Rail Journeys by David Ross is a fun and informative glimpse at rail travel around the world. Beautiful photography coupled with short informative captions make for a wonderful little mental escape when needed.

I was initially unsure what I would think about the smaller size. Since my copy is electronic I actually cut a piece of paper to the size of the book and used my imagination. Yes, I am that person, don't judge me! Anyway, I think I would enjoy having some books similar to this. The large format coffee table books are great, but more than two on a coffee table becomes cluttered. One on an end table can sometimes be too much. But this size allows for both the placement of more such books around the house (dare I say even the bathroom?) as well as an increased likelihood of them being perused by guests since they are easy to pick up and flip through. I'll always love the larger books but I think I have room in my heart for these smaller books as well.

I know I went on a bit about the size but it did concern me at first. As expected the pictures and the text were first class. A good mix of scenic views as well as the historic buildings and classic engines make for a visual feast while the information given is interesting but doesn't get in the way of more pictures, which is why I am interested in books like this.

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley. ( )