Customer Reviews

Do Travel Writers Go to Hell?: A Swashbuckling Tale of High Adventures, Questionable Ethics, and Professional Hedonism

5 star:		(50)
4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

Several weeks ago, I was shocked to hear the news media reporting that Lonely Planet author Thomas Kohnstamm fabricated his research for LP's travel guides and had now written a tell-all book.

Moreover, I was flatly angry. I used the 2005 Lonely Planet Brazil guide which Kohnstamm contributed to for two trips to that country. I even followed his thoughtful (albeit a bit preachy) regimen for "responsible travel" while there.

And now all his contributions to the Lonely Planet Brazil guide were turning out to be a pack of lies? What a jerk!

Needless to say, I simply had to read Do Travel Writers Go to Hell? If nothing else, I felt compelled to read it in order to justify my anger, or perhaps redouble it.

The book wasn't what I had expected. As it turns out, Kohnstamm turns out to be an extremely conflicted guy. His standards are high, but he is disillusioned by the business of travel writing-- its deadlines and budgets in particular. He tries to build himself up as the cool guy who gets all of the women, yet his description of many of them is overwhelmingly sentimental (see the passages on ex-girlfriend Sydney in the introduction, if you doubt me).

So, did Kohnstamm fabricate some of his work? Did he take free meals and lodging? Yes, and yes, although not nearly to the extent that the media has reported. That's right: the press got it wrong!

This guy is no slouch (he has a Master's in Latin American studies from Stanford), but he does let himself become one at various points in the book. Kohnstamm takes us along for the ride, from Rio to Olinda, and various places in between.

You've got to admire Kohnstamm for putting himself out there like this in such a frank way. There's no trite moral story in this book-- just a travelogue which is part confession, part braggadocio and all well written (in Hunter S. Thompson style, no less).

After reading the book, I can't be angry. First of all, I've never laid myself bare like this. Further, how can I stay mad at a guy who puts pictures of his dog on his MySpace page, quotes Paul Theroux and is fascinated with D.B. Cooper?

I still think Thomas Kohnstamm is a jerk, mind you-- but one who I have come to admire greatly through the pages of this book.

It's good to know that travel writers are real people. If nothing else, Do Travel Writers Go to Hell? proves exactly that. Keep writing, Thomas.

Kohnstamm sets out to expose the soft underbelly of travel writing, but often tells more about himself than about travel, and that's often more than many readers may want to know. Compared to some other reviewers, I didn't find the book that "carnal", although I could have done without knowing the details of Kohnstamm's many hangovers. The book begins with the author departing a tedious job, shredding a relationship with a woman he allegedly cares about and flying to Rio. He basically tells us that he likes traveling on someone else's dime and his life sounds like something more typical of the aimless and affluent 70s than the present day. Later in the book, Kohnstamm tells us that his flight into travel writing is based on ideals. Which is it--chucking responsibility, traveling on someone else's money or "ideals". I tend to doubt the latter.

Kohnstamm actually is at his best describing people and places, which is the bread and butter of travel writing. Despite being an experienced traveler, he seems to get himself into obviously problematic situations. A "model" who's on her way to work in a minor, touristy provincial capital is likely to be in the sex industry. A fellow American with an all cash business is likely to be selling drugs. These aren't difficult to expect and, in addition, Kohnstamm shares various misadventures from past travels which suggest that he's one of those people who "doesn't benefit from experience". Either that or he's embellishing. It's not unreasonable to assume that someone who can't keep his motives straight may not be credible in other ways.

I was drawn to the book partly because I used the Lonely Planet guide which Kohnstamm had helped revise. It was a mess. It failed to mention that a "quiet seaside town" was an international surf mecca and contained messed-up maps that easily led one into a favela while looking for a hotel. Kohnstamm intimates that his predecessor led the same life he did, but all he offers is a tiny, offhand-sounding quote. He talks about a Yahoo site with hundred of Lonely Planet writers, all complaining about the same things; however, I suspect that if it's like most Yahoo forums, the conversation probably is driven by, at most, four or five people, at any given time. OTOH, his description of Lonely Planet's evolution into a guidebook series for midrange travelers rings true. Kohnstamm claims to sympathize with Tony Wheeler's business sense, even though it means that the books have less to offer than they did in the past. So much for those vaunted ideals. The new edition of the Thailand guide (their best seller) has sharply cutback on locales, places to stay, etc., and seems more insipid than many mid-range guides. Kohnstamm seems to be saying he's happy to do that if someone is willing to tolerate his sophomoric behavior.

So, by the end, I was ready for the book to end. It's an entertaining read and occasionally you get some ideas how travel books get written. It's not awful, but it's not the 5-star trophy that others have made it out to be. If Amazon had a 2 1/2 star rating, that's what I'd give it. Will it stop me from using guidebooks? No--the people who say they never use them are usually happy to browse through everyone else's. Would I stay away from Lonely Planet? As it happens they have the only guide for my next trip, but their own business practices got me to look seriously at their competition quite awhile ago. And Kohnstamm--would I read another book--Sure, but only from the library.

I recently read another "tell-all" book on travel writing called "Smile When You're Lying." I found it to be quite enjoyable (see my review), so when I heard about "Do Travel Writers Go To Hell?" I figured I'd give it a shot. This lurid tale of the guidebook industry was worth reading, although I preferred the other book because that author was more relatable as a person. Much more relatable.

Once upon a time, Thomas Kohnstamm was a highly educated twentysomething cubicle drone stuck in a real-life version of "The Office." One day he decided to chuck the whole thing and became a travel writer for guidebook colossus Lonely Planet. With no real writing background, he got the job and was dispatched to update an LP guidebook for Brazil. Our boy headed south and proceeded to party his way through a couple months of "travel research." He even found time to actually write here and there, although he did most of his best work close to deadline while fighting hangovers and struggling to make ends meet in less than virtuous ways.

The author has a frat-boy vibe that I found a bit hard to bear at times, due to two parts disgust and perhaps one part envy. During his assignment he drank like a fish, did various drugs, partied with eccentric locals and dodgy travelers, and fornicated his way through Brazil like an Ugly American freight train. In between debaucheries, Mr. Kohnstamm makes travel guidebook writing seem about as appealing as chugging stale bong water in a Mexican jail. He ultimately hammers Lonely Planet's policy of underpaying its writers and offering them little support in the field while literally and figuratively expecting the world of them. And it appears that LP gets what it pays for: some of the publicity surrounding this book centers on allegations that the author played fast and loose with LP guidebook subject matter.

Even though tainted by the above controversy (which the author denies, and in the end may or may not be a publicity stunt) I found Mr. Kohnstamm's take on the guidebook writing process intriguing, and his ability to deliver copy under pressure impressive. Despite limited writing experience, no real help from LP, impossible objectives, dire financial straits, and various other vacation-destroying obstacles, he managed to make deadline and satisfy Lonely Planet enough to earn a living with them. And he even got this memoir out of the deal. However, his success might be off-putting to those who are serious about writing and meticulous concerning facts. Aside from his incessant carnality, perhaps the most dismaying part of this book is the author's blasé approach to the craft. Indeed, writers toiling away in obscurity might find his Bluto Blutarsky approach (he says he's "a natural") to be maddening. But he can claim the title of "author," so it's hard to argue with success.

Despite the above blemishes, I recommend "Do Travel Writers Go To Hell?" as an interesting peep show into the seamier side of travel guidebook writing, rashes and all. You may wish to leaven it with these somewhat more wholesome travel books: "Smile When You're Lying," "Honeymoon With My Brother," and "The Geography of Bliss."

I must say I am surprised by the positive reviews given to this awful book.

I purchased it thinking it would be a good insight into the reality of travel writing. What I got instead was a cartoonish tale of a succession of drunks, brawls, and sordid sex that told me nothing other than the fact that Messr. Kohnstamm was a very poor hire indeed. His thesis seems to be the following:

1) Lonely Planet didn't pay me enough;
2) Lonely Planet didn't give me enough time;
3) Lonely Planet had a change in editorial policy marketing that made the work more difficult than I imagined.

Because of this, the author decided the logical thing to do would be to blow most of his advance on booze and women. Indeed, over 20 percent of the book is devoted to a single night carousing in New York City. He presents virtually no evidence that the constraints he supposedly endured led to his inability to do the job for which he was contracted.

There is a great book to be written by a serious author (Joe Cummings, perhaps?) on the trade-offs made in writing a travel book like Lonely Planet. This joke of a title is not that work, however.

I spend a good portion of every year traveling, and generally devour every "travel adventure" book that I can get my hands on. I purchased this book with high hopes and was extremely disappointed. I can't believe the rave reviews praising the author for his "honesty." Perhaps this book appeals to those who like reading the gritty details of binge drinking, drug consumption, drug dealing, sex with any woman who makes herself available, and the number and contents of used condoms on the floor in the morning. (Indeed, this review will probably prompt some to click that "Add to Shopping Cart" button.) There were far too few nuggets buried within the thick slog, and it wasn't worth the effort in discovering them. My book copy is going right in the recycling bin.

I can personally relate to this book as I was forced to flee Sao Luis to escape scamming cops just as Kohnstamm does toward the end of his book. My trip was in 1973, Kohnstamm's was in 2004, some things never change. As an ex-Lonely Planet author, I can also relate to Kohnstamm's expose about how LP updaters are grossly underpaid. I stopped writing for them in 2002 when I realized I was only breaking even. Of course, it's easy to badmouth Lonely Planet for exploiting their idealistic young researchers, but are guidebook users willing to pay the real price of their guides? When you consider all the helpful detail available from Lonely Planet, Moon, Let's Go, Rough, Footprint, etc, travel guidebooks are incredibly cheap.

In the book Kohnstamm tells how his research trip to Brazil was a disaster until he discovered that he could become an instant VIP by using the official business cards thoughtfully provided by Lonely Planet. From that point on it's easy going for Thomas with tourism operators falling over each other to show him around, feed and water him, and provide accommodations. If you look in the front of any LP guide you'll notice a little disclaimer "Lonely Planet writers do not accept discounts or payments in exchange for positive coverage of any sort." Notice the wording. It seems that it's okay to accept discounts and payments so long as they're not tied to positive coverage. Of course, guidebook updaters who do accept freebies will inevitably speak well of their hosts. That's only human nature. Guidebook users pay the price.

Backpackers looking for places to party and sex tourists in search of prey will be attracted to Brazil by this book. However, if you're an aspiring writer hoping to learn about travel writing, don't expect much as the narrative is mostly about Kohnstamm himself. You could easily skip the first few chapters about his empty life in New York.

Not sure what to make of this! I will never read another travel guidebook in the same way after reading this. The publisher's expectations seem to be unrealistic while the person that wrote the book really lost my respect.

W R Bodrak

First off, if I would have believed all of the online chatter about this book before I bought it, I might have made the mistake of not purchasing it. Thank God I did not believe the hype!!

Kohnstamm weaves a fun, entertaining, hilarious, and informative tale about his first experience writing for Lonely Planet on their Brazil travel guide. He tells of all of the crazy experiences he had as a young guy jetting off to Brazil to travel across a large swath of the country with little experience and practically no guidance from his editors.

Kohnstamm did what many of us have only dreamed of doing, he left a comfortable, secure 9-to-5 job to pursue his dream of becoming a travel writer. From the very beginning, he learned that the lifestyle demanded someone with no strings attached (the self-inflicted implosion of his relationship with his girlfriend is laden with dark humor), and someone who was willing and able to learn a very challenging job on the fly.

In the process, we learn of a guy with the best intentions who just wanted to do the best job possible in order to secure more work with Lonely Planet (apparently he did a good enough job that he ended up being paid to work on over a dozen titles). But in the process, he learns that the system, while not necessarily set up for writers to fail, definitely makes it very difficult for them to do the job they are hired to do.

I read this entire book through in one sitting. As a traveler, a dreamer, and someone who has always thought of just quitting my job and setting out to make my living traveling the world, I identified with Kohnstamm. He brings us a story that made me laugh out loud, dream right along with him, and in the process taught me a lot about the travel guide industry. I will definitely continue to use Lonely Planet books, but I think Kohnstamm has given me insight into my own travel habits and given me the courage to take more risks on my next trip.

I sincerely hope this book is well received, because I am dying to hear about his adventures on the next twelve guide books!!!

Well-written, fun read. I'd say it was Lonely Planet committing fraud, rather than the author, for paying their authors so little and yet claiming that their authors go everywhere and do everything they say they do. I've known a couple of LP writers and they have a very tough job. Once you tote up all the hours they travel, organise notes and write, the pay is peanuts.

Apparently in the company's 'good old days' - the 80s and 90s - authors were paid a decent wage, with some even earning a share of the profits.

Yes Thomas is a bit of a cad, but at least he's honest enough to confess all. Ultimately the book is the travel writer's version of Kitchen Confidential.

Buy this book if you want to read about the authors descriptions of his drunken, drug riddled debauchery as he wanders around NYC and Brazil. There is precious little insight to be gleaned about the travel guide writing profession from this book. Normally I pass my books on to my friends when I finish, but I would be too embarrassed to share this book.