This is a versatile, multipurpose book that falls somewhere between a history of Hanoi and a guidebook for foreign visitors. Hanoi: Past and Present recounts the history of Hanoi and explains the culture, economy, geography and weather of the city in great detail. A selection of photos provides a visual overview of the 1000-year-old city. A wealth of more practical information can be found in the section devoted to tourism which describes the sights worth seeing in Hanoi, including pagodas, temples, parks, lakes and museums.