daph

These guides were so good--just full of information. I have the ones on Europe, France, Italy and the UK. But they are at least 10 years old now and I haven't seen them in bookstores recently. When I google the name all that shows up is books on Disney World.

RufusTFirefly

the founder, Stephen Birnbaum, died of leukemia in 1991. His wife, Alexandra, took over. She is also the consulting editor for the Birnbaum Disney guides. I wonder if it became too much for her to handle. I haven't seen an updated Birnbaum guide for any part of Europe since about the mid '90s.

MGB

It is funny that you mention that. I have a Birnbaum from our trip in 1984 that I still refer to. We did not go back to Europe until 1999 and then I could not find a Birnbaum. I now mostly use Rick Steves but I still keep my Europe 1984 and other than the restaurants it is amazing at times what a wealth of information it has.

Howard

Birnbaum's were among my favorite guides when I first really started travelling much as an adult in the mid/late 80's. Among my very first guide book purchases were the Birnbaoum guides to the United States and to Europe. I liked the way things were categorized. Just recently, I (reluctantly) got rid of those two volumes - the bindings were literally falling apart. I still have a Birnbaums guide to South America from the mid-90's. I picked up maybe 3 years ago in a used bookstore, for the great bargain price of $1.00.

francophile03

The last Birnbaum travel guide that I have is the one on Paris, I believe 1994. Haven't seen any of these guides for years now. Yes, they were very good guides and I was saddened by the death of Stephen Birnbaum. His wife would help him with the research and then she took over when he died.

Chicago_Heather

I just went on to Amazon.com and found current ('03) Disney guides but only used versions of other guides from the 90s (i.e., 1993 Italy, 1995 France). What made this series so good? I haven't seen any and like to learn about different guidebooks.

elaine

another line of fantastic guidebooks that are no more--American Express guides. I still have mine for Paris from an early trip to Paris at least a decade ago. After a while, the guides were renamed "Food and Wine" guides, but died a year or so after that.
They were hard cover but pocket-sized, a nice mix of practical and historical info, good hotel and restaurant info, and fantastic maps in the back with an alpha listing of streets.

MGB

The one I have (Europe 1984) that I still refer to is good because of its perspective and it is comprehensive. There are highlights of each major city in Europe including sins. There are wonderful driving routes between cities that even if you are not going to all of them makes a wonderful reference when you need an in between location. Granted the restaurants and hotels are now out dated, but it is interesting that some of the hotels are still poplular and recommended elsewhere.

daph

Thanks to all of you who answered my question. Very sad to hear that Stephen Birnbaum died. You also described the guides very well. Even though they are a bit out of date a lot of the informations still applies. I will keep mine and treasure them. There bindings are good because they usually stayed home.