... blends maritime history, astute observations of the human condition and eloquent commentary — is often hysterically funny. Readers may want to purchase several copies: one to keep, highlight and reread, and others to give to friends ... Kwak’s keen observations, deeply personal introspections and witty, erudite prose make the book a veritable page turner. Kwak deftly combines the external ever-present high seas high drama he is experiencing firsthand and inextricably intertwines it with his long simmering internal ones ... One thing Kwak beautifully does in The Passenger is to dispel some myths of travel journalism in general and reporting on cruise travel in particular; the good, the bad and ugly ... While Kwak is exceedingly generous in sharing his personal truths surrounding his family, relationships and struggles, throughout the book he is also truly hilarious. Without a doubt, Kwak is precisely the kind of person one can only hope to be seated next to pretty much anywhere ... It matters not a whit if one loves cruises, hates cruises, is a never cruiser or a wanna-be cruiser. Simply put, if you’re looking for a great read, look no further than The Passenger.
... with its bare-bones honesty and dry, cynical humor, reveals that when all is said and done, it’s the little things that matter: small acts of courage and kindness, words of love, and gratitude for the gift of another day.
In this short memoir, Kwak does a lot of things, and he does them all well. He writes a harrowing ticktock of his experience. He augments this with skillful reportage to explain what was going on beyond that atrium. He contrasts the lives of the wealthy white passengers with those of the crew members, many from the Philippines and Eastern Europe. And he reconsiders his life ... His story is definitely worth telling, both as a gripping adventure tale and as a solemn reminder not to wait until we might be dying to think hard about life.
Kwak’s fluid and evocative prose provides a gripping, moment-by-moment account of his 27-hour ordeal among nearly 1,400 cruise ship passengers and crew ... Interspersed throughout are interesting and poignant stories about Kwak’s family and loved ones, and the ship’s front of house/back of house crew members, entertainers, and rescuers ... This powerful memoir about making tough choices and finding new directions will appeal to a variety of travel readers.
Chaney fills out the volatility of the weather conditions of that day with viewpoints from those on rescue vessels and other ships occupying the same rough ocean. Writing with a tender honesty about not only his situation but that of the entire group, as some are rescued while the remainder can only wait until the boat’s mechanical situation improves, Chaney offers a riveting read from start to finish.
With a mix of candor and cynicism, the author details his family’s history and his estranged relationship with his German partner of 16 years ... A down-to-earth, relatable examination of career and life choices.
