Let me define my idea of a really good book.

In order for a book to be considered “really good,” I must be so into reading it that I completely forget about all the work I should be doing instead of reading. While reading Getting Lost: Mishaps of an Accidental Nomad, I sort of forgot to get out of bed until 11:30 in the morning. Unfortunately for me this was a Monday.

Getting Lost: Mishaps of an Accidental Nomad is an honest, forthright account of the author’s many travel adventures, from childhood to present day. It’s easy to read, flows well, and the author did a marvelous job of leaving mundane details out of it. Every chapter tells a complete story of one of Dave’s real life journeys and leaves you feeling like you went along for the ride. From age 8 to adulthood, you become part of this world traveler’s apprehension as he throws himself into (or his parents throw him into) unfamiliar territory time and time again. His bravery is to be commended.  Best of all, Dave unfolds his adventures using a subtle, witty sense of humor. The optimal way to describe it is to say he makes light of otherwise sticky situations in a way that will make you chuckle out loud, and at the same time, you as a reader, will never be offended.

What makes this book really unique is that there are some small drawings with handwritten sidebar notes, much like a real travel journal might be. Dave starts his book by taking you to England, where at age 8, he lived for a year with his family and was faced with wearing tights for the school play. Other highlights include: 1) an incredible exchange program experience he had in Norway, where he had his first experience consuming alcoholic beverages with other high school students; 2) meeting some strange characters in Iceland; and 3) an experience eating at a salad bar in Turkey that would change his life – not in a good way. And there are many others.

Dave wants you to know that “When you travel, things go wrong.” And no one knows that better than he. (At this point I am wondering how many frequent flyer miles he has accumulated.)

If you should ever meet up with this world traveler on one of your overseas flights, rest assured – you will not likely see him enjoying a plate of salmon pasta. Hint: read the last chapter of Getting Lost: Mishaps of an Accidental Nomad.

Dave Fox is an award-winning humor and travel writer, and public speaker. He spends several months in Europe each year as a tour guide for Rick Steves’ Europe Through the Back Door. A former news anchor for Wisconsin Public Radio, he has written for a variety of newspapers, magazines, and book publishers. He won the Erma Bombeck Writers’ Workshop Book Proposal Contest in 2004, sponsored by the University of Dayton, Ohio. When he is not traveling, Dave teaches classes to those who want to learn more about journal writing. Dave also wrote Globetrotting: How to Write Extraordinary Travel Journeys (and Still Have Time to Enjoy Yourself) as well as the Fox that Quacked: Essays from Planet Earth.

Stay Tuned Tomorrow for Part 1 our Fascinating Interview with Dave.

Click here to learn more about Dave and his books

and to order a copy of Getting Lost today!

Like this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!