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49th out of 104 books
—
55 voters
The Saddest Pleasure: A Journey on Two Rivers
The Saddest Pleasure
The Saddest Pleasure is a deeply personal look at the people, poverty, beauty, art, music, literature, and passion of South America by an American who has spent most of his life there.
Moritz Thomsen was one of the early Peace Corps volunteers. Through his skill as a writer he vividly brings to life the people and landscapes he loves. The Saddest Pleasur
Paperback, 284 pages
Published
February 1st 1990
by Graywolf Press
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Born in 1915 to great wealth in Seattle, Moritz Thomsen died miserably poor in the tropics, of cholera, in 1991. He served as a bombardier in WWII, farmed in California, and at age 44 gave it all up to join the recently-formed Peace Corps. His book about that experience, Living Poor, is ranked as one of the best Peace Corps memoirs ever written. When his service was over, he chose to remain. He started a farm with an Ecuadorian friend, but that too ended in defeat. By then Thomsen was 63, and hi...more
I must have bought this book secondhand in London years ago, and found it unread in a box of books. I was immediately interested because of the coincidence that I'm also 63 (like Thomsen when he wrote it) and I also own and live on a farm in Latin America. At first, however, I wasn't sure I was going to enjoy his very reflective journey through Brazil, but I found it more and more interesting as he reflected on his experiences in L America, his relationaships with the community around his farm a...more
I used to favor Farm on the River of Emeralds, but now I think this is the better book. Thomsen tends to fall in the love him or hate him category of writers, and I straddle that line. I'm one of those people who feel he could have use some heavy editing. Still, at his best, he's fantastic. And this book -- an old expat's memoir/travel narrative -- starts and finishes strong. Also his best title, I think.
I met Moritz in Ecuador a year before he died. This book had just come out and he asked me...more
I met Moritz in Ecuador a year before he died. This book had just come out and he asked me...more
Supposedly, from the title, an account of the author's experiences on a "vacation" that crossed similar rivers in South America. But this is like entitling a book on the significance of Einstein as, "The Patent Office Worker."
From the beginning, it took a different path. The trip he took was merely a backdrop for his other stories about his life and experiences from childhood to the military to the peace corps to ... many other things.
Towards the end of the book, I kept forgetting that he was...more
From the beginning, it took a different path. The trip he took was merely a backdrop for his other stories about his life and experiences from childhood to the military to the peace corps to ... many other things.
Towards the end of the book, I kept forgetting that he was...more
Probably my most favorite book from a few years ago. Thomsen writes this one looking back on his years in South America. I can't capture it here, but his honesty and insights and ability to write are as good as any I've read. His three other books, "Living Poor," about his Peace Corps years, "Farm on the River Emerald," his attempt to live in Ecuador after his Peace Corps years, and "My Two Wars," his struggles with his father and WWII are all favorites of mine too.
Sep 29, 2010
Mariya
marked it as to-read
NO
definitely spotty and rambling, but some of his assessments as one of the first batch of Peace Corps volunteers in the 1970s are spot-on. Interesting as a travel read and as an analysis of the complicated politics between Latin America and the U.S.
He's somewhere between utterly realistic and cynical. My favorite thought was I hope we don't have free will otherwise, we're all nuts for the things we do. He believes the point of it all is doing something so well, no matter what it is, you lose yourself in it whether it's dancing, singing, or dropping bombs. A very good read on history, culture, and human nature.
there is so much beauty and sadness in this book. seeing the world through thomsen's eyes is a gift that i will never forget. the insight he provides into growing old, friendship, family, nature and community among many other things, is always spot-on, and at times illuminating. this is by far one of my favorite books.
This book was different from his other book, Living Poor. I liked it a lot better and thought it was written better than the other.I think it was especially timely for me to read since it was at the end of my time in Ecuador and the author is wrapping up his time in Ecuador. It is a very reflective work.
A This book is really excellent; about Thomsen's journeys around Brazil late in his life, including river trips. At times, the flashbacks can get a bit confusing, but very similar to Theroux. I love him and wish the libraries had his other titles!
Constantly perpetuating harmful stereotypes (mainly that of the noble savage), exotifying other cultures, blah blah. Uses the words "fart" and "whore" way too often. I made it 2/3 before I decided I have better things to read.
i was dragged at some points, but i still liked it. soft and chewable, tasty but not amazing.
A great writer and for those who have been to Ecuador, you'll love it even more...
May 24, 2013
Diane
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