The latest in a series of reference works by Greenwood Press, "The Regions of Germany" is just as much an exploration of German identity as it is a reference guide for teachers, students, travelers, and historians.

It offers a portrait of Germany and her people that moves beyond the two country’s most internationally recognized demographic poles, fun-loving Bavaria and cosmopolitan Berlin.

"My goal was to achieve what Swift did in ‘Gulliver’s Travels,’" Buse told TWIG, "to provide important and interesting information which can be read profitably by experts as well as the lay person."

According to Buse, the study of regions is important to any understanding of German history, and the development of regional pride has done much to assuage the indignity and absence of national pride left by the legacy of Nazism. Today, regions are still a primary basis of identity for many Germans - and one of the main references points in daily life and politics.

In a way, "Regions of Germany" is an approach to cultural studies in tune with the German concept of Landeskunde, with its focus on regional history, geography, and regional identify.

Each chapter in the book consists of introductory section on regional traits, a look at each state’s major cities as well as its history, economy, cultural attractions, and cultural contributions in the arts.

And what would a look at German regions be without a little taste-testing, which Buse accomplishes by sprinkling regional recipes throughout the volume. This is cultural exchange at its best - through cuisine.

The author has picked some of the most delicious dishes German has to offer. For example, the section on Baden-Wuertemberg lists recipes for Black Forest Cake, Zwiebelkuchen (onion cake), and Kaesespaetzle (Swabian noodles with cheese).

The book is a treasure for Germanophiles, and for the armchair traveler, as well as those who never seem to have enough time to visit every German city and town.