Hardly bigger than a coaster, this book packs a remarkable amount of information into its minimal bulk. Though its small format makes it somewhat difficult to use (it won't lie open), author Angus Kennedy competently explains everything from basic connection procedures to multimedia and page publishing in a fraction of the space other books require (and at far less cost too). Fans of other Rough Guide books will be pleased by coverage of the Internet as it applies to travelers (Web-based mail sites, cybercafés, and the like).
The how-to information represents only half of what this guide contains. The rest is a random walk, largely on the Web's weird side. You'll find references to sites claiming to be the grossest (in an 8-year-old's sense of the word) on the Web, a site where you can get a downward-ticking death clock, Mr. Cranky's movie reviews, and "99 Ways to Open a Beer Bottle." Sure, there's some serious reference stuff, but it misses the point. Overall, the book is almost as much fun as opening 99 beer bottles in a skanky Italian hostel. --David Wall
Topics covered: The Internet from every angle. What it is, what it's good for, why and how you should connect. Having connected you, the author skips off on a eclectic tour of things to see and do online.