[.ca] Shanghai Insight Guide (ISBN 9812349626)

substantial guide:
If you are looking for a cheap, pocket-size guidebook full of hackneyed cliches about Shanghai, and have the attention span of an MTV- and video game-addled ten-year-old, then by all means, don't buy this book. But if you are looking for something more substantial, the kind of guide that you can sink your teeth into and absorb valuable information about the city's history, society, culture, cuisine, arts and entertainment, then this is the book for you. Having lived in Shanghai for several years, and having spent the past ten years studying the history and culture of the city, I can state definitively that this is by far the most substantial guidebook to Shanghai on the market today. Kudos to editor Francis Dorai for gathering together so many experts to reveal the city's mystique and explain its mysteries.

don't get shanghaied into buying this book:
This guidebook is impractical to use. It is thick and bulky so makes it impractical to carry around in a purse. Bring a backpack to carry this mini telephone book around. The writing is somewhat dry and out of date as well. I found the Lonely Planet guide much better for getting around. It can fit in a handbag or pocket

Perfect in all aspects:
I got the new 2003 Edition, and it is much more compact and light than the previous one. Amazing colorful pictures on every page and impressive narrative. Compared to Frommer's that I also bought for my trip, this one wins hands down. It's a very interesting reading, superbly informative and perfectly up-to-date. I also added Insight Shanghai Fleximap to my order and was pleasantly surprised by the quality of design. So if you are heading to Sanghai or just want to explore the city without leaving your bed, this book is made for you.