101 Places Not to See Before You Die

June 15, 2010

While shelves groan with books informing readers what they must see before they die, journalist Price comes along with a collection of what not to see under any circumstances. She has visited many of these locations (e.g., Euro Disney, the Winchester Mystery House, amateur night at a shooting range), and she includes contributions from the likes of Michael Pollan, Mary Roach, and A.J. Jacobs. Some places are impossible to visit (a moon of Jupiter, the Yucatan peninsula where a giant asteroid smacked into it), and some must have been discovered during a Google search (the Bejing Museum of Tap Water, hotels that used to be prisons). Price is a delightful writer who manages to give readers more giggles in under-two-page entries than many writers could in an entire chapter. Nothing is spared here; the state of Nevada, Arizona's Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, and the Blarney Stone all get a thumbs-down. VERDICT Necessary? Probably not. Destined to be a favorite with readers? Definitely! Highly recommended.--Joseph L. Carlson, Vandenberg Air Force Base Lib., CA

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