- Paperback: 421 pages
- Publisher: Ballantine Books Inc.; 1st Ballantine Books Ed edition (Mar 1997)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 034540551X
- ISBN-13: 978-0345405517
- Product Dimensions: 20.6 x 13.7 x 2.8 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
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Amazon Bestsellers Rank:
190,086 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #36 in Books > Religion & Spirituality > Other Religions > Oriental Churches
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More About the Author
Product Description
Product Description
By the time that travel writer Jeff Greenwald hit his late thirties, he had covered more ground than Magellan, Marco Polo, and Columbus combined. But he also came to a sobering conclusion: airplanes had reduced his exotic explorations to a series of long commutes. So he set out to rediscover the mass, the gravity, and the size of the world. His mission: to circle the earth without leaving its surface.
What followed was a remarkable odyssey, as Greenwald scaled an active volcano in Guatemala, rode a rat-infested ferry across the Persian Gulf, dropped by Paul Bowles's flat unannounced, saved a baby snow leopard in Tibet, and spent his fortieth birthday marooned in the Sahara. And no matter where he found himself, he sent reports of his exploits from his ever-faithful laptop to the screens of thousands of eager Internet readers. A pilgrimage both hilarious and harrowing, insightful and wise, The Size of the World takes you on an adventure you will never forget.
What followed was a remarkable odyssey, as Greenwald scaled an active volcano in Guatemala, rode a rat-infested ferry across the Persian Gulf, dropped by Paul Bowles's flat unannounced, saved a baby snow leopard in Tibet, and spent his fortieth birthday marooned in the Sahara. And no matter where he found himself, he sent reports of his exploits from his ever-faithful laptop to the screens of thousands of eager Internet readers. A pilgrimage both hilarious and harrowing, insightful and wise, The Size of the World takes you on an adventure you will never forget.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
As Greenwald reminds us in "The Size of The World": The purpose of travel is to eventually return to the place that you started at, and see it through fresh eyes. With this goal in mind the author sets out on an epic circumnavigation of the world via land travel only. This he accomplishes depite often having to take the long way round. His experiences, as with any travel book of this nature, make for escapist and highly enjoyable reading. I frequently found myself wondering if I could cope with some of the situations he's presented with throughout his adventure. And a world tour, however you accomplish it, is always going to be a serious adventure. The book begins with the lengthy preparations for his journey, which include finding a suitable travelling companion, in the end someone so self consumed with finding her self that I was eventually glad the author continued the journey alone. The book becomes somewhat focused on the author's experiences, past and present, in Nepal, a region that Greenwald, and his travelling companion, are strongly drawn to. I felt that other equally challenging regions of the world were too briefly dealt with or ignored entirely. But then there is only so much that you can relay in a single book. All in all however an excellently crafted travelogue. Try Tim Cahill for stories of adventure travel in equally remote areas coupled with a good dose of humour.
Format:Paperback
After Reading Jeff Greenwald's The Size Of the World I was exhausted! I felt as if I had personally travelled with him to all of the exciting places he had ventured to...his honesty of what it is really like as a foreign traveler was very refreshing. Too many writers try to mystify a place, when in actuality it is often a hard road to travel in foreign territory. Jeff Greenwald tells it like it really is, without destroying the unique beauty of a place or its people. This book made me laugh so hard, made me cry, and made me a little homesick -For anyone who has been attacked by the travel-bug, or anyone seriously considering doing any extensive travel overseas, or anyone wanting to try traveling "off the beaten path"...this is it! Throw away your Lonely Planet Guide and take jeff along with you!- this is the book to cure your itch! A definite keeper!
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
13 reviews
15 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Thoroughly Enjoyable
29 Jun 1999
Format:Paperback
I think it's interesting that the reviews of Size of the World presented here are either 5 stars or 2 stars, indicating that people respond very strongly to this book, in either a very positive or negative way. Personally, I loved it. It was great taking a journey with a travel writer who seemed so much more like a real person than the usual omniscient guides in more traditional books. Jeff Greenwald the author has flaws, true, but don't we all. He's not presenting himself to be an all-knowing master guide to the Universe. He acknowledges the discomfort and loneliness as well as the joy and wonder of his travel experiences and communicates them without that holier-than-thou attitude so many travel writers seem to wallow in.
As a result, I think people who respond to real, sincere, honest writing will love this book. If you're looking for someone cool and hip that will help make you feel cool and hip, go read someone else.
I think this book has probably touched many lives in a deep and spirtual way. It's also hilariously funny and as I stated in my one line review, thoroughly entertaining. Please don't let some of the negative reviews expressed here prevent you from checking this book out.
Patty S.
10 of 12 people found the following review helpful
A great travelogue!
9 Nov 1999
Format:Paperback
This is perhaps one of the best travelogues ever written. Contrary to previous reviews, Mr. Greenwald's grasp of Buddhism is quite solid, not resembling a "flirtation" whatsoever. As a fellow buddhist and world traveler myself, I found his trip hilarious and awe inspiring. Travelogues too often times fail in their attempts at being effective personal essays, but Mr. Greenwald hits the nail squarely on the head with this one (as he does with most of his books). Read this and buy his other works too. You won't be disappointed.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
A Humorous Voyage Beyond Self-Importance
17 July 2000
Format:Paperback
He sets himself up for a karmic tumble and of course his fall from grace is hysterical. Fortunately there wasn't far to fall so he survives with some great stories to tell. I enjoyed this book so much I gave it to my husband and kids (of the adult variety)in turn. For a month, it seemed someone was always erupting in laughter somewhere in our house. Unlike Paul Theroux (whom I enjoy in spite of his crankiness), Jeff Greenwald's most humorous revelations are usually at his own expense. As generally happens, travel highlights the contrast between the romance of the idea with the reality of the voyage and visa versa. This isn't a trip I'd take myself, but I'm very glad Mr. Greenwald did!
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