'Booklines' looks at books about distant countries and the adventures experienced by the authors.
Nuala O'Faolain is joined by writers Mary Russell and Douglas Kennedy, to review four travel books.
'Inside The Treasure House: A Time In Tibet' (1992) by Catriona Bass looks at life in Tibet before foreigners were banned. The book Mary Russell says would encourage her to visit Tibet. Douglas Kennedy says,
There are travellers who write and there are writers who travel and Catriona Bass is very much a traveller who writes.
'Malaria Dreams: An African Adventure' (1989) by Stuart Stevens tells the story of driving a somewhat difficult car across the Sahara. While the Central African Republic is not high on the tourist trail, the book offers an amusing tale of travel and an insight into the world of the ex-pat.
'Wall To Wall: From Beijing to Berlin by Rail' (1991) by Mary Morris tells the story of a woman's extraordinary journey from China to Berlin. Douglas Kennedy describes it as a personal odyssey for the author, which is the most difficult kind of travel writing as the reader must buy into the writer's personality.
Mary Russell found the book irritating and says that Mary Morris is perhaps misplaced as a writer who might be more suited to long historic love novels.
'Last Places' (1990) by Lawrence Millman examines the route that the Vikings took from Norway to Newfoundland. All three reviewers show much praise for this book. Nuala O'Faolain says,
I thought this was one of the best books I've read for years and years.
This view is shared by Mary Russell and Douglas Kennedy who says that Lawrence Millman offers,
A brilliant eye for the quirky story.
Douglas Kennedy praises Lawrence Millman's writing style and ability to hold the reader's attention while giving a snap shot of his travels.
That is the purpose of travel writing.
This episode of 'Booklines' was broadcast on 23 January 1992. The presenter is Nuala O'Faolain.
'Booklines' was broadcast between 1990 and 1993. Irish writer and journalist Nuala O'Faolain presented and produced the series along with co-presenters Ann Marie Hourihan, Michael Garvey and Maurice Devlin. Cian O'hEigeartaigh and Michael MacCarthy produced the series.
