Traveling to the Other Side
"He had enough of traveling the world."
World Travel: An Irreverent Guide
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A guide to some of the world’s most fascinating places, as seen and experienced by writer, television host, and relentlessly curious traveler Anthony Bourdain
Anthony Bourdain saw more of the world than nearly anyone. His travels took him from the hidden pockets of his hometown of New York to a tribal longhouse in Borneo, from cosmopolitan Buenos Aires, Paris, and Shanghai to Tanzania’s utter beauty and the stunning desert solitude of Oman’s Empty Quarter—and many places beyond.
In World Travel, a life of experience is collected into an entertaining, practical, fun and frank travel guide that gives readers an introduction to some of his favorite places—in his own words. Featuring essential advice on how to get there, what to eat, where to stay and, in some cases, what to avoid, World Travel provides essential context that will help readers further appreciate the reasons why Bourdain found a place enchanting and memorable.
Supplementing Bourdain’s words are a handful of essays by friends, colleagues, and family that tell even deeper stories about a place, including sardonic accounts of traveling with Bourdain by his brother, Christopher; a guide to Chicago’s best cheap eats by legendary music producer Steve Albini, and more. Additionally, each chapter includes illustrations by Wesley
Allsbrook.
For veteran travelers, armchair enthusiasts, and those in between, World Travel offers a chance to experience the world like Anthony Bourdain.
World Travel: An Irreverent Guide
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World Travel: An Irreverent Guide
Sale price$45.00
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Overall rating: 3.357143 / 5 from 14 reviews.
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Review topics: ["book","travel","country","information"].
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Reviews
Charismatic
"After I had purchased this book, I was eager and anxious to start reading it. Anthony Bourdain is a very charismatic writer and they way he spoke on several of the TV programs he was in: No Reservations, A Cooks Tour and Parts Unknown, really comes out in the book. His love of food, traveling, and people are openly shown in the book with excerpts of what he said in the TV programs that he starred in about his travels eating around the world. I miss his writing very much and this is only a tear jerker for me when I read it."
Not what I was expecting
"I really wanted to love this book, but I didn't. This is more of a where did Tony stay, eat, how to get around, and what to do in each country. I'm really not sure who the target audience is. It may be a nice book to give someone who loved Anthony Bourdain's series, but it doesn't have his normal tone. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to review this book."
An affront to Bourdain
"If Tony was alive, he would surely have nixed this crass commercialization of his good name. He was a brilliant traveler, narrator and writer and this book does not do him justice. It was marketed as "by" Tony, but truth is it was not. It rather reminded me of the episode when Tony traveled to Sicily and a rigged octopus "fishing" expedition, the organizer threw dead octopuses in the ocean for Tony to "catch," left him with a bad taste in his mouth. This, too, was equally "fishy. ""
A grand feast and Bourdain legacy
"In the foreword, Laurie Woolever discusses the one and only planning meeting she and Bourdain were to have to set up the format and content of a new book- one year before Tony’s death. As you travel back in time, sharing the stories of Bourdain’s world wide culinary and other escapades with his crew, friends, chefs and brother, his words are bolded - swooning, wisecracking, praising, irreverent words you would probably recognize anyway as only his. These destination reviews are small bites, not a meal, but taken as a whole, Laurie Woolever has brought it all together as a grand feast and Bourdain legacy. It’s a travel taste of how, where, when, why, what and who. He did his research, traveled, told us what it was all about, and left it up to us."
Perfect for fans of Bourdain
"It is an original, beautifully illustrated book. To call it a guide would be an exaggeration because every city is only sketched and in most only one or two restaurants are recommended, but on the other hand it has a truelly global scope, with places from all over the world, some as exotic as Bhutan or Trinidad and Tobago. I think it would be a perfect gift for every fan of the late Anthony Bourdain. He is missed by many. Thanks to the publisher, Ecco, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book."
A disappointment to Bourdain's memory
"I preordered this book months before it was released as I was eager to read some of Anthony Bourdain's last written words for the world to read. After all, the book was marketed as being completed by his assistant Woolever as he was unable to finish it. However, when the book arrived I learned in the introduction that Bourdain in fact did not write a single word in this book; it was a mere idea shared with his assistant prior to his death. This irreverent travel guide isn't so irreverent. The only direct contribution from Bourdain is any quote he said regarding a specific country which..... will sound familiar to you if you've already watched his shows. I'm doubtful that Bourdain would have approved of this Yelp style travel guide. Based on his television personality and other writings, I expected a guide which encouraged free spirited travel- not what major airports are in which city."
Bittersweet Travels
"Overall I enjoyed armchair traveling with Anthony Bourdain. The book is arranged alphabetically and offers quotes from Bourdain on his thoughts of the country and the places he ate. The collaborator Laurie Woolever worked with Bourdain and often fills in. Some countries also include essays written by others who traveled with him. I really enjoyed the essays written by his brother. However I found most of the getting there information unnecessary. That information is readily available online and will often become out of date quickly. I would rather have read more about the country and food by either Bourdain , those that traveled with him or the people who lives he impacted after his visit. There are sketches that illustrate the book but photographs would have been nice. The book was well written and very easy to read. Enjoy the armchair world tour.. ."
For fans of Anthony Bourdain
"Anthony Bourdain's death left a void in the world of food adventure. He has been mourned by many. This book, however, provides a chance to celebrate Mr. Bourdain, the foods he ate and the places he went. Starting with Argentina and progressing through the alphabet to Viet-Nam, this charmingly illustrated (with many line drawings) book offers riches to the reader. Fans of Mr. Bourdain will be excited to see this one. Credit to Laurie Woolever who clearly helped enormously to get this book out. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in exchange for an honest review."
Good Not Great
"I really wanted to love this book a lot more than I did. While I enjoyed the destinations covered, the food discussed and the witty comments from Bourdain himself, it felt a bit awkward to have an attempt at a “guide” in the midst of it. It should have either been completely eliminated or done in more detail. The lackluster info about getting around the city/country felt like I was just being fluffed by the author and as if it was a check mark he could tick off. Still, who doesn’t enjoy a book on food and travel?"