How to Travel Incognito

A few months ago, I was reading an article in the New York Times on Ludwig Bemelmans, who is best known for the Madeline children's books. But, he also wrote many books that were for adults probably not as widely remembered that this article highly recommended. The book reviewed here was one of the latter. By all accounts, Bemelmans had a very "eventful" life. He claimed that (at least his books for adults) were based on actual events he encountered. Well, maybe he exaggerated a little considering the current book. In this book, Bemelmans narrates a story about some adventures in travel with a certain Count de St. Cucuface. They are amusing, if not quite laughing out loud so. Very entertaining at least. Sort of almost believable tall tales I guess you could call them. Great reading for relaxing.

Thanks to the review of C. Carey Astrakhan, I decided to send for HOW TO TRAVEL INCOGNITO when I was looking for a way to lighten up life after the agonies of Sept. 11th. For me this book had just the right combination of elegant wit and breezy charm. It was refreshing to return to the calmness of 1950's Europe and to roam the world in a Rolls Royce, visiting castles, costume balls, casinos, and the tonier restaurants. The author, who wrote the MADELINE books for children, spent his early years working in a Ritz-Carlton Hotel and knew firsthand the ways of the aristocrats and spoiled rich. He saw their flaws, enjoyed their company, and commented on them with gentle astringency. One character tells another, for instance, that a wealthy woman had a cigarette case made specially for him so that she could have the pleasure of dictating to a jeweller. Ah, yes.

I carried a tattered copy of this book with me from Cape Cod to New York to Paris to Berlin to Athens and back for 6 years. I can't urge you strongly enough to take this magical journey with Ludwig Bemelmans through a Europe entirely lost to us -- a world which he captures as no one else -- not Scott Fitzgerald nor any of his sort -- could have hoped or dared to. You'll never tire of slumming your way across Europe under an assumed (Royal) identity, eating and drinking the very best that France has to offer -- all courtesy of Monsieur Le Comte de St. Cucuface, an aging, comically cash-poor French Count who was long ago reduced to feeding off the extravagant banquet tables of the "Continental Set". "How To Travel Incognito" is a wildly engaging adventure penned by a brilliant writer and world-class personality. Buy this book!