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Comment on Georgia, 4th (Bradt Travel Guide. Georgia) by Linda Linguvic

Linda Linguvic — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 21:28:41 +0000

35 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

The impact of war on Rhodesia -- its people and its soldiers, April 30, 2005

Linda Linguvic (New York City) -

This review is from: Scribbling the Cat: Travels with an African Soldier (Library Binding)

Alexandra Fuller is a white woman who grew up in Rhodesia in the 1970s. Life was harsh and there was a war on. Eventually, her parents lost their farm and had to leave the country which is now called Zimbabwe. Eventually the family settled in Zambia and still live there. Alexandra, however, married and moved to Wyoming, where she lives with her husband and two children. One day, while visiting her parents, she met a man who had been a soldier in the defeated Rhodesian army. She was fascinated by him as well as the whole story of what had happened in Rhodesia during her childhood. A few months later she planned a short trip with him into the land where the fighting occurred. It was a journey of discovery for both of them. This book is the result of that journey.

Let me explain the title. The word "scribbling" means "killing" in the slang of the region. And it refers to the expression "curiosity killed the cat". She decided to take this trip because she was curious. It's as simple as that.

The former soldier, who she refers to as "K" is war hardened. He's now a loner, living on a farm he literally carved out of the African bush himself. Some native Africans work for him but his relationships with them are simply that aof boss and worker. His former marriage had ended in divorce and it was clear from the beginning that he was interested in Alexandra even though she was married.

She wasn't interested in him in that way. And I'll say right up front there that even though towards the end of their trip there was some romantic tension between them, it never materialized. The book instead is about their relationship to Africa and the way that Africa itself has shaped their personalities.

I live in New York and my whole life is one of material comfort. I turn on the water tap to get water, the air is free of insects and flies, electricity gives me light at night and cools my apartment in the summer. For Alexandra's African family and also for "K", these are luxuries. They are constantly lighting fires with a match in order to boil water for tea. Their homes have no electricity. They are always sweat soaked from the horrific humid heat. Taking a shower means pouring a bucket of water on themselves. If they have a car, gasoline is very expensive and they do not use air conditioning. All this is a given.

During their trip, K told Alexandra stories. He remembered the guns and the death and the terrible fright. He admitted to atrocities with deep regret. Along the way they met some of the men he had served with. They were all hardened war veterans. One of them lived alone on an island with a lion. Another kept smoking unfiltered African cigarettes even though he obviously was suffering from lung disease. They talked about old times. And how they had to go for days without water and it would get so bad they would be willing to kill each other for just a sip of the precious liquid. They romanticized the fistfights. And, one of the most interesting things was that they all seemed to accept the life they were thrust into and remembered the years of the war as a time in their lives that they felt very much alive.

Wisely, the author focused her book on this trip and subtitled the book "Travels With An African Soldier". Personally, I might have liked to hear more about her husband and children back in Wyoming. I also would have liked to see a map included somewhere in the book. But I think her intent was to focus on the impact of war on people, and on the small sub-set of Rhodesian soldiers. By doing this, she made her story universal.

I loved the book, couldn't put it down and definitely recommend it.

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Comment on Georgia, 4th (Bradt Travel Guide. Georgia) by L. Kelly

L. Kelly — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 21:10:12 +0000

29 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

An African Soldier's Story, February 25, 2005

L. Kelly (Lakewood, CO) -

This review is from: Scribbling the Cat: Travels with an African Soldier (Library Binding)

Alexandra Fuller's second narrative of Africa tells about her friendship with a former Rhodesian soldier code-named "K". After soldiering in the bloody civil conflicts in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and Mozambique, K tries to start a new life of farming in Zambia, where he lives on the farm next to Ms. Fuller's parents. In a visit to her parents from her adopted American home, the author (nicknamed Bobo) meets the former soldier K, and on somewhat of a lark, gets him to agree to take her on a road trip back to Mozambique, to show her where he fought as a mercenary soldier.

There are many ugly, brutal details about the African civil wars in this book. Although the reading is painful, the message is important...war creates "fatal cracks" in both the soldiers of war and civilian bystanders, cracks which take the rest of a lifetime to repair. Bobo undertakes this story thinking that she could better understand the violent man that K has become by "walking a mile in his shoes". Yet the reader comes away with the lesson that war leaves a different impression on all who are involved.

Ms. Fuller's writing is beautiful and non-judgemental. The book is interspersed with amazing snapshots of the African people and countryside. I definitely recommend reading Ms. Fuller's own memoir first, "Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight". And be warned that the images in "Scribbling the Cat" are quite graphic. Nonetheless, this story is a compelling look at Africa, both today and during its civil wars of the 1980s.

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Comment on Georgia, 4th (Bradt Travel Guide. Georgia) by Charismatic Creature

Charismatic Creature — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 21:08:49 +0000

111 of 129 people found the following review helpful:

Sadistic and confusing, August 18, 2004

Charismatic Creature (Anywheresville, USA) -

This review is from: Scribbling the Cat: Travels with an African Soldier (Library Binding)

I was very unclear about how to rate this book. It's brilliantly written and about a subject -- the brutality of the war in Rhodesia and the human fallout from it -- that we don't know much about in the US. It's an amazing, up-close picture of a desolate part of Africa, that is nonetheless teeming with life and interesting individuals.

But there is a kind of patent dishonesty going on here that clouds the book's best intentions and the author's considerable storytelling gifts. The story is straightforwardly presented as authobiographical, but Ms. Fuller is incredibly stingy with revealing herself (while she virtually guts her subject, the former White Rhodesian soldier she calls "K"). In order to get "K" to open up to her and tell his absolutely wrenching, devasting story, Ms. Fuller manipulates him in an unusually cruel way -- she allows him to fall in love with her (even though she is a married woman with two children back in the US) and continues her deception throughout a long road trip, during which he confides his darkest secrets to her, believing that she is "the one" -- the perfect mate sent to him by God to heal his loneliness and his pain.

Although the stories of military violence, racism and horrific African poverty are deeply affecting, I was profoundly disturbed at the way Alexandra Fuller obtained K's life story. In many respects, she hurt and victimized this terribly damaged man in ways that are psychologically worse than violence -- by betraying his trust. (When I was in high school, there was a not-very-nice term for women who use their sexuality to keep men on a string.) Furthermore, Ms. Fuller is coy enough not to let us know if the attraction was at all mutual or what the state of her marriage was. After all, she has left her husband and children back in Wyoming...it matters a great deal to the reader if she is purely a writer in search of a story (however manipulative) or if she is actually a unhappy wife looking for a potential lover. This unspoken story nagged at me, especially the last part of the book where Ms. Fuller actively begins a flirtacious relationship with ANOTHER ex-soldier...basically trivializing not only her mysterious marriage but her confusing relationship to "K".

The last time I was so distracted from the content of a non-fiction book by the actions of the author was Kathryn Harrison's "The Kiss", about that author's adult love affair with her own biological father. As bad as incest is, somehow Alexandra Fuller's deceptive and cruel manipulation of "K" to get a clever and unusual story bothers me even more. Certainly it should make the reader think about just how far it is reasonable or moral for a writer to go to obtain material for a book...does the fact that "K" had a truly fascinating story to tell mean that it was OK to use him and to break his heart?

In conclusion, I found this story to be sadistic and disturbing, although the author is a fine writer and superb storyteller, she has a lot of work to do in developing a conscience.

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Comment on Georgia, 4th (Bradt Travel Guide. Georgia) by H. Conover "hcpepper"

H. Conover "hcpepper" — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 20:36:37 +0000

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

Must-Have Guide for Anyone Traveling to Republic of Georgia, January 4, 2008

H. Conover "hcpepper" (Augusta, ME USA) -

This review is from: Georgia, 3rd: The Bradt Travel Guide (Paperback)

Like all the Brandt guides I've used, this one provides a wealth of background and planning information for a country with few other comprehensive resources for travelers. Tim Burford writes with clarity and color, making the text a pleasure to read. While no guide can capture every point of interest for every traveler, the Brandt guides always help me find the path to discovering my special places and moments, and the guide to Georgia is no exception.

As with any guide, travelers need to remember that conditions can alter radically in developing countries between the time information for the guide is collected and the time of one's visit.

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Comment on Georgia, 4th (Bradt Travel Guide. Georgia) by Clifford L. Jones

Clifford L. Jones — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 20:20:53 +0000

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

2000 update on Georgia, July 3, 2000

Clifford L. Jones (Mechanicsburg, PA USA) -

This review is from: Georgia (Paperback)

I have just returned a month's teaching in Georgia and found the Bradt guide amazingly accurate, current and very helpful. The author knows culture, birds, history and politics. Can highly recommend if you plan to visit.

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Comment on Georgia, 4th (Bradt Travel Guide. Georgia) by Kelli

Kelli — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 19:39:33 +0000

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

The Best Guide to Transcaucasia Available, April 17, 2000

Kelli -

This review is from: Georgia (Paperback)

The Bradt Travel Guide is the best guide to Transcaucasia currently available. The Guide is comprehensive in its scope of coverage of Georgia, with reliable details on sights, lodging, restaurants, etc. -- but the book is most notable for its outstanding background information regarding this little-known region. The history and development of the region, the present political situation, the ecological state of affairs, as well as cultural, religious and culinary background are well covered. Almost as a bonus, the book contains a good chapter for a short visit to neighboring Armenia. The author is an experienced travel writer (see also his "Rough Guide to Romania") and it shows. You really can't go wrong with this book if you find yourself travelling to this fascinating, off-the-beaten-path part of the world.

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Comment on Lonely Planet Discover London (Full Color City Travel Guide) by Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 16:16:00 +0000

Review, June 6, 2011

Jennifer -

Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)

This review is from: Travels with a 2CV (Kindle Edition)

What a journey! Very interesting story..with lots of historical facts. These two had no fear! I highly recommend reading this prize of a book!

Jennifer...Houston, TX

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Comment on The Routes of Man: Travels in the Paved World (Vintage) by Barry D. Mcgrath "sly dog"

Barry D. Mcgrath "sly dog" — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 14:27:22 +0000

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

Well written and thought provoking, March 6, 2010

Barry D. Mcgrath "sly dog" (los angeles ca usa) -

Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)

This review is from: The Routes of Man: How Roads Are Changing the World and the Way We Live Today (Hardcover)

I downloaded this to my Kindle after reading a positive review in The New Yorker.
Each of the pieces in this book have a different feel, all presented a different view on a subject I had read about many times before - the destruction of the Amazon rain forest, the spread of AIDS and corruption in Africa, the emerging middle-class in China, the interminable violence on the West Bank and so on, but these stories give a much more intimate, personal feel to those stories, an opportunity to feel it up close - to give you a sense of personal experience.
The piece on the West Bank is one of the best pieces of reporting I have read in years.

Highly recommended.

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Comment on The Routes of Man: Travels in the Paved World (Vintage) by Paul Austin

Paul Austin — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 13:53:03 +0000

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

Ideal Travel Companion, February 27, 2010

Paul Austin (Durham, NC) -

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This review is from: The Routes of Man: How Roads Are Changing the World and the Way We Live Today (Hardcover)

Ted Conover is the ideal travel companion. He seems equally comfortable standing in a swanky apartment in the Upper East Side, and tramping through the rain forest of Peru. In this book he takes us to places we'd otherwise never see: One day we're riding a mahogany raft down the Mother of God River in Peru, another day we're being herded through a dusty check-point in Ramallah. We get to know people we'd never otherwise meet: an African truck driver, teenagers from a remote Himalayan village, and an ambulance crew in Lagos, Nigeria. Roads connect these people. So does Conover's unerring eye for detail, and his pitch-perfect ear for language. This book is more than just an adventure: it's an invitation to understand each other and to know the world in which we live.

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Comment on The Routes of Man: Travels in the Paved World (Vintage) by John Thorndike "Author: The Last of His Mind:...

John Thorndike "Author: The Last of His Mind:... — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 13:33:10 +0000

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

It's Hard To Build Without Destroying, February 16, 2010

John Thorndike "Author: The Last of His Mind:... (Athens, OH United States) -

This review is from: The Routes of Man: How Roads Are Changing the World and the Way We Live Today (Hardcover)

We love roads, and we come to hate them. "Anyone," writes Conover in his opening paragraph, "who has benefited from a better road--a shorter route, a smoother and safer drive--can testify to the importance of good roads. But when humans strive, we also err, and it is hard to build without destroying."

That contradiction, that tension underlies the book. A road from Peru's Altiplano into the jungle allows access to valuable mahogany trees, but also threatens primitive people and an established ecology. In East Africa, a road that is a clear economic boon to many has also helped the spread of AIDS, via truckers and prostitutes along its length. Roads are integral to development, and development can look disastrous.

There is nothing armchair about Conover's reporting. He clearly has a library and has read widely, but each of the six chapters is written from inside a culture, whether the author is zipping along the new highways of China or riding inside an ambulance through the teeming, chaotic city of Lagos, Nigeria. It's a book full of people, and the conflicts are inevitable. Why, a friend asks the author, would he go to Lagos, a city which Conover admits has "few museums, not too many antiquities, only a handful of public spaces or buildings of note, and stunningly little natural beauty. It does, however, have a reputation for crime, and lots of lots of people." Because people are interesting, Conover says, and "So is crime."

So are the politics of Israel and Palestine--and the chapter on the roads of the West Bank is the best piece of journalism I've ever read about that conflict. Conover explores the Israeli checkpoints in the company of both Palestinians and the Israeli soldiers who try to control them. It's degrading to both sides. The soldiers are looking for guns, explosives and suicide bombers, and most Palestinians are simply trying to get to work, or get home. Israel's management of the West Bank often comes down to restricting the travel of the Palestinians, and when Conover is in line with them as they move on foot toward a pair of turnstiles, "an exercise in gradual compression," the reader gets a visceral feel for their frustration and humiliation.

The soldiers don't like it either. "Innocent civilians...are inevitably damaged by the army's work in the territories," Conover writes. He spends weeks with an Israeli commander and his men, who not only run the checkpoints but sometimes tear up Palestinian houses in search of arms. It's bad for the families, the commander says, "But what's not plain until the fifteenth time is that it's bad for you."

Six fascinating travels interspersed with engaging personal essays: a great book.

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