World Travel

I think this book is going to disappoint a lot of people. They’re not going to be happy because it’s not what they want or expect. Really, this book belongs with the big books with the glossy covers that line the travel sections of bookstores and have one word titles that are just a country: “China”, “Spain”, “Brazil”. They’re going to be disappointed because they wanted an Anthony Bourdain book. Y’know, like the shows. Something new.

And strangely enough, this book is as close to the shows as you can get. In fact, it’s probably the best way to distill all of those seasons into one digestible thing. The quotes are mostly pulled directly from there, word for word.

But I should back up. To set expectations probably, you need to know what kind of book you’re getting into. It is a No Reservations/Layover/Parts Unknown travel guide, through and through. Once more for emphasis: Travel Guide. Each chapter starts with a quote about how Tony felt about the country, usually from a previous show but sometimes not. Then it goes into the nitty gritty. Travel options from the airport. Hotels. Maybe some history. But most importantly: restaurants.

World Travel has no problem diving back into the filmography and letting you know exactly where these places are. Really, it’s the book companion to Tony’s TV show career. A “Greatest Hits” album. That’s what this should be viewed as.

There are also some little things, like essays penned by various people involved in his life and shows, but the bulk of this book is: here’s the place, how you get there, where you stay, what we did there, and what Tony thought of it.

I think it’s admirable, and, as a fan of the shows, a nice reference guide. There’s nothing really groundbreaking here, in fact it’s 85% material you might have already seen, but that doesn’t mean that material is bad. I mean, there’s a reason for Bourdain’s continuing popularity. The format is easy to read and understand, and the research that has gone into it is noticeable.

If you don’t get caught up in the hype, I think this book can be entertaining, helpful, and worth buying. Just don’t get too excited. Have fun listening to the old songs you love. For me, I’d still rather watch the actual shows, but I think this book is worth the buy, if you’re a fan. So I’m not giving it the badge, but this is more an exception to the rule. Yes it’s good, and yes I liked reading it. But you should really read his other books and watch the TV shows first. That’s my recommendation.