Suzy Gershman's Born to Shop London: The Ultimate Guide for Travelers Who Love to Shop

This is a good resource for a first or second trip to London, especially if you want shopping neighborhoods or general ideas for gifts, etc. Be aware that many of the entries are very outdated -- for instance, Lush hasn't sold Red Rooster soap in their stores for at least two years, and the black bread face mask hasn't been sold for five years. There's no mention of their sister store, B Never too Busy to Be Beautiful (a cosmetics shop), which is weird, since she focuses on stuff like this. I still give this book 4 stars, though, because she gives good directions and tube stops and the info on markets is very helpful.

I have been travelling for the last 2 months around Europe and the UK and I have used all the relevant Suzy Gershman guides. As a matter of fact, they are the main guides I have used as they are independent and Suzy knows her stuff about where good shops and markets are. Her guides are great, written in a lively style, with tips on the best places to stay, hidden shopping streets that only locals would know about and lots of other streetwise tips for travelling. She also has a lot of local knowledge on non shopping related matters eg she advises in Italy about the two sets of street numbers, one for shops and one for residential.She also gave for eg. great tips on what to expect from a gondola ride in Venice. I do not rely on accurate prices from travel guides, no guide book should be used for that, it is impossible to keep up with prices and exchange rates in such a book. That is what the internet is for. I would highly recommend her books if you are interested in finding great shops, seeing what is in trend in a country, where great markets are. As a bonus as well her books are small enough to pop in your handbag and take with you. They have plenty of maps in them too. In summary, a very good and entertaining set of travel guides.

I bought and used this book on a recent trip to London, and I can recommend it to people who love to shop and who will spending more than just a few days in London. The book covers the entire spectrum of shopping, from street markets to high-end designers. Much of the book is just Suzy's opinion, but I guess any book of this nature would have to be, in large part, the opinion of the author. But try to get past her likes and dislikes and read the facts presented. I was especially happy with the insights presented on British drugstores and the great products they carry. Without this book, I would have missed some of the best stuff I found in London, the house lines of the drugstores! On the negative side, I felt that her hotel recommendations were a little unrealistic for the average traveler. I also didn't quite understand her advice for using the public transportation system. Still, a very useful little book.

The book has been and continues to be an excellent resource for shopping needs. London can be overwhelming -- after all it is the city of shopkeepers -- but following the recommendations in the book have proven successful everytime. I have sent a copy to each of my guests planning to visit London and all have been able to highlight areas of shopping to save time and get what they want. The helpful tips, shortcuts and general information about the markets is fabulous. If planning a trip to London and shopping is on your list of things to do -- don't be caught without the ulitimate shopping guide.

This book alone is worth a ticket to London. Whether you're a power shopper or just want to pick up a few souvenirs, Suzy Gershman has insider secrets for the perfect item at the perfect shop. And she's great fun to read (even if you're not ready to plan a trip yet.) I've used her books in 3 countries, and she's never steered me wrong. In this edition: don't miss Jo Malone, Lush, and tea at Stafford's.