[ebooktalk] Re: Travel books

  • From: "Elaine Harris \(Rivendell\)" <elaineharris@xxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: <ebooktalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Fri, 28 Jun 2013 15:38:32 +1000

June, according to a book I read about Gerald Durrell and his work, he was
also apparently both a collector and writer of rather risqué limericks and
other verse. Makes him rather more human somehow, doesn't it?

Elaine

  

-----Original Message-----
From: ebooktalk-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:ebooktalk-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of Tar Barrels
Sent: Thursday, 27 June 2013 5:59 PM
To: ebooktalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [ebooktalk] Re: Travel books

While I enjoy biography and memoirs, particularly political memoirs, I'm not
generally a fan of autobiography - these days they're often badly written,
and done when the subject is till only about 8 years old! However, Gerald
Durrell is an exception in every way. How could anyone not like his books -
they tell a complete story, not just about him and his family and his
surroundings, but about the world around him. Why don't we read him to
children more nowadays? 
 June

-----Original Message-----
From: ebooktalk-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:ebooktalk-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of Voldi Gailans
Sent: 27 June 2013 07:27
To: ebooktalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [ebooktalk] Re: Travel books

Hi Steve,

Yes, I certainly do remember the morning serials.  I loved being at home in
the holidays when we could hear all the episodes without interruption.  We
had Gerald Durrell read to us at school too, didn't we?

Best wishes,

Voldi

At 11:16 26/06/2013, you wrote:
>Voldi
>
>Do you remember how we used to listen to the books that were broadcast 
>at
>8:45 AM when Parliament was in recess. I particularly remember 
>listening to Jerald Durrel's The Drunken Forest and really cursing when 
>the bell for morning assembly went too early so that we missed the end 
>of
the reading.
>
>Steve
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: ebooktalk-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>[mailto:ebooktalk-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
>On Behalf Of Voldi Gailans
>Sent: 26 June 2013 10:55
>To: ebooktalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>Subject: [ebooktalk] Re: Travel books
>
>Hi steve and all,
>
>I don't usually read travel books but some years ago they broadcast on 
>A book at Bedtime Among the Russians by Colin Thubron.  I heard parts 
>of it and have always meant to look out for it as I found it quite
interesting.
>There were some good characters as well as descriptions of the 
>different parts of the then Soviet Union.
>
>Best wishes,
>
>Voldi
>
>At 08:51 26/06/2013, you wrote:
> >Hi all
> >
> >One of the troubles with travel books is that they are only relevant 
> >for a very short time after publication. They then become 
> >irritatingly out-of-date and rather irrelevant. Then after about 20 
> >years or more they become interesting historical documents.
> >
> >Another problem is that they usually tell you more than you want to 
> >know about the author. Of course, the authors flavours the whole 
> >thing by what they choose to include and what they choose to leave out.
> >
> >I generally feel that travel books fall short as either a guide or 
> >history to the places describbed and only tells you some of the 
> >author's
>story.
> >
> >If you want to know about the author get the autobiography (there's 
> >usually
> >one) and if you want to know about a place get either a guide or a 
> >history depending upon what you need.
> >
> >Some of Bryson's books Notes From A Small Island and Notes From A Big 
> >Country for example are rather different in that they set out to tell 
> >you more about the way of life in the country and draw comparisons 
> >based on the author's experience.
> >
> >Steve
> >
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: ebooktalk-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> >[mailto:ebooktalk-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
> >On Behalf Of Elaine Harris (Rivendell)
> >Sent: 26 June 2013 00:51
> >To: ebooktalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> >Subject: [ebooktalk] Re: Travel books
> >
> >Oh, June, I haven't read H. V. Morton in years. Chris and I shared 
> >much of his work over 25 years ago; our favourites being "I Saw Two 
> >Englands", set before and during the second world war, (rural idyll 
> >to munitions factory), and "Ghosts of Old London", pure magic of history!
> >I might find them too dry now but loved them then. Have only read a 
> >couple of Bill Brysons and not many other travel books.
> >
> >Thank you for the reminder,
> >
> >Elaine
> >
> >
> >
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: ebooktalk-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> >[mailto:ebooktalk-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
> >On Behalf Of Tar Barrels
> >Sent: Tuesday, 25 June 2013 9:08 PM
> >To: ebooktalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> >Subject: [ebooktalk] Travel books
> >
> >I enjoy some travel books, but they are mostly ancient ones like HV 
> >Morton, where I enjoy the writing as much as any sense of different 
> >places - although I love his book on Italy. If I'm hones, I would 
> >rather read books of exploits. Climbing books are a passion, and I 
> >recently read How to Climb Mont Blanc in a Skirt. This was great fun, 
> >and covered all sorts of exploration and adventure by women.
> >Absolutely hilarious in places, deeply disturbing and alarming in 
> >others. But most of all it left me with a feeling of awe for all 
> >those adventurers, and
>their fanatastic spirits!
> >June
> >
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: ebooktalk-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> >[mailto:ebooktalk-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
> >On Behalf Of Ian Macrae
> >Sent: 25 June 2013 10:59
> >To: ebooktalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> >Subject: [ebooktalk] Re: RECENTLY READ
> >
> >Having watched the original TV series all those years ago and, as 
> >mentioned earlier, having read some of Palin's diaries, I think I'd 
> >rather gnaw off my own left arm than read one of his travel books.
> >I'd guess the sense of whimsey would be over powering.
> >
> >My own recent reading has included my third Charles Cumming novel in 
> >about six weeks.  This one, which I'm tantalisingly close to 
> >finishing, is called A Spy by Nature.  It concerns a young man's 
> >recruitment into the British Intelligence service.  The central 
> >character is rather loathsomely self obsessed, but this is very much 
> >part of the weave of the book.  I enjoyed the other two better.  I've 
> >also just finished Horns by Joe Hill.  Just when you think you've 
> >read everything by Stephen King, along comes his son with more books 
> >to stretch the imagination.  This one concerns a man who discovers 
> >horns growing out of the sides of his head.  and unsurprisingly, they 
> >have disturbing properties.  I think he is a more mannered writer 
> >than is dad, but doesn't
>have quite the facility with story telling.
> >On 25 Jun 2013, at 09:18, Clare Gailans wrote:
> >
> > > I like Michael Palin, but I run a mile from most travel books. 
> > > They so often seem to be about the traveller's ego more than 
> > > anything
else.
> > > Even worse is being trapped listening to people drone on about 
> > > their holidays, but I expect I've grumped about that before. Clare
> > >
> >
> >
> >-----
> >No virus found in this message.
> >Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
> >Version: 2012.0.2242 / Virus Database: 3199/5938 - Release Date:
> >06/24/13


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