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Mstation Book Reviews
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Tue, 03 Jul 2007

Wallpaper travel, Berlin, Dubai, LA

Wallpaper Travel series - Berlin, Phaedon

Goodness, if anyone got the impression that Wallpaper magazine was about outsiders to cool looking in after IPC Media took over, then this book confirms it. The whole thing smacks of picking up on one or another well-known factlet to show that they're in-the-know, followed by complete nonsense.

There are some well-known restaurants, shops, etc mentioned but really, you're better off reading our own short guide to Berlin, here.

Dubai

This is a little better and Dubai being a relatively uncomplicated place, so it should be. In all these titles there are an abundance of nice photos. The main choice you need to make here is city or beach with the beach being the more popular choice and in this area this guide doesn't get it at all and certainly doesn't pick up on any finer points- and yes, people do go there for some serious winter beach time.

There are little sneers on the way through. These are redundant as who goes to Dubai for "good" taste?

LA

This is the best of these three and while we wouldn't give it 4 stars, it does at least seem to have a little basic understanding of the place which is more than can be said for the others. Or maybe LA is beyond understanding and any random assortment would do. And, hmmm, Venice Beach? Would you only mention Muscle Beach and tatstastic? How about the boho, beat, rock 'n' roll underpinnngs - Jim Morrrison of the Doors hung out there one summer and some interesting artists live there now.

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