The Sofa Surfing Handbook: A Guide for Modern Nomads [Paperback]

Juliette Torrez (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 1998

From enjoying a safe Mardi Gras to having a swell time at Disneyland, "The Sofa Surfing Handbook" contains all the tips and advice readers need to know to cruise around the country in the cheapest ways possible. Driveaway cars, riding the 'Hound, and getting student discounts at any age are all covered. Illustrations .

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

If you have a free-spirited friend who jumps from place to place, relying on the kindnesses of friends and the availability of their couches--slip this book into his or her suitcase next time you meet.

Published by Manic D Press, whose other titles include The Underground Guide to San Francisco and Signs of Life: Channel-Surfing Through '90s Culture, this book features chapters written by different authors from Manic D Press's stable. Chapters range from the extremely practical "Sofa Surfing with HIV" by Justin Chin to the more philosophical "Slack Attack"--a reflection on the sofa-surfing lifestyle by Wammo (yes, that's his name). The writers, though not exactly household names, know their stuff. They'll tell you what to pack, how to ingratiate yourself with your host (make sure your feet don't stink, for example), and how to live in your car if you have to.

This slim volume brims with helpful advice for the "modern gypsy," but its lively, opinionated voice will keep even more traditional travelers entertained. --Rebecca Agiewich

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Manic D Press, Inc. (September 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0916397513
• ISBN-13: 978-0916397517
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 4.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,735,014 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A "Steal This Book" for the next generation, January 11, 1999

By 

News Nut (Louisiana) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Sofa Surfing Handbook: A Guide for Modern Nomads (Paperback)

Everything you need to know when surfing the sofa circuit. From knowing when to leave your current crash, to how to thank your hosts. Once I picked up this book, I could not put it down. Make no mistake, this book gives the good, the bad, and the ugly of the sofa surfer life stlye. This book tells you everything you need to know. From what to pack, to how to take care of O.P.P (other people's pets), to how to get free food on the road. I would like to write more on the greatness of this book, but I need to go pack my bags and hit the open road. See you there!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars How to be a slacker without being a hustler, April 30, 2006

By 

Rachel Glurich (New York) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Sofa Surfing Handbook: A Guide for Modern Nomads (Paperback)

Your adventures are bound to put you in situations never encountered before, this is the perfect book to give you a heads up in staying safe and sane throughout every couch surfing expedition. The chapters are peppered with quick humorous anecdotes with lots of attitude. One big focus of the book is insuring a future couch reservation with your current host. This is achieved through consideration for your host. Tips include a lot of common courtesy but also some things I wouldn't have thought of on my own. The parts I found most informative were handling a buggy house and the safety issues. Roaches hang out in dark, warm, seldom used ovens so when you turn on the oven to bake your host brownies as a thank you for the couch, it could end up looking like a scene from a Stephen King novel with all the critters bailing onto the floor and up the counters. As for safety, don't tell strangers more than they need to know; predators prey off polite people. I did drop one star because there was no advice on broaching the "can I crash" question, or who may be more likely to say yes. But other than that it was a fun book to read and it conveniently fit perfectly into my purse. Traveling is one of life's best ways to gain perspective on the world and if you can do it on the cheap all's the better.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A "Steal This Book" for the next generation, January 5, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Sofa Surfing Handbook: A Guide for Modern Nomads (Paperback)

Once I started reading this book, I could not put it down! If you have little to no money, but still want to be able to see the world, this is your bible. Everything is here, from the perils of going Greyhound, to knowing when to leave the house you are crashing at, to helpful advice to help avoid the cops, a list of items that you MUST have with you when you travel, 10 jobs that are easy to get and quit, and much much more. My favorite part envolved then ins and outs of camping in your car. Buy this book!