Travel books by Paul Theroux
are always intriguing, taking the reader outside their normal environment and
encouraging them to explore other people, places, and cultures. In Deep South: Four Seasons on Back
Roads, Theroux shares his impressions as he drives through the southern
states of the United States.
To be honest, I expected more
from this book. Maybe that’s because I
have been to New Orleans, Atlanta, and antebellum Mississippi and have so many
fond memories of my own travels and car rides in the area. Theroux, by hugging the back roads, set out to
explore a more rural South and, even then, I anticipated comments and contrasts
about the region’s poverty and unique culture. Theroux introduces readers to
some memorable characters, but I was not as moved or connected as I expected to
be. I remember reading Black Like
Me in high school and will be more apt to hand that title to current
students as I think they will be engaged with and curious about Griffin‘s experience
and travels, even though it was written 50 plus years ago.
Like many other travel books,
Deep South may be one to “dip into” over time, much as Theroux himself
made several trips across the seasons to the region. Do you have a favorite
travel book by Paul Theroux? We have several in our collection - let me know
which you would recommend.
Starred reviews from Booklist,
Kirkus, and Publishers Weekly.
No comments:
Post a Comment