Isabel Allende
Jan Morris
Pico Iyer
Peter Mayle
Amanda Jones
Tim Cahill
Postmark: Paris

               B O O K S  O N   T H E   M E D I T E R R A N E A N

T H E   P I L L A R S   O F   H E R C U L E S

BY PAUL THEROUX | bestselling and critically acclaimed author Paul Theroux sets out to "begin in Gibraltar, and go to Spain, and keep going, hugging the coast, staying on the ground, no planes; to travel by train, bus, ferry, ship; to make a circuit of the sea from the Rock of Gibraltar all the way around to Ceuta, from one Pillar of Hercules to the other." He succeeds, and records his journey magnificently in "The Pillars of Hercules." Readers have come to expect much from Theroux and this book won't disappoint. He weaves history, geography, literary commentary, anecdote and reflection with seamless skill. Theroux's singular humor is present as well -- with unforgettable tales of tacky tourists and cultural clashes that prevent the narrative from bogging down.

S A R A F F Y N ' S   M E D I T E R R A N E A N   A D V E N T U R E

BY LIN AND LARRY PARDEY | lin and Larry Pardey built a 24-foot cutter, Saraffyn, in their back yard and used it to sail the world for 11 straight years. "Saraffyn's Mediterranean Adventure" is the story of three of those years spent cruising throughout the Mediterranean -- through the epic Strait of Gibraltar, into Spanish ports, through the Balearic islands, along the shores of Italy and through the Adriatic Sea. Simple and straightforward writing makes this an easy and enjoyable read. The Pardeys balance anecdotes about the people they meet in various docks and the magnificent food they encounter in each port with insights on drifting, the urge to write and the fascinating intricacies of sailing. Particularly interesting to those infected with wanderlust are their explanations of how they manage to support themselves and their life on the sea by repairing boats and selling antiques as they travel. The Pardeys' account is refreshingly light and breezy, the narrative anchored only to the boat they drift in, much like their lives.
April 8, 1997

S A L O N    A R C H I V E S    N E W S L E T T E R    T A B L E   T A L K    M A R K E T P L A C E