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Their involvement in African charitable organizations and the emotions they invoke raise the book from a fairly straight narrative into bringing greater understanding and sympathy for the situations faced in most African countries.At one point, Charley takes the bungee jump from the Victoria Falls railway bridge (360 feet vertical drop). Ewan and Charley's adventure from northern Scotland to the southern tip of Africa reads much like two diaries being integrated for the book. Ewan wonders a bit at Charley's bravado. Each author has his own voice. These generally are complementary, but they expose their own tensions and those of the trip as well. Having been there and done that jump at age 62, I can appreciate both points of view. But if you are there, don't pass it up.
Being an avid motorcyclist, adventurer and non-fiction reader, I was excited to pick this book up when I saw it. Having an entourage of trucks and cameras following them. Tried to get thru it several times, but it was just uncompelling. Very little about the actual bikes other than that they were BMW's. What kind of adventure is that. ANYWAYS I never did get thru it although it was a good aid to falling asleep at night - 5 or 6 pages and I was out like a light.
But that is not what I got. Like a square peg into a round hole this common little book will not make for such a fit. I bought "Long way Down" ages ago with great expectations but I have to say, having finally found time to read it and having gotten myself half-way through, I feel decidedly underwhelmed. This, it must be said, would be forgivable if the reward for such nearsightedness was a series of amusing or charming ironies. That's really all this book turned out to be. "Long Way Down" sallies forth into rich landscapes but gives up only a dull stream of prosaic impressions of the worlds and people which it passes. It will remain a lasting shame to this century that Little Brown's Sphere buffoons have attempted to shove this abomination into the same generic space occupied by classics like Eric Newby's "A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush".
Surely there was someone working at LB who had read Waugh, Steinbeck or Sinclair; someone who could have applied the proverbial brakes before Sphere foisted this shameless potboiler on the world with promising blurbs of truly faith destroying proportions. I went out and paid a handsome sum for this publication in hardcover after having my appetite aroused by blurbs which promised a great read, and a little humour, in the vein of classic travel writing. What was Sphere thinking. Its understanding of the nuance, complexity and colour of the locales it encounters is utterly superficial. But charm and irony is a destination the writers of this drivel are unlikely ever to reach. Lies, damned lies, and a couple of fat gits. Thanks for nothing.
A travel story. Short on drama and suspense but a lot of description of lands and peoples. Little talk about motorcycles even though they had some difficulties that could have added some interest. I enjoyed it for what it is.
Being someone who loves motorcycles, travel, and thought Long Way Round was awesome, this book was already high on my list. But if you love motorcycles, travel, or both, this book is for you. I suppose it shouldn't since this is the second major trip and all the crew kind of know what they are doing.
I love this stuff.So why didn't the book get five stars. But it was damn funny to hear about her falling all the time. I saw the one time showing of the Long Way Down movie and I am currently watching the full series on the Fox Reality Channel.
I also thought that having Ewan McGregor bring his wife along for part of the trip did change the dynamic of the trip, as you'll hear Charley Boorman say a few times. Well, I think it suffered from being the second time around. It never felt quite as much of a seat of your pants adventure as Long Way Round did.
I won't say much more so as not to ruin some of the truly entertaining and interesting parts of the book. Heck, you've probably already read it.
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