Scratching the Surface
This "best of" collection gathers some of the earlier and hard-to-find essays in the 20-year travel-writing career of Greenwald. The former contributing editor for Wired, Greenwald is perhaps best known for his book Shopping for Buddhas and his real-time Internet dispatches detailing an overland, around-the-world trip, which would become his third book, The Size of the World. In this new volume, Greenwald reminds us of the "alchemical gift of travel" and the transformative potential of exploring "off the beaten path." Whether we are laughing at Greenwald's attempt to order from a Farsi menu in a small Iranian restaurant or sharing his fascination with the way aborigines make their bedding "in the bush," Greenwald offers a detailed picture of the surroundings and an informed understanding of the culture. Each of the 30 essays includes important contextual information that enhances our understanding and appreciation for all travel writing. After all, how can you not appreciate an essay that began as a series of letters typed on a typewriter that was being hauled across Kathmandu on the author's back? Recommended for all travel collections. Mari Flynn, Keystone Coll., La Plume, PACopyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.