By the Seat of My Pants

Reviewed by Antonio Sanchez

Don George, in his new anthology “By the seat of my pants”, put together a wide variety of writing from travelers caught in awkward and often undesirable moments. The collection boasts some of the big name writers in travel writing today, even some present and former Bootsnall Members contributed. Sometimes funny or corny and more often than not wild, the narrators leave the reader struck by the absolute lunacy of some travelers and the situations in which they find themselves.

Two criticisms spring to the fore.

First, it is an anthology, and not all the stories captivate the reader. Some drone and others are ordinary. Some try and do not succeed in conveying in print that particular situation which was so funny, odd, or amazing when it happened. These are truly you-had-to-be-there moments, the gesticulations and wild intonations from a story teller fail to be captured in mere words.

Second, why not more? A paltry 29 stories barely whets the appetite. Perhaps the Don George could only find 29 publishable stories, or perhaps the Lonely Planet siphoned off other worthy pieces to some other writing project. Maybe LP could only afford 29 authors. Regardless of the reason, a thirsty public demands more.

Brickbats aside, it is a quick read. Many of the book’s stories delight the reader. The book’s most important contribution is bringing to its audience real experience regarding the unforeseen tribulations of travel. Everyone knows flexibility trumps rigidity, and ambassadors of good will should maintain senses of humor despite the worst of circumstances. However, many new travelers or even non-travelers cannot fathom what can happen. The potpourri of misadventures collected here, whether well written or not, provides excellent insight into what most travelers will face. Experienced and not-so-experienced travelers ought to pay special attention to both how the narrators stuck themselves into their predicaments, as well as their prescience (and sometimes lack thereof) in weathering the moment.

By the Seat of My Pants edited by Don George