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Slow Boats Home
In this, the sequel to "Slow Boats to China", Gavin Young tells, with equal panache, of his return voyage from the China Seas to England, via the South Seas, Cape Horn and West Africa. 'I am decidedly envious of Gavin Young and his "Slow Boats Home", successor to his highly entertaining "Slow Boats to China" ...a fascinating, memorable book' - Eric Newby, the "Guardian". 'Like "Slow Boats to China", this is likely to become a classic of travel' - Francis King, the "Spectator".
441 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1985
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About the author
Gavin Young
53 books8 followersGavin David Young (24 April 1928 – 18 January 2001) was a journalist and travel writer.
He was born in Bude, Cornwall, England. His father, Gavin Young, was a lieutenant colonel in the Welsh Guards. Daphne, his mother, was the daughter of Sir Charles Leolin Forestier-Walker, Bt, of Monmouthshire. Young spent most of his youth in Cornwall and South Wales. He graduated from Oxford University, where he studied modern history.
Young spent two years with the Ralli Brothers shipping company in Basra in Iraq before living with the Marsh Arabs of southern Iraq between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. He fashioned his experiences into a book, Return to the Marshes (1977). In 1960, from Tunis, he joined The Observer of London as a foreign correspondent, and was the Observer's correspondent in Paris and New York. He had covered fifteen wars and revolutions throughout the world, and worked for The Guardian and was a travel writer. Young died in London on 18 January 2001; he was 72 years old.
He was born in Bude, Cornwall, England. His father, Gavin Young, was a lieutenant colonel in the Welsh Guards. Daphne, his mother, was the daughter of Sir Charles Leolin Forestier-Walker, Bt, of Monmouthshire. Young spent most of his youth in Cornwall and South Wales. He graduated from Oxford University, where he studied modern history.
Young spent two years with the Ralli Brothers shipping company in Basra in Iraq before living with the Marsh Arabs of southern Iraq between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. He fashioned his experiences into a book, Return to the Marshes (1977). In 1960, from Tunis, he joined The Observer of London as a foreign correspondent, and was the Observer's correspondent in Paris and New York. He had covered fifteen wars and revolutions throughout the world, and worked for The Guardian and was a travel writer. Young died in London on 18 January 2001; he was 72 years old.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
December 9, 2019
The continuation of Gavin Young’s travels after “Slow boats to China”. Gavin travels eastward from Hong Kong by ship, stopping at Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Fiji, Samoa, Tahiti, Cape Horn, Saint Helena and Ascension Island on his return home to England. In the vein of his “In search of Conrad”, Young makes passing references to authors, visiting the grave of Robert Louis Stevenson in Samoa and landing on Selkirk Island, the inspiration for Defoe’s “Robinson Crusoe”. Such good, easy to read travel writing.
December 11, 2016
Wonderful book . Told with panache and humour. Fascinating to read 30 years after it was first published .
August 1, 2010
Not a literal sequel as I had imagined from the title – he actually flew home, wrote the first book and then flew back to China in order to get another set of boats home again. This time, he obviously goes the other direction, through the South Seas and past South America. His big aim was to sail past Cape Horn at the tip of South America but unbelievably manages to time his arrival just as the Falklands war breaks out and the area is blocked to ships. He does make it there though. I think I liked this book much better – there were loads of little islands all with their own histories and people and there’s also a shipwreck, though it’s not very perilous or exciting. Anyway, I really recommend both of these – they’re both cheap as chips on Amazon too.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 10, 2020
This guy is one of my favourite authors. Evocative, thoughtful, intelligent, caring. His stories are from the heart and his experience as a war correspondent and traveller are so worth listening to. He left us far too early.
December 11, 2007
A rip roaring travel read as Gavin Young travels on the most outrageos floating wrecks from the b\East back to Europe. Should be a film
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April 20, 2022I am so charmed by these books and by their author. How I would have loved to have met him!
Thanks to Hilda Blackburn for donating these books to the AAUW book sale. I have waylaid them, but I promise they will find their way to the sale in June. Come join us there!~~~
Thanks to Hilda Blackburn for donating these books to the AAUW book sale. I have waylaid them, but I promise they will find their way to the sale in June. Come join us there!~~~
January 30, 2023
THIS is why I read.
August 21, 2019
This is a follow-up to Slow Boats to China, which I read years ago. It didn't hold my interest as much as I recall the other book doing. Enjoyed the different countries and cultures, and he has a good eye for the people, whom he is often trapped on boats for ages with, and their characters.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews