New book exposes travel industry’s seedy underbelly

by Aaron Hotfelder on

I haven’t had the chance to pick it up yet, but Chuck Thompson’s new book Smile When You’re Lying is getting rave reviews from the New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle, and International Herald Tribune, among many others. Thompson is a long-time travel writer and photographer, and he’s fed up with his editors’ insistence that every destination he visits be portrayed as an idyllic paradise– a concept he has dubbed “travel porn.”

The book’s website describes the premise as follows: “[Thompson] has had enough. Enough of the half-truths demanded by magazine editors, enough of the endlessly recycled clichés regarded as good travel writing, and enough of the ugly secrets fiercely guarded by the travel industry. But mostly, he’s had enough of returning home from assignments and leaving the most interesting stories and the most provocative insights on the editing-room floor.”

An excerpt of the book is available here, including a pretty accurate take-down of the writing in those glossy travel magazines:

“The biggest reason travel writing is dull… is that most of it is devoid of anything approaching an authentic point of view. On those rare occasions when travel writers are allowed to express an actual opinion, it must be a completely harmless one that’s also shared by the travel industry at large. These are usually offered as hard-hitting commentaries describing how “quaint” a hotel room is, how “mind-blowing” a nature park is, or how “mouthwatering” a chef’s specialty is. Everything is superlative. Like being a sports fan, one of the best things about being a traveler is complaining about the parts you don’t like-hating the Dallas Cowboys not only doesn’t make me any less a football fan, it probably makes me a more avid one. This is a concept the travel industry has never embraced.”

One for the Road: First Class – Legendary Train Journeys Around the World

by Kelly Amabile on

Patrick Poivre d’Arvor, otherwise known as PPDA, is a well known French news anchor and author of France from the Air. In his latest travel-themed book, released earlier this year, the famous Frenchman finds himself back on land, celebrating the allure and romance of grand train journeys.

First Class: Legendary Train Journeys Around the World is packaged in an enticing luggage box designed to resemble a steamer trunk. Between the covers of this suitcase-style treat is a fitting tribute to train travel that calls us “All Aboard!”. There are 11 suggested journeys, including route maps for famous lines like the Trans-Siberian, the Orient Express, the Californian Zephyr, South Africa’s Blue Train and the Canadian. Descriptions of these famous expresses are decorated with photos and quotes from literary figures who have captured the joys of train travel in their own works. A fun gift to consider for those who love to ride the rails.

One for the Road: Charm City – A Walk Through Baltimore

by Kelly Amabile on

I’m super excited about today’s book suggestion. The latest title in Crown’s Journey Series is Charm City: A Walk Through Baltimore by Madison Smartt Bell. The cover itself, decorated with Hon hair and a photo of the famous Painted Ladies, is enough for me to know — I want to read this book! When I first started writing for Gadling back in 2005, I was still a Baltimore resident, and I’ve mentioned the fantastic city here on more than one occasion. I debated waiting to tell ya all about this one until after I had a chance to read it, but why wait? I’m fairly confident it’s an excellent read. I BELIEVE in all things Baltimore.

But you don’t have to take my word for it — This week, the New York Times praised Bell’s book as a guide to the “soul” of a “real city.” Bell, an award-winning author who has lived in Baltimore for over twenty years, is a professor at Goucher College, where he directs the creative writing program. His book explores the history of the city by traveling through its unique mix of neighborhoods and major arteries, focusing on four specific walks through Fells Point and Dickeysville and along Charles Street and Greemount Avenue. Some well-known locals, like Laura Lippman and David Simon, join him on the jaunts. The Baltimore Sun interviewed Bell about how this project came to be. It’s a good read, and more proof that the book is sure to serve as a perfect companion for any trip to Charm City.

A difference between Yanks and Brits

by Jerry Guo on

You know the difference between Americans and Britons? The word of the year for 2007 stateside is “w00t” while across the pond, it’s — get this, — “locavore.” OK, it’s not quite as pretentious as it sounds, though still too much for my taste. Anyone want to venture a guess?

It means someone who eats food that’s locally grown, and who especially takes notice of seasonal available foodstuff and avoids preservatives. Meanwhile, the American word basically means “yay.” The two words come courtesy of Merriam-Webster Dictionary (based in MA) and Oxford English Dictionary (based in Oxford of course).

Good ole Webster had some pretty good words in past years, including the talk show host Stephen Colbert’s trademark “truthiness.” But this year they simply went for something fun.

One for the Road: Evidence of My Existence

by Kelly Amabile on

Jim Lo Scalzo has been a staff photographer for US News & World Report since 1994. His new memoir is a moving look at the life of a photojournalist who has traveled the world. Evidence of My Existence tells the story Lo Scalzo’s 17 years on the job as an “obsessive wanderlust” — He handled assignments in over 60 countries, capturing important news stories, while jeopardizing his relationships and his very own life, for the sake of his career.

Eventually, Lo Scalzo had to make a choice, as this recent book review explains: He had to make a decision about what was the most important to him: his profession or his family. It is a decision that many photojournalists have to make but rarely talk about in the direct way that Lo Scalzo does.

Be sure to watch the compelling trailer for the book, which begins with the question, “How to stop moving?” Whether we’re taking photos or not, it’s a question that all travelers are faced with. This book explores how one man answered the question for himself.