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Călătoria unui sceptic în jurul lumii
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În călătoria sa de un an prin lume (India, Birmania, Japonia, China, America), Aldous Huxley îşi notează impresiile puternice lăsate de locurile pe care le vizitează şi de oamenii pe care îi cunoaşte. India şi Birmania sînt pentru el prilej de a vorbi despre istoria culturală a Caşmirului, despre arhitectura mongolă şi despre istoria artei indiene. Preumblîndu-se cu o amba
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While I agree with Michael Palin's assessment that it's a strange choice of title, it's otherwise quite a fun read. The Imperialism is a bit hard to stomach, but as long you understand the whole "product of your time" concept it's not too tough to come to grips with.
In 1926, Huxley visited Indian, Burma, Malaya, Japan, China, and America--all places I have been (though China just the airports) on this trip. Reading old travel writing is cool because while some things have entirely changed, more ...more
In 1926, Huxley visited Indian, Burma, Malaya, Japan, China, and America--all places I have been (though China just the airports) on this trip. Reading old travel writing is cool because while some things have entirely changed, more ...more
A travel memoir, obviously. India takes up half the book, the other places the last half in rapid succession. No matter – the charm of the book is Huxley's superbly balanced, thoughtful insights on everything from the caste system to Christian persecution in history, from how practical matters shape the seriousness of sin to Hollywood pabulum to cultural differences in music appreciation.
A truly learned and reasonable man, Huxley is at turns inspiring, funny, admiring and scathing. His descripti ...more
A truly learned and reasonable man, Huxley is at turns inspiring, funny, admiring and scathing. His descripti ...more
I read this book as a child from my grandfathers collection. A fantastic account of the authors travels in the sub-continent. Funny and insightful, it will keep you engrossed through out. Oddly, theres not much in the way of description of food while in India, though a description of a particularly large and satisfying meal is present in the Burma section.
I recently spent a month travelling in Rajasthan, and read the chapters pertaining to those areas while there and was surprised to see that ma ...more
I recently spent a month travelling in Rajasthan, and read the chapters pertaining to those areas while there and was surprised to see that ma ...more
Oeuvre digne de figurer dans une hypothétique bibliothèque idéale. Avec ce même esprit critique et caustique qu'habitait un certain Albert Londres, Aldous Huxley, à travers ce "tour du monde d'un sceptique" publié en 1926, nous rappelle aussi, par la finesse de son regard et son style précieux, un autre brillant grand voyageur, le Suisse Nicolas Bouvier et son célèbre "L'usage du monde" (d'ailleurs publié chez le même éditeur). Ces voyages en Inde, en Malaisie, en Indonésie et au Japon ne consti
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Agréable voyage avec un jeune gentleman du nom d'Aldous Huxley déjà célèbre en 1925.
Le périple à travers les Indes Britanniques, la Malaisie, le Japon, l'Amérique et une belle conclusion au retour à Londres est l'occasion pour le futur auteur du "Meilleur des Mondes" de nous embarquer avec lui et nous livrer ses impressions parfois superficielles et empreintes de préjugés mais délicieuses d'un humour très british...
Le récit est émaillé de réflexions sur l'architecture et les arts des Indes (le c ...more
Le périple à travers les Indes Britanniques, la Malaisie, le Japon, l'Amérique et une belle conclusion au retour à Londres est l'occasion pour le futur auteur du "Meilleur des Mondes" de nous embarquer avec lui et nous livrer ses impressions parfois superficielles et empreintes de préjugés mais délicieuses d'un humour très british...
Le récit est émaillé de réflexions sur l'architecture et les arts des Indes (le c ...more
May 21, 2019
Stephen Hayes
rated it
really liked it
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review of another edition
Shelves:
travel,
tshwane-library
A travel diary of a journey undertaken nearly a century ago -- the book was first published in 1926. On his journey Huxley and his companion(s) (whose name(s) are never mentioned) visit India, Burma, Malaya, Java, Borneo, the Philippines, China, Japan and the USA.
His observations are interesting historically, because the first three countries he mentioned were still under British colonial rule, while the Philippines were under American rule. At the end of his journey he concludes that travel is ...more
His observations are interesting historically, because the first three countries he mentioned were still under British colonial rule, while the Philippines were under American rule. At the end of his journey he concludes that travel is ...more
May 19, 2018
Carl Mucho
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
nonfiction,
reviewed
This book had to undergo emergency drying procedures after getting soaked in water inside a backpack I had washed. It took at least a day for the book's pages to wither crisp to perfection with the heat of the sun erasing all traces of the unfortunate incident. I had set aside the entire weekend to read the book but had to begin a day later as a result.
Aldous Huxley writes thought-provoking entry after mind-blowing entry of his travels across the vast expanse of Asia (South, IndoChina Southeast ...more
Aldous Huxley writes thought-provoking entry after mind-blowing entry of his travels across the vast expanse of Asia (South, IndoChina Southeast ...more
[1928 edition, Doubleday, Doran, & Company, 326 pages]
In some ways outdated (being almost a century-old book), Aldous Huxley still has a lot of wisdom to share. His observations of humanity still ring true. Being unable to travel due to COVID, it was a much needed esoteric journey through the world (and the past).
I appreciate being re-reminded how travel is a form of meditation, self-reflection, and “inquiry of values”. Things greatly lacking from our hyperactive, hustle-obsessed world.
In some ways outdated (being almost a century-old book), Aldous Huxley still has a lot of wisdom to share. His observations of humanity still ring true. Being unable to travel due to COVID, it was a much needed esoteric journey through the world (and the past).
I appreciate being re-reminded how travel is a form of meditation, self-reflection, and “inquiry of values”. Things greatly lacking from our hyperactive, hustle-obsessed world.
A fascinating account of a trip around the world in 1924. The emphasis is on India and the author found plenty to fault about the locals, their religions and their colonial oveloads and wasn't shy to call it out. A surprisingly modern book with many fascinating insights and observations as well as some bits that feel more like 1874 or even 1724!
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Surprisingly modern views for a book written in 1914. Huxley’s humour and strong sense of reality combined jn the same book are the key of a valuable reading. I enjoyed the book at maximum. 4 stars are only because India has half of the book and the others the rest of it. I’d have liked to travel more with Huxley. Bottom line 4 stars beacause it is too short:-)
Pas tout récent: certains éléments ont vieilli, mais d'autres n'ont pas changé.
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I adored this book! If you love traveling, philosophy and Huxley's work, you will too.
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Fascinating comments from travelling in 1924. Written with great insight and wit.
Highly recommended
“Travel is cheap and rapid,” writes Aldous Huxley in Jesting Pilate (first published in 1926) said by some to be the first of the “modern” travel adventures. “The immense accumulation of modern knowledge lies heaped on every side.” (He should live so long, especially now.)
Huxley is best remembered as the author of Brave New World and The Doors of Perception, which is one of the first personal accounts of psychedelic usage (that other kind of travel).
Read the rest of my review at: http://tbdelu ...more
Huxley is best remembered as the author of Brave New World and The Doors of Perception, which is one of the first personal accounts of psychedelic usage (that other kind of travel).
Read the rest of my review at: http://tbdelu ...more
Amusing and insightful at various points. Huxley sure loves to have an opinion.
I can't help but find his contemptuous dismissal of the Taj pretty hilarious. At times he shows impressive self awareness (at least in terms of the era), though blind spots are clear to us reading 80+ years later. His elitist criticisms of democracy and popular taste are a little cringeworthy.
Loved the descriptions of India. How different to my experience. The most fully formed writing comes at the end in his bitter ...more
I can't help but find his contemptuous dismissal of the Taj pretty hilarious. At times he shows impressive self awareness (at least in terms of the era), though blind spots are clear to us reading 80+ years later. His elitist criticisms of democracy and popular taste are a little cringeworthy.
Loved the descriptions of India. How different to my experience. The most fully formed writing comes at the end in his bitter ...more
A funny, deeply insightful account of the author's travels through India, Southeast Asia and America. While this is technically a travel memoir, much of the writing is philosophical and showcases Huxley's humanist perspectives. A worthwhile read.
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I'd never tackled anything by this author, before picking up this series of essays at a used bookstore. Frankly, I preferred Evelyn Waugh's Labels (also "noted novelist as travel writer"), but Huxley's observations made for an interesting read.
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If you ignore the outdated and casual racism (it is of it's time) it's a rather interesting jaunt through the Southern Hemisphere
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Aldous Leonard Huxley was an English writer and one of the most prominent members of the famous Huxley family. He spent the latter part of his life in the United States, living in Los Angeles from 1937 until his death in 1963. Best known for his novels and wide-ranging output of essays, he also published short stories, poetry, travel writing, and film stories and scripts. Through his novels and es
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“Every man with a little leisure and enough money for railway tickets, every man, indeed, who knows how to read, has it in his power to magnify himself, to multiply the ways in which he exists, to make his life full, significant and interesting.”
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“Liberated from fear, the Americans live with confidence, and therefore with enhanced vitality. A generous extravagance, undreamed of in other parts of the world, is the American rule. Men and women earn largely and spend what they have on the national pleasures, which are all social and stimulative of vitality. Modernity also tends to heighten vitality – or to be more exact, it affects the expression of vitality, externalising it in the form of vehement action. The joyful acceptance of change, which so profoundly influences American industry, business methods and domestic architecture, reacts on the affairs of daily, personal life. Pleasure is associated with a change of place and environment, finally with mere movement for its own sake. People leave their homes if they want entertainment. They externalise their vitality in visiting places of public amusement, in dancing and motoring – in doing anything that is not quietly sitting by their own fireside (or rather by their own radiator). What is known as 'night life' flourishes in America as nowhere else in the world. And nowhere, perhaps, is there so little conversation. In America vitality is given its most obviously vital expression. Hence there appears to be even more vitality in the Americans than perhaps there really is. A man may have plenty of vitality and yet keep still; his motionless calm may be mistaken for listlessness. There can be no mistake about people who dance and rush about. American vitality is always obviously manifested. It expresses itself vigorously to the music of the drum and saxophone, to the ringing of telephone bells and the roar of street cars. It expresses itself in terms of hastening automobiles, of huge and yelling crowds, of speeches, banquets, 'drives,' slogans, sky signs. It is all movement and noise, like the water gurgling out of a bath down the waste. Yes, down the waste.”
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