Get Lost
Get Lost is one of my favorite book stores in the city. This independent book store is geared entirely towards travelers, providing everything from guide books and cultural reads to travel accessories such as bags, games and my favorite Moleskin notebooks. They also host author events in the evenings which are always entertaining. Every month they send out an update email with inspirational quotes, recommended reads and their calendar of events. This month's email made me smile:
Guidebooks are a sometimes friend. When on the road you come to understand how they're organized and what to expect from them. You rely on their opinions. Then, after a time, you find that some of the descriptions about a place are wrong: Too laudatory or too dismissive; the writing is decorative or vague; how come you didn't notice that before? You wonder if the writers have even seen what it is they are recommending or just relying on tourist board handouts. I am on vacation in Croatia, Bosnia and Slovenia accompanied by a small stack of guidebooks. At Get Lost we make recommendations based on a series' general reputation or customer feedback. To use the guidebooks while on vacation is, of course, the true test of their worth. Whatever their merits or shortcomings, I am reminded again that the test is based on the degree to which they can point you in the right direction. On the island of Vis we found a trail that led past a pebbled beach to an abandoned navy post, complete with bunkers and artillery. Most of the guidebooks explain that the entire island was closed to visitors for military reasons until 1989. None give directions as to where to find traces of this history. The limited information, the omissions, the wrong addresses and odd recommendations are indications of the limitations of the genre. It is because of these limitations that I am aware of how the books serve a particular function. With this in mind, I know, as an active participant in travel, it is necessary to put the books away, at least metaphorically, and to go out, wander and explore.
These guidebook shortcomings are exactly what led us to build On The Road Travel. You can sign up for Get Lost's emails on their website, www.getlostbooks.com. Store details are as follow:
Get Lost Travel Books
1825 Market Street (@ Guerrero)
San Francisco, California 94103
415-437-0529
Hours:
Mon-Fri 10:00 am - 7:00 pm
Sat 10:00 am - 6:00pm
Sun 11:00 am - 5:00 pm
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