BootsnAll Travel Community

The Art of Travel by Alain de Botton appears on both "must read" and "most annoying travel books" threads in this forum ~ is it a recipe for good conversation...?

I recently picked up the book and am really enjoying it. Was even going to make a post saying it is one of the greatest travel books I have ever read. Oh, I guess I just did make that post but ahhh... what do other people think?

found this in another thread from Dec04, hope you dont mind Liz~

quote:

Originally posted by Liz Giles:
I DID IT!!! I FINALLY DID IT!

I FINISHED Art of Travel by Alain de Botton! Thank the lord! It's over!
I finally realized what it is I don't like about the book though, so I learned something.
First of all...it's really, really not about travel. He related thoughts to places, but it's not about travel.
Secondly...he's all about being Mr. Smarty-Pants...
de Botton: I've read this, I can quote that, I know this obscure philiosopher, I have been to these 'wonderful' places...aren't I grand?!
Answer: No, no you're not...I don't like you one little bit!

Okay...rant over. ...phew.

Phew, something I can attack quite happily, as I am sure Mr. de B.wouldn't condascend to read BNA. Don't agree with you mina, I think it's exactly as Liz puts it. The guy has got talent, there's no denying it, but he makes me want to throw up, too.

I quite liked it.

Karlien I thought of you yesterday when I read the bit having to do with art, Vincent van Gogh and Provence. Of course I was thinking you are Dutch, and not Belgian (oops) but it also occured to me that this book is very European in outlook.

That particular chapter seems to epitomize de Botton's practice of letting art inform his travel, add richness to it. Which is a service he provides too, to his readers throughout, for example with regards to Wordsworth in the Lake Country, Flaubert in Egypt, van Gogh in the south of France. The way he discusses these people and places, I feel I understand them all better. And I now know what a cypress tree is heh

My main gripe is that for all the rich reproductions in the book, black and white printing is not doing it justice~ van Gogh in black and white? blasphemy!

hehe makrotantalo~ can you speak a little more about what it is about de Botton that triggers your gag reflex??

Actually I'm part Dutch so you're forgiven

quote:

hehe makrotantalo~ can you speak a little more about what it is about de Botton that triggers your gag reflex??

I'll tell you soon when I've worked it out.

I really enjoyed it aswell. Paticuarly the first few chapters about anticipation and the lonliness of travell