Since 1979, David Stanley has written travel guides to the South Pacific, Fiji, Tahiti, Tonga-Samoa, Micronesia, Alaska-Yukon, Eastern Europe, Cuba, and Canada's Maritime Provinces.
This section chronicles the development of these titles through multiple editions.

The 1st edition of South Pacific Handbook was researched by David Stanley but actually put together by co-author Bill Dalton. It was Moon Publications' second book after Bill's Indonesia Handbook. The typesetting was done on an electric typewriter and the maps were hand drawn. Published in Rutland, Vermont, in 1979.

With the 2nd edition, South Pacific Handbook grew from 352 to 563 pages as Australia, New Zealand, and Hawaii were added to Micronesia and the South Pacific. Bill Dalton withdrew from the project and David Stanley became sole author. The hand drawn maps and kitchen table typesetting continued. Published in Chico, California, in 1982.

The 3rd edition was the first to be written on a computer (a Radio Shack TRS-80 Model 4) and properly typeset. To limit the size to 578 pages, Micronesia became a separate guide and Papua New Guinea was dropped entirely. This was the definitive edition - no other travel guides to the area had yet appeared. Published in Chico, California, in 1985.

The 4th edition was similar to the 3rd except that upscale accommodations were added to keep up with new competitors. The size grew to 740 pages even though Australia, New Zealand, and Hawaii were left out. By now, the structure of the current travel guide was there, covering everything from Easter Island to the Solomons. Published in Chico, California, in 1989.

The 5th edition was actually written in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, after a six-month trip through the islands. Virtually every official place to stay in the islands was described in detail and shipping was fully covered. The book's length was held to 778 pages through careful editing. Published in Chico, California, in 1993.

The 6th edition was also written in Amsterdam, although David moved back to Canada soon after the book appeared. South Pacific Handbook now measured 908 pages with numerous color photos. By this time Moon Publications had become Moon Travel Handbooks. Published in Chico, California, in 1996.

The 7th edition was written in Guelph, Ontario, after several wide-ranging trips. This was the first edition to include electronic information, such as websites and email addresses. Most of the maps were redrawn on a computer and printed in two colors. At 976 pages, this original travel guide was still far more detailed than any competitor. Published in Emeryville, California, in 2000.

The current 8th edition, written in Nanaimo, British Columbia, is the fruit of five extensive research trips. For ease of reference, the electronic information has been embedded in the listings. Virtually all of the maps are computer generated and clearly labeled (no cryptic legends or keys). This 1,091-page handbook is easily the most detailed guide to the region. Published in Emeryville, California, in 2004.