Don't Leave Home Without IT

The day Jessie left for China (we know, another China posting, but it's worth it, we promise), our books editor received the new Knopf MapGuide to Beijing in the mail. She passed it on to Jessie, who slipped it into her carry-on before making tracks to the airport.

And boy was she glad she did. The small, slim volume—containing six foldout maps of major neighborhoods—was so useful Jessie left it with her hostess at the end of her trip. Not only are the new guides easily portable with clearly legible maps, but they contain practical details (prices, opening hours) about key sites in each area, as well as map-specific recommendations for restaurants, bars, shopping, even massage parlors. The series covers favorite cities from Miami to Marrakech, as well as a few larger destinations, including Normandy and Majorca. Tuck one in your left cargo pocket, and you're good to go.