Last Trout in Venice: The Far-Flung Escapades of an Accidental Adventurer

I read a few of Doug's columns a while back and remember liking them. So I picked up the book and brought it along on my trip from DC to SF. I started snickering half way into the first story, then the guy next to me on the plane wanted to know what was so funny. I read the passage. Next thing, we were both laughing. Several embarassing snorts later I had to put the book down -- didn't want to see any airplane food flying out my nose. Finished it in chunk-size portions later as Doug suggests in the Introduction. Liked some stories more than others, but for overall laugh count, I highly recommend.

I recently finished reading this book, and I loved it. I started out reading on the airplane. The short articles make it easy to read for a while and then take a break. I also enjoyed reading one or two stories before bed and while in the bathroom.I don't get a chance to travel as much as I would like, and I felt as though I was able to travel vicariously through Doug Lansky, the author. I imagined myself trying to steer a gondola in Venice or hiking in the mountains. It's just a fun book to read--it kept my imagination going and made me laugh out loud a few times, too.

This is an entertaining and delightful read. Lansky has tried many things we have all wondered about -- and some we'd never dream of. From his 'tail' of running with the bulls in Spain to what sounds like the most grueling cross-country ski challenge ever, it is put together in a way that is mostly humorous, at times informative, and always surprising. I recommend it.

I've been to quite a number of places in this great big world, but apparently Doug Lansky has already been there and thankfully already written about it! Hilariously so!Armchair travelers rejoice! Doug Lansky is at it again, sharing his continued adventures across the globe!This time around; Doug has trained with sumo wrestlers, learned kick-boxing, shouted "higher" or "lower" on the set of The Price is Right, worked in an underwater hotel and pretty much broken the sound barrier on a luge. But that's not even the half of it! You'll scale Kilimanjaro with him, learn to play cricket (maybe) and even participate in a cow auction! (Lucky you!) All of the stories are brief yet immensely entertaining! His footnotes add just the right balance of satirical commentary. Take Doug's suggestion at the beginning and read the stories in a scattered order! You won't regret it!Mr. Lansky's photo albums must truly be a sight to see! I recommend this one heartily! Should you ever fall into the canals of Venice from a gondola... quite simply... beware of the trout.

Disclaimer: I am part owner of Travelers' Tales, the publisher of this book, but I read it just for fun, like you would, and couldn't put it down. This is the funniest book I've read in a long time. Doug has sought out bizarre situations in his travels that most of us would be too embarrassed to try, and tells of his escapades in ways that made my sides split. His "school" sequence -- gondola school in Venice (the source of the book's title), Sumo wrestling school in Japan, Kickboxing School in Thailand, to give only a few -- gives endless food for how much fun it can be to put yourself in awkward situations where you learn about the inside of something most tourists view only from the outside. His account of his visit to the Kit Kat Club in Berlin, and his attempt in advance to come up with a suitably outrageous costume is one of the funniest pieces I've ever read. This is one of those books your friends will either hate you or love you for, because you'll be reading them all the best bits aloud.If you like Bill Bryson, you'll likely love Lansky, since he's got a similar mix of travel and slightly off-color humor.