Travel Book Reviews | Self-Publishing Review

Review: Belonging to the World by Barry Hoffner

An emotional adventure that transcends borders and the boundaries of devotion, Belonging to the World: A Journey from Grief to Connection in Every Country on Earth by Barry Hoffner details the author’s epic journeys through love, loss, and healing.

In 2017, Hoffner’s life was upended when his wife Jackie died suddenly while travelling in Africa, leaving him heartbroken and drifting in the face of unimaginable loss. Beginning with the fateful trip that led to her death and the subsequent months of traumatic fallout, this memoir shifts back to the past, laying out the decades of chance decisions and international leaps […]

Review: USA: Where Dogs Have More Rights Than You Do by Robert Okine

With a playful philosophy and unabashed reporting on the state of the union, USA: Where Dogs Have More Rights Than You Do by Robert Okine is an observant romp through America, with amusing evidence provided through the lives and luxuries of man’s best friend.

An alphabetical journey like no other, this whimsical travelogue takes readers from the glorified sled dogs of Alaska and the penthouse pups of New York City to dog-friendly real estate in Delaware and two-stepping hounds from Tennessee. With a keen eye for easily overlooked facets of the country, Okine gives an entertaining and frequently tongue-in-cheek overview […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2025-08-13T11:49:58+02:00July 14th, 2025|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Pets Book Reviews, Travel Book Reviews|

Tokyo Tempos by Michael Pronko

An outpouring of well-penned admiration for the enigmatic architecture, music, philosophy, and denizens of Japan’s capital, Tokyo Tempos by Michael Pronko is an artful love letter to an inimitable city. His obvious reverence for Japan is clear, and he writes with a blend of humility and pride that only comes from deeply loving your chosen home.

Largely composed of articles and essays the author published while working as a writer and teacher in Tokyo, this collection of vignettes and brief stories is driven by the author’s perpetual curiosity and hunger for new experiences. Pronko, an American who has lived in […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2024-12-02T14:32:37+02:00December 2nd, 2024|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Travel Book Reviews|

Review: South Korea: The Price of Efficiency and Success by Dr. John Gonzalez and Young Lee

Uncovering the complex truths behind one nation’s remarkable transformation, South Korea: The Price of Efficiency and Success by Dr. John Gonzalez and Young Lee is a probing and edifying read.

A nuanced dissection of Korean culture and the factors influencing its renaissance as an economic leader on the world stage, this engaging portrait of a complex nation will appeal to a wide audience – travelers, business professionals, economists, and history buffs alike. Backed by research studies and citations from reputable sources of print and digital media, the majority of the text focuses on contemporary developments and conflicts, with some historical […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2024-06-03T14:49:04+02:00May 6th, 2024|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Business Book Reviews, Travel Book Reviews|

Review: The Buddha and the Bee by Cory Mortensen

Inviting readers on a wild ride from Minnesota to California, The Buddha and the Bee: Biking through America’s Forgotten Roadways on an Accidental Journey of Discovery by Cory Mortensen is an atypical adventure for wanderers and workplace dreamers alike. Part road guide and part diary, biking lovers can follow the well-laid route on these pages, learn to sidestep critical unpleasant lessons, and gain the confidence to take their own big swings of adventure without fear.

Pedaling through the Great Plains, the Rocky Mountains, the unforgiving Southwest desert, and the Sierra Nevadas, this is far from a casual trek, particularly given […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2024-03-19T14:27:08+02:00March 18th, 2024|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Memoir Book Reviews, Sports Book Reviews, Travel Book Reviews|

Review: Sojourner to Stoner by Gordon Schwerzmann

Sojourner to Stoner: The Journal by Gordon Schwerzmann is the second exhilarating installment of the author’s travel adventures, a mix between a memoir, guidebook, and travelogue. This memorable piece of non-fiction feels like a visit to a far-off place, as the best travel memoirs do, full of enchanting and exotic anecdotes, and people who seem like fictional characters.

After Soldier to Sojourner, this book recalls the second phase of Gordon Schwerzmann’s longstanding relationship with traveling the world. Journeying through Southeast Asia in the ’70s, the author breaks down his journeys in snappy episodes, while also allowing himself to linger […]

Marina Dora Martino2023-04-07T11:28:15+02:00March 17th, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Memoir Book Reviews, Travel Book Reviews|

Review: Soldier to Sojourner by Gordon Schwerzmann

Soldier to Sojourner: The Journal – Traveling on the 1970s Asian Hippie Trails is a compelling personal and historical travelogue of Gordon Schwerzmann’s time in the military and as a tourist in Asia.

Beginning with his stint as an Army officer in Korea in 1970 and continuing through civilian trips to Japan, Nationalist China, Hong Kong, Macau, the Philippines, and Burma, the book is a wild and varied trip through exotic locales. Schwerzmann, a photojournalist and travel writer, documents his experiences through detailed descriptions, historical discourse and extrapolated musings, recollections of people he met, and a wide range of photographs […]

SPR2023-03-20T16:58:22+02:00November 22nd, 2022|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Memoir Book Reviews, Travel Book Reviews|

Review: Suspected Hippie in Transit by Martin Frumkin

Detailing two months-long journeys across the Middle East and Asia, Suspected Hippie in Transit: Sex, Drugs, Rock ‘n’ Roll and the Search for Higher Consciousness on the International Trail, 1971-1977 (Vol 1) by Martin Frumkin is an eye-opening wander through exotic ideas, people, and experiences in beautiful corners of the world.

Beginning in India and moving west through Nepal and northern Afghanistan, some of the most riveting scenes (and images) come from Frumkin’s time in Kabul, Kandahar, and Herat, though these sections are rather brief, in comparison to his second journey, which began in 1975. In that more extended part […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2022-10-03T12:42:10+02:00September 14th, 2022|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Memoir Book Reviews, Travel Book Reviews|