The Unsavvy Traveler: Women's Comic Tales of Catastrophe [Paperback]

Rosemary Caperton (Editor), Anne Matthews (Editor), Lucie Ocenas (Editor), Anne Mathews (Editor), Lucie Ocena (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 9, 2001

The Unsavvy Traveller is a collection of the comic and catheric tales of more than 25 women travellers, including a soggy bicyclist who takes shelter in an Irish pub, only to become the evening's inebriated musical entertainment; a staunch hiker who battles a bear with a bag of M and a flustered tourist who tries to figure out Japan's curious bathroom etiquette. These women are hilarious casualties of tourism, whether they're breezy, independent trekkers who discover the necessity of preparation far too late or impeccable travellers suddenly beset by the mischievous whims of destiny. In every case, their stories embody the merriest spirit of the intrepid adventurer.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

These two new collections of entertaining travel essays focus on female travelers. The Unsavvy Traveller includes hilarious stories of trips gone horribly wrong, while A Woman Alone contains stories of intrepid women traveling solo. The first is the more unusual of the two, vividly describing experiences that are both horrendous and humorous, including getting lost in the jungle, being chased by a bear, and being questioned by the police on the suspicion of taking photos of a nude man sunbathing. Contributors include Caryn Bark, Lucy Jane Bledsoe, and Novella Carpenter. Many of the stories in A Woman Alone are about women of various backgrounds (e.g., veteran travel writer Mary Morris and Faith Adiele, a Buddhist nun) connecting with others while traveling alone. "In the Ladies' Compartment," for example, describes one woman's experience traveling by train in India. Her previously established connection to other women on the train aids her when the guard thinks she is a man and threatens to throw her off the train. Other adventures include driving in a snowstorm alone, going on a religious pilgrimage in Mexico, and befriending women in Senegal. While many of the tales are unique, the theme itself is not, and there are already quite a few books in print that cover similar ground more thoroughly. For example, Susan F. Rogers's Solo: On Her Own Adventure (LJ 5/01/96) not only offers a more consistent treatment of the same theme but also addresses more immediate concerns of women traveling alone in the outdoors. Nevertheless, with the increasing popularity of travel essays, public libraries may wish to purchase both of these volumes, depending on their patrons' interests. Those with limited funds should opt for The Unsavvy Traveller. Alison Hopkins, Queens Borough P.L., New York
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Everyone loves a good travel story, and this compilation presents a selection of 28 excellent ones. In each, a woman tells about something that went wrong on a trip, but, of course, all the recollections are underscored by the implied sense that it's all part of the adventure of travel. Toni Landis, in "'Born Again' in Paradise," relives a time in the South Pacific when she had to abandon her "Protestant hypochondria" and adopt her husband's Christian Science "pragmatism." In "On and Off the Kokoda Trail," the reader can feel Sharon Grimberg's pain as she remembers her arduous hike across Papua New Guinea. Language problems throw Laura Carlsmith for a loop in "Lousy Directions," and Christine Schick is accused of being a transsexual in "Last Date in the Czech Republic." These four stories and more result in great armchair reading. Brad Hooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Seal Pr (November 9, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1580050581
• ISBN-13: 978-1580050586
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 5.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #511,346 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Unsavvy Traveler, November 24, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: The Unsavvy Traveler: Women's Comic Tales of Catastrophe (Paperback)

This exceptionall well written, hilarious travel book should be in every travelers Christmas stocking, male or female. It makes you want to take off on adventuresome journeys, rids you of mundane travel plans, and gives you the heart to try new adventures daily.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars wacky, knee-slapper funny, inspiring!!!, September 8, 2004

By 

adventure diva "live to the point of tears..." (chiapas, mexico) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Unsavvy Traveler: Women's Comic Tales of Catastrophe (Paperback)

this book is a must read for all you adventure seeking divas out there, or anyone afflicted with wanderlust. it makes a great gift (i gave a few to my friends for the holidays and they inspired several adventures around the globe). i myself am on a long bike trip through central america and everytime i come across some wacko in a small town or get past yet another embarrasing touristy moment, i am reminded of this excellent collection of essays from around the globe... i give it a full thumbs up, two times.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars funny ..., August 7, 2003

By 

B. Morgan (Philadelphia, PA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Unsavvy Traveler: Women's Comic Tales of Catastrophe (Paperback)

this book is not only hilarious and well written, it's also a smorgasbord of many countries and varieties of 'disasters'. read it and weep, this will inspire any intrepid adventurer to go out and make those mistakes, make them big!! what fun!