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THE A5 BOOK REVIEWOne of the pillars of modern travel literature is Paul Theroux’s Great Railway Bazaar (1975), the story of his epic train trip across all of Asia. Thirty years later he decided to recreate his journey in a mission to see just how much this part of the world changed, in his book called Ghost Train to the Eastern Star. And of course, a lot had changed. Theroux was uniquely positioned to reflect on these differences, especially as it relates to the lives of the local people, many of whom are experiencing the challenges of poverty and government oppression. This was no ordinary train trip. He starts again from London on the famed Orient Express, making his way through several former Soviet republics still reeling from Communism, including Georgia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. From there he retraces his past itinerary, traveling through the now booming India and China, and then through Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Myanmar (formerly called Burma when he was last there), and Japan. Ghost Train to the Eastern Star is an excellent piece of travel writing, and along with Great Railway Bazaar, one of Theroux’s best books.
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The Great Railway Bazaar (1975)It isn't necessary, but we do recommend reading Theroux’s original book first. The Great Railway Bazaar (1975) showcases Theroux at his finest, and it is enjoyable to travel along with him as he first experiences so many different and unique locations and people. Ghost Train to the Eastern Star is very much a comparison on how Asia has changed, and so it is helpful to first hear what Theroux experienced before. This book is simply one of our highest recommendations; read our review of The Great Railway Bazaar here.
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OTHER A5 RECOMMENDED TRAVEL BOOKS FROM PAUL THEROUX (click here for more)
Paul Theroux is certainly one of the world's prominent travel writers. See more from Paul Theroux here.
LEAVE YOUR OWN REVIEW HEREGREAT QUOTES FROM GHOST TRAIN TO THE EASTERN STAR“The topography of literature, the fact in fiction, is one of my pleasures -- I mean, where the living road enters the pages of a book, and you are able to stroll along both the real and imagined road.”
“People will tell you, “What’s the use? What’s the point of reading novels and poetry?” They’ll tell you to go to law school or to be an economist or to do something useful. But books are useful. Books will make you thoughtful, and they might even make you happy. They will certainly help you to become more civilized.” INTERESTING LINKS:
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