1000 Places to See in the USA and Canada Before You Die    by Patricia Schultz Order:  USA  Can Workman, 2007 (2007) Hardcover, Softcover      Reviewed by Alex Telander When travel writer Patricia Schultz published 1000 Places to See Before You Die in 2003, she expected the book to do relatively well. She has written for Frommer's, Berlitz, and Access travel guides, and has published articles in Condé Nast Traveler, Islands, and Harper's Bazaar. But no one predicted such a bestseller. The book was one of the top gifts for Christmas of that year; and expanded into uncharted territories: a calendar, a TV show, a registered trademark, a soon-to-be information-filled website (www.1000beforeyourdie.com), and an idea that will spawn countless sequels, such as Shultz's 1000 Places to See in the USA and Canada Before You Die, released almost exactly four years later. What makes this new book unique for Americans and Canadians is that there is at least one chapter that each person will know very well, for it is about where they live. They likely will be aware of the big tourist spots, the areas one must visit, and locations that are known worldwide; these are all included. However, Schultz takes it further with short articles on spots you may never have heard of, even if you live in a particular area. I have lived in California for some time. I've seen a lot of the popular locations Schultz mentions: Alcatraz Island, Catalina Island, Yosemite, and the Mission Santa Barbara; but on reading this chapter I was thrilled to discover new ones, such as Ojai, a delightful town located north of Los Angeles, as well as the annual Festival of the Arts, held in Laguna Beach each summer. Also included in the chapter on California are articles on popular restaurants for both Los Angeles and San Francisco. Schultz takes readers on a journey through every state of the United States, and every province in Canada, providing valuable information that doesn't take up that much room. Each article is a couple of pages long and ideal for reading in a brief space of time - say, waiting for a train or plane, or taking a cab ride across a city you've never been to before. One of the keys to this book and Schultz's last is the economical way they have been published in paperback (1000 Places to See in USA and Canada Before You Die is also available in hardcover), and while they may not fit in a pocket, they slip into a backpack or purse, weigh little, and are easy to navigate. Schultz goes one step further with her latest book in providing the reader with special indexes in addition to the regular one, including: first-rate hotels, resorts, and spas; unique restaurants and places to eat; scenic drives; getaway islands; and where to take the kids, to name a few. The saying is: 'So many places, so little time.' Thanks to Patricia Schultz, travelers now have two invaluable resources to choose how to spend that time. While not making it possible to see every important place in the world in one lifetime, nevertheless they quantify and qualify what there is to see and why you should see it; whether you're sitting on a couch at home deciding where to journey; or 35,000 feet up on the way to a new and never before seen country. Over a hundred years ago, travelers tended to have their Baedeker on them at all times; in the twenty-first century, it's been supplanted by 1000 Places to See .... Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Travel books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews