Flavour your reading with Google lit trips and other GIS based tools

In your face! - Photos, Facts, and a premade journey, what more to ask for?

This is pretty straight forward, yet new for me until a few days back! What about using GIS tech to view places that you read about in a book.

When Streetview is available and photos already taken from lots... of places, it makes sense, it is possible to virtually go to the location explained in the book and see for your self.

First out is a tool, called Google Lit Trip.

There are pre-made trips based on the content of the specific book. You need to register for an account, then request a trip.
Once arrived in your inbox, follow instructions, upload to Google earth and enjoy the job already made for you!

Link to Google Lit Trips
Link to YouTube clip about Lit Trips!

Comment, the first time you need to tweak Google earth so it can import KML files.

Google Tour Editor

Now, the tour making becomes your deal, or if you find anyone with a great story to tell.
I played around with it for a while. Here's a link to a try out I made a while ago.
A cool feature with the Tour editor is that it can be played on Google Earth.

Link to Google Tour Editor

Google My maps

Google My Maps is flat, don't have any fancy fly to feel. But it gives you a map and the option to build, draw routes, add info as text, images, etc.

From another angle, Google My Maps is a perfect tool for students to use when working with simple GIS exercises in SO. 

Here's an example. Our annual bike ride.