I didn’t make it to half-way and admittedly started skimming pretty early on. The first half of the book seems to be a compilation of long descriptions of scenarios in which the author has had poor judgement or crippling indecision. These occur in the context of both her (initially bad) relationship or while travelling, the latter of which results in various (non-amusing) mishaps, such as missing a last train or getting lost. These errors in judgement made it difficult to empathize with the author and I did not find the content interesting. Perhaps the second half of the book focuses more on the places that she travels to.
Thanks to the author for a free Advanced Reader's Copy of the book in exchange for my honest review. ( )

Content: I am expecting this to be the first in a series of books as this volume only covers the author’s travels from when she began exploring the American South-West (where she was based) in the early 1990s up to her solo travels just after 9/11.

The areas she travels to/describes in the book are based exclusively in North America (United States, Mexico) and Western Europe (United Kingdom, France, Germany). I would not describe the travels entirely off the beaten path, but the author visited a few destinations I had never heard of before and she usually travels on a budget.

The book was not entirely what I expected based on the description and first impression. The narrative is made up of three components:

1) The actual descriptions of the sites Marson went to see, artifacts she observed in museums etc.
2) Some anecdotes of events that happened while travelling. However, I found that interaction mostly seems to have take place with whoever she was travelling with – and therefore we get an insight into her relationships with people, including a toxic relationship with a partner that she was in throughout the 90s. There is, however, very little interaction with the locals and this might just be reflective of her travel style and that is OK, but it was not quite what I expected.
3) Philosophical and semi-political musings that are inspired by the travel experiences but far succeed them. I was OK with them, but they might not be everyone’s cup of tea.

Due to the latter two points, I feel the book should come with some trigger warning, specifically: loss, grief, contemplation of death and dying, emotionally toxic relationships. These are not something I would have expected in the book, so I feel these must be mentioned when discussing this book with potential readers.

Personal opinion: Overall, I liked it. It was an easy and quick read and I never got bored. However, I’m also quite aware that I’m easy to please when it comes to travel books. I am an avid traveller myself and I can relate to many of the things that Marson loves about travel myself. This was certainly an interesting read to me as I was born the year that Marson began travelling and I did not experience travel prior to 9/11 – which is what this book focuses on – and therefore this showcased quite a different travel experience to me that I enjoyed learning about. At the same time, this sort of change feels very relevant as I sit here 20 years later in a world that is very slowly and very cautiously opening to the idea of post-pandemic travels and is grappling with the effects of climate change at the same time. I am, of course, wondering if we are again at the cusp of entering a new period of travel. I certainly think so (and so does the author of the book).
A large chunk of the book is dedicated to Marson’s visits of ancient North American ruins - and this was something I thoroughly enjoyed. With a few exceptions, these are not destinations that are particularly well known in Western Europe, where I grew up. Marson takes an interest in art and archaeological artefacts and as a result there are lengthy descriptions of her visits to museums. You do need to be the type for these to enjoy those parts of the book. Another good chunk of her time is spent in France, her favourite destination.

I enjoyed these accounts very much and the book also stirred a desire in me to visit more ancient North American sites myself once that is a possibility again. What took me by surprise, though, are the lengthy contemplations of death and mortality in this book. There is a reason for this, and the author is clearly working through trauma of her own (this is explained very early on in the book), but it certainly came unexpected given the sort of book I thought I was picking up. Personally, I was OK with it for the most part, but I think readers should know that this is what they are letting themselves in for. My only criticism of the book is connected to this circumstance: It often seems unclear what exactly the author is trying to achieve with this book. She explains that the book is for her niece who has asked for travel stories. However, when the narrative starts that niece is still a child and some of the heavier topics centred around grief, considerations of our mortality and details of the somewhat toxic relationship the author had with her ex are not age appropriate. Moreover, many of the details are very personal, sometimes philosophical, or political, making this a much more intimate and personal memoir than one might expect from a travel memoir. At times, I would have preferred more focus on the destinations, the vibes and perhaps also the locals.

Nonetheless, I look forward to reading the next instalment in this series, which will hopefully include more travels with the author’s husband, with whom she (hopefully) has a more agreeable relationship. ( )