Wikipedia

Let's Go (book series)

(Redirected from Let’s Go Travel Guides)
This article is about the travel guides. For the children's textbooks, see Let's Go (textbooks).

Let's Go was a travel guide series researched, written, edited, and run entirely by students at Harvard University. Let's Go was founded in 1960 and headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts.[1]

Let's Go, Inc.
IndustryPublications
GenreTravel guides
Founded1960
FounderOliver Koppell
Harvard Student Agencies
Defunct2022
Headquarters
Cambridge, MA
,
USA
Area served
Worldwide
ProductsTravel guidebooks
ParentHarvard Student Agencies

History

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The first Let's Go guide was a 25-page mimeographed pamphlet put together by 18-year-old Harvard freshman Oliver Koppell and handed out on student charter flights to Europe.

In 1996, Let's Go launched its website, Letsgo.com, while publishing 22 titles and a new line of mini map guides.

Let's Go announced a new print publisher, Avalon Travel,[2] upon the expiration of its contract with St. Martin's Press in 2009.[3] The switch led to a new format for the insides of the books, new retro covers for the outsides, and a rebranding to emphasize Let's Go's student origins. The theme has been changed in 1999, 2002, 2005 and 2009. In 2014, Let's Go began self-publishing for the first time since 1970.[4]

Production of Let's Go was suspended in 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and never restarted.[5]

Editorial style

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Let's Go has used many words to describe the style of its content. "Witty and irreverent" is possibly the most frequently used descriptor; the company takes pride in its youthful, casual, sometimes zany tone and trains its writers to avoid "brochure-ese". Let's Go also promotes the unvarnished opinions of its reviews, stating that they want the takeaway of every single listing, good or bad, to be clear to the reader. This honesty led to a lawsuit against Let's Go in 1990 as a result of a scathing review of an Israeli hostel, but the travel guide was victorious in court, upheld by the judges as "the modern equivalents of Thomas Paine or John Peter Zenger."[6] Other traits the company has emphasized include its budget roots and social consciousness.

Titles

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As of the 2019 series of guidebooks, Let's Go has published 75 titles covering six continents. The books range from country guides to adventure, city, budget, and road trip guides, many of which are still updated annually. Let's Go has also published 20 abridged, pocket-sized "map guides" (Amsterdam, Berlin, Boston, Chicago, Dublin, Florence, Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, Madrid, New Orleans, New York City, Paris, Prague, Rome, San Francisco, Seattle, Sydney, Venice, and Washington DC), though these have been discontinued.[7]

Book Type Continent First published Last published Notes
Let's Go II: The Student Guide to Adventure Adventure Multiple 1968 1968 Limited edition
Let's Go: Alaska Adventure Guide Adventure North America 2004 2004
Let's Go: Alaska & the Pacific Northwest Country North America 1988 2003 Split into Let's Go: Alaska Adventure Guide and Let's Go: Pacific Northwest
Let's Go: Amsterdam City Europe 2002 2008
Let's Go: Budget Amsterdam Budget Europe 2012 2012
Let's Go: Amsterdam & Brussels City Europe 2011 2011
Let's Go: Budget Athens Budget Europe 2012 2012
Let's Go: Australia Country Australia 1998 2009
Let's Go: Austria Country Europe 1994 1994
Let's Go: Austria & Switzerland Country Europe 1995 2005
Let's Go: Barcelona City Europe 2002 2010
Let's Go: Budget Barcelona Budget Europe 2012 2012
Let's Go: Budget Berlin Budget Europe 2012 2012
Let's Go: Berlin, Prague & Budapest City Europe 2010 2011
Let's Go: Boston City North America 2001 2011
Let's Go: Brazil Country South America 2004 2004
Let's Go: Great Britain Country Europe 1976 2011 Originally called Let's Go: Britain & Ireland
Open Library: 1999
Let's Go: Buenos Aires City South America 2009 2010
Let's Go: California Country North America 1995 2005 Open Library: 1999
Let's Go: California & Hawaii Country North America 1988 1994 Became Let's Go: California
Let's Go: California & the Pacific Northwest Country North America 1984 1987 Split into Let's Go: Alaska & the Pacific Northwest and Let's Go: California & Hawaii
Let's Go: Caribbean Country North America 1970 1970 Limited edition
Let's Go: Central America Country North America 1996 2010
Let's Go: Chile Country South America 2003 2005
Let's Go: China Country Asia 2000 2005
Let's Go: Costa Rica Country North America 2003 2010
Let's Go: Costa Rica, Nicaragua & Panama Country North America 2010 2010
Let's Go: Eastern Europe Country Europe 1995 2008
Let's Go: Ecuador Country South America 1997 2005 Two incarnations have existed; the original became Let's Go: Peru & Ecuador
Let's Go: Egypt Country Africa 2002 2003
Let's Go: Europe Country Europe 1960 2020 Open Library: 1987, 1995, 1998, 1999
Let's Go: Europe Top 10 Cities City Europe 2012 2012
Let's Go: European Riviera Country Europe 2011 2011
Let's Go: Florence City Europe 2010 2010
Let's Go: Budget Florence Budget Europe 2012 2012
Let's Go: France Country Europe 1978 2011 Open Library: 1981, 1995
Let's Go: Germany Country Europe 1995 2011 Open Library: 1999
Let's Go: Germany, Austria & Switzerland Country Europe 1992 1993 Split into Let's Go: Germany & Switzerland and Let's Go: Austria
Let's Go: Germany & Switzerland Country Europe 1994 1994 Split into Let's Go: Germany and Let's Go: Austria & Switzerland
Let's Go: Greece Country Europe 1984 2010 Two incarnations have existed; the original became Let's Go: Greece & Turkey
Let's Go: Greece, Israel & Egypt Country Multiple 1981 1983 Split into Let's Go: Greece and Let's Go: Israel & Egypt
Let's Go: Greece & Turkey Country Multiple 1992 1998 Open Library: 1996
Split into Let's Go: Greece and Let's Go: Turkey
Let's Go: Guatemala & Belize Country North America 2010 2010
Let's Go: Hawaii Country North America 2003 2009
Let's Go: India & Nepal Country Asia 1997 2004
Let's Go: Ireland Country Europe 1994 2013 Open Library: 1995, 1998
Let's Go: Israel Country Asia 2000 2012
Let's Go: Israel & Egypt Country Multiple 1984 1999 Open Library: 1997
Became Let's Go: Israel
Let's Go: Budget Istanbul Budget Europe 2012 2012
Let's Go: Istanbul, Athens & the Greek Islands City Multiple 2011 2011
Let's Go: Italy Country Europe 1979 2013 Open Library: 1980, 1998
Let's Go: Japan Country Asia 2004 2004
Let's Go: London City Europe 1991 2008 Open Library: 1993, 1998
Let's Go: Budget London Budget Europe 2012 2014
Let's Go: London, Oxford & Cambridge City Europe 2010 2013 Originally called Let's Go: London, Oxford, Cambridge & Edinburgh
Let's Go: Budget Madrid Budget Europe 2012 2012
Let's Go: Madrid & Barcelona City Europe 2011 2011
Let's Go: Mexico Country North America 1985 2008 Open Library: 1999
Let's Go: Middle East Country Multiple 2000 2003
Let's Go: New York City City North America 1991 2011 Open Library: 1999
Let's Go: New Zealand Country Australia 1998 2008 Temporarily became Let's Go: New Zealand Adventure Guide
Let's Go: New Zealand Adventure Guide Adventure Australia 2005 2005 Reverted to Let's Go: New Zealand
Let's Go: Pacific Northwest Country North America 2004 2004 Became Let's Go: Pacific Northwest Adventure Guide
Let's Go: Pacific Northwest Adventure Guide Adventure North America 2005 2005
Let's Go: Paris City Europe 1993 2011
Let's Go: Budget Paris Budget Europe 2012 2014
Let's Go: Paris, Amsterdam & Brussels City Europe 2013 2013
Let's Go: Peru Country South America 2005 2005
Let's Go: Peru & Ecuador Country South America 2000 2000 Became Let's Go: Peru, Ecuador & Bolivia
Let's Go: Peru, Ecuador & Bolivia Country South America 2001 2003 Split into Let's Go: Peru and Let's Go: Ecuador
Let's Go: Budget Prague Budget Europe 2012 2012
Let's Go: Puerto Rico Country North America 2004 2008
Let's Go: Roadtripping USA Roadtrip North America 2005 2011
Let's Go: Rome City Europe 1993 2010
Let's Go: Budget Rome Budget Europe 2012 2012
Let's Go: Rome, Venice & Florence City Europe 2011 2013
Let's Go: San Francisco City North America 2001 2004
Let's Go: South Africa Country Africa 1999 2003
Let's Go: Southeast Asia Country Asia 1996 2005
Let's Go: Southwest USA Adventure Guide Adventure North America 2002 2004
Let's Go: Spain & Portugal Country Europe 1984 2013 Originally called Let's Go: Spain, Portugal & Morocco
Open Library: 1991, 1995
Let's Go: Thailand Country Asia 1994 2010 Two incarnations have existed; the original became Let's Go: Southeast Asia
Let's Go: Turkey Country Multiple 1999 2003
Let's Go: USA Country North America 1969 2008 Open Library: 1993, 1996, 1999
Let's Go: Vietnam Country Asia 2005 2007
Let's Go: Washington, D.C. City North America 1992 2004 Open Library: 1998
Let's Go: Western Europe Country Europe 2001 2010
Let's Go: Yucatán Peninsula Country North America 2010 2010

Notable alumni

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Because Let's Go employees are all students when working for the travel guide, many of its alumni have gone on to careers in travel writing and other areas.

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There have been references (in a non-review/article context) to Let's Go in:

Films

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Music

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Print

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Television

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References

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  1. ^ "Let's Go: Gone at 63 | Magazine | the Harvard Crimson".
  2. ^ Gordon, Laura (2009-01-27). "Let's Go Announces Innovative Publishing and Distribution Partnership with Avalon Travel and Publishers Group West". Archived from the original on 2009-06-30. Retrieved 2009-06-29.
  3. ^ Marks, Clifford M. (2007-09-24). "Publisher, Guide Agree To Let Go". The Harvard Crimson. Retrieved 2009-06-29.
  4. ^ "History of Let's Go," by Harvard Student Agencies, Inc.
  5. ^ Jampel, Serena (April 13, 2023). "Let's Go: Gone at 63". The Harvard Crimson. Retrieved July 30, 2023.
  6. ^ "Court Strikes Let's Go Lawsuit | News | the Harvard Crimson".
  7. ^ "Shop".
  8. ^ "Eleni N. Gage". Goodreads.
  9. ^ "The Real Lady Whistledown Spills All | Flyby | the Harvard Crimson".
  10. ^ Sagal, Peter (20 March 1988). "Cairo's a Confusing City but Worth the Challenge". Los Angeles Times.
  11. ^ "Kaitlin Solimine". www.kaitlinsolimine.com. Retrieved 2024-10-20.
  12. ^ Rifkin, Glenn (20 July 1997). "Where 'Let's Go' Is a Title And a Frame of Mind". New York Times.
  13. ^ "Alumni Achievement Awards 2000: Thomas G. Stemberg". Hbswk.hbs.edu. Retrieved 29 June 2017.
  14. ^ "Lisa Tolliver". Goodreads.
  15. ^ "Bridget Jones's Diary - Bridget quits - YouTube". YouTube.
  16. ^ "Still from the film "Me and Earl and the Dying Girl"". www.assets.mubicdn.net. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
  17. ^ "The Economist". coverbrowser.
  18. ^ "Study: High Times Not a Gateway Magazine to Harder Readings". The Onion. 17 March 2006.
  19. ^ "Let's Go Sewers - The Infosphere, the Futurama Wiki". theinfosphere.org. Retrieved 2024-10-20.
  20. ^ "Gilmore Girls -Those Are Strings, Pinocchio Additional Scenes - YouTube". YouTube.
  21. ^ "Recap of "How I Met Your Mother" Season 8 Episode 23 | Recap Guide".
  22. ^ "Elaine hates the English Patient - YouTube". YouTube.
  23. ^ "The Colbert Report". Archived from the original on July 18, 2014.
  24. ^ "Let's Go and the Daily Show - Let's Go Travel - the Leader in Budget Travel". Archived from the original on 2012-06-06. Retrieved 2011-12-31.
  25. ^ "Let's Not Go London".
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