Round the World in Seventy Days

This is the first of Bernard Newman's books I have read, despite owning another five. This one very much read like so many of the Frank Clune books - almost an advertorial for KLM airways - his route talk, positive vibes around the service etc.

Newman sets out to demonstrate the joys and efficiencies of air travel, but of course, can't bring himself to simply go from flight to flight, so sets himself a goal of seventy days travel, and loops his route Round the World.

At each stop we get a chapter of the travels he experiences, then a series of miscellaneous facts he has come across in his journey in this country / these countries.

His route takes in Lebanon (plus Israel), Jordan, Iran, Thailand (plus Cambodia), the Philippines, Japan and then the North Pole, which is actually Alaska.

Most chapters get around thirty pages coverage, except for Japan which is more worthy and gets around 70 pages, and Alaska - which is really a brief transit - gets less than 10 pages. The details vary, but typically Newman visits the main tourist spots, meets some local dignitaries or some expat British people and has a few cultural experiences.

This is very readable, but dated and very vanilla. Harmless, and a snapshot of these interesting countries as they were in (presumably) the year before publication - 1964.

A solid 3 stars.