Tag Archives: trains

Jostled By The Motion

Posted on May 18, 2010 by Ryan Murdock

I’m alone in my compartment as the train leaves Slovenia and enters the broad rolling fields of Hungary. The dark blue seat upholstery smells of dust, and the nautical gloss of the walls have faded to matte.

I see “Magyar” go past on a rusted sign, and I’m reminded of a stamp collecting album someone gave me as a child. It was filled with names like “GDR” and “Magyar Republic”, names I couldn’t find on a map. Names that sounded so strange. Now here it is outside my window. Did I ever imagine I would see such places? Or did I ever doubt that I wouldn’t?

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Posted in Europe, Travel stories | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Riding Theroux’s Ghost Train

Posted on April 13, 2009 by Ryan Murdock

If you want to write meaningful travel literature, you’ve got to immerse yourself in everything that’s been published in the genre. In addition to reading broadly, I’ve made it a habit to read deeply of specific writers whose work truly resonates with me. I first read everything they’ve ever published. Next, I read their collected letters and journals. After that comes biographies, and finally, critical writings about the author’s work.

I’ve read everything published by Paul Theroux–not just his brilliant travel books, but also his much larger catalog of fiction. For those who haven’t read him, it gives me great pleasure to introduce you to my favourite travel writer. For those who have, please read on for a review of his most recent book of travel lit.

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Posted in Great travel writers, Reviews | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment