The Art of Travel

Heading to school after staying at a CouchSurfer's house, I passed a travel store with the book The Art of Travel in the window.

Not yet read, but on my reading list, it's a collection of nine essays divided into five categories, "Departure," "Motives," "Landscape," "Art," and "Return."

The editorial review at Amazon says,

"De Botton's style is very thoughtful and dense; he considers events of the moment and relates them to his internal dialog, showing how experiences from the past affect the present.

In "On Curiosity," for example, which describes a weekend in Madrid, De Botton compares his reliance on a very detailed guidebook to the numerous systematic measurements Alexander von Humboldt made during his 1799 travels in South America.

De Botton compares Humboldt's insatiable desire for detail with his own ennui and wish that he were home.

There are also details about a fight over dessert, the van Gogh trail in Provence, and Wordsworth's vision of nature.

Although well written and interesting, this volume will have limited popular appeal.

Recommended for larger public libraries."

- Alison Hopkins, Brantford P.L., ON Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

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