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Travel as a Political Act
Change the world one trip at a time. In this illuminating collection of stories and lessons from the road, acclaimed travel writer Rick Steves shares a powerful message that resonates now more than ever.
With the world facing divisive events and movements like the rise of nationalism, Trump, Brexit, Erdogan, and more, there's never been a more important time to travel.
Rick believes the risks of travel are widely exaggerated, and that fear is for people who don't get out much. After years of living out of a suitcase, he still marvels at how different cultures may find different truths to be self-evident. By sharing his experiences from Europe, Central America, Asia, and the Middle East, Rick shows how we can learn more about own country by viewing it from afar.
With gripping stories from Rick's decades of exploration, this fully revised edition of Travel as a Political Act is an antidote to the current climate of xenophobia. When we travel thoughtfully, we bring back the most beautiful souvenir of all: a broader perspective on the world that we all call home.
With the world facing divisive events and movements like the rise of nationalism, Trump, Brexit, Erdogan, and more, there's never been a more important time to travel.
Rick believes the risks of travel are widely exaggerated, and that fear is for people who don't get out much. After years of living out of a suitcase, he still marvels at how different cultures may find different truths to be self-evident. By sharing his experiences from Europe, Central America, Asia, and the Middle East, Rick shows how we can learn more about own country by viewing it from afar.
With gripping stories from Rick's decades of exploration, this fully revised edition of Travel as a Political Act is an antidote to the current climate of xenophobia. When we travel thoughtfully, we bring back the most beautiful souvenir of all: a broader perspective on the world that we all call home.
304 pages, Paperback
First published March 20, 2009
422 people are currently reading
7312 people want to read
About the author
Rick Steves
566 books684 followersRick Steves is an American travel writer, television personality, and activist known for encouraging meaningful travel that emphasizes cultural immersion and thoughtful global citizenship. Born in California and raised in Edmonds, Washington, he began traveling in his teens, inspired by a family trip to Europe. After graduating from the University of Washington with a degree in European history and business, Steves started teaching travel classes, which led to his first guidebook, Europe Through the Back Door, self-published in 1980.
Steves built his Edmonds-based travel company on the idea that travelers should explore less-touristy areas and engage with local cultures. He gained national prominence as host and producer of Rick Steves' Europe, which has aired on public television since 2000. He also hosts a weekly public radio show, Travel with Rick Steves, and has authored dozens of popular guidebooks, including bestselling titles on Italy and Europe at large.
Beyond travel, Steves is an outspoken advocate for drug policy reform, environmental sustainability, and social justice. He supports marijuana legalization and chairs the board of NORML. He has funded housing for homeless families and donates to anti-hunger and arts organizations. In 2019, he pledged $1 million annually to offset the carbon emissions of his tour groups.
Steves is a practicing Lutheran with Norwegian ancestry and continues to live in Edmonds. He has two adult children and is in a relationship with Reverend Shelley Bryan Wee. Despite health challenges, including a prostate cancer diagnosis in 2024, Steves remains committed to his mission of helping Americans travel with greater purpose, empathy, and understanding of the world. His work reflects a belief that travel, done right, can be both transformative and a force for peace.
Steves built his Edmonds-based travel company on the idea that travelers should explore less-touristy areas and engage with local cultures. He gained national prominence as host and producer of Rick Steves' Europe, which has aired on public television since 2000. He also hosts a weekly public radio show, Travel with Rick Steves, and has authored dozens of popular guidebooks, including bestselling titles on Italy and Europe at large.
Beyond travel, Steves is an outspoken advocate for drug policy reform, environmental sustainability, and social justice. He supports marijuana legalization and chairs the board of NORML. He has funded housing for homeless families and donates to anti-hunger and arts organizations. In 2019, he pledged $1 million annually to offset the carbon emissions of his tour groups.
Steves is a practicing Lutheran with Norwegian ancestry and continues to live in Edmonds. He has two adult children and is in a relationship with Reverend Shelley Bryan Wee. Despite health challenges, including a prostate cancer diagnosis in 2024, Steves remains committed to his mission of helping Americans travel with greater purpose, empathy, and understanding of the world. His work reflects a belief that travel, done right, can be both transformative and a force for peace.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 598 reviews
September 10, 2009
I used to think Rick Steves was just a doofy happy guy tootling around Europe hosting his PBS show. And I loved him. But he's actually much more than that. Don't let the doofy happy picture of him on the back cover fool you.
Rick Steves writes this book as an appeal to people to travel with a good heart, as representatives of America. The first few chapters compare Europe and America and what policies work in Europe and he thinks could work here. I easily imagined my conservative friends being really ticked off by all his liberal talk, but I thought he made good points. The guy sure loves Europe.
There was a chapter on Iran, where he did a show just as an informational thing to get to know the people of the country. And it turns out they are kind and welcoming and his experience was a good one. He is careful to point out that Iran has its sinister side, but much of what America knows of the place has nothing to do with the real people who live there, all 70 million of them.
I just thought he made several good points in this book. And I love that he's this committed citizen - he is involved in several causes and really believes in them. I like that about him. I like knowing that there is more to Rick Steves than just his 30 minutes on PBS.
Rick Steves writes this book as an appeal to people to travel with a good heart, as representatives of America. The first few chapters compare Europe and America and what policies work in Europe and he thinks could work here. I easily imagined my conservative friends being really ticked off by all his liberal talk, but I thought he made good points. The guy sure loves Europe.
There was a chapter on Iran, where he did a show just as an informational thing to get to know the people of the country. And it turns out they are kind and welcoming and his experience was a good one. He is careful to point out that Iran has its sinister side, but much of what America knows of the place has nothing to do with the real people who live there, all 70 million of them.
I just thought he made several good points in this book. And I love that he's this committed citizen - he is involved in several causes and really believes in them. I like that about him. I like knowing that there is more to Rick Steves than just his 30 minutes on PBS.
June 28, 2022
Since Rick Steves has taken over my life lately—don’t ask—I decided to see how all his travelling has affected his politics. I was sort of afraid, given his background, that this book would be little more than a collection banalities and platitudes (“make friends with people from other cultures,” “don’t think your way is the only way,” and that sort of thing); but this book surprised me by being genuinely, well, political. Steves has definite opinions and a real message—with a few platitudes thrown in, too, of course.
It should be noted that, like almost everything Steves writes, this book is primarily for Americans. Many of his “lessons” will be obvious to people who live elsewhere. For example, he begins with a good chapter on the wars in former Yugoslavia. He paints a vivid picture of the how the Balkan countries are still scarred by the conflict—including a woman who still has a piece of shrapnel in her back. His point is simple: most Americans don’t know what it is like to be in a war, and seeing its effects up close might make us reconsider our proclivity to bomb and invade other countries.
Some of the content is to be expected by any thoughtful American who has travelled in Europe. It is hard not to think at least some aspects of life overseas are superior: public transport, social healthcare, bike-friendly cities, long vacations, family leave… the list goes on. I would add the lack of guns. After you spend some time in a country where you can be sure the vast majority of people—criminals included—do not have guns, the entire “debate” in the United States is immediately seen to be silly. When Americans argue that guns increase personal safety and ensure political freedom, the rest of the world simply laughs.
Steves is strongest on drug policy. He notes the many European countries which have substituted a public safety for a law enforcement model with drugs, and makes a strong case that it is both more humane and more effective than just locking people up. The travel writer is not just all talk, either, since he helped to promote and sponsor the bill to legalize marijuana in his home state of Washington. This is another excellent example of how travel can affect one’s politics, since the first time you travel to a country where marijuana is legal to consume, and notice that the sky isn’t falling, you wonder if it’s really worth imprisoning people for doing so.
The chapters on Iran and on the Holy Land were classic Rick Steves. They were both attempts to understand a conflict (between the US and Iran, and between Israel and Palestine) from a less partisan perspective. It is perhaps extremely naïve to think that by simply getting to know ordinary people “on the other side,” so to speak, we can reduce antagonism. As Steves himself makes clear, there are historical and structural forces at work, which push peoples into conflict. Nevertheless, I find it heartwarming that he so earnestly tries to focus on the ordinary humanity of these peoples, rather than on the political narratives. It is something we see all too little in conventional news.
The chapter on El Salvador was perhaps the most impressive. The United States’ many interventions—often violent and undemocratic—in Latin American politics are something that most Americans are hardly aware of. It is an uncomfortable history to say the least, and only figures such as Noam Chomsky routinely talk about it. But Steves travelled to El Salvador during the Salvadoran Civil War, and several times after that, to see our foreign policy with his own eyes. He even had his travel diary printed and sent to members of Congress, in a bid (albeit an idealistic one) to stop American interference.
By the end, for someone who could easily have spent his life eating gelato for the camera, Steves is shown to be a man of strong convictions. Of course, the book is not perfect. Steves is prone to falling into stereotypes when he compares Europeans and Americans; and, not being an expert on anything he writes about, his analysis can be fairly superficial. And of course there is the trademark cheesy Rick Steves style—that is inevitable. But I think this book is valuable for voicing some opinions that are likely to be quite unpopular among many Americans, and for doing so in a way that is accessible and friendly. Maybe travel really is enlightening? Now, if we could only figure out how to fly without creating greenhouse gases…
It should be noted that, like almost everything Steves writes, this book is primarily for Americans. Many of his “lessons” will be obvious to people who live elsewhere. For example, he begins with a good chapter on the wars in former Yugoslavia. He paints a vivid picture of the how the Balkan countries are still scarred by the conflict—including a woman who still has a piece of shrapnel in her back. His point is simple: most Americans don’t know what it is like to be in a war, and seeing its effects up close might make us reconsider our proclivity to bomb and invade other countries.
Some of the content is to be expected by any thoughtful American who has travelled in Europe. It is hard not to think at least some aspects of life overseas are superior: public transport, social healthcare, bike-friendly cities, long vacations, family leave… the list goes on. I would add the lack of guns. After you spend some time in a country where you can be sure the vast majority of people—criminals included—do not have guns, the entire “debate” in the United States is immediately seen to be silly. When Americans argue that guns increase personal safety and ensure political freedom, the rest of the world simply laughs.
Steves is strongest on drug policy. He notes the many European countries which have substituted a public safety for a law enforcement model with drugs, and makes a strong case that it is both more humane and more effective than just locking people up. The travel writer is not just all talk, either, since he helped to promote and sponsor the bill to legalize marijuana in his home state of Washington. This is another excellent example of how travel can affect one’s politics, since the first time you travel to a country where marijuana is legal to consume, and notice that the sky isn’t falling, you wonder if it’s really worth imprisoning people for doing so.
The chapters on Iran and on the Holy Land were classic Rick Steves. They were both attempts to understand a conflict (between the US and Iran, and between Israel and Palestine) from a less partisan perspective. It is perhaps extremely naïve to think that by simply getting to know ordinary people “on the other side,” so to speak, we can reduce antagonism. As Steves himself makes clear, there are historical and structural forces at work, which push peoples into conflict. Nevertheless, I find it heartwarming that he so earnestly tries to focus on the ordinary humanity of these peoples, rather than on the political narratives. It is something we see all too little in conventional news.
The chapter on El Salvador was perhaps the most impressive. The United States’ many interventions—often violent and undemocratic—in Latin American politics are something that most Americans are hardly aware of. It is an uncomfortable history to say the least, and only figures such as Noam Chomsky routinely talk about it. But Steves travelled to El Salvador during the Salvadoran Civil War, and several times after that, to see our foreign policy with his own eyes. He even had his travel diary printed and sent to members of Congress, in a bid (albeit an idealistic one) to stop American interference.
By the end, for someone who could easily have spent his life eating gelato for the camera, Steves is shown to be a man of strong convictions. Of course, the book is not perfect. Steves is prone to falling into stereotypes when he compares Europeans and Americans; and, not being an expert on anything he writes about, his analysis can be fairly superficial. And of course there is the trademark cheesy Rick Steves style—that is inevitable. But I think this book is valuable for voicing some opinions that are likely to be quite unpopular among many Americans, and for doing so in a way that is accessible and friendly. Maybe travel really is enlightening? Now, if we could only figure out how to fly without creating greenhouse gases…
March 1, 2019
People-to-people -- yes! So much better than people-to-yahoo-news... A history major in addition to being ridiculously well-traveled, Steves shares the insights he's gathered. He does a great job at performing the audiobook, which includes photos via CD. Now it's time for us to get traveling too...
January 27, 2016
I love this book and I want everyone to read it.
I love so much about his perspective - it is the balance I look for between "right" and "left." He calls himself a progressive Christian, and he is the kind of Christian I love to love - his work, his words, and his friendly compassion speak volumes of someone who practices the tenants of his religion that are meant to be practiced: love, acceptance, and understanding. He is anti-fear culture and pro-accountability. He manages to convey patriotism and a deep love for his country without arrogance (one review accusing him of being an "Arrogant American" mystifies me... if that's arrogant, we'd all be doing pretty well to be the same), and his love of country is not colored by infatuation or blindness to its shortcomings.
This is an overall quick read, lots of pics and a lot of information crammed in there. I loved that he's chosen to combat Fear Culture by showing before telling. He goes to "scary" places himself, to show us they're not scary. He sets an example of level-headedness. He gives us an open minded perspective of other cultures and beliefs to help us better relate to people in other countries as human beings, rather than nameless, faceless "others."
I loved the chapter on Israel and Palestine. I've read about the area and a bit of the history and it always seemed hopelessly tangled. It is indeed hopelessly tangled, but he gives a good, simple-without-being-simplistic (or patronizing) summary.
I thought he was a pretty decent guy beforehand, but having read this, I am now a huge fan of this man and his work.
I love so much about his perspective - it is the balance I look for between "right" and "left." He calls himself a progressive Christian, and he is the kind of Christian I love to love - his work, his words, and his friendly compassion speak volumes of someone who practices the tenants of his religion that are meant to be practiced: love, acceptance, and understanding. He is anti-fear culture and pro-accountability. He manages to convey patriotism and a deep love for his country without arrogance (one review accusing him of being an "Arrogant American" mystifies me... if that's arrogant, we'd all be doing pretty well to be the same), and his love of country is not colored by infatuation or blindness to its shortcomings.
This is an overall quick read, lots of pics and a lot of information crammed in there. I loved that he's chosen to combat Fear Culture by showing before telling. He goes to "scary" places himself, to show us they're not scary. He sets an example of level-headedness. He gives us an open minded perspective of other cultures and beliefs to help us better relate to people in other countries as human beings, rather than nameless, faceless "others."
I loved the chapter on Israel and Palestine. I've read about the area and a bit of the history and it always seemed hopelessly tangled. It is indeed hopelessly tangled, but he gives a good, simple-without-being-simplistic (or patronizing) summary.
I thought he was a pretty decent guy beforehand, but having read this, I am now a huge fan of this man and his work.
April 20, 2010
I first starting watching Steves's show when I was in college, and though we often made fun of his extreme dorkiness, I've always appreciated his enthusiasm for travel and for other cultures.
In this book, he writes about how his travels have given him new perspectives on the political and social challenges of our time. In particular, his way of traveling, which is to get away from the tours and tourist traps, and out into the everyday world.
Each chapter focuses on a different topic, explored through his experiences in a particular region. Mostly Europe, but there is a chapter on El Salvador and another on Iran. What I find is that he has a very optimistic but nuanced view of the world. It also becomes clear that there's a religious influence to his views, but IMHO it's the best kind of Christian: infused with love and charity.
I found it fascinating and engaging; it made me think about my own views and to daydream about travel, which I suppose was the point.
Bonus points for gorgeous full-color photography. It's rare to find a thoughtful (not natural science) non-fiction book that also has such great imagery!
In this book, he writes about how his travels have given him new perspectives on the political and social challenges of our time. In particular, his way of traveling, which is to get away from the tours and tourist traps, and out into the everyday world.
Each chapter focuses on a different topic, explored through his experiences in a particular region. Mostly Europe, but there is a chapter on El Salvador and another on Iran. What I find is that he has a very optimistic but nuanced view of the world. It also becomes clear that there's a religious influence to his views, but IMHO it's the best kind of Christian: infused with love and charity.
I found it fascinating and engaging; it made me think about my own views and to daydream about travel, which I suppose was the point.
Bonus points for gorgeous full-color photography. It's rare to find a thoughtful (not natural science) non-fiction book that also has such great imagery!
April 21, 2016
As a professional travel writer with a specialty in ethical travel and as a left-wing progressive, this book was a pretty unfulfilling read. I don't want to crap on it too hard because I wasn't the target audience, but there were a few too many things to dislike for me to give it any higher than a two-star rating. I'll provide some detail:
Steves is at his best when he's taken lessons he's learned in foreign countries and bringing them back to the United States. The place he's most effective is regarding drug legalization (which is clearly his wheelhouse), and, to a lesser extent, regarding Denmark's approach to democratic socialism. He mentions at the conclusion of the book that he's also politically active in the affordable housing cause and in the fight to relieve third-world debt. Why these issues received no attention in the body of the book is beyond me, especially considering how easily the debt issue could've been integrated into an otherwise tepid section on El Salvador. The affordable housing lessons he says he learned in Cairo would've been fascinating to translate to an American context.
The rest of the book reads like a history lesson written in the form of a travel brochure by someone who is probably not entirely qualified to write it. His bit on El Salvador (which I'm personally familiar with) was a let-down. He discusses going into the rich parts of town, and smugly proclaims he's seen more of their city than they have. It's fair to condemn El Salvador's rich for walling themselves off from their crumbling country, but any sense of superiority is ill-founded: our country played a pretty huge role into making their country what it is.
His chapter on Israel and Palestine is equally frustrating: he does an excellent job at articulating why Israelis think the way they do about the conflict, but he barely scratches the surface of the Palestinian viewpoint. At the end, he proclaims his solution -- nonviolence. I mean, thanks, Rick. We appreciate you getting us there. Instead of offering diagnostics (which he probably recognizes he's underqualified for), he could have used the opportunity to question America's unwavering support of Israel, he could have pointed out how we may have undermined the peace at times by applying double standards to Palestinians and Israelis, and possibly have provided some lessons for Americans to bring back home.
A large part of the problem has to do with his writing style. Steves is a television writer, and also an unapologetic dad. His writing is corny, and this translates well to public TV and guidebooks, but not to serious political books. He has a Paris Hilton and Britney Spears joke in there, for Christ's sake. This was first published in 2014. It also reads like a travelogue, with frequent discursions into food, sights, and sounds, written in a travel brochure language that I personally don't allow the writers I edit to use. He completely overuses ...'s. They seem to serve as an alternative punctuation. I understand writing with ...'s for TV. I can hear it. But it's not how print should be written.
It's a shame, because it's a missed opportunity. The idea was a worthwhile one. Go to new countries, discuss politics with the locals, use those interactions to inform your political views back home and to open up your mind a bit. It's hampered because his eyes are bigger than his stomach and he tackles things he shouldn't.
He's not totally unsuccessful, though. His target audience is clearly less-traveled, middle-aged, conservative-to-moderate Americans. It's written for people with a provincial American mindset. This would explain why he so frequently qualifies his points with, "Now, I'm not saying violence is ever justified..." and other things along those lines that make him come across as a bit wishy-washy when it might be more courageous to take an actual stand (though it's worth noting that, on the things he's well-informed about, like drug legalization, he DOES take a strong stand, even though it's in the daddest way possible).
Overall, the book probably serves its audiences, but for more experienced travelers, and for those who already actively travel with a political intent, it's probably going to be too shallow to be satisfying.
Also, can we get a moratorium on putting that fucking Mark Twain "travel is fatal to bigotry..." blah blah blah quote into print?
Steves is at his best when he's taken lessons he's learned in foreign countries and bringing them back to the United States. The place he's most effective is regarding drug legalization (which is clearly his wheelhouse), and, to a lesser extent, regarding Denmark's approach to democratic socialism. He mentions at the conclusion of the book that he's also politically active in the affordable housing cause and in the fight to relieve third-world debt. Why these issues received no attention in the body of the book is beyond me, especially considering how easily the debt issue could've been integrated into an otherwise tepid section on El Salvador. The affordable housing lessons he says he learned in Cairo would've been fascinating to translate to an American context.
The rest of the book reads like a history lesson written in the form of a travel brochure by someone who is probably not entirely qualified to write it. His bit on El Salvador (which I'm personally familiar with) was a let-down. He discusses going into the rich parts of town, and smugly proclaims he's seen more of their city than they have. It's fair to condemn El Salvador's rich for walling themselves off from their crumbling country, but any sense of superiority is ill-founded: our country played a pretty huge role into making their country what it is.
His chapter on Israel and Palestine is equally frustrating: he does an excellent job at articulating why Israelis think the way they do about the conflict, but he barely scratches the surface of the Palestinian viewpoint. At the end, he proclaims his solution -- nonviolence. I mean, thanks, Rick. We appreciate you getting us there. Instead of offering diagnostics (which he probably recognizes he's underqualified for), he could have used the opportunity to question America's unwavering support of Israel, he could have pointed out how we may have undermined the peace at times by applying double standards to Palestinians and Israelis, and possibly have provided some lessons for Americans to bring back home.
A large part of the problem has to do with his writing style. Steves is a television writer, and also an unapologetic dad. His writing is corny, and this translates well to public TV and guidebooks, but not to serious political books. He has a Paris Hilton and Britney Spears joke in there, for Christ's sake. This was first published in 2014. It also reads like a travelogue, with frequent discursions into food, sights, and sounds, written in a travel brochure language that I personally don't allow the writers I edit to use. He completely overuses ...'s. They seem to serve as an alternative punctuation. I understand writing with ...'s for TV. I can hear it. But it's not how print should be written.
It's a shame, because it's a missed opportunity. The idea was a worthwhile one. Go to new countries, discuss politics with the locals, use those interactions to inform your political views back home and to open up your mind a bit. It's hampered because his eyes are bigger than his stomach and he tackles things he shouldn't.
He's not totally unsuccessful, though. His target audience is clearly less-traveled, middle-aged, conservative-to-moderate Americans. It's written for people with a provincial American mindset. This would explain why he so frequently qualifies his points with, "Now, I'm not saying violence is ever justified..." and other things along those lines that make him come across as a bit wishy-washy when it might be more courageous to take an actual stand (though it's worth noting that, on the things he's well-informed about, like drug legalization, he DOES take a strong stand, even though it's in the daddest way possible).
Overall, the book probably serves its audiences, but for more experienced travelers, and for those who already actively travel with a political intent, it's probably going to be too shallow to be satisfying.
Also, can we get a moratorium on putting that fucking Mark Twain "travel is fatal to bigotry..." blah blah blah quote into print?
August 12, 2017
Between when I started reading this book and now as I write this review, it feels as though the world has been turned upside down. The results of the 2016 US presidential election have caused many of us to question what what we thought we knew about our own country. Rick Steves’ message of better global citizenship through meaningful travel is perhaps now more vital than ever.
I confess that I read this line in his final chapter with a pang of guilt: “Most people have the resources to travel, but live within a social circle where 'travel' means Las Vegas and Walt Disney World." I’m sorry to say that for much of my life, the closest I came to traveling abroad was walking through World Showcase in EPCOT. And while I have fond memories of time spent with family on those trips, in hindsight I also see them as missed opportunities.
Steves believes that “we travel to have enlightening experiences, to meet inspirational people, to be stimulated, to learn, to grow." When we don’t take the opportunity to see our world with our own eyes, we run the risk of seeing it through lenses that others create for us. "No society should fear another society simply because their leaders and media say they should." During his trip to Iran during the Ahmadinejad regime, he was struck by the disparity between the rhetoric he was being fed about Iranians and the actual people he met. ”Ask anyone who has lived in a country where they disagree with the leaders,” he says, “and attention-grabbing bombast does not necessarily reflect the feelings of the man or woman on the street." If this is a conceit we once had to grant a country in the “axis of evil”, there is a sad irony that we as Americans may now have to hope for the same when we travel abroad.
This book is an opportunity to get to know the real Rick Steves behind the ever-present smile and squeaky-clean image he presents on TV. His character is so impossibly good-natured and disarming that most will give him the time of day on issues that are lightning rods for the likes of Michael Moore or Woody Harrelson. I honestly had no idea Steves was an outspoken member of NORML before reading this book, although I remember thinking he seemed surprisingly well informed when visiting a hash bar in Amsterdam.
Travel as a Political Act is a beautifully produced book with full color photography throughout. Steves is a talented, engaging writer, and I’m grateful to know him a little better now as an actual person, not just a TV personality. Say what you will about his politics, but there are lessons he shares like this one I’d like to hope everyone can agree on: ”I’m convinced that people-to-people travel experiences can be a powerful force for peace."
I confess that I read this line in his final chapter with a pang of guilt: “Most people have the resources to travel, but live within a social circle where 'travel' means Las Vegas and Walt Disney World." I’m sorry to say that for much of my life, the closest I came to traveling abroad was walking through World Showcase in EPCOT. And while I have fond memories of time spent with family on those trips, in hindsight I also see them as missed opportunities.
Steves believes that “we travel to have enlightening experiences, to meet inspirational people, to be stimulated, to learn, to grow." When we don’t take the opportunity to see our world with our own eyes, we run the risk of seeing it through lenses that others create for us. "No society should fear another society simply because their leaders and media say they should." During his trip to Iran during the Ahmadinejad regime, he was struck by the disparity between the rhetoric he was being fed about Iranians and the actual people he met. ”Ask anyone who has lived in a country where they disagree with the leaders,” he says, “and attention-grabbing bombast does not necessarily reflect the feelings of the man or woman on the street." If this is a conceit we once had to grant a country in the “axis of evil”, there is a sad irony that we as Americans may now have to hope for the same when we travel abroad.
This book is an opportunity to get to know the real Rick Steves behind the ever-present smile and squeaky-clean image he presents on TV. His character is so impossibly good-natured and disarming that most will give him the time of day on issues that are lightning rods for the likes of Michael Moore or Woody Harrelson. I honestly had no idea Steves was an outspoken member of NORML before reading this book, although I remember thinking he seemed surprisingly well informed when visiting a hash bar in Amsterdam.
Travel as a Political Act is a beautifully produced book with full color photography throughout. Steves is a talented, engaging writer, and I’m grateful to know him a little better now as an actual person, not just a TV personality. Say what you will about his politics, but there are lessons he shares like this one I’d like to hope everyone can agree on: ”I’m convinced that people-to-people travel experiences can be a powerful force for peace."
May 24, 2016
Rick Steves is no Samantha Brown… thank your chosen God! I’ve been a fan of his PBS series for 10+ years, appreciating his practical and useful information, as well as his intelligence and obvious enthusiasm for travel. His show and books helped me plan my own Travels in Europe and he never steered me wrong.
Anyone who’s lucky enough to travel – particularly to a foreign country – will tell you that travel changes you. The chance to see different cultures functioning the same way we do, but entirely differently, is invaluable in so many ways. In this book, Rick highlights some of the major issues/situations we can learn from out there.
While reading, I was often reminded of a wine tasting. When you take a sip of his words, some may make you pucker but, more often, you’ll raise your eyebrows in surprise and then slowly nod your head. You’ll swish a concept around in your mouth and think about how it affects you… then you’ll probably go back and re-visit the same thought with another sip.
The world is just a plane ride away, but if you don’t have a ticket, this book will certainly give you food (or drink) for thought until you can get one!
Anyone who’s lucky enough to travel – particularly to a foreign country – will tell you that travel changes you. The chance to see different cultures functioning the same way we do, but entirely differently, is invaluable in so many ways. In this book, Rick highlights some of the major issues/situations we can learn from out there.
While reading, I was often reminded of a wine tasting. When you take a sip of his words, some may make you pucker but, more often, you’ll raise your eyebrows in surprise and then slowly nod your head. You’ll swish a concept around in your mouth and think about how it affects you… then you’ll probably go back and re-visit the same thought with another sip.
The world is just a plane ride away, but if you don’t have a ticket, this book will certainly give you food (or drink) for thought until you can get one!
January 6, 2010
Rick Steeves, as pleasant as he seems on PBS, comes across in this book as outrageously liberal. It reads like an angry treatise from an aging hippie who is trying to get back at the Bush administration.
Despite all of that, I really enjoyed reading this. His tips and expertise on travel issues are unsurpassed, and the perspectives he offers here are provocative and compelling. The disparity between American largesse and third-world lack is indeed absurd, and Steeves illustrates this very effectively with images from El Salvador. Also, he is to be commended for his approach to Iran: engaging the friendly populace while making note of signs of hostility towards the West. Plus, now I know never to give the "thumbs up" gesture in Tehran.
What needs to be mentioned also is the production quality of the book. Many points Steeves makes in the narrative, and most of the people he cites, are illustrated by photos, reliably placed on the relevant pages. Also, the pages themselves are of a strong, field guide-type quality which enhances the reading experience.
A good book, and a very important book -even if (like me) you disagree with much of the author's politics. It's his work, and he backs up his ideas admirably.
Despite all of that, I really enjoyed reading this. His tips and expertise on travel issues are unsurpassed, and the perspectives he offers here are provocative and compelling. The disparity between American largesse and third-world lack is indeed absurd, and Steeves illustrates this very effectively with images from El Salvador. Also, he is to be commended for his approach to Iran: engaging the friendly populace while making note of signs of hostility towards the West. Plus, now I know never to give the "thumbs up" gesture in Tehran.
What needs to be mentioned also is the production quality of the book. Many points Steeves makes in the narrative, and most of the people he cites, are illustrated by photos, reliably placed on the relevant pages. Also, the pages themselves are of a strong, field guide-type quality which enhances the reading experience.
A good book, and a very important book -even if (like me) you disagree with much of the author's politics. It's his work, and he backs up his ideas admirably.
November 5, 2010
I attempted reading this book but had to stop after the second chapter. While he may have had good intentions and some interesting experiences to share, this guy is an absolute wanker! Sometimes it is possible to read a book for the information and ignore its overall voice, but his voice was particularly irritating one.
Steves writes from the perspective of an arrogant American and, in my opinion, does little to change this view that the world has on the US. While he does attempt to compare America's faults to the successes of European nations, the deeply embedded belief that the US is THE nation of all nations seeps through each and every page.
As an open-minded Australian, I found this book cringe-worthy. There is little to learn from it, unless of course you are one of these 'dumb Americans' that Steves appears to have targeted.
Steves writes from the perspective of an arrogant American and, in my opinion, does little to change this view that the world has on the US. While he does attempt to compare America's faults to the successes of European nations, the deeply embedded belief that the US is THE nation of all nations seeps through each and every page.
As an open-minded Australian, I found this book cringe-worthy. There is little to learn from it, unless of course you are one of these 'dumb Americans' that Steves appears to have targeted.
September 6, 2009
I love Rick Steves. Yes, he's nerdy, but his travel books are the model of what I think travel books should be. They're unabashedly excited about the locations that they cover, but not in a commercial way that overlooks the difficulties travelers can face. The advice is practical, maps are easy to use, and the opinions about the relative quality of various sightseeing experiences is almost always right on.
This book, however, seems a little unnecessary to me. I'm in total agreement with Rick's views about how travel is a growth experience, not a shopping trip. I believe, as he does, that travel promotes understanding. But I was completely aware that Steves felt this way about travel without reading a book that was explicitly about that belief. If this was fiction, I would say that the author was guilty of telling us, not showing us what he believed through the actions of characters. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I would have learned just as much about the political positions Steves takes by reading a straight travel account.
There is some educational stuff here. I found the chapters about European attitudes toward taxation and drug laws especially interesting and could have read more about those topics.
This book, however, seems a little unnecessary to me. I'm in total agreement with Rick's views about how travel is a growth experience, not a shopping trip. I believe, as he does, that travel promotes understanding. But I was completely aware that Steves felt this way about travel without reading a book that was explicitly about that belief. If this was fiction, I would say that the author was guilty of telling us, not showing us what he believed through the actions of characters. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I would have learned just as much about the political positions Steves takes by reading a straight travel account.
There is some educational stuff here. I found the chapters about European attitudes toward taxation and drug laws especially interesting and could have read more about those topics.
December 31, 2011
Travel as a political act (TAP I’ll call it), as proposed by Rick Steves, is not unlike the kind of travel that I pursue. He advocates people-to-people experiences, meeting locals. Travel to learn, broaden your perspectives and challenge your assumptions. The world as a classroom. “You can travel with your window rolled up or with your window rolled down” he says. In a sense this is the kind of travel I have enjoyed since I began my roaming as a High School exchange student in Panamá in 1984. Travel to me has been about real experiences, learning, challenging my perspectives and assumptions. This book reinforced ideas and behaviors that I already had, but I also learned a lot from it.
TAP doesn’t end when you step off the return flight. It continues in conversations you have with people after your return, further reading, and even local activism based on interests that you now have. I have been wondering how I could become more involved in educating Americans about Arabic culture after my return from Syria last spring. Reading about Steves’ experiences I see that connecting with locals is easier than you think, even if you share no common language. I often shy away from interacting with locals if I have no language to communicate with. But I also have had experiences in places like Tibet showed me that I can do it too. And finally, TPA should challenge your pre-conceptions and stereotypes even in terms of where you choose to travel. I have always been averse to traveling in the American South or to China. I think this is based on stereotypes that I have that I need to get over.
This book is probably the best of all of Rick Steves’ guidebooks. Even though it is not a guidebook in a strict sense—it is a book of reflections and essays on how Croatia & Bosnia are recovering from 10 years of civil war, how El Salvador is still haunted by 20 years of U.S.-sponsored terrorism and is now struggling economically with globalization, how travel to secular Islamic countries can change your mind about Islam, and how understanding Iran, the arch-enemy of the U.S., could possibly help us from going to war with them. It’s a book that all travellers should read.
TAP doesn’t end when you step off the return flight. It continues in conversations you have with people after your return, further reading, and even local activism based on interests that you now have. I have been wondering how I could become more involved in educating Americans about Arabic culture after my return from Syria last spring. Reading about Steves’ experiences I see that connecting with locals is easier than you think, even if you share no common language. I often shy away from interacting with locals if I have no language to communicate with. But I also have had experiences in places like Tibet showed me that I can do it too. And finally, TPA should challenge your pre-conceptions and stereotypes even in terms of where you choose to travel. I have always been averse to traveling in the American South or to China. I think this is based on stereotypes that I have that I need to get over.
This book is probably the best of all of Rick Steves’ guidebooks. Even though it is not a guidebook in a strict sense—it is a book of reflections and essays on how Croatia & Bosnia are recovering from 10 years of civil war, how El Salvador is still haunted by 20 years of U.S.-sponsored terrorism and is now struggling economically with globalization, how travel to secular Islamic countries can change your mind about Islam, and how understanding Iran, the arch-enemy of the U.S., could possibly help us from going to war with them. It’s a book that all travellers should read.
May 28, 2023
The first year this book hit the shelves it was 2009. . . there have been updated versions since - the latest I have read refers to the Trump administration, so it is as least some time after 2016 (a year that will live in infamy. . . !)
I've watched and read Mr. S often, usually in the company of my disabled mom who loved "traveling" with Rick (they were on a first-name basis in her mind). She loved the weekend shows, Rick's, Globe Trekker, Curious Traveler, Naked Archaeologist (she was a saucy girl), so finding this book in our Book Club list was an opportunity to include mom's voice (which is ever in my head, still) in the read - and she's probably informing this response to the read. . .
The TOC is a very good reflection of the narrative:
1 - How to Travel as a Political Act
2 - Lessons from the Former Yugoslavia: After the War
3 - Europe Unites: Successes and Struggles
4 - Resurrection in El Salvador
5 - Denmark: Highly Taxed and Highly Content
6 - Turkey and Morocco: Sampling Secular Islam
7 - Europe: Not "Hard on Drugs" or "Soft on Drugs" but Smart on Drugs
8 - Mission: Understand Iran
9 - Homecoming
All of it was helpful to me - I rarely leave the county I live in, and when I do I cross state lines only occasionally. Leaving the US? Once as an infant to Tijuana on a wild afternoon with teen parents where I may have very nearly been misplaced, and a few trips to Victoria that took me to Canada to see Butchart Gardens. That's it for me. So anything Rick Steves can teach me is welcomed and considered often in my daydream life. I might get to use sometime. . . .'til then Happy Travels!
I've watched and read Mr. S often, usually in the company of my disabled mom who loved "traveling" with Rick (they were on a first-name basis in her mind). She loved the weekend shows, Rick's, Globe Trekker, Curious Traveler, Naked Archaeologist (she was a saucy girl), so finding this book in our Book Club list was an opportunity to include mom's voice (which is ever in my head, still) in the read - and she's probably informing this response to the read. . .
The TOC is a very good reflection of the narrative:
1 - How to Travel as a Political Act
2 - Lessons from the Former Yugoslavia: After the War
3 - Europe Unites: Successes and Struggles
4 - Resurrection in El Salvador
5 - Denmark: Highly Taxed and Highly Content
6 - Turkey and Morocco: Sampling Secular Islam
7 - Europe: Not "Hard on Drugs" or "Soft on Drugs" but Smart on Drugs
8 - Mission: Understand Iran
9 - Homecoming
All of it was helpful to me - I rarely leave the county I live in, and when I do I cross state lines only occasionally. Leaving the US? Once as an infant to Tijuana on a wild afternoon with teen parents where I may have very nearly been misplaced, and a few trips to Victoria that took me to Canada to see Butchart Gardens. That's it for me. So anything Rick Steves can teach me is welcomed and considered often in my daydream life. I might get to use sometime. . . .'til then Happy Travels!
August 2, 2023
Interesting Take On Travel. I fully admit to traveling more for leisure than learning and certainly more than being some kind of activist. I try to be a decent enough human being no matter where I am, whether that be in my own home or some far-flung place. And I actively try to avoid other nations' political issues - and wish to God their own citizens would join me in that, rather than constantly complaining about some aspect of the US. Indeed, there is exactly *one* spot that still stands that I would potentially like to see for something other than leisure, and that is the town of Nocher, Luxembourg - where my grandfather earned his Silver Star and Purple Heart for his actions in the closing days of the Battle of the Bulge. Beyond that, I'm all about relaxing and enjoying the scenery - not activism - in my travels.
But here, Steves does a remarkable job in showing his own travel style and general philosophy, of always trying to make the world a better place, of constantly trying to understand the people of wherever he finds himself through their eyes, of perhaps trying in some small (or sometimes not so small) way to leave their land better for his having been there, even briefly.
It is certainly an interesting approach, and overall his thoughts on the places he has been and the things he has seen... well, your own mileage may vary quite greatly indeed based on your own experiences either as a native of those lands or as an American who may have different views. Some reviewers have called this book "racist", and to be crystal clear: I did not see any hint of that at all in this text - or at least the Audible version of it I consumed. But I'm also a white dude who grew up in the Southern part of the US, in the land still literally scarred by my own country's Civil War over 150 years ago - so there are likely many in the US and internationally who automatically and irrevocably think *I* must be a racist, just because of my skin color and where I am from. Ironically, the entire point of this book is basically dispelling similar notions mostly from an American audience looking to potentially travel to other lands or even inside our own vast country.
Overall this was an illuminating read that, when read at 1.8 speed on Audible and thus taking roughly half the time its over 10 hr actual runtime indicates, was actually quite enjoyable. Dare I say that it could even be a good read/ listen... while traveling yourself? ;) Very much recommended.
But here, Steves does a remarkable job in showing his own travel style and general philosophy, of always trying to make the world a better place, of constantly trying to understand the people of wherever he finds himself through their eyes, of perhaps trying in some small (or sometimes not so small) way to leave their land better for his having been there, even briefly.
It is certainly an interesting approach, and overall his thoughts on the places he has been and the things he has seen... well, your own mileage may vary quite greatly indeed based on your own experiences either as a native of those lands or as an American who may have different views. Some reviewers have called this book "racist", and to be crystal clear: I did not see any hint of that at all in this text - or at least the Audible version of it I consumed. But I'm also a white dude who grew up in the Southern part of the US, in the land still literally scarred by my own country's Civil War over 150 years ago - so there are likely many in the US and internationally who automatically and irrevocably think *I* must be a racist, just because of my skin color and where I am from. Ironically, the entire point of this book is basically dispelling similar notions mostly from an American audience looking to potentially travel to other lands or even inside our own vast country.
Overall this was an illuminating read that, when read at 1.8 speed on Audible and thus taking roughly half the time its over 10 hr actual runtime indicates, was actually quite enjoyable. Dare I say that it could even be a good read/ listen... while traveling yourself? ;) Very much recommended.
March 11, 2013
Rick Steves is a well known travel writer, has his own TV show and writes an amazing selection of tour books of cities and countries in Europe. If you've watched his show, he comes across as very informed, funny, and to be honest, slightly goofy. This book shows a much more serious and thoughtful side to Rick Steves. If you travel internationally, you are well aware that travel changes you and your view of yourself, your society, and your overall worldview. And as you travel, you leave the world an impression of yourself and your country - making travel more than just another vacation, but an action that changes you and the world - or a political act. In this thought provoking book, Steves describes some of the countries he has explored and discusses a wide variety of issues and policies pertaining to those countries. Travel in Amsterdam - perfect for a discussion about US policy regarding marijuana. Croatia and Bosnia - the terrible impact of a civil war. If you are looking for a travel book that gives you tips on how to maximize your buffet experience on a Mediterranean cruise, then this is not for you. But if you want a book that will push you to travel differently and open your eyes up to a different world, then give this a shot - it's a great read.
April 24, 2019
Wanted to read this book after hearing Rick Steves talk about it at a library conference. He's writing about expanding your horizons & understanding with trips, with getting outside one's comfort zone. His tour company generally handles Europe tours but the book includes chapters on his travels in El Salvador, Iran and Israel/Palestine. Iran chapter perhaps the most interesting. The chapter on Turkey, covering a country he has been visiting for decades, was perhaps the most disheartening in terms of the world being less open and accessible, at least for Americans.
He's good about seeing both sides of issues; admires many things about Europe but see faults there, too, and feels that travel can show Americans what we do well and where we can learn from other cultures.
Well written; a quick read.
He's good about seeing both sides of issues; admires many things about Europe but see faults there, too, and feels that travel can show Americans what we do well and where we can learn from other cultures.
Well written; a quick read.
November 21, 2014
It was very difficult to read in the fact that its content was shallow and intellectually lazy. With a title like, "Travel As A Political Act", I was hoping for deeper meaning than blatant exploitation poorly disguised as activism. Steves' book just adds to the mound of reasons why I feel like such a black - sheep American. Being a bystander and profiting from what has been observed does not help anybody nor the image of the US that it's full of a bunch of egocentric elitist consumers. But not many Americans see that which is precisely my point. Yuck. This is embarrassing to me.
November 10, 2009
Totally wasn't what I thought it would be about. This book would be good to give to your "average dumb American" traveler who needs to learn that you shouldn't just travel for the exotic beverages and photo opps, you should travel to learn and broaden your horizons.
November 26, 2012
Amazing book. Compassionate, thought-provoking, and inspiring. Any book that makes you evaluate yourself and the world around you is worth reading.
June 5, 2017
A short review for this one: basically, I agreed with everything and I love Rick Steves. This is a must-read for anyone, especially Americans in the current political/cultural climate of the U.S.
May 15, 2025
Holding our country to a high standard and searching for ways to better live up to its lofty ideals is not “America-bashing.” It’s good citizenship. (viii)
In the decade since I wrote the first edition of this book—in the waning days of the George W. Bush administration—our world has changed dramatically. Pivoting from his predecessor, President Obama set this country on a clear course for eight years. And then donald tr*mp was elected, and drastically changed course. (ix)
Travel to faraway places has always come with a little fear. But over the last several years, the US has grown even more fearful… and more isolated. (11)
My travels have taught me to have a healthy skepticism towards those who peddle fear. Fear is a tool used to keep a people down. And in so many cases, I’ve learned that fear is for people who don’t get out much. The flipside of fear is understanding—and we gain understanding through travel. (14)
When we travel, we build understanding. When we know people in far away lands, it makes it harder for their government to demonize us with their propaganda, and harder for our government to demonize them through our propaganda. (17).
The sentiment I hear from locals when I visit this region is, “I don’t know how we could’ve been so stupid to wage unnecessary war.” (45)
In American politics, “socialism“ is often perceived as an all-or-none bogeyman, evoking the stifling Soviet system of the Cold War. But this thinking ignores the full spectrum of socialism. Every country on earth – including our own – include some socialistic elements (such as our progressive taxation, and the entitlement that we’ve come to see as the Marc of a caring in life society). (54)
I want to ask Olle, my Swiss friend, “how can you Swiss people be so docile about paying such high taxes?” Without missing a beat, he replied, “well, what’s it worth to live in a society where there is no homelessness, no hunger, and every child—regardless of the wealth of their parents—enjoys equal access to quality, healthcare and education?” (55)
When some Americans, aggravated by France’s unwillingness to pick up arms, call the French “surrender monkeys,” I believe it shows their ignorance of history. (68)
If Europeans (or Americans) complain about the hardship of housing, those refugees, they should ponder. The hardship brought about by their ancestors, greedy colonial policies, a century ago. (80)
Europeans would assume that every person is a moral person, but each individual has a slightly different morality. If one group gets to make their morality law of land, it infringes on another person’s civil liberties. So, rather than attempt to legislate morality, European law tolerates “immoral” acts as long as they don’t hurt someone else. (83).
The last time I was at a spa in Germany’s black forest, in one two hour stretch, I saw more penises and I’ve seen in years. All were extremely relaxed… And, I must say, I was struck by the variety. (92) *LOL
My partners in public television and I proceeded gingerly – not sure if we can show Venus‘s breasts. Can we risk the possibility of a $275,000 fine… And is that per nipple? (93) *🤣
And if you’re a liberal and want lots of friends, tell them what you think about tr*mp. For an American in Europe, two new skills might be handy: an ability to explain how the Electoral College works… And a good eye roll. (96) *true*
Many Americans practically consider it their birthright to make money they didn’t really earn, enjoy the fruits of our society while cheating on their taxes, drive a gas guzzler just because they can afford it, take up two parking spots, so no one will bump their precious car, and generally jigger the system if they can get away with it. We often seem to consider actions like these acceptable… Without considering the fact that if everyone did it, our society as a whole would suffer. (132)
Danes teach their children that no matter what they’re good at, they’re making a contribution to society. You’re not a lesser human being because you struggle with math or science; you can be the best in your class and creativity or cooking. This gives Danish children, an extraordinary base and choosing a life that corresponds to who they are. (136).
My dad used to be absolutely disturbed by the notion that God and Allah could be the same. Years ago, I couldn’t resist teaching my toddler Andy to hold out his arms, bob them up and down, and say “Allah, Allah, Allah.” after table grace just to freak out his grandpa. Later, rather than just torture my dad, I took a more loving (and certainly more effective) approach to opening him to the Muslim world: I took him to Turkey. (145)
Turkey has long model power nation can be both Muslim and secular. But in recent years, with the rise of President Erdoğan, the line between mosque and state gets a little more blurred. (156)
Imagine, watching your country, gradually slipping into theocracy: one universal interpretation of scripture, prayer, school, religious dress codes, women covering up and accepting a scripturally ordain subservient role to men, judges, chosen on the basis of their dominant religion, laws and textbooks being rewritten. Whether abroad or in the US, when a separation of religion and state is violated, a more realistic ruling class that believe they are right, and others are wrong is set free to reshape its society. (157) *imagine 😒😭
But no society should fear another society simply because their leaders and media say they should. (167).
I agree with my Dutch friends, who remind me that a society has to make a choice: tolerate alternative lifestyles… Or build more prisons. The Netherlands has made its choice. While America is still building more prisons, the Dutch are closing theirs. (178)
Contrary to the common practice of a nation dehumanizing the enemy as a prelude to war, I believe if you’re going to bomb a place, you should know it’s people first. Even if military force is justified, it should hurt when you kill someone.(189)
Ask anyone who has lived in a country where they disagree with the leaders: attention and grabbing bombast does not necessarily reflect the feelings of a man or woman on the street. Throughout my visit, I kept thinking: politicians come and go. The people are here to stay.(198)
On the subway, there are women only cars. When I questioned an Iranian woman about this—mentioning that, for many Americans, a quotation mark women only quotation mark instruct them as in a friend to women’s rights—she said, “women are welcome to ride with the men in the regular cars, but many times they are more comfortable in the women’s cars. Perhaps the women of New York wish they had a car only for them, to avoid the men on their subway trains.”(204).
I have to believe that smart and determined diplomacy can keep the Iranians—and us—from having to build giant cemeteries for the next generation’s more dead. That doesn’t mean “giving in“ to Iran… It means acknowledging that war is a failure, and we’d be wise to find an alternative. (218)
I’ve decided that fundamentalism is the crux of the problem. I think the rainbow of religion on this planet is a delight – except for the fundamentalists in each. (231)
While seeing travel as a political act enables us to challenge our society to do better, it also shows us how much we have to be grateful for, to take responsibility for, and to protect. (275)
I recognize that intolerance can be a natural state of rest. I’m inspired by lands that have morals, but don’t moralize… Lands that make tolerance a guiding virtue and consider peaceful coexistence a victory. (276)
Having traveled in the Islamic Republic of Iran, where religion and government are thoroughly interwoven, I’ve seen the troubling consequences of mixing mosque or church and state. In my church, some want the American flag right up there in front, while others in my community would like to hang a 10 Commandments in our City Hall. And because I care for both my church and my state, I work to keep my church free of flags and my City Hall free of religious commandments. (277)
My travels have taught me that, even if motivated only by greed, you don’t want to be really rich in a desperately poor world. With this in mind, I think of it not as noble or heroic, but simply pragmatic to bring a compassion for the needy along with me into the voting booth. (278)
In the decade since I wrote the first edition of this book—in the waning days of the George W. Bush administration—our world has changed dramatically. Pivoting from his predecessor, President Obama set this country on a clear course for eight years. And then donald tr*mp was elected, and drastically changed course. (ix)
Travel to faraway places has always come with a little fear. But over the last several years, the US has grown even more fearful… and more isolated. (11)
My travels have taught me to have a healthy skepticism towards those who peddle fear. Fear is a tool used to keep a people down. And in so many cases, I’ve learned that fear is for people who don’t get out much. The flipside of fear is understanding—and we gain understanding through travel. (14)
When we travel, we build understanding. When we know people in far away lands, it makes it harder for their government to demonize us with their propaganda, and harder for our government to demonize them through our propaganda. (17).
The sentiment I hear from locals when I visit this region is, “I don’t know how we could’ve been so stupid to wage unnecessary war.” (45)
In American politics, “socialism“ is often perceived as an all-or-none bogeyman, evoking the stifling Soviet system of the Cold War. But this thinking ignores the full spectrum of socialism. Every country on earth – including our own – include some socialistic elements (such as our progressive taxation, and the entitlement that we’ve come to see as the Marc of a caring in life society). (54)
I want to ask Olle, my Swiss friend, “how can you Swiss people be so docile about paying such high taxes?” Without missing a beat, he replied, “well, what’s it worth to live in a society where there is no homelessness, no hunger, and every child—regardless of the wealth of their parents—enjoys equal access to quality, healthcare and education?” (55)
When some Americans, aggravated by France’s unwillingness to pick up arms, call the French “surrender monkeys,” I believe it shows their ignorance of history. (68)
If Europeans (or Americans) complain about the hardship of housing, those refugees, they should ponder. The hardship brought about by their ancestors, greedy colonial policies, a century ago. (80)
Europeans would assume that every person is a moral person, but each individual has a slightly different morality. If one group gets to make their morality law of land, it infringes on another person’s civil liberties. So, rather than attempt to legislate morality, European law tolerates “immoral” acts as long as they don’t hurt someone else. (83).
The last time I was at a spa in Germany’s black forest, in one two hour stretch, I saw more penises and I’ve seen in years. All were extremely relaxed… And, I must say, I was struck by the variety. (92) *LOL
My partners in public television and I proceeded gingerly – not sure if we can show Venus‘s breasts. Can we risk the possibility of a $275,000 fine… And is that per nipple? (93) *🤣
And if you’re a liberal and want lots of friends, tell them what you think about tr*mp. For an American in Europe, two new skills might be handy: an ability to explain how the Electoral College works… And a good eye roll. (96) *true*
Many Americans practically consider it their birthright to make money they didn’t really earn, enjoy the fruits of our society while cheating on their taxes, drive a gas guzzler just because they can afford it, take up two parking spots, so no one will bump their precious car, and generally jigger the system if they can get away with it. We often seem to consider actions like these acceptable… Without considering the fact that if everyone did it, our society as a whole would suffer. (132)
Danes teach their children that no matter what they’re good at, they’re making a contribution to society. You’re not a lesser human being because you struggle with math or science; you can be the best in your class and creativity or cooking. This gives Danish children, an extraordinary base and choosing a life that corresponds to who they are. (136).
My dad used to be absolutely disturbed by the notion that God and Allah could be the same. Years ago, I couldn’t resist teaching my toddler Andy to hold out his arms, bob them up and down, and say “Allah, Allah, Allah.” after table grace just to freak out his grandpa. Later, rather than just torture my dad, I took a more loving (and certainly more effective) approach to opening him to the Muslim world: I took him to Turkey. (145)
Turkey has long model power nation can be both Muslim and secular. But in recent years, with the rise of President Erdoğan, the line between mosque and state gets a little more blurred. (156)
Imagine, watching your country, gradually slipping into theocracy: one universal interpretation of scripture, prayer, school, religious dress codes, women covering up and accepting a scripturally ordain subservient role to men, judges, chosen on the basis of their dominant religion, laws and textbooks being rewritten. Whether abroad or in the US, when a separation of religion and state is violated, a more realistic ruling class that believe they are right, and others are wrong is set free to reshape its society. (157) *imagine 😒😭
But no society should fear another society simply because their leaders and media say they should. (167).
I agree with my Dutch friends, who remind me that a society has to make a choice: tolerate alternative lifestyles… Or build more prisons. The Netherlands has made its choice. While America is still building more prisons, the Dutch are closing theirs. (178)
Contrary to the common practice of a nation dehumanizing the enemy as a prelude to war, I believe if you’re going to bomb a place, you should know it’s people first. Even if military force is justified, it should hurt when you kill someone.(189)
Ask anyone who has lived in a country where they disagree with the leaders: attention and grabbing bombast does not necessarily reflect the feelings of a man or woman on the street. Throughout my visit, I kept thinking: politicians come and go. The people are here to stay.(198)
On the subway, there are women only cars. When I questioned an Iranian woman about this—mentioning that, for many Americans, a quotation mark women only quotation mark instruct them as in a friend to women’s rights—she said, “women are welcome to ride with the men in the regular cars, but many times they are more comfortable in the women’s cars. Perhaps the women of New York wish they had a car only for them, to avoid the men on their subway trains.”(204).
I have to believe that smart and determined diplomacy can keep the Iranians—and us—from having to build giant cemeteries for the next generation’s more dead. That doesn’t mean “giving in“ to Iran… It means acknowledging that war is a failure, and we’d be wise to find an alternative. (218)
I’ve decided that fundamentalism is the crux of the problem. I think the rainbow of religion on this planet is a delight – except for the fundamentalists in each. (231)
While seeing travel as a political act enables us to challenge our society to do better, it also shows us how much we have to be grateful for, to take responsibility for, and to protect. (275)
I recognize that intolerance can be a natural state of rest. I’m inspired by lands that have morals, but don’t moralize… Lands that make tolerance a guiding virtue and consider peaceful coexistence a victory. (276)
Having traveled in the Islamic Republic of Iran, where religion and government are thoroughly interwoven, I’ve seen the troubling consequences of mixing mosque or church and state. In my church, some want the American flag right up there in front, while others in my community would like to hang a 10 Commandments in our City Hall. And because I care for both my church and my state, I work to keep my church free of flags and my City Hall free of religious commandments. (277)
My travels have taught me that, even if motivated only by greed, you don’t want to be really rich in a desperately poor world. With this in mind, I think of it not as noble or heroic, but simply pragmatic to bring a compassion for the needy along with me into the voting booth. (278)
March 7, 2018
I loved this book. I didn't think it was possible to love Rick Steves more. I found myself nodding emphatically at numerous points. For me, travel isn't about relaxing or disconnecting. It's about learning and connecting more with the world. I read about the places I'm traveling too, spend most of my time on vacation learning in some way and try to do at least a few things like the locals do. So much of what I learn while traveling doesn't come from guidebooks or museums, but from people and soaking in different ways of life. I like talking to people from other places. It's nice to remember the world doesn't revolve only around America and that people in other places are proud to be from there. It is nice to visit places that handle politics and life differently than we do. I wish we'd embrace the drug and prostitution regulations of the Netherlands. I wish our food companies would be more real like they are in Europe, esp with real Coke and whatever it is they do to make their ice cream. And bread. And their cultural norms of moderation. lol
It's interesting to see things I disagree with yet enjoy in other places, like public transportation. It's also nice to be comfortable using it and not thinking it's scary like I grew up thinking! It was eye opening to arrive in Europe 7 years ago and have trouble using our outdated swipe credit card. They all had chip cards years before they became prominent in the US. Seeing the devastion of WWII in person makes it even more understandable why Europe doesn't rush into wars like we do and why they wanted the EU.
Steves talks about how you are not in danger traveling to Europe and how it's silly to let terrorism stop your from traveling. You're much more likely to die in a car accident but you do t see most people avoiding cars. And being from OKC, I know terrorism can happen anywhere.
Steves emphasizes meeting people while traveling and my husband and I manage to do that regularly even as a couple of introverts. One of the things I enjoyed in Brussels was visiting with the owners and waiters of the cafes and restaurants, who were often from the Middle East. They were some of the biggest Belgian soccer fans and the world cup was going on and it was so fu. to see them waving the Belgian flag and cheering together with the native Belgians, and us tourists. They were so friendly and interesting and certainly not people to be scared of like they are unfortunately often portrayed. I haven't really talked about the book much, but this felt like reading my own personal travel manifesto and it's hard to write about the book on it's own. This was so good I want to run and buy the new updated edition even though I just read this one because I couldn't resist it at a library book sale. I do want to point out that you do not need to agree with Steves' politics to enjoy this. The point is to learn and let that impact how you see the world, not to promote a specific political agenda.
It's interesting to see things I disagree with yet enjoy in other places, like public transportation. It's also nice to be comfortable using it and not thinking it's scary like I grew up thinking! It was eye opening to arrive in Europe 7 years ago and have trouble using our outdated swipe credit card. They all had chip cards years before they became prominent in the US. Seeing the devastion of WWII in person makes it even more understandable why Europe doesn't rush into wars like we do and why they wanted the EU.
Steves talks about how you are not in danger traveling to Europe and how it's silly to let terrorism stop your from traveling. You're much more likely to die in a car accident but you do t see most people avoiding cars. And being from OKC, I know terrorism can happen anywhere.
Steves emphasizes meeting people while traveling and my husband and I manage to do that regularly even as a couple of introverts. One of the things I enjoyed in Brussels was visiting with the owners and waiters of the cafes and restaurants, who were often from the Middle East. They were some of the biggest Belgian soccer fans and the world cup was going on and it was so fu. to see them waving the Belgian flag and cheering together with the native Belgians, and us tourists. They were so friendly and interesting and certainly not people to be scared of like they are unfortunately often portrayed. I haven't really talked about the book much, but this felt like reading my own personal travel manifesto and it's hard to write about the book on it's own. This was so good I want to run and buy the new updated edition even though I just read this one because I couldn't resist it at a library book sale. I do want to point out that you do not need to agree with Steves' politics to enjoy this. The point is to learn and let that impact how you see the world, not to promote a specific political agenda.
June 5, 2009
I thought this book would get more into the nitty gritty as to how to travel as a political act, but instead it turned out to be a series of field reports from several different countries and areas discussing Rick Stevens' politics on several issues. I wanted to learn more about how I, as the average traveler, could get a chance to talk more to the locals, how to do it safely without getting either ripped off or mugged or worse, how to find locals with interesting stories, etc. but it wasn't like that at all. Stevens shares how he talked to a few locals, but as a travel guide with a tv show, radio show, website, and several books under his belt, he doesn't have to worry about who to talk to, he can find interesting people or already knows about them. Plus, who doesn't want to talk to someone in the hopes that they could end up on tv, radio, or featured in a book in order to promote tourism or aid in their country?
I also disliked how his idea of travel was pretty touchy feely. He says, "Rather than accentuate the difference between 'us' and 'them,' I believe travel should bring us together." Well that's all nice and good (yay for warm fuzzies!) but can travel truly bring us together? Can a short jaunt to another country really and truly help us to understand another culture? True cultural exchange and understanding of another culture is hard work and takes a lot of time and effort. More time and effort than buying a plane ticket, flying somewhere "exotic," talking to a few locals, seeing the famous sites, walking around the neighborhoods, etc. I've been to Thailand, talked to locals, eaten the food, seen more temples than I can count, but I don't consider myself to really know or understand their culture at all. Do I understand how a Thai person thinks? How they conceive of the world? Of course not, and it would be ridiculous, incredibly naive, and, dare I say, vain of me to assume that just because I traveled there that I can truly understand. Yes, travel broadens our horizons, forces us into situations where we wouldn't normally take ourselves, and, yes, travel can be more than just a hedonistic pleasure cruise (not that I, like Stevens, have anything against hedonism and pleasure). Yes, travel can teach us new things about the world and possibly even challenge our own personal worldviews, but to believe that we can truly understand another culture or that we'll even get much of a inkling of what it's like for the people there just by walking through the slums of that country, well, that's a bit of a big pill to swallow.
All that said, I gave this book two stars because I did enjoy reading many sections on the different countries and learning more about certain countries. Still, I felt misled by the title of the book and what was actually in the book.
I also disliked how his idea of travel was pretty touchy feely. He says, "Rather than accentuate the difference between 'us' and 'them,' I believe travel should bring us together." Well that's all nice and good (yay for warm fuzzies!) but can travel truly bring us together? Can a short jaunt to another country really and truly help us to understand another culture? True cultural exchange and understanding of another culture is hard work and takes a lot of time and effort. More time and effort than buying a plane ticket, flying somewhere "exotic," talking to a few locals, seeing the famous sites, walking around the neighborhoods, etc. I've been to Thailand, talked to locals, eaten the food, seen more temples than I can count, but I don't consider myself to really know or understand their culture at all. Do I understand how a Thai person thinks? How they conceive of the world? Of course not, and it would be ridiculous, incredibly naive, and, dare I say, vain of me to assume that just because I traveled there that I can truly understand. Yes, travel broadens our horizons, forces us into situations where we wouldn't normally take ourselves, and, yes, travel can be more than just a hedonistic pleasure cruise (not that I, like Stevens, have anything against hedonism and pleasure). Yes, travel can teach us new things about the world and possibly even challenge our own personal worldviews, but to believe that we can truly understand another culture or that we'll even get much of a inkling of what it's like for the people there just by walking through the slums of that country, well, that's a bit of a big pill to swallow.
All that said, I gave this book two stars because I did enjoy reading many sections on the different countries and learning more about certain countries. Still, I felt misled by the title of the book and what was actually in the book.
March 26, 2010
I love Rick Steves and I thought his TV special on Iran was AWSOME, but I wasn't really blown away by this book. I felt like he was preaching to the converted. I'm already way sold on these open-minded, progressive ideas and am well aware of the ways and means of other countries. I think I was just the wrong audience. I thought I'd be learning a lot of stuff I didn't already know, but I think a lot of peopel will find that it's just a brush-up course on international politics and religious issues, ect. But for those who would like to start learning about other countries politically in comparison to ours, it's a good book. Good pictures, but I wanted more of them. For example, Rick spent quite a few pages on the large, free, non-comformist community of Christiania in Denmark, but we got practically no pictures of the town. I wanted to see the main drag, the coffee shops, the homes, etc. I think I would have liked this book more if it was laid out slightly differently, with more pictures and captions. But I liked it, 3 stars.
April 27, 2012
This book is amazing, and I would recommend it to every single person. A Must read is a bit of an understatement!
November 28, 2018
I think I could have gotten just as much out of his 1 hour lecture on the same topic.
March 7, 2021
The idea that people talking to people increases understanding more than separation and willful ignorance seems unassailable. Rick Steves makes more sense than most politicians.
January 8, 2023
This book is my new favorite book on travel. It does a great job of highlighting how much richer our lives can be if we make an effort to learn from other cultures and immerse ourselves into local practices when visiting areas of the world that are different than where we live our everyday lives.
I thoroughly enjoyed the diversity of examples drawn from in this book, and the way he synthesized key takeaways from different trips into meaningful lessons that have contributed to changes in his lifestyle and his activism. I learned so much about different corners of the world that I have not spent much time thinking about in the past, as well as new things and perspectives on politics in my own country (and state).
I hugely recommend this book to any open-minded person who is interested in making their travels more well-rounded, or who is looking for inspiration on where to travel next to learn from the richness of a different culture, or who is interested in how to take lessons learned from other governments to influence local politics using evidence-based arguments.
I thoroughly enjoyed the diversity of examples drawn from in this book, and the way he synthesized key takeaways from different trips into meaningful lessons that have contributed to changes in his lifestyle and his activism. I learned so much about different corners of the world that I have not spent much time thinking about in the past, as well as new things and perspectives on politics in my own country (and state).
I hugely recommend this book to any open-minded person who is interested in making their travels more well-rounded, or who is looking for inspiration on where to travel next to learn from the richness of a different culture, or who is interested in how to take lessons learned from other governments to influence local politics using evidence-based arguments.
February 20, 2019
I strongly recommend this book for all to read, whether you like to travel or not. Perhaps even more if you don't like to travel.
Rick Steves is probably the most recognized and respected travel guru in the world. In this book he puts into action Mark Twain's adage: "Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness." He shows us that the very act of travel - and the inevitable learning that comes with it - can help us see the people of the world more broadly, and by extension, ourselves more introspectively.
Steves takes us with him on trips to areas of the world, primarily his specialty Europe, and introduces us to the cultures and conflicts within those areas. For example, he looks at how Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Montenegro, all spun off from the former Yugoslavia, have dealt with independence and recovery from brutal wars. He looks at Europe as a whole (the EU), as well as the highly taxed yet highly content Denmark, the secular Muslim countries of Turkey and Morocco (as well as the trials of the Erdogan shift toward theocracy), the history and current issues in Iran, and the Israeli/Palestinian conflict in the Holy Land. He also examines how several countries in Europe are handling for soft and hard drugs, with lessons for how the US can perhaps readjust our thinking on those issues.
And that is where the value of the book really comes out. We Americans tend to think of ourselves as better, richer, more moral than other countries. But are we? You'll see how priorities differ, and while some of those priorities seen in Europe wouldn't translate back home, some might. More importantly, through Steves's eyes we see how much alike people of varying backgrounds are with Americans. We all want to live happy lives, give our children more than we had, and be prosperous. Seeing the trials of conflicts, including those the USA creates or instigates, can give us some insights that might affect how we handle things back home. One trait that comes out is the resilience of those living under harsh, even constant war, conditions.
Beyond the lessons we can learn, the book is interesting to read. I've been to some of the places he visits, but hadn't even considered going to others. After reading the book, I might just change my itinerary. So I encourage people to read this book. Mark Twain was right, and so is Rick Steves.
Rick Steves is probably the most recognized and respected travel guru in the world. In this book he puts into action Mark Twain's adage: "Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness." He shows us that the very act of travel - and the inevitable learning that comes with it - can help us see the people of the world more broadly, and by extension, ourselves more introspectively.
Steves takes us with him on trips to areas of the world, primarily his specialty Europe, and introduces us to the cultures and conflicts within those areas. For example, he looks at how Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Montenegro, all spun off from the former Yugoslavia, have dealt with independence and recovery from brutal wars. He looks at Europe as a whole (the EU), as well as the highly taxed yet highly content Denmark, the secular Muslim countries of Turkey and Morocco (as well as the trials of the Erdogan shift toward theocracy), the history and current issues in Iran, and the Israeli/Palestinian conflict in the Holy Land. He also examines how several countries in Europe are handling for soft and hard drugs, with lessons for how the US can perhaps readjust our thinking on those issues.
And that is where the value of the book really comes out. We Americans tend to think of ourselves as better, richer, more moral than other countries. But are we? You'll see how priorities differ, and while some of those priorities seen in Europe wouldn't translate back home, some might. More importantly, through Steves's eyes we see how much alike people of varying backgrounds are with Americans. We all want to live happy lives, give our children more than we had, and be prosperous. Seeing the trials of conflicts, including those the USA creates or instigates, can give us some insights that might affect how we handle things back home. One trait that comes out is the resilience of those living under harsh, even constant war, conditions.
Beyond the lessons we can learn, the book is interesting to read. I've been to some of the places he visits, but hadn't even considered going to others. After reading the book, I might just change my itinerary. So I encourage people to read this book. Mark Twain was right, and so is Rick Steves.
April 16, 2018
"...travel can be a powerful force for peace. Travel promotes understanding at the expense of fear."
The first chapter ("How to Travel as a Political Act") affirmed many ideas I already had about traveling. When done intentionally and thoughtfully, travel expands one's understanding, encourages global citizenship, and fosters empathy for people abroad and back home. It would be a great essay to assign students who are preparing for a semester abroad, as it explains how to enter such a situation with a humble, open mind. The final essay ("Homecoming") details how travel changes us upon our return home, because "the ultimate souvenir is a broader outlook." These are ideas I wrestled with both times I moved abroad and later attempted to readjust to life back home.
The aforementioned values are re-affirmed throughout Travel as a Political Act, but they are also expanded with layers and layers of examples--historical, anecdotal, and experiential. I learned a lot from this book about the specific cultures and places Rick discusses. The whole book reads like a series of carefully-researched magazine features. He took topics I thought I understood pretty well already (e.g. drug use in the Netherlands) and explicated them further, drawing helpful parallels to our shared home country in a way that expanded my understanding. Better yet, he took topics upon which I was completely ignorant (e.g. the political and economic state of El Salvador) and enlightened me from a local's point of view. Each place he discussed in this book, he met with local people and sought to understand their perspective, even (and perhaps especially) when they held America in an unfavorable light. Throughout these essays, he acknowledges and checks his own biases as a prosperous white Protestant American. I learned so much. I wish I had encountered this book sooner. I know what I'm getting all of my traveling friends on our next gift-giving occasion...
The first chapter ("How to Travel as a Political Act") affirmed many ideas I already had about traveling. When done intentionally and thoughtfully, travel expands one's understanding, encourages global citizenship, and fosters empathy for people abroad and back home. It would be a great essay to assign students who are preparing for a semester abroad, as it explains how to enter such a situation with a humble, open mind. The final essay ("Homecoming") details how travel changes us upon our return home, because "the ultimate souvenir is a broader outlook." These are ideas I wrestled with both times I moved abroad and later attempted to readjust to life back home.
The aforementioned values are re-affirmed throughout Travel as a Political Act, but they are also expanded with layers and layers of examples--historical, anecdotal, and experiential. I learned a lot from this book about the specific cultures and places Rick discusses. The whole book reads like a series of carefully-researched magazine features. He took topics I thought I understood pretty well already (e.g. drug use in the Netherlands) and explicated them further, drawing helpful parallels to our shared home country in a way that expanded my understanding. Better yet, he took topics upon which I was completely ignorant (e.g. the political and economic state of El Salvador) and enlightened me from a local's point of view. Each place he discussed in this book, he met with local people and sought to understand their perspective, even (and perhaps especially) when they held America in an unfavorable light. Throughout these essays, he acknowledges and checks his own biases as a prosperous white Protestant American. I learned so much. I wish I had encountered this book sooner. I know what I'm getting all of my traveling friends on our next gift-giving occasion...
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