Travel Literature Makes My Heart Beat Faster.. discussion
Fall/winter read
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Andrea
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Sep 11, 2009 03:43PM
Would anybody be interested in a desert/tropical read for the winter? I don't have anything real specific in mind although I've thought about reading "Men of Salt." Maybe others have ideas?
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Yeah, fall would be good too. Any suggestions?
Oh good! Do we need to set up an official poll or something? I don't know if I can do that. Or should we just mutually agree on a book and a start date?
MEN OF SALT looks good to meFYI - I just finished COLD BEER AND BICYCLES about a guy who quits his job at Time magazine and bicycles around the outer edges of Australia
it was very good but I'm for MEN OF SALT
I think we all know what Jim wants to read now:) However, it looks like I can set up a little poll if there are other nominations. Maybe we could give people until next week to make nominations and if there are any, we can have another few days to vote and then we'll be on the road (so to speak)!
So if anyone wants to nominate a book other than "Men of Salt," get your nominations in by Sept. 25th. Otherwise, we can just go with M of S by consensus.
Got my copy of Men of Salt and it looked so good that I just had to dip in. It will get my vote.
Hmm.. time of final nominations draws near. I predict it will be "Men of Salt" by a landslide.
Andrea don't go out on a limb too soon
I'll bet you spend a lot of time at casinos gambling too
Okay, there being no more nominations from the "floor", it looks like any interested in reading "Men of Salt" are welcome. I'll probably get to the book next week; I've got some grading to do first, and then will post some thoughts. Hope all will join in!
... just asked for a copy from the library!
SPOILERS? ONLY THE INTRODUCTIONI've just started into the book, and I like the amount of detail the author is giving about why he chose this trip and how he prepared for it. He gives enough to get me interested in following him, but not so much background that I feel like he is dragging me through choosing his toothbrush.
I liked the book as I knew nothing about the area/people travelled
"Cruelest Journey" by Kira Salak actually is about some of the same cities, although she is travelling on the Niger River. There is a National Geographic video Series called simply "Africa" which has an episode in following a family that is on the salt caravan. I've started into the first chapter, and as I am suffering through a bad cold this week, I could picture the fear the narrator must surely have felt, starting on a trip like that when unwell. It also seemed a realistic touch to me. So often great adventures are spoiled by toothaches, upset stomach or whatever. And I really sympathized with his feelings that on previous travels he had missed things by not living "in the moment." But one has to be aware of things like transport schedules, right? It's unavoidable that you will miss things because you have to keep to a certain itinerary?
I've been thinking about my last comment, while I wait .... Anyway, I was thinking that the tension between "accomplishing the mission" and "enjoying the experience" is common in travel literature.
I've just started Men of Salt and admittedly this isn't a book I would have picked up on my own but I am enjoying it so far. I admire those with the courage (and stupidity, perhaps?) to take on these kinds of adventures.
Andrea, I agree with your last comment; I know personally in what little travelling I have done I have been so concerned with seeing "the" sights that I've let random and equally worthy experiences pass me by.
Andrea, I agree with your last comment; I know personally in what little travelling I have done I have been so concerned with seeing "the" sights that I've let random and equally worthy experiences pass me by.
Just finished Last Voyage of the Lucette - not your typical travel book, but an amazing story. First half is a family setting out to sail around the world from England. They make it to Panama and the boat is sunk - they spend 38 days in a life raft. Really remarkable. Looking forward to Men of Salt...
Sorry I've been absent for a while. I'm planning to get back to M.of S. this week. I'm always interested in authors who tell a lot about their physical experience of travel. Sometimes it can get to be too much, but I'm not sure I can clearly explain when it is fascinating and when irritating. So far, I like how M. of S. is balancing it.
In the scene where the boy is let down the well, does anybody else wonder why they don't just let down the extra bucket to begin with? Or maybe they were just hoping to get their bucket back?
Andrea wrote: "In the scene where the boy is let down the well, does anybody else wonder why they don't just let down the extra bucket to begin with? Or maybe they were just hoping to get their bucket back?"
Perhaps they didn't want to take the chance of losing the extra bucket without trying to get the first one back? It seems that they are very industrious and practical with what little resources they have. I would have been like the author, though, worrying for the boy's safety more than anything else.
Perhaps they didn't want to take the chance of losing the extra bucket without trying to get the first one back? It seems that they are very industrious and practical with what little resources they have. I would have been like the author, though, worrying for the boy's safety more than anything else.
