Real Newport

A wry and offbeat tribute to Newport, the youngest city in Wales, this travel guide is part social analysis, part topographical writing, and part traditional guidebook. Rising out of the featureless industrial neighborhoods of south Wales and touted as "the new Seattle," the place is full of history and short on civic pride, according to this humorous commentary that describes the old landmarks, such as Tredegar House and Celtic Manor Resort; the bland stretches, such as miles of '60s' shopping centers; and its most famous marvel, the spectacular Transporter Bridge.