Sunrise with Seamonsters: Travels and Discoveries, 1964-1984
by Paul Theroux
On This Page
Description
The journeys of Paul Theroux take place not only in exotic, unexpected places of the world but in the thoughts, reading, and emotions of the writer himself. A gathering of people, places, and ideas in fifty glittering pieces of gold..
Tags
Recommendations
Member Recommendations
Member Reviews
From literary criticism to a perspective on John McEnroe, Sunrise with Seamonsters has an eclectic collection of Paul Theroux' writings spanning twenty years. Mr. Theroux writes about Richard Nixon's memoirs and of a meeting with the man. There is a fawning piece on V. S. Pritchett and an admiring essay on V. S. Naipaul. I have yet to read In Sir Vidya's Shadow, but considering the sour relationship the two men have had, I expect to like it.
The essays in this collection are chronologically arranged but there is no single theme. Mr. Theroux expounds on travel, politics, writers he likes, The Orient Express and the function of patronage in an artist's development. As a fan, I found some of the essays revealing about Mr. Theroux philosophy show more towards travel and writing. The Cerebral Snapshot is a persuasive argument against carrying a camera while traveling. The author's experiences as a teacher in Malawi, Uganda and finally in Singapore provide vivid context to his subsequent writings. An enjoyable work. Recommended show less
The essays in this collection are chronologically arranged but there is no single theme. Mr. Theroux expounds on travel, politics, writers he likes, The Orient Express and the function of patronage in an artist's development. As a fan, I found some of the essays revealing about Mr. Theroux philosophy show more towards travel and writing. The Cerebral Snapshot is a persuasive argument against carrying a camera while traveling. The author's experiences as a teacher in Malawi, Uganda and finally in Singapore provide vivid context to his subsequent writings. An enjoyable work. Recommended show less
A collection of published articles, book introductions and personal reflections written between 1964 and 1984.. Each quite short, entertaining, and responsible for the addition of multiple titles to my book collection.
Good intro. to Theroux's work as a travel writer.
Recommended: Cowardice (1967), Traveling Home (1979), John McEnroe, Jr. (1979), Subterranean Gothic (1981), Graham Greene's Traveling Companion (1981), Being a Man (1983)
travel essays, some literary commentary, check out V. B. Naipaul, V. S. Paitchett
Ratings
Members
- Recently Added By
Published Reviews
''All anyone can do,'' Mr. Theroux writes, is to ''try to be honest about what he feels, what he's seen or thinks he's seen,'' and in these essays, he does just that. While he does not make the noisy gestures of a Mailer, does not offer the agonized introspection of a Didion, he is - in his own, low-key way - just as gusty, personal and astonishing a writer.
added by John_Vaughan
Lists
Best of Travel Narratives (Rivers)
22 works; 1 member
Author Information
112+ Works 32,279 Members
Paul Edward Theroux was born on April 10, 1941 in Medford, Massachusetts and is an acclaimed travel writer. After attending the University of Massachusetts Amherst he joined the Peace Corps and taught in Malawi from 1963 to 1965. He also taught in Uganda at Makerere University and in Singapore at the University of Singapore. Although Theroux has show more also written travel books in general and about various modes of transport, his name is synonymous with the literature of train travel. Theroux's 1975 best-seller, The Great Railway Bazaar, takes the reader through Asia, while his second book about train travel, The Old Patagonian Express (1979), describes his trip from Boston to the tip of South America. His third contribution to the railway travel genre, Riding the Iron Rooster: By Train Through China, won the Thomas Cook Prize for best literary travel book in 1989. His literary output also includes novels, books for children, short stories, articles, and poetry. His novels include Picture Palace (1978), which won the Whitbread Award and The Mosquito Coast (1981), which won the James Tait Black Memorial Prize. Theroux is a fellow of both the British Royal Society of Literature and the Royal Geographic Society. His title Lower River made The New York Times Best Seller List for 2012. Currently his 2015 book, Deep South , is a bestseller. (Bowker Author Biography) Paul Theroux is the distinguished author of numerous award-winning books, including "The Mosquito Coast," "Kowloon Tong," & "Half Moon Street." (Publisher Provided) show less
Awards and Honors
Distinctions
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- Sunrise with Seamonsters: Travels and Discoveries, 1964-1984
Classifications
Statistics
- Members
- 501
- Popularity
- 60,199
- Reviews
- 5
- Rating
- (3.52)
- Languages
- Dutch, English
- Media
- Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 10
- UPCs
- 1
- ASINs
- 10
