Reviewed by: BigAl
Genre: Travel Narrative
Approximate word count: 95-100,000 words
Availability
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on a YES above to go to appropriate page in Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or
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Author:
Married
with a young daughter, when he’s not attempting wild travel adventures, George
Mahood lives in England and works as a photographer. If you’re in England and
interested in hiring him, visit his website.
Description:
In this
true life adventure, George and his buddy Ben take a trip many have done,
biking “the length of Britain,” from the bottom of England to the top of
Scotland, a trip of about 1,000 miles. But they add their own twist, starting
their adventure with nothing except a pair of Union Jack boxer shorts. No
bikes, no money, almost no clothes — nothing to help them on their way except
their begging skills and faith in the charity of their countrymen and
countrywomen.
Appraisal:
A subset of
travel narratives I especially enjoy are those where the travelers have a
specific goal, often just making it from point A to point B (where that is a
challenge). I’ve read the tales of several hikers who have gone end to end on
the Appalachian or Pacific Coast trails. Tim Cahill’s book, Road Fever, chronicled the ultimate road
trip, from the tip of South America to Prudhoe Bay, Alaska (as far north as any
road goes in North America).
George
Mahood could have conceivably written a worthwhile book if he’d just biked the
length of Britain with his friend Ben. The challenges (and tales of overcoming
them) along with the people they met and places they saw while traveling off the
beaten path might have been enough. That they went further, starting with
virtually nothing, not even bikes or clothes (except two pairs of Union Jack
boxer shorts), upped the stakes and gave a deeper insight into their countrymen
and countrywomen. It’s an adventure worth reading about.
Mahood also
has a great sense of humor in his writing, which allows (almost insists) that
you don’t suffer with Ben and him, but laugh at and with them. Rather than
vicariously experiencing embarrassment and frustration, this lightens the
story, and makes it an even more fun read.
FYI:
Some adult
language. Uses UK spelling conventions and slang.
Format/Typo Issues:
No
significant issues.
Rating: **** Four stars
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