I found this by serendipity at the public library. While the book makes a few generalizations, it is overall a pretty good example of a memoir. If you liked Persepolis, you might like this. By the way, the author was reading 1984 during his travel, which seems quite appropriate given where he is traveling. In fact, if I was still teaching seniors in high school when we had to read 1984, I might use this book as a supplement to the discussions. Pretty good reading overall, with a blend of some humor and some sadness. It can be hard hitting at times, and the sense of loneliness quite strong.