Adventure Capitalist

The Ultimate Investor's Road Trip

By: Jim Rogers

Narrated by: Paul Boehmer

Length: 12 hrs and 8 mins

Publisher's Summary

It's the ultimate road trip. Legendary investor Jim Rogers and his fiancee travel to 116 countries in a custom-built, four-wheel-drive, bright yellow Mercedes. Over three years, they make their way through war zones, are guarded by military convoys, observe a 50-million-person pilgrimage, eat disgusting food, put the car on barges for transport between countries, and have their lives threatened at every turn. As well as describing his adventures, Rogers has plenty to say about the economies and roads he encounters on his journey. (Naturally, he's driven on the best roads and the worst.) With his keen financial acumen, he picks out those countries with the highest prospective economic success and which ones are headed for disaster. All in all, a wonderful trip.

©2003 Beeland Interest, Inc. (P)2003 Books on Tape, Inc.

Critic Reviews

"Rogers' insightful commentary on the political and historical topography of these diverse countries cuts through stereotypes to give us a glimpse of the world the way it really is, for better or worse. This is a gutsy travelogue adventure from a guy who shoots straight from the hip, and it really hits the mark." (Booklist)

New Perspective

A very entertaining audiobook. One of the ones you just hate to turn off - and hate to see end. I came away with more of an understanding of global economics, cultures, and politics than through years of classes - and enjoying every minute of the trip. I would love, like Jim Rogers, to "retire" early and travel the world. But, in the meantime, this book requires a lot less planning - and is far less expensive.

Get the abridged version

I purchased the unabridged version, but somehow got the abridged version. It was quickly fixed, but in the meantime I listened to part of the abridged version. Its a quick and fun listen read by the author.

Then I listened to the unabridged version, or rather tried to. These are two completely different books. The abridged is read by the author who, despite his unprofessional reading, reads from a perspective of actually being there and knowing his own voice. You get the feeling that you're being told a story from the person who lived it. The unabridged version lacks that excitement.

If you like these types of books, then get the abridged version. You may disagree with the author's politics/philosophy, but its still a fun adventure story.

Content great, narration not so great.

I read/listened to the abridged version of AC the first time around. Because I normally avoid abridged books, I grabbed the unabridged when I finally found it.

In this case, I would have to suggest grabbing the abridged version and the actual book rather than relying on the unabridged version. The narrator seems to miss the tone of the actual text, leaving the listener with something less than if he had hit the mark. His choice to "act" the foreign voices was a mistake, as it comes off as a distraction. A would-be 4.

Mixed Bag

As has been noted in previous reviews, the author does not seem to be lacking in self-confident (and self-serving) pronouncements, which I found quite tiresome. The reader of this version does make some rather odd choices in pronunciation and faux-accents. But here's the thing-- once you get past the annoying aspects of this audiobook (and they are many), there's some interesting stuff here told from a perspective which was new to me. While I don't agree with some of the author's political views, I do trust that he understands something about investing and has an interesting economic viewpoint from which he evaluates different countries. As an anthropologist myself, I would have liked to have seen more cultural details and less facile renderings of history and customs. Still, it made me think and learn-- which is always appreciated. You may be better off getting the abridged version however, which is read by the author rather than the hired narrator for the unabridged version.

Have car, will travel

I thought it was entertaining. No, the author isn't a professional reader, but his southern accent grows on you. I was simply amazed that he drove around the world. Anyone who drives around the world has to have some sort of opinion about things. As a successful business man, his insight was mainly from an investors point of view. He makes it personal though, as if you were in the car and he was showing you around town. You won't walk away knowing the meaning of life, but I think you will be inspired to go out and find it.

Old Hat

Rogers has been goofing off, travelling the world and telling us about it since the FIRST Bush Administration, and it's becoming tiresome. Yes, he's rich and smart and not some working stiff like us, but does he really need to keep writing vanity books about that, and do we really need to buy them? I think not. His brilliant insights are usually along the lines of "you have to play the stock market SMART to make money (like me)" or "what's better than going to B-school is becoming a successful businessman without going to business school (like me)" or "what this [insert developing nation here] has to do to get ahead is to stabilize its currency, build an economic infrastructure and create a positive business environment (like duh)." If you haven't read Investment Biker or his numerous articles and features you'll probably enjoy this book. But I wouldn't put it on my list of 1,000 books to read before I die.

Interesing travel book with superficial insights.

This book weaves back and forth between two halves. The first is an interesting series of adventures the author has while driving the world. The second half is full of half-baked, superficial historical, economic and financial insights. If you can withstand the barrage of neo-libertarian 'insights' and are not offended by someone who sees the world through green-tinted lenses, I recommend this book.

The narrator, however, is horrible with ridiculous foreign accents and an inability to pronounce foreign words and names, such as the name of London's Thames river.

Fubn ride around the world.

A bit dated but fine.

Audible shouldn't require me to write 15 words. Short reviews are often best.

No such thing a new economy.

wow. what an awesome gem of wisdom. jump to the last chapter then go to the beginning. Nothing new under sun. Good crystal ball into present and future of the global economy.

Much more interesting than expected!

After initial bragging I found his travels interesting and informative. I'm sure his children will benefit from his education.