The author near Murchison Falls in Uganda

Book Reviews

A 1960s Global Odyssey (Around The World in 8O Months)

“After a lifetime of wandering the world, I cannot watch a plane taking off, a yacht setting sail or a train pulling out of a station without wanting to be on it.” – The Author

Bravo to the author for producing such a well documented account of living and travelling in the sixties. The best of times! Both my husband and I have read this book, and enjoyed it immensely. It's one that we are delighted to have in our personal library. And will happily reread every so often. - Doreen A.

★★★★★

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and agree with the fine reviews it garnered.

There was much for me to think about after reading it. My thoughts about David Skillan's amazing travel experiences during the 60's compared to today leaves me very unsettled. I have been fortunate enough to have traveled to some of the same places as David. My journeys began in the 70's and continue to the present. Places have changed, as one would expect, but not all change is good. The current world population is at 8 billion. One only needs to consider the world wide condition of the air and the water to understand our effect on this beautiful planet, Earth. The take away here, if there are places you long to see, it would be wise to go sooner rather than later.. - Anon. (given 5 stars on Amazon).

Just finished reading this book. It is fantastic. I could hardly believe all the adventures and dangers the author encountered, during his long, long trek, and the wonderful people he met along the way. I would have succumbed at the first obstacle. I was especially interested in his descriptions of the places I too have visited. It was an easy read because it is so well written. That he survived his odyssey was no mean feat; a miracle. He should be proud of his achievements. The teacher in me gives him an A+. - Del W.

Climb up and sit down in Skillan’s beat up 1947 Land Rover as he guides you through the life of an adventurer in the 1960s. “A 1960s Global Odyssey” is Skillan’s memoir of travel as a young man to virtually every part of the world.

Long before Lonely Planet’s guidebooks and cheap flights with EasyJet, independent travelers like Skillan had to rely on their wits, muscles and luck in order to see the world. For the bold and brave, the rewards were great.

From the sandy wilderness of the Sahara to undiscovered coconut islands in Thailand, Skillan shares the joy of discovery every armchair traveller dreams of. Starting in Africa then Asia, Australia, South America and finally the United States - David works odd jobs to finance his trip such as catching monkeys in Kenya or acting in Japan on movies sets. The rest of his time is packed with mountain climbing, safaris and romance.

I found Skillan’s raw take refreshing. His memoir doesn’t self-censor. He describes in simple words without pretext the world as he experienced it: from apartheid in South Africa to fleeting sex on the beach.

Reading Skillan’s descriptions - like running away from a charging elephant in an Africa that was still wild - underlines what modern adventurers will miss due to unbridled development and climate change. Perhaps in this sense, “A 1960s Global Odyssey” can also be a vision for the modern world to return to. – Ryan A.

I was blown away by this book! It is full of human interest and even a little racy in parts. A great story about a refreshingly different era; and full of surprises as the restless vagabond author travels from country to country facing countless close calls and all kinds of hardships along the way. Once I started, I couldn’t put it down. – Paul V.

I had heard about this book and wondered if it was available. So I googled the author's name and it popped up. Of course, I had to buy it. What an incredible adventure! It is obvious that writing it was a labour of love. And so cool to put it out there for others to read and enjoy... - Renae R.

Loved this book and didn’t want it to end. It was a joy to read. The ideal ‘escape’ from these troubling times. So pleased that the author decided to share so many of his weird and wonderful experiences! - Debi W.

★★★★★

A 1960s Global Odyssey is the story of the author’s epic 80-month journey around the world on a ridiculously limited budget. Written in a way that captivates the reader right from the beginning I felt like I was part of the adventure myself. I genuinely loved it…so much so that I sacrificed a fair amount of sleep reading about it. Although every location mentioned is equally fascinating the chapters on Africa, Japan and Taiwan were my favorites, perhaps because, like the writer, I am also an incurable romantic. I highly recommend this book to anyone who would enjoy an authentic story about life, love, and adventure. – Thomas M. (given 5 stars on Amazon)

From boarding school in Wilhelmshaven (Germany) to life as a sales rep, soldier, teacher, jackeroo, and roustabout, and protected by his “innocence and ignorance” Skillan tries his hand at just about everything as he travels the world during the “Swinging Sixties” on a personal quest for adventure, experience, and fun! The result is a book to be savored….and treasured. - John B.

Thoroughly enjoyed the read. I like the author’s writing style, wit and impeccable memory not to mention his ability to paint a picture with words. I felt he was speaking to me directly. It was a pleasure to learn all about the life of the young, intrepid, and highly curious David Skillan. – Randy R.

This book made my heart sing. Thrills and spills galore as this globetrotting adventurer takes the reader on an exhilarating journey all over Africa, Asia, Australasia, and the Americas that most people will not soon forget. His enthusiasm and love of travel is infectious. – Allan J.

When I first heard about this book, I was gob-smacked! It is brutally honest, extremely interesting, well illustrated with the author’s own color photographs, and full of interactions with men and women, some intimately, for nothing is glossed over. For anyone who loves to travel this book is a must. It is also a historical document describing a vanished world. – Tony C.

Readers will say “I wish I’d done that!” What an adventure and achievement! And as authentic and entertaining as it gets. It made my feet itch. An extraordinary journey by any stretch of the imagination, and a great description of how the world used to be. I count myself lucky to have shared, through the author’s writings, some of his amazing experiences as well as his insatiable wanderlust! – Gordon W.

So glad to see the book finally in print! The story is timeless and very nicely told. Left me wanting more… - Anne P.

This book delighted me no end. Can’t recommend it enough! Big thanks to the author for writing such an engaging account of his early travels. Cooped up at home in the middle of a pandemic, I was able to travel far and wide… I especially enjoyed reading about the many animal species and geographic locations which Skillan describes so effectively. So glad he didn’t perish on the harrowing roads of the Andes, or for that matter elsewhere equally frightening and dangerous that he writes about. Despite all the political strife in the world his many stories of the kindness of strangers are endlessly uplifting. – Steve M.

“I hope many people will read this book if only to appreciate what they have!” – The Author