Travel connects people with people. It helps us fit more comfortably and compatibly into a shrinking world. And it inspires creative new solutions to persistent problems facing our nation. We can’t understand our world without experiencing it. Traveling as a Political Act helps us take that first step.
There’s more to travel than good-value hotels, great art, and tasty cuisine. Americans who “travel as a political act” can have the time of their lives and come home smarter—with a better understanding of the interconnectedness of today’s world and just how our nation fits in.
In his new book, acclaimed travel writer Rick Steves explains how to travel more thoughtfully—to any destination. He shares a series of field reports from Europe, Central America, Asia, and the Middle East to show how his travels have shaped his politics and broadened his perspective.
www.ricksteves.com
Editorial Reviews
About the Author
Rick Steves is the host, writer and producer of the popular Oregon Public Broadcasting television series Rick Steves' Europe. Over the past 15 years, Steves has hosted nearly 100 travel shows for public television (most still airing in rebroadcasts) and numerous pledge specials. In 2005 Steves launched a weekly public radio program, Travel with Rick Steves. He has also written twelve country guidebooks, nine city and regional guides, six phrase books, and co-authored Europe 101: History and Art for Travelers. His guidebook to Italy is the bestselling international guidebook in the U.S. In 1999, he tackled a new genre of travel writing with his anecdotal Postcards from Europe, recounting his favorite moments from 25 years of travel. He lives in Edmonds, Washington.
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More About the Author
Rick Steves advocates smart, affordable, perspective-broadening travel. As host and writer of the popular public television series Rick Steves' Europe, and best-selling author of 40 European travel books, he encourages Americans to travel as "temporary locals." He helps American travelers connect much more intimately and authentically with Europe -- and Europeans -- for a fraction of what mainstream tourists pay.
Over the past 20 years, Rick has hosted over 100 travel shows for public television, and numerous pledge specials (raising millions of dollars for local stations). His Rick Steves' Europe TV series is carried by over 300 stations, reaching 95 percent of U.S. markets. Rick has also created two award-winning specials for public television: Rick Steves' European Christmas and the ground-breaking Rick Steves' Iran. Rick writes and co-produces his television programs through his company, Back Door Productions.
Rick Steves also hosts a weekly public radio program, Travel with Rick Steves. With a broader approach to travel everywhere, in each hour-long program Rick interviews guest travel expert, followed by listener call-ins. Travel with Rick Steves airs across the country and has spawned a popular podcast. Rick has also created a series of audio walking tour podcasts for museums and neighborhoods in Paris, Rome, Florence and Venice (with more tours, including London, coming in 2010).
Rick self-published the first edition of his travel skills book, Europe Through the Back Door (now updated annually), in 1980. He has also written more than 40 other country, city and regional guidebooks, phrase books, and "snapshot" guides. For several years, Rick Steves' Italy has been the bestselling international guidebook sold in the U.S. In 2009, Rick tackled a new genre of travel writing with Travel as a Political Act, reflecting on how a life of travel has broadened his own perspectives, and travel can be a significant force for peace and understanding in the world. Rick's books are published by Avalon Travel, a member of the Perseus Books Group.
In addition to his guidebooks, TV and radio work, Rick is a syndicated newspaper columnist with the Tribune Media Services. He appears frequently on television, radio, and online as the leading authority on European travel.
Rick took his first trip to Europe in 1969, visiting piano factories with his father, a piano importer. By the time he reached 18, Rick jokes, "I realized I didn't need my parents to travel!" He began traveling on his own, funding his trips by teaching piano lessons. In 1976, he started Europe Through the Back Door (ETBD), a business which has grown from a one-man operation to a company with a well-traveled staff of 70 full-time employees. ETBD offers free travel information through its travel center, website (www.ricksteves.com), European Railpass Guide, and free travel newsletters. ETBD also runs a successful European tour program with more than 300 departures -- attracting around 10,000 travelers -- annually.
Rick is outspoken on the need for Americans to fit better into our planet by broadening their perspectives through travel. He is also committed to his own neighborhood. He's an active member of the Lutheran church (and has hosted the ELCA's national video productions). He's a board member of NORML (working to reform marijuana laws in the USA). And Rick has provided his local YWCA with a 24-unit apartment building with which to house homeless mothers.
Rick Steves spends about a third of every year in Europe, researching guidebooks, filming TV shows, and making new discoveries for travelers. He lives and works in his hometown of Edmonds, Washington, where his office window overlooks his old junior high school.
Over the past 20 years, Rick has hosted over 100 travel shows for public television, and numerous pledge specials (raising millions of dollars for local stations). His Rick Steves' Europe TV series is carried by over 300 stations, reaching 95 percent of U.S. markets. Rick has also created two award-winning specials for public television: Rick Steves' European Christmas and the ground-breaking Rick Steves' Iran. Rick writes and co-produces his television programs through his company, Back Door Productions.
Rick Steves also hosts a weekly public radio program, Travel with Rick Steves. With a broader approach to travel everywhere, in each hour-long program Rick interviews guest travel expert, followed by listener call-ins. Travel with Rick Steves airs across the country and has spawned a popular podcast. Rick has also created a series of audio walking tour podcasts for museums and neighborhoods in Paris, Rome, Florence and Venice (with more tours, including London, coming in 2010).
Rick self-published the first edition of his travel skills book, Europe Through the Back Door (now updated annually), in 1980. He has also written more than 40 other country, city and regional guidebooks, phrase books, and "snapshot" guides. For several years, Rick Steves' Italy has been the bestselling international guidebook sold in the U.S. In 2009, Rick tackled a new genre of travel writing with Travel as a Political Act, reflecting on how a life of travel has broadened his own perspectives, and travel can be a significant force for peace and understanding in the world. Rick's books are published by Avalon Travel, a member of the Perseus Books Group.
In addition to his guidebooks, TV and radio work, Rick is a syndicated newspaper columnist with the Tribune Media Services. He appears frequently on television, radio, and online as the leading authority on European travel.
Rick took his first trip to Europe in 1969, visiting piano factories with his father, a piano importer. By the time he reached 18, Rick jokes, "I realized I didn't need my parents to travel!" He began traveling on his own, funding his trips by teaching piano lessons. In 1976, he started Europe Through the Back Door (ETBD), a business which has grown from a one-man operation to a company with a well-traveled staff of 70 full-time employees. ETBD offers free travel information through its travel center, website (www.ricksteves.com), European Railpass Guide, and free travel newsletters. ETBD also runs a successful European tour program with more than 300 departures -- attracting around 10,000 travelers -- annually.
Rick is outspoken on the need for Americans to fit better into our planet by broadening their perspectives through travel. He is also committed to his own neighborhood. He's an active member of the Lutheran church (and has hosted the ELCA's national video productions). He's a board member of NORML (working to reform marijuana laws in the USA). And Rick has provided his local YWCA with a 24-unit apartment building with which to house homeless mothers.
Rick Steves spends about a third of every year in Europe, researching guidebooks, filming TV shows, and making new discoveries for travelers. He lives and works in his hometown of Edmonds, Washington, where his office window overlooks his old junior high school.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
50 of 60 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy has a great phrase about how Americans should interact with the rest of the world (I'm paraphrasing a bit): "We have to stop thinking of America solely as an exporter of great ideas and realize that we should be an importer of them as well" (He's a Republican??!!). If there were a thesis statement to this book that wasn't written by Rick Steves, you could not do much better than this, for this is what this book as all about: Learning to travel not just for recreational enjoyment, but intellectual enrichment as well.
The book is broken down into sections that demonstrate how different sections of the world handle socioeconomic situations differently than we do in America. He most certainly is not blind to American advantages, despite what his conservative critics will say. He speaks about how he finds it "disheartening" to see extreme theocracy being embraced in curriculums at Iranian universities, institutions he (rightly) believes should be open to challenging the status quo. He also speaks of how it is far easier to make a better profit owning a small business like his in America, as opposed to the regulatory hurdles of EU nations.
At the same time, he makes it clear that the rest of the world thinks about things globally and constantly interact with each other far more often and effectively than citizens of the U.S. do, and he's absolutely right. Some of it can be explained by American geographic isolation, but also because we are conditioned by many influences to fear or dismiss what we don't immediately know or understand. One of the greatest truisms he offers: "The very people who would most benefit from international travel - those who needlessly fear people and places they don't understand - decide to stay home." Sadly, he's right. The most pro-American, uber-patriotic people I know who constantly assert the US is the best country in the world have never been overseas, and they certainly don't plan to either. Yet they KNOW America is #1 because, well...they want to believe it. Those are the people who Rick Steves' message is intended to reach.
The best part about this book is the fact that it is not a how-to guide. It is not a book that tells you specifically how to "travel as a political act" with step-by-step instructions. Rather, it is a collection of stories and dispatches from the author's experiences that is meant to encourage travelers to make their own memories and experiences and use what they learn when they get back, both the good lessons AND the bad. If you're a seasoned traveler who enjoys learning from other cultures, you'll probably find yourself nodding in agreement constantly. I know I did, for my best memories of traveling in South Africa consist of talking to locals in pubs and other places about the recently disposed (at the time) apartheid system. Hearing the perspectives of people of all races certainly helped me put in perspective how we as Americans deal with national problems and how we can always be learning from successes and failures abroad. These are the lessons that Rick Steves asks us to apply to our lives. It shows how politics has the awesome power to shape the kind of society that we would like to see, and to also be weary of the pitfalls of misuse. The result is a book that is more inspirational than preachy, and it is far more successful and enjoyable because of it.
Thomas Jefferson said travel "...makes Americans less happy, but much wiser." Voltaire wrote that we should "Refuse to be happy on the condition of being ignorant, imbecilic, and insulated." The best use of traveling is to learn and apply, for it would surely do our country well if a broader perspective was achieved because we, and our politics, would be much better for it. Most writers outside the political arena don't dare inject politics into their work, for the understandable reason that those who disagree with their politics will be turned off and they'll lose a good deal of prospective customers. All I can say is, THANK GOODNESS that Rick Steves has the courage to throw that notion out the window.
The book is broken down into sections that demonstrate how different sections of the world handle socioeconomic situations differently than we do in America. He most certainly is not blind to American advantages, despite what his conservative critics will say. He speaks about how he finds it "disheartening" to see extreme theocracy being embraced in curriculums at Iranian universities, institutions he (rightly) believes should be open to challenging the status quo. He also speaks of how it is far easier to make a better profit owning a small business like his in America, as opposed to the regulatory hurdles of EU nations.
At the same time, he makes it clear that the rest of the world thinks about things globally and constantly interact with each other far more often and effectively than citizens of the U.S. do, and he's absolutely right. Some of it can be explained by American geographic isolation, but also because we are conditioned by many influences to fear or dismiss what we don't immediately know or understand. One of the greatest truisms he offers: "The very people who would most benefit from international travel - those who needlessly fear people and places they don't understand - decide to stay home." Sadly, he's right. The most pro-American, uber-patriotic people I know who constantly assert the US is the best country in the world have never been overseas, and they certainly don't plan to either. Yet they KNOW America is #1 because, well...they want to believe it. Those are the people who Rick Steves' message is intended to reach.
The best part about this book is the fact that it is not a how-to guide. It is not a book that tells you specifically how to "travel as a political act" with step-by-step instructions. Rather, it is a collection of stories and dispatches from the author's experiences that is meant to encourage travelers to make their own memories and experiences and use what they learn when they get back, both the good lessons AND the bad. If you're a seasoned traveler who enjoys learning from other cultures, you'll probably find yourself nodding in agreement constantly. I know I did, for my best memories of traveling in South Africa consist of talking to locals in pubs and other places about the recently disposed (at the time) apartheid system. Hearing the perspectives of people of all races certainly helped me put in perspective how we as Americans deal with national problems and how we can always be learning from successes and failures abroad. These are the lessons that Rick Steves asks us to apply to our lives. It shows how politics has the awesome power to shape the kind of society that we would like to see, and to also be weary of the pitfalls of misuse. The result is a book that is more inspirational than preachy, and it is far more successful and enjoyable because of it.
Thomas Jefferson said travel "...makes Americans less happy, but much wiser." Voltaire wrote that we should "Refuse to be happy on the condition of being ignorant, imbecilic, and insulated." The best use of traveling is to learn and apply, for it would surely do our country well if a broader perspective was achieved because we, and our politics, would be much better for it. Most writers outside the political arena don't dare inject politics into their work, for the understandable reason that those who disagree with their politics will be turned off and they'll lose a good deal of prospective customers. All I can say is, THANK GOODNESS that Rick Steves has the courage to throw that notion out the window.
18 of 21 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Steves believes travel should bring us together, and ever since his first overseas trip (age 14) he's spent a third of his life overseas; for the last 30 years he has taught people how to navigate the logistics of travel, mostly in Europe.
While unapologetically proud to be an American he also enjoys learning by observing other societies, and sees travel as a way to make the U.s. even stronger. Fear of terrorism is an irrational barrier to travel, per Steves, and he cites the numerous recent years of total safety as proof. Travel has also taught him that we don't have a monopoly on bravery or grit.
Anyone can learn that half the people on this planet are trying to live on $2/day, and a billion on less than $1 - but traveling to the developing world and coming face-to-face with these "statistics" makes the problem more real.
The bulk of the book then summarizes his recent travels around the European area. The former Yugoslavia shows the psychological and physical damage left from a tragic war, the European Union is molding a free-trade zone while maintaining its cultural diversity, Denmark shows contemporary socialism and a society rated the most content in the world, Turkey and Morocco offer a moderate side of Islam within fast developing nations, Netherlands and Switzerland offer a different approach to drug policies, and Iran demonstrates how fear and fundamentalism can lead a nation to trade democracy for theocracy.
While unapologetically proud to be an American he also enjoys learning by observing other societies, and sees travel as a way to make the U.s. even stronger. Fear of terrorism is an irrational barrier to travel, per Steves, and he cites the numerous recent years of total safety as proof. Travel has also taught him that we don't have a monopoly on bravery or grit.
Anyone can learn that half the people on this planet are trying to live on $2/day, and a billion on less than $1 - but traveling to the developing world and coming face-to-face with these "statistics" makes the problem more real.
The bulk of the book then summarizes his recent travels around the European area. The former Yugoslavia shows the psychological and physical damage left from a tragic war, the European Union is molding a free-trade zone while maintaining its cultural diversity, Denmark shows contemporary socialism and a society rated the most content in the world, Turkey and Morocco offer a moderate side of Islam within fast developing nations, Netherlands and Switzerland offer a different approach to drug policies, and Iran demonstrates how fear and fundamentalism can lead a nation to trade democracy for theocracy.
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful
By A. Friedman
Format:Paperback
Most of all, this book is about politics. But not the dry kind nor the angry, shouting kind. It offers light & easy reading of warm human stories (and some sad & poignant ones) that gently instill a sense of shared humanity and the logical (political) conclusions one may draw therefrom.
The author is not a radical liberal. He's not "in your face," nor does he "bash" America. He does not rant about US foreign policy, aggressive military actions, nor illegal wars. He is a Christian, family, patriotic business man who necessarily arrives at humanistic values through his wide experiences as an engaged citizen of the Earth. He expresses these values with an ease and eloquence that is instructive rather than combative, and so I hope to share this book with some of my more conservative and hawkish friends.
The book is highly readable, entertaining, and never dragging. There are plenty of short tales about ah-hah moments, glimpses into people's lives, funny stories, and poignant moments that both held my interest, renewed my hope despite these contentious times, and made me eager to hit the road again myself.
Rick's strength is his open mind & heart that allow him to mingle and to understand foreign perspectives-- to suspend judgement and appreciate "cultural relativity." He doesn't make foreigners "right" nor us "wrong," but rather suggests the lessons we can all learn to promote global peace and prosperity.
The European chapters explore EU attitudes toward such issues as nudity, sex, drugs, & prostitution from which we might learn alternative perspectives. For instance, he favors drug regulation over prohibition and rehabilitation over incarceration, citing the results achieved in Europe. He respects European's relaxed nudity at the beach and yet yanked the TV out of the kids' hotel room when it was too sexually explicit. He sees value in EU governmental regulations while also laughing at the absurdity of specifying the "proper" curvature of a cucumber in 23 languages.
The chapter on Yugoslavia examines the senseless horrors of their war; the chapter on Turkey & Morocco provides balanced insights into Islamic culture; the chapter on El Salvador provides a lens to examine globalization & corporate profits; and the chapter on Iran portrays the people as fundamentally no different from Americans. When the Iranian taxi driver shouts "Death to traffic!", Steves learns that such a proclamation is equivalent to saying, "Damn that teenager" without really meaning to sentence a child to eternal hell. So, their "Death to America" and "Death to Israel" proclamations are better understood in that cultural context as expressions of frustration, not as literal death threats.
If you're looking for travel advice, you will indeed find excellent advice here but only in a very broad sense: having an open-minded attitude, connecting with locals, and getting off the beaten path. If you are preparing for a trip, this book will help with inspiration and attitude, which is much more important than details anyway.
Being an experienced independent traveler, I read this not for travel advice but for political insights, and it did indeed reinforce and give voice to my own liberal, populist attitudes that have arisen in part from years of travel in third world nations. Rick reminds us that people are not their government and that the vast majority are just like us, in that they want to live in peace and to lovingly provide for their families. He helps to pierce the veil of false stereotypes about "evil" foreigners (that government and media often invoke to support their agendas.)
I will end with some quotes:
"I'm unapologetically proud to be an American...But other nations have some pretty good ideas, too." pg viii
"My favorite Muhammad quote: "Don't tell me how educated you are; tell me how much you've traveled."" pg 141
"...travel takes the fear out of foreign ways." pg 142
"What I learn about Islam from media in the US can fill me with fear and anger. What I learn about Islam by traveling in Muslim countries fills me with hope." pg 147
"Most Iranians, like most Americans, simply want a good life and a safe homeland for their loved ones." pg 192
"Our political leaders sometimes make us forget that all of us on this small planet are equally precious children of God." pg 193
"[travel] also shows us how much we have to be grateful for, to take responsibility for, and to protect." pg 196
"Mark Twain wrote, "Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness."" pg 197
"...the ultimate souvenir is a broader outlook." pg 196
The author is not a radical liberal. He's not "in your face," nor does he "bash" America. He does not rant about US foreign policy, aggressive military actions, nor illegal wars. He is a Christian, family, patriotic business man who necessarily arrives at humanistic values through his wide experiences as an engaged citizen of the Earth. He expresses these values with an ease and eloquence that is instructive rather than combative, and so I hope to share this book with some of my more conservative and hawkish friends.
The book is highly readable, entertaining, and never dragging. There are plenty of short tales about ah-hah moments, glimpses into people's lives, funny stories, and poignant moments that both held my interest, renewed my hope despite these contentious times, and made me eager to hit the road again myself.
Rick's strength is his open mind & heart that allow him to mingle and to understand foreign perspectives-- to suspend judgement and appreciate "cultural relativity." He doesn't make foreigners "right" nor us "wrong," but rather suggests the lessons we can all learn to promote global peace and prosperity.
The European chapters explore EU attitudes toward such issues as nudity, sex, drugs, & prostitution from which we might learn alternative perspectives. For instance, he favors drug regulation over prohibition and rehabilitation over incarceration, citing the results achieved in Europe. He respects European's relaxed nudity at the beach and yet yanked the TV out of the kids' hotel room when it was too sexually explicit. He sees value in EU governmental regulations while also laughing at the absurdity of specifying the "proper" curvature of a cucumber in 23 languages.
The chapter on Yugoslavia examines the senseless horrors of their war; the chapter on Turkey & Morocco provides balanced insights into Islamic culture; the chapter on El Salvador provides a lens to examine globalization & corporate profits; and the chapter on Iran portrays the people as fundamentally no different from Americans. When the Iranian taxi driver shouts "Death to traffic!", Steves learns that such a proclamation is equivalent to saying, "Damn that teenager" without really meaning to sentence a child to eternal hell. So, their "Death to America" and "Death to Israel" proclamations are better understood in that cultural context as expressions of frustration, not as literal death threats.
If you're looking for travel advice, you will indeed find excellent advice here but only in a very broad sense: having an open-minded attitude, connecting with locals, and getting off the beaten path. If you are preparing for a trip, this book will help with inspiration and attitude, which is much more important than details anyway.
Being an experienced independent traveler, I read this not for travel advice but for political insights, and it did indeed reinforce and give voice to my own liberal, populist attitudes that have arisen in part from years of travel in third world nations. Rick reminds us that people are not their government and that the vast majority are just like us, in that they want to live in peace and to lovingly provide for their families. He helps to pierce the veil of false stereotypes about "evil" foreigners (that government and media often invoke to support their agendas.)
I will end with some quotes:
"I'm unapologetically proud to be an American...But other nations have some pretty good ideas, too." pg viii
"My favorite Muhammad quote: "Don't tell me how educated you are; tell me how much you've traveled."" pg 141
"...travel takes the fear out of foreign ways." pg 142
"What I learn about Islam from media in the US can fill me with fear and anger. What I learn about Islam by traveling in Muslim countries fills me with hope." pg 147
"Most Iranians, like most Americans, simply want a good life and a safe homeland for their loved ones." pg 192
"Our political leaders sometimes make us forget that all of us on this small planet are equally precious children of God." pg 193
"[travel] also shows us how much we have to be grateful for, to take responsibility for, and to protect." pg 196
"Mark Twain wrote, "Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness."" pg 197
"...the ultimate souvenir is a broader outlook." pg 196
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
More than a travel guide
This book gave me food for thought. It helped me clarify and understand other cultural world views. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Claudia Flanders
4.0 out of 5 stars
Interesting
Found so many interesting things in here. Though its a book that bashes on the US, it helps to see changes that can be made in the Us that will benefit us all. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Dulce Cira
5.0 out of 5 stars
A wonderful book
Rick Steves hits the nail on the head. He is the expert on European travel, and is very informative in this book. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Fredric D. Rosa
1.0 out of 5 stars
Watch out for have nots wandering Plano
Imagine my surprise at being told on page 99 that there are ten miles of chicken wire protected front yards from Dallas, Texas to Plano that are there to protect children from... Read more
Published 4 months ago by S. Marsh
5.0 out of 5 stars
Writers like Rick is what makes America a great nation.
I just finished reading Travel as a Political Act and then read the reviews on this site regarding this book. Read more
Published 5 months ago by rjmiller93921
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good-hearted, thoughtful, and entirely positive
Every man is the hero of his own life. [1] And they all are deeper than they look to others -- particularly when those others aren't paying much attention. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Andrew C Wheeler
4.0 out of 5 stars
Rick Steves
awesome book, if you've traveled abroad you'll definitely ''get it", and if you've never left the safety of your American home, it will open up your eyes to other, equally... Read more
Published 8 months ago by berlinguy030
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Must Read - especially for non-travelers
This is a terrific book. Mr. Steves has hit a home-run. These are precisely the reasons people should travel. Read more
Published 14 months ago by M. Blades
5.0 out of 5 stars
Traveling with Mind Engaged & Eyes Wide Open
Unassuming and modest yet honest and reflective, this book by Rick Steves the travel show host looks at the morally educational role of travel and serves as a call to action for... Read more
Published 15 months ago by JSC Siow
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fascinating
This book is a fascinating history of the politics of the world told through the eyes of a traveler. Read more
Published 18 months ago by allieuofm
