One of a massive haul bought on a wonderful weekend away to Hay on Wye.


From Amazon
The Songlines, Bruce Cahtwin's beautiful, elegiac, comic account of following the invisible pathways traced by the Australian aborigines. Chatwin was nothing if not erudite, and the vast, eclectic body of literature that underlies this tale of trekking across the outback gives it a resonance found in few other recent travel books. A poignancy, as well, since Chatwin's untimely death made The Songlines one of his last books.

An intresting, very well written book about Aboriginal culture and beliefs. I only discovered the writing of Bruce Chatwin recently when I read his novel On the Black Hill - later sent out on a ring because I loved it so much. Although really a travel book it is written more like a novel especially in the early part of the book. Part way through I did get a little bogged down with it, as Chatwin includes some hypothoses on Nomads, and early man, as well as other things, these are however intresting in themselves - I just made the mistake of reading them late at night, when I was already rather tired. I particularly enjoyed how Chatwin brings the people he meets to life for the reader, often with humour. I now want to read more by this author.

RELEASE NOTES:

Taking this to the Dudley meet up.