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In Xanadu: A Quest (Flamingo) by: William Dalrymple

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Rating: - Great Intelligent Fun

I first discovered William Dalrymple when my aunt gave me a copy of "From The Holy Mountain" when I went to Israel, which I greatly enjoyed. So, when I spotted "In Xanadu" in a bookstore, I decided I had to read it.

In Xanadu is WD's first book, and, I think, also his best. The style is slightly fresher than in his later works. The jokes seem to be more natural, and there are more of them too...a good thing, as Dalrymple has a wonderuful sense of humor, especially in the little ridiculous details of life. The book is also amazingly well researched, and I learnt an enormous amount from it.

Rating: - Anachronistic fun

This is without doubt an enormously enjoyable, witty and informative book. It is also curiously dated - William Dalrymple reads here more like a young Evelyn Waugh, or possibly Graham Greene in Travels With My Aunt, than a 19 year old at the end of the 20th century. However, each to his own: personally I still enjoyed the account, despite occasionally feeling a slight desire to shake some of the pompous Empire-builder out of him (his later books have lost some of this tendency, apart from the 'amusing native' sketches which I found rather overdone in City of Djinns). One of the features of In Xanadu that I found most endearing was the fact that Dalrymple seemed, for much of the trip, to be having a thoroughly nasty time, and wasn't afraid to lose face by telling us so ('Latakia is a hole.') - as my experience is that much travel consists of being smelly, tired and miserable it was reassuring to find that someone else shared this viewpoint too. However, Dalrymple's overwhelming talent is definitely to convey a vivid sense of the places he's been, and In Xanadu displays that in spades. Really astonishly good for a first book.

Rating: - A spanking good read

WD's first travel book is a real triumph. Written with humility and humour as he and one of two female companions trek across asia to the fabled city of Xanadu. It's only the ending that stretches credulity, but read the book for yourself and wrap yourself in the rapture of the orient.

Rating: - A remarkable journey by a gifted writer

'In Xanadu' is both highly entertaining and impeccably researched. The success of a travelogue often hinges on the likeableness of the author, and William Dalrymple is affable, down to earth and funny. The tale of his remarkable journey through Asia is enriched by his ability to bring to life historical accounts and scholarly details. He also makes some fascinating discoveries on route, and the whole book is bursting with enthusiasm. The only thing I feel lets him down is a tendency to resort to racial stereotyping and generalising, which results in some rather dubious comments - otherwise an excellent book.

Rating: - One of the most enjoyable books I've ever read.

I was completely enchanted by this book. William Dalrymple is a wonderful writer, especially when relating everyday incidents and encounters. That is, if you can consider a journey from Jerusalem to Xanadu to be an 'everyday' experience. In my imagination, I travelled every mile with him and found him a delightful travel companion. I'm currently reading my way through all his books and hope that a new one will be published soon. He's addictive!

Review Pages: 1 2 3 Next »