I want to preface this review with the simple declaration that I LOVE business travel. The author’s sentiment that he is different because he loves traveling for work hits home with me. Any excuse to get out of my area with a clear objective and goal to complete makes the trip pop in cultural and social environments that differ from your own. It makes my " down" time for exploration much more fun and enriches me professionally. This book captures the beauty of that sentiment.
Dawson does a great job writing about his trips and business travel experience overall and showing us what adventure there is in bridging the professional gap between nations. He journals his trips with a business slant. It's also important to note these trips took place before Zoom of Google Hangouts became an easy way for people to connect virtually worldwide, creating a distance between us and everyone else. Ace job here. I'm glad I gave this book a shot. ( )

There’s No Business Like International Business explores the author’s crucial planning in travelling abroad for business. Oliver Dowson provides a comprehensive analysis of his journeys, as well as the unexpected problems that affected them.

But this book is far more than just informing the reader of the author’s itineraries. This is set before the time of the convenience of the internet when the luxury of arranging deals online was not possible. What follows is a combined business and travel log infused with humor that covers approximately 5 years. One notable thing about this book is the extensive wealth of knowledge it provides. The strategies highlighted in the book contain sufficient information for the reader to completely grasp the idea and desire of the author to make healthy decisions whilst travelling in a foreign country for business. The author makes erudite discussions that engage the reader and also provides insight into circumstances that he had never come across before. I love how the author explores the ideas and topics in the book through personal experiences. The manner in which it is portrayed makes it easy to relate to and empathize with the author’s struggles. Also, the book is fashioned in a way to not only provide knowledge but to show the result of the ideas the author acted on and how they affected him. I enjoyed a lot of things about this book. Nowadays, we take the ease of internet availability for granted, with the ever-present access to apps etc. The author describes very real problems, some that could have gone very wrong, all while trying to reach his destination and struggling with language and local transport.

I definitely recommend this book for other readers to discover Oliver Dowson’s brilliant storytelling and ingenuity in circumstances where I would have rolled into a ball and panicked! ( )

There's No Business Like International Business: Business Travel – But Not As You Know It by Oliver Dowson is a business travel story that explores two specific trips the author took in 2004 and 2006. The two journeys detailed throughout the book are examined not only day by day but also have the added element of being taken before the modern smartphone, adding a level of adventure to them. Dowson jumps into this story with energy, passion, and excitement that make this book as a whole incredibly engaging. He talks about the mistakes he made along the way, the scrumptious food he ate, and the connections he made. Dowson shows why he enjoys business trips and why he thinks they are a valuable part of international business. I found this book to be a really fun read. ( )

Experience. Food. New People. A lot of travel and business.

These are the things that come to my mind while summing up this book. This book has a lot to offer about travel, business and exploration wise. The author has shared the two trips that he had in the years 2004 and 2006.

The book is divided into two parts accordingly. The first part is about the 2004 trip for a two-week business journey through South America, from Brazil to Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Chile, and Argentina. The second part is about the 2006 trip for a far Eastern Business Odyssey, a three-week trip from China to Seoul, South Korea and Japan. He tells about his missteps, the delicious cuisine he ate, and the friendships he made along the way.

The narration of the story is good. The language used is pleasant. The writing style is engrossing. I found myself to be completely engrossed while reading. ( )

I was loaned a copy of There’s No Business Like International Business by my brother. He loved it and so did I. What can i say, it was a collection of delightfully humorous tales of work, travel, and living your best life. There’s a lot more to it than the slightly dry title.

Looking at life, situations and people from a different perspective, and accepting that life’s challenges can really enhance your life in so many different ways, and this book is about just that. It is a wonderfully well-written and completely entertaining read that had me digitally flipping pages with anticipation at what was going to come next. A definite 5 stars from me.

Well done and thank you Dowson. ( )