Oxford

Jan Morris (1965)

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THE A5 BOOK REVIEW

Oxford has one of the richest histories in all of England, and there is no better book on this fascinating place and this famous university than the account published by Jan Morris in 1965. As usual, Morris dives very deep into details, exploring the development of the town, the location and climate, the architecture, the local clash of cultures, the history behind the oldest English speaking university, the heritage of each college, and the character of these famous students. Morris is an extremely talented writer who knows how to capture attention and make cultural and historical context interesting. Oxford is more of a biography of the city than a modern travel guide of course, but the book is still recommended for those going to visit and for those who want to know more.

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OTHER A5 RECOMMENDED TRAVEL BOOKS - JAN MORRIS

Jan Morris is a well-known journalist, author, and most importantly as one of the world's finest travel writers, known for her portrait of cities and for the pure quality of her writing. Learn more about her by clicking here.

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GREAT QUOTES FROM OXFORD

"Slap in the middle of England stands the city of Oxford, on an ancient crossroad besides the Thames, Its origins are obscure but its fame is universal, and it forms a national paradigm - in whose structure, sometimes shadowy, sometimes splendidly sunlit, we may explore the history, the character and the condition of the English."
- Jan Morris, Oxford

INTERESTING LINKS:

Those planning on a visit to this historic city may also want some more recent and standard travel advice. The Lonely Planet website is a nice place to start.
Read Michael Shapiro's interview with Jan Morris at her home in Wales in A Sense of Place, a collection of face to face discussions with some the world's best travel writers on their craft.