This one does not make a good audiobook due to it being part narrative but mostly literal travel guide. If you’re a huge fan of Anthony Bourdain, you can safely skip this one, as you’ve probably heard everything in it already.

MAYBE IT WAS THE AUDIOBOOK, MAYBE BECAUSE IT WAS WRITTEN AFTER TONY DIED, MAYBE THE UNNECESSARY AIRPORT AND TRAIN INFO THAT MADE THIS UNNECESSARILY LONG, BUT THIS WAS NOT MY JAM. (Sorry for all caps but I’m not retyping this

This was my June #nonfictionbookparty read- theme was travel. So many countries/cities highlighted. I enjoyed Anthony Bourdain’s story telling related to history of the place he was traveling to/in and the personal connections. I’m not a “foodie” so I found myself less interested in reading about where and what to eat. He seems like a very eccentric human being. Intrigued to learn more about him.

I was hoping for more of Bourdain’s take on life, travel, food, etc. but this is purely a travel guide - think Bourdain quotes taken from his various shows and recommendations for airports, transportation, hotels, restaurants, and some places to see. You’d probably do best to just rewatch episodes for a more in-depth travel guide.

This book has a permanent place on my coffee table. I knew going in what this book would be. It marries Tony's vast experiences with information on how to make it your own. I pick it up when I need to kill a few minutes, when I need to indulge my wanderlust, when I want to share in my love of culture and travel and when I need to connect back to him.

Please don't discredit this book because it's not Medium Raw or Kitchen Confidential or even Parts Unknown or No Reservations. He left this manuscript for us to go out into the world and make it ours. Take his experience and go live your own.

I love Anthony Bourdain, but this was ... kind of dull and predictable. His picks weren't surprising and many weren't very interesting. It felt like the words were mostly there to take up space. But, Anthony Bourdain at his dullest is still "ok."

I hate to say this but I really think this book should not have happened. Given the lack of time with Tony the book was surface level and leaned on airport arrivals and hotel recs which won’t stand the test of time and aren’t useful in such a broad guide like this. I wish it could have gotten the time and energy it deserved but it didn’t and feels like a cash grab since the front cover makes you think this book came directly from the man himself. :(

we lost a great man when we lost anthony bourdain, i know many didn’t enjoy this book since it isn’t written by him but it feels like a good love letter from people who knew him