WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT BUMBLING THROUGH SUMATRA:
SELECT MEDIA & INDUSTRY REVIEWS:
“Bumbling Through Sumatra is an educational, comic adventure tracing a mythic architect’s bumbling stumbles through the Strait of Malacca, ports in Malaysia, and across Sumatra, ‘one of the most important and fascinating places on the planet right now,’ with regard to the threatened rate of destruction of rainforests, habitats, ecosystems, and cultural erosion. Bumbling Through Sumatra presents these challenges in the guise of the clumsy travels of a fictitious cast of a ‘rag-tag troupe of international backpackers’ who are determined to ‘See the world before (they) leave it.’ Driven by a mysterious quest for ancient cultural knowledge in the area, the group embarks on a series of adventures and explorations that take them from Borneo to Malaysia and to Sumatra and the Mentawai Islands through pirate-infested ports and waters. Amidst the 200 plus comic illustrations and maps and charts, a great deal of hard data about the area around Sumatra is presented. A telling list of Bumbling Traveler Tips at the end of the book help communicate the underlying philosophy of the author. They include sections titled Learn About the Country, Behavior, Transportation, Support the Locals, and Minimize Your Environmental Impact. An additional list of internet resources points to more information about Sumatra and surrounding areas. Bumbling Through Sumatra is first rate education disguised as entertainment, appealing to both young adults and more mature audiences.”
— Nancy Lorraine, Midwest Book Review, June 2010
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“The only problem with Bumbling Through Sumatra is deciding whether to read the cracker of an adventure story or meandering over to the pages about piracy, orangutans or what causes a tsunami. The thing is those pages are just as engaging as the story. Devious man that Tom Schmidt … makes you learn stuff without your realising it.”
— Joan Lau, Managing Editor, The Malaysian Insider
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“I enjoyed Bumbling Through Sumatra and am very supportive of the environmental awareness and culturally sensitive messages that are promoted in this book. It is a very educational and informative book while providing an entertaining way of telling various conservation messages through adventurous stories. The illustration and narration blend together very well, and brings the reader to explore the uniqueness of Sumatra’s land, water, culture and rich biodiversity.”
— Desmarita Murni, Communications Coordinator, WWF – Indonesia
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“Much like what Redmond O’Hanlon’s book, Into the Heart of Borneo, and others like it did for a score of adventure seekers, Thomas Schmidt’s book will tantalize those whom long for adventures in far-away places in Asia. There is much in this book to captivate the reader — the beautifully drawn illustrations, interesting characters, rich histories, encounters with local peoples and their customs, and tidbits about everything from pirates to indigenous cultures to the orangutan. In today’s world of tailored tourism, it is refreshing to see Schmidt travel the way travel ought to be done — with arms, eyes, and mind wide open.”
— Robert Lee, Ecologist, UNESCO
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“Bumbling Through Sumatra is funny, beautiful and informative. It conveys the local colors, describes the local communities with respect, and highlights environmental problems. It is a new kind of travelling book which I recommend everyone to read, not only us former backpackers. I am eagerly waiting for the third book in the series.”
— Mahmud Bangkaru, Founder of Yayasan Pulau Banyak (Foundation), Aceh
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“Architect, artist, writer, and modern-day adventurer, Tom Schmidt has combined his imaginative talents to thankfully create this engrossing sequel. Bumbling Through Sumatra picks up the dangling closure of his first book, continuing the travels and travails of his intrepid group in hiking, sailing, riding, or biking their way through some of the planet’s last fragile environments. The reader becomes the silent companion to his undaunted trekkers, connecting on many levels with their discoveries and disappointments in exotic places.With his entertaining drawing and journalistic writing styles, he brings into focus Sumatra’s people, customs, foods, wildlife, and architecture — and more. From the informative, well-researched sidebars of important ecologic facts, environmental or cultural issues, as well as practical traditions of everyday life, readers will become aware of the country’s biodiversity and its endangered condition.Travelers will be excited enough to get bags ready for a trip of their own. For readers of any age and culture, Bumbling Through Sumatra is a uniquely conceived, very entertaining book –– and sheer fun!”
— Frank M. Costantino, Co-Founder, President Emeritus, American Society of Architectural Illustrators
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“A wonderful blend of story and things-you-should-know about Sumatra, really well written. Travelling to Sumatra? Take this. And a bednet.”
— Rob Mather, Founder, Against Malaria Foundation
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SELECT READER REVIEWS:
“Following Bumbling Through Borneo, the second sequel of Bumbling Bob’s adventures takes its readers onto yet another meaningful journey through Sumatra (an island parallel to peninsular Malaysia to the north and adjacent to the Indonesian island of Java to the east). As Bob, Jon, and Akira set foot on Sumatra, an international mix of people would join in to give the story a number of interesting twists and turns. Apart from encountering sea pirates in the Strait of Malacca, playing guitar with the indigenous tribes of the Mentawai islands, and joining in the buffalo fights, the “ad hoc” backpacking journey from the sea to the land offers about some of the most interesting looks at the lives of the natives from their beliefs, customs, practices, foods, to modes of communication. As an architect himself, Schmidt illustrated his readers the unique Malay architecture in the midst of the adventure, as well as the biodiversity of the region and yet the threat to nature as a result of a series of illegal deforestation activities there. Filled with beautiful illustrations and humorous in tone, Bumbling Through Sumatra has proven to be another delightful and valuable read.”
— Selina Lai, Hong Kong