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Fairy Tellers: A Journey Into the Secret History of Fairy Tales | Nicholas Jubber

Really looking forward to this.

6 likes1 stack add

Robotswithpersonality

The Great Railway Bazaar | Paul Theroux

pan

Travel Asia by train! Enjoy the way a white writer chooses to detail the many flavours of poverty, squalor, bureaucracy, civil unrest and corruption it has to offer! 🤦🏼‍♂️ The author then seems to be dismayed that things are not messy when he gets to Japan. 🤷🏼‍♂️ The part on Russia seems to devolve into a (really cold)fever dream, but I admit I was skimming towards the very end. 1/?

Robotswithpersonality 2/? When he's not being dismissive or appalled Theroux has a way with words. There are occasionally lovely descriptions of passing scenery, he can be flattering about nature, architecture and accommodations, but too often falls into generalizations, regularly unflattering when discussing the people of various countries/places, or those locations themselves, with varying degrees of cultural sensitivity. 2mo

Robotswithpersonality 3/? Always the question in the back of my head: would any of these places or people be as run down and discouraged en masse without a history of colonialism?
To the author's credit, he does ruminate in detail on the negative effects of the American occupation and subsequent abandonment in the context of the Vietnam War. 2mo

Robotswithpersonality 4/? Theroux experiences a wide variety of travel partners bouncing between first and second class: his fellow berth occupants/seat mates/dining companions range from a self-identified junkie, supposed cult leaders to engineers and an attorney general. He also interviews locals and gets into discussions with people he meets associated with his lecture tour. I'm just not sure he liked anyone he talked to. 2mo

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Robotswithpersonality 5/? Part of the information related seems to be practical observations...but it's nearly fifty years out of date at this point, so while it may or may not be interesting historical trivia, it's an aspect of the work that's lost its usefulness. 2mo

Robotswithpersonality 6/7 I got really tired, really quickly of the 'colourful insights' after recognizing that sexual objectification seems to be the main way women enter these accounts, if at all. The author isn't necessarily the one doing the ogling/telling tales of sexual exploits, but he seems happy enough to recount all instances by those (men) around him who do.

I could say this was published in 1975 and it was a product of its time, but I think that serves more as warning to prospective readers than an absolution. 2mo

Robotswithpersonality 7/7 I'll keep looking for unique travelogues, after a break I might even go looking for another on trains, but I don't think I'll be picking this author back up.

⚠️racism/xenophobia,misogyny, ableism, transphobia (? Managed two different anecdotes joking about sex with women with penises 🙄), black face (in theatre), mention of SA (in erotic art) 2mo

CatMS Paul Theroux is a favorite author of mine but I tend to read his fiction not his travel writing. 2mo

dabbe #fanofthepan! 🤩🤩🤩 2mo

Robotswithpersonality @dabbe Slow roasted. 😏 2mo

dabbe @Robotswithpersonality 🤩😂😍 2mo

6 likes10 comments

Robotswithpersonality

The Great Railway Bazaar | Paul Theroux

'Love your decor, what do you call this style?'
'Decayed sumptuousness'
🧐

julesG 🤣🤣🤣🤣 2mo

5 likes1 comment

Robotswithpersonality

The Great Railway Bazaar | Paul Theroux

I have to keep reminding myself this is non-fiction. The writing definitely gives "I'm going on an adventure!" novel vibes.

6 likes1 stack add

KathyWheeler

Lost on Planet China: One Man's Attempt to Understand the World's Most Mystifying Nation | J. Maarten Troost

so-so

I‘ve been sick with Covid and haven‘t managed to read much, but I did finish this book. Not my favorite Troost. He always comes off as a little smug, but his attitude in this book is off the charts. He dismisses an ancient culture as if it was nothing. I‘m not sure why he stayed in China for an entire month as he hates most of the place and has nothing but disdain for the people & culture. It was amusing in a couple of places, so I won‘t pan it.

TheAromaofBooks I'm reading a biography right now and struggling with a similar author attitude - it feels like he doesn't even LIKE this person - so why did you spend all this time writing a book about her??? 3mo

Librarybelle Hope you feel better soon! 3mo

JessClark78 Hope you feel better soon. 3mo

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KathyWheeler @TheAromaofBooks I don‘t get that attitude at all. 3mo

KathyWheeler @Librarybelle @JessClark78 Thank you! It‘s been annoying because usually I‘m just sick for a day or two; this has been a week. I am improving, but it‘s taking a long time. 3mo

Jas16 Hope you feel better soon 💐 3mo

batsy Get well soon 💐 3mo

Ruthiella Hope you feel better soon! ❤️ 3mo

Reggie Hope you feel better. 2mo

CSeydel Oh, that sounds frustrating. I feel that before you can credibly criticize another culture, you should respect it and understand it. It may be a bit dated now, but I remember really enjoying John Pomfret‘s

Chinese Lessons: Five Classmates and the Story of the New China

2mo

CSeydel Also, sorry to hear you have COVID - get well wishes!! (edited) 2mo

KathyWheeler @CSeydel It was just complaint after complaint— China‘s polluted, China‘s crowded, China‘s government is corrupt, China has a lot of beggars, on and on. I‘m not arguing that‘s not true; I‘ve never been there. But it‘s as if he was incapable of seeing anything beautiful there. 2mo

jlhammar Sorry to hear you‘ve been sick. Hope you‘re feeling better soon. 2mo

27 likes13 comments

Smarkies

A Goddess in the Stones: Travels in Eastern India: Bihar and Orissa | Norman Lewis

bailed

Was struggling to decide whether to DNF this or not. 1/3 through the book and it has no "spark" for me. I am interested in finding out about the tribes in India but this book does not seem to delve too deeply into it so will need to hunt for one that does.
##roll100

LeeRHarry What a lovely cover! Shame inside wasn‘t as good. 3mo

Smarkies @LeeRHarry probably more of a fit issue for me 😅 3mo

26 likes2 comments

KristiAhlers

The Sex Lives of Cannibals: Adrift in the Equatorial Pacific | J. Maarten Troost

pick

For #ReadingOceania2024 #Kiribati I decided to read this one. It was by turns funny, depressing and yes, gross. Suffice it to say I won't ever visit and it's proof you can be near the ocean and be most miserable. #bookspin @librarybelle @BarbaraBB @thearomaofbooks

Librarybelle Perfect description of the book! 3mo

BarbaraBB Great review! 3mo

TheAromaofBooks Great progress!! 3mo

38 likes3 comments

Bookwormjillk

High: A Journey Across the Himalaya, Through Pakistan, India, Bhutan, Nepal, and China | Erika Fatland

pick

This #chunkstermini took me all month to read, but it was worth it. Fatland visited such interesting places, and her description of Everest base camp is one of the best I‘ve ever read. I just wish she had tied her journey together or made some conclusions at the end because after a while it kind of seemed like Himalayan resident speed dating. Overall ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Crazeedi Sounds like an interesting book! 3mo

67 likes1 comment

Bookwormjillk

High: A Journey Across the Himalaya, Through Pakistan, India, Bhutan, Nepal, and China | Erika Fatland

Trying for a #Hygge 90 minutes tonight. I really want to finish this book! #MidWinterSolace

52 likes

Bookwormjillk

The Sex Lives of Cannibals: Adrift in the Equatorial Pacific | J. Maarten Troost

pick

This book about life on a small island in the pacific amused me and repelled me in equal parts. I‘m going to read more of his books but not right now.

Bookwormjillk #ReadingOceania2024 #Kiribati @Librarybelle @BarbaraBB 3mo

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Sounds interesting! 3mo

Librarybelle Apt description for this one! 3mo

55 likes3 comments

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