I picked this up a couple of years ago as my parents live in East Anglia. I have read The Emigrants by the author and like his style.

The author spent many years in England, and here he is tramping around Norfolk and Suffolk, with some physical and mental diversions. He comments on nature, small villages, inhabitants and muses on their links to the wider world (and vice versa).

With a very fluid narrative, the descriptions move from what he is seeing to the first person recollections of who he is speaking to or about. This keeps you on your toes, and adds a certain level of authority, true or not, to this reminiscing. The stories are linked with East Anglia, but also show famous connections, such as that of Joseph Conrad's. Sebold doesn't only talk of the connection, but also gives Conrad's life story, including the experiences that led to him writing Heart of Darkness.

As with The Emigrants, there is the theme of exile, enforced or self-imposed. In Sebold's account of staying in Ireland, in the house of an Anglo-Irish family, we see them cut-off from the world outside, their ways and house crumbling around them. There is also an element of the fantastic, of huge shoals of herring or the man making a model of the temple in Jerusalem in his barn, a hobby which has taken over his life.

Sebold has reminded me that there is more to sleepy-seeming Norfolk and Suffolk than meets the eye, while their fishing and naval heyday may be behind them, there is still much to be uncovered. He has also put flesh onto the bones of names that I only knew from hearing over the tannoy on the train to my parents'.

Recommended for keen travellers, whether they be real or armchair, and those who like a long story with lots of asides.

Thanks so much for your donation soffitta1. This book is now part of the 1001-library. If you want to take this book from the library but don't know how to proceed, please refer to the 1001-library bookshelf.

Chosen from the Euro 1001-Library VBB.

Received today, have added it to my tbr pile. A few to read before it but looking forward to this one.

I really tried to get in to this several times without much success I'm afraid. I'm finding that to be the case with lot of the 1001 books - maybe I'm just not clever enough :s

Reserved for the 1001 VBB.

On its way to saskiasosmile as part of the UK 1001 library VBB - hope you like it!

Thanks very much for sending this book!

Chosen from the EU 1001 books VBB and going to Katrinat !
I hope you enjoy this lovely book.

This arrived today, many thanks for sending it. I'm interested in starting this after seeing what Soffitta1 has said about the location, I grew up in Suffolk and went into Norfolk for holidays and days out so I may also be spotting some familiar places.