The Global Soul: Jetlag, Shopping Malls, and the Search for Home
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THE A5 BOOK REVIEWThe Global Soul is a collection of travel writing highlighting the modern world’s attempt to deal with the clash of cultures associated with the explosion of communication from television, the Internet, and the increase of international travel. Walt Disney was right predicting that the world is truly becoming smaller after all, but Iyer’s description of the boat ride is a lot more real. Iyer takes the reader on a philosophical exploration of some of the most curious cultural melting pots, starting with LAX, the “intranational convenience zone” that hosts travelers from all over the world. He then jumps to the global marketplace of Hong Kong, and then to the diversity of Toronto. One of the best sections was “The Games”, a deeper look at Atlanta’s attempt to host the world in the 1996 Olympic Games, and the contradictions between the Olympic spirit and the quest for corporate profit. The second to last section takes place in England, touching the delicate fusion of old English traditions and the effects of the empire. He ends in Japan, where he now lives. The book is rather academic but interesting, and a good thought-provoking read.
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OTHER A5 RECOMMENDED TRAVEL BOOKS - PICO IYER
Pico Iyer is a prominent travel writer, best known for his books on crossing cultures and trips to some of the world's least explored places. He has published a number of non-fiction travel books and a couple novels, and he is a frequent contributor to Time, Harper’s, the New York Times, and many other publications. Click here to learn more about Pico Iyer and his work.
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GREAT QUOTES:
“I exult in the fact I can see everywhere with a flexible eye; the very notion of home is foreign to me, as the state of foreignness is the closest thing I know to home.”
- Pico Iyer, The Global Soul: Jetlag, Shopping Malls, and the Search for Home INTERESTING LINKS:
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