A Time of Gifts: On Foot to Constantinople: From the Hook of Holland to the Middle Danube (New York Review Books... |
Buy A Time of Gifts: On Foot to Constantinople: From the Hook of Holland to the Middle Danube (New York Review Books... here, one of 709 Gallic Wars books offered for sale at discount prices here in the history books section at R bookshop. There are currently 75360 history books in our history books section, and over 1,000,000 books listed in our book store. We greatly appreciate your patronage at R bookshop and look forward to offering you a large selection of great books at discount prices now and in the future. Thank you for shopping at R Bookshop!
|
You Are Here: Home > History Books > Gallic Wars > Item 76
 |
A Time of Gifts: On Foot to Constantinople: From the Hook of Holland to the Middle Danube (New York Review Books...
|
by Patrick Leigh Fermor and Jan Morris
Sales Rank: 58150
|
List Price: $16.95
$11.53
At Amazon
on 6-21-2008.
|
|
|
|
Features
Cover Type: Paperback with 344 pages
Published by: NYRB Classics October 3, 2005
Written in: English
ISBN 10 Number: 1590171659
ISBN 13 Number: 978-1590171653
Book Dimensions:
7.9 x 5 x 0.8 inches
Weighs: 10.4 ounces
Product Description
At the age of eighteen, Patrick Leigh Fermor set off from the heart of London on an epic journey—to walk to Constantinople. A Time of Gifts is the rich account of his adventures as far as Hungary, after which Between the Woods and the Water continues the story to the Iron Gates that divide the Carpathian and Balkan mountains. Acclaimed for its sweep and intelligence, Leigh Fermor's book explores a remarkable moment in time. Hitler has just come to power but war is still ahead, as he walks through a Europe soon to be forever changed—through the Lowlands to Mitteleuropa, to Teutonic and Slav heartlands, through the baroque remains of the Holy Roman Empire; up the Rhine, and down to the Danube.
At once a memoir of coming-of-age, an account of a journey, and a dazzling exposition of the English language, A Time of Gifts is also a portrait of a continent already showing ominous signs of the holocaust to come.
Reader Reviews
This book is an extreme rarity. It is one that I cannot imagine ANYONE NOT enjoying. Strapping young precocious Fermor, bounced out of school and knocking about London with some chums awaiting, in Fermor's case, with many misgivings, the military rigours of Sandyhurst, decides to chuck it all and go gadding about Europe during the interwar years toward Constantinople at the age of eighteen (He turns nineteen about halfway through.). The result, culled from memories and diaries that survived, and penned decades later, is a bouncing picaresque jaunt through the heartland of Europe, all seen (save for the occasional aside) through the coruscating eyes of youth, is one I simply can't imagine anyone wanting to miss, especially given that this is a world now lost to us almost completely. Interlarded herein are disquisitions on literature, architecture, and history, history, history (a witches' brew of real and apocryphal). Add to this delightfully unguided rather than misguided quest a cast of characters ranging from the homeless seeking shelter to the aristocrat in his schloss whom the author chances upon the way and you have a simply irresistible and sui-generis narrative. You have this book which, regardless of how many grey hairs age has snowed upon your head, will make you feel young and in love with the world again.----5 lofty, swirling stars.
Comment (1) | |
(Report this)
Back To Top
|
A Time of Gifts: On Foot to Constantinople: From the Hook of Holland to the Middle Danube (New York Review Books...
Available from Amazon
Price: $11.53
Updated on 6-21-2008.
|
NOTICE: All prices, availability, and specifications
are subject to verification by their respective retailers.
| We offer A Time of Gifts: On Foot to Constantinople: From the Hook of Holland to the Middle Danube (New York Review Books... and other related Gallic Wars Books here at Rbookshop.com. To view more books about Gallic Wars please use the previous and next buttons near the top of this page.
|
|
Search for books at
