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Letters to Strabo
BEHIND EVERY GREAT LOVE IS AN EPIC STORY WAITING TO BE TOLD
Adam Finnegan Black, or 'Finn', an innocent young American who is insatiably curious about life, made a promise to his mother before she died: To find out what really happened to his father...
His ambition is to be a travel writer, like his heroes: Mark Twain, Ernest Hemingway and the ancient Greek 'father of geography', Strabo. His journey of discovery takes him through the radiant literary, cultural and picturesque landscape of the Mediterranean.
Following his heart and inspired by Letters to Strabo, written by his long-distance pen-pal Eve, Finn gradually learns more about himself but also about the woman he hopes will one day become his wife.
Funny, provocative, disarmingly honest, Finn's story captures the excitement and mistakes of youthful energy and proves ultimately life-affirming in the emergence of new hope from personal tragedy.
Quite simply one of the best coming-of-age novels you will ever read: Letters to Strabo will appeal to lovers of literary fiction, good travel writing and the classic works of Ernest Hemingway.
Adam Finnegan Black, or 'Finn', an innocent young American who is insatiably curious about life, made a promise to his mother before she died: To find out what really happened to his father...
His ambition is to be a travel writer, like his heroes: Mark Twain, Ernest Hemingway and the ancient Greek 'father of geography', Strabo. His journey of discovery takes him through the radiant literary, cultural and picturesque landscape of the Mediterranean.
Following his heart and inspired by Letters to Strabo, written by his long-distance pen-pal Eve, Finn gradually learns more about himself but also about the woman he hopes will one day become his wife.
Funny, provocative, disarmingly honest, Finn's story captures the excitement and mistakes of youthful energy and proves ultimately life-affirming in the emergence of new hope from personal tragedy.
Quite simply one of the best coming-of-age novels you will ever read: Letters to Strabo will appeal to lovers of literary fiction, good travel writing and the classic works of Ernest Hemingway.
400 pages, Paperback
Published January 28, 2017
2 people are currently reading
315 people want to read
About the author
David Smith
4 books56 followersDescribed as an exciting voice in Contemporary Literature, David Smith has published four novels all with strong themes of romance and intrigue. His first novel Searching For Amber has been described as "A powerful and notably memorable debut" with a review describing it as "masterly and confident" and another as "Extraordinary, poetic, enchanting, sublime". His latest novel Letters to Strabo has been described as "Rich and intriguing, vivid and gripping". In addition to writing, he is currently a blue chip Chief Financial Officer and lives in West Sussex with his wife and three teenage children.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
March 8, 2018
SHORT REVIEW
Letters to Strabo is an educated and exciting read that appeals to authors and aspiring authors everywhere.
LONG REVIEW
I have to admit that I was blown away by Letters to Strabo. I haven’t been blown away by a book in quite some time, and it was much needed. Once I found out that David Smith has a Ph.D., his writing style made so much sense. His wording is educated, and his descriptions flow flawlessly. Those who love classic authors such as Mark Twain and Ernest Hemingway will get a kick out of this gorgeous novel.
Letters to Strabo follows Finn, a boy who wants to be a writer and travel the globe. Smith references Mark Twain and Ernest Hemingway throughout the book, as well as Strabo, the Greek father of geography. Each chapter presents a different destination, and the book is written like a suspenseful autobiography. While reading Finn’s story, I felt like I was traveling with him. With each page, the book felt like a true escape. Smith’s accurate details of each destination astounded me, and despite Finn’s story being fictional, I watched it come to life. Rarely do I find books that make me forget where I am when reading them, and Letters to Strabo does just that.
Travelers and wannabe travelers alike will fall in love with Finn and his story. David Smith’s clear and educated writing is much needed in today’s cluttered literary market. I can’t praise his elegant work enough. If you enjoy snarky protagonists and pages filled with adventure and sightseeing, then Letters to Strabo will be a hit with you. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed with this beauty!
Letters to Strabo is an educated and exciting read that appeals to authors and aspiring authors everywhere.
LONG REVIEW
I have to admit that I was blown away by Letters to Strabo. I haven’t been blown away by a book in quite some time, and it was much needed. Once I found out that David Smith has a Ph.D., his writing style made so much sense. His wording is educated, and his descriptions flow flawlessly. Those who love classic authors such as Mark Twain and Ernest Hemingway will get a kick out of this gorgeous novel.
Letters to Strabo follows Finn, a boy who wants to be a writer and travel the globe. Smith references Mark Twain and Ernest Hemingway throughout the book, as well as Strabo, the Greek father of geography. Each chapter presents a different destination, and the book is written like a suspenseful autobiography. While reading Finn’s story, I felt like I was traveling with him. With each page, the book felt like a true escape. Smith’s accurate details of each destination astounded me, and despite Finn’s story being fictional, I watched it come to life. Rarely do I find books that make me forget where I am when reading them, and Letters to Strabo does just that.
Travelers and wannabe travelers alike will fall in love with Finn and his story. David Smith’s clear and educated writing is much needed in today’s cluttered literary market. I can’t praise his elegant work enough. If you enjoy snarky protagonists and pages filled with adventure and sightseeing, then Letters to Strabo will be a hit with you. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed with this beauty!
June 6, 2017
interesting and a very different read. you must try it
February 13, 2017
This is a rich and intriguing book about a journey; both a physical one, through the countries around the Mediterranean, and also a spiritual/psychological one, as the young main protagonist, Finn, learns about life and himself through the many different people he meets, and through the unravelling story of a young woman he loves, Eve, whose letters to him from his home country of the US provide a central thread throughout the novel. The story is set in 1977 and 1978, and Finn is also seeking the answer to a question abut what really happened to his father, apparently lost in a diving accident back in the 1960's.
The narrative is interwoven with the narrator's desire to follow the same journey as his hero, Strabo, a Greek philosopher, geographer and historian who lived from 64 BC to 24 AD. Smith also stitches into the story the Mediterranean journey of Mark Twain (himself, like Finn, an admirer of the American artist Frederick Church, a painter of sublime landscapes).
I found this a very evocative book full of wonderful vivid colourful accounts of the countries through which Finn travels, and the experiences he has there. The quality of the writing is so high, I felt as if I was going on the journey myself. I particularly enjoyed the author's account of Finn's intense relationship with French girl Francoise - it had a heady, intoxicating feel, just the sort of adventure that one might experience whilst travelling in one's early twenties, seizing life with both hands.
Finn's encounters with many other characters were also vivid and gripping, especially the story of Martino and Galatea in the pension in the Italian island of Ischia, and the friendships in Turkey with travelling companions Ahmet and Dicky Baxter.
My own reservation would be that as this is a long and intricate account, it loses energy at some points, especially in view of the many named characters within its pages - but then it picks up and becomes very much more interesting, especially - inevitably - in countries I have myself visited. At times I found it a struggle to take on board all the information the author packs in, and had to take notes for myself on the initial situation he outlines in the early part of the book. The main cohesive factors are Eve, Strabo and Finn himself, and the choices Finn makes, in regard to his own vocation, and also to his romantic relationships.
As I have discovered in earlier books written by this author, there are some truly outstanding passages of lyrical prose. I love the story of what happened to Finn after he had come down the Mount of Olives on the day before his 24th birthday. I was also totally captivated by the description of his journey across Sinai to St Catherine's Monastery.
The author delivers several big emotional shocks near the end of the novel, which I found tragic and heart-wrenching.
This is a book which helps you to reflect upon your own life; and I believe many readers could identify with at least some of Finn's dilemmas and doubts and longings. I strongly recommend it to those who love an intelligent read, travel, and tales of picaresque adventures with many characters, as well as following through a storyline with high emotional charge.
The narrative is interwoven with the narrator's desire to follow the same journey as his hero, Strabo, a Greek philosopher, geographer and historian who lived from 64 BC to 24 AD. Smith also stitches into the story the Mediterranean journey of Mark Twain (himself, like Finn, an admirer of the American artist Frederick Church, a painter of sublime landscapes).
I found this a very evocative book full of wonderful vivid colourful accounts of the countries through which Finn travels, and the experiences he has there. The quality of the writing is so high, I felt as if I was going on the journey myself. I particularly enjoyed the author's account of Finn's intense relationship with French girl Francoise - it had a heady, intoxicating feel, just the sort of adventure that one might experience whilst travelling in one's early twenties, seizing life with both hands.
Finn's encounters with many other characters were also vivid and gripping, especially the story of Martino and Galatea in the pension in the Italian island of Ischia, and the friendships in Turkey with travelling companions Ahmet and Dicky Baxter.
My own reservation would be that as this is a long and intricate account, it loses energy at some points, especially in view of the many named characters within its pages - but then it picks up and becomes very much more interesting, especially - inevitably - in countries I have myself visited. At times I found it a struggle to take on board all the information the author packs in, and had to take notes for myself on the initial situation he outlines in the early part of the book. The main cohesive factors are Eve, Strabo and Finn himself, and the choices Finn makes, in regard to his own vocation, and also to his romantic relationships.
As I have discovered in earlier books written by this author, there are some truly outstanding passages of lyrical prose. I love the story of what happened to Finn after he had come down the Mount of Olives on the day before his 24th birthday. I was also totally captivated by the description of his journey across Sinai to St Catherine's Monastery.
The author delivers several big emotional shocks near the end of the novel, which I found tragic and heart-wrenching.
This is a book which helps you to reflect upon your own life; and I believe many readers could identify with at least some of Finn's dilemmas and doubts and longings. I strongly recommend it to those who love an intelligent read, travel, and tales of picaresque adventures with many characters, as well as following through a storyline with high emotional charge.
September 19, 2018
I received a free copy of this book as part of a Goodreads giveaway
Letters to Strabo is the fictional autobiography of Adam Finnegan Black, Finn, told through his journal entries and letters from his pen pal, Eve, as he travels abroad with the goal of finding out what happened to his father who went missing.
First of all, the way this book was divided into seventeen books and then some of those into additional parts still, felt overwhelming and clumsy. The many epigraphs only serve to add to the chaos.
The main reason I did not enjoy this book is because I just did not find the main character very likeable. Finn came across as too full of himself, kind of sleazy, and misogynist. The way he describes Eve when they first meet is really gross and objectifying. Eve on the other hand, I did like at first but grew tired of as I could not understand why she would be so enfatuated with Finn. Furthermore, the trope she fulfilled was pretty annoying, the whole "so pure her only fate is death" thing is so boring.
Speaking of, I did appreciate and find myself enraptured by the way Smith lead up to the death at the end but then I found that it fell flat because I really did not care for the characters.
Another thing that really stood out to me was a description of the sunset early on, "I won't try to describe the sunset to you, but it felt as though we ought to be staring at it on our knees it was so intense." (p21) It still feels like some pompous statement the character of Finn would say but in a more tolerable way.
What I could not tolerate, however, was Finn's reverence for colonialism, particularly that which took place in Cairo. The phrases "colonial elegance" (p336) and "that ignoble night" (p337) in reference to anti-British riots in Cairo in 1952 are not justifiable.
Overall, I did not enjoy this book or its characters, I will not read it again and would not recommend it to anyone I know. I dont know if the voice Smith uses here is just that of Finn that he adopted for this book or if it is one he uses regularly, but I will not be seeking more books from him.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 11, 2017
I recently reviewed David Smith’s Love in Lindfield and I’ve just finished his Letters to Strabo. Although the former was a fun read, the latter is definitely more my style and I really enjoyed the adventure.
As Finn’s mother dies, he promises that he’ll find out what really happened to his father, a man Finn has never really known. This takes him on an epic quest and he very kindly allows us to tag along.
Intentionally, I believe, this novel reads like a travel guide, taking us to Greece, Persia, India, Egypt, North Africa and many more exciting destinations. We’re right beside Finn for his whole trip, sharing in his adventures, friendships and love affairs.
What makes this travel experience even more interesting is that it’s set in the late seventies and not the present day. Despite geography and history both being fascinating to me, neither are anywhere near to being my intellectual strengths and I felt as though I was casually learning throughout the book.
Each chapter begins with a quote from Mark Twain, echoing Finn’s journey with his own experiences. It does occasionally seem as though there’s too much going on in this book, from the search for information about the protagonist’s father, to his many love interests, the actual travel experiences themselves, and even some surprising action scenes.
I did enjoy the style of writing though, particularly when young Finn is behaving in a laddish way, playing the loveable fool and unwittingly getting into trouble. A surprising cameo role for Peggy Guggenheim also delighted me!
David Smith has also written Searching for Amber and Death in Leamington, as well as the aforementioned Love in Lindfield.
As Finn’s mother dies, he promises that he’ll find out what really happened to his father, a man Finn has never really known. This takes him on an epic quest and he very kindly allows us to tag along.
Intentionally, I believe, this novel reads like a travel guide, taking us to Greece, Persia, India, Egypt, North Africa and many more exciting destinations. We’re right beside Finn for his whole trip, sharing in his adventures, friendships and love affairs.
What makes this travel experience even more interesting is that it’s set in the late seventies and not the present day. Despite geography and history both being fascinating to me, neither are anywhere near to being my intellectual strengths and I felt as though I was casually learning throughout the book.
Each chapter begins with a quote from Mark Twain, echoing Finn’s journey with his own experiences. It does occasionally seem as though there’s too much going on in this book, from the search for information about the protagonist’s father, to his many love interests, the actual travel experiences themselves, and even some surprising action scenes.
I did enjoy the style of writing though, particularly when young Finn is behaving in a laddish way, playing the loveable fool and unwittingly getting into trouble. A surprising cameo role for Peggy Guggenheim also delighted me!
David Smith has also written Searching for Amber and Death in Leamington, as well as the aforementioned Love in Lindfield.
August 28, 2018
This book was entered in The Wishing Shelf Book Awards. This is what our readers thought:
Title: Letters to Strabo
Author: David Smith
Star Rating: 5 Stars
Number of Readers: 17
Stats
Editing: 9/10
Writing Style: 10/10
Content: 10/10
Cover: 9/10
Of the 17 readers:
17 would read another book by this author.
15 thought the cover was good or excellent.
16 felt it was easy to follow.
17 would recommend this story to another reader to try.
8 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘plotting a story’.
9 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘developing the characters’.
16 felt the pacing was good or excellent.
17 thought the author understood the readership and what they wanted.
Readers’ Comments
‘What a wonderful story. Lightly written, the novel is almost a ‘dance’ through the Mediterranean. I loved it!’ Female reader, aged 43
‘I see in the blurb that readers who enjoy Ernest Hemmingway will enjoy this. Well, I’m a big Hemmingway fan, and I must say, I agree. Richly written with a quirky eye for detail, this author is very talented.’ Male reader, aged 65
‘It’s not often you find an enjoyable story and a well-researched travel book all within the same cover.’ Male reader, aged 62
‘Finn, the hero of the story, is young, a little brash, always endearing and easy to fall in love, whether it be with a person or a place. I very much enjoyed following his travels as I not only enjoyed a deeper understanding of the character but also the lands he travelled to. Bravo!’ Female reader, aged 67
To Sum It Up:
‘The captivating story of young man trying to find answers. A FINALIST and highly recommended.’ The Wishing Shelf Book Awards
Title: Letters to Strabo
Author: David Smith
Star Rating: 5 Stars
Number of Readers: 17
Stats
Editing: 9/10
Writing Style: 10/10
Content: 10/10
Cover: 9/10
Of the 17 readers:
17 would read another book by this author.
15 thought the cover was good or excellent.
16 felt it was easy to follow.
17 would recommend this story to another reader to try.
8 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘plotting a story’.
9 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘developing the characters’.
16 felt the pacing was good or excellent.
17 thought the author understood the readership and what they wanted.
Readers’ Comments
‘What a wonderful story. Lightly written, the novel is almost a ‘dance’ through the Mediterranean. I loved it!’ Female reader, aged 43
‘I see in the blurb that readers who enjoy Ernest Hemmingway will enjoy this. Well, I’m a big Hemmingway fan, and I must say, I agree. Richly written with a quirky eye for detail, this author is very talented.’ Male reader, aged 65
‘It’s not often you find an enjoyable story and a well-researched travel book all within the same cover.’ Male reader, aged 62
‘Finn, the hero of the story, is young, a little brash, always endearing and easy to fall in love, whether it be with a person or a place. I very much enjoyed following his travels as I not only enjoyed a deeper understanding of the character but also the lands he travelled to. Bravo!’ Female reader, aged 67
To Sum It Up:
‘The captivating story of young man trying to find answers. A FINALIST and highly recommended.’ The Wishing Shelf Book Awards
June 19, 2017
A modern day love story through letters.
I won a copy of this book during a Goodreads giveaway. I am under no obligation to leave a review or rating and do so voluntarily. So that others may also enjoy this book, I am donating it to a senior assisted living facility.
I won a copy of this book during a Goodreads giveaway. I am under no obligation to leave a review or rating and do so voluntarily. So that others may also enjoy this book, I am donating it to a senior assisted living facility.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews