The Art of Being There in Portugal

This is my review of The Art of Being There in Portugal by David F. Jennings. This book is published by Dorrance Publishing Co., Inc. I wanted to read this book because of my own Portuguese heritage. I was hoping to gain some insight into the Portuguese culture.
In the first part of the book, the author tries to give a little background into his personal interest in traveling, which he accomplishes. But I don't feel that it added more to the book. I must admit that I almost stopped reading because this section seemed to bounce back and forth between subjects. It was a bit confusing to read, and honestly took longer to read this section than it did to read the rest of the book.
I am very happy that I continued to read. The rest of the book was filled with personal experiences. The author was forthcoming in preparing the reader that these were memories being shared as if you were sitting with a dear friend. These recollections came as freely as comfortable conversations. This made the book a very personal diary of sorts. My favorite stories were of the experiences where something didn't quite go right. You could smile and say, 'I've been there'.
I enjoyed the author's passion for travel. It came across very clearly. His title couldn't be more perfect. I find that I too share his passion for "being there" when you travel and not just a tourist.
The book has some very helpful information for the person who has an interest in traveling to Portugal. I would rather have this book as a travel guide than one of those Travel Guide books because it was written by someone who truly enjoys traveling Portugal. Not by someone paid to write a review.
http://www.dorrancebookstore.com/artofbethinp.html
I received a complimentary copy of The Art of Being There in Portugal as a member of the Dorrance Publishing Book Review Team. Visit dorrancebookstore.com to learn how you can become a member of the Book Review Team.