Waugh Abroad: The Collected Travel Writing

Apparently Waugh did not allow any of his travel books to be reprinted during his lifetime, which I think was prudent. Writing is of course a livelihood, not merely artistic and creative expression, but Waugh’s travel writing was pretty exclusively in the former category with little of the latter. The material in Remote People and Waugh in Abyssinia was collected in a journalistic capacity and retains interest because of the historic events being covered, although Waugh’s obvious sympathy with the Italian cause in Ethiopia is disconcerting. I enjoyed Ninety-Two Days mostly because Waugh was visiting a country, Guyana, still not regarded as a tourist destination and exploring the interior, a landscape unfamiliar even to most show more Guyanese. The most egregious sell-out is Robbery under Law, written under contract to the Pearson family whose oil assets had been confiscated by the Mexican government. Graham Greene’s visit to Mexico around the same time produced The Power and the Glory, one of his greatest novels. Waugh’s PR effort is a painful contrast. Written in 1938, Robbery under Law is full of predictions about the world geopolitical future which are very wide of the mark, to put it charitably. But just when I was ready to throw this doorstop of a book (1064 pages) across the room some characteristic Waughian turn of phrase or original insight kept me going. Probably When the Going Was Good, a book of excerpts from four of these works he created after WW II, contains most of the best material. Waugh Abroad is for Waugh completists. show less

Interesting largely for the reflection on current affairs. Waugh visits Africa and parts of the Middle east before WWII and describes the European powers picking the local leaders most likely to be helpful to them--decisions that we are still dealing with the effects of. He is very critical of the Mexican government of the 30s, though his greatest ire is raised by their persecution the Catholic church. He is also obviously not a supporter of the United Nations actions creating Israel.

Labels, Remote People, Ninety-Two Days, Waugh in Abyssinia, Robbery Under Law, The Holy Places, A Tourist in Africa. Waugh in Abyssinia gave rise to _Black Mischief_