Well I don't think any of us will disagree with Tom, but I'm sure we all consider ourselves the exception. Right? Me, self indulgent? Only when I’m pampering myself, talking about myself, and trying to get the attention of others. Oh wait…we’re talking about travel writing.
The good, bad and the self-indulgent
TRAVEL BOOKS: Around the world from an armchair
“The Cat in the Hat would make a successful travel writer today because he has the right attitude. He says: “Look at me, look at me, look at me now!”
Repeat: I am radical! I am extreme! I am snooty!
Yup, must be a travel writer. The good news: If you plow through the travel section at the book store, you can find some good books among the show-offs.” —The Province
He makes fun of Peter Heller and Eric Hansen, and then lets us know that he approves of Myla Goldeberg’s Time’s Magpie and of course a book from a Canadian series (hmm is he being country indulgent?) New York, the Unknown City, by Brad Dunn and Daniel Hood.
There are other books he mentions, but it was his lead that caught my eye.