Around the World in 50 Years: My Adventure to Every Country on Earth

Advance Praise for "Around the World in 50 Years:
""Setting out on mad travel quests is bound to be fun, especially when it's like "Crocodile Dundee "produced by Monty Python and directed by Woody Allen." --TONY WHEELER, founder of Lonely Planet
"The fastest and most thrilling adventure book ever." --TRACIE MAX SACHS, five-time World Cup speed-skiing champion
"Albert Podell's passport would be a more fascinating read than many a thriller, but the stories behind each stamp in his mad quest to touch every corner in the world are even better. This is a great book by an even greater traveler." --PETER ALLISON, author of "Whatever You Do, Don't Run: True Tales of a Botswana Safari Guide
""Albert Podell travels the world having more hair-raising misadventures and harrowing escapes than Indiana Jones. He and we are lucky he survived them all to write this delightful book. Podell introduces the reader to way-off-the-beaten-path venues and immerses himself in the local cultures, often while risking his life coping with bandits, wars, and corrupt officials. He gives us unwritten rules for survival as the outsider in what is perhaps the broadest range of human cultures ever portrayed in a single book. And he puts these intriguing experiences in the context of major events and world history. "Around the World in Fifty Years" sets a new standard for adventure travel books." --Will Lutwick, author of "Dodging Machetes: How I Survived Forbidden Love, Bad Behavior, and the Peace Corps in Fiji"
Praise for "Who Needs a Road?
""A fascinating adventure." --"Newark Advocate
""Exciting, breezy and readable." --"Atlanta Journal
""Full of humor and adventure. A story that might be told before an open campfire. Racy and zany." --"The New York Post"

"It's like "Crocodile Dundee" produced by Monty Python and directed by Woody Allen." --Tony Wheeler, founder of Lonely Planet"Podell's passport would be a more fascinating read than many a thriller, but the stories behind each stamp in his mad quest to touch every corner in the world are even better. This is a great book by an even greater traveler." --Peter Allison, author of "Whatever You Do, Don't Run: ""True Tales of a Botswana Safari Guide""The fastest and most thrilling adventure book ever." --Tracie Max Sachs, five-time World Cup speed-skiing champion"Podell traveled the world having more hair-raising misadventures and harrowing escapes than Indiana Jones. He survived them all to write this delightful book.... perhaps the broadest range of human cultures ever portrayed in a single book. And he puts these intriguing experiences in the context of major events and world history. It sets a new standard for adventure travel books." --Will Lutwick, author of "Dodging Machetes""Swashbuckler, philosopher, humorist, Al Podell has lived, and written, a splendidly rollicking adventure." --Trevor Morrison, Dean, New York University School of Law
"I tell my students to live life fully, and Al Podell's "tour de force," described in fascinating detail in this wonderful book, shows that he has done just that." --John Sexton, president, New York University
"This fascinating book is filled with adventurous curiosity and constant drama, and written with delight, humor, and compassion." --James Fulton Hoge, Jr., former editor of "Foreign Affairs "and publisher of "New York Daily News""The author's tales are unquestionably entertaining. ... There is never a dull moment." --"Kirkus Reviews""His writing is breathtaking. ... This is substantially more than a travel book. It is one man's nearly lifelong, worldwide adventure." --"Booklist""Even the most jaded armchair traveler will enjoy these breezy anecdotal vignettes from Podell's 50 years of journeying. ... This is absolutely not a travel guide but rather a shout-out to those who crave adventure from someone who persists with good luck and no fear of the unknown.""""--Library Journal"

It's like "Crocodile Dundee" produced by Monty Python and directed by Woody Allen. "Tony Wheeler, founder of Lonely Planet"

Podell's passport would be a more fascinating read than many a thriller, but the stories behind each stamp in his mad quest to touch every corner in the world are even better. This is a great book by an even greater traveler. "Peter Allison, author of Whatever You Do, Don't Run: True Tales of a Botswana Safari Guide"

The fastest and most thrilling adventure book ever. "Tracie Max Sachs, five-time World Cup speed-skiing champion"

Podell traveled the world having more hair-raising misadventures and harrowing escapes than Indiana Jones. He survived them all to write this delightful book.... perhaps the broadest range of human cultures ever portrayed in a single book. And he puts these intriguing experiences in the context of major events and world history. It sets a new standard for adventure travel books. "Will Lutwick, author of Dodging Machetes"

Swashbuckler, philosopher, humorist, Al Podell has lived, and written, a splendidly rollicking adventure. "Trevor Morrison, Dean, New York University School of Law"

I tell my students to live life fully, and Al Podell's "tour de force," described in fascinating detail in this wonderful book, shows that he has done just that. "John Sexton, president, New York University"

This fascinating book is filled with adventurous curiosity and constant drama, and written with delight, humor, and compassion. "James Fulton Hoge, Jr., former editor of Foreign Affairs and publisher of New York Daily News"

The author's tales are unquestionably entertaining. There is never a dull moment. "Kirkus Reviews"

His writing is breathtaking. This is substantially more than a travel book. It is one man's nearly lifelong, worldwide adventure. "Booklist"

Even the most jaded armchair traveler will enjoy these breezy anecdotal vignettes from Podell's 50 years of journeying. This is absolutely not a travel guide but rather a shout-out to those who crave adventure from someone who persists with good luck and no fear of the unknown. "Library Journal"

Part travel adventure tale and part madcap farcical comedy, where Hunter Thompson meets Anthony Bourdain. "Chicago Tribune"

An engaging and colorful storyteller. ... Even if your desire for exotic travel never takes you out of your reading chair, you'll find Podell a fascinating companion. "Bookpage"

Albert Podell tells of his adventures with gusto, bravado, and humor in "Around the World in 50 Years." "Portland Book Review"

"Amazing...the most original travel narrative ever written." "Counterpunch""

"It's like Crocodile Dundee produced by Monty Python and directed by Woody Allen." --Tony Wheeler, founder of Lonely Planet

"Podell's passport would be a more fascinating read than many a thriller, but the stories behind each stamp in his mad quest to touch every corner in the world are even better. This is a great book by an even greater traveler." --Peter Allison, author of Whatever You Do, Don't Run: True Tales of a Botswana Safari Guide

"The fastest and most thrilling adventure book ever." --Tracie Max Sachs, five-time World Cup speed-skiing champion

"Podell traveled the world having more hair-raising misadventures and harrowing escapes than Indiana Jones. He survived them all to write this delightful book.... perhaps the broadest range of human cultures ever portrayed in a single book. And he puts these intriguing experiences in the context of major events and world history. It sets a new standard for adventure travel books." --Will Lutwick, author of Dodging Machetes

"Swashbuckler, philosopher, humorist, Al Podell has lived, and written, a splendidly rollicking adventure." --Trevor Morrison, Dean, New York University School of Law

"I tell my students to live life fully, and Al Podell's tour de force, described in fascinating detail in this wonderful book, shows that he has done just that." --John Sexton, president, New York University

"This fascinating book is filled with adventurous curiosity and constant drama, and written with delight, humor, and compassion." --James Fulton Hoge, Jr., former editor of Foreign Affairs and publisher of New York Daily News

"The author's tales are unquestionably entertaining. ... There is never a dull moment." --Kirkus Reviews

"His writing is breathtaking. ... This is substantially more than a travel book. It is one man's nearly lifelong, worldwide adventure." --Booklist

"Even the most jaded armchair traveler will enjoy these breezy anecdotal vignettes from Podell's 50 years of journeying. ... This is absolutely not a travel guide but rather a shout-out to those who crave adventure from someone who persists with good luck and no fear of the unknown." --Library Journal

"Part travel adventure tale and part madcap farcical comedy, where Hunter Thompson meets Anthony Bourdain." --Chicago Tribune

"An engaging and colorful storyteller. ... Even if your desire for exotic travel never takes you out of your reading chair, you'll find Podell a fascinating companion." --Bookpage

"Albert Podell tells of his adventures with gusto, bravado, and humor in Around the World in 50 Years." --Portland Book Review

"Amazing...the most original travel narrative ever written." --Counterpunch

ALBERT PODELL has been an editor at Playboy and three national outdoor magazines and has written more than 250 freelance articles. He was co-leader of the Trans World Record Expedition and co-author of Who Needs A Road?, an adventure classic still in print after nearly five decades. He holds a B.A. in government from Cornell, was the graduate fellow of the Committee on International Relations at the University of Chicago, and received a law degree from New York University. He lives in New York and is an all-around outdoorsman--skier, boarder, mountaineer, climber, camper, hiker, biker, archer, angler, surfer, kayaker, scuba diver, windsurfer, long-distance swimmer, and vegetable gardener.