Around the World in 80 Trains

A 45,000-Mile Adventure

By: Monisha Rajesh

Narrated by: Monisha Rajesh

Length: 11 hrs and 4 mins

Publisher's summary

Bloomsbury presents Around the World in 80 Trains written and read by Monisha Rajesh.

WINNER OF THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELLER AWARD FOR BEST TRAVEL BOOK
SHORTLISTED FOR THE STANFORD DOLMAN TRAVEL BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD


'Monisha Rajesh has chosen one of the best ways of seeing the world. Never too fast, never too slow, her journey does what trains do best. Getting to the heart of things. Prepare for a very fine ride' Michael Palin

From the cloud-skimming heights of Tibet’s Qinghai railway to silk-sheeted splendour on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, Around the World in 80 Trains is a celebration of the glory of train travel and a witty and irreverent look at the world.

Packing up her rucksack – and her fiancé, Jem – Monisha Rajesh embarks on an unforgettable adventure that takes her from London’s St Pancras station to the vast expanses of Russia and Mongolia, North Korea, Canada, Kazakhstan, and beyond. The journey is one of constant movement and mayhem, as the pair strike up friendships and swap stories with the hilarious, irksome and ultimately endearing travellers they meet on board, all while taking in some of the earth’s most breathtaking views.

©2019 Monisha Rajesh (P)2020 Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

Good story ruined byruined byA British poshness…

Relatively unique and interesting story, but the authors poshness, and the way she turns her nose up to so many different things was a turn off. She’s definitely a train aficionado which I am not, and the detail and celebration of each train gets lost for me.

Absolute love

I heard the author on a podcast. Her voice was so calming yet intriguing and if it’s a book about global travel, I’m hooked. This book did not disappoint and highly recommend to inspire your next journey!

shallow and breezy

a nice palate cleanser of a book recounts her train journey around the global north.

An enchanting tale

This was an unusual, delightful travel memoir. The aspect of train travel made it so much more unique than typical memoirs. This book was about the journey, not the destination. It made me want to ride the rails and meet the amazing people Monisha and her fiancé met. It was beautifully written, and the author was a fantastic narrator. The love of her adventure came through in her voice. Highly, highly recommend.

light hearted

light hearted easy read, fun to hear about three journeys to less traveled places like Russia and North Korea

a pleasant listen

If you like travel, travelogues and trains, as I do, this can't miss. It didn't disappoint.

Fun for lovers of travel in general

Very fun for lovers of travel in general and of train travel in particular. Some great local color through a series of interesting locations. I am disappointed she didn't do her original route through Uzbekistan and more of Eastern Europe, but happy Kazakhstan made the cut. I'm always suspicious when an author reads their own work as too often it's not a great fit. But she does a good job, even when I suspect she's mocking some American accents. It's ok. We can take it. Small complaint: I know the whole bit complaining about tipping in America was sort of in jest, but given the wages most wait staff make here, please don't begrudge even the surliest of them the tip box.

Well-Meaning but Simplistic

If I had listened to this book without having read any other travel writers’ works, I would have thought this book the musings of the average well-intentioned but ultimately under-informed and naive millennial. However, having read and watched other travel writers such as Paul Theroux and Anthony Bourdain, there is an added layer of banality in the writing style of this particular author. Her humor and narration style, while working well in a few places, fall flat or sound borderline parody in most (think the exaggerated speaking style of actors on SNL), and dialogue goes on for long unbroken stretches that feel awkward and more journalistic than anecdotal. The final nail in the coffin for me was a seeming lack of curiosity on her part that was undiluted by personal opinions and biases; she visits so many cities and encounters so many people from which, most of the time, she takes away pithy, trite commentary and ideas such as “that is wrong” or “that person is good and trustworthy because they were nice to me”. The lack of depth left me wanting to return to more thought-provoking travel writings that share adventures indeed tinted with personal opinions but that also make sure to put out the good, the bad, and the ugly of life and people of the respective countries visited in a matter-of-fact way. I couldn’t wait to finish this uninteresting book and completely delete it from my device.

travel story that

loved this book, i’ve gone back and picked it up again and again. The concept is good, around the world by train, and author offers more than a travel log, it’s insight and original thoughts.

Great escapism for the lockdown

Monisha Rajesh's story of her 7 months of railway journeys in the company of her fiance Jem makes for wonderful escapism in this time of enforced home arrest under the pandemic. Above all gentle in its tone and world view, Rajesh's observations are always humane, open eyed, and open minded. Even in the few moments of apparent peril she maintains an air of calm objectivity rather than indulge in scandalized complaint, preferring to reflect on the humanity she encounters rather than stoke xenophobic fear. While I can't go so far as to describe it as a masterpiece, the writing is occasionally poetic, and once in a while quite moving, and she leaves lasting impressions on the mind's eye. I'd love to hear her narrate her earlier book on her travels in India, perhaps she and Audible have it on their to-do list.