Customer Reviews

Rite of Passage: Tales of Backpacking 'Round Europe

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The stories in Rite of Passage are full of passion, hunger, and searching, and that which is found is not always what is sought - it's not a book about finding the best spots to hang out, but instead discovering interesting places in the human experience.

Packaged as a travel book, Rite of Passage is really a collection of literary pieces. Ms. Johnson has an eye for tales with both heart and wit.

This book is for people who are truly alive, not some old betty wanting to prolong a Disney moment. Nor is it for the emotionally constipated, as evinced by one other reviewer.

Rite of Passage is the best book to come out this year! Anyone who gives it less than five stars is just not used to backpacking.

I purchased this book 4 months after returning from my own lengthy backpacking trip. Within the first few essays I was in tears. It so perfectly captures the experience of traveling abroad that it immediately made me wistful for my own trip, even the stressful and absurd parts. I disagree with the idea that these are cliched or second-rate depictions of teen-angst, and as someone who's been in many of the situations described, I can only say that it's clear that anyone who thinks so has not actually taken a backpacking trip. Somehow it never boils down to the museums and monuments you saw, but you look back fondly on the late night sitting in the courtyard of your hostel with 4 strangers drinking wine and telling stories.

This book is a must-read for anyone who has taken this "rite of passage" trip. You will find yourself gasping for breath as you alternately laugh in recognition, or cry in wistfulness. For those who love to travel or are considering a trip, definitely read this book, but I might recommend waiting until you get back, as your appreciation will be much deeper.

Rite of Passage is the #1 most enduring, breath-taking travel book of the year. As it is not based on only one authors opinion, there are a variety of authors telling their stories in different ways. The authors arent ancient either; the oldest author in the book would probably be 30, so all the youth can relate to and laugh about what funny things they get up to. The content of the book is fabulous, u can really feel what is happening to the person throughout the story. The mixed emotions that u develop throughout the book makes u laugh, gasp, ponder and cry. Ive always had a passion for europe (since im italian myself) yet Rite Of Passage extended my knowledge and love for this great continent. Once i had finished the book, i passed it onto my uncle who had travelled through europe many years ago and he is almost on the edge of crying, as he can relate to and remember all these backpackers stories and how europe had affected himself. Thrills, novelty, emotions; Rite Of Passage has it all.
I rate this book 10/10 .... 100/100, 110%/100%. For anyone planning to travel to europe, is searching for some motivation to travel or for someone who just has a passion for the best continent in the world.

I spent some time studying in Germany during my high school years, and falling in love with Europe got me to cough up the money to go back their on my own. Freely running around in a foreign country is so enchanting that it was difficult to come home, and I think the book's ability to capture these little moments of travel bliss are what makes it so wonderful. It's more than just "teen angst abroad," as one reviewer described it. The essays aren't all written by kids, but also by Lonely Planet's professional travelers, and reducing the culture and experience to "teen angst" would be like summarizing the Bible on a post-it note.

Great short essays that really get you in the mood to wanna pick up your bags and leave! even the "scary" stories of europe wanted to just make you get up and go on an adventure yourself. Fastest book i've ever read, never put it down!

This collection of personal tales is a very fun read. The stories are full of wit, hilarious happenstances, and generally good times. There are a few traveling insights and tips, but mostly this book stands to put you in the mood to make some memories of your own or to relive some of your best ones. I myself will be backpacking through Europe next year and can't wait to endure some of the trying times and enjoy the laughs that these travellers had.

Rite of Passage is one of the best reads I've had in a long time. The stories within its covers are very well written, and are very encouraging stories (mostly). Once I started reading this book, I couldn't put it down.

The stories touch you in such a way that it inspires you to want to go backpacking through Europe as soon as possible. At least, that's what it did for me.

The stories are beautiful stories about young adults' travels through Europe, sometimes needing to find a job while there to be able to keep going. The stories are written by many authors, so there is quite a diverse writing style. The editor did a great job in tying in the Lonely Planet backpacking through Europe messageboard, giving even more personal stories through message board posts.

All in all, this book is a great read for those of you wishing to go somewhere. It really opens your eyes to the feelings of backpacking. What it does NOT do is what the technical books do. This is not a how-to book. If you're looking for a how-to book, I'm sure there's a similar book listed that is.

Pretty much all the reviewers seem to be in agreement that this is a very worthwhile read. Anyone who has the slightest bit of interest in travel or adventure will not be disappointed. The collections of short stories of travels in Europe are easy to read and entertaining. The very fitting title explains how a lot of North American and Australian youngsters start out in the independent international travel world. Most common of Americans who wish to get their feet wet in the monumental first time experience of going abroad. These riveting stories capture the array emotions a young traveler might experience from felicity, excitement, enthusiasm, to pure awe from being in a strange surrounding and not having the smallest clue about what your doing.

Organized into a series of independent stories in a host of European countries; each of them always seem to have some sort of twist or surprise ending. In between the chapters are excepts from the Lonely Planet travel forum, usually with advice or jokes from young travelers. There really is no other book like it in print today-travelers experiencing Europe for the first time, carrying nothing more than a backpack.

At first, I was a bit skeptical of reading very broad and boring sounding "travel literature" genre, imagining it would resemble a personal journal filled with long stale entries filled with personal grievances about life. This was not the case with "Rite of Passage". Every short story has something unique and promising in the end. Most of them are humorous and inspiring, all of them arouse excitement in anyone from someone on board a plane heading to Europe to a travel-hungry day dreamer at home. This book will most likely wet your appetite for more about European travel.

As only a high school student, many of the books essays contained nothing I was preparing to experience, but read it, nevertheless, as I prepared to embark on my first trip to Europe (a language-immersion program). The book was utterly fascinating. There were enough catchy, intriguing tales of excitement abroad that when there was the occasional one I did not like, I could merely skip to the next. While some stories contained more mature topics, all were enjoyable, and many made me laugh out loud. This book is definitely appropriate for young teens and above, and is a great ice-breaker for those awaiting a first trip to Europe, or a way to somehow remember one's first journey overseas.

This is a great book for the young traveller. After returning from a trip to Europe I found myself wanting to relive the experiences. Unfortunately North American culture just isn't the same. This book brought it all back. I would also recommend this book to the wannabe backpacker. It offers excellent tips on security and social / cultural situations.