The smugness is one reason why people may dislike him. Frommer's, Fodor's, Michelin, etc., are not identified with specific people and are simply seen as information sources. They don't try to tell you or give you the impression that they know best, nor do their books show the kind of bias or ignorance that one can see in RS guides.

I don't think it's a good idea to build travel advice around a personality cult. Look at what has happened to wine with Robert Parker.

BTilke -- interesting point about the DaVinci Code and RS...neither are great literature, but both have a decent tour of Paris & Le Louvre.



Jules

No opinion, really about the guy himself. Our PBS station doesn't carry his show. A few general opinions about the product.

I personally wouldn't want to follow the guide on one of my own trips, as it's seems to have created a fairly heavily trafficked and narrow path, but that's only because I don't care much for crowds and non-self planned trips, or similar. I prefer having all the options possible in my book, and then choosing for myself. Not sure how to explain it the way I want, but might compare it to the difference between a prix fixe meal or ala carte menu. More power to him though for the success of his marketing skills. I saw him compared to Bill Gates, which seems very true. Both have been exceptional in the ability to piece together and sell the ideas of others, wrapped in easily understood containers. Lots of people want exactly that.

What I find sort of funny is that I'd never heard of him before I got on the Fodors forums. And I have no trouble avoiding the man or the product if I wished to - except for here on Fodors.

What an interesting thread! Having spent 6 months in Europe in my 20's ( 20 years ago....) I was very cynical about RS. My impression was confirmed when I saw him at a Writers Festival in Edmonds, WA a few years back. I had recently moved to the US, had heard only vaguely of this Steves fellow, and was looking forward to hearing his views on travel writing.
Well. The session had nothing to do with writing, and everything to do with RS Inc. Was I disappointed!
Recently, I've been preparing for a trip to Italy, and avoiding any RS books, buying instead a Frommer's guide to get up to speed. I found it bland and humorless. Then a friend at work loaned me the RS Italy book, and I found myself reading and re-reading it, enjoying the first-person perspective. Back in the 80's I used Let's Go guides (where are they now??), and they always had attitude. Unlike some others on this thread, I really appreciate a personal slant to travel recommendations. Heck, that's why I spend my evenings reading these postings!

The Let's Go series is still around. I just bought one for my trip to Chile. I gnerally pick up slightly out of date guidebooks at a discount on line on one of the remaindered book sites. The one I use most often is bookcloseouts.com

I don't know whether to feel happy or deprived that until I started haunting this forum I'd never heard of Rick Steves, to this day I've never seen any of his books on sale, and no TV channel carries his shows.