How To Talk About Places You've Never Been: On the Importance of Armchair Travel

In his prolog, psychoanalyst Bayard (French literature, Univ. of Paris; How To Talk About Books You Haven't Read) puts forth that "There is actually nothing to show that traveling is the best way to discover a town or a country you do not know," and later asserts that "total ignorance of a subject need not necessarily prove a handicap to an appropriate discussion about it." The volume, which the publisher bills as reference, is divided into three parts. The first identifies various ways in which writers have employed nontravel (Bayard refers to this as nonjourney); the second considers times when we might need to talk about places we've never been; and the third offers advice for the general nontraveler. This sort of preparation to engage with others about places one has never been may be meant to cultivate creativity—it's certainly understandable that a writer would need to research geography, history, and culture. However, the intention of this book is a little confusing to this reviewer. The ideas presented are no doubt intriguing but may be more enjoyable as a concise essay.