London-based Monocle magazine, founded in 2007, appeals to worldly readers with its smart blend of global affairs, business, culture, and design coverage. The magazine—which has spawned a round-the-clock radio station called Monocle 24 and the Quality of Life conference, an international gathering focused on urban planning and city living—has just launched a travel guide series in collaboration with German publisher Gestalten, a partner on past book projects.

London, New York, Hong Kong, and Tokyo are the first four cities in the limelight. The guides avoid laundry lists of landmarks in favor of personal essays highlighting quality experiences, with an emphasis on appreciating design and culture.

“We think the readers of these books will be people who know a bit about the world, so we talk to them as equals and presume they will find Big Ben on their own,” says Andrew Tuck, Monocle magazine and travel guides editor. “Instead of telling them how to book a Broadway hit, we take them to interesting neighborhoods and show them both good architecture and a good time.”

Full-color photography and illustrations brighten the slim 148-page volumes, which delve into everything from offbeat neighborhood walks to treasured record shops and wee-hours bars, illustrating how locals appreciate each city on a daily basis. In fact, the guides are not aimed exclusively at tourists: they are also meant to inspire residents to look at familiar territory with a fresh perspective.

Each book will be updated annually, and by the end of 2015, Monocle plans to introduce titles on Bangkok, Madrid, Miami, and Istanbul. “We look forward to taking up a lot of shelf space,” Tuck says.

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