I Came, I Saw, I Lost My Luggage

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Summary: The best of Biddlecombe's series of travel essays
Review: Peter Biddlecombe has carved out a niche writing silly, amusing travel essays about his business travels, seasoned with the occasional profound observation of why some countries are hives of prosperity while others are starving. He is not among the politically correct -- brace yourself for mother-in-law jokes and snide remarks about local customs. But at his best, he's amusing and informative. At his worst, he's just obnoxious.

This volume, perhaps the best and most serious of his series of six books, has essays on 20 places. There seems to be a Nordic theme (Helsinki, Copenhagen, Reykjavik, and the Baltic States, that last being the best of the book). There's also a Middle-Europe theme (Vienna, Budapest, an excellent essay on Bratislava, and a chapter on Warsaw that includes a deeply serious reflection on Auschwitz). Among other regions of the world, his essay on Managua is one of his best, but some may be turned off by his anti-abortion rant that seems jarringly contrary to Biddlecombe's usual style. The chapter on Abidjan is an excellent essay on how France uses the 'CFA Franc' to promote African prosperity while keeping its ex-colonies tied to Paris.