Comments for Whereabouts Press Blog http://whereaboutspress.com/blog Travel Books That Are Truly Unique Fri, 13 Nov 2009 20:46:31 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 Comment on Fact or Fiction? Travel Literature – Armchair Travel Versus Native Fiction — Which is Best for You? by Win a Copy of the South Africa Traveler’s Literary Companion | Perceptive Travel Blog http://whereaboutspress.com/blog/?p=54&cpage=1#comment-37 Win a Copy of the South Africa Traveler’s Literary Companion | Perceptive Travel Blog Fri, 13 Nov 2009 20:46:31 +0000 http://whereaboutspress.com/blog/?p=54#comment-37 [...] Press wrote an excellent response in their blog, on the subject of armchair travel literature versus native literature and what best brings a place [...] [...] Press wrote an excellent response in their blog, on the subject of armchair travel literature versus native literature and what best brings a place [...]

]]> Comment on Fact or Fiction? Travel Literature – Armchair Travel Versus Native Fiction — Which is Best for You? by Antonia Malchik http://whereaboutspress.com/blog/?p=54&cpage=1#comment-36 Antonia Malchik Sat, 07 Nov 2009 16:03:59 +0000 http://whereaboutspress.com/blog/?p=54#comment-36 Thanks so much for these great thoughts and comments on my blog posting. I think we're in agreement. What strikes me now is that the context I'm talking about is mostly for people who have never been to a place. If I read Russian literature, I need no travel writing (except to quibble with!) because I've been so often and lived there long enough. Unfortunately for me, I've never set foot in South Africa, so to orientate myself geographically I need a little more grounding. Your suggestion of pairing these guides with a good travel guide is an excellent one. It's a great series, and I look forward to reading more! Cheers, Antonia Thanks so much for these great thoughts and comments on my blog posting. I think we’re in agreement. What strikes me now is that the context I’m talking about is mostly for people who have never been to a place. If I read Russian literature, I need no travel writing (except to quibble with!) because I’ve been so often and lived there long enough. Unfortunately for me, I’ve never set foot in South Africa, so to orientate myself geographically I need a little more grounding. Your suggestion of pairing these guides with a good travel guide is an excellent one.

It’s a great series, and I look forward to reading more!

Cheers,
Antonia

]]> Comment on Fact or Fiction? Travel Literature – Armchair Travel Versus Native Fiction — Which is Best for You? by Vera Marie Badertscher http://whereaboutspress.com/blog/?p=54&cpage=1#comment-35 Vera Marie Badertscher Fri, 06 Nov 2009 22:53:24 +0000 http://whereaboutspress.com/blog/?p=54#comment-35 I think you are probably right. In real life, I read the travel guide book first to get a feel for where I'm going (although I would not recommend Rough Guide), then I like to read some memoirs of people who have experienced the country from the eyes of my own country. And finally, while I am in the country, I like to read the literature of the place. This is an interesting question, and I will include links when I review your book of French literature for travelers at A Traveler's Library, later this month. Vera I think you are probably right. In real life, I read the travel guide book first to get a feel for where I’m going (although I would not recommend Rough Guide), then I like to read some memoirs of people who have experienced the country from the eyes of my own country. And finally, while I am in the country, I like to read the literature of the place.
This is an interesting question, and I will include links when I review your book of French literature for travelers at A Traveler’s Library, later this month.

Vera

]]> Comment on Dogs, People, and Apartheid in Mphahlele’s “Mrs. Plum” by David Peattie http://whereaboutspress.com/blog/?p=40&cpage=1#comment-31 David Peattie Thu, 22 Oct 2009 21:23:58 +0000 http://whereaboutspress.com/blog/?p=40#comment-31 Interesting how the better treatment of animals/pets can be a racial issue in this context; whereas I've seen it be an issue outside of that context as well. An avid dog (and cat) lover, I'm amazed how people can treat/abuse one another, and go to incredible lengths to treat their pets or animals they don't know well with great compassion. [I know I shouldn't be surprised; Hitler was, after all, a vegetarian.] Interesting how the better treatment of animals/pets can be a racial issue in this context; whereas I’ve seen it be an issue outside of that context as well. An avid dog (and cat) lover, I’m amazed how people can treat/abuse one another, and go to incredible lengths to treat their pets or animals they don’t know well with great compassion. [I know I shouldn't be surprised; Hitler was, after all, a vegetarian.]

]]> Comment on Bloomsday: A Celebration of James Joyce’s Ulysses by Stan Geronimo http://whereaboutspress.com/blog/?p=34&cpage=1#comment-29 Stan Geronimo Tue, 14 Jul 2009 13:28:59 +0000 http://whereaboutspress.com/blog/?p=34#comment-29 I’ve tried to read Ulysses three times in the past, and I failed. Eccentricity is god in this book. But after reading the first 50 pages, I felt extremely gratified. Reading bits of Aristotle helped, but only marginally. It was probably Shakespeare and Borges who led me on, so I delighted in passages like Buck Mulligan’s “He proves by algebra that Hamlet’s grandson is Shakespeare’s grandfather and that he himself is the ghost of his own father”, referring to Stephen Dedalus’ idea of Hamlet. I’ve tried to read Ulysses three times in the past, and I failed. Eccentricity is god in this book. But after reading the first 50 pages, I felt extremely gratified. Reading bits of Aristotle helped, but only marginally. It was probably Shakespeare and Borges who led me on, so I delighted in passages like Buck Mulligan’s “He proves by algebra that Hamlet’s grandson is Shakespeare’s grandfather and that he himself is the ghost of his own father”, referring to Stephen Dedalus’ idea of Hamlet.

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