Novelist and acclaimed travel writer thubron shadow of the silk road, 2007, etc. My favourite travel book, by the worlds greatest travel. Among the russians the 20 best travel books of all time. Colin thubron joins these pilgrims, after an arduous trek from nepal, through the high passes of tibet, to the magical lakes beneath the slopes of kailas itself.
His first books were about the middle eastdamascus, lebanon, and cyprus. Night of fire, his new book, weaves together the stories of the. His books include among the russians, behind the wall, in siberia and the new york times bestseller shadow of the silk road. Colin thubron born 1939 mirror to damascus 1967 among the russians 1983 behind the wall. I wanted to vanish into the background acclaimed as both a travel writer and a novelist, colin thubron makes solo voyages to the edges of the earth. British travel writer colin thubron is one of the most accomplished representatives of the trade. In between his excursions, thubron has also written a clutch of highly regarded novels. Other books, even if by notable travel authors, are not included.
He left publishing to travel mainly in asia and north africa, where he made documentary films which were shown. Colin thubron has been acclaimed as a travel writer for nearly five decades. His first books were about the middle east damascus, lebanon, and cyprus. Journey into cyprus travel library by thubron, colin and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. To travel the silk road, the greatest land route on earth, is to trace the passage not only of trade and armies but also of ideas, religions, and inventions. Jonathan yardley, washington post book world thanks to thubron, we encounter a world which, in. My favourite travel book, by the worlds greatest travel writers paul theroux, william dalrymple, kari herbert, colin thubron and many more writers tell us about the travel book that most. To compare colin thubrons writing to most travel books is to compare the beautifully crafted treasures inside the museum to the tawdry baubles offered for sale on the steps outside.
The book opens with the author traveling across northern nepal toward kailas, a 22,000foot mountain in western tibet. Whereas the travel books are footloose and outwardlooking, his novels. He is an acknowledged master of travel writing, and his most recent titles include behind the wall, winner of the hawthornden prize and the thomas cook travel award. Publishers weekly a victorian house somewhere near the sea, ruined over time, is. The muchtravelled author colin thubron reflects on more than 40 years of writing about other cultures, and shares his own favourite travel reading with us. He talks to secluded villagers and to monks in their decaying monasteries. He was appointed a cbe in the new years honours december 2006 and is a fellow of the royal society of literature. The best travel writing five books expert recommendations. Travel writer colin thubron receives outstanding contribution award.
Colin thubron is the intrepid, resourceful and immensely talented writer who has made a career out of going to out of the way places and then writing brilliantly about them. A hitchhiking man, he gets drunk with kyrgyz villagers who drive headlong toward a truck. Veteran travel author and novelist colin thubron has produced an engrossing, unsettling and brutally beautiful masterpiece. Colin thubron is the author of seven awardwinning novels, including to the last city, which was longlisted for the man booker prize.
His books include in siberia penguinharpercollins, the lost heart of asia, among the russians and the novels falling 1989 and to the last city 2002. In 2008, the times ranked him 45th on their list of the 50 greatest postwar british writers. He has written more than 20 books, and been translated into as many languages. His descriptions are so vivid, it feels like you are right there with him yet his writing is never florid or overdone. Matsuo basho, the narrow road to the deep north 1689 in later life basho turned to zen buddhism, and the travel sketched in this volume reflect his attempts to cast off earthly attachments and reach out to spiritual fulfillment. He has won many awards for his writing, and was named one of the 50 greatest british postwar writers by the times of london. Traveling alone, by train, boat, car, and on foot, colin thubron traversed this vast territory, talking to everyone he encountered about. To a mountain in tibet colin thubron download free ebook. As his new novel night of fire hits the bookshops, the great travel writer colin thubron explainswhat drives him to the worlds most remote outposts even if you saw him striding down a nondescript. Thubrons travel books and novels have been widely appreciated for years in britain, and its easy to see why.
In the twentyfirst century, westerners travel more widely than ever before egypt, thailand, mexico, the caribbean, the maldives we have civilised and packaged whole areas of the world which are sold off to holiday makers. Colin thubron, cbe frsl is a man booker nominated british travel writer and novelist. Colin thubrons to a mountain in tibet was the april title for my facebook reading challenge. A distinguished travel writer and novelist, colin thubron was named by the times as one of the fifty greatest postwar writers. Colin thubron is a writer and novelist, who has written primarily on central asia, russia and china. This book ranks among his best, that said, ive never read a bad book by him. In this powerful, final volume of his trilogy on the asian. Thubron has that rare ability to find the strangest outofthe way places, meet weird people, and then render his observations and encounters in.
Acclaimed as both a travel writer and a novelist, colin thubron. Entire sections in bookstores are devoted to travel books, and tv travel programs take the viewer to. Colin thubron, the dean of british travel writers, would hate being called the dean of anything. Colin thubrons contribution to the travel writing genre over the last 40 years can only be described as immense. From these early experiences developed his classic travel books. In cases where the travel writer has died, we have the best books about him or her e. His first book, mirror to damascus, was published in 1967. Thubrons first travel book, mirror to damascus, was published in 1967, the first such book on the city for a century. Traveling alone, by train, boat, car, and on foot, colin thubron traversed this vast. This book takes us from china all the way back towards the edges of. Thubron is commander of the order of the british empire, and president of the royal society of literature. Educated at eton college, he worked briefly for the publishers hutchinson and as a freelance television filmmaker in turkey, japan and morocco. Awardwinning travel writer and novelist colin thubron was born in london.
His notable books included the travel works mirror to damascus 1967 and among the russians 1983. Colin thubron is the best travel writer ive ever read, and i have read many. Travel writer colin thubron receives outstanding contribution award veteran travel writer, praised for his vivid accounts of remote destinations, is honoured at edward stanford travel writing. Those that are by notable authors and are themselves notable are listed here. In 2010 he became president of the royal society of literature.
In 1982 he traveled in the soviet union, pursued by the kgb. His books have been translated into more than twenty languages. Shadow of the silk road, by colin thubron the independent. In 1982 he travelled into the soviet union in an ancient morris marina, pursued by the kgb, a. The theme was travel writing, not a genre i know very much about, so i. Colin thubron is a british travel writer and novelist. Colin thubron returns to familiar lands in shadow of the silk road, but the truth about this mythical trading route is tricky to pin down, says susan whitfield. Among the russians, siberia, and the lost heart of asia are literary masterpieces. Colin thubron, british travel writer and novelist whose works, often set in foreign locales, explore love, memory, and the loss of faith as well as the differences between the ideal and the real. Buy a cheap copy of shadow of the silk road book by colin thubron. Colin gerald dryden thubron, cbe frsl fras born 14 june 1939 is a british travel writer.
Other stark adventure books are more popular like the baghdad sketches, but colin thubron prefers this slim, deliberative story about sailing. Below youll find reading recommendations from some of the worlds best known travel writers, including paul theroux and colin thubron, on what they regard as the best travel books. In 1982 he travelled all over russia in an ancient morris marina pursued at every stage by the kgb. Travel books have been written since classical times. In 1982 he travelled into the soviet union in an ancient morris marina, pursued by the kgb, a journey he recorded in among the russians. Books blog do celebrity book blurbs blackmail readers.
The 87 greatest travel books of all time, according to. Colin thubron in siberia bookclub james naughtie and a group of readers talk to novelist and travel writer colin thubron about his book in siberia, which charts a trip to russia in the late 90s. Colin thubron is the master of classic travel writing, and a previous winner of the thomas cook travel book award. Colin thubron project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks.
Colin thubron divides his writing between two genres. The sketches are written in the haibun stylea linking of verse and prose. The trilogy about his exploits in the former soviet union. His first writing was about the middle east damascus, lebanon and cyprus. Colin thubron is an acknowledged master of travel writing. Colin thubron is an acknowledged master of travel writing, and the winner of many prizes and awards.
His books include among the russians, behind the wall, in siberia and shadow of the silk road. The best travel books five books expert recommendations. Paul theroux, william dalrymple, kari herbert, colin thubron and many more writers tell us about the travel book that most influenced their own life and work. Shadow of the silk road by colin thubron, paperback. Over the past 40 years, colin thubron has become a valuable eyewitness an important person to have around. Colin gerald dryden thubron, cbe frsl born 14 june 1939 is a british travel writer and novelist in 2008, the times ranked him 45th on their list of the 50 greatest postwar british writers. Thubron s travel books and novels have been widely appreciated for years in britain, and its easy to see why. The master of travel writing at his most elegiac and luminous best tackling an arduous tibetan mountain and his mothers recent death. In his new book, colin thubron travels to tibet, and takes the pilgrimage route to kailas, the most sacred of the worlds mountains, holy to one fifth of the earths people, but rarely visited by westerners. I suppose if you look at the travel writers considered great, like patrick leigh fermor or freya stark or bruce chatwin, it amounts to extreme gift and personality. What sets ok travel writing apart from great travel writing. I dont know and i dont even know where i place myself. Night of fire is colin thubrons fictive masterpiece.