If you find the idea of visiting standard “tourist attractions” unappealing, or you are either committed to or dream about adventure, way-off-the-beaten-path travel, you’ll likely enjoy Marco Polo Didn’t Go There by Rolf Potts.

Writing in the tradition of Paul Theoux and Redmond O’Hanlon, Potts weaves captivating, hilarious and occasionally terrifying tales of travel to some of the most remote and (largely) “undiscovered” locales in Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, Australia, and Asia.

In this collection of twenty stories, some of which previously appeared in Salon, Outside, Slate, Condé Naste Traveler, Islands, and other periodicals, Potts manages to both educate and entertain as he explores odd, wondrous, and occasionally downright squalid locations, all the while delving into the meaning of travel in the 21st century.  Many reviews of Marco Polo Didn’t Go There mention some of the more sensational stories in this collection: Potts’s attempt to crash the set of a Leonardo DiCaprio film, getting drugged and robbed by Turkish hoodlums, or learning about the secrets of tantric sex from a guru seemingly plucked from the cast of a Peter Sellers film.  More compelling, at least for this reader, are the smaller, quieter stories that center on the connections he’s made with a fascinating assortment of characters – “Death of an Adventure Traveler,” for example, which concludes:

Then I did something Mr. Benny never had the option of doing:  I headed back across the ocean, to a place where “adventure travel” was not a way of getting by in life, but a whimsical, self-induced abstraction – a way of testing our limits so that we can more keenly feel our comforts.

This much is clear:  over the last decade Potts has established himself as one of the very finest travel writers working today.  As a bonus that’s of particular interest to anyone who writes or loves writing, each story is followed by “endnotes” in which Potts describes the background behind each story and its creation.

Marco Polo Didn’t Go There is available at Amazon and other book sellers; to see the book and read some user reviews at Amazon, click on the image above or any of the links in this post.  Finally, if you’d like to hear Rolf Potts interviewed by Rick Steves, click on the following link:

Rolf Potts on Rick Steves’ Podcast

If you’ve read Marco Polo Didn’t Go There, please share your thoughts by commenting – and feel free to recommend any other travel writing you’ve enjoyed!

The Fine Print:  this post contains affiliate links which help support Practical Hacks

If you manage young people, have a son or daughter who’s nearing college graduation or know someone who’s at an early stage in his or her career, I strongly recommend you consider giving them The Adventures of Johnny Bunko.

Written by New York Times bestseller and business writer Dan Pink, the book is an entertaining and insightful manga – a form of comic book intended for readers of all ages – that captures 6 career “secrets” that are essential to success in today’s world.  Don’t let the “comic book” reference turn you off – this work is more in tune with contemporary career skills than any other book I’ve read in the last decade.  Illustrated by Rob Ten Pas, Johnny Bunko is the story of a young man who’s a mismatch for his job at “Boggs Corporation” and desperately needs to find outlets for his creative skills. An unusual career advisor leads and helps him discover the 6 skills.

The book is an entertaining, quick read.  Readers will find themselves going back to the 6 secrets time and time again, as the book naturally encourages some soul searching and introspection.  Here’s a “trailer” that will give you a sense of its flavor:

I don’t want to give too much away, but here are two of the 6 secrets:

• There is no plan. In a world where the average person will change careers 3 to 5 times in her life, there is no logical progression to our careers.  Often the route we take is a disjointed, circuitous one.  Not only is the world changing, but we will change as well – it’s a “fantasy” to think that anyone can map out their career step by step ahead of time; there is no plan
• Persistence trumps talent. Possessing great talent isn’t necessarily an assurance of success.  In actuality, doggedness – the ability or capacity to stick with a challenge when others quit – pays tremendous dividends.  “The more you persist, the more likely you are to succeed.”  Persistence trumps talent.

Is this book worth reading? Absolutely – for anyone who works for an organization or herself – and particularly for those who are starting out in their careers.  The book can be read in less than an hour, but I guarantee readers will find themselves going back to the 6 secrets.  Johnny Bunko retails for less than $10; 160 pages, Penguin.

The Adventures of Johnny Bunko is available at major booksellers as well as Amazon: The Adventures of Johnny Bunko

If you’re an avid reader, you no doubt have a collection of books on your bookshelf – or spread about your home – that you’d like to exchange for other titles, at virtually no cost. Enter paperbackswap.com!

This online club – essentially a huge book swapping site – enables you to swap books you no longer need for titles you want. Each time you mail a book to someone, you get 1 credit which can be used to get a book of your liking. Your only cost is in mailing your old books to other members – at Media Mail rates, that averages $2.23 to $2.75 (Delivery takes about 1 week.)

Signing up is simple, free, and requires just a few minutes. Post 10 books on your virtual “bookshelf,” and you get 2 credits to start you off – you can use them right away to get a couple of titles.

Posting books or searching for books you want is simple – simply type in the title or the book’s ISBN. Other users – there are tens of thousands of them – can browse your bookshelf and if they want a title, they simply click on it. PBS will let you know via email and if you’re still willing to share your book, you respond accordingly. You print off a pre-addressed shipping label and another sheet, both of which are intended to serve as a wrapper for your book. You can even print a postage paid label, saving you a trip to the post office (there’s a $ .40 fee for this. At today’s gas prices however, that may be a bargain!)

Each book requires one credit, with the exception of audio books, which require two. If you have a number of books you’re willing to part company with, you’ll rack up credits quickly. When I first signed up I posted 11 titles, and shipped 5 of them within 48 hours.

There are some restrictions – books are to be in overall good condition, can’t be missing a cover, be water damaged, or have highlighting or underlining. Some users may specify that they want books only from non-smoker homes. Books do NOT have to be paperbacks, by the way: hardcover books are acceptable, as are audio books.

Paperbackswap’s current listings include over 2,000,000 titles, so you’re sure to find something you want. If the title you’re seeking isn’t listed, you can add it to your Wish List and when someone posts it, you’ll be in line for it.

If you have a boatload of books lying about your home that you don’t need to hang onto, this is a great way to get some new titles to read. Give it a shot – click here to go to the PBS site.

-Kevin   8.6.08

PS paperbackswap.com has two related sites:  swapacd.com and swapadvd.com – same principle, same simplicity, same great execution.

I’ve briefly reviewed Chip and Dan Heath’s Made to Stick on LifeApps previously, and continue to recommend it to anyone who presents ideas. This morning I came across this short (<5 min.) interview with the Heath brothers from the Today show. If you haven’t picked up a copy of Made to Stick, I hope this piques your curiosity…

[youtube=http://youtube.com/watch?v=2zlld9TA-Vg]

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If you ever present ideas to others – and who doesn’t? – you really ought to read Chip and Dan Heath’s Made to Stick. The book explores why some ideas “stick” – are vivid, memorable and resonate with their audience. The authors craft a simple formula for giving ideas “stickiness,” and provide numerous examples and stories which illustrate that formula. This is an entertaining and fun read from which virtually anyone could benefit. Chip and Dan are not my cousins, nor do I have a relationship with amazon.com other than giving them my money on a regular basis.