I am old enough to remember life without smartphones and “apps.” Are you? I thank the publisher for sending me a copy of Paper Maps, No Apps by Johnny Welsh at no charge for my honest review.
About Paper Maps No Apps:
What starts off as a dare turns into a social experiment that becomes a way of life. A young couple creates a fun way to stay connected by disconnecting. Unplugging the phones and being present are the rules. This travel adventure quickly turns into a self-deprecating comedy about bad smartphone habits. Chance encounters and characters met on the road are intertwined throughout.Is the smartphone addiction phenomenon driving you crazy? Are we relying too much on instant technology? There can be life without these devices, but where is this balance between the tech and physical worlds? Discover how reduction in technology can lead to your serendipitous adventure. WARNING: Strange things might happen, like conversations and live interactions. You may even develop an insatiable desire for travelling unplugged.
About the Author:
Johnny Welsh has worked as a professional bartender in Frisco, Colorado, for almost twenty years. Born in Atlantic City, New Jersey, he has a BA in Italian Language, Literature and Culture from Syracuse University. Few people have heard more–or more varied–tales than Johnny the bartender.
My Opinion:
For those of you too young to remember there was actually a time when you had to plot out your travel on a map. Yes, a paper map. You had to pull it out, figure out your route, write the instructions down and read them them as you drove.
Fun times.
I still remember discovering the joy of Route 295 in New Jersey. It is, in a certain section Rte. 295 N. AND Rte. 295 S. AT THE SAME TIME. That messes with your mind people. I remember when MapQuest debuted and when GPS started talking for car travel.
I am old.
But there was something to learning how to read a map. You also learned very quickly how to get where you were going but my nostalgia for times gone by is not what this book is about.
Mr. Welsh has a very easy writing style – rather like reading a series of journal or blog posts. It really is like he is sitting there talking to you and telling his story. I am not the most plugged in person but I must admit that I would miss my smartphone. I have gotten too used to just picking it up when I need an answer. Mr. Welsh and his friends decide to pursue their travels without modern technology.
It is an entertaining and yes, thought provoking book. The efforts made to connect without the usual methods and the people met along the way are all the perfect players to the backdrop of the places visited. For a different and fun read do check this one out.
Rating:
4
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