Let me start by saying this book is like a Swiss Army knife for travel writing—packed with tools, but you’ll need to figure out which ones work for you. As someone who’s dabbled in travel blogging, I appreciated the breadth of topics covered, from journaling basics to pitching stories (though the latter feels nostalgic in today’s digital age).

The Good: The anthology-style approach is gold. Instead of one voice preaching ‘rules,’ you get interviews and samples from diverse writers. A piece on Greece’s ghosts had me itching to book a flight—proof that inspiration trumps instruction. The ‘good vs bad writing’ comparisons are brutally helpful (RIP my first draft).

The Quirks: Yes, the sidebar design is straight out of 2005—grey-on-grey text that’ll have you squinting like you’re deciphering a treasure map. And while Don George’s ego peeks through with his own writing samples, the curated classics in Part III almost redeem it.

Reality Check: The magazine pitch templates are charmingly obsolete (fax numbers, anyone?). But core advice like ‘show don’t tell’ remains timeless—I used it to revamp a Bali hostel review, turning ‘nice beach’ into ‘salt-crusted hammocks swaying over turquoise shallows.’

Final Verdict: Buy it used for $5, skip the eye-straining sidebars, and treat it like a writer’s buffet—load up on storytelling spices but leave the outdated tech tips behind. Just don’t expect SEO hacks or Substack strategies; this is old-school craftsmanship with occasional gems.