From the ruins of Palmyra in the Syrian desert to the ghost town of Bodie, the painted churches of Sucevita in Romania, and a fire festival in a Japanese village: Michael Webb has ventured far afield in search of the rare and beautiful. He recalls memorable experiences of people and places over eight decades of travel around the world, and some of the buildings and landscapes that have left a lasting impression. It's getting harder to find places that have not been commercialised and overwhelmed by mass tourism, but they can still be found, even in the most popular destinations. Webb's recommendations should inspire you to get off the beaten track and make your own discoveries. AUTHOR: Michael Webb is a Los Angeles-based writer who has authored more than twenty books on architecture and design, most recently Architects' Houses, and Building Community: New Apartment Architecture, while contributing essays to many more. He is also a regular contributor to leading journals in the United States and Europe. Growing up in London, he was an editor at The Times and Country Life, before moving to the US. He was named Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres for his services to French culture. SELLING POINTS: A memoir of the travels of Michael Webb, a founding member of the Archigram Group Unique look at not often observed architecture 200 colour images