Christian Travelers Guide to Italy, The
Seeing the need to fill a niche in the travel guide genre,  general editor Hexham (religious studies, Univ. of Calgary) has  created a series of guides designed to appeal to Christians.  These guides do not lead tourists to the most popular bars or  shopping districts but instead to the various Christian heritage  sites in each country. Hexham's theory is that since there are  travel guides geared toward other sociological groups (gays,  singles, retirees), the market is also there to reach out to  Christians who wish to explore the roots of their religion. His  vast knowledge of history and religion makes these  well-researched books a treasure trove of historical information. Each guide follows the same layout: Hexham begins with an  overview of the history of each country from prehistoric times  to the present. He then includes a chapter on literature, art,  and architecture and lists what he considers the top ten  Christian heritage sites in each country. Each entry thereafter  is in alphabetical order by place name and includes some  background information, specific sites to visit, and biographies  of significant people associated with the site. In Great  Britain, visit the birthplace of the Scottish Reformation in  Edinburgh; in France, learn the difference between a  Gothic-style cathedral (Notre Dame) and a Romanesque-style  cathedral (St.  tienne Cathedral); in Germany, follow the  progress and fall of the Holy Roman Empire by visiting Aachen;  and in Italy, visit the ancient Roman ruins and learn their part  in the history of Christianity, then visit the Vatican City, the  seat of the Catholic Church. There is also a useful web site  associated with the series (www.christian-travelers-guides.com),  which gives further information on Christian travel agents,  hotels, and more. Recommended for all public libraries. Sandy  Knowles, Henderson Cty. P.L., NCCopyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.