NONFICTION

The Happy Traveler: Unpacking the Secrets of Better Vacations

by Jaime Kurtz
Oxford Univ. Jun. 2017. 271p. notes. index. ISBN 9780190638986. pap. $19.95. TRAV
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Author and psychology professor (James Madison Univ.) Kurtz believes happiness is hard work, especially for travelers. Describing herself as an "allocentric introvert," she pursues a scientific investigation of happiness through an overwhelming number of reference citations (323 in a 271-page book). She also recounts many personal anecdotes as a tour group leader. At one point Kurtz uses "How Vacations Are Like Colonoscopies" to introduce a chapter—so much for happy traveling. The book often reads like an expanded master's thesis, with the addition of personality tests and self-examination questions. It seems a superfluous guide for those who feel secure in themselves but equally so for others when Kurtz sums up on the last page with an epilog, "The Twelve Rules for Happy Travel." Who needs the previous 270 pages?
VERDICT Less expensive than a course or consultation with a mental health professional. Happiness junkies may find the book filled with practical advice and exercises. Others may wonder if it's just psychobabble for the insecure.
Reviewed by Janet N. Ross, formerly with Washoe Cty. Lib. Syst., Sparks, NV , Mar 31, 2017
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