“Istanbul’s Bazaar Quarter: Backstreet Walking Tours” ($29.95, Citlembik Publications)
Turkey is at the top of all the lists this year of hot destinations, and for good reason. It’s filled with tradition and history, great food, interesting architecture — the list goes on. Guides that help travelers get around what can be a confusing and chaotic place have been in short supply, so this one by Ann Marie Mershon, who taught English in Istanbul for five years, and Edda Renker Weissenbacher, a Turkish historian who leads walking tours through the city, is a great find. A few things I love about it: the included pronunciations of the site names (a personal struggle); the detailed walking directions; the charming, hand- drawn maps that are nonetheless accurate, in color, and also highlighted with the walking routes; and the photographs, which look as though they were taken by a regular person rather than a pro, and thus have a unique charm because the people are smiling warmly, not stiffly. The book is small enough to carry on but really crammed with useful info. Kyle Wagner
