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The Rom: Walking in the Paths of the Gypsies-Roger Moreau has done great justice to a people we now know much more about due to his interest and wanderings. Full of history and astonishing personalities, this book follows the path of these nomads in India, Turkey and parts of Europe, and tells the story of who the gypsies really are, where they came from and where they are going. If you have ever known the aching pull of the road, you will be fascinated by these wanderers, and enlightened by Moreau’s inspired writing. $14.95 --Claudia
Shadows in the Sun-Wade Davis, ethno-botonist and acclaimed author of The Serpent and the Rainbow, has written a fascinating book about his travels among indigenous peoples in places as diverse as the Arctic Circle, Borneo, and the Amazon. He focuses on placing the people in their natural context; discovering how they have adapted to their (often harsh) surroundings, how they use the plants, animals and other natural resources upon which they depend, and how they are faring against increasing tourism, logging and other incursions into their way of life. Davis’ writing is informed and passionate, without sentimentality or over-simplification, and makes for compelling and inspiring reading. I highly recommend it. Cloth, $22.95 ---Diana
A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush- Originally published in 1958 and now back in print thanks to the dedicated people at Lonely Planet, this is explorer and travel writer Eric Newby’s classic account of a mountain climbing expedition to Nuristan--north-eastern Afghanistan-- in the remote heart of Central Asia. At a time when no other Englishmen had travelled in the region in over fifty years, Newby and his friend Hugh Carless, complete novices, had to apply as a mountain climbing expedition to gain access to the area. In great travel writing tradition, they trek across Central Asia and confront some rather intimidating mountains, as well as other hardships. This wonderful, funny book will enchant anyone with an interest in this still-wild region as well as anyone who simply enjoys a great story well-told. $12.95 ---Liz
Note: The Lonely Planet Journeys series has also just re-released these other long out-of-print favorites by Eric Newby:
On the Shores of the Mediterranean $14.95
Round Ireland in Low Gear $12.95
Slowly Down the Ganges $14.95
A Small Place in Italy $12.95
Shackleton’s Boat Journey-Written by F.A. Worsley, captain of the Endurance, this is a first-hand account of Sir Ernest Shackleton’s near-fatal expedition to Antarctica in 1914-1916. When the Endurance became trapped and crushed by ice, the 28-member crew was stranded on an ice floe, forced to drift for five months and 600 miles until they reached shore. "Shackleton saved every one of his men, although at times it looked unlikely that one could be saved" writes Worsley, in typically understated style. This is a powerful and often incredible tale of survival under the most brutal conditions, as temperatures dropped to minus 50 degrees and winds reached over 80 miles per hour, and ultimately of immense courage and determination. $13.00 ---Diana
Also just reissued:
Shackleton The definitive biography by Roland Huntford $18.95
South A memoir by Sir Ernest Shackleton himself $13.95
Travelers’ Tales: Paris-I began to read this book as soon as my plans for a trip to Paris this past spring were finalized. I knew it would entice me with its descriptions of the people, the food, the culture. It did all that and more. The short essays here are culled from the experiences of several dozen authors, both famous and unknown, and explore everything from Ile-St-Louis to the Paris catacombs to a Parisian-style fashion make-over. Authors include Mort Rosenblum on the true source of the Seine, Robert Daly on a grave for the victims of the guillotine, and Jan Morris on her uneasy appreciation of Paris as a modern metropolis. $17.95 ---Diana
Travels With My Elephant-This is a lovely memoir recounting explorer and travel writer Mark Shand’s journey across India on his newly purchased elephant, Tara. Shand has a gift for pulling the reader into his story-we wince at every misstep along his road to becoming a mahout, elephant master, and become, like him, terribly attached to Tara. There is real tension as Shand and his entourage reach their final destination, the elephant market at Bihar, and he must decide Tara’s fate. This engaging travelogue makes for great reading, imparting the flavor of India past and present with humor and grace. Color photographs complement the text. $16.95 ---Liz
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