With Few Reservations: Travels at Home and Abroad

Peter I. Rose
iUniverse (2010)
ISBN 9781450204675
Reviewed by Joseph Yurt for Reader Views (10/11)


For many years, Peter I. Rose lived two lives, one as a highly regarded teacher and researcher of sociology and anthropology, the other as a writer, photographer, editor and observer of travelers and their destinations. Seven years ago, Rose stepped down from his full-time academic responsibilities, although he continues to teach and do research on a part-time basis. But seemingly, he is still a robust traveler whose prolific output of travel essays continues to reflect his passion and enthusiasm for never ending excursions, both at home and abroad. Indeed, he seems to be enjoying the experience all the more, now that his jaunts include the full-time companionship of another academic sojourner, Hedy, his wife and partner of fifty-six years.

Rose’s writing style in “With Few Reservations” mimics that of a sophisticated conversationalist, whose warm and charming manner would make one feel fortunate to have been seated next to him on a plane or at a dinner party. The eclectic mix of destination reviews and essays, reflections on travel writing and his life observations comprise nearly fifty stories, each from four to six pages in length. They are segmented in four groupings: American Potpourri; In Foreign Climes; Dreamers Holidays; and, Revelations. The ordering of the destination commentaries creates the sense of being on an open ended holiday where the itinerary is made up as you go. For example, in “American Potpourri,” accounts of a few days visiting some of his favorite destinations in Vermont are followed by his visit to the Camelback Inn, in Scottsdale, Arizona for “Hot Rocks and Hedonism.” The writings “In Foreign Climes,” like those throughout the book, are richly personalized by Rose’s previous visits to many of the old cities and sites that were part of his academic sojourns over the years. The span of time during which Rose has been traveling contributes to a wealth of observations on how these iconic destinations have changed, for better and worse, and how they have remained just as he remembers them from past visits.

The last two collections, “Dreamers Holidays” and “Revelations,” contain the essays that resonated with me most. In “Schooner Heritage,” Rose writes a wonderful account of the evolution of Windjamming, an adventurous experience for tourists to the mid-coast of Maine. These spirited and romantic adventures appeal to those who long to sail in one of the tall ships or who are drawn to the charm of the schooner-frequented towns with their numerous seafood restaurants and clam shacks and local shops and vendors offering nautical themed wares and wearable items.

In “Revelations,” I especially enjoyed “The Guru of Gallivanting,” conceived and created by Rose while he was confined to traveler’s home incarceration by a broken ankle. “I was resolved to spend time reading – actually rereading – some favorite travel books and then write about them in a forthcoming column.” In examining the stack of requested books brought home from the library by his wife, Hedy, Rose immediately was drawn by the magnetism of one of his favorites, Mark Twain’s “The Innocents Abroad,” “and never got much further.” He offers a loving review of the book and of the writer, proclaiming Mark Twain to be “the Godfather of American travel journalism.”

“With Few Reservations: Travels at Home and Abroad” is a well-written, engaging, and stimulating collection of commentary. Peter Rose has a highly developed ability to paint word pictures that draw the reader into his writing and see vividly in their mind what he is describing. Although the book’s black and white photos, with a few exceptions, are a half-page or smaller, they are appealing and effective. For both dreamers and avid travelers, this book will provide an exceptional reading adventure.  

Make comment on weblog

FTC Disclosure