A Time of Gifts: A John Murray Journey by Patrick Leigh Fermor - Non Fiction - Paperback

Details:. Condition: BRAND NEW. Format: Paperback. ISBN: 9781529369526. Publisher: John Murray Press. Overview:. A Time of Gifts is Patrick Leigh Fermor's celebrated travel memoir recounting his 1933 walk from the Hook of Holland toward Constantinople, aged just eighteen. Told decades later with dazzling recall, it captures a Europe on the brink of catastrophe, seen through the eyes of a penniless, curious young wanderer. Rich in landscape, language and encounter, it remains one of the twentieth century's most admired works of travel writing.. About the Book:. Setting out with little more than a rucksack and a few pounds, Fermor traces a route through Holland, up the Rhine, across Germany, down the Danube and on through Austria and Czechoslovakia towards Hungary. Sleeping in barns one night and in the castles of impoverished Central European aristocracy the next, the young traveller records with equal delight the kindness of peasants and the fading grandeur of a vanishing world. His journey becomes a portrait of Europe's deep cultural roots just as they were about to be shattered by war, threaded through with digressions on art, architecture, history and language that reveal an extraordinary breadth of learning. First published in 1977, decades after the walk took place, the book benefits from a lifetime's reflection, giving it a layered, elegiac quality alongside its youthful exuberance. It is widely regarded as the first volume of a trilogy continuing the story of Fermor's great walk, and is frequently cited among the finest travel books ever written.. Key Benefits:. A widely acclaimed classic of travel writing, praised for its lyrical, richly detailed prose.. Vividly evokes pre-war Europe, offering genuine historical and cultural insight alongside adventure.. Perfect for readers who enjoy memoir, history and immersive real-life journeys.. Brand-new paperback edition, ideal for gifting to travel and history enthusiasts.. The first instalment of Fermor's celebrated