Rick Steves' Postcards from Europe: 25 Years of Travel Tales from America's Favorite Guidebook Writer

I was hoping for some new insights or unique observations but didn't find them....

Ok, so that's not the most elegant review title ever but it seemed appropriate. I am a big fan of Rick Steves' work, in particular his "back door" mentality. With his combination of practical information, charmingly dorky humor, and helpful opinions, I would argue that his guidebooks are among the best written and most helpful around. No, he does not chronicle every single city, town, and hamlet in his books like some tour books, just the places he likes and recommends ... which is actually a refreshing change given that his guidebooks read like, well, "postcards from Europe" rather than other perhaps more "popular" series that read like phone books with lots of information but little to plan an itinerary around for the first- (or even second- or third-) timer to a location.That said, I picked up this specific book because I was curious about Rick Steves himself. Like he says in this book, people have a tendency to want to like their tour guide ... and based on his writings and TV shows, I "liked" Rick Steves simply because he was the guy who wrote these great works and he "seemed like a pretty cool guy" on TV. After reading this book, and in particular reading about his passion for Europe and travel on the one hand and his conflicted emotions about Europe's transformations and his own transformation from "independent traveler" to "tour guide", I have a newfound respect for Rick Steves *the man* ... independent of his guide books.Let me stop here to say that if you don't know who Rick Steves is, or don't really care to know about him, do yourself a favor--stop reading this review, and look for another book to read. Likewise, if you're a fan of Rick looking for profound personal revelations, you might be disappointed. He didn't develop a fondness for Europe during an Indiana Jones-like shootout with bad guys while excavating Roman ruins in Sicily. No, he fell in love with Europe like most of us do--he went there when he was young and simply wanted to go back. The "secret" behind his success isn't mountains of blackmail on European royalty and prime ministers that gives him privileged access to the "back doors" of Europe. Instead, he became successful through patience and hard work. But if you're looking for a bit more in depth and complex look at Rick Steves, "travel guru", you're in the right place.What is most striking is that Steves is somewhat awkward in his celebrity ... despite his bold travels and large business he seems to be an introvert at heart--he's happiest enjoying a beautiful vista alone or with a close friend, not with flocks of admiring "Stevesians". He seems to enjoy going back over and over to the places he knows and loves rather than seeking a "new adventure" every time. He calls his first trip to Europe his best one, and you feel as much melancholy as nostalgia when he says that. You sense his anger and frustration toward the people he's made rich in Europe through his guidebook recommendations who "repay" his kindness by ripping off the travelers he entrusts to them, as well as the paradox he feels toward his transformation from backpacker to tour guide for the anti-backpacker: pampered tourists who are often too busy or too uninterested to go it alone. You feel the irony and sadness when he finds the graffiti in the Gimmelwald hostel from someone who's never even met him that says "Kill Rick Steves". You feel him age when he notes that now he is more of a "father" to the backpackers than a "friend".Despite all of this, he keeps doing it. And his guidebooks have been a boon to those of us who love to travel but appreciate an experienced and helpful recommendation or two. His tours, I imagine, are a life-changing experience for people who might otherwise never travel abroad. He's turned his hobby into his work--the envy of many, but clearly as much a curse as a blessing in his mind--through a lot of hard work and done simply because of a simple motivation to help his fellow traveler and the desire to share his passion for travel. Keep up the good work Rick, and thank you!

I have to admit my opinion of Rick Steves as a writer is tinged with envy. He turned his hobby of traveling in Europe into a successful career writing travel guides, went on to make fantastically popular travel TV shows and videos, and runs a rapidly growing tour company. Yes, he works very hard, but he also gets to spend four months doing research in Europe every year in addition to whatever vacation he takes.Rick Steves has my dream job. When I took my first trip to Europe as a teenager, I met lots of kids in youth hostels who spent half the year working long hours for low pay so they could spend the other half of the year traveling. That seemed like the perfect life to me then, but now I think Steves has done much better than that (except for the part about being away from his family for a third of every year).Naturally, I wanted to know how he did it. In Postcards From Europe, he explains. If you have read his newsletters, you've probably already read a good portion of the book since Steves recycles his writing often. If you have seen his travel shows and videos you will be familiar with quite a few of these episodes as well. But in the book, Steves has let down his guard a bit and is more opinionated, a little less bubbly. The prose is still well-carbonated, as he might put it, with lots of travel guide phrasing and over-the-top descriptions.On the other hand, there are quite a few scenes that would never make it to public TV or even into his guidebooks. Nothing scandalous, he only hints at romance on the road, all in the distant past. He tells of some of the shortcuts he took on his first few trips as a tour guide, such as not making hotel reservations and sending the group out to find rooms for the night, and on occasion, having them all camp out. He even admits a few mistakes he's made, such as putting tour groups up in substandard accommodations in order to make them appreciate being rich Americans. Of course, these were people who signed up for the cheapest tour they could find, and probably already knew that they were incredibly fortunate to be able to travel at all.Steves's transformation from a travel guide writer and lecturer whose goal was to help people travel on their own, into a tour mogul whose company takes some 3,000 people on guided tours every year (and they aren't cheap anymore), makes an interesting story. Apparently, people practically begged him to lead tours rather than go on their own. Many people simply didn't want to be bothered finding a room and dealing with transportation every day. They wanted to spend their precious time in Europe enjoying the sights and the people. Steves harbors a thinly-veiled contempt for these tourists, even as they pay him scads of money. I can't blame him for taking the money, though. If I were in his shoes, I'm sure I'd do the same. But as someone who traveled on my own or with my husband the first dozen trips, I was surprised at how nice it was to take a tour and let someone else deal with the logistics. I think Steves understands that, but still has no respect for it.For someone who has spent months out of every year traveling in Europe, Steves seems to hit the same places over and over. In Postcards From Europe, he goes on a circuit of Europe that mimics his most popular guided tour and highlights many of the same cities he emphasizes in his guidebooks and on his TV shows. Of course Paris and Venice are worth seeing over and over. But Rothenburg and Gimmelwald (a tiny town in the Swiss Alps), charming as they are, don't seem to be worth quite this much press. There must be other small and picturesque town that Steves can discover, even after all these years. What I would find really interesting is to follow Steves as he visits a town he's never been to before and see how he approaches it. His motto is that he makes the travel mistakes so we don't have to. How does a seasoned traveler make a new town one of his favorites or decide it just isn't worth his time?Postcards From Europe is a readable narrative of how one man was able to make a living doing what he loves, and is also something of an unintentional tale of how money can influence even the most idealistic and focused of people.

If you have been to Europe 5 or 6 times, feel as if you've "seen it all", and want to discover a renewed interest, by all means read this book! Rick takes us on an adventure in Europe that gave me all sorts of new ideas for my own trips. Because after all, Europe is more than just a list of sites (Eiffel Tower, Tower of London, St. Peter's, etc.) that the tourist needs to "check off". Europe is it's people...and the experiences one can have while getting to know another culture!Rick...I just gotta see the Tippelzone though....that was a new one one me!

We enjoy independent European Travel and leap across the ocean as frequently as we can. Rick's books are helpful although he is remains opinionated and upfront, we enjoy that. This book is a wandering account of his quarter century of travel to the "old country" which he continually makes fresh and alive. But, for historical information and details, we tote along a "Blue Guide."Perhaps the best service he encourages is this---travel is not just experiencing the past, but making international friends along the way

I am a big fan of Rick Steves guidebooks. I use them every time I travel around Europe. I am really happy to say that I enjoyed this book as well. It is neat hearing more information on some of the same people and places he lists in the guidebooks. Also, I really learned how Steve came to love travelling to Europe and a bit about how he started the business.He definitely has a dream job as some others have said in their reviews. Definitely would recommend this book to Rick Steves fans!