The most useful of all was simply a laminated folding map: Artwise Florence Museum Map – Laminated Museum Map of Florence, Italy
(not pictured). I borrowed this from a friend and it took care of 90% of my navigational needs. I had researched what sights I wanted to see in advance which lessened the need for in-depth information. It is a simple tri-fold so it fits easily in one’s pocket.

The DK Guide Top 10 Florence and Tuscany (Eyewitness Top 10 Travel Guides) was great for research prior to the trip, checking opening and closing times while traveling, and navigating the larger museums. It is, however, heavy as are all of the DK guides with their laminated luxuriousness.

The Lonely Planet Florence Encounter guide made for interesting reading before the trip but I never even looked at it while in Italy. You can skip this one unless you like Lonely Planet’s style and particular info. It is smaller and lighter than the DK.

The most useful of the books was Knopf MapGuide: Florence (Knopf Mapguides). This was my first encounter with this series. It features small fold-out maps of each neighborhood with a bit of info on key sights and attractions for each. It is thin, light, and the neighborhood maps provide more detail that you’ll find with Artwise yet aren’t as cumbersome as a traditional map. If you think you’ll have the chance to play one hour tourist on your next business trip, bring one of these along. They are available for a couple of dozen cities.

An excursion to Rome for a meeting gave me the chance to try to old format guide books: the Blue Guide Rome (Tenth Edition) (Blue Guides) and the Michelin the Green Guide Rome (Michelin Green Guides). Both were earlier editions than that to which I’ve linked as they were borrowed from a friend. The Blue Guide sprung from what I call the “homework” school of guide books: lots of reading because you are going to learn, damn it. Helpful for history buffs but not for one who is going to squeeze in a couple of sights around a business meeting. Too heavy as well.

It was good to be back with a Michelin Green Guide as I cut my teeth in foreign travel with them many years ago. They were long far superior to Fodor’s and the other more pedestrian guide books though they’ve lost their luster: DK is more visually appealing and publishers of all sorts have brought out myriad variations to tease and tempt. Oh for the old Baedecker. The Michelin maps were useful, the elongated format easy to carry and reference, and the alphabetical arrangement of sights made it easy to find things I could name. For vacation, perhaps, but too much for this trip.

The winners then are Artwise Florence, part of the Streetwise series, and the Knopf MapGuides Florence book. More on the trip itself in my next post.

Fiction
Devices and Desires (Adam Dalgliesh Mysteries, No. by P.D. James. There’s nothing quite like a classic British mystery for summertime reading. Dashing Inspector Adam Dalgliesh once again works his magic.

Non-Fiction
Strategy for Sustainability: A Business Manifesto. Adam Werbach makes the case that there is far more than simply doing the right thing for the planet in a sustainability strategy. It’s much more about ensuring that your organization has a world in which it can operate profitably for as long as possible. We’re not sure how many converts this book will make but it will provide fresh fodder with which sustainability evangelists can make their case.

Music
Woodstock: 40 Years on: Back to Yasgur’s Farm (6CD, Limited Edition). It really fills up the iPod and it really brings back memories (even if we are too young to have been there the first time around).

The Economist reports that W.H. Smith, one of the big UK booksellers and the exclusive bookseller at Britain’s airports, has signed a deal to exclusively offer travel guides published by Penguin at its airport locations.

Penguin publishes Rough Guide and DK Guides so the selection won’t be total schlock but what about Lonely Planet or even some of the city guides published by Fodor’s and the like (not generally our favorites but occasionally a reasonably priced, short format that works)?

As excutives, we generally don’t want to carry a cumbersome guide. However, we do want choice and that’s something that W.H. Smith will be denying us in its airport locations. Aren’t booksellers and publishers having a hard enough time these days?

What do you think?

Fiction: The Spare Wife by Alex Witchell. While the rich, glamorous protagonists and their media vocations seem so last October, there is adultery and other double-dealing fun. It’s an amusing tale that will make you happy that you aren’t among the New York glitterati.

Non-fiction: The Age of the Unthinkable: Why the New World Disorder Constantly Surprises Us And What We Can Do About It by Joshua Cooper Ramo. If you read one non-fiction book this year, make it this one. It will change how you see and think about the world.

Music: Quiet Nights by Diana Krall. This is the Diana we fell in love with way back when. Sultry, sexy, and oh-so smooth. Pop in the ear buds, close your eyes, and take off.

Non-fiction: The Brand Bubble: The Looming Crisis in Brand Value and How to Avoid It. This is critical reading for those interested in the value of brands. The authors’ research shows that companies think their brands are worth more than do the customers who buy them.

Fiction:  The Piano Teacher: A Novel. Mid-20th century Hong Kong is the setting for two love affairs that contrast cultures and explore the difficulties of love amidst war.

Music: After Slumdog Millionaire‘s romp at the Academy Awards, how could we not load Slumdog Millionaire onto the iPod? A.R. Rahman’s score captures the vibrancy and richness of Mumbai.

Fiction The Commoner by Jonathan Burnham Schwartz. This story of a commoner marrying the Emperor of Japan in the aftermath of WWII will sweep you away from today’s troubles..

Non-fiction The Global Achievement Gap by Tony Wagner. This insightful look at needed education reform is a great read.

Music Waiting on the 9 by Lelia Broussard. This independent singer-songwriter serves up a soulful collection of new tunes. Be the first on your flight to discover her.