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31st out of 255 books
—
609 voters
Long Way Round: Chasing Shadows Across the World
It started as a daydream. Poring over a map of the world at home one quiet Saturday afternoon, Ewan McGregor � acclaimed actor and self-confessed bike nut � noticed that it was possible to ride all the way round the world, with just one short hop across the Bering Strait from Russia to Alaska. It was a revelation he couldn't get out of his head. So he picked up the phone a
...moreHardcover, 320 pages
Published
November 2nd 2004
by Atria
(first published 2004)
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About the authors:
Ewan McGregor, the author. Does that name ring some bells? Yeah, he is the same guy from the movies Star Wars, The Impossible (2012), The Island (2005), Big Fish (2003).
It is claimed that the other author, Charley Boorman, is also an actor. Though I've not noticed in any movie, as I far I could remember, here are a few movies which starred him. Travellers (2011), Deliverance (1972), Excalibur (1981), The Serpent's Kiss (1997).
Plot:
The whole idea of the book is to cirucum-naviga...more
Ewan McGregor, the author. Does that name ring some bells? Yeah, he is the same guy from the movies Star Wars, The Impossible (2012), The Island (2005), Big Fish (2003).
It is claimed that the other author, Charley Boorman, is also an actor. Though I've not noticed in any movie, as I far I could remember, here are a few movies which starred him. Travellers (2011), Deliverance (1972), Excalibur (1981), The Serpent's Kiss (1997).
Plot:
The whole idea of the book is to cirucum-naviga...more
Wow! What an amazing trip! Ewan McGregor and his best friend, Charley Boorman, both bike nuts, traveled around the world on their motorcycles. It took them 4 months traveling 20,000 miles. I'm glad they took the time to documented their fantastic trip. Great Photos! I give this book 3.5 stars***.
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This is a true story about two fairly well known people taking a trip across a vast distance. The A-List actor and a well-to-do buddy (d-list actor?) have a dream and try to put it into action. Some of their challenges are ones that most people would not have - e.g. having a director who does not want you riding a motorcycle to practice for the trip in case you injure yourself before your movie is complete. Some of the other challenges they thought were unique to their "star power" were likely c...more
Ewan and Charley are good friends and fun-loving lads. They managed to execute a dream that many have on dull office days, namely to get away for weeks, get on a motorbike and let the hair blow in the wind. Motoring around the world eastwards from London, through Siberia and North America sounds romantic and adventurous indeed, but can turn out to be challenging for idealists. In fact you realize how luxuriously lazy your life is, when you decide to give it up and fight the elements and the tarn...more
Whoo! A travel book that I actually finished! I am so proud of myself. I hate myself for liking (and then consequently bagging on) chicklit lately. But Long Way Round was quite an easy read if only because it was written by Ewan McGregor and his friend, a fellow actor whom I had never heard of called Charley Boorman. This was about their motorcycle trip from London to NYC (via Asia).
The book was okay. The downside was all the talk about their motorcycles, which I didn't care about at all and a c...more
The book was okay. The downside was all the talk about their motorcycles, which I didn't care about at all and a c...more
I couldn't find Ted Simon's Jupiter's Travels at my local Barnes & Noble, but found this book instead. I'd seen the Long Way Round TV series on DVD and thought I'd like more about Ewan McGRegor's and Charley Boorman's bike trip around the world than they cound present on their film.
At first, I wasn't disappointed. They start with great backstory about how they each got into motorcycles in the first place, and how they'd become friends and conceived and arranged this whole thing. I also like...more
At first, I wasn't disappointed. They start with great backstory about how they each got into motorcycles in the first place, and how they'd become friends and conceived and arranged this whole thing. I also like...more
Oct 22, 2009
P.Sannie
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
travel fiends
Recommended to P.Sannie by:
Markus
I've always thought, "Wow, cool, I want to learn how to ride a motorcycle!" After reading the first few pages, that turned into, "Umm, never mind, I don't want to learn." The reason for it is that the authors go into detail about their motorcycling accidents, not because the trip is so challenging.
The Long Way Round is a great travel book because Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman really want to experience the local cultures. They aren't there to gawk and stare at the people; they want to interac...more
The Long Way Round is a great travel book because Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman really want to experience the local cultures. They aren't there to gawk and stare at the people; they want to interac...more
Full disclosure:
1. I love Ewan McGregor and would enjoy doing naughty things to him. Preferably while he talked in his Scottish accent.
2. I watched this TV series.
3. I am reading this book not because of #1 and 2 so much as the fact that someone said that she'd read in this book (or sadly the subsequent one) that he and his wife had an open marriage and I became determined to get to the bottom of this. Which I suppose does relate to #1 if not exactly #2. This is not embarrassing to admit at all....more
1. I love Ewan McGregor and would enjoy doing naughty things to him. Preferably while he talked in his Scottish accent.
2. I watched this TV series.
3. I am reading this book not because of #1 and 2 so much as the fact that someone said that she'd read in this book (or sadly the subsequent one) that he and his wife had an open marriage and I became determined to get to the bottom of this. Which I suppose does relate to #1 if not exactly #2. This is not embarrassing to admit at all....more
I enjoy adventure/survival books, so this was suggested for me by a motorcycle enthusiast friend. I also read a lot of Stalin's Russia material which is another reason for my reading this book. It was so depressing to read how the Ukraine and Mongolia still struggle, and have the street children problem. It was heart rendering, but at the same time the problem was exposed and Ewan encouraged the reader to get involved with UNICEF or other organizations to help improve the lives of Mongolian fami...more
One enormously famous actor and one fairly obscure one motorcycle from London to New York, going across Europe and through Central Asia and Siberia before flying to Alaska to finish the route. McGregor and Boorman alternate voices — McGregor is the more interesting writer — and describe the physical, economic, emotional, and logistical challenges of trying to get around the world on two beefed-up BMW touring motorcycles. Both are incredible motorcycle fans, which can be a bit tedious if you aren...more
this deserves a longer review than what i'll be jotting down right now, but suffice to say i truly enjoyed this book. i haven't quite "graduated" to motorcycles yet but i'm currently enjoying trips of my own on my Yamaha scooter. i enjoy the format of the book - ewan and charley go rounds, taking turns and sharing their own experiences, as they saw them, of the 20,000 mile journey around the world.
i actually viewed the entire television series at length, via Netflix, then began in on the books...more
i actually viewed the entire television series at length, via Netflix, then began in on the books...more
Jun 22, 2012
Sian Wadey
rated it
2 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
a-z-of-authors,
autobiographies
Author B in my A-Z was Charley Boorman although it says that Long Way Round was just written by Ewan McGregor.
I'm a fan of both actors but I've never seen the TV show so I went into this with a fresh mind not really knowing what to expect. And can I say it was the biggest disappointment.
Both authors moaned, whined and cried their way around the globe. I know it must be hard to miss those you live with constantly, but they were crying when they left and cried during a lot of the journey. When th...more
I'm a fan of both actors but I've never seen the TV show so I went into this with a fresh mind not really knowing what to expect. And can I say it was the biggest disappointment.
Both authors moaned, whined and cried their way around the globe. I know it must be hard to miss those you live with constantly, but they were crying when they left and cried during a lot of the journey. When th...more
This was technically one of my husband's books but I thought it might be interesting because it seemed like a travel book with a difference. My husband did 'warn' me that there was a lot of motorbike info in the book but ironically it wasn't this that bothered me. The motorbike stuff was actually a little bit interesting! I found the two authors to be a bit whingey at times - sure I can understand that they missed their families during their trip BUT they did choose to do the trip and indulge th...more
This was a fun read; although, every time I put it down I wanted to go out and ride my motorcycle. The stories of travelling through Europe and Asia were very compelling. It's amazing how much that they had to rely on the kindness of strangers over the course of their trip. Even with the months of preparation and all of the support they had, they still wouldn't have been able to complete the journey with out a lot of luck.
While I'm sympathetic to the hardships of the road and the journey, there...more
While I'm sympathetic to the hardships of the road and the journey, there...more
Rating: 6.5/10 Two actors bike around the world from west to east. I'm a bit of a sucker for this type of travelogue; it helps cover my guilt from never having gone anywhere. Russia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Siberia, all get covered with the relish of men on a mission. Are we not men? (We are DEVO) I've always wondered why in books like this the last third of the trip is covered in the last chapter of the book. In this case Alaska to London must have been boring....but any more boring than London t...more
I don't usually take the time to review books here, but this book was so poorly written and annoying to read that on several occasions i wanted to throw it out of a window. The amount of crying and whining that these two grown men did through out their trip, and the amount of pages taken up talking about how much they miss their wives...well...it really loses the essence of what a trip like that is all about. I can see that they attempted to convey some of the emotional trials and tribulation th...more
Great book. This book is not necessarily all about the bikes and blokes that ride them, but it is more about the places, the people, and the moments. Ewan and Charlie travel through some of the most remote and poorest regions of the world, but wherever they go, the people are gracious and kind, offering what little they have, including food, liquor, and shelter.
Ewan rarely plays his "Obi-Wan" card - only when it's a must. For most of the journey people have no idea who he is. He is just a guy ri...more
Ewan rarely plays his "Obi-Wan" card - only when it's a must. For most of the journey people have no idea who he is. He is just a guy ri...more
Jan 24, 2012
Dan Putt
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Motorcycle lovers, travelers
Shelves:
motorcycle
It's hard for me to read this book and not be envious. It's also hard for me to get past the whining and complaints that these two constantly had and judge the book as a whole.
In general I loved the book. The adventure, the excitement, the drama and the study of cultures was amazing. What I didn't like was the heir of entitlement that came across many times. These two guys had this trip "handed to them" yet they complained at every little obstacle they came across. Obstacles are part of this adv...more
In general I loved the book. The adventure, the excitement, the drama and the study of cultures was amazing. What I didn't like was the heir of entitlement that came across many times. These two guys had this trip "handed to them" yet they complained at every little obstacle they came across. Obstacles are part of this adv...more
This is the first book I read after my 14-year-old nephew was killed in an accident. I was an avid reader before he died, loving nothing more than to spend a day in bed reading. Reading was a passion we shared but I just couldn't stand the quiet. Not to mention real life was so raw and real that I just couldn't lose myself in a fictional story the way I once had.
Then I heard about this cool trip Ewan McGregor had taken and chronicled in a book; I just had to read it. My nephew had an adventurou...more
Then I heard about this cool trip Ewan McGregor had taken and chronicled in a book; I just had to read it. My nephew had an adventurou...more
Wow... I went into this book with very little expectations, firstly I know nothing about bikes, and secondly I thought that it may be some kind of shameless promotion on behalf of Ewan McGregor and Charlie Boorman but I was incredibly wrong.
I was amazed at the journey these men took, and especially amazed at the vast amount of emotion that they both experienced and described throughout the journey and especially at their homecoming.
This is a book for any travel lover, for those who wish to expe...more
I was amazed at the journey these men took, and especially amazed at the vast amount of emotion that they both experienced and described throughout the journey and especially at their homecoming.
This is a book for any travel lover, for those who wish to expe...more
I watched the series last year and found the book used last week.
Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman drive from London to New York, going east, on motorcycles. This was their first world trip together.
The book is a good companion to the documentary. It details some of the more major events seen in the documentary but also adds many smaller, everyday events not seen in the documentary. Some reviewers didn't think the book was written well or wasn't descriptive enough. Keep in mind it's written by a...more
Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman drive from London to New York, going east, on motorcycles. This was their first world trip together.
The book is a good companion to the documentary. It details some of the more major events seen in the documentary but also adds many smaller, everyday events not seen in the documentary. Some reviewers didn't think the book was written well or wasn't descriptive enough. Keep in mind it's written by a...more
I learned that these guys are even nuttier than they came across in the TV miniseries...and that trying to ride motorcycles across Mongolia is a really bad idea. ;)
I'm partial to Ewan McGregor, so I come into this book biased.
And come away from it even more biased, thanks to Ewan's affinity for animals. ("Maybe I should be a vegetarian" he says. Yes, Ewan. You should be.)
I wasn't in the mood for a non-fiction book when I started this, but it didn't matter. I was immediately enchanted by the way this book was written like a back-and-forth conversation between me and Ewan and Charley.
It was great to hear about places I'll likely never see -- Prague, Kiev,...more
And come away from it even more biased, thanks to Ewan's affinity for animals. ("Maybe I should be a vegetarian" he says. Yes, Ewan. You should be.)
I wasn't in the mood for a non-fiction book when I started this, but it didn't matter. I was immediately enchanted by the way this book was written like a back-and-forth conversation between me and Ewan and Charley.
It was great to hear about places I'll likely never see -- Prague, Kiev,...more
I'm glad I read the book and have always wanted to read it, but it was not nearly as enjoyable as I thought it could have been. The writing just wasn't that engaging. There were a few stories that were touching and interesting but they were few and far between.
I mean dude, you rode around the entire world and only have a few well fleshed out stories to write about? Most of the book was about the difficulty of riding motorcycles on gravel roads, which i respect differently now but not being a mot...more
I mean dude, you rode around the entire world and only have a few well fleshed out stories to write about? Most of the book was about the difficulty of riding motorcycles on gravel roads, which i respect differently now but not being a mot...more
Target Audience: Travel enthusiasts/adventure seekers, and motorcycle enthusiasts.
I'm about half way into the book. By in large, thus far, I find it to be entertaining and different than what I originally imagined it to be. The first quarter of the book is devoted entirely to building up the relationships between Ewan and Charley, and the origination of the journey. I preemptively thought that the book would gloss the relationships between the men and commence outright for the adventure within t...more
I'm about half way into the book. By in large, thus far, I find it to be entertaining and different than what I originally imagined it to be. The first quarter of the book is devoted entirely to building up the relationships between Ewan and Charley, and the origination of the journey. I preemptively thought that the book would gloss the relationships between the men and commence outright for the adventure within t...more
This book was kinda boring and whiny for a couple of rich dudes on bikes with a film crew following them around.
This was a really fun look into the thrill and hardships of attempting an around the world trip. I enjoyed reading about the places many people do not go. I'd say 85% of the book takes place just getting to the end of Russia. Then they breeze through North America in about two chapters. Ewan McGregor is no travel writer, but he and Boorman are likable and engaging. Their enthusiasm for the adventure is certainly apparent and infectious. Long Way Round was a fun read and I look forward to reading...more
Long Way Round is a mentally and physically exhausting journey made by two friends who wanted a break. The book is comprised of Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman’s daily diary entries that were written during the entire trip. By sharing both of their personal diaries you are able to get two very different perspectives of their overwhelming trip around the world.
In the beginning, I was a little irritated, especially with Ewan. He liked to name-drop quite a bit and, also, liked to mention which mo...more
In the beginning, I was a little irritated, especially with Ewan. He liked to name-drop quite a bit and, also, liked to mention which mo...more
A very easy read about to pals travelling around the world on their motorbikes. The pair are likeable for the most part but the detail is lacking big time. I watched the TV show that accompanied the book and that was so much better. They continually talk about the hold-ups & things that go on when they're not on their bikes as being what makes the journey yet things like getting a wallet stolen get are only mentioned briefly, sometimes long after they have happened. As the book goes on it th...more
Świat ma mnóstwo piękna i przygód do zaoferowania. Im więcej podróżujemy, tym lepiej go poznajemy. Ewan Mc Gregor oraz Charley Boorman zdecydowanie widzieli dużo i postanowili swoją tułaczkę opisać w książce „Wielka wyprawa. Niezwykła motocyklowa wyprawa dookoła świata”. „Niezwykła,” ponieważ nasi bohaterowie pokonują kolejne kilometry na… motorach. Zadajecie sobie pewnie pytanie, czy ktoś taki jak aktor, człowiek, który gra, ale zawsze wie, że zaraz obok czuwa nad nim ekipa filmowa, da sobie ra...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
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| Long Way Round | 2 | 11 | Jan 17, 2013 08:51am |
Charley Boorman grew up in Ireland, spending much of his childhood riding motorcross bikes. From 1998 to 2002, he ran a British motorcycle team with Ewan McGregor, winning the Superstock Series with David Jeffries.
His first film role was as Ed's Boy, Jon Voight's son in Deliverance, directed by his father John Boorman. Since then, he has appeared in Excalibur, The Emerald Forest, Hope and Glory, K...more
More about Charley Boorman...
His first film role was as Ed's Boy, Jon Voight's son in Deliverance, directed by his father John Boorman. Since then, he has appeared in Excalibur, The Emerald Forest, Hope and Glory, K...more
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Jan 24, 2013 12:38pm
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