I originally read ‘Kingdom by the Sea’ by Mr Theroux and reviewed it on this blog site. That book is especially funny and probably the book I enjoyed the most. However Mr Theroux does have some other interesting books especially his Dark Star Safari. This is the book where he travels from Cairo to Cape Town by train, bus and by car. I have also read ‘Old Patagonian Express,’ ‘The Great Railway Bazaar,’ ‘Riding the Iron Rooster’ and ‘Ghost Train to the Eastern Star.’ These books are about a similar journey from New York to Patagonia in Argentina, a journey from London to Tokyo, a journey through China in the 80s and again from London to Tokyo (but at a more recent date). 

Firstly these books have strong appeal to me as I love to travel and experience different cultures, food and people. I love the backdrop of these books. Variety is the spice of life as they say.

Secondly, Mr Theroux has a great ability to strike up conversations with people he meets on the trains, in the hotels, on the buses, in bars and in the various places he ends up. He is crafty at drawing out people’s personality and themselves in these conversations. Asking people questions is certainly a skill in itself as my own life experience has found. From what I have seen of Louis Theroux the TV presenter it seems both father and son have this skill.

Thirdly, there is the educational aspect of the books, for instance Mr Theroux takes us into Ethiopia (in Dark Star Safari) and I learned of the Rastafarian movement whereby ethnic Africans return to African (from the Caribbean and the USA) and have their own interpretation of biblical stories (such as being one of the true tribes of Israel) and have their own prophesies about the future. Mr Theroux is also good at mixing in historical information in his books as context to the travel. In Uganda he gives some history such as the times under Idi Amin and the problems his presidency caused the people of Uganda. Paul also critically analyses the various aid organizations (such as Oxfam) that exist in Africa and cause problems of their own which he sees firsthand. The critical analysis feels fair and objective but not too high brow at the same time.

There are of course weaknesses to his writing. Paul has his own life philosophy and world view which is definitely Anglo Saxon. His views on sex work for example are perhaps influenced by the religious views of his readership. I feel that to make blanket statements about sex workers is unhelpful in the current day and age. At times he also comes across as arrogant and high minded. He also seems to write about petty squabbles with people (I can think of one with one woman he didn’t like on one of his train journeys at this moment).

At times when reading I have often thought I would not like to meet him in real life. He seems to just meet people, question them, judge them, then write about it.  

While Kingdom by the Sea is extremely humorous but at the same time makes a British person reflect on our culture, work such as Dark Star Safari is more serious and educational. Anybody can travel around England but to venture into Sudan and get shot at in a car in Kenya is more noteworthy and eye opening.

All in all I’d recommend Paul Theroux’s writing to any young person who enjoys travel in Europe or wherever. Its often humorous. He explains the historical context often well. He also explores the idea of travel itself and the practical difficulties aswell as problems such as loneliness and also annoyance at the people he meets along the way.