On the bookshelf: Make the Most of Your Time on Earth

From across the bookstore, this brightly-colored chunk of a guidebook screams to be admired, silently begging to have its pages dogeared and spine flattened by aspiring globetrotters. Perhaps it's the title, boldly splashed across the cover in stark contrast.

It reads, simply: MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR TIME ON EARTH.

What could appeal more to us humans? In a world decidedly marked with strife and stress, it's a refreshing statement--and reminder--that we won't always be here to soak it up. Inside, the Rough Guide branded book details 1,000 "ultimate travel experiences" that takes readers from Easter Island to the Himalayas and offers 998 stops in between. Visually stunning, you'll witness scuba diving at Ningaloo Reef, complete chaos at Nevada's Burning Man Festival and step inside the Dali Museum in Spain. And while not every destination or suggestion is certifiably "green," we're still giving this read two thumbs up for an eclectic array of outdoor adventures.

If you're looking to whet your appetite for summer travel, there's no better indulgence than this. Find it at http://www.roughguides.com/. ($29.99. Paperback; 608 pages; September 2007)

*Uses FSC mixed source paper.