Others say...

"Geared towards baby boomers"
This book is geared towards relatively affluent baby boomers. I say "relatively" because he advocates a lot of eating in restaurants and staying in B&Bs, which is not an inexpensive way to visit Europe. If you prefer to travel with a backpack and stay in hostels or other less expensive quarters (whether you're a baby boomer or not) this book has very few hints for traveling that way.

Check this out of the library before buying. He has some good info in the book, and his website is very informative, but his assumption that most Americans have bad manners when overseas wears thin after a while. He also makes a big deal about dressing/acting like the locals. Well, as soon as you open your mouth, they'll know you're not one, whatever you're wearing. And, watching any of his shows, you'll see people wearing American clothes everywhere--just like stores that used to be only in New York, San Francisco, Paris etc. are now in many local malls--you can find these stores in other countries, too.

Finally, I think he exaggerates somewhat the threat of thieves and scam artists overseas. Yes, you need to be careful of your money and travel documents because you can't just run home in 10 minutes and get things replaced, but you can be ripped off at home by pickpockets and scam artists too. Being aware of your surroundings is the best way to keep from being ripped off, at home or not.

"It's a best-of compilation"
I paid $5.50 for this. At that price I'm happy, but would not be at four times that price.

I like the Rick Steve's books very much. This one has the "best of" for the sites at the various European destinations for which he has individual books. Also, approx. half the book is his general advise, which is basically included in each of his books.

Buy the 2007 book at the cheap price. I doubt there's much new in the 2008 edition.

"Not as Helpful as I had Expected"
I bought this book thinking that it would be a great partner to my Lonely Planet guide but I was wrong. I used this book only a few times. The information wasn't extremely helpful for planning and there just was too much of it. The writing is interesting but it wasn't a necessary book to plan my trip. My cousin (who I traveled with) also had this book and felt the same way. We both left our copies at random hostels on our trip because they were just extra weight.

"Best traveling advices I ever got"
This is the best reference book I ever encountered for the type of international travel I really love: living like a local, visiting the real places, meeting the real people and spending a lot less money than if I were "going thru the front door" . Thank you very much Rick Steves!
Sincerely, Rolando Zerquera,
Miami, FL

"A must have"
Europe is very different from being in the U.S. Rick Steves offers so much helpful advice on how to blend in and not stand out as a tourist from the USA. I found his advice particularly helpful (and alarming) when it came to tips to avoid being a victim of crime, such as pickpocking, etc. If one is traveling to Europe, you owe it to yourself and those in the countries where you are traveling, to try and communicate effectively, therefore, minimizing stress.