The Best American Travel Writing 2016: Illuminating Essays on Why We Travel, Edited by Bestselling Author Bill Bryson

I purchase this book every year. They are not travel guide books designed for tourists. They are short stories about each author's experiences at locations around the world. The authors have often traveled to these locations not as tourists, but for research, study, work assignments and other purposes. Always good reading and an easy book to read a story or two, put down, and pick up again for another story or two. It's an interesting world out there beyond the tourist traps and this series brings it to life.

I like most of what I've read written by Bill Bryson and now I can say I like what he's overseen as editor. Nice variety of essays, all well-written, none self-conscious. None stands out as exemplary of the best travel writing but I didn't regret reading any.

Uneven. I did enjoy ex-American Bill Bryson's intro on why we travel and/or read about travel. He notes the homogenization of the world and the fact that many travel writers think there are no good places left. And while that may mean that a few travel writers need a real job other than goofing off somewhere, most of us have jobs and "stuff" that keeps us home and we read to understand and experience other places and cultures. And so I was disappointed in half of the articles because they were super-specific and limited in scope. Still, the articles were often interesting and most were completely out of left field in their descriptions of things like playing odd musical instruments, a film festival in North Korea and smuggling cigarettes. What was my favorite? Don't really have one. So, 3 stars.

I was thrilled to discover that these are in-depth stories of place and experiences, not "travel stories" skimming the surface of other lands. Stories just long enough to fully engage and be fascinated.

Bill Bryson is a fantastic editor who has chosen a wide variety of stories on some fascinating topics. The Paul Theroux piece is a bit windy, but all the others are a great read, especially wlarus hunting in Greenland...

As always, an excellent addition to the series. I download several of the Best American ... Writing books to my Kindle every year. They make perfect reading for travel, when I don't feel like coping with full-length books. But they always feature excellent writing about important issues.

These aren’t travel stories so much as they are lefty political screeds that happen abroad. One story after another: tedious yammering on one political topic or another. No joy. No fun. No adventure. These series used to be sources of delight and entertainment. No more, apparently.

Bryson did not write this book, he edited it. Bryson is one of the best writers and has superb books, all of which I have read. Though written by others, it is a good read.