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| Do Travel Writers Go to Hell?: A Swashbuckling Tale of High Adventures, Questionable Ethics, and Professional Hedonism | 
| Author: Thomas Kohnstamm
Publisher: Three Rivers Press
Category: Book
List Price: $13.95
Buy New: $8.13
You Save: $5.82 (42%)
New (38) from $8.13
Avg. Customer Rating:  40 reviews
Sales Rank: 56286
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 288
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.5
Dimensions (in): 8 x 5.3 x 0.8
ISBN: 0307394654
Dewey Decimal Number: 910.4092
EAN: 9780307394651
ASIN: 0307394654
Publication Date: April 22, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: Mint!!
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| Customer Reviews:
| Showing reviews 36-40 of 40 | | « PREV 1 ... | | |
 An Instant Travel Classic...I want to read more!! April 22, 2008
17 out of 21 found this review helpful
First off, if I would have believed all of the online chatter about this book before I bought it, I might have made the mistake of not purchasing it. Thank God I did not believe the hype!!
Kohnstamm weaves a fun, entertaining, hilarious, and informative tale about his first experience writing for Lonely Planet on their Brazil travel guide. He tells of all of the crazy experiences he had as a young guy jetting off to Brazil to travel across a large swath of the country with little experience and practically no guidance from his editors.
Kohnstamm did what many of us have only dreamed of doing, he left a comfortable, secure 9-to-5 job to pursue his dream of becoming a travel writer. From the very beginning, he learned that the lifestyle demanded someone with no strings attached (the self-inflicted implosion of his relationship with his girlfriend is laden with dark humor), and someone who was willing and able to learn a very challenging job on the fly.
In the process, we learn of a guy with the best intentions who just wanted to do the best job possible in order to secure more work with Lonely Planet (apparently he did a good enough job that he ended up being paid to work on over a dozen titles). But in the process, he learns that the system, while not necessarily set up for writers to fail, definitely makes it very difficult for them to do the job they are hired to do.
I read this entire book through in one sitting. As a traveler, a dreamer, and someone who has always thought of just quitting my job and setting out to make my living traveling the world, I identified with Kohnstamm. He brings us a story that made me laugh out loud, dream right along with him, and in the process taught me a lot about the travel guide industry. I will definitely continue to use Lonely Planet books, but I think Kohnstamm has given me insight into my own travel habits and given me the courage to take more risks on my next trip.
I sincerely hope this book is well received, because I am dying to hear about his adventures on the next twelve guide books!!!
Astonishing April 22, 2008
4 out of 11 found this review helpful
One of the best and most entertaining stories I've ever read! I want to buy copies for my grandchildren. Everyone should get a glimpse of this side of life. This author exudes exceptional talent. He paints a portrait for us that many only ever fanatasize or daydream about and this guy lived to write about it. Thank you TK. Please create another work of genius for us all!!
Brilliant April 22, 2008
4 out of 9 found this review helpful
Mr. Kohnstamm's book offers a great understanding on how travel guidebooks are composed and how they in return can influence any given country. This is a must read for anyone who has ever considered being a travel writer or anyone with an adventurous spirit.
Loved it! April 22, 2008
10 out of 17 found this review helpful
Entertaining!
Thomas Kohnstamm has received significant attention from the press and the blogosphere over the past few weeks regarding his experiences as a travel writer. It now seems that in some instances, the media - and individuals who posted discussions on this Amazon webpage- irresponsibly reported on salacious rumors and fabrications. After reading Do Travel Writers Go to Hell?, I feel personally compelled to tell future readers that this book stands on its own, as a truly enjoyable read. I could not put it down.
We all have had moments when we know, not feel, but know that our jobs are sucking the life from us, that we somehow ended up somewhere we never imagined. Mr. Kohnstamm opens the book with such an experience and with awesome determination to avoid succumbing to the miserable fate of a lowly desk job. Once we know what his life goals are, we know he will never surrender; he is destined for a more adventurous route, one that I would honestly like to join him on - even though it is rather coarse! After being offered what would seem to be a dream job as a full-fledged travel writer, we follow him through his raucous send off to Brazil, his introduction to an array of interesting (to say the least) characters, his struggle to meet his deadline and many exciting, hysterical and energetic moments in between.
If you are expecting that Mr. Kohnstamm`s book was written with resent filled prose, with the intent to destroy Lonely Planet with a multitude of dirty secrets about the company, you may be disappointed, but don't let that stop you from reading this memoir. The book is not only a fantastic page-turner but an incredibly important glimpse into the world of a travel writer and an industry that is no longer able to support their authors in a way that allows for accurate and holistic guides. The travel guide industry has not only let down their readers but their employees as well. Let this be the start of a new discussion about travel guides. I have heard complaints from travel writers for years. Thomas finally had had the guts to let us backstage. I am happy to have discovered this great author. Thanks for the ride...looking forward to the next one.
Best new book I've read this year April 22, 2008
7 out of 11 found this review helpful
As a resident cubicle dweller, I enjoyed this book immensely. It's not just a travel book, or an expose on the world of travel writing; it gets at the heart of that temptation to flee the cubicle (where I'm sitting and typing this) and pursue a life less ordinary - but unlike most of the books that deal with this subject it's not all hearts and rainbows once the author makes his move. The book follows the trade-offs, disappointments and cold realities he experiences on the other side - experiences he lampoons hilariously the whole time.
If you like humor - wonderfully dark humor - you won't find a better read than this.
I could not recommend this book any more highly.
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