On April 20th, a collection of writing by (and inspired by) Anthony Bourdain will be available from your bookstore of choice. World Travel: An Irreverent Guide was written by Bourdain and his longtime assistant and collaborator Laurie Woolever; also in the mix are guest contributors like Steve Albini and Bourdain’s brother Chris. And some of the contents sound decidedly intriguing, particularly an Albini-penned Chicago restaurant guide.
Bourdain’s travels were well-documented in his writing, as were his impressions of the places he visited. His famous quote on Cambodia and Henry Kissinger is perhaps the best-known example of this. But do Bourdain’s travels suggest that there’s an overarching philosophy there as well?
In a new article at The Washington Post, Natalie B. Compton argues convincingly that World Travel has a lot to offer those considering some post-pandemic world travel. According to Compton’s article, Woolever also offers some useful insight into how Bourdain worked and traveled. “Bourdain would wax poetic on a destination’s cuisine and bar culture and unconventional points of interest,” Compton writes, “but Woolever explained that he also read about a place’s history and literature before a visit so he could put things into context.”
For many of his readers and viewers, Bourdain demonstrated an empathic, conscientious way of seeing the world. This new book may well give readers a sense of how to apply that to their own lives.
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