Report from Practically Nowhere

by John Sack and Shel Silverstein

Report From Practically Nowhere is an account of 13 no-account countries, from Athos to Amb, from Sark to Swat.Report From Practically Nowhere is an authoritative assessment of 13 of the most unimportant nations on the face of the earth. To achieve this milestone of journalism, John Sack traveled on innumerable planes, boats, trains, buses and one "bus", on the London tube, by mule back and by tonga, all the way from Lundy in the Bristol Channel to Sikkim on the borders of Tibet. The amazing fact is that all these countries exist. In adding not one word to the truth except his own relish and wit, John Sack has produced a wonderfully comic book."A book one eagerly reads out loud with considerable delight." (Newsweek)Author John Sack is the only person who was a war correspondent in Korea, Vietnam, Iraq and Yugoslavia—every American war for the past 50 years. In every one, he went from camp-to-combat with the GIs, writing four books and many articles for Esquire, Harper s and The New Yorker.

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction

Hardcover

First published March 21, 2000

Reviews

[Lynn Buschhoff · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was published in the 1950's. I was lent it by a friend who knows I like interesting travel writing. It is slightly humorous, concerning itself with several of the world's smallest countries. You may have heard of Andorra or San Marino, but how about Sark, or Lundy, or the S.M.OM. , which is smaller than many buildings. You may have even set foot there and not even known it! I recommend this as a light diversion for someone who loves travel.

[Thomas Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely fascinating, the style can be a little annoying/facetious/try hard, but to read what was happening in Lundy, Sark, Andorra, San Marino, Liechtenstein, the SMOM, Monaco, Mount Athos the UAE, the Pakistani north-west frontier, Kashmir and Sikkim in 1959 is incredible and invaluable.

So many little references and stories remind us what a vanished world it is. Sikkim independent, Pakistan not directly governing the north west frontier as its only 12 years old, Grave Kelly Princess of Monaco, Andorra surviving on smuggling, Sark still full feudal and the UAE not having her struck oil.

A gold mine for lovers of obscure countries and niche 20th century history.

[Rafał Rzepecki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful.

[Gu Kun · Rating 2 out of 5]

Starts out wittily enough, then,after the chapter on Andorra, becomes increasingly facetious.