Laurie Woolever on world travel: Through Tony’s eyes

Laurie Woolever, who co-wrote ‘World Travel’ with Anthony Bourdain, says the book is an artefact of the world as it was when the chef, author and television host, visited it

One would imagine a travel guide has no place at a time when travel is either a distant dream, or a nightmare. Yet here is World Travel (Bloomsbury, ₹699) by celebrated chef, author and television host, Anthony Bourdain, who died in June 2018, and his long-time assistant, Laurie Woolever. “The idea of a travel book seemed insignificant from the perspective of a world that had stopped travelling,” states Woolever over a video call from New York City. She adds, however “With parts of the world opening up again, and people feeling comfortable about travelling, this book seems to come at a perfect time. If you are in a place where it is not safe to travel, this book can be a surrogate, a way to fantasise and remember. Then there are those who do not travel, like my mother, who is unwell. She loves to read about the world and watch old episodes of Tony’s show to see Madagascar or Mozambique.”