Rating: 
Summary: Real World In Your Face--What CIA & Media Don't Report
Review: I've heard Robert Young Pelton speak, and he is, if anything, even more thoughtful and provocative in person. He has written an extraordinary book that ordinary people will take to be a sensationalist travel guide, while real experts scrutinize every page for the hard truths about the real world that neither the CIA nor the media report. Unlike clandestine case officers and normal foreign service officers, all of them confined to capital cities and/or relying on third party reporting, Robert Young Pelton actually goes to the scene of the fighting, the scene of the butchery, the scene of the grand thefts, and unlike all these so-called authoritative sources, he actually has had eyeballs on the targets and boots in the mud. I have learned two important lessons from this book, and from its author Robert Young Pelton: First, trust no source that has not actually been there. He is not the first to point out that most journalists are "hotel warriors", but his veracity, courage, and insights provide compelling evidence of what journalism could be if it were done properly. Government sources are even worse--it was not until I heard him speak candidly about certain situations that I realized that most of our Embassy reporting--both secret and open--is largely worthless because it is third hand, not direct. Second, I have learned from this book and the author that sometimes the most important reason for visiting a war zone is to learn about what is NOT happening. His accounts of Chechnya, and his personal first-hand testimony that the Russians were terrorizing their Muslims in the *absence* of any uprising or provocation, are very disturbing. His books offers other accounts of internal terrorism that are being officially ignored by the U.S. Government, and I am most impressed by the value of his work as an alternative source of "national intelligence" and "ground truth". There are a number of very important works now available to the public on the major threats to any country's national security, and most of them are as unconventional as this one--Laurie Garrett on public health, Marq de Villiers on Water, Joe Thorton on chlorine-based industry and the environment--and some, like Robert D. Kaplan's books on his personal travels, are moving and inspiring reflections on reality as few in the Western world could understand it--but Robert Young Pelton is in my own mind the most structured, the most competent, the most truthful, and hence the most valuable reporter of fact on the world's most dangerous places. What most readers may not realize until they read this book is that one does not have to travel to these places to be threatened by them--what is happening there today, and what the U.S. government does or does not do about developments in these places, today, will haunt this generation and many generations to follow. I strongly recommend this book to anyone who cares to contemplate the real world right now.
Rating:
Summary: Where are the women?
Review: A relatively complete review of dangerous places, including maps, factual and basic information, travel tips, history/politics and Pelton's experiences in these places -- some of which are amazing. An eye-opener ... It is very entertaining, and provides wonderful late-night bit-by-bit reading. 5 stars, for the research, the length, the orginality, and the largely correct information. However, not to be recommended, I think, as a very first approach to a country. It is a book for the knowlegeable reader, as it presents one aspect only.
My beef. Its a book written by men for men. An example: Pelton gives tips about how to dress -- but not for women! More seriously, some countries don't give visas to women travelling alone, others don't give visas to unmarried women, some countries permit entry but don't allow women to drive, etc. but such basic information is nowhere given. Travelling as a woman (either alone, because some of the places described are really not very dangerous, such as Israel or South Africa, or with others) is in itself a different kind of experience. One is shielded from some dangers, but very vulnerable to others: the upshot, from the 'danger' view point is that some places are horrifyingly dangerous for women, particularly for unaccompanied white women, and others are not dangerous at all, provided one doesn't try to meet warlords, buy guns, seek out sensitive information, impose one's viewpoint or lifestyle, etc. Perhaps someone could write just a short extra chapter? I'd certainly appreciate it.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Reference
Review: For what this book tries to do, it's about as good as could possible be written on the subject it chooses to discuss. It could more accurately be named the Encyclopedia of the World's Most Dangerous Places. It's that good. It's that complete. It's a bible in its genre. I'm not sure what else to say other than that opening paragraph. You can open it up randomly, start reading, and immediately be engrossed in it. More likely, you'll scan the table of contents and pick out a country that's of particular interest at the moment. For instance, when I got this book, it was Afghanistan. Now, it might be the same, or Iraq, Iran, Israel, North Korea...there are any number of places that might interest you at the moment. And this book goes on to cover it with excruciating detail. If I were forced to make one, the only complaint would have to be that there's too much information. But that's hardly a complaint. I'm merely trying to be objective and it's hard to come up with much of anything lacking in this book. If I had it my way, I would include an end-of-chapter essay about every country, as opposed to the select few that appear in this book. I really enjoyed these slices of dangerous life discussed there. Written by various authors, they lend credence to a lot of the information preceding it. Good stuff. This is a great reference to have on your bookshelf, so the next time a random country pops up on the International War Zone radar, you can pick it up and know a lot in less than an hour. Above these specific country details, this book also delves into specifics about what makes any country dangerous. From landmines to kidnapping, this book really does a great job covering much of what you need to know about the dangers in this world. An excellent reference to have for those interested in keeping abreast of the dangerous reality of our world.
Rating: 
Summary: DP Lite
Review: I hate to say it, but as much as I liked DP3 and DP4, I'm really disappointed with DP5. Most of the info was rehashed from the previous editions, and I'm not going to shell out twenty bucks to read the same thing twice. It seems that as the editions keep going, it's getting lamer in both visuals and text, as if the publishers made the author tone down ("dumb down" is a more appropriate phrase) the material to make it more mass-marketable. Not to mention that DP5 is designed more poorly than the previous editions, making it a little more difficult to distinguish the sub-chapters of each country. I think I'll borrow a copy of DP5 out of the library and photocopy the new countries and stories and add it to my well-worn edition of DP4. Yes, there are some new countries and some new stories, but overall, "the shoes ain't worth the shine...," as the old saying goes. Severely disappointed, RYP, severely disappointed. It's as if all the new found fame has gone to his head and not into the book.
Rating:
Summary: World Politics in a Nutshell
Review: I have read this book (in this version and it's earlier editions) several times, and I still cannot get enough. This is due to several reasons. First, because I have found Pelton's accounts of various places I personally have been to be accurate, I trust the author. And trustworthiness is an important characteristic of a writer in Pelton's position - ie. advisor to individuals contemplating travel into some of the world's most dangerous places. Second, I keep going back to DP because I enjoy Pelton's style. He is a no-nonsense, "tell it like it is" guy...but he never loses his sense of humor - an essential quality to have when traveling in places that are dangerous, uncomfortable, or inconvient. Third, I find this book invaluable, not only because of the travel advice dispensed, but also because, for me, reading each new edition of DP is like getting an update in worldwide current events - but NOT from the network TV drones who report only what America wants to hear! No...Pelton tells us the TRUTH - from the inside. Not some watered down, American-propagandized version. For example, I admired Pelton a few years ago after I spent a year in Russia and central Asia: his coverage of Russia and Chechnya was excellent - and accurate. And nothing like what was reported on American TV. It is for this last reason that I would recommend DP to anyone - not just to those considering travel to the world's war zones and crime centers. It it not just about travel - it is an annual education in world events!
Rating: 
Summary: The font is too small...
Review: I like his books, and his forums. But the font size is too small. Not everyone can read such small print. I think everyone should agree with me on that one.
I'm hoping everyone will join my action group F.L.U.F.F.E.R.
(For Larger User Friendly Fonts Everyone Reads)
And Mr. Pelton is not Indiana Jones, as I've had to tell my son, but a foul-mouthed, ill-tempered, crotchety, Canadian curmudgeon.
I would recommend anything with his name on it to be used only for people in the R-17 range.
Rating:
Summary: Great Book
Review: Just about the only book I know of that tells you what is REALLY going on. My favs were the U.S. presidential election and all of israel. "So blowing up buses with a suicide vest is terrorism, but shooting civilians with helicopters is not... get the picture?" I loved it. And as to the small print guy. GET A LIFE. You honestly can't find something better to do than to diss books because of the size of their print?
Rating:
Summary: Great Book
Review: Just about the only book I know of that tells you what is REALLY going on. My favs were the U.S. presidential election and all of israel. "So blowing up buses with a suicide vest is terrorism, but shooting civilians with helicopters is not... get the picture?" I loved it. And as to the small print guy. GET A LIFE. You honestly can't find something better to do than to diss books because of the size of their print?
Rating:
Summary: Excellent information for real and armchair travellers
Review: Robert Young Pelton and his staff at DP have compiled a hefty (1000 + pages) travelouge of the most dangerous places in the world, rated from 2 stars (bad rep) to 5 (be afraid - be very afraid.) The book, in a word, is marvelous. Some of the information is common sense ("don't flash your cash"), but much of it is extremely valuable - from carrying a "drop" wallet (with photos, a little cash and cancelled credit cards) to foil theives, to how to avoid landmines and what to do if approached by stoned, armed, pre-pubescent soldiers (as is too common in many parts of Africa.) The first third of the book details how the rest of the world isn't as "dangerous" as one may be led to believe; the remainder is a veritable encyclopedia of information by country, including the political climate, (and major players and groups), diseases and other hazzards (like mines), and several valuable tips unique to each country. Simply fabulous. Of particular interest to those traveling in dangerous places are the addresses of American (and Canadian and British) embassies, good hotels (considering where you are ...), recommended prophalyxis before arriving, common diseases, and areas to be avoided. The amount of information contained in this book is simply staggering. I highly recommend it.
Rating: 
Summary: Some interesting details, too much ranting
Review: RYP, who admittedly is an interesting traveler/journalist, unfortunately mistakes his stamp-laden passport as sufficient qualification to fill 1000+ pages with rants. The first 200 or so pages have brief, interesting chapters on topics like dangerous jobs, diseases, bribes, kidnapping, and other hazards faced by people eager to enter rough locales. The remainder of the book is made up of 15-40 page summaries of about 30 countries, including recent history, political climate, demographics, local dangers, and sources of health care. There are useful tidbits here, but you have to grit your teeth through the long, sarcastic tirades about every political figure and government mentioned. Most if not all of them deserve a hefty amount of criticism (after all, they comprise the leadership of the most dangerous places), but very quickly his writing goes from witty to annoying. Buy an inexpensive used copy, flip through it, then give it to a friend.
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