book-reviews

A Guy's Take on Eat Pray Love

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 07:27:52 +0100

For quite some time, I purposefully – and quite successfully I may add – avoided reading Elizabeth Gilbert’s Eat Pray Love: One Woman’s Search for Everything Across Italy, India, and Indonesia. Before even picking it up, I stereotyped the book as a “chick flick” on paper. And to an extent I was right. It is, as the subtitle suggests, one woman’s search for everything. But what I didn’t expect when I picked up my copy during the Borders Books close out sale was that I, as a guy not interested in touchy-feely emotional journeys, could related to Gilbert’s travels.

I sighed as I opened the cover of Eat Pray Love. I had heard so many bad things, as well as a few good ones, about the book turned movie and I just wasn’t sure I wanted to get into another story I would only put down a hundred pages later. I suppose, though, that there was more to my mindset than that. As a friend recently told me on another topic, “When people hear about how great something is, they just want to tear it down. We can’t let anything get too big without our permission.” And I had yet to give Elizabeth Gilbert my permission. Not that my permission really matters at this point, she made it big off her New York Times bestseller, but my stamp of approval was nowhere to be found.

I tried to fight Gilbert’s words from the start. I didn’t want to read about such a great time she had traveling the world “finding herself.” I wanted to tear her down before I even gave her a chance. She grabbed me quickly, though, pouring out her soul as she discussed her personal hardships, the reasons for her year-long journey and Eat Pray Love. And while I have never gone through anything like she did, I was nonetheless able to relate to her. I have had and do have issues of my own from which I was able to draw compassion for her situation. The story really pulled me in and, within a few chapters, I was hooked on her journey of pleasure (Italy), devotion (India), and a balance between the two (Indonesia).

“It is better to live your own destiny imperfectly than to live an imitation of somebody else’s life with perfection,” explained Elizabeth Gilbert, talking about the ancient Indian Yogic text, the Bhagavad Gita. It was at this point, on page 95 of the movie cover version of the book – which received a protest from a friend, although the original cover was not available at the clearance
sale – that I was hooked on Eat Pray Love. That single line struck a cord with me so deeply that it was virtually impossible to put the book down; every night, coming home from work, I would pick it up and read until I was about to fall asleep. And all that – excuse me while I get sappy – because, no matter how many idiotic things I’ve done in my life, I finally felt as though I had permission to be perfectly imperfect.

Elizabeth Gilbert’s journey of healing was once described to me by a friend as whiny. I had yet to finish Eat Pray Love when I heard this, but was instead in the middle of what she described as the whiniest part of the whole book. I could understand what my friend meant, but a strong sense of compassion for Gilbert had developed in me by this point and I was unable and unwilling to criticize her for pouring out her soul for the whole world to see. I could tell, despite the text being quite conversational and easy to read, that it was painful for her to put her journey on paper for the world to judge. At times she was obviously even downright frightened, but that only inspired me to stand by her even more.

I wouldn’t necessarily say that Elizabeth Gilbert’s Eat Pray Love was the best travel book I’ve ever read. Far from it, really. But I would admit that it is certainly high up on my list. It was a fantastic story on so many levels and it has so much to offer, that I would quickly recommend it to a select group of friends – it is not for everyone, there is no doubt about that, but for a select few who are willing to give it a chance, they will fall in love with it as I did. So, it is safe now to say, Eat Pray Love has received my personal stamp of approval.

The Dharma Bums

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 16:11:32 +0100

I had been itching to follow up On the Road for a while, not sure I really gave Jack Kerouac a fair shot with just one book. I mean, I liked On the Road alright all in all, but it didn’t quite live up to my expectations. There were a few things with the story, not so much the writing style, which bothered me. But I knew that couldn’t be all someone of Jack Kerouac’s reputation had to offer, so I gave him a second shot with The Dharma Bums.

The Dharma Bums is most specifically about author Jack Kerouac’s journey into Zen Buddhism – which largely takes place in San Francisco – with his friend Gary Snyder, otherwise known as Japhy Ryder in the story. Kerouac’s journey isn’t just spiritual, though, but instead another tale of him bouncing from one side of the United States to the other – just as he did in On the Road. So, while the story is most certainly a spiritual venture for Kerouac, it is also – on the most basic level – a story about traveling.

Unlike with On the Road, where I struggled with a lot of the material in the story, I really fell into The Dharma Bums. I related to Jack Kerouac’s journey and felt I was part of his growth through each turn of the page. It was really a different time of armchair travel story and overall quite refreshing from the normal tale of I went here and I did this; I love those stories, too, obviously enough, but The Dharma Bums had a much sweeter taste.

My one issue with The Dharma Bums is in the ending. I do not want to give away too much for those who have not read it yet, so I’ll just say that it felt disjointed from the rest of the story. It really hung out there on its own, not seeming to be solidly connected with the rest of the story. But, overall it did not get me down and I still loved reading Jack Kerouac’s The Dharma Bums.

Jack Kerouac has, in essence, bought another chance with me through The Dharma Bums. I was going to give up on him after finishing On the Road, but thought it was in no way fair to judge anyone, especially someone of Kerouac’s reputation, on just one book. And so, in the wake of The Dharma Bums – a book which I wholeheartedly recommend – I’m now looking to expand my library with another couple of books by Jack Kerouac. He is truly one of the most spirited American writers in history and someone who I am planning to more thoroughly explore.

The Best American Travel Writing of 2011

Thu, 03 Nov 2011 16:57:34 +0100

It is difficult to fathom looking anxiously forward to the release of a book talking about other people's travels when I have so many exciting destinations of my own to anticipate. Yet, I impatiently waited at my mailbox this fall for the arrival of the latest edition of The Best American Travel Writing. I have fallen in love with the series and wanted to get my hands on the 2011 edition as soon as it arrived.

The Best American Travel Writing of 2011, edited by Sloane Crosley, is, obviously enough, the best travel writing by American writers in 2011 - well, actually from 2010, just compiled in 2011. It is a continuation of a long series of books edited by Jason Wilson. I had thus far been pleased, even a touch giddy at times, with the work that has been included in past editions. So, with the arrival of my copy, I was hopeful, but also a touched reserved so as not to be let down.

I didn't waste a moment in cracking the binding of The Best American Travel Writing of 2011. I jumped right into it and wasn't disappointed for a single moment. Sure, I liked, maybe even loved, some of the stories more than others, but I didn't find a single story throughout the book that I skipped after a few pages or paragraphs - that hasn't always been the case with the past editions.

Singling out a few of the stories to chose as favorites is difficult. I know it would not be as difficult as Sloane Crosley's job of selecting the stories in the first place, but with eighteen interesting adventures that span the globe - Haiti, the high seas, Denmark, and Moscow, to name a few - I wouldn't know where to start when it comes to picking a favorite. From page one to the end, each selection - even the ones I looked at and didn't think would be of interest - were fantastic; they constructively built upon the previous stories to a very solid ending.

In the end, I'd have to say this is likely my favorite edition of The Best American Travel Writing series. The writing is crisp, the destinations interesting, and the perspectives genuine and intriguing. And for those reasons, I can't recommend the book enough; it is a fantastic read, an excellent holiday gift, and one of the best books I've read all year.

The Black Nile

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 17:03:57 +0100

I love shopping at used book sales - like the ones for libraries trying to clean off some of the shelves - because there are no shortage of good finds. Whether it is at a library sale, a warehouse liquidation, or some other random used book sale, I always seem to find good deals. And that was certainly the case at the last one I attended when I found Dan Morrison's The Black Nile: One Man's Amazing Journey Through Peace and War on the World's Longest River.

I had heard a lot of good things about The Black Nile, so I clutched it to my chest as soon as I found it for sale - I didn't want anyone wrestling it from my kung fu action grip. I was too excited to read about Morrison's journey from the headwaters of the Nile River to it's mouth in the Mediterranean Sea. It sounded like a fantastic story - traveling along the river through Uganda, Sudan, and Egypt - and I was more excited to read about it than any other travel book I had recently picked up.

Overall, I quite enjoyed Dan Morrison's account of his trip down the Nile. I thought The Black Nile was a well-written story and engaging throughout. And the people and the encounters Morrison experiences and details are definitely thought-provoking.

The one issue I had with The Black Nile was the lack of any obvious understory. For instance, like Julian Smith in his book Crossing the Heart of Africa, Morrison leaves his family for his adventure through Africa. Smith constantly went back to thoughts of his fiance, detailing how they met and their relationship developed, but Morrison did no such thing. Toward the end of the book he simply stated: "My wife was meeting me in the capital. [Cairo] It had been a long time."

Subtley I was annoyed by Morrison's lack of any depth in The Black Nile. I still enjoyed the book and am willing to recommend it to anyone who loves armchair travel. If you love reading about travels through war-torn countries, like the Sudan, then this could be a fantastic book for you; but expect nothing more than what is on the surface. I searched for depth, something else to create a greater story, but I couldn't find it.

In Patagonia

Mon, 12 Sep 2011 06:18:29 +0100

I had childhood fantasies about adventures in far off places. We traveled enough in the United States, and my parents internationally, that is was unavoidable - I would be a traveler, too. And as a young boy, I dreamed of my adventures in places whose names I did not yet know. It was much the same for Bruce Chatwin In Patagonia.

I paced through the bookstore numerous times on numerous occasions, pulling In Patagonia off the shelf only to put it back. I wanted the book, but was uneasy about purchasing it for some inexplicable reason. I really can't put my finger on it. But, I did pick it up at least a dozen times only to put it back down. Now that everything is on sale at Borders, though, I decided to finally pick up a copy of Bruce Chatwin's book - just at a discounted price.

In Patagonia is Bruce Chatwin's book about his travels through Patagonia in the southern tip of South America - through both Argentina and Chile. He was enamoured by the land as a young boy due to a piece of what was supposedly dinosaur skin a family member owned when he was a child. He understood it came from that part of the world, so he dreamed of going there as a child to see that country and, maybe if he was lucky, find another piece, since this one was disposed of when the owner passed away.

I really enjoyed In Patagonia. I found it to be a timeless story of life on the edge of the world. So, even though it was first published in 1977, I imagined that not much has changed in that part of the world. And, as far as I could tell when I passed through Ushuaia, Argentina in 2004, not much has - life still goes on much as it did when Bruce Chatwin traveled through the cities and countryside.

On the other hand, though, I sometimes struggled with the language of In Patagonia. Chatwin doesn't talk over the head of his readers, but occasionally my eyes became cross over the story and I found I needed to go back and reread what was written in order to make sure I properly understood what he was saying. I'm also troubled over the accusations that his story may not be entirely true. There is no citation to what I read and I do not know if it is factual, but it is troubling nonetheless - largely because of the controvery surrounding Greg Mortenson's Three Cups of Tea.

Regardless of whether or not In Patagonia is partially fiction or not, the fact remains that it is also - at least - partially true. And for that simple reason, I give Bruce Chatwin the benefit of the doubt, simply because nothing has been proven otherwise, and enjoy the story for what it is - a fantastic adventure in search of a boyhood dream. So, for anyone one - boy or girl - who has had such a fantasy, I recommend it to you. It is an enjoyable tale that sparks the imagination.

Crossing the Heart of Africa

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 17:04:19 +0100

I slid Julian Smith's book onto the shelf, just to the right of Joshua Slocum's Sailing Alone Around the World. I had finished it, Crossing the Heart of Africa: An Odyssey of Love and Adventure, and stood before my bookshelf contemplating the story. It wasn't what I had expected and thus I wasn't quite sure what I thought of the story.

Crossing the Heart of Africa is Julian Smith's tale about how he crossed Africa from south to north, following in the footsteps of Englishman Ewart Grogan. Grogan was out to prove himself to the stepfather of a woman, Gertrude, with whom he had fallen madly in love - virtually love at first site. Smith was out to prove himself worthy, too, but not to his fiance or her her father - more to himself.

From the start, Julian Smith's Crossing the Heart of Africa was a conversationally written account with a lot adventure, humor, and, most definitely, love. It was truthfully not the story I had anticipated when I saw it on the shelf. And in the end I agreed it was a particularly engaging and enjoyable story.

I found very little fault with Crossing the Heart of Africa; at times I felt Smith spent an overabundance of time detailing Grogan's story, but the background was many times just as interesting as his own parallel story. And any disinterest I initially held about another Africa story was quickly dismissed through Smith's excellent storytelling skills.

I had purchased Crossing the Heart of Africa by Julian Smith on a whim, putting it back on the shelf at the store several times before grabbing it on my way to checkout. I had seen enough other travel books and articles about Africa recently and wasn't terribly interested in one more. Yet, for a reason I can't quite explain, it sat atop my stack at the register. And in the end, I'm glad I purchased Smith's book and would highly recommend it to any reader, particularly the adventureous and hopeless romantic.

The Tao of Travel

Mon, 04 Jul 2011 16:12:31 +0100

I have struggled with separating myself from Paul Theroux. As much as I can't stand the arrogant tone in his writing, I can't help but buy another book of his when I see it on the shelf - in this case, his newest work, The Tao of Travel: Enlightenments from Lives on the Road. And, quite to my surprise, I'm for once not regretting that decision as I have with most of his other books.

The Tao of Travel by Paul Theroux is just that, Theroux's view on the way of travel. There is no doubt his ego is strong enough to offer the belief that he is the one qualified person on the planet to write a book about how traveling should be done. Certainly he has had more than his fair share of adventures, thus qualifying him as one of the few who has the background to do such a project. But, I find it difficult to stomach the thought that any one person can truly write such a book. In this case, though, Theroux didn't do it singlehandedly - he had the help of a great many authors, having chose excerpts from dozens of travelers and writers, past and present, about their experiences while abroad.

Theroux's ego aside, since it is a complaint of mine for any of his books, I only have one true issue about The Tao of Travel: he did not include Bill Bryson in the book. There are a great many quotes and anecdotes from a slew of worthy authors - Apsley Cherry-Garrard, Joshua Slocum, and Ernest Hemingway, for example - but, for whatever reason, Paul Theroux omitted who I believe is the best travel author of our day - Bill Bryson.

When it comes down to it, though, this omission is a small thing; The Tao of Travel is a fantastic book and a significant accomplishment on Paul Theroux's part. Without a doubt, a lot of effort was put into not just the parts Theroux wrote, but also the imense amount of research that was necessary in order to compile so many quotations, excerpts, and other random information. It truly is a book worthy of a place in anyone's rucksack while on the road, keeping it handy for the occasional reference.

Disregarding a few issues with editing, The Tao of Travel can easily rate as one of the best travel books I have ever purchased. By no means do I believe it to be the complete way, as the title would suggest, but it is certainly a good base from which to begin some serious adventuring. As such, I recommend this lovely leather-bound book to anyone looking to get out and explore the world past their front step.

My Five Favorite Travel Books

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 17:26:26 +0100

I'm not much of a listmaker outside of grocery shopping, packing for vacations, or - alright, I'm a listmaker, born and raised. There, I admitted it. I create lists and write notes down, only to feel the pleasure of crossing something off of them, for most anything I do. And it is no small wonder I haven't yet created any sort of list when it comes to travel writing. Well, that is until now.

I stare at my bookshelf in wonder and am amazed at the great number of fantastic stories I have read through the years. There are so many talented and imaginative minds creating and telling such amazing stories, my favorites of which tend to be travel-related. And I'm asked a great many times which ones of those are my favorites or what I would recommend. Well, without further ado, here's my list:

The Worst Journey in the World by Apsley Cherry-Garrard

I was reading everything and anything I could get my hands on about Antarctica when I traveled there several years ago. I was thirsty for any story that would detail the golden days of exploration and help me become more familiar with what it was like to first land on and explore the continent. And out of all of the stories I read, there was no equal to Apsley Cherry-Garrard's The Worst Journey in the World. It is an absolutely fantastic account of his time spent on the Ice during the fateful Terra Nova Expedition; without a doubt, it is one of the best travel adventure books ever written.

Shadow of the Silk Road by Colin Thubron

I had honestly never heard of Colin Thubron until I picked up a copy of the Shadow of the Silk Road. But, since finishing it, I am most interested to know more about him than any other author out there. His story of retracing the Silk Road from China to Turkey - shortly after the September 11th attack and during the SARS epidemic - was nothing short of amazing. When it comes to writing about traveling through Asia, I find no equal to Thubron's work. I loved every page of the story and was only disappointed there wasn't more.

In a Sunburned Country by Bill Bryson

I was first exposed to Bill Bryson while traveling to Australia. I wanted some good reading material for my trip and found it In a Sunburned Country. I was wowed in every respect by Bryson's light and humorous writing and only resentful of the fact that my trip could not live up to his; I wanted to continue on, see more of Australia, and be able to write a book about it. I guess when it comes right down to it, this book is the reason why I started writing about travel both here online and with my own book, The Drive North ~ A Swing Down Memory Lane.

A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson

I followed up my vacation to Australia and New Zealand by picking up any Bill Bryson book I could get my hands on; A Walk in the Woods was an instant favorite. I was frequently in tears, I was laughing so hard, while I read Bryson's account of hiking the Appalachian Trail with a childhood friend of his. It is easily one of my favorite books of any genre and the book I most recommend to people looking for a funny story or a great author they may not have heard of before - and oddly enough, many people do not know of Bill Bryson.

Travels with Charley by John Steinbeck

I resented John Steinbeck because of the required reading I had to do in high school - Grapes of Wrath, Of Mice and Men, etc. I hated it all simply because I was forced to read it for an assignment. After a hike with a friend a couple of years ago, though, I have fallen in love with his words and gladly list him as one of my favorite authors. And one of my favorite books of his is Travels with Charley - an amazing story of his road trip around the United States with his dog, Charley. I honestly believe that any reader, particularly those who enjoy travel memoirs, are missing out if they do not pick up a copy of this amazing book.

Shadow of the Silk Road

Fri, 27 May 2011 00:30:11 +0100

Normally I am pretty good about remembering where and why I purchased a particular book. But, that is not the case with Colin Thubron's Shadow of the Silk Road. For all I can truthfully recall, it just materialized on my bookshelf. And for that, I am quite glad, because it might just be the perfect story of travel, adventure and history.

Shadow of the Silk Road by Colin Thubron is about his cross-country trip from Xian, China to Antioch, Turkey, retracing the path of the old Silk Road. As he travels, principly by land, Thubron rediscovers the trading route that once linked East and West. He relates a fantastic story of adventure while interweaving the amazing history of the land and, more importantly, its people.

I absolutely loved Thubron's Shadow of the Silk Road. It is, without a doubt, one of the top five travel books I have ever read; it is an engaging story with some of the best writing my eyes have ever had the distinct pleasure to see. And as I crane my neck to look at the stack of various travel literature that collects dust on my shelves, that is saying something.

Normally I would point out something I didn't like about a paritcular book, too, but that is not possible with Shadow of the Silk Road. I hate to sound like I'm gushing over Colin Thubron's work, but there was not a single thing that bothered me with his book. From the maps before page one to the end of the historical timeline on page 349, I loved every bit of this story.

Rarely do I find a book that so beautifully combines my loves of history, travel and adventure. And when I'm fortunate enough to find one, they are often not nearly as engaging as Shadow of the Silk Road. For that single reason, I recommend Colin Thubron's Shadow of the Silk Road to anyone who has ever been curious about the world; I have no doubt you, too, will fall in love with it.

The Kingdom by the Sea

Thu, 28 Apr 2011 16:36:56 +0100

A couple of years ago I swore off reading any book by Paul Theroux ever again. Ever. True, he could write like nobody's business, but his arrogance drove me mad. He never literally spelled it out, but I always got the impression in his other books I've read that his adventures were the only way to travel and that everyone else was just a mere tourist. This upset me to no end, since I believe no one has the right to belittle another person's ambitions.

Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great. ~ Mark Twain

Before I cursed Paul Theroux to all eternity, I received a book of his for Christmas. It has sat on my shelves for several years waiting patiently to be read. Occasionally I would reach for it, only to pull back and glare at the temptation it presented. Theroux drove me mad, almost whipping me into a frenzy, and I wanted nothing to do with him. But then I began to make plans to see a friend in England and figured it was time to give him just one more chance. I assumed it the book couldn't be all bad, since Bill Bryson spoke so highly of The Kingdom by the Sea in Notes From a Small Island.

Paul Theroux's The Kingdom by the Sea: A Journey Around the Coast of Great Britain is about just that, a journey around the coast of Great Britain. Theroux travels south from London, follows the coast over and up in a clockwise manner, crosses to Northern Ireland, and then comes back to Scotland and goes north before traveling back down toward London. His travel is done almost exclusively on foot and by train, but occasionally he cheats for reasons such as a transportation strike.

The route sounded incredibly interesting, particularly because of all of the things to see and do along the road, and generally it was; Paul Theroux is a great writer and it shows in The Kingdom by the Sea. He meets a lot of really interesting people, dispells more than a few misconceptions about people living in different parts of the country, sees some amazing things and writes it all up in an often-times humorous manner that eve I was able to enjoy.

Paul Theroux's jourey is his own and how he decides to spend his time traveling is up to him. But, to the great parts that I enjoyed in The Kingdom by the Sea, there are also those parts that bothered me. It is generally the same thing that has always bugged me about Paul Theroux, too, the thought of "I'm a traveler, not a tourist." In his journey around the islands he passes on any opportunity to visit a castle, historic site, or any other sort of tourist spot. And this bugs me to no end for reasons I can't completely explain, other than that I feel it belittles, based on the way he writes it, any traveler who decides to stop at a historic or touristy location.

Overall I enjoyed Paul Theroux's The Kingdom by the Sea. There were some spots where I felt it was a bit slow - everything running together after a while with another stop in another town doing the same things - but it was a good read that I enjoyed and would recommend to others. Does this mean that I'm back on the Paul Theroux bandwagon? No way. Now that I've cleared my shelves of any of his books, I'm moving on. I thank Paul Theroux for sharing his amazing skill, but his books on the whole just aren't for me.