Rick Steves

This is clearly Rick Steves' heartfelt memo to the world as he approaches retirement. He wants people to be open-hearted and open-minded, to let travel broaden them and to let go of their prejudices along with their comfort zones. He believes that the world will be a better place to the extent that people are able to do this, and he's not wrong. But as with all idealistic programs, the battle is with human nature. There will always be a majority who want the luxuries of travel and not the show more adventures, and since Steves started writing in the early '80s, thousands of travel companies have opened promising the luxuries and the illusion of adventure. The streets of the Cinque Terre are overrun by cruise ship passengers clutching their plastic wine cups, and the shop owners and restaurateurs have become impatient and cranky under the strain. The real Italy remains only for those travelers who ignore the letter of Steves' guidebooks and appreciate the spirit—who ride the poky, overheated trains to the villages not yet featured on for-profit travel websites.

Steves spends much of his book detailing in patient, kind tones how much better other countries are than the U.S. at so many things, from social support systems to drug laws to attitudes toward work and family. He doesn't have blinders on and he acknowledges the drawbacks of life in those countries, but no matter how he protests that he's a business owner himself and understands the conservative arguments, he's so earnest that he can't help but come off as what people in my home town might call a fuzzy-headed liberal do-gooder. That's a shame. Because travel really should be broadening, and few need broadening so much as the typical American. show less

Rick Steves (with co-authors and contributors) writes page-turner travel guides that I read cover-to-cover. They’re substantial books, filled with text and excellent maps (including a pull-out). Don’t get them for the photos, which are scattered, low-resolution black-and-whites, not much bigger than postage-stamps, and not captioned. This Ireland guide includes Northern Ireland, and it’s so informational about history, culture and sights that I came away primed not only to travel but, show more in the meantime, to better appreciate some of the Irish fiction and nonfiction awaiting me on my shelves. show less

Rick Steves' travel books and shows are always informative and entertaining.  This publication isn't a typical guide book.  Actually, it's not a guide book at all. It's a memoir and diary of an amazing trip he and his friend endured when they were in their twenties.I did say endured as it was described as an primitive adventure with total lack of refinement. Filthy conditions for sleeping, dangerous border guards and at times meals with questionable concern regarding preparation. That show more said, it's exactly what he and his friend wanted to check off the bucket list.  The Hippie Trail. You know straight off you'd have rough conditions but it's the adventure of a lifetime.This is actually the diary of two 23 year old friends who make this trip work on a showstring budget.  They controlled themselves by limiting photos to 11 per day.  These were the days of film and no cell phone snaps.  The appeal to me was reading about the youthful carefree attitude regarding travel.  Something I have done, but wouldn't repeat now. I was in Europe the same year Steves arrived to start this journey but my loose itinerary was all about seeing western Europe (and as much of it as possible) before money ran out. A one way ticket from Miami to Luxembourg and savings lasted me (and the now ex-husband) for a year and a half before returning home.  I interject this because I get the youthful sense of adventurous traveling, sleeping in a van, discovering new foods and cultures with zero responsibilities.  Much thanks to Deb at Readerbuzz for the opportunity to read this book. show less

What a breath of fresh air. Rick Steves manages to discuss many hot topics in this book in a calm and respectful way by stepping outside the rhetoric and stereotypes. If you watch him on public TV or listen to him on NPR or have read any of his guidebooks then you will probably find a familiar anecdote or two in this book – however, this book is political so even if something sounds familiar it is probably woven into a different, perhaps stronger, perspective then his travel guides.

You may show more not agree with his politics or his religion or even his conclusions but this book will definitely provide for some interesting conversations.

Rick Steves is particularly good at finding the common threads between differing cultures, showing us that people are people wherever you go. He reminds us that people are not the same necessarily as their government’s politics while not letting us off the hook of being responsible for our government.

I love that after so many years of international travel he hasn’t lost his curiosity, that he still learns new things, and still finds differences that amuse and perplex him…and that he shares them with us. show less