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Into the Heart of Borneo (1984)

by Redmond O'Hanlon

MembersReviewsPopularityAverage ratingMentions
7571129,326 (3.76)24
'The most hilarious travel book in many years' - Standard. Armed with equipment and advice from 22 SAS, Hereford, and accompanied by three trackers, Redmond O'Hanlon, the naturalist, and James Fenton, the poet, set out on a long river voyage into the interior of a tropical jungle hoping to reach the Tiban massif. At once funny and knowledgeable, Redmond O'Hanlon's account of how they battled with insects, discomfort and setbacks is a hugely entertaining and informative adventure story in the best tradition of the world's great travel classics. 'A marvellous book ... a very funny and expert witness' - Edward St Aubyn in the Tatler. 'Consistently exciting, often funny, and erudite without ever being overwhelming' - Punch.… (more)
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» See also 24 mentions

English (9)  Dutch (1)  Norwegian (1)  All languages (11)
Showing 1-5 of 9 (next | show all)
could've used a little more violence. who knew the jungle was so benign? ( )
  farrhon | Nov 13, 2021 |
Into the Heart of Borneo is Redmond O'Hanlon's first book that made his name as a travel writer, prior to this he was an academic and TLS book reviewer. He made a number of further trips in the 80s and 90s producing 3 more travel books to the Amazon, Congo and North Atlantic. I read the Amazon account first and found this to be similar in approach. There is a Boswell (O'Hanlon) writing about a curmudgeon Johnson (poet James Fenton) accompanied by a handful of native guides whose main interests are boiled bushmeat and jungle women, colorful bird sightings and descriptions of other flora and fauna. The Borneo book is not nearly as grotesque as the Amazon book, it is more civilized. O'Hanlon is oddly juvenile in the Amazon account, unhinged at times, though he was years older. In Borneo he maintained decorum, perhaps finding a voice. ( )
1 vote Stbalbach | Apr 4, 2019 |
Mildly entertaining. British humor always seems so forced as to not be overly funny. The trip would have been more interesting had the author discussed it more and done a better job at leaving the humor out. Ditto for the book itself. Currently in Sumatra, I plan on going to Borneo in August and am doing mild background reading. This copy was purchased in Penang, Malaysia at Sam's in the heart of the Old Town. Tis a print-on-demand book, and a cheapie at that. ( )
  untraveller | Jun 27, 2017 |
Found it kinda cutesy. ( )
  AlCracka | Apr 2, 2013 |
I first read this book as a sullen fifteen year old, sitting in a caravan on a family holiday. It made me laugh out loud. Redmond O’Hanlon and James Fenton travel into the jungles of Borneo on a quest for the Borneo wallowing rhinoceros. Redmond has an endearing love of ornithology and arcane jungle lore, and his obsession with fauna and bumbling attempts to cope with life on a jungle expedition are constant source of hilarity for those around him. Redmond, James and the three Iban guides constantly tease, play tricks and annoy each other as they search for someone who may have seen the elusive rhinoceros.
I’m a lot older than fifteen now, but this book still makes me laugh.
  Pencils | Feb 17, 2010 |
Showing 1-5 of 9 (next | show all)
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To my wife, Belinda
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As a former academic and natural history book reviewer I was astonished to discover, on being threatened with a two month exile to the primary jungles of Borneo, just how fast a man can read.
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"I have allowed myself," he said mournfully, "to come to the middle of nowhere, the middle of nowhere, with a bunch of maniacs."
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'The most hilarious travel book in many years' - Standard. Armed with equipment and advice from 22 SAS, Hereford, and accompanied by three trackers, Redmond O'Hanlon, the naturalist, and James Fenton, the poet, set out on a long river voyage into the interior of a tropical jungle hoping to reach the Tiban massif. At once funny and knowledgeable, Redmond O'Hanlon's account of how they battled with insects, discomfort and setbacks is a hugely entertaining and informative adventure story in the best tradition of the world's great travel classics. 'A marvellous book ... a very funny and expert witness' - Edward St Aubyn in the Tatler. 'Consistently exciting, often funny, and erudite without ever being overwhelming' - Punch.

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Penguin Australia

An edition of this book was published by Penguin Australia.

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