4 out of 4 stars
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Travel along with John Sollo as he takes us to whole new worlds from the 1980s to the early 2000s in his nonfiction, Crossing the Date Line: Adventures of a Traveling Geologist. John is sometimes joined by his adventurous wife, Samantha, and other times traveling alone, often without knowing a word of the native language. He takes readers into the dense, danger-filled jungles of Venezuela and Indonesia to the dry lands of Algeria. John recounts tales of less-than-perfect living situations, stomaching native foods, facing giant pythons and grizzly bears, and even hunting for hidden treasure: American supermarket foods. The readers are provided with a brief history of every region that John has traveled to in order to provide a bit of background for readers. He also shares updates on the changing politics of the regions and about the projects he was working on, whether they went on to completion or fell through due to money, environment or other reasons.
This isn’t one of those beautiful self-discovery novels often seen in a travel section. This novel is full of harsh reality. John shares stories of underdeveloped countries and the folks living in poverty. He is able to get a good look at what life is really like in these areas. He experienced deaths of native workers, he watched as women were little more than beasts of burden while the men sat in the shade, he has even had to combat malaria! It’s a nitty-gritty novel, but to anyone who experiences wanderlust, it is beautiful at the same time. John shares that many of these people, who have next to nothing, are able to enjoy life in a way that, perhaps, Americans and our consumeristic ideals will never know.
Because much of this novel was before I was born, I was a bit lost on many of his references. I could still enjoy the author’s sense of humor, though. I am grateful that John included so much history in every place he visited. This really connects the readers to the story. I became very involved with his projects, and I was glad that he provided updates. It was also interesting to learn about a political structure in an area that I know to be different presently. Many times, John was in the midst of these political upheavals. He also included many photographs of people he worked with, so readers can easily put a face to the name. I almost wish he included a few more!
I love the John and Sam's sense of adventure and their commitment to one another. My favorite chapters were his travels to Alaska as well as when he brought his wife Sam along. She sounds like an amazing soul. What I enjoyed even more, was the author’s witty, almost wry, humor. I often smiled at his use of unique comparisons and similes. He stayed true to this writing form throughout the novel. Being a geologist, he held a unique perspective on his surroundings, wherever he traveled. The author also doesn’t bog you down with technical terms about his work. He does an ample job describing the work, then moves on to keep readers interested.
I give this novel 4 out of 4 stars. I loved the author's brand of humor. As a reader, it was truly amazing going from American consumerism and experiencing many impoverished nations via the author’s eyes. Some stories were heartbreaking; others were exciting and most were truly awe-inspiring. I noticed one error, but it doesn’t detract from the reading at all. I recommend reading this book to anyone who loves to travel, even if it's just from your living room.
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Crossing The Date Line
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