From the ancient world of Greece and Rome to Renaissance Italy, Baroque France, and 19th and 20th century Europe (and Japan too) there is no better guide than Professor Andrew Lear to the Gay side of history.

I’ve never had interest to travel with a tour group before. But the idea of seeing a country with a carefully curated itinerary that would highlight LGBT history and art by Andrew Lear was too attractive an idea not to try. And I’m so glad I did! My trip to Greece was really wonderful. It provided an exceptional overview of the country and its history and art. Andrew was a delightful and charming host and filled with such incredible knowledge. I also enjoyed traveling with a like-minded group of men and found their company to be an unexpected highlight of the trip. I look forward to my next trip with Oscar Wilde Tours.

… our hearts were warm and gay! Rack up another triumph for Oscar Wilde Tours, with such delights as:

* cocktails at the Left Bank hotel where Oscar Wilde died;

* visit to Père Lachaise cemetery, starting (of course!) at Oscar Wilde’s monumental tomb;

* walks with local guide Edith through the Left Bank, Montmartre, and Palais Royale;

* visits to 4 Loire châteaux: Blois, Clos Lucé (where Leonardo spent his last years), Amboise (with a fabulous meal at the Lion d’Or), and Chenonceau (an incredible 16th century castle spanning the river Cher);

* a marvelous tour extension to Chartres cathedral, and to Proust’s aunt’s home in Illiers-Combray, now a Proust museum.

As always, the best part of any OWT outing was the cameraderie among the “campers”, and the convivial tone of our “councelor” extraordinaire, Professor Andrew Lear.

In short — c’était magnifique!

My husband and I participated in this tour (October 2025) and it was the trip of a lifetime! I had very high expectations and this tour exceeded them completely. The program included in-depth tours of Athens and its antiquities (highlighted of course by the Acropolis and the magnificent Parthenon, and the Acropolis and Archaeological museums), day trips to Mycenae and Delphi, with a knowledgeable local guide providing the history and stories of the ancient world, supplemented by Professor Lear’s discussion of the gay history and significance of the sites and the people. The five days in mainland Greece were followed by two days each on the islands of Santorini and Mykonos, again with excellent local guides and Professor Lear’s commentary. All of the hotels were exceptional, particularly the Herodion which sits at the foot of the Acropolis in Athens with impressive views of the Parthenon from the rooftop bar. Above all, we had a great group of people on the tour, the 12 of us had wonderful camaraderie and this enhanced the tour significantly. We also opted to continue the tour to Istanbul, one of the world’s great cities, for an additional four days. There we experienced the magnificent Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, the Topkapi Palace, the Grand Bazaar, and an extensive exploration of local food. This was the best vacation that we have ever taken–and we have now booked the England tour for May!

After 20 years of studying gay history around the world, we finally made it to Greece. Hearing the stories of Apollo and Hyacinthus, of Achilles and Patroclus, of Alexander and his loves and so many more, where they actually happened was incredibly meaningful. Bravo to the brilliant Professor Lear for helping travelers feel not like sightseers but like explorers.

I am forever changed by Andrew Lear’s dedication to excellence of experience. Luxurious Hotels (those breakfast buffets! Gentile hotel staff!), are centrally located (as in Athens) or placed just outside of the bustling sections (as in Santorini and Mykonos) to provide an exclusive experience. Rigorous touring schedules of excavation sites and museums are accessed by private vans, seamlessly hosted by both Andrew and on site private guides. No time is wasted, lectures occur both as you travel and once on site. Andrew is extremely accessible the entire tour, he’s a charming and knowledgeable host; sunny, warm and welcoming, think “Santa Claus with a cute waistline.” I had the most thrilling and stimulating time of my life!

Captivated by the beauty of the villages and lakes in the brilliant movie, “Call Me By Your Name,” and having never visited Northern Italy, I was immediately attracted to OWT’s CMBYN May, 2025 group tour. In addition to visiting beautiful Lake Maggiore, Isola Bella, Lake Garda and CMBYN settings in Crema and Elio’s private swimming hole. In Milan we had easy access to the Duomo and Da Vinci’s Last Supper accompanied by excellent local tour guides who were also available throughout the tour as in Verona and Venice. The easy travel, and access to the most heavily touristed sites, the more than ample meals, excellent hotels and the company of “fellow-travelers,” in addition to the input and insights of Andrew Lear, made for an unforgettable experience. Leonardo and Lear: what more could you ask?

I wholeheartedly and enthusiastically recommend the Gay History tour of Japan arranged and conducted by Andrew Lear. More than just visiting local sites, Andrew Lear’s tour provided a truly immersive experience of Japan and its culture. The tour was well planned from the start in coinciding with Osaka Gay Pride, where we had the opportunity to join in the festivities and march in the parade. All of our local tour guides were most helpful and generous in providing background to the places we were visiting.

In addition, we enjoyed a lecture and slide show on the history of male-male love in Japan given by a professional historian and expert in Japanese studies. After attending a kabuki theater performance, a former kabuki actor spoke to us about his career and the kabuki art form over an evening meal. We not only witnessed but actively participated in a geisha performance during dinner, a traditional Japanese tea ceremony, a ritual conducted at the Tagata Shrine of Nagoya, as well as bathing in the soothing springs from the onsen at Hakone. Among a range of other activities, two enthusiastic and friendly tour guides led us bar-hopping in Tokyo where we got a taste of gay night life.

Our meals were well planned throughout our stay to treat us to a wide variety of Japanese culinary delights in a variety of settings culminating with a dinner river cruise in Tokyo. The accommodations were first-rate. I had magnificent views of the cities we visited when looking out my hotel room windows.

Andrew Lear is a master craftsman in thoughtful planning of LGBTQ tours (I have also been on his exceptional Greek tour). If you want to immerse yourself in the history and culture of your travel destination as you experience the sites you are visiting, a tour offered by Andrew Lear is THE way to go!

Andrew Lear’s tour of Japan had a large range of elements to its credit. Especially good were lectures by experts on history , as well as visits to historical sites. The Japanese themselves visit some of the history sites in droves as a part of their shared background though they are completely ignorant of the gay roots of several of them. And several of the sites are not much visited yet important to gay history. Included was the shrine where the penises are kept for the annual Penis Festival.

Hotels and food were to a high standard. I have had no better compliment ever than a 92-year-old Geisha telling me my my chop stick skills were good at a kenseki dinner.

We were helped in general and me specifically by a young man named Kenji from the associated Japanese tour company.

We are gentlemen of Japan … or rather, we were, for 10 days in October/November 2024. Oscar Wilde Tours Gay Japan was a spectacular success!

With superb accommodations, amazing food, and well-chosen entertainments, the trip was comfortable, delicious, and fun. We enjoyed dinner, music and games with geishas in Kyoto; attended Kabuki in Tokyo, and met with a former Kabuki actor; and participated in a traditional Zen tea ceremony with a most charming teacher and guide.

The tour didn’t stint on history and culture, either! Among many highlights were: touring Osaka Castle; at Koyasan, walking in the rain to a Buddhist temple, through a cemetery shadowed by ancient cedars; feeding the sacred deer and viewing the giant Buddha (Daibatsu) in Nara; visiting the Bamboo forest and Golden Pavilion in Kyoto; and, perhaps the most unusual, being blessed by a Shinto priest at the penis shrine in Nagoya!

Aside from all the wonders of Japan, most wonderful was the congenial company of the other “campers” — a well-educated, convivial, and diverse group of gentlemen. Professor Andrew Lear sets a delightful tone for his tours: always informative but never pedantic, he is consistently upbeat, and endowed with a merry sense of fun. I highly recommend this tour — and, as I have now been on 4 different Oscar Wilde Tours, this review is by a very satisfied repeat customer.

This was my first Oscar Wilde Tour, and I’m confident it will not be my last. Aside from being an excellent introduction to Japan, the experience was thoroughly satisfying thanks to the comradery of 14 other gay men, a surprisingly bright and intellectually curious group. I particularly enjoyed the events organized by Andrew Lear such as a lecture in Kyoto by a professor on Male-Male Love in Japan in the early-modern period and a post-Kabuki Theater talk in Tokyo from a gay Kabuki actor and master. Ten of the 15 men in our group were repeat customers, a testament to the special quality of Oscar Wilde Tours. As a solo traveler, I expected to be in the minority, but that was not the case. Professor Lear is excellent company and a highly skilled guide. I’m so glad I went.

Professor Andrew Lear was the consummate tour guide of a perfect German tour. He was energetic, charming, extremely intelligent, witty, and an excellent teacher, who conveyed his excitement about learning while quickly molding us into a well-functioning, interpersonally sophisticated group. Before, during, and even after the trip he was available almost immediately for answers, advice, and general knowledge; all his recommendations were very, very useful. Andrew has lived in Germany and speaks German fluently, so he personally conducted much of the tour, but he also contracted with bilingual local guides, all gay themselves, for other activities; he accompanied the group everywhere. We followed the published itinerary closely but not rigidly; no activity was mandatory, and we had ample free time. The broad, comprehensive range of diverse experiences accurately portrayed not only specific gay German culture, but also German culture in general. The trip far exceeded my expectations; it was my first Oscar Wilde tour but it definitely will not be my last. I encourage everyone to take an Oscar Wilde tour; you will not be disappointed.

I’m usually hesitant about traveling with group tours, but this one was exceptionally excellent! Berlin and Munich are very different cities, culturally and architecturally, so they offered an interesting contrast of German experiences. The overlay of gay history gave a dimension to the tour that was unique and fascinating. That, in addition to traveling with a group of gay men, gave me a sense of belonging that is often missing when traveling to new places. The group was small and all the members were interesting and collaborative, so it felt very comfortable from the very beginning. In terms of site seeing, we covered many of the important sites which had a gay story to be told, but were also important in and of themselves. There was plenty of “free time” to explore other sites, like museums etc., so the itinerary did not feel overcrowded or rushed. Andrew Lear is a fabulous host/guide! All of the arrangements (hotels, guides, meals) were well chosen. And Andrew is so knowledgeable that the tour truly was an educational experience. I would highly recommend Oscar Wilde tours to any gay man who wants a fascinating, enjoyable and educational vacation in interesting locales. Even if you’ve seen a city before, you probably haven’t experienced it in the same way as you will with an Oscar Wilde tour!

This — Gay Berlin and Munich — was my first trip with Oscar Wilde Tours and it far exceeded all of my expectations! All practical matters were very fine — the hotels, the local transportation, the daily itineraries, the meals together — there were no glitches at all; everything went smoothly. Andrew Lear, in addition to being a conscientious, efficient planner and organizer on the most practical level, is also a very engaging, enlightening, and entertaining lecturer and tour guide: likewise were the local guides that supplemented Andrew’s talks. As an added bonus, the whole group of us got along extremely well, and enjoyed each others’ company. Could not be happier with the experience!

We enjoyed the trip very much. We learned a great deal and we discovered amazing sights. The guides were informative and often witty. Our fellow travelers were interesting and considerate. I recommend the Oscar Wilde Gay Tours highly.

Congenial companions, spirited conversation, rich art and architecture. The trip ranged from expertly guided tours of the ruins of Paestum and Pompeii to a breezy, sun-drenched boat excursion around the isle of Capri. I was delighted by the quality of the homoerotic art we viewed and the range of the homosexual history we encountered. I only wish that the trip could have lasted longer.

Wonderful trip! Andrew is very knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the Italian culture and history! Enjoyable group of people, well organized, and fun!

I had a marvelous time in Germany via Oscar Wilde Tours. The tour was well planned and filled with so many interesting experiences and places to visit, many with LGBT+ significance. I also appreciated the scheduled free time, so that I could attend the Berlin ballet one evening; upon leaving the theater, there was an unexpected light show to end a very full day. I love those unexpected pleasures when traveling. Bravo Oscar Wilde Tours!

This tour surpassed my expectations. Our group of 14 were congenial and interested. The chosen destinations were a broad sample of North Indian history, culture, and wildlife, from magnificent historic palaces and temples to demonstrations at workshops for stonework, painting, and fabric printing. The meals were delicious, much of the food unfamiliar but delightful. I much appreciated the two visits to LGBTQ activities, which were eye-opening and fun. Well worth the looong trip.

I traveled to India with Oscar Wilde Tours in February/March 2024 in a group of 14 gentlemen from the US. This is the 3rd tour I have taken with OWT, led by the irrepressible Professor Andrew Lear, whose deep knowledge of the history of art, culture, and gay sexuality continually enlivened the tour and educated us, without becoming in the least pedantic. He also has a delightful, even goofy, sense of humor!

Highlights of our itinerary included: Delhi (Qutub Minar, Chandni Chowk); Agra (Taj Mahal, Red Fort); Fatehpur Sikri; Keoladeo Bird Sanctuary; Jaipur (Amber Fort, City Palace, and visit to the Hijra “third sex” shelter home); Deogarh (Heritage narrow-gauge railway trip through the ancient Aravalli hills); Udaipur (performance of Rajasthani traditional dance, puppetry & music, City Palace, boat trip on Lake Pichola to Jagmandir Island); Rajpipla in Gujarat (visit with Prince Manvendra Singh Gohil at his asylum for disowned LGBTQ youth, Queer Bagh); and the statue-encrusted temples of Khajuraho, about 25% of which were on erotic themes. A few of us continued on to Ranthambore National Park for 3 wildlife safaris.

Hotels were of excellent quality, and 3 of them are converted palaces from former princely states — the Jai Mahal Palace in Jaipur, the Deogarh Mahal, and the Fateh Prakash Palace on the shore of Lake Pichola in Udaipur.

As in my previous tours with OWT in Western Europe, Andrew has wisely chosen excellent local partners on-the-ground: in this case, Manu Singh and his associates from India Personal Tours. Manu is a terrific guy, with a buoyant personality and great charm. He was indispensable to us in navigating through a new and unfamiliar culture, providing practical advice, and shepherding us through the rigorous security apparatus at Indian airports.

While my trip to India was by turns fascinating, exhilarating, and maddening (unbelievably awful traffic in Delhi, for example), I would highly recommend this tour as an excellent introduction — I am glad I stepped outside my comfort zone for this trip.

This was a wonderful tour. Andrew Lear put together a highly organized, informative, well-thought-out tour. He was cheerful and enthusiastic from beginning to end, and related well to each of us. Besides visiting the usual tourist attractions like the Taj Mahal, we explored bustling Old Delhi, met with youthful hijras at their center in Jaipur, and visited with an openly gay prince at his place in Gujarat. The food was amazing as were the accommodations.

… on the Gay Germany tour in September 2023! Once again, Professor Andrew Lear packs an amazing itinerary into 10 days of delightful travel, this time in Munich and environs and Berlin.

Highlights included: a guided tour to the Deutsche Eiche, Munich’s premier baths/restuarant/condo/rooftop bar complex, led by the adopted son of the owners (Freddy Mercury lived across the street!); an exhaustive but rewarding visit to the Residenz, the Wittelsbach city palace that’s bigger than 2 football fields; a trip to the Bavarian alps to visit 2 of “Mad” King Ludwig’s castles (Linderhof & Neuschwanstein); a sobering visit to Dachau, the first concentration camp; then, in Berlin, a walking tour from our hotel in the Friedrichstraße to the Brandenburg Gate, and thence south to Checkpoint Charlie & the Topography of Terror Museum; a visit to the Museum Island and the former Jewish cemetery; a quick romp through Sansoucci, Frederick the Great’s theme park in Potsdam (followed by a sumptuous meal Zum Fliegenden Höllander); and a visit to Isherwood’s haunts in the Nollendorfplatz neighborhood.

While the German cities can’t compete with Italy in terms of physical beauty (and, after all, they were bombed to smithereens in WWII), the history, culture, Professor Lear’s deep knowledge and unique perspective lent an added dimension to our experience of these and other attractions. I’d definitely recommend this trip, (I can’t help it!)

What a spectacular trip to Italy this October with Andrew Lear and a bus-load of new friends! The fascinating places Andrew chose to visit, the lively and informative guides, the rich history, the mind-blowing art in abundance, the memorable and delicious food, well, it all adds up to a tour unlike any other. We’re so glad we went. And we’re still talking about it. Thank you, Andrew!

My ten days in Greece was sublime — Andrew is a wonderful guide who knows his stuff. And he’s funny and charming and such an amazing resource of history (literary, political, cultural). The tour was rigorous and fun, the hotels were comfortable and convenient, the additional onsite guides were first-rate, and hey — it’s Greece. Beautiful. My experience was also enhanced by my fellow-travelers — a great group of guys from around the globe. I should also say I’m not a “joiner”, I’ve never been on a tour like this, didn’t know if it would be my jam — but because of Andrew’s passion for history (and the gay lens) this is a tour I highly recommend. I hope to be on another Oscar Wilde tour soon!

The Gay Italy Tour was a new experience for me. I had little knowledge about Gay Italian art and history before taking this incredible Tour. Dr. Andrew Lear with his extensive knowledge and his brilliant Tour guides in each of the regions we visited (Florence, Naples, and Rome) became a master class for me.

I saw so many incredible Museums, Temples, and Churches, and learned so much about Italian homoerotic art masterpieces and the artists who created them.

A boat ride around Capri, Visiting Pompeii, the Forum, Colosseum in Rome, The Vatican Museums and a night visit to Michelangelo’s magnificent Sistine Chapel were some of my most memorable take aways.

Last but certainly not least was the incredible restaurants and food choices Dr. Lear picked for our group. They were absolutely superb. Thank you Oscar Wilde Tours.

Andrew: Thank you again for all your help planning my 10 days with you and your team as my guides when in Greece. I was worried about planning a trip for I was alone at this time after my partner of 25 years passed, but you took the stress away and helped create a wonderful Greek experience that I will never forget. I appreciate keeping all on the tour organized with clear schedules, local contacts during the 10 days that we scheduled with you. The transportation was coordinated perfectly, and I had the best 10 days in Greece on the private tours I had with you and your team. I enjoyed the tours with the knowledge you had at hand on all the different cities we went through -and the other members of the tour were all so kind – was a great group. I look forward to returning to Oscar Wild Tours and seeing new country’s I missed and booking your company to complete my next experience. Thanks for making my trip to Greece an unforgettable experience! I’m so Appreciative of the time and effort you and your team put in planning my Greek Experience. Gene C

I appreciated that Andrew was very patient with me and did not push for me to pay the remaining amount as I sorted my Passport issues. The knowledge and experience he brings to the table is incredible and makes all the difference from other tours.

We just got back from Italy. Andrew did an amazing job organizing our expedition and herding us from place to place. The tours were all interesting, informative and well worth it. Plus our hotels were very nice and placed centrally. We’ve made new friends with the other guys from the group and that was an unexpected bonus. All in all, a great experience.

We were two of the thirteen men on Professor Lear’s 2022 Gay Italy Tour. We cannot say enough good things about it.

All aspects of the tour were first rate. The itinerary was very well chosen, with either Professor Lear or knowledgeable, personable guides selected by him providing interesting, insightful commentary at each museum, archeological site or other location. The hotels at which we stayed were perfectly located, well appointed and very comfortable. The restaurant meals that were part of the tour package were marvelous. There was good camaraderie among the participants. All of this contributed to our great enjoyment of the experience and very happy memories.

The Oscar Wilde Tour led by Professor Andrew Lear in Greece exceeded my expectations. The hotel accommodations were superb and well located to explore local sites. The tour highlighted locations of interest that I would not have been able to find on my own and provided just the right blend of organized group outings and time to venture out and explore places of personal interest. Professor Andrew Lear with his expertise as a classicist provided valuable insight and commentary at places of interest with a gay historical context that you would not find anywhere else along with well-chosen local tour guides. The itinerary was thoughtfully planned and well organized to cover multiple locations. Our tour group was the perfect size to provide personal attention and develop a delightful comradery among us. I would highly recommend an Oscar Wilde Tour led by Andrew Lear for a most rewarding and unforgettable travel experience.

Professor Andrew Lear is an amazing, indefatigable, and cheerful guide to the art and culture of Italy throughout the millennia, and is just in every way a lot of fun to be with. His enthusiasm is contagious, and he led our intrepid group of 13 gay souls (assisted by wonderful local guides) through numerous adventures in antiquity (Pantheon, Forum, Colosseum, Hadrian’s Villa, Villa d’Este, Paestum, & Pompeii), as well as through gorgeous collections of ancient, Renaissance, & Baroque art (Galleria Borghese, the Archeological Museum in Naples, Academia, Bargello, & Uffizi in Florence). While our focus was on Gay Italia (i.e., Hadrian/Antinoös, Michelangelo, Caravaggio), Professor Lear’s knowledge is by no means narrowly constrained (I remember a number of us singing Ruth’s song from Pirates of Penzance while riding in a museum elevator!). Bring comfortable, well worn-in walking shoes — “it’s only a 10 minute walk” became a mantra with our group — but there’s no better way to discover these cities (though comfortable transportation is provided for longer trips). My highest recommendation!

To quote Noel (and if you has to ask Noel who?, I am sorry for you), “Ive been to a marvelous party”. My partner Bill is a complete Wildean and has spent most of his life trying to share his genius with others in one way or another. As a good spouse I try to find new and interesting sources of Wilde to please him. It was pure luck that I found Oscar Wilde Tours and knew that we were destined to one day add an Oscar Wilde Tour to our lifelong Wilde activities. From the start Professor Lear was absolutely the right man for the job. How he managed to keep 13 Gay men interested, well fed (both bodily and intellectually ), entertained, informed and content in Italy and 9 of us in Greece is something I will never quite figure out. But he did and we were and I cant wait for the next one. We have all been given the basic heterosexual history of the Greek and Roman worlds . How wonderful to be in a group of like minded people and exposed to the histories that arent always taught. To be able to see Statues of Hadrians Lover Antinous and hear how the world of the time worshipped this young man as a God or see the Palazzos and Palaces of the Borghese and Farnese families and find that they too had gay family members who not only held high positions in both church and political arenas, but had lovers that were equally important. To be able to ask questions about how these people lived and thrived and not be afraid of being outed or feel shamed is wonderful and to share it with a friendly group of fellow gay travelers who can enjoy being in each others company, share photos, enjoy cooking classes, try different foods and learn that we too as LBGTQ+ are part of the history of this beautiful place is really something special. The Hotels we stayed in were always a treat, the restaurants were terrific (You will not go hungry on these tours believe me), the local guides were very good and several of our group members were so well versed that we sometimes had even more information than a standard guide could have given. Professor Lear was there, as well, to augment any information that would be pertinent to what we were seeing and the groups often met after the day to process or just have a drink and enjoy each others company. It was all together a very pleasant time with a very special group of people. Dont miss the next one!

This tour was a unique way to experience this wonderful country. While visiting the fascinating and well known sites in Rome, Florence, Pompeii, Naples, Sorrento, Capri, and Paestum, I learned interesting additional history with a gay twist. The group of men in the tour were very friendly. Professor Lear was a delightful and informative guide.

I personally find the “Gay Greece” tour adventurous, enjoyable and memorable. Professor Lear had kept our attention and interest continuously throughout the tour by his research of historical evidence (further backed up by numerous museum artifacts in front of our very eyes – astounding!). Food served, of various restaurants assigned throughout the tour, was indeed gourmet.

My co-workers and I attended the tour of The Met. I was very happy with the tour and found it to be quite informative. Professor Lear was very knowledgeable about the history of gay and lesbian art and conveyed that knowledge in a fun and interesting way. I would definitely recommend this tour to a friend.

This was a great tour, and above all, a really informative one. I had visited many of the sights before, but this time Professor Lear—a well-known Classical scholar and expert on gay history—provided a level of historical background and aesthetic commentary that I had never experienced before. The historical sweep of the tour—from Bronze Age Mycenae to Hellenistic times, with Athens’ Golden Age along the way—brought home the longevity as well as the magnificence of the ancient Greeks’ achievement. I highly recommend it, for first time or repeat visitors!

Once Andrew Lear begins his Shady Ladies At The Met tour, it quickly becomes clear not only how knowledgeable he is about his subject, but also how much he enjoys giving these tours and sharing what he knows. He discusses paintings, sculptures and pottery in the Met’s great collection, from an unusual point of view. It is a pleasure to listen, look and learn.

I have been an on-again-off-again patron of the Met since I was very young. However, I have never felt as informed, energized, and enthusiastic about art as I did when I participated in the Gay Secrets of the Metropolitan Museum tour with Professor Lear. Wow! Professor Lear is a bit of a character with an overall sunny disposition and an indisputably shining passion for art. His knowledge about the history of homosexuality and of art in general is quite vast, and his entertaining yet thorough explanations make each stop on the tour such a delight. He was very open to questions, comments, and playful back-and-forths with the people in the tour group, which added a much-welcomed sense of community and casualness. I learned so much and couldn’t have been happier with my experience. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Phenomenal, loads of interesting new information and a wonderful guide. He left little to be desired and provided both an historical and anecdotal overview that was highly communicative and even entertaining.