What makes Nicolas Bouvier such a well?loved travel writer is his exquisite sensitivity to the beauties of life, and his ability to capture those elusive moments in a style that is light, yet pregnant with wonder. Whether he s delirious in the wintery Aran Isles, where the air `unites the virtues of champagne, cocaine, caffeine, and the ecstasy of love or singing the praises of his Chinese tour guide, this collection of his shorter travel pieces brims with his particular joie de vivre.