[.ca] Rite of Passage: Tales of Backpacking 'Round Europe (ISBN 1740595939)

Teenage Angst On Tour:
I had such high hopes for this book after reading the other reviews, but it turned out to be little more than a tribute to teen angst abroad. One might expect this of teenagers but not travel writers, even the second-rate variety. Rite of Passage presents a series of backpacking vignettes told by a number of different authors, in a variety of styles and settings. The problem is, with a few exceptions, the stories are all the same: a covert hookup in a hostel, consumption of an unusual animal by-product, a mugging that common sense could have avoided, or a "love" that was just never meant to be. I really hope there's more to Europe than that! Rite of Passage made me want to cancel my trip.

wondeful:
This soulful book is the best I have read in a long time(and I read a lot). Some of these stories really blew me away. Buy it , read it and don't look back!

cheaper than airfare!:
I spent some time studying in Germany during my high school years, and falling in love with Europe got me to cough up the money to go back their on my own. Freely running around in a foreign country is so enchanting that it was difficult to come home, and I think the book's ability to capture these little moments of travel bliss are what makes it so wonderful. It's more than just "teen angst abroad," as one reviewer described it. The essays aren't all written by kids, but also by Lonely Planet's professional travelers, and reducing the culture and experience to "teen angst" would be like summarizing the Bible on a post-it note.

Great!:
The stories in Rite of Passage are full of passion, hunger, and searching, and that which is found is not always what is sought - it's not a book about finding the best spots to hang out, but instead discovering interesting places in the human experience. Packaged as a travel book, Rite of Passage is really a collection of literary pieces. Ms. Johnson has an eye for tales with both heart and wit. This book is for people who are truly alive, not some old betty wanting to prolong a Disney moment. Nor is it for the emotionally constipated, as evinced by one other reviewer. Rite of Passage is the best book to come out this year! Anyone who gives it less than five stars is just not used to backpacking.

Great Read for the Wanderlust:
This is a great book for the young traveller. After returning from a trip to Europe I found myself wanting to relive the experiences. Unfortunately North American culture just isn't the same. This book brought it all back. I would also recommend this book to the wannabe backpacker. It offers excellent tips on security and social / cultural situations.