Travelogue Books

Japan seems unusually well-represented by travel writers with the skills to really bring the country alive. Perhaps it's the nature of the society there that both brings out amusing mockery in some authors (not this one) or lends itself to serious reflection (very definitely this one.)

It's strange -- in reading this book, rightfully considered a classic, I was brought to mind a book called 'Dinner with Persephone' by Patricia Storace. The two writers couldn't be any less similar, but both are fascinating characters whose books (and this is not a complaint) are far more about themselves than the lands in which they find themselves. In less worthy hands, such a trip could be like being trapped on a Jehovah's Witness bus, but Ritchie brings enough interesting detail and understanding of Japanese life to make this journey rewarding.

"I hear they are building a bridge
To the island of Tsu.
Alas...
To what now
Shall I compare myself?"
- old Japanese poem, included at the start of the book.

The reason I decided to read this book is that the idea of ambling around some quiet Japanese islands with an Ozu nut sounded like a good time. And I was not wrong. I can only echo most of the sentiments expressed by reviewers above. This is a wonderful book.
Ostensibly, it's a travelogue, and a farewell letter to a Japan that was fading from existence when Richie made his trip in the early 60s. While I'd be the first to sympathise with Richie's remorse at the changing face of Japanese society (had I experienced it, that is!), I visited Japan for the first time last year and when reading this book on my return found many of my impressions reflected in the book (if much more eloquently than they existed in my head) Furthermore, while the book undoubtedly appeals to many at some stage of "the syndrome" as Richie calls it, it is really a book for anyone who has wished to cast themselves off for sea, and utter those words that bracket Richie's story, and that title this review. This is a man who has sought a world in which he will always be a stranger.
In the afterword to the original edition, the author states that Japan is a mirror to the western soul. Perhaps it's not so much that, as that other cultures cast our own ways into relief and force us to ask questions of ourselves; for many westerners, the questions that Japan asks are fascinating.
As other reviewers have noted, prudes or puritans ought to be a little wary; others may wish to be a little subjective about which lines they read between. Still, something had to happen in Onomichi to stop it turning into a lecture on Ozu I suppose.

Regarding this new edition. I have to agree with Willy D's comments. I can put up with the two columns of print (sort of giving it the book a bottom of the backpack quality; to take out and meditate on at random), and I haven't even bothered with the new introduction. But while the new afterward is interesting, the omission of the old one is a bad mistake, and worst of all, the replacement of the beautiful photos in the original edition (sorry I forget the photographer's name) with some tacky little low contrast snaps of places visited is very sinful. Perhaps the next edition could fix these errors up...?

So if you can, get to the library and find the crusty old 1971 edition, but whichever version you read, I highly recommend this terrific book by a wonderful writer.

Honesty is a characteristic of Richie's writing, along with humor, insight, and detail. He's often quite brutally honest, in fact, and though he hides little about his own failings, he's sometimes a bit more judgemental of others. But aren't we all and his observations are so entertaining, sometimes astonishing, that I always have a hard time putting his books down.

There are times, however, when Richie's judgement wears on me. The qualities that allow him to do his best writing, his marvelous detachment and curiosity, seem to make him miss aspects of the humanity of those he's observing. He romanticizes where it serves his personal needs and dismisses, sometimes churlishly, where he becomes tired or irritated with the scene and the people who he then allows to become only part of that scenery.

I recently had the enormous pleasure of reading his Japan journals while traveling Japan. The journals extend to 2004, well after "Inland Sea," and I find less of the irritating Richie in them.

In the final analysis, I just can't help mostly loving Richie. This small volume is just another gem in the wonderful body of work from this writer who should be appreciated as a writer, not just as a writer on Japan.

Donald Richie wrote a journal in 1962 which formed the ground work for everything in the book. In the 9 years until he decided to publish his journal/book, he reprised the journal with additional insertions, in which he sometimes took pieces of his experiences within Japan, that although they did not occur in the Inland Sea of Japan and during the time the journal was written, he nevertheless recognized them as very much a part of what he considers to represent Japan before modernization. Although it is unknown what exactly didn't occur within Japan's Inland Sea, it is undeniable that the book is a masterpiece of a travelogue that very much captures the essence of everything he specifically mentions. He may well have written the journal with the expectation of it being published eventually, once he was ready.

In many ways it is hard to think of it as a travelogue due to the fact that Donald Richie has already experienced half of his life within Japan, and what appears to be an individual reflecting much of his personal life into the narration. It comes across more as an journal written by an individual whom by this point into the published version has become established within Japanese culture and integrated his life within Japan, and is so able to absorb himself into his encounter, that a deeper visual presence of this world and his psyche emerges integrated into this work, that not even a well developed visual experience within cinema could do it justice.

Donald Richie has written many books on Japanese Cinema, namely Kurosawa and Ozu. His visual thinking style is very evident in this book, and I must mention he has a gift for visualization. Compared to Alan Booth, he appears to be far better at writing, and is a far more reflective an individual. Able to decipher the meaning to things, he doesn't simply note down the illogical peculiarities of the individuals he encounters. A note of warning though is that Richie has some definite vices, namely he acts upon sexual gratification with young women, and almost gets taken away with a high-school girl. He doesn't do anything illegal in the story (at least, not that I'm totally familiar with, given the time and place, and nothing with which you couldn't do, and get away with, in the US.) Although he does so during a marriage, and his actions would well be chastised by many readers, he is who he is. The end notes of his book (in the first edition, published 1971) do tell the reader of his decision to keep much of the journal writings intact without any changes made to the events. By doing so, some may find his encounters reason enough to steer clear of the book; however I must let you know you will be missing out on a very memorable experience.

The man is a brilliant writer, and one you will not find too common-place. It is also an incredibly rare experience, even more so that time has passed since then. Not to mention, the book does not come across as a book written from memory, as the writing takes a very concerted effort to engage the reader as though the reader were Donald Richie, living scene by scene in real-time. And more importantly is that the book is even better with some of the hilarious aspects of his adventure, and is much more believable with accuracy than Alan Booth. Not to mention, is Donald Richies noticeable appreciation for the Japanese people, despite clear impression to avert from some of the fine nuances that are presented in their culture, and which one might believe that he is seeking to escape his own cultural background, as if a vagabond in search of his soul. In this way he seems to have a sad and endearing appreciation for something that doesn't entirely isolate itself to Japan, although in many ways unique to it. In part because he gets caught into the moment of his experience, he sometimes steps back and picks at nuances, sometimes disrespectfully callow; though this is rare for him in this instance. Read it and maybe what I said will make sense, as I didn't write this too well.

RMP

I really could not praise this book enough. It is one of my favorite books of all time and a truly astounding piece of "travel writing". However, this edition is a bit wanting.

The new afterward is very good but a bit sobering, confirming that, yes, to a large extent the place you have just read about is now dead as the dodo, all too effectively ending your "fever dream". Also, the new pictures are junk. They look as though they came from a Lonely Planet guide, whilst the original edition had beautiful, mysterious, haunting, high contrast photos that came across more like paintings.

Most puzzling is the page layout which consists of 2 columns per page, like a magazine article. Why? So it looks like something from "Outside" or GQ? Needless to say I preferred the musty tome from the library that read like some brilliant forgotten diary.

Yes, this book is very witty and very easy to read. I am en route to France for a year next year as an American exchange student, and I found this book to be very helpful for every aspect of the process--except I wish she added more information like "Why did she switch host families?" and about school. She barely mentioned anything about homework, the lycée, or anything like that. But I loved everything else about the book. It was intriguing and exciting. And also, it's a very nice quick read. If you are, going to be, or was an exchange student, this book is a must-have. Anther book I recommend is The Exchange Student Survival Kit. Au revoir!

I am planning on studying abroad to France in 2003 and this book has helped me out in many ways. It told me exactly what I need to know before I go, how the French people are, the school system, and it gave me encouragement. Just reading about how she doesn't regret going makes me want to go even more. I just wished she would have added more about how to handle so much school! Anyway, this book is great to read, even if you aren't planning on going to France. It has a lot of interesting facts that I could never imagine possible. Great book.

The moment I saw this book in the bookstore, I knew I had to get it because Megan did what I have always wanted to do: be an exchange student in another country. This book is just so charming, delightful, and cute. I finally was able to be an exchange student this summer in a Spanish speaking country, and while I was not gone a whole academic year but only for a couple of weeks, I always had this book by my side because so many things were the same. So if you have ever been an exchange student before/hosted one in America, or are going too I recomend this book right away, and if you are just looking for a good book to read you'll have a ball.

On the cover of this book, the publisher exudes, "A delightfully irresistible, charming account of a young American girl's year abroad." For once, this kind of description is actually an understatement. Yes, the book is in fact "delightfully irresistible" and truly charming. But the writing is also exceptionally limpid and evocative and betrays an exceptional maturity and talent. Megan McNeill Libby gives us beautifully impressionistic portraits of France, the French, and her very personal struggles, disasters, and triumphs. Her depiction of the French is extraordinarily perceptive and from my own experience living in France totally accurate. At times, I laughed until I cried; more frequently, I caught myself involuntarily smiling and nodding in agreement. But the deeper reward of reading this book is simply seeing the way that Ms. Libby writes and thinks. She is one of those rare authors with whom one falls in love after (no, during) a single reading. I am normally sparing with my praise, but I readily admit to being a gourmand for this book. Merci bien, Megan, and please give us more!

The author of Postcards from France, Megan Libby, was just 16 when she went to France in 1994 as your typical AFS student. But she wasn't typical: she had her eyes wide open and was able to record, in a series of letters and postcards sent back home, what a humbling experience it is to be a newcomer in another culture. By turns comedic, touching, insightful, and revealing, Postcards from France is always refreshing - and it's highly likely this talented young author will go on to write more books that will be a pleasure to read.

A wonderful tribute to the places where culture, custom, religion, craft and beauty reign. Places where the people understand and honor their paths in life and their connections to both the past and future. I find I return to Small Corners to enjoy anew the magnificently touching photographs, and simple and profond commentary....to find a moment of contemplative peace for myself, my thoughts, my heart...to rekindle memories of a few small corners and their inhabitants thatI have known.

What can I add to the well deserved compliments and comments on Carol's beautiful, inspiring, thoughtfully crafted book? Perhaps I'll just repeat the comments of my work colleague, Allison Quattrocchi, another published author and photographer of the world, including Africa: "Thank you for sharing this. It's lovely."
I thank you, too, Carol, for your intelligent, loving reminder that we're all in this life together.

Photographer and author, Carol Scribner, reminds us what it means to be members of the human race. Using astounding professional photography skills and emotion-laden poetry, "To Life" reveals not only the expanse of Carol's heart of service but also the true beauty of our diverse world. This book should sit on every coffee table in the United States as a constant reminder of how fortunate we are and how great our ability is to help our brothers and sisters around the world; and it should be required reading for every student studying to be a teacher, manager, social worker . . . in short every profession requiring interaction with the diverse human race, which of course excludes no one! Kudos to Carol Scribner for having the vision and artistic expression to bring this message to life so artfully in "To Life in the Small Corners".

Ms. Scribner is that rare commodity, an intelligent traveler who shares her insights with the audience through photography and appropriate interpretative statements. She covers many countries unfamiliar to many travelers. Some of the countries Carol Scribner visited and recorded are Namibia, Burma, and Mali. On a par with and perhaps exceeding the photography of National Geographic, Ms. Scribner offers insights into ordinary lives that become extraordinary by virtue of her observations and analysis. Carol Haralson edited the narrative and produced the book's excellent graphic design. One should also be aware that all proceeds from this beautiful book are donated to the TurtleWill Foundation to aid in preservation of the cultures presented here. This book will grace any coffee table and also be an appropriate gift. I can hardly wait for Carol's next book!

Daily, the media bombards us with bleak and negative images of the "third world", countries most of us will never visit, peoples we have learned to fear. This book offers a corrective experience--the beauty, the joy, and strength of cultures we ought to know more about, cultures we need to know in their wholeness and not simply in their tragedies.
An important book, and for children, especially important.

Over the Andes and through the jungle to ineptness we go. A quite humorous account of science gone jumbled. But not all is lost here.

In 1923 eight scientists plus the author venture through the South American mountains and rainforests to make further discoveries in their respective fields of study. Touted as, "The most perfectly equipped expedition that has ever started to explore South America", it quickly unfolds into a blundering journey with many problems and mishaps.

Thanks to MacCreagh's sense of humor and wit we see how every imaginable incident went from bad to worse. One by one these scientists quit the expedition to forsake the author and one other to travel up the remote Uaupes and Tiquie Rivers meeting face to face with hostile natives. What transpires is a remarkable short term study into the culture of these indigenous peoples.
Entertaining read.

I am enjoying this travel account very much. It's like Bertie Wooster goes to the jungle.

Mr MacCreagh has maganed to write an outstanding book based on a rather unsuccessful expedition. It is the tale of an expedition of eight eminent scientist in the Amazon, who were put together not for their ability in the outdoors, but for their scientific knowledge.

The author is a helper/manager of the expedition. He manages to describe the expedition from its beginning in the Bolivia highlands out to the Amazon plains and to its disintegration. It is quite clear that the scientist were not sure what to expect, and so had not prepared accordingly. Huge volumes of luggage went unused and were a huge burden. Egos and discomfort made the scientist into bickering children and inept explorers. The author masks their names because apparently these were well known figures of their time.

There is a bit of scientific content in the book, but clearly the main reason to read it is for the good humor of the author in describing the situations they get themselves in. One learns more about people and how they behave when taken to extremes than one does about the Amazon.

When your read of other expeditions and how well they were conducted, then you read Gordon MacCreagh's humorous account of a mistake-ridden expedition into the Amazon, and you may wonder how this could happen. Clearly, the leader of MacCreagh's expedition was no Roy Chapman Andrews. Too many mistakes with both men and equipment. It is a humorous, often hilarious account of how not to conduct an expedition into the Amazon -- or anywhere else. I found it to be much better than Peter Fleming's "Amazon Adventure" and somewhat better than Arthur O. Friel's "River of Seven Stars," which has not been reprinted. MacCreagh's sense of humor and keen observations are what place this book at the top of my list of exploration/expedition books. I found it difficult to keep from sharing portions of this book with family and friends...

I can't believe you can get this book used! I own three copies and I don't even loan it out. This is a terrific expedition book and a wonderful book about being human. My family was thrilled to know that this book was being re-issued. Like one of the other reviewers, I was brought up knowing who the various scientists were because my father had worked with a colleague. It gave us plesure to know the names, some of whom were quite well known even today. It was also nice to know that at least for the eminent icthyolgist and the eminent entomologist the work that they produced from this expedition was very useful. I have recommmened this book countless times, and get copies for friends I really like.

Reading this wonderful book gave me the vicarious pleasure of wandering the globe in the company of skilled writers who know just how to crystallize their experiences for the reader. I recommend it to any armchair traveler! (And it's a great book to take on a plane.)

What a refreshing, beautiful book. The essays within are full of powerful and rich personality, which serves to give a full sensory perception of the places of which they write. There is an abandon and adventurous spirit that blows through the pages and inspires the reader not just to travel, but to really experience the places one goes, even close to home.

This book was perfectly conceived and executed. These 24 smart stories by 12 smart women cover the whole tonal range -- funny, poignant, gut-wrenching, beautiful, thoughtful, irreverant, wonderfully sappy... And the publishing concept itself was brilliant, a clever way to crack a difficult market: strength in numbers, taking power into their own hands...in retrospect it seems so obvious, but I'm sure that two years ago these women had little idea how brilliant they were being... I'm 50 years old now, and anyone who has reached my stage of geezerhood knows the value of having even one good solid friend. I attended a salon event these women put on in San Francisco recently, and I mentioned to one of them just how great I thought it would be to have twelve friends as tight as they seem to be. Her response: "Well, now you do!" And that is the feeling that one comes away with after reading their book: Twelve new friends.

This book exhilarated me and ignited my passion for travel to an even higher level than before. The courage (and insanity!) of some of these women; their appreciation for travel, culture and their unrelenting desire to soak up every bit of their experiences, inspired me to - not only travel to every destination listed in the book - but to truly appreciate the journey, with all its flaws. Because, who knows, it might make for a great story someday!

I love this book.
So great to hear all the adventures these women have.
They are all so independent. They go off to see the world in so many different ways. Each one has their own personality and way of traveling.
They go out and do all the things I wish I could do.
Way to go Ladies ...........
Thanks for the inspiration
p.s. I also love their monthly news-letters

This book is hard to put down. It shows there is still a lot of kindness left in this world.

My ex-husband just completed walking the Appalachian Trail, so I tried to locate Steven's WORLDWALK book to give to him. While Steven's walk took 4 years & my ex's trip took 4 months, I still felt sure it was the same type of exciting adventure. I was amazed at Steven's story when I read it, & like Lou, I also heard him speak--his story couldn't be any more exciting than the fiction novels that I usually read. Guess I'll have to loan him my signed copy.

I'll admit to having a penchant for nonfiction. However, the next two sentences from Chapter 18 of Worldwalk stopped me COLD (not easy to do).

"I sensed a pocket of time and space where the past still weighed heavily on the second hand of the present. Where, instead of being trampled under, history was allowed to crumble away at its own pace."

They, alone, are worth the price of this book.

If you don't learn from, appreciate humankind more, and enjoy this book, I will remain forever in awe of an unreachable person who happens to occupy this planet at this time.

Do yourself a favor and curl up in your most comfortable place and allow Steven to "do the walking" for you - not through the Yellow Pages, but Around the World.

This is a great book. One of my favorite of all time. The adventure is well written and keeps the readers interest. It is educational, entertaining, and heartwarming.

This work has been around for a few years now and is one of those I kept meaning to read, but never seemed to get around to it. Thanks to an Amazon Friend who read my "wish list," I received this one on my birthday...Thanks Terry! Anyway, as I suspected, I have missed out on a great read for all of these years.

Worldwalk by Steven M. Newman is the true story of a young man, who at the age of 28, left his front door on a small town in Ohio, and walked around the world alone. This was not one of those walks with a gigantic support team or financed by some company or cause. This was a walk undertaken by a guy who wanted to see the world, to meet its people, who lived simply off the charity of others for the most part, and who sincerely wanted to learn. It is actually more of a pilgrimage that a journey. While it is certainly an adventure of the highest sort, it is so much more.

To begin with, this is one very lucky young guy. I have been to many of the places he walked, alone, with no support, no guide no special language skills and no special help. I on the other hand, was usually with people, heavily armed people, as I was myself, and I was still fearful many times. There is absolutely no reason that he should not have been killed a dozen times over, either through exposure, accidents or human intervention, i.e. robbery or murder. His journey began in Ohio, on April 1, 1983 where he walked east. He, in his travels passed though Scotland, Ireland, England, France, Spain, several countries in North Africa, Turkey, Greece, some of the Balkans, India, Pakistan, Thailand, Australia and the Western United States. He actually crossed around twenty countries. Steven Newman gives us a first hand account of the country, and more importantly profiles of the hundreds of people he met on his journey.

This is a very inspirational book. Newman pretty well proves his beginning belief, that is, that people all over the world are a pretty nice lot, and that despite cultural differences, religious differences, races, creeds, histories, and we are all pretty much the same. Most of us are down right good and a few of us are bad.

The author has told of his four year journey through simple prose, almost always upbeat, almost always realistic. I feel the author was a bit naïve at times, but perhaps that was an advantage and perhaps that is one of the things that allowed him to complete this spectacular journey. I was quite struck with the author's faith, not only in his God, but in the goodness of mankind...a rare thing these days.

I particularly enjoyed the descriptions of the various individuals the writer encountered on his journey, and the record of the conversations he had with these individuals. I also enjoyed his description of the physical challenges he faced on a daily basis. This was truly inspiring.

Now this walk took place over twenty years ago and you would think that some, or most, of the material might be a bit dated. Not so! I suppose the one part of the book that did discourage me some what is that not all that much has changes in those twenty years, and if anything, things have gotten a bit worse. Still good people, but, as usual, poor governments. This is a very enjoy able read and I do highly recommend it. It is one of those books that you will hate to put down.

Like many non-Americans I have a strange attraction to the United States. Having neither the means nor the time to explore this vast continent on my own I am looking for substitutes to get intimately familiar with the different corners of America. This is what I was hoping to find in Torre B Isaksen's "America: A Love Story".

The author, Mr. Isaksen, a Norwegian-born sea captain, spent half a year traveling from Alaska to Florida, using his car. His travels took him through many states and he writes about the people and places he saw. Quite a few exciting events happened to him during the trip, but that is not what makes this book interesting. Where Mr. Isaksen really shines is in his narrative of all the original people he met on his travels, sometimes old friends, but most of the time just random encounters on his journey.

As the book title hints, Mr. Isaksen's unrelenting love for the US is ever-present throughout the pages, and often this is too much for the reader to swallow. While he keeps referring back to the vast amount of places he visited during his travels by sea, he always uses this information to point out the superiority of the American way, regardless of subject. His story often strays off on a tangent, and more often than not, this leads to the Vietnam war, which a significant number of fragments in the book is dedicated to.

As a travelogue throughout the US, the book contains a fair amount of memorable episodes and you get a feeling for the place and the people living there. However, the constant backtracking to Vietnam, the many romantic encounters on the road, and a few grammatical and spelling errors reduce the enjoyment from what could have been a great read. Despite these issues I still enjoyed the book and felt that I got a deeper and more intimate understanding of the US' geography and people without actually being there.

I bought this book from an airport book store in Europe,the cover caught my eye,it stood out,the beautiful Stars and Stripes flew proudly on the cover,i have always wanted to go and visit America,that big and powerful country so close as an allied and friendly nation but so far to travel to visit.I figure a book travel might be the next best thing and what a book!it rivited me to the pages,here unfolds life before my eyes so vivid and so exceptionally personally depicted,man and nature,the full life,the high and low,the good the bad and the ugly,all is there in Torre's grand book as he takes us down the whole of North America from Alaska to Florida and from coast to coast!What really got to me was the very upbeat and positiveness of the book and the people he met and the nature and land he travelled thru.Torre is and author that is at his most powerful when meeting and describing people of all walks of life!I loved it.Now,the next is I must get a ticket and travel to see America for myself.A book to be glad for!The book is an eyeopener!

hello to all readers out there.I must tell all about this fine book,no, this super good book I found at the Amazon internet store.How did I find it among the thousand titles,well I was recommended it by someone,and wow,what a read.Where have this writer been before? The spot on powerful rendering of all in his way is just great and very moving,'america a love story'his truly epic trip down the north american continent is unique,nothing less,and the nature around him comes alive as does the everyday people he meets,here is a REAL book,with REAL people from REAL life,nothing less than AMERICANA,it surges in you when you read this book,pride in our nation,warts and all,Torre I think,has written a beautiful and realistic book,spot on with all of us americans,and non americans might also definiteley learn a thing or two about'the American Soul'...
I am bertrand from Holland.

I got the book at the internet store of Amazon.com.the reason why i bought it was the titel and the cover,both so strikingly.i started reading the book one late evening and i just couldn't put it down,and lost a lot of sleep that nite,however,it was worth it,wow,what a book,the action moves along smoothly as Torre,the author drives down the great continent of America,and what a drive he does,and the beauty of this book is that it's so sharing,Torre meets and talk and mingle and really describe so vividly his encounters,it is like we are with him all the time, we the readers are his companion on this epic trip,i never heard of anyone doing this before,quite unique.And the positiveness and upbeat tone is there all the time,even though the author meets with both violence and muggings on his year long trip,from Alaska to Florida,coast to coast,and that's what makes the book such a good read, this is a great story about the American society in general.the author dedicates his book to ALL Americans,and that's a perfect gesture.I loved this book,I cried and laughed along the road.Where have this talented writer been in the past?Anyway,this is the book of the year for me,for sure.

I read this book with great pleasure,it had everything,the great american outdoor,the personal description of the people that the author meets along the route from Alaska to Florida.And it's like you have been there yourself,travelling with Torre in his pickup,and the dialogue it's out of this world,this is far more than a trip down the road,believe me.I will describe the book as a real glimpse'into the american soul',the people are so fantastically and colorful depicted and very personal,it feels like you KNOW many of the persons he meet.That and the strength and variety of events is what makes this book a very good read,and the grandeur nature is described so well,in short it's a mighty entertaining book,'AMERICA: A Love Story' is one of the best books I have read in a long while.Period.I purchased it from the Internet shopping,at a good value.I live in Ireland,and work in the book industry myself.best rgds Mr.Paul/Ireland

Over 20,000 people a year go to Antarctica and only 5400 people went to South Georgia last year. I am going in November and feel this is probably the one book for people to read if they are going there. Everyone I have talked to that has gone to the Antarctic Circle says that South Georgia is a must. Read this book before you book your cruise and if it is in your budget add South Georgia. It is one of the great ecosystems of the world so if you have done Africa and the Galapagos or other A list eco-tours this book will probably convince you to add South Georgia.

It is a wonderful collection of pictures taken by Tim and Pauline Carr, during their long stay in the South Georgia Island. Such remote and unreachable place for normal people as I am, but to dream with.... a land where the human touch almost changed the landscape, but where the nature took over, after the last whalers left the island, with the rebirth of a new natural chain.

Having been to South Georgia and met the Carr's three years ago, I was very excited to see their marvelous habitat so poignantly displayed. It is a world of the crossroads of many ecologic niches, man's tenuous and not always synergistic intersection with it, and and an adventuresome couple's love for the land, sea, and animals. A bit more could have been said about Shackleton and his place in its history, but over-all highly recommended. It only enforced my desire to return.

RB Schoene Seattle, WA

Smitten by South Georgia after 20+ years of sailing the world in a 28' cutter, the Carrs have generously chosen to share the object of their affection through breathtaking photographs and charming text. The reader accompanies them as they explore the coastal bays, ski across glaciers, and wonder at being preened by an albatross. Holding this book in your hands is a reminder of the truth of the definition of work as "love made visible."

Fitting tribute to the sometimes threatened wildlife on this island - South Georgia. Apart from the stunning bird photographs with those amazing snow-capped peaks, there is the effusive commentary, emphasizing the natural moods of the place, with journeys by boat, hiking, on skis, explorations made more meaningful with some of the scientists from their bases. In fact the Carr's are the only permanent residents here, so taken with the wildness of the place, and actually run the Whaling museum. Not the least of characters is the famed one hundred year old Falmouth (England, UK) built cutter with whom we can share it's history in the final chapter of the book. This is no ordinary boat, not for all that the Carr's have taken her through these last 25 years. First hearing of the Carr's exploits in John Ridgeway's 'Then we sailed away', somehow the dangers of their journeys, although not exactly glossed over, are not depicted as felt experience as in the Ridgeway work, feeling more like the safe narrative encountered in a childrens' version of a day at sea. The reader is not aware of the friction and general mayhem that is so well recounted by John. Also there is no sense of the 'burden of the possession of mind', lonely outposts bringing on philosophical musings than is done here, unless of course they were were always an idyllically matched and happy couple. It is not that sort of book, rather allowing the displacement of humanity as much as possible in order to bring out into greatest relief, the exorbitant wildlife.

The David Sedaris selection about flying makes this book worth buying. I was on an airplane while reading his chapter and was laughing so hard that my seatmate kept giving me weird looks.

Enjoyed getting to experience other cultures through the eyes of the traveler while myself being the armchair traveler.

I wasn't able to travel this summer, so I was more or less stuck in my small town in the middle of Oklahoma. Luckily, a handful of well-chosen books escorted me to exotic--and some very familiar--ports of call, this book, 2006's Best American Travel Writing being one of the most memorable. This is a wonderfully diverse collection of writings, featuring what many of us think of as "exotic" travel narratives, as well as my favorite kind of travel writing, essays that question the nature of travel and what we learn in the process of leaving the familiar behind.

One of the gems of this collection is Alain de Botton's piece, "The Discreet Charm of the Zurich Bourgeoise." I, too, am fascinated by the comfortable, efficient towns and cities in the world, ones that are rarely tourist destinations, but are fascinating in their own, discreet way. This piece is very similar to his book, The Art of Travel, as he juxtaposes Pieter de Hooch's paintings and their seemingly unremarkable domestic world with his love for the sedate charms of Zurich. It won't appeal to the National Geographic type of tourist, but this is what makes travel writing such a vital genre to me--and why I buy books like this.

Other high points include Sean Flynn's portrayal of American sex tourists in Puerto Rico, Ian Frazier's beautiful memoir of small town Ohio, Michael Paterniti's remarkable piece about befriending a Ukranian giant, Kira Salak's tour of modern-day Libya, George Saunder's enthusiastic (and humorous) account of Dubai, and by far the most laugh-out loud selection of all, Christopher Solomon's "Let's Ski Korea," which is everything you expect and more.

I always delight in these Best American... volumes, and the Travel Writing remains my favorite to read and re-read. Tim Cahill did an amazing job in selecting these works, and I look forward to "traveling" in them whenever the simple pleasures of Ada, Oklahoma become rather less poetic.

It is a little bit hard to review this book because I have read most of the series and like them all. This is no exception and I thought that there are a few things that I can add.
As always a good/great selection of material and most/all are great reads. As has been stated elsewhere if you do not like one, you can skip it. However, I never skip a story. I sort of think that I might not finish one, but then I do and am glad that I did.
Not only do I like the stories, but I think of the book as a study guide for an aspiring travel writer. Thus far I have limited my travel writing by sneaking it into other nonfiction wrting that I do (I recommend this technique). I may never seriously go down the travel writting road, but the idea helps me notice things that I might not otherwise.
Here is a specific tip. Be sure to read the forematter of the book--the foreword and introduction. They are good reading too.
One small point. Compared to the others in the series that I have read, this edition would have to qualify for an R rating because of the story about prostitution in Costa Rica. I liked the story--and you can, of course, skip it if you do not like it--but I fell obligated to mention it. There was one other place (that I forget right now) that made me think the same thing.
As soon as I finished this book, I went out and bought one from the sports series!

I bought this book to supplement a travel writing course. I read many of the travel articles and found them interesting and well-written. It was especially helpful to read these articles without the pictures that must have accompanied many of them -- the writing for the most part was superb.

Kirk Johnson of the Denver Museum of Natural History and his traveling companion, artist Ray Troll, take us on a goofy whirlwind tour of fossil sites in the West that is funny and also informative. Kirk Johnson explains a lot of geological concepts along the way, while weaving in great anecdotes and entertaining sketches of the whacky characters who live and work at many of the sites they visit. Ray Troll's art, as always, is great and often quite surreal, and there's lots of it on every page. Highly recommended!

The book was listed in Science News, which is a weekly publication with current news in the world of Science. My spouse, who is a Registered Professional Geologist, asked me to purchase it for her. At first glance she thought it was a children's book, however; in reading further realized the book was intended for adults. Her rating is that the publication was very good, both well written and illustrated. This rating means a lot because it is from someone who must have at least a zillion books on Geology and also has a Masters Degree in the subject.

Caution! Paleo fever is catching. I already had a light dose of it before reading the book. Not many people carry around a small chunk of dinosaur rib in their purse just for the heck of it. (It makes a hilarious conversation piece at security check points. Most screeners don't want anything more to do with the purse after finding the bone.)

Now, after reading the book, I have a full blown case, and am itching to get back on the road. This book strikes just the right balance between hard information and just plain fun.

We went to Montana last summer and met several people who were at least as interesting as the bones - with strange tales of discovery and survival. Guess what! after reading the book, I now know that there is a whole world of fossils and people just waiting to be discovered.

This book answers a lot of questions that I had - i.e. what on earth is a concretion? Before reading the book, I could recognize one, but couldn't define what it was. Now I know more about what they are and how they form.

The book delivers a steady drip of valid scientific information that you almost don't realize that you are getting. (The author is a curator at the Denver Museum.)

The book will also tell you how to recognize and find dinosaur tracks at 65 miles an hour. - I won't give away the secret,but, I'll give you a hint: it involves birthday cake and ants.

Be warned! If you read this book, you will be left screaming for a ROAD TRIP in the great old American tradition.

Funny,thought-provoking story with historic information on paleontological sites and the people who search for fossils.

One part Easy Rider, one part On the Road with Charles Kuralt, and one part "stuff to find by the side of the road." Mix up these three and add an interesting commentary of "how things got to be the way they are" and you'll have some idea of what "Cruisin' the Fossil Freeway" is like. I've read "The Bone Wars" (Cope vs Marsh) and, while I find the topic interesting, I had to drag myself through parts of it. I also have a number of "Roadside Geology" books that I'm generally disappointed with. In "Cruisin'," Dr. Johnson gives details about the first scientists on the scene, plus precise locations & basic geology, and manages to make it all humorous and entertaining. The Easy Rider camaraderie between Johnson and artist Troll is often quite amusing, and the sketches of personalities they meet along the road makes what could be a very dry subject full of personable details. The octogenarian racing to beat Johnson to a fossil, the 16 year old girl with an Allosaurus under her bed, the "King of Trilobites" who has little more than disdain for fossils ... all keep the narrative far from a textbook coverage of geology. No, I don't know the author well enough for him to buy me lunch or have a piece of the royalties. I just really enjoyed both the personalities and the fossil info in the book. If you're serious about collecting, get the separate map as well: not only is it covered in Trollish art, but it provides an accurate index of fossil locales throughout the Western states (in much more detail and over broader areas than the book ... and better than any other source I've seen).