Target Audience

Fodor’s has five primary series: The Gold Guides are for general travelers. The Compass Guides are meant for domestic U.S. travelers. The Citypack Guides focus on urban travelers. The See It Guides target people who prefer pictures to words. And the Exploring Guides are best for people seeking adventure and extreme travel.
To buy: www.fodors.com.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Ever since 1936, when Eugene Fodor published his first book, On the Continent, Fodor’s has been known for the best background research of all guide- books. “It’s high-quality, very informative, and to the point,” says Ken Hieber of the 2Afrika tour company. However, all that research allows little room for opinion and can leave the books feeling flat. Updated every one to two years.

What It Says About Paris

“Whether weaned on Hemingway or Henry James, Doisneau or Cartier-Bresson, Brassaï or Cecil Beaton, Westerners share an image of Paris as the city of lovers.”