Reviews
"Thoroughly engrossing--from Cape Town to Namibia to the Okavango Delta, Theroux is his inimitable, delightfully grouchy and incisive self...At times tragic, often comical and always gorgeously written, this is a paean to a continent, by a writer unafraid to give it some tough love." -- Washington Post "He has no illusions about the fact that he is just a passing visitor (a privileged one at that), but that doesn't make his observations, or exquisite writing, any less engaging." -- Entertainment Weekly ( Best Book of the Year) "Theroux is at his best when he tells their stories, happy and sad...Theroux's great mission had always been to transport us beyond that reading chair, to challenge himself--and thus, to challenge us." -- Boston Globe "If this book is proof, age has not slowed Theroux or encouraged him to rest on his achievements...Gutsy, alert to Africa's struggles, its injustices and history." -- San Francisco Chronicle "Everything is under scrutiny in Paul Theroux's latest travel book--not just the people, landscapes and sociopolitical realities of the countries he visits, but his own motivations for going where he goes...His readers can only be grateful." -- Seattle Times "A rich story often laced with irony, the work of a keen observer, full of colorful encounters...Ever the astute questioner, ever the curious reporter, ever a forthright witness to history and the dilemma of the oppressed, alert to political thuggery, he chronicles the crises facing the sub-Sahara." -- New York Journal of Books "Theroux takes you on a rocky safari across infringed wilds, disenfranchised poverty and coven luxury. He introduces you to a boil of angry indigenous peoples and unsettled migrants you won't meet on an itinerary tour....Go on, turn the first few pages. Then I dare you to put it down." -- Charleston Post-Courier "As in the best of his many books, Theroux convincingly takes you along for every manic bus ride. His wonderment is yours, whether he's contemplating eating a flyblown leg of chicken, dealing with a ferocious Angolan border guard, or deciding that this time, he's had quite enough. It's a remarkable, teeth-gritting tale" --Everett Potter"His ability to map new terrain, both interior and exterior, and to report from places that seldom make the news, remains undiminished." -- Booklist ( starred review)"Theroux's prose is as vividly descriptive and atmospheric as ever and, though a bit curmudgeonly, he's still wide open to raw, painful interactions between his psyche and his surroundings." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review)"In this intensely personal book, Theroux honestly confronts racism, stigma, privilege and expectations...Reading this enlightening book won't only open a window into Theroux's mind, it will also impart a deeper understanding of Africa and travel in general." -- Kirkus (starred review), "His ability to map new terrain, both interior and exterior, and to report from places that seldom make the news, remains undiminished." -- Booklist , starred "Theroux's prose is as vividly descriptive and atmospheric as ever and, though a bit curmudgeonly, he's still wide open to raw, painful interactions between his psyche and his surroundings." -- Publishers Weekly , starred "In this intensely personal book, Theroux honestly confronts racism, stigma, privilege and expectations...Reading this enlightening book won't only open a window into Theroux's mind, it will also impart a deeper understanding of Africa and travel in general." -- Kirkus , starred, "His ability to map new terrain, both interior and exterior, and to report from places that seldom make the news, remains undiminished." -- Booklist , starred "Theroux's prose is as vividly descriptive and atmospheric as ever and, though a bit curmudgeonly, he's still wide open to raw, painful interactions between his psyche and his surroundings." -- Publishers Weekly , starred, "His ability to map new terrain, both interior and exterior, and to report from places that seldom make the news, remains undiminished." -- Booklist , starred "Theroux's prose is as vividly descriptive and atmospheric as ever and, though a bit curmudgeonly, he's still wide open to raw, painful interactions between his psyche and his surroundings." -- Publishers Weekly , starred, "His ability to map new terrain, both interior and exterior, and to report from places that seldom make the news, remains undiminished." -- Booklist , starred "Theroux's prose is as vividly descriptive and atmospheric as ever and, though a bit curmudgeonly, he's still wide open to raw, painful interactions between his psyche and his surroundings." -- Publishers Weekly , starred "In this intensely personal book, Theroux honestly confronts racism, stigma, privilege and expectations...Reading this enlightening book won't only open a window into Theroux's mind, it will also impart a deeper understanding of Africa and travel in general." -- Kirkus , starred "A rich story often laced with irony, the work of a keen observer, full of colorful encounters…Ever the astute questioner, ever the curious reporter, ever a forthright witness to history and the dilemma of the oppressed, alert to political thuggery, he chronicles the crises facing the sub-Sahara." New York Journal of Books, "Thoroughly engrossing--From Cape Town to Namibia to the Okavango Delta, Theroux is his inimitable, delightfully grouchy and incisive self...At times tragic, often comical and always gorgeously written, this is a paean to a continent, by a writer unafraid to give it some tough love." -- Washington Post "He has no illusions about the fact that he is just a passing visitor (a privileged one at that), but that doesn't make his observations, or exquisite writing, any less engaging." -- Entertainment Weekly "Theroux is at his best when he tells their stories, happy and sad...Theroux's great mission had always been to transport us beyond that reading chair, to challenge himself--and thus, to challenge us." -- Boston Globe "If this book is proof, age has not slowed Theroux or encouraged him to rest on his achievements...Gutsy, alert to Africa's struggles, its injustices and history." -- San Francisco Chronicle "Everything is under scrutiny in Paul Theroux's latest travel book--not just the people, landscapes and sociopolitical realities of the countries he visits, but his own motivations for going where he goes...His readers can only be grateful." -- Seattle Times "A rich story often laced with irony, the work of a keen observer, full of colorful encounters...Ever the astute questioner, ever the curious reporter, ever a forthright witness to history and the dilemma of the oppressed, alert to political thuggery, he chronicles the crises facing the sub-Sahara." -- New York Journal of Books "Theroux takes you on a rocky safari across infringed wilds, disenfranchised poverty and coven luxury. He introduces you to a boil of angry indigenous peoples and unsettled migrants you won't meet on an itinerary tour....Go on, turn the first few pages. Then I dare you to put it down." -- Charleston Post-Courier "As in the best of his many books, Theroux convincingly takes you along for every manic bus ride. His wonderment is yours, whether he's contemplating eating a flyblown leg of chicken, dealing with a ferocious Angolan border guard, or deciding that this time, he's had quite enough. It's a remarkable, teeth-gritting tale" --Everett Potter"His ability to map new terrain, both interior and exterior, and to report from places that seldom make the news, remains undiminished." -- Booklist ( starred review)"Theroux's prose is as vividly descriptive and atmospheric as ever and, though a bit curmudgeonly, he's still wide open to raw, painful interactions between his psyche and his surroundings." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review)"In this intensely personal book, Theroux honestly confronts racism, stigma, privilege and expectations...Reading this enlightening book won't only open a window into Theroux's mind, it will also impart a deeper understanding of Africa and travel in general." -- Kirkus (starred review), "Thoroughly engrossing-from Cape Town to Namibia to the Okavango Delta, Theroux is his inimitable, delightfully grouchy and incisive self…At times tragic, often comical and always gorgeously written, this is a paean to a continent, by a writer unafraid to give it some tough love." - Washington Post "He has no illusions about the fact that he is just a passing visitor (a privileged one at that), but that doesn't make his observations, or exquisite writing, any less engaging." - Entertainment Weekly ( Best Book of the Year) "Theroux is at his best when he tells their stories, happy and sad...Theroux's great mission had always been to transport us beyond that reading chair, to challenge himself-and thus, to challenge us." - Boston Globe "If this book is proof, age has not slowed Theroux or encouraged him to rest on his achievements…Gutsy, alert to Africa's struggles, its injustices and history." - San Francisco Chronicle "Everything is under scrutiny in Paul Theroux's latest travel book-not just the people, landscapes and sociopolitical realities of the countries he visits, but his own motivations for going where he goes…His readers can only be grateful." - Seattle Times "A rich story often laced with irony, the work of a keen observer, full of colorful encounters…Ever the astute questioner, ever the curious reporter, ever a forthright witness to history and the dilemma of the oppressed, alert to political thuggery, he chronicles the crises facing the sub-Sahara." - New York Journal of Books "Theroux takes you on a rocky safari across infringed wilds, disenfranchised poverty and coven luxury. He introduces you to a boil of angry indigenous peoples and unsettled migrants you won't meet on an itinerary tour....Go on, turn the first few pages. Then I dare you to put it down." - Charleston Post-Courier "As in the best of his many books, Theroux convincingly takes you along for every manic bus ride. His wonderment is yours, whether he's contemplating eating a flyblown leg of chicken, dealing with a ferocious Angolan border guard, or deciding that this time, he's had quite enough. It's a remarkable, teeth-gritting tale" -Everett Potter"His ability to map new terrain, both interior and exterior, and to report from places that seldom make the news, remains undiminished." - Booklist ( starred review)"Theroux's prose is as vividly descriptive and atmospheric as ever and, though a bit curmudgeonly, he's still wide open to raw, painful interactions between his psyche and his surroundings." - Publishers Weekly (starred review)"In this intensely personal book, Theroux honestly confronts racism, stigma, privilege and expectations...Reading this enlightening book won't only open a window into Theroux's mind, it will also impart a deeper understanding of Africa and travel in general." - Kirkus (starred review), "Thoroughly engrossing -- From Cape Town to Namibia to the Okavango Delta, Theroux is his inimitable, delightfully grouchy and incisive self...If you're thinking 'The Last Train to Zona Verde' is a journey from bliss to sorrow, you wouldn't be wrong. But it's a journey worth taking. At times tragic, often comical and always gorgeously written, this is a paean to a continent, by a writer unafraid to give it some tough love." -- Washington Post "His ability to map new terrain, both interior and exterior, and to report from places that seldom make the news, remains undiminished." -- Booklist , starred "Theroux's prose is as vividly descriptive and atmospheric as ever and, though a bit curmudgeonly, he's still wide open to raw, painful interactions between his psyche and his surroundings." -- Publishers Weekly , starred "In this intensely personal book, Theroux honestly confronts racism, stigma, privilege and expectations...Reading this enlightening book won't only open a window into Theroux's mind, it will also impart a deeper understanding of Africa and travel in general." -- Kirkus , starred "A rich story often laced with irony, the work of a keen observer, full of colorful encounters…Ever the astute questioner, ever the curious reporter, ever a forthright witness to history and the dilemma of the oppressed, alert to political thuggery, he chronicles the crises facing the sub-Sahara." New York Journal of Books "Theroux takes you on a rocky safari across infringed wilds, disenfranchised poverty and coven luxury. He introduces you to a boil of angry indigenous peoples and unsettled migrants you won't meet on an itinerary tour....Go on, turn the first few pages. Then I dare you to put it down." - Charleston Post -Courier "Everything is under scrutiny in Paul Theroux's latest travel book - not just the people, landscapes and sociopolitical realities of the countries he visits, but his own motivations for going where he goes...His readers can only be grateful." -- Seattle Times "He has no illusions about the fact that he is just a passing visitor (a privileged one at that), but that doesn't make his observations, or exquisite writing, any less engaging." -- Entertainment Weekly" "As in the best of his many books, Theroux convincingly takes you along for every manic bus ride. His wonderment is yours, whether he's contemplating eating a flyblown leg of chicken, dealing with a ferocious Angolan border guard, or deciding that this time, he's had quite enough. It's a remarkable, teeth-gritting tale" -- Everett Potter "Theroux is at his best when he tells their stories, happy and sad...Theroux's great mission had always been to transport us beyond that reading chair, to challenge himself - and thus, to challenge us." -- Boston Globe "If this book is proof, age has not slowed Theroux or encouraged him to rest on his achievements…Gutsy, alert to Africa's struggles, its injustices and history." - San Francisco Chronicle, Thoroughly engrossing -- From Cape Town to Namibia to the Okavango Delta, Theroux is his inimitable, delightfully grouchy and incisive self...If you're thinking 'The Last Train to Zona Verde' is a journey from bliss to sorrow, you wouldn't be wrong. But it's a journey worth taking. At times tragic, often comical and always gorgeously written, this is a paean to a continent, by a writer unafraid to give it some tough love." -- Washington Post "His ability to map new terrain, both interior and exterior, and to report from places that seldom make the news, remains undiminished." -- Booklist , starred "Theroux's prose is as vividly descriptive and atmospheric as ever and, though a bit curmudgeonly, he's still wide open to raw, painful interactions between his psyche and his surroundings." -- Publishers Weekly , starred "In this intensely personal book, Theroux honestly confronts racism, stigma, privilege and expectations...Reading this enlightening book won't only open a window into Theroux's mind, it will also impart a deeper understanding of Africa and travel in general." -- Kirkus , starred "A rich story often laced with irony, the work of a keen observer, full of colorful encounters…Ever the astute questioner, ever the curious reporter, ever a forthright witness to history and the dilemma of the oppressed, alert to political thuggery, he chronicles the crises facing the sub-Sahara." New York Journal of Books "Theroux takes you on a rocky safari across infringed wilds, disenfranchised poverty and coven luxury. He introduces you to a boil of angry indigenous peoples and unsettled migrants you won't meet on an itinerary tour....Go on, turn the first few pages. Then I dare you to put it down." - Charleston Post -Courier "Everything is under scrutiny in Paul Theroux's latest travel book - not just the people, landscapes and sociopolitical realities of the countries he visits, but his own motivations for going where he goes...His readers can only be grateful." -- Seattle Times "He has no illusions about the fact that he is just a passing visitor (a privileged one at that), but that doesn't make his observations, or exquisite writing, any less engaging." -- Entertainment Weekly" "As in the best of his many books, Theroux convincingly takes you along for every manic bus ride. His wonderment is yours, whether he's contemplating eating a flyblown leg of chicken, dealing with a ferocious Angolan border guard, or deciding that this time, he's had quite enough. It's a remarkable, teeth-gritting tale" -- Everett Potter "Theroux is at his best when he tells their stories, happy and sad...Theroux's great mission had always been to transport us beyond that reading chair, to challenge himself - and thus, to challenge us." -- Boston Globe "If this book is proof, age has not slowed Theroux or encouraged him to rest on his achievements…Gutsy, alert to Africa's struggles, its injustices and history." - San Francisco Chronicle, "Thoroughly engrossing -- From Cape Town to Namibia to the Okavango Delta, Theroux is his inimitable, delightfully grouchy and incisive self...If you're thinking 'The Last Train to Zona Verde' is a journey from bliss to sorrow, you wouldn't be wrong. But it's a journey worth taking. At times tragic, often comical and always gorgeously written, this is a paean to a continent, by a writer unafraid to give it some tough love." -- Washington Post "His ability to map new terrain, both interior and exterior, and to report from places that seldom make the news, remains undiminished." -- Booklist , starred "Theroux's prose is as vividly descriptive and atmospheric as ever and, though a bit curmudgeonly, he's still wide open to raw, painful interactions between his psyche and his surroundings." -- Publishers Weekly , starred "In this intensely personal book, Theroux honestly confronts racism, stigma, privilege and expectations...Reading this enlightening book won't only open a window into Theroux's mind, it will also impart a deeper understanding of Africa and travel in general." -- Kirkus , starred "A rich story often laced with irony, the work of a keen observer, full of colorful encounters...Ever the astute questioner, ever the curious reporter, ever a forthright witness to history and the dilemma of the oppressed, alert to political thuggery, he chronicles the crises facing the sub-Sahara." - New York Journal of Books "Theroux takes you on a rocky safari across infringed wilds, disenfranchised poverty and coven luxury. He introduces you to a boil of angry indigenous peoples and unsettled migrants you won't meet on an itinerary tour....Go on, turn the first few pages. Then I dare you to put it down." - Charleston Post -Courier "Everything is under scrutiny in Paul Theroux's latest travel book -- not just the people, landscapes and sociopolitical realities of the countries he visits, but his own motivations for going where he goes...His readers can only be grateful." -- Seattle Times "He has no illusions about the fact that he is just a passing visitor (a privileged one at that), but that doesn't make his observations, or exquisite writing, any less engaging." -- Entertainment Weekly" "As in the best of his many books, Theroux convincingly takes you along for every manic bus ride. His wonderment is yours, whether he's contemplating eating a flyblown leg of chicken, dealing with a ferocious Angolan border guard, or deciding that this time, he's had quite enough. It's a remarkable, teeth-gritting tale" -- Everett Potter "Theroux is at his best when he tells their stories, happy and sad...Theroux's great mission had always been to transport us beyond that reading chair, to challenge himself -- and thus, to challenge us." -- Boston Globe "If this book is proof, age has not slowed Theroux or encouraged him to rest on his achievements...Gutsy, alert to Africa's struggles, its injustices and history." -- San Francisco Chronicle, "Thoroughly engrossing-From Cape Town to Namibia to the Okavango Delta, Theroux is his inimitable, delightfully grouchy and incisive self…At times tragic, often comical and always gorgeously written, this is a paean to a continent, by a writer unafraid to give it some tough love." - Washington Post "He has no illusions about the fact that he is just a passing visitor (a privileged one at that), but that doesn't make his observations, or exquisite writing, any less engaging." - Entertainment Weekly "Theroux is at his best when he tells their stories, happy and sad...Theroux's great mission had always been to transport us beyond that reading chair, to challenge himself-and thus, to challenge us." - Boston Globe "If this book is proof, age has not slowed Theroux or encouraged him to rest on his achievements…Gutsy, alert to Africa's struggles, its injustices and history." - San Francisco Chronicle "Everything is under scrutiny in Paul Theroux's latest travel book-not just the people, landscapes and sociopolitical realities of the countries he visits, but his own motivations for going where he goes…His readers can only be grateful." - Seattle Times "A rich story often laced with irony, the work of a keen observer, full of colorful encounters…Ever the astute questioner, ever the curious reporter, ever a forthright witness to history and the dilemma of the oppressed, alert to political thuggery, he chronicles the crises facing the sub-Sahara." - New York Journal of Books "Theroux takes you on a rocky safari across infringed wilds, disenfranchised poverty and coven luxury. He introduces you to a boil of angry indigenous peoples and unsettled migrants you won't meet on an itinerary tour....Go on, turn the first few pages. Then I dare you to put it down." - Charleston Post-Courier "As in the best of his many books, Theroux convincingly takes you along for every manic bus ride. His wonderment is yours, whether he's contemplating eating a flyblown leg of chicken, dealing with a ferocious Angolan border guard, or deciding that this time, he's had quite enough. It's a remarkable, teeth-gritting tale" -Everett Potter"His ability to map new terrain, both interior and exterior, and to report from places that seldom make the news, remains undiminished." - Booklist ( starred review)"Theroux's prose is as vividly descriptive and atmospheric as ever and, though a bit curmudgeonly, he's still wide open to raw, painful interactions between his psyche and his surroundings." - Publishers Weekly (starred review)"In this intensely personal book, Theroux honestly confronts racism, stigma, privilege and expectations...Reading this enlightening book won't only open a window into Theroux's mind, it will also impart a deeper understanding of Africa and travel in general." - Kirkus (starred review), "Thoroughly engrossing -- From Cape Town to Namibia to the Okavango Delta, Theroux is his inimitable, delightfully grouchy and incisive self...If you're thinking 'The Last Train to Zona Verde' is a journey from bliss to sorrow, you wouldn't be wrong. But it's a journey worth taking. At times tragic, often comical and always gorgeously written, this is a paean to a continent, by a writer unafraid to give it some tough love." -- Washington Post "Everything is under scrutiny in Paul Theroux's latest travel book - not just the people, landscapes and sociopolitical realities of the countries he visits, but his own motivations for going where he goes...His readers can only be grateful." -- Seattle Times "He has no illusions about the fact that he is just a passing visitor (a privileged one at that), but that doesn't make his observations, or exquisite writing, any less engaging." -- Entertainment Weekly" "His ability to map new terrain, both interior and exterior, and to report from places that seldom make the news, remains undiminished." -- Booklist , starred "Theroux's prose is as vividly descriptive and atmospheric as ever and, though a bit curmudgeonly, he's still wide open to raw, painful interactions between his psyche and his surroundings." -- Publishers Weekly , starred "In this intensely personal book, Theroux honestly confronts racism, stigma, privilege and expectations...Reading this enlightening book won't only open a window into Theroux's mind, it will also impart a deeper understanding of Africa and travel in general." -- Kirkus , starred "A rich story often laced with irony, the work of a keen observer, full of colorful encounters…Ever the astute questioner, ever the curious reporter, ever a forthright witness to history and the dilemma of the oppressed, alert to political thuggery, he chronicles the crises facing the sub-Sahara." New York Journal of Books "Theroux takes you on a rocky safari across infringed wilds, disenfranchised poverty and coven luxury. He introduces you to a boil of angry indigenous peoples and unsettled migrants you won't meet on an itinerary tour....Go on, turn the first few pages. Then I dare you to put it down." - Charleston Post -Courier "As in the best of his many books, Theroux convincingly takes you along for every manic bus ride. His wonderment is yours, whether he's contemplating eating a flyblown leg of chicken, dealing with a ferocious Angolan border guard, or deciding that this time, he's had quite enough. It's a remarkable, teeth-gritting tale" -- Everett Potter "Theroux is at his best when he tells their stories, happy and sad...Theroux's great mission had always been to transport us beyond that reading chair, to challenge himself - and thus, to challenge us." -- Boston Globe "If this book is proof, age has not slowed Theroux or encouraged him to rest on his achievements…Gutsy, alert to Africa's struggles, its injustices and history." - San Francisco Chronicle, "Thoroughly engrossing -- From Cape Town to Namibia to the Okavango Delta, Theroux is his inimitable, delightfully grouchy and incisive self...If you're thinking 'The Last Train to Zona Verde' is a journey from bliss to sorrow, you wouldn't be wrong. But it's a journey worth taking. At times tragic, often comical and always gorgeously written, this is a paean to a continent, by a writer unafraid to give it some tough love." -- Washington Post "His ability to map new terrain, both interior and exterior, and to report from places that seldom make the news, remains undiminished." -- Booklist , starred "Theroux's prose is as vividly descriptive and atmospheric as ever and, though a bit curmudgeonly, he's still wide open to raw, painful interactions between his psyche and his surroundings." -- Publishers Weekly , starred "In this intensely personal book, Theroux honestly confronts racism, stigma, privilege and expectations...Reading this enlightening book won't only open a window into Theroux's mind, it will also impart a deeper understanding of Africa and travel in general." -- Kirkus , starred "A rich story often laced with irony, the work of a keen observer, full of colorful encounters...Ever the astute questioner, ever the curious reporter, ever a forthright witness to history and the dilemma of the oppressed, alert to political thuggery, he chronicles the crises facing the sub-Sahara." - New York Journal of Books "Theroux takes you on a rocky safari across infringed wilds, disenfranchised poverty and coven luxury. He introduces you to a boil of angry indigenous peoples and unsettled migrants you won't meet on an itinerary tour....Go on, turn the first few pages. Then I dare you to put it down." - Charleston Post -Courier "Everything is under scrutiny in Paul Theroux's latest travel book -- not just the people, landscapes and sociopolitical realities of the countries he visits, but his own motivations for going where he goes...His readers can only be grateful." -- Seattle Times "He has no illusions about the fact that he is just a passing visitor (a privileged one at that), but that doesn't make his observations, or exquisite writing, any less engaging." -- Entertainment Weekly" "As in the best of his many books, Theroux convincingly takes you along for every manic bus ride. His wonderment is yours, whether he's contemplating eating a flyblown leg of chicken, dealing with a ferocious Angolan border guard, or deciding that this time, he's had quite enough. It's a remarkable, teeth-gritting tale" -- Everett Potter "Theroux is at his best when he tells their stories, happy and sad...Theroux's great mission had always been to transport us beyond that reading chair, to challenge himself -- and thus, to challenge us." -- Boston Globe "If this book is proof, age has not slowed Theroux or encouraged him to rest on his achievements...Gutsy, alert to Africa's struggles, its injustices and history." -- San Francisco Chronicle, "His ability to map new terrain, both interior and exterior, and to report from places that seldom make the news, remains undiminished." -- Booklist , starred "Theroux's prose is as vividly descriptive and atmospheric as ever and, though a bit curmudgeonly, he's still wide open to raw, painful interactions between his psyche and his surroundings." -- Publishers Weekly , starred "In this intensely personal book, Theroux honestly confronts racism, stigma, privilege and expectations...Reading this enlightening book won't only open a window into Theroux's mind, it will also impart a deeper understanding of Africa and travel in general." -- Kirkus , starred, 'Thoroughly engrossing -- From Cape Town to Namibia to the Okavango Delta, Theroux is his inimitable, delightfully grouchy and incisive self...If you're thinking 'The Last Train to Zona Verde' is a journey from bliss to sorrow, you wouldn't be wrong. But it's a journey worth taking. At times tragic, often comical and always gorgeously written, this is a paean to a continent, by a writer unafraid to give it some tough love." -- Washington Post "His ability to map new terrain, both interior and exterior, and to report from places that seldom make the news, remains undiminished." -- Booklist , starred "Theroux's prose is as vividly descriptive and atmospheric as ever and, though a bit curmudgeonly, he's still wide open to raw, painful interactions between his psyche and his surroundings." -- Publishers Weekly , starred "In this intensely personal book, Theroux honestly confronts racism, stigma, privilege and expectations...Reading this enlightening book won't only open a window into Theroux's mind, it will also impart a deeper understanding of Africa and travel in general." -- Kirkus , starred "A rich story often laced with irony, the work of a keen observer, full of colorful encounters'_¦Ever the astute questioner, ever the curious reporter, ever a forthright witness to history and the dilemma of the oppressed, alert to political thuggery, he chronicles the crises facing the sub-Sahara." ' New York Journal of Books "Theroux takes you on a rocky safari across infringed wilds, disenfranchised poverty and coven luxury. He introduces you to a boil of angry indigenous peoples and unsettled migrants you won't meet on an itinerary tour....Go on, turn the first few pages. Then I dare you to put it down." - Charleston Post -Courier "Everything is under scrutiny in Paul Theroux's latest travel book ' not just the people, landscapes and sociopolitical realities of the countries he visits, but his own motivations for going where he goes...His readers can only be grateful." -- Seattle Times "He has no illusions about the fact that he is just a passing visitor (a privileged one at that), but that doesn't make his observations, or exquisite writing, any less engaging." -- Entertainment Weekly" "As in the best of his many books, Theroux convincingly takes you along for every manic bus ride. His wonderment is yours, whether he's contemplating eating a flyblown leg of chicken, dealing with a ferocious Angolan border guard, or deciding that this time, he's had quite enough. It's a remarkable, teeth-gritting tale" -- Everett Potter "Theroux is at his best when he tells their stories, happy and sad...Theroux's great mission had always been to transport us beyond that reading chair, to challenge himself ' and thus, to challenge us." -- Boston Globe "If this book is proof, age has not slowed Theroux or encouraged him to rest on his achievements'_¦Gutsy, alert to Africa's struggles, its injustices and history." ' San Francisco Chronicle
