The Routes of Man: How Roads are Changing the World and the Way We Live Today Audiobook (Unabridged)

" Ted Conover's excellent social-anthropological writing in The Routes of Man covers trips from Park Avenue to Peru (following expensive mahogony to its source), India's Zanskar's chaddar (when the river freezes over, it becomes a major roadway), Kenya (following the routes of truck drivers as well as the path of AIDS), the West Bank (both sides: Palestinians and Israelis, and the latter's checkpoints), the burgeoning car culture in China, and the horrors of the highways in Lagos, Nigeria. Conover, as always, is an attentive, wise writer--and he mixes history and personal experience with astute commentary. The book falters a bit with its "inter-chapters" (short meditations on various roadways), especially a precious piece on Broadway and an epilogue that lacks significant impact. But the major chapters are terrific, as good as anything Conover has written. Highly recommended. "

" Another great book from Ted Conover. He proves himself again as our generation's Studs Terkel. This book is a little different than the previous, as it is not the tale of a single adventure, but a look back at lessons learned from what I'm sure was many adventures. Don't let that fool you though, it was still riveting. The central theme is roads, but the stories are really about how roads bring modernization to cultures and economies. It made me think a lot about my perspective on the modernization of countries more rural or 3rd world than the US. Basically, who are we, who've already used up a lot of our resources, to tell them they should respect nature and preserve? "

" Anecdotes and a wandering agenda, still pretty interesting. "

" A series of articles about roads and their impact on the communities they go through. It's immensely readable, and offers a nice perspective into cultures where views of roads are as life-changers, not merely a way to get around. Don't read it straight through..read a story, then put it down for later... "

" Not terribly informative. "

" The author includes too much personal detail about his trip. There should be more reflection about "the road". He could make his points and be more concise. I grew tired of it when bogged down in minutiae. "

" An interesting read from an intrepid reporter, who actually traveled the roads he writes about, sometimes at real risk to himself. Although the writing style lacks the depth and color I expect from the best travel writers, he organizes the extensive material with subtle intelligence. The book definitely expanded my understanding of how roads bring not just progress, but environmental destruction, cultural dissipation, crowding and crime. A good read for anyone interested in global issues, environment, or unusual travel accounts. "

" Ted Conover is amazing as always. I loved this one. "

" Explore several cultures with Conover as he rides in trucks delivering goods on the back roads around the globe. Fascinating journey "

" Roads: The route of a possible Peru-to-Brazil route and what it portends for the future, the chaos that's Lagos, Nigeria and what that tells us about the future of roads, the future behind the wheel in China, and a rather heartbreaking account of negotiating daily roadblocks in the West Bank. "

" INteresting metaphor about roads and how they can be good and disruptive. Like Jared Diamond's book, gives you a new way to see how people create unintentional consequences will their activities. "

" You intuitively know that things you buy come from far away. Or that diseases and traditions incubate in small areas before spreading. Here the author traces a series of fascinating trajectories to show you how they find their way to your doorstep or your consciousness. "

" This is a bit of a departure for Conover. It doesn't have that raw feel of an undercover anthropologist at work, even though most of it does involve his personal travels. It also has a lot of lulls and he struggles to draw it all together. Not bad, but not great either. "

" I found the first part of the book to be rather dull. There was too much description and not enough analysis. It did get more interesting about half way in. The author did a good job at shedding light on different cultures without taking sides or preaching his own perspectives too much. "

" I really admire Ted Conover's work. I love his active participation journalism. "

" Great book The roads that change the world are really explained in detail. Ted Conover makes you feel a part of it all "

" really interesting book about the importance of roads. the only problem is that after the first couple of stories the book starts to feel repetitious. a bit shorter would have conveyed the same but made for a much better read. "

" This is a really interesting premise. Divided into several chapters that each focus on a different "road." each tells a story that is both local and global. Some chapters are better than others. I was particularly fascinated by the chapter on the Chinese driving clubs. "

" A good eco/politico/socio travel book. He writes well. His comments and observations about the people he meets are remarkably free of judgment. "

" Travels on six roads in the world, and how the roads themselves and the way they're used illustrate the ways of people who use them. "

" I found this book thoughtful and very interesting. I liked the in depth knowledge and research put into each road, but I think would have liked to have seen the juxtaposition of a road in a more prosperous country as well. "

" I found the first part of the book to be rather dull. There was too much description and not enough analysis. It did get more interesting about half way in. The author did a good job at shedding light on different cultures without taking sides or preaching his own perspectives too much. "

" Interesting, but lacks good conflict. Conover has written better books. "

" really interesting book about the importance of roads. the only problem is that after the first couple of stories the book starts to feel repetitious. a bit shorter would have conveyed the same but made for a much better read. "

" Travels on six roads in the world, and how the roads themselves and the way they're used illustrate the ways of people who use them. "

" INteresting metaphor about roads and how they can be good and disruptive. Like Jared Diamond's book, gives you a new way to see how people create unintentional consequences will their activities. "

" Fascinating, compassionate, even-handed. See upcoming review in Geez Magazine. "