frmichelin1-10, Exercise 3: An old edition as a source

Model answer (about 150 words):

An early edition of the red guide is a useful source for the history of travel, class and eating out. It shows which towns and roads motorists were expected to use, what services they needed, such as garages, hotels and tyre dealers, and how restaurants were described and priced. Comparing editions over time shows when symbols, categories and regions changed, and so how the company saw its readers.

A historian should not conclude that the guide lists all the places people ate, since it records a small selection chosen by the company, and ordinary cafés and home cooking are mostly absent. It also cannot show what diners thought, how the food tasted, or the working conditions in the kitchens. Its voice is the company's, so the wording of an entry shows the company's view and purpose. The guide should be read together with newspapers, memoirs, rival guides and official records.

Care: note the edition, the year and where the copy was found, and compare more than one.