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Summary: House-Swapping Fantasies
Review: If, like me, you've daydreamed about your family swapping houses with other families in foreign countries, this funny, informative travel memoir may help you make that dream a reality. The account of one family's travel adventures over the course of a decade confirms my sense that living for a month or so like a local in another country would be much more culturally interesting than hotel travel - and definitely more affordable. Not to say that this family does things on the cheap. Their food expenditures in particular are hardly in the "affordable" category. Evidently the author is primarily a food writer and critic and his tastes reflect that. I can't say I know much about that topic. But all you "foodies" out there should enjoy his sensual description of some of his peak dining experiences.
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Summary: Laughter is the Best Medicine
Review: In a time when emotion contaminates observation and ideology diminishes humor, it is a pleasure to come across a book with both observation and humor that are paramount. I work as a volunteer in a library in St. Paul and recommend this book to all my readers hoping they will discover laughter. Certainly a few unhappy, bored, curmudgeonly housewives have returned the book to me saying, "No thinks," (in St. Paul accent), but most with more than pea brains get the jokes.
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Summary: Not Very Helpful For Families
Review: Scott Haas comes across in Are We There Yet? as completely moronic, over-educated, and childish. Many times in the book he complains that Americans talk too much about their feelings, but the entire book a stream-of-conciousness look at how Haas is feeling about himself, just when he happens to be on vacation. The book is not valuable to anyone but the most wealthy traveler (Haas' favorite places seem to be the "posh hotels" that only the most wealthy can dream of affording). Food that comes with a tab of less than about $700 for a family of four is deemed "inedible". And I got tired of his ridiculous attempts to look and act like a European -- I groaned multiple times at the pride he felt when people thought he was French or Italian. Didn't we get over this game in college? The only partially redeeming section of the book is the chapter on Disney World. That chapter is a sad, and actually sort of moving, look at Haas' reaction to the events of September 11. It is laden with sarcasm, but somehow rings true -- in an over-educated, moronic sort of way...
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Summary: Obnoxiously whiny book about conspicious consumption...
Review: Thank goodness I only borrowed this book from the library, or I'd be mad at myself for throwing away $14! You would think this would be a very useful book right now, given as I'm about to go on vacation with my family of 5 for a week; if not at least useful, I was hoping for funny. NOT! Talk about poor taste. Unless you like reading re-creations of entire conversations where the rest of the authors obnoxious family is whining about the very idea of going to Switzerland (again!), skip this book and spend the time looking over travel websites with your family instead! :/
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Summary: JAMES BEARD AWARD WINNING AUTHOR
Review: The author, who won a James Beard award for best radio journalist in the USA in 2004, covering food-short form,
is drop-dead funny. I can't wait to see the movie.
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Summary: Great Book for Families and Travelers
Review: The premise of Scott Haas' book is not catchy or thrilling but I bought it anyway after scanning a few excerpts. He writes about several vacations he has taken with his family over a period of 14 years. There are three things that Haas brings out in his book that make it irresistable: 1) travel descriptions about places and adventures that sound wonderful (or so horrible we are grateful NOT to be there), 2) "watching" his family grow, and 3) his personality that comes through the pages. Scott Haas is self-deprecating, humble, funny, confident, funny and honest. Although the book is mainly about traveling with his family, when he writes about them it is not sweeteningly obnoxious. Nor is he arrogant and smug when describing his travels and family. His anecdotes, observations and descriptions are wonderful and sometimes hilarious - I definitely recommend this book!
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Summary: travels with family have never been funnier
Review: This book is all about the -- sometimes dark -- humor that can come out of family travel. Haas isn't perfect, and his family isn't, either, but they are a lot of fun to travel with. Pick this up for your next trip, or for some armchair travel of your own.
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Summary: Join the Parade
Review: Thoroughly enjoyable. Didn't want the book to end. As a result of both his keen and sometimes quirky sense of humor, sensitivity and sensibilities, Dr. Haas was able to draw me in to the point where I felt that I was present with him and his family as they travelled around the world. I found myself out of breath as I hiked with them, visualized the sites, experienced the smells, tastes and emotions. His brutal honesty about his experience of the world, about his family and their interactions and disclosure of the inner workings of his mind are refreshing. Almost nothing is sugar coated. I'm left wondering where they're off to next.
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