Comments on: Interview: Chuck Thompson On Travel Writing’s Dirty Secrets

By: Justin

Justin — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 02:12:08 +0000

Great post! I really liked Confessions of a Travel Writer as it showed the behind the scenes stuff on why most things are published…to sell stuff!

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By: Kango Suz

Kango Suz — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 05:18:32 +0000

thanks Tim for the interesting interview and your great comments. As a newbie to the travel writing field, it’s always interesting to hear what others say, especially veterans.

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By: Tim Patterson

Tim Patterson — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 00:35:37 +0000

John, your comment made me chuckle. Thanks for that. Enjoy the book.

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By: John M. Edwards

John M. Edwards — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 23:27:33 +0000

I haven’t read Chuck Thompson’s “sensationalist” book yet, nor do I want to. I’m kind of tired of behind-the-scenes tirades by witty and laconic insiders trying to sell books by trashing their own industry. But then again, I take that back. That is exactly what I like. My bookshelf is full of smutty bestsellers, real pageturners. I automatically assume that “the confessions of a rogue travel writer” would be at least as entertaining as, say, Anthony Bourdain’s bestselling (and amusing) copout Kitchen Confidential, wherein he let’s the cat out of the bag that most restaurant specials are a ruse to get rid of expiring leftovers, and that sometimes (rarely, I hope) new inebriated brides are bagged by daredevil waiters out in the trattoria courtyard. As a travel writer myself I take the entire genre of travel writing seriously. I was never a big fan of the glossies (I prefer university literary journals), but Thompson mentions the right ones which slipped out of the plastic envelope of trite formulaic fluff: Escape, for example. But I still prefer “literary” stories, along the lines of those published in Jason Wilson’s old magazine Grand Tour, resurrecting an essayistic style more reminiscent of Peter Fleming or Evelyn Waugh, rather than Dave Barry or Soupy Sales. But when there is a buzz, it’s hard not to join in on the fun. I’ll order my copy from Amazon.com tomorrow.

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By: Ekaterina Petrovna

Ekaterina Petrovna — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 20:34:29 +0000

Following some discussions on this site in the past week, I came with an article on writing, advertisement and vodka (a hint to Daniel)…so if you want to check what real pure vodka is, visit http://robbiewilliamsandme.blogspot.com (disclaimer: the singer has nothing to do with the product)…

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By: jenn

jenn — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 13:13:59 +0000

I love this interview. Luckily I am currently in the States and can get my hands on Chuck’s book. The vaudeville of the travel writing business is hilarious. My vote is for print as well. And the soul! Viva!

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By: pete

pete — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 12:43:34 +0000

From a 12-year expat:

I read Thompson’s book in Bali and it made me laugh out loud. But those who aren’t well travelled may have a tougher time connecting with it, I imagine.

Thanks for telling it like it is Chuck and I hope young aspiring writers read it quickly!

Pete

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By: Ekaterina Petrovna

Ekaterina Petrovna — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 19:36:12 +0000

Personally I preceived this interview and discussion as going much further than just travel writing. Good quality writing is difficult to find not only in the travel industry but in many other domains as well, and especially on the net. How many blogs and sites process nasty rumours, and badly written one might add, just to attract readers and thus, revenues? And writers, just to survive, sell their ‘writer’s integrity’ by accepting to write sometimes total bullshit.
I think that the discussion goes deeper: about writer’s integrity and the soul.

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By: Tim Patterson

Tim Patterson — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 18:02:13 +0000

Yo! Read the discussion about Chuck’s book that’s going down over at World Hum in response to Rolf’s harsh review.

There’s an especially sarcastic and dismissive review by Jason Wilson, none other than the Editor of the excellent Best American Travel Writing series.

Jason says Chuck’s book is totally unoriginal. I think that’s unfair. Here’s my full response:

…….

Just read through all the comments – and man – what a tremendous and important discussion.

It seems like half the people I look to as role models in the travel writing world are chiming in. Jason WilsonÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s comment, in particular, was devastating.

I look forward to reading all of ChuckÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s book. There are no copies in Patagonia yet. Reading excerpts and interviews though, it seems that Chuck is making an important point without much subtlety.

Look, we know travel writing.

We know it inside and out, and we already know its dirty secrets. Of course Jason Wilson and Rolf Potts are going to say that Chuck doesnÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t writeanything original – Jason and Rolf think about travel writing all the time, and so does everyone who reads this far down on the comment list.

We are not ChuckÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s audience! Most people, most Americans, donÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t think about travel writing at all, and when they do, they are drawn to a pretty picture, and they think Pico Iyer is a cute Japanese pop idol.

If ChuckÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s book can wake three people up to the fact that good travel writing is not in mainstream magazines, well, then he will have done all of us an important service.

And I think itÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s important to remember that.

….

Join the discussion here:

http://www.worldhum.com/books/item/the_trouble_with_smile_when_youre_lying_20080102/

And then come back to BNT

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By: Tim Patterson

Tim Patterson — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 15:06:43 +0000

Well-thought out and articulate comment, Eva, thanks for posting.

The ads in those high-brow magazines you mention never fail to perplex me. I remember reading an absolutely wonderful, devastating report on the Alberta tar sands in the New Yorker by Elizabeth Kolbert – it basically laid out our choice – quit our dependence on fossil fuels, or destroy ourselves and create hell on earth.

The ads bracketing the piece were for luxury SUVs.

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