Great Railway Bazaar by Paul Theroux

The Great Railway Bazaar is a travelogue by American novelist Paul Theroux, first published in 1975. It recounts Theroux’s four-month journey by train in 1973 from London through Europe, the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia, and his return via the Trans-Siberian Railway.

The book explores themes such as colonialism, American imperialism, poverty, and ignorance, which are embedded in Theroux’s accounts of sights and sounds he experienced as well as his conversations with other people such as his fellow travelers.

What I Liked

I will read anything by Paul Theroux and Bill Bryson. They are both crochety old guys. But Theroux especially is master of observation, talking to people, and traveling in a way to truly understand a region and the people who live there. He’s also funny, direct, and interesting.

What I Did Not Like

Nothing – excellent read. It’s still on my shelf to read again.