An experienced traveler and the author of five books, including How Proust Can Change Your Life, De Botton here offers nine essays concerning the art of travel Divided into five sections "Departure,qабыъь" "Motives," "Landscape," "Art," and "Return" the essays start with one of the author's travel experiences, meander through artists or writers related to it, and then intertwine the two De Botton's style is very thoughtful and авреуdense; he considers events of the moment and relates them to his internal dialog, showing how experiences from the past affect the present In "On Curiosity," for example, which describes a weekend in Madrid, De Botton compares his reliance on a very detailed guidebook to the numerous systematic measurements Alexander von Humboldt made during his 1799 travels in South America De Botton compares Humboldt's insatiable desire for detail with his own ennui and wish that he wereавцяы home There are also details about a fight over dessert, the van Gogh trail in Provence, and Wordsworth's vision of nature Although well written and interesting, this volume will have limited popular appeal Recommended for larger public libraries .