Thirty-two fiction writers take their turns writing about their nonfiction travel adventures in Lonely Planet's Better Than Fiction. From Isabel Allende to Arnold Zable, editor Don George pulls together a wide gamut of off-the-beaten track tales that swing the reader around the world in a whirlwind. These writers apply their capable skills to real-life adventures; rafting down the Bear Trap Canyon with Peter Matthiessen or a scary foot chase through the deserted streets of Kosti with Joe Yogerst are as engrossing as any short story. Despite language barriers, cultural barriers and lack of money, these travelers ventured forth, searching for adventure and a meaning to life. Readers should expect to encounter the strange, the unusual and the unrecognizable as only a Lonely Planet book can bring them to light. From the inner walls of San Quentin to Mumbai, Mexico, West Cork, Java, Antarctica and everywhere in between, the sights, smells, tastes, textures and sounds of the world linger in the mind long after each short narrative is done. They provide glimpses into the thoughts and lives of well-known and lesser-known authors and give readers an armchair view of places and experiences many of us will never know any other way. --Lee E. Cart, freelance writer and book reviewer