Fresh Air Fiend: Travel Writings

If anyone requires an introduction to Theroux's work, this book is it, combining the best elements from his works of fiction and non-fiction. Theroux is perhaps one of the few writers in the US who offers something that is interesting to his readers, as opposed to oftentimes mundane or pedestrian observations that most of us have arrived at already or would under similar circumstances. For one thing Theroux is particularly good at stripping away the pretentions of the English lower-middle class. (He does this with many classes, but this one seems to be the victim more often than others) Take , for example, his note on on life in the inner suburbs of London: 'the secrets,the hurts, the whispers, the stifled lust...the savagery of the workplace; the eternally twitching curtains.' If anybody has spent time in this area, or have been inflicted by the presence of those with similar roots, I suspect he/she will find more than enough satisfaction in knowing that others are on the same page, as it were. Almost all of the chapters in this collection are worth reading, and some several times over. Try "Parasites I Have Known," and his views on other writers, from Chatwin to Simpson. All and all, a good read, and Fresh Air Fiend should be a nice introduction to other Theroux pieces.

The title of "Fresh Air Fiend" is a little misleading, as this is a collection of more than just Theroux's travel writings. There are a number of essays on other topics, including some reviews of other writers; I especially enjoyed his enthusiatic review of McPhee's "Looking For a Ship", itself a personal favorite of mine. For so prolific an author Theroux's writing is always of the highest caliber; there are no wasted words in a Theroux novel or travelogue, and yet no important detail goes unrecorded or described. Given this you can see where his enthusiasm for McPhee comes from; his admiration is obvious and freely given.The discussions of Theroux's own novels, and how he came to write them, are also particularly enjoyable and illuminating. The story of "Mosquito Coast" covers not only the writing of the book, but the production of the movie as well, and Theroux's description of how it brought out the "Allie" in all involved- Producer, director, actors- is both witty and revealing. The story behind "Milroy the Magician" will prove interesting to anyone who has read "The Happy Isles of Oceania".The travel stories, which do make up the bulk of the book, will be familiar in scope and tone to anyone who has read Theroux. Here he is, driving through remote Africa, wandering about in Singapore or kayaking alone around Christmas Island amid the wildlife. Reviews of Theroux's travel writing often center on what a misanthrope he must be, or on the accuracy of details and minutia contained in the books. But Theroux himself points out in an essay on his late friend Bruce Chatwin that his books are not meant to be a guide to a country, a people or even a city; they are about the trip itself- his trip, not yours or anyone else's trip. In that sense, even his worst critics must admit that he succeeds marvelously well.

Paul Theroux is one of only a few writers for whom I will immediately buy their new hardcovers based on name only, with great anticipation. This one does not disappoint, and I'd rate it right up there with my favorites of his, "My Other Life" and "Sunrise With Seamonsters." His writing on how to travel and how to write and thus how to live one's life is outstanding and inspiring, including the fact that he wrote "The Great Railway Bazaar" in the four months that the train trip took.

Thank you, Mr. Theroux, for your journeys across this globe and the inner journeys you bravely put down on paper. Fresh Air Fiend captures the author at his quintessential best. Not only does this latest collection of travel stories bring the world to your feet, but teaches us certain lessons on what it is to be human in todays fast paced world. The writing is crisp, enlightening, and never better. Forget what you think about travel books and pick up this latest from one of the masters, Paul Theroux. It is a worthy addition from the man who brought us "The Mosquito Coast" and "Saint Jack", along with his well regarded travel works.

As a once world traveler I was empowered by Mr. Theroux' writings. They encompassed not only the beauty, confusion and enlightenment of travel, but also the baffling loneliness and inevitable ethnocentrism. I found myself nodding in agreement, and moved that someone else had spoken truths about me of which I was not aware. It is not only the journey of a body, but the journey of a man through his life. This is a must read for anyone wondering about the world outside and the world within.JT