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Naked in Dangerous Places: The Chronicles of a Hungry, Scared, Lost, Homesick, but Otherwise Perfectly Happy Traveler
Finally, after years as a struggling radio host, Cash Peters has been given his own TV adventure show on a big-time travel network. The idea is “Let’s dump him in an unfamiliar culture in a faraway land with no money and no place to stay, and see what happens.”
Unfortunately, there is one major Cash doesn’t want to go. Not only is he NOT the adventurous type, he is afraid of nearly everything and horribly allergic to the rest.
Bottom they’ve given the show to the wrong guy.
Naked in Dangerous Places is the story of one man’s efforts to remain sane in an insane world. Told with wit and shameless honesty, it documents a yearlong journey through exotic lands, from Kenya to Cambodia, Morocco to Dubai, as Cash drops in on fascinating cultures, eating, drinking, even sleeping in cow-dung huts with the locals, and eventually proving the truth of the old saying “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” Though, to be honest, killing you is more likely.
Unfortunately, there is one major Cash doesn’t want to go. Not only is he NOT the adventurous type, he is afraid of nearly everything and horribly allergic to the rest.
Bottom they’ve given the show to the wrong guy.
Naked in Dangerous Places is the story of one man’s efforts to remain sane in an insane world. Told with wit and shameless honesty, it documents a yearlong journey through exotic lands, from Kenya to Cambodia, Morocco to Dubai, as Cash drops in on fascinating cultures, eating, drinking, even sleeping in cow-dung huts with the locals, and eventually proving the truth of the old saying “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” Though, to be honest, killing you is more likely.
368 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
10 people are currently reading
154 people want to read
About the author
Cash Peters
23 books28 followersCash Peters is an author and broadcaster based in Los Angeles, California.
-from cashpeters.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
September 17, 2012
I didn't get too far into this before giving up. I think a few things would have made me enjoy it better:
1) Had I been able to hear the author's English accent. I'm sure that does a lot to sell his otherwise annoying personality.
2) Had a known who the author was. He may be very charming on the radio or tv, but I had never heard of him, so a book which was, essentially, all about him wasn't too interesting to me.
3) If he'd spent more time writing like a travel writer instead of like a self-aggrandazing tv personality. Any descriptions of the locations he travelled to were shrouded in "this is why I was so crazy for going here..." language, or spending too much time describing how he and the rest of the television crew approached this place, rather than the place itself.
4) If the writing had been better. He spends not-a-few paragraphs griping about bad writers and reality tv stars who aren't worth their salt, but doesn't make much of an effort to set himself apart from the group he lambasts.
I did like the premise of hearing what goes on behind the scenes of a "reality" show (in quotation marks because it's reality like "Man vs. Wild" not "Survivor." There's no competition aspect.) I found it very amusing that he had to exit the plane in his new, impossibly remote location, three times, each time "looking surprised" so the cameraman could get several shots. Other than that, I just couldn't get into the story. He was a little schizophrenic in his telling of it, and like I said, the writing wasn't good enough to hold my attention, and his personality was grating. I guess next time I shouldn't pick up a book just because it has a naked man on the cover.
1) Had I been able to hear the author's English accent. I'm sure that does a lot to sell his otherwise annoying personality.
2) Had a known who the author was. He may be very charming on the radio or tv, but I had never heard of him, so a book which was, essentially, all about him wasn't too interesting to me.
3) If he'd spent more time writing like a travel writer instead of like a self-aggrandazing tv personality. Any descriptions of the locations he travelled to were shrouded in "this is why I was so crazy for going here..." language, or spending too much time describing how he and the rest of the television crew approached this place, rather than the place itself.
4) If the writing had been better. He spends not-a-few paragraphs griping about bad writers and reality tv stars who aren't worth their salt, but doesn't make much of an effort to set himself apart from the group he lambasts.
I did like the premise of hearing what goes on behind the scenes of a "reality" show (in quotation marks because it's reality like "Man vs. Wild" not "Survivor." There's no competition aspect.) I found it very amusing that he had to exit the plane in his new, impossibly remote location, three times, each time "looking surprised" so the cameraman could get several shots. Other than that, I just couldn't get into the story. He was a little schizophrenic in his telling of it, and like I said, the writing wasn't good enough to hold my attention, and his personality was grating. I guess next time I shouldn't pick up a book just because it has a naked man on the cover.
March 12, 2014
Hilarious and well written with the skillful use of language I've come to associate with this author. This is the account of the making of the TV series in which the host is meant to appear lost in a foreign land without money or a place to stay and is thus reliant on the charity of the natives.
The schedule is very gruelling involving visiting thirty two countries in little over twelve months, taking cheap,round about flights.Not only was the author expected to host the show,but was responsible for co production,script writing, voice overs, promotions etc. The prediction of his neighbour "this is going to kill you" almost came about as he had to have a life saving operation en route!
Much of humour stems from the author's knowledge and admission of his lack of suitability for the adventurous tasks expected of him .In addition to everything else he has to cope with various allergies and phobias, all of which he relates in a very amusing and self depricating way.
We are taken to Vanuatu, "The land that trousers forgot", Lesbos, Dubai, Alaska and Kenya to name but a few.
I found there was just enough background information on each place, both geographical and historical, to make it interesting - and always entertaining and amusing, especially the footnotes
The characters are well described and come alive, both the crew members and natives met en route.
There is , of course, the added interest of insight into the filming procedure.
All in all an amusing, honest and informative account which I recommend highly.
The schedule is very gruelling involving visiting thirty two countries in little over twelve months, taking cheap,round about flights.Not only was the author expected to host the show,but was responsible for co production,script writing, voice overs, promotions etc. The prediction of his neighbour "this is going to kill you" almost came about as he had to have a life saving operation en route!
Much of humour stems from the author's knowledge and admission of his lack of suitability for the adventurous tasks expected of him .In addition to everything else he has to cope with various allergies and phobias, all of which he relates in a very amusing and self depricating way.
We are taken to Vanuatu, "The land that trousers forgot", Lesbos, Dubai, Alaska and Kenya to name but a few.
I found there was just enough background information on each place, both geographical and historical, to make it interesting - and always entertaining and amusing, especially the footnotes
The characters are well described and come alive, both the crew members and natives met en route.
There is , of course, the added interest of insight into the filming procedure.
All in all an amusing, honest and informative account which I recommend highly.
July 25, 2009
I started this one somewhat bemused and intrigued by the authors obvious candor. Agreeing to do a travel show on the premise of being "washed up" with no money or contacts (except the very obvious crew accompanying him) was bound to have some interesting moments... except, the man was an absolute weenie and refused to participate in the moments of adventure in most places he landed. WHY did he even agree to do the show if he knew he was so phobic and knew he had no interest in broadening his horizons. His increasing whininess in the travelogue causes the few good points to be quickly buried. Near the very end, there is one redeeming moment - but it was not enough, in my opinion, to relieve the wet blanket of an experience this man had. Had he sucked it up earlier and dove in, even with fear, his experience might have been worth reading. As it is, it sounds like he got a paid vacation to a lot of places someone else might have loved to go, and he moaned the whole way. Who needs to read that?
January 21, 2010
This book is great if you are fan of traveling and reality television. Cash Peter's is the host of a travel show, that makes it look like he is stranded in a new local every episode. The locations range from the middle east to the small Danish town of Solvang, California. Peters must bond with the locals and get them invite him into their homes for food and shelter. Of course this is television, so the entire thing is set up from the start.
The show, which is never mentioned by name or network, ran for two seasons and honestly sounds horrific, and definitely like something I would have secretly watched, but never admit to having done so! One really funny aspect of the book are the viewer letters. Some are just hilarious.
Peters is very likeable as an author and an unlikely host of a travel show. It was a fun read.
The show, which is never mentioned by name or network, ran for two seasons and honestly sounds horrific, and definitely like something I would have secretly watched, but never admit to having done so! One really funny aspect of the book are the viewer letters. Some are just hilarious.
Peters is very likeable as an author and an unlikely host of a travel show. It was a fun read.
August 31, 2010
Funny and unvarnished, this satisfying read recounts Peters' year he spent toiling to make a survival TV show for the Discovery Channel. From Kenya to Cambodia, Morocco to Dubai, he visits many fascinating cultures, eats and sleeps with them, and very nearly doesn't survive at all. This is the perfect short, pick-me-up read. It was only a matter of time until he branched out from his hilarious, public radio pieces.
June 12, 2009
Cash Peters takes us on a hilarious trip around the world while filming a travel show. The book is a fun read taking us to several really interesting locales such as Angkor Wat in Cambodia, Solvang in California, and the island of Lesbos in Greece. It's also fun getting a behind the scenes of a travel show. Fun light read.
August 31, 2014
When I picked up this book, I had not heard of the author or his TV show. I chose to read it because it looked to be a humorous travel narrative and I like those. I have read a few reviews on this site, where people have grumbled about various aspects of this book. Amongst the complaints are that the author grumbles too much and is not willing to do some things, eat some things etc. Plus, there is too much talk about the show and the crew and not just on his travel experiences. Well, just because you are travelling and are in new and different places, does not mean your allergies magically disappear, not to mention your phobias...or just downright sense of personal safety and common sense. Also, I liked how the author was basically critical about the whole concept of 'reality TV' and even his own show, pointing out the ridiculous premise of it. And I liked how he was not afraid to point out that a place/situation was kinda crappy. There are a lot of shitty aspects to travelling and I liked his honesty...and his sense of humour about it all. He didn't sugar coat everything.
My main gripe was that he didn't include stories about all the places he visited, pointing out that the book would have ended up being way too long. How about some follow up volumes, then?
If you want a 'feel good, warm and fuzzy' travel narrative, look elsewhere. If you want some biting wit and warts and all commentary on various places, then you have stumbled across the right book.
My main gripe was that he didn't include stories about all the places he visited, pointing out that the book would have ended up being way too long. How about some follow up volumes, then?
If you want a 'feel good, warm and fuzzy' travel narrative, look elsewhere. If you want some biting wit and warts and all commentary on various places, then you have stumbled across the right book.
July 28, 2010
What a disappointment. The title of this book might lead you to think that this (nonfiction) piece is actually about the stories of a happy traveler, but it's not. This is a book that Cash Peters seems to have written in order to drag out his fifteen minutes of fame from his stint as a reality TV host to sixteen minutes.
What this is not: a travel story.
What this is: a tell-all musings of a travel radio host who somehow, magically, ends up pitching the premise of a reality TV show (completely copied from the premise of Survivor, if he's to be believed) where he - the host - is dropped into a foreign land with no knowledge of where he is, with no money and nowhere to sleep. Being that this is a reality TV show, there are, of course, crew members. And although technically he has to find someone to offer him a stay in their home, he doesn't actually have to sleep there. Nor does he ever actually go hungry or meet strangers, because those he meets and interviews have all been pre-screened by the producers of the show.
In the end, this book is more about how reality TV is anything but real: it's contrived in every imaginable way in order to get viewers hooked. Perhaps I would have liked this book more if the publishers had been more forthcoming about what it really is, rather than posing it as something else. Much like the show itself, I suppose.
What this is not: a travel story.
What this is: a tell-all musings of a travel radio host who somehow, magically, ends up pitching the premise of a reality TV show (completely copied from the premise of Survivor, if he's to be believed) where he - the host - is dropped into a foreign land with no knowledge of where he is, with no money and nowhere to sleep. Being that this is a reality TV show, there are, of course, crew members. And although technically he has to find someone to offer him a stay in their home, he doesn't actually have to sleep there. Nor does he ever actually go hungry or meet strangers, because those he meets and interviews have all been pre-screened by the producers of the show.
In the end, this book is more about how reality TV is anything but real: it's contrived in every imaginable way in order to get viewers hooked. Perhaps I would have liked this book more if the publishers had been more forthcoming about what it really is, rather than posing it as something else. Much like the show itself, I suppose.
September 30, 2009
I'm a big Cash Peters fan having watched the show this book is based on, but after reading this (and his blog) I'm starting to feel like he's a little bit of a complainer and part of his problems might have to do with how he plays into them.
Not that the book wasn't funny, it was. Not that it wasn't better than his last travel book, it was as well. But the sort of easily shocked and discomfited thing he has that made the show (Stranded) so funny is probably what also strained his relationships a little. In short, he's a funny guy, but he strikes me as not the biggest team player. And while he's all right with that, it can make it a little hard for me to be on his side as much as I want to be.
Still, funny book, fast read, and I even learned a couple of things.
Not that the book wasn't funny, it was. Not that it wasn't better than his last travel book, it was as well. But the sort of easily shocked and discomfited thing he has that made the show (Stranded) so funny is probably what also strained his relationships a little. In short, he's a funny guy, but he strikes me as not the biggest team player. And while he's all right with that, it can make it a little hard for me to be on his side as much as I want to be.
Still, funny book, fast read, and I even learned a couple of things.
December 30, 2009
It was OK, it could have been really funny, actually it should have been really funny. But it wasn't. It was just OK. I'm not sure why. What a great title, but what lame follow through.
Anyway, Cash travels the world and pioneers the idea of a stranded traveler in a remote location. This was before Survivorman and others shows of the same ilk. He talks about the reality of filming a series and all the odd things they do but sadly Cash Peters himself comes off as kind of a whiny jerk. It's odd, I get the idea that he probably isn't nearly as annoying as he makes himself out to be, and his own overly critical self-perception is a serious detriment to a reader looking for the humor they were led to believe they would find in this book.
Anyway, Cash travels the world and pioneers the idea of a stranded traveler in a remote location. This was before Survivorman and others shows of the same ilk. He talks about the reality of filming a series and all the odd things they do but sadly Cash Peters himself comes off as kind of a whiny jerk. It's odd, I get the idea that he probably isn't nearly as annoying as he makes himself out to be, and his own overly critical self-perception is a serious detriment to a reader looking for the humor they were led to believe they would find in this book.
July 23, 2010
From the cover and blurb I was expecting more of an adventure travel memoir, but it turned out to be more of a Hollywood tell-all snarkfest. It's all about his experiences filming a reality TV show for the Travel Channel, which is still interesting in a behind-the-scenes sort of way, but I do feel a bit bait-and-switched. I wonder if he'll ever work in TV again or if he burned too many bridges with this book - but then, I think Hollywood has a tendency to forgive and forget if they think they can make money off someone.
I liked it when he was describing the misadventures of his travels, but I think he spent too much time being cynical and snarky for me to really say I loved it.
I liked it when he was describing the misadventures of his travels, but I think he spent too much time being cynical and snarky for me to really say I loved it.
May 24, 2011
Every year for Christmas my sister gets me a funny travelogue book such as this one. Unfortunately unlike the others I have read the past few years, the narrator here comes across as quite unlikeable. I had no idea who Cash Peters was before I read this book but coming out of it I discovered that our humble guide was nothing more than a whiny dullard. (Which may be his shtick?) There are a few interesting anecdotes and stories here and there but nothing really worth spending your time on. There are better options out there if you enjoy these sorts of things.
May 12, 2012
I'm not sure how it's a "snarky Hollywood tell-all" when no names are used.. Seems to me that it's more a "humorous inside look at a 'reality' TV show and the surrounding chaos."
Not quite as funny as "The Sex Lives of Cannibals," it's a humorous look at life on the road with "reality" TV in out-of-the-way places. It's not a documentary and probably not quite entirely true, but it's a humorous memoir, not a research paper.
Overall a good summer vacation read, especially if you're in to travel and TV (or, as I am, dismayed by "reality" TV.)
Not quite as funny as "The Sex Lives of Cannibals," it's a humorous look at life on the road with "reality" TV in out-of-the-way places. It's not a documentary and probably not quite entirely true, but it's a humorous memoir, not a research paper.
Overall a good summer vacation read, especially if you're in to travel and TV (or, as I am, dismayed by "reality" TV.)
June 1, 2009
I like hearing Peters' NPR pieces and I also enjoyed the TV show--the making of is the subject of this book.
Peters is a bit persnickety and eccentric but also has a great sense of humor. I could hear the timbre in his voice throughout the book, which helped me to connect with many of his stories.
I found some of the chapters a bit overwritten, making the book drag a little. Overall, I appreciate Peters' humor and found the book enjoyable but it didn't knock me out.
Peters is a bit persnickety and eccentric but also has a great sense of humor. I could hear the timbre in his voice throughout the book, which helped me to connect with many of his stories.
I found some of the chapters a bit overwritten, making the book drag a little. Overall, I appreciate Peters' humor and found the book enjoyable but it didn't knock me out.
February 10, 2014
This book was hilarious and quite enjoyable. Cash Peters is the host of a travel show, a job that most people probably envy. When we see it from his side we get to see the downside of traveling all over the world on someone else's dollar. There are parts where I would laugh out loud because of the situations his crew put him into. It's a great read and I look forward to reading other works by Cash Peters.
February 4, 2013
I used to watch Cash's show, "Stranded" on the Travel Channel years ago so it was interesting to see how it all came about with this book. I was a bit surprised to see what a coward he is in real life. It kind of killed the show for me, but his recall of the adventures really made me laugh out loud sometimes.
April 23, 2014
Picked the book up at the airport to fill a day of travelling. While there were a few humorous passages, overall the book was less than enjoyable. I am a little obsessive,typically forcing myself to finish all books started. This one didn't make the bottom of my list, but was also far from the top. Little knowledge of locations visited, little connection with the main character (author).
May 7, 2009
Interesting look at the life of a TV travel-show host. And a wimpy, reluctant one at that. Cash Peters is pretty funny, but I don't think this was the best use of his talents - parts of the book had exactly the kind of humor I like, but others seemed a little flat to me.
October 26, 2009
This book reads effortlessly, which sounds like fainter praise than it is. Peters also gets the award for the best humorous use of footnotes I've ever seen. There's not much real substance to this book, but I don't think that was ever the point. Just tagging along with Peters is fun enough.
July 15, 2010
The insights into making a tv show, were almost as good as the travel writing. And, as a person who suffers many problems with food concerns...it was nice to know that you could get paid to be an intrepid traveler w/o actually being one.
December 16, 2019
Light, somewhat entertaining reading. I recently reread it and agree with the author the the premise of the TV show about which he writes is completely lame and unbelievable. For some reason that hadn't sunk in with the first read.
June 11, 2012
One of the funniest books I've read. Cash is probably the worst person in the world to pick for a travel reality show. He's not adventurous, scared of a lot of things, and gets sick a lot. Which is what makes this fish-out-of-water, tongue-in-cheek memoir a riot. Relax, curl up, and enjoy!
July 22, 2013
Eh. Lots of complaining, lots of "I don't do that, I don't eat that" made for a pretty blah read sometimes. By the end, the author had figured out that he needed to cut that out but by then it was too late.
December 22, 2015
I thoroughly enjoyed Naked in Dangerous Places, it was whimsical, and informative, and had me chuckling out loud in places (not an easy feat). If you are a fan of sarcastic humor and dry wit, defiantly give this a go.
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June 6, 2009Very funny story of a reluctant traveller & reality cable show. Not unlike Martin Troost.
November 9, 2009
This book was hilarious. I read it in a day and a half and laughed all the way through. I can't believe they gave this guy a travel show. But hey, it's basic cable.
January 3, 2011
what a whiner! did not enjoy this ego-centric dither about mostly nothing.
January 14, 2011
The first half I enjoyed. The first couple of pages sucked me in. And then towards the end, I just got annoyed with him and wanted it to be over but I wanted to finish it. Oh well...
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews