The Kindness of Strangers

Lutz travels all over the place, attempting to be that person who doesn't just go on organised tours or stay on the typical tourist paths - to experience, at least briefly and in a small way, the 'real' place he's visiting. He's self aware enough to know that he's always still an American tourist, but he does try to talk to people about themselves and their lives.

Towards the end he confronts the issue of his privilege, pointing out that he still works while traveling and he chooses cheap fares and long stopovers so it’s not as expensive as it might be - but of course he is still privileged to be able to travel at all. At the start he argues about the idea of appropriation, and whether it's appropriate that he write about other cultures at all - which he is clearly fine with, given this is his third such book. This I am less convinced by, but only because I don’t think this is what is meant by appropriation.

Anyway: overall this is a really enjoyable book. Not one to read in a single sitting necessarily becuase there’s no chronological or otherwise thematic order to the chapters. Each is about the author's visit to a different country - many, to my eyes, exotic for the difficulty of getting there or the unusualness of being there (… and then there’s NZ, which was quite funny really). The Marshal islands, Djibouti, Madagascar, Bhutan - Lutz describes, usually, his arrival and then his encounters with various people. Guides, sometimes drivers, restauranteurs, people at the bar; seems like he’ll talk to anyone, which of course gives rise to the title of the book. He isn’t claiming everywhere is perfect nor that everyone is a delight, including as he does a couple of near-muggings and being rorted occasionally too. But he is making the claim that at least for someone like him - male, white, middle class - travel without an organised tour and off the usual path can be enjoyable.

Engagingly written, if you're content to read a vignette-style approach (which I am); usually thoughtful, and certainly engaged with places I haven't read much about.

For more reviews and bookish posts please visit: https://www.ManOfLaBook.com or https://www.instagram.com/manoflabook/


The Kindness of Strangers by Tom Lutz is a collection of essays about the people the author met during his travels. Mr. Lutz is a published author, university professor, and a traveler.

“Travel leaves you speechless, and turns you into a storyteller…” is how The Kindness of Strangers by Tom Lutz starts. I can’t think of a better phrase to sum up the experience of traveling, especially out of your comfort zone.

Mr. Lutz likes to go off the beaten path. He likes to travel off-season, stay at cheap hotels, eat at street restaurants. When we travel, we also opt for local places, and go off the beaten path. However, with a family I don’t think I’d take as many chances as the author. Even though, they do make good stories.

I have been in the several places as the author, our experience varies. I did get sick in Cuzco, Peru but because I drank stream water on a hike -I wasn’t bedded, but was very unpleasant to be around for a day or two. During the big festival I was cased by an old woman, and some kids who tried to cut the bottom of my bag, unsuccessfully. Unlike the author, I enjoyed my time in that beautiful City. In Lima, however, there were two attempted robberies the day we arrived (I was part of a group of 5).
It’s safe to say I’ll never go back again.

Brazil, which was beautiful, I also felt, like the author, that I am just being cased very often. I didn’t carry with me anything except a few Cruzeros though.

However, like the author, the wonderful people I met are all worthy of their own chapter in a book. Either locals, or travelers like myself, from all around the world.
But how’s the book?

The book has no structure, just a bunch of essays about far off places, and interesting people. These essays could be read out of order, there is not timeline. The author tells that to the reader in the first few pages, so it’s not a surprise.

The people Mr. Lutz meet are from all walks of life, restaurateurs, guides, drivers, day laborers in bars, shifty hotel owners, and more. This is not a “look at this lovely place” book, the author describes harrowing experiences of almost getting mugged, cased, and generally being a stranger in a strange place. The majority of his experiences are positive.

The essays pontificate on the author’s experience, and the larger implications to the world. They are thoughtful, not manipulative, and open.