The Backpacker is a true story about an English office worker named John Harris who, near the end of a three-week holiday in India, decides to chuck a life of security and monotony and begin a life on the backroads of Asia. In this tale, John takes the reader on a wild ride through the islands of Thailand, down Malaysia to Singapore, to Indonesia on a stolen ship and finally to Hong Kong via Australia. Along the way, John and his band of merry adventurers drink, smoke, meet tons of girls and basically get themselves involved in all sorts of quagmires and skirmishes.

I picked up this book at an airport in Thailand, and I have to admit, if this story were fiction, it wouldn't have worked as well. But knowing that it was true made it a lot of fun to read. I think any person who has dreamed of leaving a life of cubicles, stale coffee and inertia behind for something different would love this book. It would also appeal to anyone who has traveled in Asia, or backpacked anywhere in the world. He definitely captures some of the quirks and traits that one can find in backpackers all over the world.