EMBRACING BEWILDERMENT

A globe-trotting memoirist recounts his exploits in Europe and Asia in this travelogue.

“I always liked the perspective of the world upon landing,” Mortensen reflects in the book’s opening lines, noting that, from the vantage of a plane 30,000 feet in the air, “the world is cut up in large, segmented swaths.” It’s the descent and landing that expose the “hidden mechanics” of a new setting as city blocks, moving cars, and houses come into view. An entrepreneur who sold his business and shed his possessions, the author has spent the past decade traveling by plane, train, boat, and bicycle across the world to foster connections with local communities. Picking up where his last two bestselling travelogues—The Buddha and the Bee (2020) and Unlost (2021)—left off in the “forgotten roadways” of North and South America, this book continues Mortensen’s adventures to nearly 20 countries in Europe and East Asia. He takes readers from Iceland’s Driftwood Bay and Prague’s Vltava River to the temples of Angkor Wat, Cambodia, and the bustling cityscape of Hong Kong. Part travelogue, part commentary on human history, society, and culture, the book pays particular attention not only to each region’s geography, but also to its people. The appendix material features an essay on “How To Become an Entrepreneur Without Wanting To Become an Entrepreneur” that includes the author’s personal success story. The memoir also touches on the class dynamics inside German train cars, Iceland’s newfound emphasis on tourism, and humanity’s age-old fascination with dragons. Written in an engaging (and occasionally literary) prose style full of evocative imagery, the book effectively captures the landscapes and people of the nations surveyed while avoiding problematic exoticization. The accessible text is accompanied by an ample array of full-color photographs and maps. While familiarity with Mortensen’s previous books is not necessarily required, references to them abound throughout this volume, which may leave new readers lost regarding the full backstory and nuanced motivations behind the author’s escapades.

A well-written, absorbing journey through Europe and East Asia.