First-Time Around the World is a book that is quite comprehensive in scope but less than comprehensive in detail. The author is obviously an experienced world traveler and quite qualified to write such a book, however, if you met with Doug Lansky for a couple of hours, you probably wouldn't be discussing most of the items contained in the first 200 pages of the book. This section could have been written by any travel writer or even lifted from another guidebook as it covers general travel information. The next 100 pages gives a very broad overview of eight sections of the world. There are many headings with one paragraph explanations of a generic nature. I hope that Doug Lansky eventually writes a book that gives the reader more of his expertise and specifically deals with around-the-world travel.