Posts from ‘Books I've read’
Books like these.
Sunday, December 6th, 2009
Although I have been a bit slack on the reading front this year, I did manage to get through a handful of travel books: some old, some new, some borrowed and one with stories from a Sue and Stu. Here’s my list of travel books for 2009:
New Europe – Michael Palin
I like Michael Palin. I like his TV travel series and this book is a very enjoyable and funny journey through the former Soviet bloc countries of Eastern Europe. My only gripe is that it’s all somewhat premeditated and contrived. A research team goes out and plans the entire trip, including finding ‘wacky’ festivals to attend and ‘wacky’ locals to interview… (read more)
Last minute Christmas gift ideas.
Tuesday, December 23rd, 2008
I have the perfect Christmas gift idea. How about one of my books? Your aunty/dad/uncle/mum/brother/sister/husband/ wife/lover/secretary/gardener will love it – either that or take it back and exchange it for the new John Grisham novel. I do love getting books for Christmas (although I do have a few that have been on my book shelf for years that I haven’t read yet). If all your relatives have my entire collection already maybe try one of these from my top ten favourite travel books of all time… (read more)
Paul Theroux copied me.
Tuesday, November 18th, 2008
I’ve just finished reading Ghost Train to the Eastern Star by the famously grumpy Paul Theroux. In this book he retraces the trip he did for his 1975 book The Great Railway Bazaar: By Train Through Asia. Sound familiar? Yes, it’s somewhat similar to the premise of my new book – although he is following the journey he took himself. And like my trip his journey takes place 34 years after the original. I’m a big fan of Theroux and, yes he can get a bit grumpy and comes across rather misanthropic at times, but I agree with the Daily Mail when they called him: ‘The world’s most perceptive travel writer’. It was very interesting reading this book comparing it to my journey…
Civilization is an enormous improvement on the lack thereof.
Sunday, September 7th, 2008
We had our first taste of spring in Melbourne yesterday, so I headed to the park with a book. I was going to take one of the many books that I’m halfway through, but instead decided to pick up one of my all time favourites – Holidays in Hell by P.J. O’Rourke. I’ve re-read this book a few times now and I still chuckle away at P.J’s witty and irreverent observations. Even though the book was written in the late 1980’s and the 3rd world political references are a bit dated his experiences in Lebanon, Panama, Korea, Philippines, USSR, South Africa and Northern Ireland are still relevant and entertaining. Here’s a sample of some of the many great quotes from the book: (read more)
All I read is travel books.
Thursday, July 24th, 2008
I’ve just finished reading Dave Gorman’s America Unchained and realised that the last 8 books I’ve read have been travel narrative books. I do read other genres, but I’d built up such a stockpile of travel books (I have this problem that when I go into a bookshop I seem to always come out with a travel book) that I’m slowly working my way through them. I’ve had a bit of time to read lately because my latest book has just been sent off to get typeset and I don’t go away for my next trip until mid September. The 8 books I’ve read recently are:
1. America Unchained (Dave Gorman) – A good read but not as good as Googlewack adventures, which is one of my favourite travel/humour books.
2. Finding Nino (Marc Llewellyn) – It was lovely to read an… (read more)