Customer Reviews

The Traveling Curmudgeon: Irreverent Notes, Quotes, and Anecdotes on Dismal Destinations, Excess Baggage, the Full Upright Position, and Other Reasons Not to Go There

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3 star:		(1)
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On a recent trip to Dallas I picked up this book and stood in the store for over 15 minutes laughing out loud. Every single traveler can relate to all of these ridiculous quotes and stories. The more your friends or family fly, the more they need this book. Here's a sample of some hysteria: "Immediately after Orville Wright's historic 12-second flight, his baggage could not be located." S. Harris. "Branson, Missouri: Vegas for people with no teeth." Dennis Miller. This book will be in my travel bag to keep me laughing.

We loved this humorous collection of international grumbles about the mixed joys of travel. Curmudgeonly quotes from a wide-ranging assortment of grumpy notables from George Bernard Shaw to Dave Barry cover topics from specific destinations, from Akron to Winnipeg, plus notations on food, transportation, and accommodations. Great little book for bathroom reading, bedside tables, and whenever you're feeling grouchy and need a smile.

Anecdotes, quotes, and excess baggage accompany this jaded view of travel experience. From general words of wisdom ("If you can't see water, don't order fish.") to specifics about countries such as France ("Ever want to slap an entire country?"), Traveling Curmudgeon is impressively packed with insights and humor.

This is a fun if not all that authoritative grab bag of humorous travel quotes, the latest in Jon Winokur's fun Curmudgeon quotes series. I saw quite a few that I hadn't seen before, and was richly entertained throughout. For everyone who has slogged through long car trips, hellish flights, and tried to have a good time at the other end. Guaranteed to bring a smile to your favorite quotehound on the go!

If you're the type who gets rather sensitive about hometowns, I suggest staying away from this book, especially if your town is in it. But if you can enjoy sarcasm and cutting wit, this is hilarious. I have enjoyed it quite a bit.

Very amusing, great knowledge, and funny notes. The perfect gift for the friend that loves to travel.

...and the dead walk the earth." Just one of 174 pages of anecdotes, quips, and cynical observations of the jaded traveler. And not to pick on the Midwest, on New York: "If a day goes by and I haven't been slain, I'm happy." Or "New Jersey looks like the back of an old radio."

The perfect gift for the frequent traveler, or non-travelers seeking justification for their sedentary ways.

The Traveling Curmudgeon is exactly what its name suggests: a collection of humorous little quotes about travel, written by folks who had less than flattering things to say about their destinations, transportation and accomodations. Frequent travelers will probably feel they've found a kindred spirit here, but anyone can appreciate most of the humor (i.e. "Hollywood is a place where people from Iowa mistake each other for movie stars" - Fred Allen).

This is a good book to read in fits and starts, to pick up when the mood strikes you, read a page or two, and then set it aside for later. And there are some gems in here that will have you laughing out loud. My favorite:

"What is the difference between heaven and hell?" the wise man was asked. "In heaven," he replied, "the English are the police, the French are the cooks, the Italians are the lovers, the Swiss are the administrators, and the Germans are the mechanics. Whereas in hell, the English are the cooks, the French are the administrators, the Italians are the mechanics, the Swiss are the lovers, and the Germans are the police."