Michael Palin

The author, one of the foremost and best-known travel writers and TV hosts, explores the inner regions of Eastern Europe in this remarkable volume. Even short tour itineraries leave us bemused and confused as to which country we are in and the date and time; here Palin pulls off a most difficult challenge, travelling through some 20 countries over a period of over four months. He not only remembers where he went and where he stayed in each country (not limiting himself to the capital cities or main tourist tracks), but he is also able to draw brilliant word sketches of the people and their personalities and quirks, manages to become an active participant in their customs and activities, and accesses a range of economic and political classes and their experiences and views. Perhaps the most eloquent and moving parts, perhaps the very motivation of the whole journey, are the passages on the tragedy of the Second World War and the Holocaust. The volume has a nice schematic route map, color photographs on every page, and comes with very high quality paper, printing, binding and production.… (mehr)