Benin

From the outside, it looks like a children's book that would have large printed words and full page color photos that take up half the book. Not so. The content may be about 25% color photos and the printing is large enough to read, but it does contain information on an adult level, considering the fact that you probably know nothing about the country. There is not much real information available in book form about Benin. The well know travel books just include Benin as one of the many countries located in Africa and contains tiny little writing and small black and white maps that are nearly impossible to see. They really don't show or explain the real background of the country or how it operates today. This book would be a good place to start in your exploration of the country. After you read this book you can then go onto the travel guides and hopefully find the nitty gritty details and figure out where you really want to stay or visit. The book is a trifle expensive for the information contained in it. I also think that it glosses over the relative low level of the infrastructure prevalent in the country. A picture of residents selling smuggled Nigerian gasoline in glass jugs from a roadside table probably more likely truly portrays everyday life in the country. This book is a good addition in my quest to find out all I can about Benin before I even attempt to plan a visit there next year. I'm glad I found it.