is 300,000 words long, easily the longest and (I’m pleased to say) generally acknowledged as the most complete guide to Panama. It’s long enough to include both background and history AND detailed practical information. (Again, look at the Amazon reviews.)

Everyone of course has different taste in guidebooks, but I don’t know of anyone who’s used my book and wanted more nuts and bolts. If anything, some would probably have preferred less!

Criticism of a book is fair enough. But it really needs to be accurate.

–
William Friar
author, “Moon Handbooks: Panama”
http://www.panamaguidebooks.com

That is SUCH a good question. You should ask this during every interview. Thanks!