Post #112345 by ikitnrev on Sat, Sep 4, 2004 12:13 AM

I suggest the following books ...

1. The Granta Book of Travel- This is a collection of travel essays that appeared in the literary journal 'Granta' which always features top-notch writing. This bookincludes essays by Bill Bryson, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Paul Theroux, Salman Rushdie, Martha Gelhorn, and lots more. You can read the introduction here .....
   http://www.granta.com/books/chapters/26

2. 'A Fez of the Heart: Travels Around Turkey in Search of a Hat' by Jeremy Seal. You will learn more about the fez here than any other book, and also a good description of the ongoing struggle that Turkey has between finding the right balance between the more traditional Islam culture and the more modern, secular world. A fun and very good read.

3. 'The Farm on the River of Emeralds' by Moritz Thomson. This one is out of print, but worth tracking down. It is perhaps the favorite of all the books I have read in my life - and I have read many. An older man, in his 50's, volunteers for the Peace Corps in Ecuador. When his volunteer stint is done, he decides to stay in Ecuador, and tries to eke out a living by farming in the tropical climate ... its a jungle out there, that's for sure.

Vern