"Ibn Battutah set out in 1325 from his native Tangier on the pilgrimage to Mecca. By the time he returned twenty-nine years later, he had visited most of the known world, travelling three times the distance Marco Polo was supposed to have covered. Spiritual backpacker, tireless social climber, temporary hermit and failed ambassador, he braved brigands, blisters and his own prejudices. The outcome was a monumental travel classic.

Captivated by this inquisitive, indefatigable man, award-winning travel writer Tim Mackintosh-Smith set out on his own eventful journey, retracing the first stage of the Moroccan's eccentric trip from Tangier to Constantinople. Tim proves himself a perfect companion to this distant traveller, and the result is an amazing blend of personalities, history and contemporary observation."

An appropriate book to register for bookcrossing (given the subject matter)! Let's hope it travels as far and as wide as it's author and it's eponymous inspiration...

This was a charity-shop purchase and, although I've not read it myself (too much other stuff!), it looks good doesn't it? Planning to release at York's Festive BC Meetup...

RELEASE NOTES:

a festively-fruity release...

a bit of mid-winter escapism to make you dream of sunnier climes...

Picked up yesterday at the York Festival of Angels Meet. :)

Will organise a bookring for this as it is an excellent book...

My previous review.

Book Ring Rules (Adapted from psychjo and kleptokitty)

1) Everybody should leave a journal entry when receiving the book and after the read! Please let us all know what you think about it...
2) Also PM the next person on the list for a mailing address and when that person doesn't answer within 7 days MAX! please PM the one after...
3) Everybody should also try to read the book soon (max - one month?)- but in a joyful speed. It's not about how many books someone can read within a certain amount of time - it's about enjoying it...
4) You can send the book via surface mail or airmail - that is completely up to you.
5) If you find you don't have the time to read it when it's your turn please PM and I'll move you to a later slot.
6) Enjoy :-)


Participants


CaterinaAnna (UK)
Samulli (Germany)
book-man-8 (Germany)
eicuthbertson (Canada)
mrsjones (US)
bartonz (US)
azuki (US)
thegoaliegirl (US*)
mlbish (US*)

RELEASE NOTES:

Off to start the bookring!

RELEASE NOTES:

Off to start the bookring!

Arrived today and taken with me on my own, much more limited travels around town. Have read the first thirty pages or so and am already enjoying the author's style, even though we have not yet properly met IB himself.

OK, after starting it so soon, this book was interrupted by something else that had to be read, but even so I have taken far too long - my apologies to wyjane and others further along the ring.
That said, I suspect I might not have enjoyed it so much had I read it more quickly because little happens. Basically Tim goes somewhere, tries to find places - mostly tombs of saints - IB described, sometimes succeeds, sometimes doesn't, meets some characters along the way and ... errr... that's it. However it is beautifully written, using a wonderfully eclectic vocabulary and points of reference - there was something to savour on every page. Best travel book I have read in a loooong time.
Contacting wyjane to find out how to pass on to her.

RELEASE NOTES:

Finally on its way, with apologies for the delay.

Arrived here safe and sound. I'll get to it shortly.

I just can not bring up the interest to read this book right now. Or possibly ever.
I'm sure it is an interesting book, but it's just not for me. I almost fell asleep on the first few pages already. The author throws around names of places and people I have never heard of and can hardly pronounce, he travels to places I have no interest whatsoever in and only the foggiest notion of where exactly they lie. Above all I have never heard of Ibn Battutah before. He may have been a famous traveller for all I know, but that was more than 400 years ago - so why should I care?
I have given up on the book after skimming through it and finding not one thing to catch my interest. And rather than holding it up any longer to try again I will send it on today as I already have book-man-8's address. I have just too many other books on my shelves begging to be read.
Thanks for the ring anyway, Daemonwolf. ;o)

I just got it in the mail. Thanks "daemonwolf" for the ring and "samulli" for sending the book. Unfortunately we are just in the process of moving, so I have practically no time to read - and a growing Mount TBR... It might be the end of August until the book can travel on to its next destination. Thanks for your understanding!

Well, I probably was expecting another kind of travel story... It just didn''t hold my attention as I might have liked - therefore no rating from me.

RELEASE NOTES:

This book is off to "eicuthbertson". Enjoy!

Thanks! Just received in the mail today.

Sorry. I, too, have taken 'forever' with this book - I even skipped a bit in the middle - but then went back & read it all.

This is not a book that can be read quickly. Sometimes it seemed too much of the same, but many fascinating images here eof the past surviving in the present, whether in architecture or in culture.

Now, I'd like to read it again -I think I will appreciate it more -but I will look for another copy. Am mailing this one today to mrsjones.

Received in the mail today. As soon as I finish the book I'm currently reading, I'll get started on this.

I started reading this book, and it is well-written, and very unique. But I just couldn't stick with it. Maybe I'm too ADD during the holiday season; I can't read anything that requires much thought or reflection. I don't want to hold on to this any longer. I'll let it move on to the next reader.

It's here and I look forward to reading it

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Sending to Azuki for a bookring

I am glad that the book is here. I do quite a pile to read at this moment but will try my best to move it on before the year's over. Thanks Bartonz!

Wow I have to agree it's not a fast and easy read, but I am glad I did persevere to finish it. My first book to finish in 2009!

At moments the book does feel a bit repetitive, as the author visited one tomb after another, in unfamiliar places, of people I've never heard of (the maps in front were indispensable). He was following the 400-year-old footsteps of Ibn Battutah, the most famous Arabic traveller from Tangier (hence the Tangerine in the title - no other citrus was featured in the book). I am sure if I were more knowledgable about Middle Eastern culture and geography, I may find it more interesting; on the other hand, even were he to travel in search of European castles, Asian temples or Napa vineyards, things could still go stale after a while. What makes the book interesting was the human contact throughout his journey. Most of the people he met were friendly, easy-going, tolerant, cultured and generously hospitable. Incidentally, a few days ago I watched an Anthony Bourdain show, where he travelled to Saudi Arabia. His conclusion of his visit was in a similar tone, that he found the people open, generous and fun-loving, very different from the images we were usually shown or conditioned to conjour up.

The author is a scholarly traveller, and the amount of research he did about IB, his work and his period was evident. He did, however, write with a witty sense of humour. Not the laugh-out-loud type of J. Maarten Troost, but a subtle type that is more likely to joke at himself than his subjects.

Goaliegirl asked to be skipped so once I hear from mlbish I will send this on.

Thank you! I'm looking forward to this book. I am soooo close to starting a maternity leave (the baby is getting her marching orders by March 6, if she doesn't arrive sooner...), so I am hoping to have some reading time.

I'll make my comments and pass it along when I am finished.