‘Do Travel Writers Go to Hell?’ is ‘Selling Well’

Travel Blog • Michael Yessis • 04.28.08 | 12:11 PM ET

That little nugget is buried near the end of yet another story—this one by Michael Shapiro in the Washington Post—about Thomas Kohnstamm and the controversy surrounding his book “Do Travel Writers Go to Hell?” What “selling well” means in concrete terms, though, isn’t clear. Shapiro writes, “Kohnstamm’s publicist wouldn’t disclose sales figures but says the book has already been reprinted.” Whether the controversy stimulated or possibly depressed sales, then, remains an open question.

An interesting sidebar about guidebook publishers and their policies on free travel accompanies the piece. Fodor’s, Frommer’s, Rough Guides, Moon and Rick Steves all say they allow it if there’s no form of quid pro quo.

Kohnstamm will enter the fray again tomorrow, sitting for an online chat at the Post at 12 p.m. Note: That link now goes to a transcript.