This isn't a novel in the traditional sense. La vuelta al mundo de un novelista; vol. 2/3 is the middle chapter of Blasco Ibáñez's real-life journey around the globe in the early 20th century. He writes with the eye of a novelist, turning his experiences into a gripping narrative.

The Story

The book picks up as Ibáñez leaves Europe behind and plunges into the Americas. He's dazzled and overwhelmed by the sheer scale and speed of New York City, calling it a 'titanic spectacle.' He then travels south, offering sharp observations on post-colonial Cuba and the monumental, human-made wonder of the newly opened Panama Canal. The journey's second half is a radical shift as he arrives in Japan. Here, he grapples with a culture that feels utterly alien to him. He describes everything from geisha traditions and tea ceremonies to the stoic resilience he perceives in the Japanese people, often comparing it directly to the American way of life he just left. The volume ends with him setting sail again, leaving the reader eager to follow him to the next continent.

Why You Should Read It

What makes this book so compelling is Ibáñez himself. He's a fantastic character—passionate, biased, witty, and sometimes frustrating. You're not getting a neutral report. You're getting his very strong opinions on everything from American capitalism to Japanese art. This is its greatest strength. Reading it today, you get a double history lesson: one about the places he visits in the 1920s, and one about the mindset of a European intellectual of that era. His descriptions are cinematic. When he writes about the cacophony of New York harbor or the serene beauty of a Japanese garden, you feel like you're right there with him. It's a reminder that great travel writing is less about the destination and more about the unique lens of the traveler.

Final Verdict

This is a perfect pick for readers who love history, travel, and personality-driven nonfiction. If you enjoyed books like Bill Bryson's A Walk in the Woods for their humor and insight, you'll appreciate Ibáñez's voice, though his is from a different century. It's also ideal for anyone fascinated by the 1920s and that moment when the world was both expanding and shrinking due to new technology. A word of caution: his cultural observations are very much of their time and can be jarring. Read it not as a perfect guide, but as a captivating, flawed, and incredibly vivid personal diary from a vanished world. You'll come away feeling like you've time-traveled.