THE BEST AMERICAN TRAVEL WRITING 2004

This dizzying collection proves that travel writing goes far beyond the romance and adventure most readers associate with the genre. It might better be called "the state of the world 2004," and although it does include a few romantic and escapist adventures (two in Patagonia and one on a South Sea island), the overall tone is disturbingly somber. Skiing in gorgeous Kashmiri mountains requires entering a war zone. Afghanistan is doing its best to attract tourists, despite warlords, damaged bridges and land mines. Abidjan, Ivory Coast, once a prosperous cosmopolis, has degenerated into Third World poverty, and its youth have rejected tradition and emulate U.S. "gangstas." Mark Jenkins's ambition to hike the Stillwell Road across India, Burma and China becomes a humbling realization of his own arrogance in light of the devastating reality of life for the Burmese. Mountain gorillas, threatened with extinction by the civil war in Congo, embody peace as the humans brutally slaughter each other. The collection also includes compelling cultural musings: multiculturalism in Brazil; what the "endangered species" status of local radio in the U.S. means for cultural diversity; America's changing relationship with Europe. And there are a few light moments: riding the high-tech Segway around Paris; a spoof on a screenwriter's family vacation. Iyer's picks for 2004 reveal the huge diversity of life today. (Oct. 14)