Summary
Pierre Bayard's central argument is that one can effectively discuss places never visited by employing the art of the "non-journey." This book provides practical, funny, and thought-provoking guidance on how to talk about foreign cultures and locations without personal travel experience. Bayard examines a tradition of writers and thinkers who encountered the foreign from their home turf, offering concrete situations and personal anecdotes to illustrate his points.
The book expands a travel enthusiast's horizon beyond physically visitable locations. It offers essential instruction for discussing places one has never been, a skill applicable to both armchair travelers and those who have journeyed. Bayard's irreverent style, similar to his previous work, makes this a delightful and informative read that allows readers to explore the world from their living rooms.
Key concepts
- Non-journey — A method of encountering foreign cultures and places without physically traveling.
- The art of talking about places you've never been — The specific skill of discussing locations one has not personally visited.
From the book
Description: Written in the irreverent style that made How to Talk About Books You Haven't Read a critical and commercial success, Pierre Bayard takes readers on a trip around the world, giving us essential guidance on how to talk about all those fantastic places we've never been. Practical, funny, and thought-provoking, How to Talk About Places You've Never Been will delight and inform armchair globetrotters and jet-setters, all while never having to leave the comfort of the living room. Bayard examines the art of the "non-journey," a tradition that a succession of writers and thinkers, unconcerned with moving away from their home turf, have employed in order to encounter the foreign cultures they wish to know and talk about. He describes concrete situations in which the reader might…
Snippet: Written in the irreverent style that made How to Talk About Books You Haven't Read a critical and commercial success, Pierre Bayard takes readers on a trip around the world, giving us essential guidance on how to talk about all those ...