To Hellholes and Back

Bribes, Lies, and the Art of Extreme Tourism

In the widely acclaimed Smile When You’re Lying, Chuck Thompson laid bare the travel writing industry’s dirtiest secrets. In this put-up-or-shut-up follow-up (can Thompson write a better travel book than all the travel writers he bitched about in Smile?), he’s out to discover if some of the world’s most ill-reputed destinations live up to their bad raps, while confronting a few of his own travel anxieties in the process.

Whether traveling across the Congo with a former bodyguard from notorious dictator Joseph Mobutu’s retinue or diving into the heart of India’s monsoon season, To Hellholes and Back delivers Thompson’s trademark combination of hilarious stories and widely provocative opinions, as well as some surprising observations about America’s evolving place in the world.

To Hellholes and Back: Bribes, Lies, and the Art of Extreme Tourism

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“Funnier than Smile While You’re Lying . . . [Thompson’s] incisive observations and biting sense of humor make for some riveting reading.”
—Denver Post
“Riveting, hilarious, and wildly entertaining.”
—Booklist
“His observations are sharp and honest. A witty, provocative tale that . . . packs in plenty of local flavor and amusing anecdotes.”
—Kirkus
“Extremely irreverent.”
—Outside