Québec City. 3rd ed.

Bruce Grainger is head of the Public Services Department, Macdonald
Library, McGill University.

Québec City is Canada’s oldest and most Old World city. With
buildings dating from the 17th century, the city’s historic walled
area has been declared a World Heritage Site. Its capture by the British
from the French in 1759 was the key event in the evolution of what
became the Canadian state. The brief history given in this travel guide
as background information to the city is the standard
nationalist/separatist version. Putting aside a few errors of historical
fact, it is mostly reliable and comprehensive. The guide also includes
excellent colour photographs, drawings, an English/French glossary,
lists of maps and symbols used in the guide, interesting and informative
sidebars, a table of distances between Québec City and other cities,
and an index. Attractions are rated with one to three stars
corresponding to “interesting,” “worth a visit,” and “not to
be missed.” The authors also list restaurants and accommodation they
describe as “Ulysses’ Favourites.”

The introductory text either provides directly or gives sources for a
wide range of information useful to tourists, including those with
special needs or interests such as smokers, seniors, gays and lesbians,
travellers with children or pets, and those with disabilities. The last
section of the book provides shopping information.

The heart of the guide is the 11 tours of important historical areas
within Québec City and nearby regions. Maps and listings of the
attractions are provided for each area, although the small size of the
maps and the minuscule print in the listings can make reading difficult.
Each attraction is succinctly described, followed by directions for
moving on to the next attraction on the route. There are separate
sections in the guide for restaurants, accommodations, outdoor
activities, and entertainment for each of the 11 areas, with each
location indicated on accompanying maps. All in all this is a
well-organized and useful guide to the city.