Fresh Air Fiend: Travel Writings

Paul Theroux says normal people don’t become writers. It is just not healthy to sit in a room for hours staring intently into your own mind. He counter-balances this basically inward condition by paddling thousand of miles in a kayak. In Fresh Air Fiend he explains why and how this type of therapy has become an intrinsic part of his life. This pot- pourri of his experiences and reflections, is more about Paul the human being rather than Paul the observer, than any his other books. He explains why he wrote the books he has, and why he took the trips that inspired them. He never intended to be a travel writer. Like Mark Twain, another great travel writer who needed to make a living as a writer, he did it out of necessity. The fact that show more he has always been an outsider—just the unhealthy prospective you need to succeed in his line of work—helped him become one of our best contemporary commentators.

Linda Ballou-adventure travel writer and author of
Wai-nani, High Chiefess of Hawai’i-Her Epic Journey
Lost Angel Walkabout-One Traveler's Tales show less

This is a collection of the best of Paul Theroux's travel writings, taking you to five continents and to all manner of interesting experiences. A wonderful book to have with you if you are traveling yourself. Theroux knows how to search out the out-of-way, interesting places.

Enjoyed listening to this. Completely carried away from outside world. Appreciated listening to his kayaking around the world, snow shoeing in MA etc. Resonated with his need to be outdoors. Clearly a skilled writer, adventurer and observer as evidenced by his long career as a travel writer. Will go to this genre again.

appreciated being taken out of my world for a while. good adventurer, observer and writer as evidenced by his long career. will continue to read in this genre.

I found this a very mixed bag - which I suppose it should be given the nature of the collection. On balance I feel the pros beats the cons and it kept me occupied for a while!!

This was a good collection of travel essays by a travel author I have enjoyed.

Collection of the author's travel writings; most too arrogant to be enjoyable