Around the World in 60 Seconds

September 15, 2019
The founder of Nas Daily, a media channel that produces one-minute travel videos, chronicles his travels with entertaining gusto. A blend of memoir and portraits of humans across cultures, this energetic debut details how Yassin, a Palestinian Israeli citizen raised in Israel, quit a job as a coder for Venmo to pursue his travels. Displeased with a conventional career, he decided to embark on a 1,000-day global journey. For each day abroad, Yassin tasked himself with uploading a video to Facebook. The narrative's loose arrangement features colorful sketches of places as far-flung as a favela in Brazil and the streets of Malta. Amid accounts of a community recovering from a hurricane in Puerto Rico or a Syrian man who was stranded in a Malaysian airport and rescued by Canadians, the author weaves in some history lessons. Yassin's past in Israel and his return visits home highlight his family's support. Such reflective moments intersperse with profiles of creative individuals who stand out in their communities. The author's candor is striking, and his delight in risk-taking is infectious. Even when he conducted doubtful experiments--such as feigning to have lost his wallet to test people's kindness--there's little voyeurism here. The author acknowledges when his project caused discomfort and when it brought strangers together. These travels culminated in many overly familiar impressions: the divide between rich and poor; how similar people are even as we celebrate differences; and how stereotypes are dispelled if people learn about each other. However, the author's genuine passion for digging beyond the usual tourist stops is compelling. Features on environmentalism and innovations in developing countries paint a positive portrait while certain inspiring moments are encapsulated with sentiments that sometimes come across as unintentional sound bites. This coffee-table companion to a popular website doesn't always surpass its original format, but it's a passionate introduction to Yassin's worldview. The contemporary, catchy voice reflects its social media roots. For Nas Daily fans and others seeking a pleasant journey to read in installments.

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September 15, 2019
Online video entrepreneur Yassin is known for the series of bite-sized videos, "Nas Daily," that documented the 1,000 days he spent traveling around the world, to which this book is a companion. Those videos, each of which is only one minute long, summarize full days spent in a variety of countries. These often contain interactions with local people, a handful of whom are here given a page which establishes their accomplishments in making their part of the world a better place. A selection of the 1,000 days are highlighted in 25 short chapters grouped by themes (fun and adventure, conflict, humanity, etc.) and include Yassin's thoughts about that particular visit. Photographs from his travels show some of the places and sights described, many depicting Yassin reveling in what he is experiencing. Yassin's voice and frenetic energy transfer from video to the page, conveying the enthusiasm that so many find appealing. He presents his opinions with authority, making this a book that his fans will no doubt enjoy but that others may find off-putting.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)