Customer Reviews

Travel That Can Change Your Life: How to Create a Transformative Experience

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I have been reading several books on meaningful travel and pilgrimage, most of which have had worthwhile, useful material. But this book is a tremendous disappointment. Kottler's idea of an example of transforming travel is a woman on a business trip blocking out some self-indulgent feel-good time so she can can "feel less guilty (about neglecting her children) because I am pursuing a career so ambitiously". Hey, any man or woman who thinks selling potato chips or filing legal briefs is more important that their children SHOULD feel guilty. And Kottler is so ignorant it's hard to believe he has a high school diploma, much less a Ph.D. For example, he tells a boring, pointless story about a terrible experience during a 14-hour drive in the Philippines. Then Kottler says he and his wife recover from the ordeal by traveling to Hong Kong and, "crossing the international dateline" they are able to spend the same day more pleasantly. Dr. Kottler, check your map: the international date line DOES NOT RUN between Manila and Hong Kong, and when you cross it traveling from east to west you arrive in the NEXT day not the prior one. Don't waste your money on this one. Maybe I should have been more sceptical of a book about creating transformative travel experience written by somebody who lives in Las Vegas!

This book is trivial in the extreme. Dr. Kottler takes the possibility of transformative travel (as explicated, for example, in Cousineau's Art of Pilgrimage or Sarah York's Pilgrim Heart) and makes it into self indulgence. Don't waste your money or your time.

I have been reading several books on meaningful travel and pilgrimage, most of which have had worthwhile, useful material. But this book is a tremendous disappointment. Kottler's idea of an example of transforming travel is a woman on a business trip blocking out some self-indulgent feel-good time so she can can "feel less guilty (about neglecting her children) because I am pursuing a career so ambitiously". Hey, any man or woman who thinks selling potato chips or filing legal briefs is more important that their children SHOULD feel guilty. And Kottler is so ignorant it's hard to believe he has a high school diploma, much less a Ph.D. For example, he tells a boring, pointless story about a terrible experience during a 14-hour drive in the Philippines. Then Kottler says he and his wife recover from the ordeal by traveling to Hong Kong and, "crossing the international dateline" they are able to spend the same day more pleasantly. Dr. Kottler, check your map: the international date line DOES NOT RUN between Manila and Hong Kong, and when you cross it traveling from east to west you arrive in the NEXT day not the prior one. Don't waste your money on this one. Maybe I should have been more sceptical of a book about creating transformative travel experience written by somebody who lives in Las Vegas!

Drawing on his long and thoughtful experience as a clinician, supervisor and teacher,Jeffrey Kottler has produced a helpful down-to-earth, and easily readable book of guidance for those who want more out of life through the adventure of travel. In this book, we find that psychoanalytic work emerges in its true light when we explore new areas and cultures as an individualized and collarborative search for routes toward a self-fulling life.

All the way through the book I found myself thinking that these words applied to my big journey - my life. Kottler illustrates his points with some great vignettes.

This book serves as an excellent resource for anyone looking for the travel experience of a lifetime. Now, you can have the travel experience of a lifetime by travelling to India with Dr. Kottler.