Announcement: We have the Third and the Fourth Winners in the Great Big Travel Literature GiveawayII: Christa Joy has selected The Invisible Mountain. Rebecca Waer has selected Lobster Chronicles. Don’t despair–seven more prizes to go plus four grand prizes.
Mountain Road
Destination: The Whole World
Books for the Travel Library:
The Lunatic Express: Discovering the World…Via Its Most Dangerous Buses, Boats, Trains, and Planes by Carl Hoffman (NEW March 2010)
The Routes of Man:How Roads Are Changing the World and the Way We Live Today by Ted Conover (NEW February, 2010)
I can’t seem to move these days without tripping over a book that has to do with roads and road trips. And here come two brand new books that tackle some of the roughest and most interesting roads (in the broadest sense) in the world.
Carl Hoffman‘s travel plan involves the most dangerous land, sea and air routes he can find. An Africa train lends its name to the title of the book, Lunatic Express, but the rest of the conveyances are pretty crazy, too. I once had a travel writing teacher who said that travel writers should expose themselves to danger and then write about it in order to get the most compelling stories. Hoffman must have heard that lecture through an amplifier.
Throughout this travel book he seems absolutely driven to destroy himself, proudly quoting newspaper articles about disastrous crashes of trains and sinking of ships, deadly robberies of buses, and airplanes that fall out of the sky. He does have a way with description, although his road trips major in places that are dirty, humid, hot, smelly and uncomfortable–not exactly tourist attractions. I really enjoyed reading his conversations with the fascinating people that he meets, in particular a Swiss businessman in Mombasa whose greatest accomplishment was that he never paid taxes.
“I spent three years in Uganda before coming to Kenya, and those were the best three years of my life,” he said. “In Kampala I met a woman. It is the only time I have been in love. She was thirty-five, from the Rwenzori mountains. She couldn’t read or write, but she was a born trader. She knew it deep in her blood. And she was beautiful. She said, ‘Give me two thousand dollars.’ I did. She traded in charcoal, and every night she arrived with a pile of Ugandan money on my table.”
In a rather-too-frequent moment of self assessment, he says “…I, too, craved adventure, even if risk and loneliness was its by-product.” I say rather too frequent, because I was somehow not convinced of these intrusions of rationality into his self-centered rush to risk. He even takes his daughter with him on a rough bus ride in South America, hoping, he says that she will understand what he does. Perhaps, I was thinking, he should stay home once in a while and find out what she does? And although he talks frequently about how he has ruined his marriage, he thanks his wife at the end of the book, for 27 years of unfailing support.
A chapter at a time, the book amuses and entertains,but as a whole book, it felt contrived. He found out how “the other half travels” but rarely actually felt danger. Excellent writing, but a flimsy frame with personal ponderings that to me seemed gratuitous.
Routes of Man (meant by author Ted Conover to be pronounced “roots” so you get the double meaning), on the other hand, sets forth a strong premise that kept me fascinated throughout. Six long chapterd of reportage are each followed by a brief discussion on the idea of travel and related thoughts–paths, roads, speed, progress.
Conover is considering big issues here — issues like the destruction of traditional cultures and the relationship of the military and roads (dating back to the Romans and up to the Israelis). His style includes vivid enough pictures of places* and portraits of people, but the ideas take center stage, and in a calmer voice (even when he lands in some scary places) than Hoffman’s. (Conover is no stranger to the put-yourself-in-danger school of writing, having worked as a guard at Sing-Sing among other things, to get his story.)
*Conover traveling on an iced-over river in the Himalayan:
Depending on the light and the sky, the water will be pitch-black or pellucid blue, the surface rippled by crystals of ice, a giant moving Slurpee, swirling around frozen banks and then disappearing under sheets of ice.
The subtitles reflect the fact that most such appendages are written by a marketer rather than the author, and don’t necessarily reflect the book as a whole. Lunatic Express doesn’t set out to “discover the world” but rather to “experience” the world travel as it is seen by the masses, as opposed to the privileged tourist. And as to the subtitle for Routes of Man? I give up. That’s a little of the book’s meaning–but not much.
These both make a good addition to a traveler’s library, but if you only get one, you can choose which fits you best.
Photo from Flickr through Creative Commons. Click on picture for more information about photographer. Publishers of each book gave me a review copy–which will turn up in a Giveaway one of these days.
Do you think travel writing is more interesting when the writer has but him/herself in danger? And which of these books appeals to you more?
PDF Tags: Carl Hoffman, Conover, Lunatic Express, road trip, Routes of Man, travel writing
Twitter: lhartness
says:
I think it’s certainly more interesting if the writer is putting his/herself in danger, although I wouldn’t like being in that position myself! In the summer of 1993 I was living in Bogota’, Colombia. We would sometimes go up in the surrounding mountains, and most people would drive around at night with their headlights off on these twisty roads (with huge drop-offs and rarely a guardrail). It was a money thing– the more they used the headlights, the sooner they’d have to replace them, and their wallets were not that deep. So I spent more than one ride gritting my teeth, praying to God and trying not to cry.
I would not make a good adventurous travel writer. I leave that to those who would enjoy it!
Laura Hartness
The Calico Critic
.-= Laura Hartness hopes you will read blog ..Contest Results & Latest Movie Review =-.
Twitter: WanderingEds
says:
interesting. i have no interest in reading of dangerous travel – that’s crazy to me!! thanks.
.-= jessiev hopes you will read blog ..href=”http://www.wanderingeducators.com/best/top-10/magical-new-zealand-my-top-ten-places-north-island.html”
Twitter: lunaticcarl
says:
Thanks so much for the review of my book, The Lunatic Express. There’s an error in the opening graphs, though, when talking about me you instead use Conover’s name. Thanks again, though! CH
.-= Carl hopes you will read blog ..Of Memory and an Artist in Crete, 1983 =-.
Twitter: pen4hire
says:
Oh how embarrassing! I’m always delighted when an author drops by, and here he finds me using the wrong name. You know the old line–say anything you want about me, just get my name right–and I got it wrong. Deepest apologies. And it is fixed–but too late for the darned RSS feed, I fear!
I don’t know if it danger that makes it more interesting, but the intensity does. Tension, peril, the unknown.. that makes for a good book. Of all the books you’ve reviewed, the first one that I really seemed to connect with was The Lunatic Express: Discovering the World…Via Its Most Dangerous Buses, Boats, Trains, and Planes. Maybe it is because my life feels this way?
.-= Laura B hopes you will read blog ..Shelter blog =-.
I love this subgenre of travel literature (such as Robert Young Pelton’s books—-my fav was “Hunter Hammer and Heaven, Journeys to Three World’s Gone Mad”. Something in the air—I just picked up this book!
Twitter: kerrydexter
says:
your descrption of Conover’s book had me thinking of two of the songs on Kathy Mattea’s album Coal (just talked about the album on as our road trip visited West Virginia). one is from the point of view of an adult who grew up in the coalfeilds visiting a now abandoned home town, and the other talks of the changes to life and landscape in the mountains becasue of the coming of the roads. if I understand your description correctly, these would be a bit related to some of Conover’s ideas? sounds an interesting book.
.-= Kerry Dexter hopes you will read blog ..music and community =-.
Twitter: pen4hire
says:
Kerry: Absolutely, that’s what Conover is talking about, among other things. But he vividly shows what will be changed or has been changed with the coming of roads.
Twitter: DonnaLHull
says:
While I don’t intend to drive these dangerous routes (the 4-wheeling I do with my husband in Colorado’s San Juan Mountains are enough danger for me), there is something exciting about living vicariously through another traveler’s dangerous experience. It must be why I was such an avid reader of National Geographic Adventure (rest in peace). My favorite articles? Trekking in the Himalayas, something I will never be fit enough to do. Now you’ve given me two new books to consider.
.-= Donna Hull hopes you will read blog ..Saturday’s scene: Celebrating 100 Years =-.
Great reviews as usual!!!!
p.s.
sooooo great!!! Can’t wait to get into the other books I’ve loaded on my Nook (all your suggestions)
I’m totally enjoying the Innocents book by Mark Twain
I heard Hoffman on the radio recently and am looking forward to reading his book!
.-= Jennifer Margulis hopes you will read blog ..A Letter From an Angry Fit Pregnancy Reader =-.
Twitter: chezsven
says:
Route of Man sounds like a book my husband would enjoy. I was wondering what to get him for his birthday, June 6. Isn’t that something, a historian whose birthday falls on D-Day? Anyway, thanks for the suggestion.
.-= Alexandra hopes you will read blog ..Bonus Post: Map of Wellfleet Becomes Available! =-.
Twitter: mykidseatsquid
says:
I must admit, when I first read about Lunatic Express it almost sounds like those real-life stories featured in Reader’s Digest–”Dan knew he shouldn’t be walking barefoot out onto the ledge 200-feet above the lagoon, but he did it anyway.” Then fall, then heroic rescue, time in the hospital…I like a story with adventure but I think you’re right that Lunatic Express sounds contrived.
.-= Kristen hopes you will read blog ..30-Minute Meal: Easy Chicken Parmesan =-.
Twitter: Vasyfille
says:
Thanks for sharing. Conover’s book seems more compelling – from your description. As a writer and reader driven by experience I find I’m more entranced by the “ideas taking center stage” perspective. With my own writing I’m learning to depart from straight documentation to add my own perspective but not so much a reader is shackled to my musings. A fine line. That said I guess both would be compelling as a way to compare as you did.
.-= Jonna hopes you will read blog ..Hike Up! Modern Dog Sledding =-.
Twitter: Melanie Haiken
says:
I’ve always loved books about rugged travel and overcoming challenges and certainly life-threatening danger is part of the genre. Sometimes, though, I find myself wanting to read about more accessible experiences too; can anyone recommend travel writers with a more cultural or spiritual bent?
Twitter: urbanmusewriter
says:
Certainly, an element of danger raises the stakes, but I always grit my teeth when I see a scene from a TV show or a movie where a character deliberately or carelessly places themselves in danger. If danger finds you, that’s one thing, but I’m risk-adverse, so I don’t relate as well to people who (in my opinion) are needlessly putting themselves in harm’s way.
.-= Susan hopes you will read blog ..Guest Post: How Guest Posting Makes You a Better Writer and Builds Your Brand =-.
Wow, 27 years married to a guy who’s rarely home? That’s some kind of marriage. The second book sounds like it’s written by a person I might actually like…
I’ve shared your site with numerous friends who are preparing for road trips and trips abroad. You do such a great job combining the literature and the travel. ~Meredith
Twitter: lunaticcarl
says:
Fascinating to read other’s thoughts and comments on my book, The Lunatic Express. It’s unfortunate that it felt contrived to some; the title originally did not contain the word ‘dangerous’, but was something my publisher insisted upon. I don’t consider myself an adrenaline seeker and that was never the purpose, but rather just to travel the world as most of its people must, and do everyday. It was a gateway, a window, to try to see the world as it is. I thought it would be interesting and it was. I don’t feel I was ever careless; only in the sense, I suppose, that I was traveling as hundreds of millions must every day. I didn’t climb a mountain or leap from a clif; I just bought tickets on regularly scheduled buses, boats, trains and planes. They have to do it every day, so why couldn’t I? And of the many things which I took away from the experience was the importance of close connections and family and a thirst to reconnect – all of which I write about in Loony. In any event, glad to see the discussion!
Carl Hoffman
.-= Carl hopes you will read blog ..Oprah Dreams =-.
My husband would adore Lunatic Express and he hardly ever reads. So it’s great when I find books that he would like. He loves the typical adventure memoir. I personally think both sound like great reads because I love knowing about the parts of the world that I wouldn’t personally go.
.-= Alisa Bowman hopes you will read blog ..How to Tell if Your Relationship Can Be Salvaged =-.
Twitter: sstiavetti
says:
Vera, I love your recommendations! It’s always nice to have niche books to look through when I want something new to read.