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 The book was a gift. I probably wouldn't have bought it even though I am a cross contry motorcycle rider myself. After about 50 pages I put it down, but when I again picked it up weeks later, I was totally absorbed. Riding a motorcycle around the world is enough for a book, but throw in the wisdom of the seasoned international investor on the foreign markets he visited along with his personal observations of the curtural and economic aspects of these nations, and it is worthwhile reading. Building block by block he constructs the economic model for the collapse of the United States based on ancient and modern history.
If you enjoy travel adventure and the conquering of adversity, this book is for you! Plenty of close calls to keep you interested!
If you're interested in international investment, you will find a fair amount of data here as well. Some of this data is already far out of date, as the world changes quickly.
Motorcyclists will find the tale rather amusing, as Rogers demonstrates that he was ill-prepared for a journey of this magnitude. His choice of machines for the trip was but the first error of many on his part.
One irritating theme throughout the book was Rogers' use of "dollar diplomacy." His solution to any on-the-road problem was the liberal application of US currency. He completely misses the likelihood that many of his problems with corrupt officials were the direct result of his flashy display of wealth! It was evident from the book that he expected everyone he encountered to play by American rules. Truly an "Ugly American" abroad.
I have found certain aspects of Rogers' investing style interesting. He has a knack for detecting social trends in advance of the influence this would have on the stock. He did this by subscribing to and reading something like 90 mass-market magazines and trade publications and looking for trends. For example, years ago, when the "natural look" was sweeping the country and women were shunning make-up, he saw this and shorted Avon Cosmetics. The stock was trading around 80 or 90 at the time and was still considered a solid company. He covered his short two years later when the stock was below 10 bucks. Not too bad. Rogers' travelogue isn't a typical traver-writer's story, since he is so focused on the economics of the different countries, but I didn't mind that at all as I am an international investor myself, and wanted to hear his observations on these countries. For example, he finds Botswana, north of South Africa, a good bet for investors since it is equally as resource and mineral rich as South Africa, but without all the racial and tribal problems it and other African countries has. The country is mostly one tribe but the other two main minority tribes get along well so the country lacks the tribal tensions that have led to all out civil wars in other regions of the continent. Furthermore, he notes that both political parties are solidly capitalistic and want a prosperous stock market. This is just one example of the interesting observations Rogers makes as he travels around the world on his motorcycle. There are many more of these in the book, so I would recommend this book to anybody with an interest in international investing. The compelling reason for this approach is that the US market is acting so toppy and PE's are at historical highs. However, if you are knowledgeable about other markets in the world, it is possible to find investment opportunities elsewhere in countries whose markets are not so over-valued.
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I'm an avid motorcyclist as well as a business professional and I absolutely loved this book. I couldn't put it down. If you're planning a long bike trip, I strongly recommend it - gives you insight into what unexpected things could crop up as well as ideas about planning. I also found the book quite motivational - made me want to take the bull by the horns (no stock market pun intended..
