In Arabian Nights Tahir ShahDoubleday, £11.99 in UK Throughout Morocco, or so the legend goes, there are underground streams. These run from the bustling ports of Casablanca and Tangier to the broiling might of Marrakesh, from the alleyways of Fez to the seaside fortress of Essaouira and down through the blood-red Atlas Mountains and into the merciless Sahara. The streams do not run with water, though; they're filled with stories.
Tahir Shah has spent many years attempting to tap into this rich source of fact and fiction, and he has been following in his father's footsteps by collecting cupfuls of these priceless Moroccan tales. To the average tourist Morocco is an ancient place that hustles and bustles and barters and trades; this book reveals the superstition that can paralyse any person or project, the jinns who seems to live in every nook and cranny and the code of honour that binds the society together. It is a dazzling portrait of a country alive with colour and dreams, whose stories spill from the pages in glittering, charming streams.
Top 10: Mexico CityDK Eyewitness Travel, £6.99 in UK
There are no lengthy essays on the history of Mexico City in this book; it cuts to the chase with the highlights of the Mexican capital, divided into five city areas. Everything is in list form, from museums, historic sights and architectural wonders to cuisine, activities and outdoor sports.
The guide has hundreds of pictures and bullet- point paragraphs to give you a pared-down list of the essentials, and there is no lack of beauty in the brevity, from the magnificent Catedral Metropolitana to the abandoned city of Teotihuacan. Also, check out the cracking list of festivals, to pick the perfect time to go before you book.
lmackin@irish-times.ie