Signspotting 2 : More Absurd and Amazing Signs from Around the World

Lonely Planet Signspotting #02

by Lonely Planet

Lonely Planet: The world's leading travel guide publisher*

It's easy to get lost in translation - and it can be hard to find your way back when signs tell you to 'beware of missing foot' or a menu offers 'tasteless coffee'. The world of gaffs and good ol' miscommunications is back: Signspotting 2 is a round-up of the world's most perplexing signs and garbled messages. Now, who's in the mood for a serve of 'fried pimple'?

TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice Awards 2012 and 2013 winner in Favorite Travel Guide category

Genres: Humor, Nonfiction, Travel, Photography, Art

160 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2007

About the author

OUR STORY
A beat-up old car, a few dollars in the pocket and a sense of adventure. In 1972 that’s all Tony and Maureen Wheeler needed for the trip of a lifetime – across Europe and Asia overland to Australia. It took several months, and at the end – broke but inspired – they sat at their kitchen table writing and stapling together their first travel guide, Across Asia on the Cheap. Within a week they’d sold 1500 copies and Lonely Planet was born. One hundred million guidebooks later, Lonely Planet is the world’s leading travel guide publisher with content to almost every destination on the planet.

Reviews

[She's So Novel! ꧁꧂]

Thumbing through this book was a great way to spend my lunch break! Laughed out loud quite a few times.

[Aimee]

I liked Signspotting 1 better, but this collection of billboards and signs that were either improperly translated and/or edited is good for a chuckle or two. I especially like the "George Bush Center for Intelligence" out of Langley, VA.

[Stewart Tame]

Fun book! I've not read the first volume, but the basic concept is clear enough. Find signs anywhere in the world with English text that can be mocked, and do so. Many of these have been floating around the internet. If you've never seen the Phat Phuc Noodle Bar, it's in here. If you have seen it before, well, it's still in here. Fun, but rather on the light and fluffy side. Reviewing it is, honestly, pretty pointless. Those who want to read it aren't likely to let a bad review stop them. Those who don't are unlikely to be swayed by a good one. Fortunately, "Pointless" is my middle name. And yes, I did hear quite a bit of teasing about that in school.

[Cathy]

This was between a three and four stars for me. Some of it was pretty funny, but some of it had a crudeness I wasn't looking for.

"Beware of Invisibility" was probably the beat sign.

Or "Entrance only: do not enter."

I get the impression that some of these are poor English translations since there are other languages on the signs.

[Amanda]

The second installment of the Signspotting books. I enjoyed the second book a bit more than the first. I found more signs in the second book that made me laugh more than the first. This book, like the first, also includes more translation issues and will leave you wondering once again, where was the editor or at the very least the person who signed off on the approval of the signs prior to their being made. And also sometimes its just all about location location location!

[Nenangs]

my choice of gifts from times bookstore amazing race. :)
looks promising to be hilarious...:)

and indeed it was hilarious, though not as much as i hope it would be.
some of homour was lost to me, possibly because of the same reason as why the sign is okay for the maker but deadly funny to some others. but some of them really makes my laugh like a crasy maniac. XD

[Beth Cato]

Like the first book, this is an ideal and humorous read at the end of a long day. It doesn't require deep thought - you can just laugh and relax. All of the signs are displayed in photographs, with location information and an amusing caption. Some of my favorites:[return][return](road sign) BE AWARE OF INVISIBILITY[return][return]

[Sunflower]

This book is hilarious and laugh-out-loud funny. For those of us who have our own photos of Engrish signs taken while travelling, this raises the bar. The captions only add to the effect. Read it when you feel like a good laugh.

[Wendy]

I just grabbed this when I was at the library one day; it's quite funny.

[Rochelley]

Funny book. Made melaugh. :)

[CC]

Purchased and had signed when Doug Lansky came to speak at school. Very fun!

[Norah Alohali]

How the bad translations comes really funny signs !

[Kim]

hilarious photos of of absurd signs

[Liv]

A fun, quick read :)

[David]

I got this book free when I ordered some other Lonely Planet books. Some very funny signs from around the world in it.

[Katrina]

I was having an okay day when I came across this book and it totally changed my whole attitude as I almost busted a gut laughing. LOVE it!!!

[Danny Nelson]

Cute and diverting. Nice for a gag read when you want something lighter.

[TK421]

Humans are just dumb.

[Scott Benowitz]

As the title implies, the books in Lonely Planet's "Signspotting" series are photos of signs which are located throughout the world which are humorous because the signs are misspelled, mistranslated or misplaced.
The topic is lighthearted, tongue- in- cheek humor, you'll likely read each of the books in the "Signspotting" series pretty quickly. If you're looking to read something which will make you laugh, the "Signspotting" books will accomplish this.

[Jennifer Robb]

I thought I had read this in the past but it must have been another book from Signspotting. A friend sent me this book in a box of books.

I did find most of the signs funny though a few pushed the boundaries and one or two I struggled to figure out what the compiler was trying to get across to us.

[Meredith]

Photo from Yellowstone :)
Appreciated knowing where the photos were taken

[Miriam]

An amusing collection of signs that make you chuckle.

[Justin Castillo]

Can't wait to see if all the signs in all the books are still out there.

[TrumanCoyote]

The signs were fine. However, the captions were almost never funny, and the guy's intro was a load of pseudo-apologetic crap.

[M.]

Funny and entertaining.