Travels with Maurice

An Outrageous European Adventure in 1968

Non-Fiction - Travel
217 Pages
Reviewed on 04/10/2022
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Author Biography

Gary Grew Up in Lincoln, R.I., a Blue-Collar town. Gary went to Babson University School of Business and graduated with a BSBA in 1966. He worked his way around The USA for 6 months. A year later, Gary traveled with the son of the richest man in the world, covering 19,988 miles, 12 countries, and 10 weeks.
Gary went to work at Broadway Tire Inc. and, 20 years later, bought the business.
Gary worked there for 50 years before retiring in 2016! He met and married his wife Ronna and had two beautiful children. Now he has 5 grandchildren! His love of travel remained with him, and he's been fortunate enough to have visited 75 Countries, each in a unique style all his own, using much of which he learned in my travels with Maurice in 1968.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Joe Wisinski for Readers' Favorite

Travels with Maurice: An Outrageous Adventure in Europe in 1968 tells the story of an average American man who traveled with the son of the richest man in the world at the time. Author Gary L. Orleck was a self-described “nobody” who drove almost 20,000 miles through 12 European countries in less than three months with his friend and companion Maurice. Along the way, they met kings and queens and partied with some of the most famous people in the world. Orleck experienced the power of what money and connections can do. As an example, when he wanted to call his father from France he was told it would take four to six hours for the call to go through. But Maurice intervened and within 30 seconds Orleck was talking to his father. The book is replete with many similar anecdotes.

Travels with Maurice: An Outrageous Adventure in Europe in 1968 is a fascinating book. I was hooked from the first page, although I won’t say what happened, as that would spoil the introduction. Gary L. Orleck is a fine writer who tells tale after tale of incidents that might be hard to believe if not for the captivating detail with which he writes, along with his obvious nostalgia. As Orleck himself said, “no one could make this story up.” Readers will quickly fall under Orleck’s spell and develop great affection, and yes, envy, for him and his friend Maurice as they experience their incredible journey through Europe. I highly recommend this wonderful story to anyone.

Foluso Falaye

Travels With Maurice is an adventure-packed memoir about Gary Orleck's exploration of Europe with a friend who made the trip quite unforgettable. When Gary received the news that his friend, Maurice, had died, it brought back many great memories. From partying with beautiful women and gambling in casinos to being threatened for owing money and failing to catch a boat, Gary's journey is a mix of unpredictable, dangerous, and fun events. Gary found himself in a world of wealth and influential figures as he became more aware of Maurice's rich lifestyle while visiting his family members and meeting affluent acquaintances. As Gary writes his story and seeks more revelations about his friend's family, he discovers their involvement with Iran, as well as the dangers they had faced and had to escape. Orleck's memoir is not only fun but also greatly enlightening.

Maurice's charming personality drew me in right from the start and had me completely glued to the end. Another great recurring theme is the friendly competition between Gary and Maurice, which involves a continuous race to get the check first. I believe this gave the travel stories a more exciting feel. Travels With Maurice, however, is not just a travel memoir as it neatly blends history, politics, and romantic themes. Gary Orleck does a brilliant job of researching and writing on Iran's politics and the controversy involving the country's Jewish population. Travels With Maurice serves as a reminder to enjoy the moment and appreciate the amazing people in your life. Its encompassing and friendly atmosphere brought a huge smile to my face as I basked in these warm memories. Everyone should experience an adventure like Gary's or at least live it through his book. Travel enthusiasts will love it!