Guide Books to India
 

I've done a search of the archives and find nothing current on this topic. What single guide book would anyone recommend that is both current and useful?

Any of these three:

Lonely Planet, India, 10th edition, 2003 www.lonelyplant.com

The Bible for many travelling in India. Good background, I always found their "top end" restaurants and hotels to be good, and information on transport helpful. In addition to the general India book, they have a slew of books devoted to particular states or regions in India like Rajasthan, Goa, South India, etc.

Eyewitness Travel Guide to India, Sept 2002, http://uk.dk.com/

Truly amazing guidebooks, esp. for walking tours, the detail of their maps and diagrams of sights is extremely helpful. I have not used this particular guide to India but have used DK's guides in many cites in Europe and found them invaluable. They don't have quite the same coverage on hotels and restuarants as the Lonely Planet guides, but have better maps and sightseeing information.

Insight Guide India, 6th edition, 2002 www.insightguides.com

Very good background and history of the culture and country. The website has some basic information about each country as well.

What a wonderfully complete response, even with websites. I thank you very much. I've ordered the Lonely Planet Guide as they've always proved helpful in the past.

Again, thanks,
BigBlue

I loved the Footprints guide to India. Though hefty, it was never wrong! Lots of historical and practical information. It came highly recommended by my local travel bookstore and it didn't disappoint.

I agree with Footprint. I bought this for my fifth visit to India and my daughter then used it when she lived out there for five months.
I found detail in here which I had never needed to look for before e.g. on illness even to the extent of detailed guides to diagnosis if travelling far from civilization and unable to contact a doctor.It was extremely useful when medication was prescribed to be able to read the Western view on that particular medication.
As you know it is very likely you will suffer some illness in India and this book was the one with the answers in those circumstances.