Founders of the phenomenally successful publishing company Lonely Planet, Tony and Maureen Wheeler have produced travel guides to just about every ...
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Oct 05, 2011
Rebecca
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This book was written by the founders of Lonely Planet. I am not a Lonely Planet fan by any means. In my whole "anti-popular" phase, which apparently I still have today for some things, if everyone has one thing, then I must, just for my own sanity, head the other direction. And for travel guide books, this is one of them. I have read too much on how Lonely Planet has westernized too much stuff and I am so blah on a lot of that. Not that I am any better. I still use books and my series
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May 09, 2009
Amit
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Tony and Maureen Wheeler talk about all the places they have visited so far, how they built Lonely Planet as a publishing house, and share their personal views on several topics.
The Wheelers' have travelled so widely that even the names of all the places they have been to can be tough to follow! They understandably have to rush through them. The most interesting part of the travel memoir section is the comparison between how the places were in the 70s/80s and how they are now, somet More...
The Wheelers' have travelled so widely that even the names of all the places they have been to can be tough to follow! They understandably have to rush through them. The most interesting part of the travel memoir section is the comparison between how the places were in the 70s/80s and how they are now, somet More...
Feb 14, 2010
Harun Harahap
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Saya yakin banyak sekali orang tahu tentang ”Lonely Planet”, sebuah buku panduan perjalanan yang telah terbit dengan berbagai edisi di berbagai negara pula. Lonely Planet telah membantu banyak pelancong untuk menjelajahi suatu daerah.
Buku ”The Lonely Planet Story” ini menceritakan kisah dibalik sukses Tony dan Maureen Wheleer mendirikan usaha Lonely Planet menjadi buku panduan perjalanan terbesar di dunia. Kisah pasangan muda yang senang menjelajahi tempat baru dimulai saat keh More...
Buku ”The Lonely Planet Story” ini menceritakan kisah dibalik sukses Tony dan Maureen Wheleer mendirikan usaha Lonely Planet menjadi buku panduan perjalanan terbesar di dunia. Kisah pasangan muda yang senang menjelajahi tempat baru dimulai saat keh More...
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Jul 25, 2009
Martha
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It was very interesting to learn about how a company like Lonely Planet got started and developed over the years. Wheeler writes in a casual style that works well. At times the book devolves into a list of places they visited and doesn't have the interesting travel stories you might wish for. But, it is a book about their company, not their travels and the listing of the itinerary doesn't bog the book down.
I've used Lonely Planet guides for years and it was certainly satisfying to More...
I've used Lonely Planet guides for years and it was certainly satisfying to More...
Mar 31, 2011
Uci
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Saya selalu beranggapan para penjelajah punya garis tangan yang berbeda dari orang biasa. Ada 'gen' khusus dalam darah mereka yang membuat semua sudut di empat penjuru dunia bisa terasa bagaikan rumah sendiri, tanpa terhalang perbedaan bahasa, adat maupun budaya.
Membaca perjalanan hidup pasangan suami istri Tony dan Maureen Wheeler, kreator buku-buku panduan perjalanan Lonely Planet, makin menegaskan keyakinan saya akan adanya 'gen khusus' tersebut.
Menikah di usia muda, k More...
Membaca perjalanan hidup pasangan suami istri Tony dan Maureen Wheeler, kreator buku-buku panduan perjalanan Lonely Planet, makin menegaskan keyakinan saya akan adanya 'gen khusus' tersebut.
Menikah di usia muda, k More...
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Jul 29, 2011
This is the amazing story of an English couple who backpacked to Australia in 1973 and started the Lonely Planet guidebook business. I enjoyed the description of their efforts, successes and failures. It is dated 2005 - I wonder how the recession affected them after that, as the travel industry seems sensitive to economic factors.
Sep 14, 2007
I picked this up from the library last Sunday and it was this week's train book. A long-time user of Lonely Planet guidebooks, I enjoyed this look into the history of the country and the people behind it.
I like how they didn't dwell on all the details of their trips, but rather created an overview for the reader to follow. Through it all, both Wheelers remained 'normal people' something that isn't always easy to remember with famous people. The tales of Tony's deaths are amusing, alt More...
I like how they didn't dwell on all the details of their trips, but rather created an overview for the reader to follow. Through it all, both Wheelers remained 'normal people' something that isn't always easy to remember with famous people. The tales of Tony's deaths are amusing, alt More...
Aug 26, 2011
Joey
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It is a true account of how one thing leads to another if you let your instinct reigns. And it feels as if you have read the book for the past century when you see the charming duo take aging head on; not even the wrinkles and the extra pounds could stop them from making the best out of life!
May 20, 2009
June
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who says that one must choose between family, hobbies and career? Tony and Maureen have shown it all through their, as seen in the book, wit and courage to hold fast their marriage, their passions to travel round the world and their prospective business along with their family and friends.
Jul 27, 2008
Uma
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I'm a big Lonely Planet guidebook fan. I had read about the founders' story on their website before and when I heard that they were producing a book with more details and about their adventures, I was excited to pick this up. I found this to be an enjoyable read with the story of how they first traveled across countries and how this company came to be. There were a few candid stories about the people that they met along the way, and the crazy adventures they experienced. The only thing I wish
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Jul 07, 2008
Daniel
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This book was OK, but honestly I was expecting more. The entire book suffered from a lack of detail... the travel writing sections of the book were just lists of places with the (very) occasional funny anecdote, and were a chore to read, particularly the lengthy account of the authors' first overland Asia trip that begins the book. The parts of the book about the growth of Lonely Planet were more interesting, but ultimately not satisfying. These sections suffered from a similar lack of detail, a
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Aug 07, 2011
Ernest
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Actually written by Tony and Maureen Wheeler, this is the story about the founding and operating stories of travel publisher Lonely Planet. Thoroughly interesting, this books functions as almost a de-facto autobiography, a book of travel stories and a fascinating insight into a publishing company.
Jan 20, 2009
Cynthia
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If you like to travel and know about The Lonely Planet books, this is the story behind those travel guides. I live to travel, so I liked it of course.
Jul 14, 2011
Walter
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This book told a good story of how two hippy travelers turned their passion into a multimillion dollar company. At times it was far too detailed and was a bit boring. At other times it just seemed like a laundry list of places the wheelers have travelled. Still, I like the story of this narrative and found the mix of business, travel, and enterpenuership interesting enough to finish the book.
It should have been shorter and more focused, but still interesting enough to read.
It should have been shorter and more focused, but still interesting enough to read.
Jan 05, 2009
Mike
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I really liked this book. It was part travelougue and part business book. It was interesting to see how LP started and how it got where it is.
Dec 16, 2009
Jean
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a great story, but i didn't love the way it was told...at times they are rushing through countries and destinations so quickly, you can't keep up, even as a reader. other parts that focus on the business were dry. Overall, I still enjoyed it. One thing that stood out: how much book publishing (and our lives have changed) with the computer/internet age. Imagine cutting and pasting maps and lines of text to create a book! the amount of sweat and effort that went into it was astounding. also
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Aug 05, 2011
Annabelle
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An interesting mix of travel and business stories. Some slow parts, but overall, an interesting read!
Apr 27, 2008
Ron
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The book I brought with me to Thailand (author autographed, from Wide World Books in Wallingford).
I had hoped the author(s) would have spent more pages on the original overland trip across Europe and Asia in the early 70s than on the nuts and bolts of the publishing empire that resulted from the trip (although with my own publishing background, that part was not without interest to me). Some good bits of writing here and there from both Tony and Maureen. (See quotes.)
I had hoped the author(s) would have spent more pages on the original overland trip across Europe and Asia in the early 70s than on the nuts and bolts of the publishing empire that resulted from the trip (although with my own publishing background, that part was not without interest to me). Some good bits of writing here and there from both Tony and Maureen. (See quotes.)
Apr 18, 2011
Alesia
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Fascinating memoir of travel in the 70's and behind the scenes in publishing.
Apr 01, 2011
Guy
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This book gives an interesting overview of the beginnings and evolution of Lonely Planet until 2005. It is not a difficult read, but in quite a few places I found it not very cohesive either, jumping abruptly from one subject to another. Many (personal) comments from Tony and Maureen Wheeler are scattered throughout the main text - several without any link to it. I would give many Lonely Planet guidebooks a higher rating than this story.
Sep 07, 2010
Nancy
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Grabbed this when I was looking for Eat Pray Love, a book I'm expecting and hoping to hate.
Is Wheeler's narrative of how he and his wife began Lonely Planet.
An interesting story, but reads a bit too much like an itinerary. First we were here, then here, then here...
Is Wheeler's narrative of how he and his wife began Lonely Planet.
An interesting story, but reads a bit too much like an itinerary. First we were here, then here, then here...
Mar 02, 2008
Jaynie
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I realy enjoyed the first half of this book. They tell the story of how the Lonely Planet began and about many of their amazing travels. The second half of the book was more about the business end of everything. It is interesting to see how successful they bacame after being so liberal in their ideas. It really goes to show that doing what you love the most can guide your life.
Jun 22, 2011
Joshua
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Not sure if I will actually finish it. The book has far to many lists and does not draw the reader in.
Jun 01, 2008
I love to travel and have done a fair amount of it. But the idea of staying at the Holiday Inn Express in Myrtle Beach holds no interest for me. (And god forbid I go on a cruise.) Travel is about meeting new people and living like the locals. The Lonely Planet guys get that and that's what made me pick up this book. So far it's fascinating.
Aug 18, 2008
Katie
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In general, the LP is my favorite way to go when visiting a new country, especially as they have good maps and information, and guides for just about anywhere you might find yourself. This book was o.k. and I liked it overall, but was expecting a bit more from the story or better writing or something...
Dec 04, 2007
K
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This is titled 'Once While Travelling' in Australia.
Enjoyable read, especially the commentary on the effect of 9/11 on the industry. I would have liked less commentary from Tony Wheeler and more from his wife.
Enjoyable read, especially the commentary on the effect of 9/11 on the industry. I would have liked less commentary from Tony Wheeler and more from his wife.
Feb 08, 2008
Mark
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Fairly run of the mill stuff. First we went here, then we started a business, then we went here, wrote a book about it, then we went here etc.
No great shakes
No great shakes
Oct 25, 2007
Bruce
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This is a great story about travelling in the 70's and 80's and the formation of the AALonely Planet business.
Jan 30, 2008
Danielle
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If you have travel-writing aspirations it is a good story, but rather dryly told.
