Psychotravelogue...

This book explores the desire, pressure and joys of travel - interfaced with self-exploration and a set of relationships with other travelers, random acquaintances and close friends. Traversing a number of settings in Africa - Zimbabwe, Malawi, Kenya, Tanzania - and others in India, the reflective author explores friendship, love, loneliness, interfacing with experiences of corruption, power, terror, and anxiety. Nicely written and narrated with some beautifully written passages and insights, at times unsettling. Recommended.

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Utterly sublime

Having read (and loved) the book I wondered how well the author would do with the different voices... I shouldn't have worried, he's done a fantastic job and I enjoyed this enormously. One for a long journey. Sit back and enjoy!

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4 people found this helpful

Beautifully narrated by this talented author

I have always enjoyed Damon Galgut's books and been particularly proud of him as a fellow South African (and we have a family connection as my father, who was a judge, knew his). This book was particularly enjoyable with him as narrator. I always think the author reading his or her own work is a bonus, as they know exactly where to place emphasis or expression, being so familiar with the characters and the mood. This was no exception. The three linked stories didn't necessarily tie together well, but that really didn't matter at all. The switch between the first and third person gave a sense of heightened emotion, but also disconnection with the experiences he encountered on his travels. I found the third one about Anna and India the most moving, as his frustrations yet sympathy with mental illness came across as very honest. Galgut has an unusual style of writing and I found it drew me in quite unexpectedly. I am not sure I would have felt quite the same had I read the book rather than listened, so am glad I chose an audio version.

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1 person found this helpful

Another winner…

…from Damon Galgut. He takes a blank canvas and paints a story which could reflect anyone’s life as a traveler, then he overlays the backdrop with friendships and hardships

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1 person found this helpful

Gentle, thoughtful, moving

This is a very quiet book. It has very little action, very little characterisation, not much dialogue and only sparse moments of description and imagery. But it is thoughtful, honest, reflective and ultimately very moving.

I normally avoid books read by the author but it this is so personal it feels right to have his own voice. I'd suggest a listening speed of 1.05.

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1 person found this helpful

In a strange room

Took me a while to get into this book. Found the first part disturbing but it did get more interesting and enjoyable further on. Narrated well but do wonder if many people will get past the first 3 chapters.

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Elegant and Agile Storytelling

I've listened to this over and over. Always a joy to listen to, and having the authors voice makes it even more moving. Wonderful.

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In a strange room, and a dark place

Having listened to the audio of The Impostor and found it compelling and plot-driven, I had high hopes for this book. It was clear from the beginning that the nature of the tale would be more philosophical, a musing on the nature of travel and identity, but I struggled at times with the third part, where the narrator plays the role of the Guardian. One needs great inner resilience to listen and not to be reminded of other friends lost in a similar way. Clearly this is a true, and haunting tale, but too, too poignant at times.
That having been said, there is so much to praise here: the narration is good, and once again the landscape is vividly described and comes to life before one's eyes.

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3 people found this helpful

Just brilliant

I usually steer well clear of authors reading their own work. But gave this a go based on other reviews. And I am delighted I did. Galgut has become a favourite author since I heard about ‘The Promise.’ There’s a certain sparseness to his writing so that when he does describe how a thing looks with his original eye, it’s dazzling.

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1 person found this helpful

Intriguing and Fascinating

I have never read any books by this author and was intrigued by the sample. I'm often quite disappointed with my experiments but these travel stories about strange people in difficult situations really caught my interest and I finished the book in 3 days.
The characters are fascinating, flawed and human, set against a backdrop of places that are very foreign to me. It's very unromantic, cold but also full of emotion, ugly and beautiful.

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