If judging a book by its cover were an adequate method of evaluation, the Affordable Bed & Breakfasts in Quebec 96-97 guide would take only a moment to select. Gracing its jacket is a photograph of a beautiful antique door, inviting the reader into one of Quebec’s many ancestral homes. But the inside of the guide, while packed with fairly useful information, is a visual and grammatical nightmare.

Divided into sections describing country-style dining, farm stays, bed and breakfasts, country inns, and country and city homes, the guide covers all the popular tourist regions in the province, complete with maps and relatively simple directions, usually with Montreal as the departure point. Prices, seasonal availability, and detailed descriptions of the premises are included. Charts follow at the back of the guide, indicating where one can enjoy such activities as visiting art galleries, museums, and summer theatres, or participating in sports like golf, cycling, and horseback riding, to name just a few.

Unfortunately, however, the graphic design leaves something to be desired, its crowdedness making the guide less user-friendly than it might otherwise be. Furthermore, the text, a translation from the French, is in great need of revision; there are awkward phrases, grammatical errors, and punctuation problems, suggesting that the translator may not have had a good grasp of the English language. Also irksome for the unilingual traveler is the fact that all of the menus are in French. From a well-reputed publisher of travel literature like Ulysses, this guide is a disappointment.