Authentik/Marrakesh

Africa s most stylish city is renowned for its evocative small hotels, gorgeous bars, the crannied souks full of colors and smells, and the quiet, sophisticated restaurants where you know you re not in Kansas any more. Authentik / Marrakesh puts you in touch with all these places, the ones that show off both the soul of the timeless city and its of-the-moment incarnation, to offer you a path to complete immersion in this utterly foreign culture and way of life on the edge of the Sahara. From the packaging to what s inside, the Authentik guides are like no other. They re packaged between brown kraft paper covers, with a bit of spot gloss and embossing; a black elastic band holds the cover closed; and a gusseted envelope conceals a small personal notebook. Beyond the packaging is the content: Ink-and-watercolor illustrations of notable sites, more than 100 per book, punctuate the text, which is essay-style and gives you a real sense of context to the subject. Two silk ribbons help you mark your place. In the back, the streets of the city are laid out in a clear, reader-friendly map atlas. And using the special Scan-2D code, readers with a camera-equipped cellphone with Internet service can download every address in the book."