Marco Polo Didn't Go There: Stories and Revelations from One Decade as a Postmodern Travel Writer

Travel books have always tickled my fancy. I have always had a strong desire to travel, but in the past I was without the means to do so and I always reveled in the stories of others. I lived vicariously through the writings of authors like Bill Bryson. Having taken my first extended trip overseas this past summer to India, I have now finally experienced some of what the road has to offer; however, after returning I am left with a persistent and nagging travel itch that will not subside. This book allows me to satisfy that urge. I couldn't put it down on my first read, and having just finished I am already going back for another round. Highly recommended!

Already one of my favourite books! The stories are great in and of themselves, but the unique commentary feature really makes this book standout! Well done again Rolf!!!

Rolf's other book, Vagabonding, is a must-have guide for anyone interested in travel, regardless of age, intended destination, length of trip, or particular travel philosophy. It's been like a travel bible to me, passing it on to friends and family young and old to help explain why it is I enjoy travel so much, and hoping they catch the bug too. So it was with great interest I picked up Rolf's second book, Marco Polo Didn't Go There. First, this book is different from Vagabonding -- it's not really a practical travel guide. It's a collection of stories from Rolf's career as a travel writer. I had read many of them before, as they appeared in popular travel magazines and websites in the past, but what makes this book unique is his end notes on each story. They act as a portal into the life of a travel writer, filling in the gaps between the paragraphs, and telling the stories that didn't fit into the story. If you have any interest in travel, becoming a travel writer yourself, or maybe even just learning how a travel writer travels and writes, pick up this book. It's funny, enlightening, and highly entertaining.

Rolf Potts is one of the many travel writers to begin his career via the Internet via Salon, and the book is a collection of his earliest from Salon.com to his recent works from magazines and literary journals. Most of his stories are available elsewhere, so the true draw of this book is the commentaries, which add humor, insight, and occasionally share his frustrations on both the topics and people in the stories, as well as the craft of professional travel writing. The essays themselves run from the humorous ("Storming the Beach") to the painful ("Death of an Adventure Traveler"). The stories explore both sights and sounds of his wanderings and the nature of travel itself, such as the comparison of travelers versus tourists and the business of travel and people's expectations therein. Armchair wanders will love the book, and those who dream of writing about travel for a living will find the book very useful as well as entertaining.

While Vagabonding is a practical guide book which challenges and inspires readers to travel the world and seek out unique experiences, I admit it left me curious about the authors own personal experiences. Potts' latest book is a candid, personal account of these experiences spanning across six continents. His portrayal of his life on the road is captivating with some stories that are hilarious, and others that are absolutely terrifying. The book is extremely motivating and well written, and has inspired me to pursue my own dreams of long term world travel. I strongly recommend this book to adventure seekers as it reminded me that "One's destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things."--Henry Miller