A hardback with a striking yellow and red cover, The Writer’s Journey is a fascinating collection of famous writers and their various journeys worldwide. There are journeys that influenced their work in some way, from epic road trips and treks to cultural tours and hotel sojourns.
It’s a highly engaging read following in some of these writers’ footsteps. Each chapter is devoted to one author and their trip and the book it influenced, and all chapters have illustrations of each writer, a map of their journey and various photographs that bring the chapter to life.
There are so many favourites in the book. In particular, I loved reading about:
Lewis Carroll finding another wonderland in Russia
Agatha Christie and her travels on the Orient Express.
F. Scott Fitzgerald and his time spent on the French Riviera, although many were unhappy with the publication of Tender is the Night afterwards.
Katherine’s Mansfield’s time at a German spa.
J.K. Rowling’s inspiration after getting a train from Manchester to London.
And the fascinating account of Bram Stoker finding inspiration in Whitby for Dracula.
The Writer’s Journey will be of interest to anyone who has enjoyed books by these greats and anyone interested in travel and history. It’s a captivating snapshot of each writer at a particular time in their lives, and it is interesting to see how these journeys influenced their writing.
Reviewer: Karen McMillan
Allen & Unwin
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