Author: Alain De Botton
Title: The Art of Travel
Publication Info: Recorded Books, LLC (2002), Audio CD
ISBN: 1402545096
Previously Read by Same Author: The Architecture of Happiness
Summary/Review:
This book reflects on travel focusing on the little things such as the novelty of the commonplace in a new place, disorientation, the boredom of travel, and even ponders whether travel for pleasure is even a necessity. Along the way he shows travel through the eyes of various artists: Van Gogh, Wordsworth, Flauber, Von Humboldt and others. He even details how artists create the vision we have of the destinations we wish to visit. This is all written in the intellectual vein of someone who attends a literary salon, so if that’s not your thing, you won’t like this book. I found it brain-teasingly good, but I think that de Botton is meant to be read more than heard so I don’t recommend the audiobook.
Rating: ***
Panorama of the Mountains 