BootsnAll Travel Community

The other day I read Bill Bryson's "A Walk In The Woods". It was my first reading of any of Bryson's works and I was suprised to learn that this acclaimed 'travel writer' basically came off as a complete bumbling moron in many situations.

It seems to me that there is a trend in the travel writing genre of people who end up having accidental adventures. Folks like Bryson who get themselves into awkward or ridiculous situations and then write funny stories about them.

Perhaps these types of stories strike a cord in the average american who doesn't feel as though they're remotely travel savvy, but I just find it rather strange that this seems to be a popular phenomenon. The book did have his funny moments (and it's dry moments, Bryson is the quintessential geek who loves research, but that's another topic) and I don't feel worse off for reading it, or the others just like it I've read, but there's something about the nature of his travels that irks me.

Anyone feel the same way or at least recognize where I'm coming from?

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A new writer attempts to find the Write Path through a literary jungle.

Uh, I'm not quite sure where you are coming from. Bryson's "complete bumbling moron"-ness makes me relate to him, because if I were to do what he was doing, I'd be doing the exact same thing. Do you want to read about strong men doing difficult jobs well? Go read Hemingway. I read Bill Bryson, Tim Cahill and the like because they aren't afraid to make doofuses out of themselves and write about it, just like I would.

Peace.

Bill Bryson has been discetted on these very boards, if you scroll down this board, you will find the topic: Bill Bryson. It is still there on the same page. Here is the url also.

http://boards.bootsnall.com/eve/forums?a=tpc&s=712096715&f=979095755&m=1613050427

I'm still a big fan of his. "Walk In The Woods" was not my favorite, but I still enjoyed it very much. (My favorite was "The Lost Continent")

His writing seems to fall into the 'you either really like or you don't' category. I have most of his books, even the scarcer ones.

Your mileage may vary.

Self-effacing humor works because it is more relatable. I often here comedy writers and editors say, "it's not self-effacing enough." I suppose the rationale is, if you can laugh at yourself, others may follow.

Ever watch any of the Michael Palin travel shows? The funniest moments come when he is in an awkward situation.

e.

http://www.theglobaltrip.com

Don't get me wrong, I like his writing, there's just something about the way he describes his adventures which I've found to be common among some other travel books I've read (which of course I can't remember the authors).

I'm having a hard time explaining my thoughts on this style, I don't dislike it, I just ... find it odd that these people (which many on these boards would scoff at as simple 'tourists') are acclaimed travel writers.

I just finished Notes From a Small Country and found parts of it extremely funny, people actually kept looking at me because I was laughing out loud.

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A new writer attempts to find the Write Path through a literary jungle.

One thing I've learned is that there are two kinds of travel writers: The Travel Journalist and The Travel Journal Writer.

The success of these famous writers, each with his/her own style, is based on one thing: they approach their writing as Journalists -- they write for an audience. Relating to an audience through familiar situations is how they do this, hence the "similarities" you probably notice. (Seinfeld's whole success was based on this.)

A Travel Journal Writer writes for him/herself.

Do you ever find yourself reading a travel story by someone you don't know and saying to yourself during some parts, "Yeah, okay, but I really don't care that you did that." I suppose the thing I strive to do in my writing is to never have someone think that. (Of course, this is a subjective grey area.)

Travel editors tell me to assume that they've seen/read it all (most of them have). When writing about a place, assume that your audience has been there already, and it's your job to still make it interesting.

e.

http://www.theglobaltrip.com

It's funny, I actually tend to think of BB as less of a travel writer and more of a humorist and historian who writes through the lense of his travels. It seems to me that the quality of the writing should be more important than the quality of the travel...
but i see how it irritates. sometimes, when i'm reading an essay about a difficult experience on, say, a french bus, i want to scoff and say "yeah, try an indian bus and then tell me about the buses in france."

I recommend Paul Theroux's works too (Pillars of Hercules, On the Iron Rooster, Mosquito Coast(f) ) - he comes off more snobbish and cultured, yet self-effaces subtly and beautifully. In addition, he has quite a wit himself. The downside of both of these honored travel writing veterans is that they all-too-often frequent hotels and pricy restauarants...they seem out of touch with the budget concious hipsters that are flooding the market today.



Walk. Love. Dive. Live. Get off the hamster wheel, open the cage, and breathe in a new existence. http://travelogan.blogspot.com

I agree BB's work is more comedic than informative. I think if you take BB on face value and try not to over analyse, he can be a funny read.

Jimmi