Scan barcode
jamescridland's review
3.0
I do quite like a travelogue, but this one wasn't, to be honest, a particularly good read. Karl - by all accounts, a nice chap from those I know who've worked with him - seems to have cultivated this persona of a blunt and closed-minded Northerner, and this book is very much written in his style. It's rather repetitious; much is made of him eating his Monster Munch.
Telephone calls, presumably used in the television series, are transcripted throughout the book because as readers we can't clearly read a book by Karl without some HILARIOUS things that Ricky Gervais says, even though they're not that interesting in actual fact. Occasionally, Karl eats Monster Munch or goes to the loo, or says stuff his mam says. Then he has some more Monster Munch. And perhaps the shits.
The good thing? The photographs. Amazing, beautiful, really nicely shot, and some really clever tricks done with them. The places he goes to look incredible - so much detail, so much personality from the photographs, with some really nice patterns emerging - photographs of post boxes in one, or tromp de l'oeil in others. Wonderful stuff.
I spent 20p on this book, as a special Google Play promotion (and read it, variously, on my phone and my tablet). As a reading experience it's converted excellently to ebook format. The photographs are worth serious money - beautiful stuff. The writing? I think 20p's a fair price.
Telephone calls, presumably used in the television series, are transcripted throughout the book because as readers we can't clearly read a book by Karl without some HILARIOUS things that Ricky Gervais says, even though they're not that interesting in actual fact. Occasionally, Karl eats Monster Munch or goes to the loo, or says stuff his mam says. Then he has some more Monster Munch. And perhaps the shits.
The good thing? The photographs. Amazing, beautiful, really nicely shot, and some really clever tricks done with them. The places he goes to look incredible - so much detail, so much personality from the photographs, with some really nice patterns emerging - photographs of post boxes in one, or tromp de l'oeil in others. Wonderful stuff.
I spent 20p on this book, as a special Google Play promotion (and read it, variously, on my phone and my tablet). As a reading experience it's converted excellently to ebook format. The photographs are worth serious money - beautiful stuff. The writing? I think 20p's a fair price.
chuffwrites's review
4.0
I go to bed most nights listening to Ricky, Steve, and Karl podcasts, XFM shows, and audiobooks, so I went into this book knowing I was going to enjoy it.
Basically, these are Karl's travel diaries, written as he was in each country. It's not just a rehash of what was seen in the individual episodes, which I worried in the beginning it might be; as the diary goes on, Karl gets more comfortable with the medium, and some of the stuff he comes up with is surprisingly ... great. I mean, describing life in the tiny, middle-of-nowhere Mayan village as "waiting for a bus that's never coming" brought up such a clear image in my head, I sat back and was like, "Damn, Karl. That was good!"
I think Chichen Itza was my favorite section of the book, though the diary writing got stronger with each successive trip. I liked the Mexico parts because Karl was enjoying himself, and that made his adventures a little more fun to read. Miserable Karl just makes me miserable, however much it may make Ricky laugh.
In the end, I have to really appreciate what Karl, Ricky, and Steve have done with the Idiot Abroad series. I think, in world travels, I would very much be the Karl figure. He shows you the most realistic version of traveling: the crappy sleeping conditions, the daily trials of trying to find a bathroom, the foreign cuisine giving you the shits; being unable to appreciate the beauty of the Wonder because you've only slept four hours, or you've been hiking all day and are covered in mud and stink of piss and just want to go home already. You see very real, unapologetically unglamorous versions of the cities Karl visits. He's not staying in spotless hotels and traveling with safe tour groups; he's seeing the dirt and the rank and the terrible living conditions. He's having a horrible time, so you don't have to.
All in all, fun book. I'd only read it if you've already seen the Idiot Abroad series and have a strong love of K.P., Pilk Boy, Mr. Dilkington, etc. Otherwise, I think the inherent charm of the diary would be sort of lost in translation. If you already speak Karl's language though, I think you'll love this.
Basically, these are Karl's travel diaries, written as he was in each country. It's not just a rehash of what was seen in the individual episodes, which I worried in the beginning it might be; as the diary goes on, Karl gets more comfortable with the medium, and some of the stuff he comes up with is surprisingly ... great. I mean, describing life in the tiny, middle-of-nowhere Mayan village as "waiting for a bus that's never coming" brought up such a clear image in my head, I sat back and was like, "Damn, Karl. That was good!"
I think Chichen Itza was my favorite section of the book, though the diary writing got stronger with each successive trip. I liked the Mexico parts because Karl was enjoying himself, and that made his adventures a little more fun to read. Miserable Karl just makes me miserable, however much it may make Ricky laugh.
In the end, I have to really appreciate what Karl, Ricky, and Steve have done with the Idiot Abroad series. I think, in world travels, I would very much be the Karl figure. He shows you the most realistic version of traveling: the crappy sleeping conditions, the daily trials of trying to find a bathroom, the foreign cuisine giving you the shits; being unable to appreciate the beauty of the Wonder because you've only slept four hours, or you've been hiking all day and are covered in mud and stink of piss and just want to go home already. You see very real, unapologetically unglamorous versions of the cities Karl visits. He's not staying in spotless hotels and traveling with safe tour groups; he's seeing the dirt and the rank and the terrible living conditions. He's having a horrible time, so you don't have to.
All in all, fun book. I'd only read it if you've already seen the Idiot Abroad series and have a strong love of K.P., Pilk Boy, Mr. Dilkington, etc. Otherwise, I think the inherent charm of the diary would be sort of lost in translation. If you already speak Karl's language though, I think you'll love this.
dannireadsallthetime's review
5.0
So funny, I feel like I can relate a lot to Karl Pilkington and I value his bluntless about travelling.
More...