For all its evocative prose and knowledgeable commentary, however, A Traveler’s Guide can be frustrating to read. The lack of an index is an inconvenience, and the book loses focus for a time when Gessner dwells on the events of Jan. 6, 2021, and the reactions thereto of his former college classmate and friend Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) ... Nevertheless, A Traveler’s Guide is replete with thought-provoking set pieces.
This is resonant work. Its prose is commanding, with vivid descriptions of contemporary destruction that are used to imagine what’s yet to come. Gessner makes his projections personal, writing about places that he has intimate knowledge of.
Gessner is at his best when he stops worrying about crossing the line from objectively bearing witness and lets loose his inner preacher ... Gessner misses a critical chance to enhance the itinerary by offering insight on the best solutions for reducing our oil addiction. Such advice is oddly absent ... But while Gessner is no rah-rah optimist compelled to conclude his book with an artificially happy finish, he’s no grim reaper, either.
