The Beijing Guide - Helping travelers discover Beijing and the 2008 Olympics

Odyssey Books & Guides
Guidebook Sponsor of The Beijing Guide

Odyssey Guides take the reader to the heart of a destination, bringing to life the atmosphere, the literature, the history and the culture which combine to give the distinctive character to a country, region or city.

“…Odyssey fans tend to be adventurous travelers with a literary bent. If you’re lucky enough to find an Odyssey Guide to where you’re going, grab it.” – National Geographic Traveler


Beijing and Shanghai
China's Hottest Cities

Read the Table of Contents and Introduction
(Adobe Acrobat PDF)

China’s drive into the 21st century has been fueled by the relationship - and competition - between Beijing, its ancient political and cultural capital, and Shanghai, its economic growth engine. The history of modern China, since 1850, has in many ways been defined by Beijing’s exercise of policy over what only a century and a half ago was a fishing village. In a century, Shanghai cast off its fishing nets and rose to become the region’s leading economic metropolis, a position it seems determined to re-take, this time with Beijing’s blessing.

Travelers to China will almost inevitably visit both of these dynamic cities. The first edition of Beijing and Shanghai is a vibrant guide to what’s hot and what’s cool in China’s twin cities. Combining the latest developments in restoration, entertainment, transportation and accommodation with historical writing by acclaimed authors describing each city’s high and low moments, Beijing and Shanghai presents a sophisticated guide to urban China the traveler has never had before.

Few guidebooks are written by authors resident in the cities they are covering. Most ‘parachute’ in for a few weeks to cover a destination. Our authors are ‘locals’ with an intimate knowledge, not only of the history, but of contemporary city life and culture.

Steven Schwankert - Author

American Schwankert is an award-winning editor and journalist with more than eight years of experience in China. Fluent in Mandarin, Steven holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Massachusetts and a Master’s in journalism from the University of Colorado. His work has appeared in Beijing Scene, The Wall Street Journal, Far Eastern Economic Review, That’s Beijing and That’s Shanghai.

Peter Hibbard - Author

Englishman Hibbard has been professionally involved with China travel and tourism since the mid-1980s - as an academic and practitioner, leading groups and organizing tours. Peter has traveled overland to every province and region of China and is the pre-eminent authority on the country’s history of travel and tourism. He has produced a wide range of publications related to his interests and lives with his family in Shanghai.

Book Information

Publication Date : June 2004
Category : Travel/History
ISBN : 962-217-728-X
Edition : First
Paperback Price : US$24.95 UK£15.95
Pages : 426
Format : 8in x 5.5in
Illustration : 95 color
Maps : 18

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