Eothen, or, Traces of Travel Brought Home from the East

Worth reading just for his descriptions of what people wore before Nike and Levis ruled the world. I liked how earnestly excited he was to explore these places. Sep 05, Laura rated it really liked it Recommends it for: This Englishman's perspective on the middle east-- the middle east that we know today, Palestine and Israel and Syria and Egypt, in all their old Ottoman wildnesses-- is fascinating in more ways than one.

Kingslake is an immensely likeable writer, and he writes from an immensely appealing point of view: He writes with such authenticity a This Englishman's perspective on the middle east-- the middle east that we know today, Palestine and Israel and Syria and Egypt, in all their old Ottoman wildnesses-- is fascinating in more ways than one.

He writes with such authenticity about such simple and realistic things that it is nearly impossible not to like him. Even when he skims uncaring through stricken populations of plagued and poor humans, and even when he looks on with only mild discomfort as his servants beat and bully and oppress on all sides and obtain him gifts and provisions at no cost from an unwilling native population, and even when he castigates, with racism oozing out of every pore, the character of every nationality he happens to fall in with, Kingslake is alive and enjoyable.

This is the unadulterated worldview of the England of his era, and it is simply fascinating. Also fascinating are the hints and snips of information which seem to carry, across time, the roots and springwell-sources of today's troubles out from the past. The descriptions of the natives who hope with such surety that their salvation will come from Europe, and who know that their lords and masters dangle from European bank-accounts like marrionettes from strings, ring particularly doomful today.

Particularly wretched are the Christians who come begging for Kingslake, a mere traveler, to step in and solve thier local problems. A must-read for anyone who likes history, the middle east, or Churchill-- this was apparently one of his favorite books.

I picked this book up in January, put it down after a short read, then finished it today as it was due back and was an interlibrary loan copy, i. I didn't want to have to check it out again. My copy was the first edition Blackwood copy. Since that isn't on Book Reads, I would have had to photograph it, edit it, post the picture and fill in all of the data pertinent to a newly entered book, and to be honest, I just didn't have the time or mindset to get into that, so I I picked this book up in January, put it down after a short read, then finished it today as it was due back and was an interlibrary loan copy, i.

Since that isn't on Book Reads, I would have had to photograph it, edit it, post the picture and fill in all of the data pertinent to a newly entered book, and to be honest, I just didn't have the time or mindset to get into that, so I'm using this rest stop. The book is considered a travel writing classic. I have to admit it didn't work for me, and it wasn't archaic language or dated ideas. If anything I would welcome that. Exploring unknown lands to English eyes, I hoped for something more insightful or poetic.

I did enjoy the short chapters on Lady Hester Stanhope, a renowned traveler herself, as well as the Pyramids and the Sphinx. He mentions how you see these images all of your life, on paper, but to stand at their base and feel the rough stone makes their history and meaning finally come alive. If you like to read travel books, then this is certainly in the canon of a "must read. Feb 11, Dawn rated it it was amazing.

Text so well written that the reader gets a tactile and scented visit back in time to Colonial Middle East when British aristocracy found a welcome with all of the strata of population between Turkey and Egypt. The actual tour took place in when Alexander William Kinglake was finishing his studies. He describes the tremendous separation between Europe and Asia in his beginning chapter, and with the astounding help of his loyal hired servants journeys to places which hold much meaning for Ch Text so well written that the reader gets a tactile and scented visit back in time to Colonial Middle East when British aristocracy found a welcome with all of the strata of population between Turkey and Egypt.

He describes the tremendous separation between Europe and Asia in his beginning chapter, and with the astounding help of his loyal hired servants journeys to places which hold much meaning for Christians, Jews and Muslims. For much of the book, the author gives the impression that he finds his travels to be enlightening and with people he values although culturally different. However, the next to the last chapter gives the reader a peek into his genuine feeling of turning toward home and the West. Reading Victorian travel journals is an exercise that requires some practice!

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While Kinglake's delight in his experiences has to be found somewhere beneath his cocky colonial attitude, not only toward those from the "East" that he meets but also toward other Europeans. At times, you'd almost mistake it for satire but realize that he was being serious in his assessment.

This is not a long or complicated read, so it is worth the effort. It is also important to remember that Kinglake's account open Reading Victorian travel journals is an exercise that requires some practice! It is also important to remember that Kinglake's account opened up the East to many of his contemporaries and inevitably encouraged a greater fascination with Syria, Lebanon and the Holy Lands. Jan 07, Cynthia Frazer rated it it was amazing.

Interesting to hear the memoir for it is very informal English, based on letters written home to a dear friend of a British subject defy quarantine based on rank, hear comments about tribesman in the hills of Afghanistan to be mobilized at a moment's notice Jan 31, Leif rated it did not like it. Self-congratulatory, Eurocentrizing travel writing of the first rate.

Kinglake has blithe assumptions about women, "Asiatics," "Orientals," and many more, which at times blind or otherwise limit him. Implicitly the story of "how I had freedom and got my own way in everything," Eothen is both a repelling book and an uninteresting one.

Mar 28, John rated it liked it. Enjoyed only one or two chapters "The Desert" XVII and the following "Cairo and the Plague" which were very evocative of the desert its dangers the arduousness of travel by camel. Snapshots of characters also pretty good but largely a period piece of import for being first of any sense of "modern" in travel writing. Fun to read "topical and of-the-times" writing it's a travelogue from a different era, just to see the style and the horrible racism and narrowness that strikes Kinglake as totally normal, not to mention the crappy practicalities of travel Ebola quarantines have nothing on this.

Still, a bit of a bore. Nov 26, Lemar rated it really liked it Shelves: This first hand account of travel in the 's is a gold mine of first hand experience. Unfortunately is is tempered by rampant racism sadly endemic at the time. Nevertheless if one can put on extra thick boots and wade through it is a well written travel journal of travel from a time when each small sub-culture had their own dress and customs; fascinating read, shower after recommended. Sep 11, Michael rated it liked it. It is difficult to know how to pitch this, a must ish read book that has moments of brilliance but a little hard work at times also - I read it imagining some fascination with Hester Stanhope and am disillusioned there.

Sep 21, Jamie rated it liked it. Enjoyable read of the travels across the Middle East during the at the time of the plague. Loved the passion and curiosity to see the world that transcended cultural norms and fears. Aug 31, Tony Ramirez rated it it was amazing Recommends it for: The best travel book ever written, Winston Churchill's favorite. Funny, ironic and, as the introduction says, "deliciously nasty".

Jul 14, BananaBerry rated it really liked it. Al-Taweel rated it did not like it Jul 05, Alan rated it liked it May 31, LadyLilanie Pipo rated it it was ok Sep 16, Jenny rated it it was ok Dec 20, There are no discussion topics on this book yet.

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About Alexander William Kinglake. Alexander William Kinglake 5 August — 2 January was an English travel writer and historian. Here's how restrictions apply.

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A different of the middle East and its culture in the 's. It is interesting that some of the things that were mentioned in the book are still the same with the troubles in the area today.

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Warring factions, hatred towards the Jews and white men, and total disrespect for human life. It is not the easiest and pleasant travel book to read but you come away with an old and better view of an area of trouble in our world today. It proves that the area has never been totally at peace. This is one of my five favorite books. Kinglake writes almost two centuries ago about the middle east, and he sees it all clearly. The man can make the banal topic into a glittering, gorgeous exercise.

He writes in the high style of his time and it still makes me shiver. One person found this helpful. A great book by a wonderful writer. Go on from Eothen to Kinglake's History of the Invasion of the Crimea, which Geoff Bocca described, accurately, as "a book by which no intelligent man could fail immediately to be fascinated, no matter to what page he might open" any of the several volumes. And that is exactly what Eothen seems to me -- fascinating on every page, because of the mind behind the words. See all 4 reviews. Amazon Giveaway allows you to run promotional giveaways in order to create buzz, reward your audience, and attract new followers and customers.

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