The Art of Travel is basically the original backpacker’s book, maybe even the reason this project ever existed. New stories and places spark new ideas, simple as that.
I still haven’t found the perfect words to describe certain emotions, maybe because I’m afraid of saying more than what’s already written on the book’s dust jacket. So, let’s switch gears for a moment before I let the book jacket do its thing. Don’t worry, I won’t make a habit of this.
I stumbled upon this book at a time when traveling was starting to lose its magic. I had that false sense of expertise, like a new driver who hits 100 km/h for the first time and suddenly thinks he’s a Formula 1 pro. I figured past experiences were enough to make me a seasoned traveler, and just like that, trips started feeling more stressful than exciting.
It took me a while to realize what was off. The first trips were so much more fun, but I was too busy micromanaging logistics, safety, time, costs, all that “practical” stuff, to see what was right in front of me. I had lost sight of what makes traveling special, the people, the cultures, the landscapes, the unexpected moments.
Before I crashed completely, I found Alain de Botton’s The Art of Travel, lying next to me on the grass at UFSC, the university I never got into but still ended up living next to, more on that later. Like most self-help books, it didn’t exactly tell me anything new, but it reminded me of things I had forgotten. And sometimes, that’s exactly what we need.
(Quick aside, back when I was applying to universities, those grassy areas at UFSC were my main motivation for getting in. Spoiler alert, I didn’t. But hey, I still get to enjoy the lawns, just on a slightly delayed student timeline.)
At times, the book gets lost in its own philosophical rabbit holes, but for the most part, it nails the Livro de Mochila ethos. It helped me understand why my trips weren’t hitting the same anymore and taught me to pay more attention to the little joys along the way.
“People rarely notice details. De Botton laments the blindness and rush of modern tourists, especially those bragging about covering all of Europe in a week by train. No amount of moving from place to place at 100 km/h will make us stronger, happier or wiser.”
The Art of Travel, Alain de Botton
So, if you do find yourself lost on a trip, don’t panic. Some of the best travel moments come from getting lost.
I could go on, but I don’t want to keep you from planning your next vacation. I’ll let the book jacket take it from here:
Book Jacket Blurb: Few things are as thrilling as the idea of traveling somewhere far away, to a place with a better climate, more interesting customs and scenery that fuels the imagination. So why do we often feel underwhelmed when we actually get there?
In The Art of Travel, Alain de Botton, author of The Consolations of Philosophy, takes us on a journey through the highs and lows of traveling. From airports and exotic rugs to the rush of vacations and the existential crisis that comes with mini-bars, this humorous, insightful book explores the hidden motivations, expectations and disappointments of seeing the world.
To guide us through this, De Botton brings in great thinkers and artists who were inspired by travel in all its forms, Flaubert, Edward Hopper, Baudelaire, Wordsworth, Van Gogh, Ruskin. They’re all here, ready to share their thoughts.
Forget those travel guides that just tell you what to do. The Art of Travel is more interested in the why, why we crave new places, why we’re often disappointed and how we can actually enjoy the ride.
“The joy we get from travel might have less to do with the destination itself and more with the mindset we bring. Openness could be considered its key ingredient. We approach new places with humility…”
The Art of Travel, Alain de Botton
Traveling with a Book in Your Backpack
De Botton would love to tag along with you and The Art of Travel:
- On a window seat, staring out as the plane glides toward the unknown.
- In a dimly lit hostel room, trying not to wake your bunkmates.
- Under a tree on a lazy Sunday morning, flipping through pages on the UFSC lawn.
Wherever you take it, one thing is guaranteed, you’ll come back with a heavier suitcase.
Originally published on my old blog, Livro de Mochila (Backpack Book), a project that blended literature and travel, sometimes just traveling in our dreams.
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