Extreme Adventure
When National Geographic produces a list they trumpet as “The 100 Greatest Adventure Books of All Time,” we pay attention. That’s like getting advice from Little Debbie about the best Swiss Cake Rolls, right? Seriously: they oughta know.
National Geographic’s list includes some books that are fairly recent (Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer from 1997 comes in at # 9; Sara Wheeler’s Terra Incognita from 1996 makes the list at # 82). Others are inarguably classics (Lewis and Clark’s Journals from 1814 is # 2, Travels, by Marco Polo from 1298 comes in at # 10.
While the list makes fascinating reading, and while it's difficult to disagree with many of these choices, there are a few notable absences. I was surprised, for instance, that something by Paul Theroux didn’t make the cut, especially his very important The Great Railway Bazaar from 1975. Another few surprising no shows: Colin Thurbron’s Behind the Wall from 1987, Bill Bryson’s Notes From A Small Island (1995) and, even though it’s very, very recent and, arguably, more about food than travel (though when is food not an important part of that thought?) Anthony Bourdain’s A Cook’s Tour from 2001.
Still it’s a great list and a serious keeper for those on a life mission to read the very best travel writing of all time.
National Geographic’s list includes some books that are fairly recent (Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer from 1997 comes in at # 9; Sara Wheeler’s Terra Incognita from 1996 makes the list at # 82). Others are inarguably classics (Lewis and Clark’s Journals from 1814 is # 2, Travels, by Marco Polo from 1298 comes in at # 10.
While the list makes fascinating reading, and while it's difficult to disagree with many of these choices, there are a few notable absences. I was surprised, for instance, that something by Paul Theroux didn’t make the cut, especially his very important The Great Railway Bazaar from 1975. Another few surprising no shows: Colin Thurbron’s Behind the Wall from 1987, Bill Bryson’s Notes From A Small Island (1995) and, even though it’s very, very recent and, arguably, more about food than travel (though when is food not an important part of that thought?) Anthony Bourdain’s A Cook’s Tour from 2001.
Still it’s a great list and a serious keeper for those on a life mission to read the very best travel writing of all time.
posted by Linda L. Richards at 9:00 PM
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