Rating: 
Summary: Parts of merit
Review: I enjoyed the first half of the book. I was having a hard time putting it down. But, as he went on, the stories became less interesting to me. Perhaps because I am not really into metaphysics. If this book were merely about his physical travels, it would be a great read for me. The intellectual travels that Crichton goes through are often interesting.....but if you are into that sort of stuff I suggest you look elsewhere for your kicks. All in all, a decent read.
Rating: 
Summary: Interesting autobiography and travel book
Review: This is a really interesting book. Crichton shares a lot about his spiritual experiences, Hollywood, and travels. The interesting parts are where he learns a lot about his own psychology and spirituality. The rest is boring. A lot of reviews claim that Crichton is racist. But at least from reading this book, one cannot draw that conclusion. When he talks about the Hunzan children, he says, "here a mixture of ethnic origins. . . . led not to a beautiful blending, but to a stunted, deformed pack of mongrels." He is not saying that mixed children are ugly, but that he found this group ugly. He thinks it's okay to dehumanize these children just because they are ugly to him. Of course, this is inexcusable, but it is not directed toward any ethnic group. In another chapter, he says that he became "a little panicky as I watched the flies crawling over their faces . . . . and I found myself thinking, These aren't people" when he was around these Samburu women. He was saying this not due to their race, but the fact that they did not bother to swat flies from their face and that they looked so exotic to him with their stretched ears. He does not justify seeing them as inhuman and really feels guilt for it.
Rating: 
Summary: You wil be amazed and surprised
Review: Knowing Crichton only thru movies like "Jurassic Park", I was not attracted to Cricton's work. Someone gave me "Travels". I was pleasantly surprised. Crichton has led an incredible and examined life. The writing is a joy to read, and the text bristles with what Crichton calls "Direct Experience". After reading this book, I grew to respect this author. His quest for knowledge, both external and internal is truely inspiring.
Rating:
Summary: I just wish he wrote fiction this way
Review: I wouldn't exactly say that I'm a fan of Michael Crichton's, though I have read several of his books. For the most part I find his fiction to be shallow and formulaic, even if it is a formula that succeeds in building dramatic tension and holding it for the duration. (I must confess that I have actually missed my train stop several times while reading a Crichton thriller, which is ample testimony to his ability to 'grip'.) I never thought of reading him for any deep insight into the human psyche or the world around us, though. That is why I was so pleasantly surprised by Travels, the autobiographical tale of his journey through life. Crichton has an open, inquiring, and supple mind, coupled with the honesty to portray himself in not always the most favorable light. The emotional and intellectual growth he undergoes in the course of the book far surpasses that of any of his fictional characters, and his accounts of forays into such scientifically suspect realms as psychic readings, auras, spoon bending, and so on display a certain courage for someone with his educational background. The last chapter, his (imagined) address to the American Skeptics' Society (or whatever they call themselves), was in itself worth the price of the book. I just wish he could break free of his success as a formula fiction writer and incorporate some of his life experiences and insights into his novels. Then I think he would really come into his own as a writer!
Rating:
Summary: Surprisingly good...
Review: It's always fun to randomly pick something off of the shelf and discover, after about 20 pages, that it is quite good. I've never been a fan of Crichton's other books - pseudo-science thrillers that most seem to be - so it was just luck that for some reason I picked this off the shelf in a used bookstore. Again, I usually don't find much pleasure in reading paranoia-inducing pseudo-science thrillers and the authors of such novels usually seem to me to be after money and nothing more. However, Crichton appears to have quite an interesting story. The book starts out with some of his experiences as a pre-med and medical student that helped form some of his opinions about science. The tales culminate in his decision to leave the medical profession due to so many conflicts with the methodology of treating humans, well, basically products. Interwoven into the 'early days' is some information on early travels in addition to some background on his rather spotty relationships and family problems. After moving to California to try to make a new career writing and working on movies Crichton begins to dabble in, shall we say, somewhat 'new age' spiritualism including psychics. It is only after a several years of such dabbling, in addition to some other large events that occur during his travels, that Crichton gradually comes to accept that there is much much more to the universe than all that we are taught in science textbooks. This is the major theme that gradually is revealed over the course of the book: what we experience is relative to our state of mind and that state can range from all-encompassing to completely self-centered. I believe the final pages, where Crichton presents some quite apt commentary on our new religion of science, have so much impact simply due to Crichton's unflinching presentation of his personal growth. For that really is what makes the book such a great read: Crichton never backs away from showing the reader his frailties and foibles. Great fun and much more relevant today than when it was first published.
Rating:
Summary: Travels
Review: This book, put simply is one of the best I have ever read. Crichton definitely has had some interesting experiences and I enjoyed his perceptions. Some trips I found myself saying better him than me. The only complaint I had was that he didn't describe the enviornments in much detail. I guess I'm spoiled by authors such as Robert Jordan who can immerse you.
Rating:
Summary: Ah...the Real Michael Crichton
Review: I loved this book. It was great to read about the private side of this amazing author. His spiritual insights give us a wonderful background to appreciate his works of fiction. All Crichton fans will enjoy this book!
Rating:
Summary: I would love to have lunch with this guy!
Review: I enjoy Crichton's fiction and this example
of his non-fiction is not a disappointment. I have always found his books and movies to be based
on fascinating ideas. Jurassic Park- Dinosaur DNA from mosquitos trapped in amber?? What a concept! Now reading about his personal experiences and travels I get a glimpse at the man behind
his books. This book is wonderful: it's honest, rude, interesting, self-depreciating. And the range of topics is vast: spoon bending, seeing auras, swimming with sharks, to climbing Kilimanjaro. At times I caught myself laughing out loud. When he talks
to his cactus you almost can't believe that he shares this with you. I am a big Paul Theroux fan, but I find Michael's insights on travelling a bit more interesting. Crichton has a gift for storytelling and it
certainly shows here. I would love to go to lunch with him
to hear the tales he can tell. Don't miss this book, it's not as flashy as his others, but
I think that is what makes it the most interesting.
Rating:
Summary: More than I need to know...
Review: I started this book on Saturday night and finished it by Sunday morning. It's well written and interesting to a certain extent. The intent of the book doesn't appear to be in any way related to external/physical travel, but rather Michael's own intellectual (and certainly emotional) travels. Not bad content if you like that sort of aimless (self-serving?) prattle. I'm still not sure what the point of the book is. He's put the Asian, European, Caribbean, etc. travels into the book as a kind of garnish...the main course is his own emotional and intellectual wanderings.
I much prefer Jurassic Crichton.
Rating:
Summary: I'm a big Michael Crichton fan, but...
Review: this book just didn't cut it to me. It started out good, but then just kind of lost me. I'm not a big fan of meta-physical stuff, and the last 1/3 of this book is full of it. (In more ways then one...)
Stick to his fiction and you wont be sorry. This book may leave to hanging.
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