I was reminded by a recent review for a new biography of Wilfred Thesiger, about two of his books which I regard as classics of travel writing. Arabian Sands is about the time he spent travelling amongst the Bedouin in Arabia's Empty Quarter and The Marsh Arabs is about his time spent in the marshlands of Southern Iraq. Unlike many contemporary travel writers, with Thesiger, the travel and the experiences came first and the notion that he might make some money by writing about them came some years afterwards. He seems to have had a great fascination with and sympathy for people who were untouched by modernity, which was true of both the Bedouin and the Marsh Arabs in the period just after WWII, when both books are set. I heartily recommend both books - especially Arabian Sands - if you need an antidote to 'gap year' travel writing.

Anyone got other travel books they want to rave over?

smudger

I liked On the Road by Kerouac.

JB

I'm with you on that. On The Road inspired me to go hitch hiking when I was a student, but, bizarrely, the north of England was not overrun by beat poets...

I've always enjoyed Theroux's stuff. Particularly 'The Pillars of Hercules' and 'Dark Star Safari'.

I'll keep a look out for 'Arabian Sands', it sounds fascinating.

Cheers

Harry

Lol Smudger - that's like saying you read The Beach and went in search of a hippie community sealed off from civilisation in...erm...Margate...



JB

William Dalrymple - 'City of Djinns'. Written when he was 22 (don't ya just hate prodigies?) and it won lots of travel-writing awards. Everything he's written since has been well written but ultimately a tad disappointing. He seemed to leave his sense of humour behind in Delhi. But 'City of Djinns' inspired me and some friends to visit India. We didn't exactly back-pack it though. My mud-and-tent days are long gone, although the 'toilets' at the truck-stops in India brought back not-so-fond memories of rock festivals of years gone by...

As for Kerouak - it's years since I read 'On The Road', which I loved, but I don't recall much back-packing in it. Mostly Chevvies and motels, wasn't it? The Beats clearly came from the same school of soft-arse traveller as me...

Julie

Julie & Waxy,

My budget didn't stretch to a Chevvie and my geography was a bit weak.

smudger