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Between the Woods and the Water
- On Foot to Constantinople from the Hook of Holland: The Middle Danube to the Iron Gates
- Narrated by: Crispin Redman
- Length: 10 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged Audiobook
- Release date: 06-26-14
- Language: English
- Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
Regular price: $26.64
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Publisher's Summary
Winner of the Thomas Cook Travel Book Award, Silver PEN Award, 1987.The acclaimed travel writer's youthful journey - as an 18-year-old - across 1930s Europe by foot began in A Time of Gifts, which covered the author's exacting journey from the Lowlands as far as Hungary.
Picking up from the very spot on a bridge across the Danube where his readers last saw him, we travel on with him across the great Hungarian Plain on horseback, and over the Romanian border to Transylvania.The trip was an exploration of a continent which was already showing signs of the holocaust which was to come. Although frequently praised for his lyrical writing, Fermor's account also provides a coherent understanding of the dramatic events then unfolding in Middle Europe. But the delight remains in travelling with him in his picaresque journey past remote castles, mountain villages, monasteries and towering ranges.
Critic Reviews
"The finest travelling companion we could ever have... His head is stocked with cultural lore and poetic fancy to make every league an adventure." ( Christopher Hudson, Evening Standard)
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Mark Schlegel
- NYC
- 03-18-15
Amazing!
I wish Fermor would walk across every country on earth, and then come to a boozy dinner party and tell me about it for hours. A great story.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Ruxandra Taleanu
- Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- 02-05-15
A beautiful story and painting of Central Europe
Beautifully narrated and marvelously written. Many things are still actual in Romania and Hungary. Loved it
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- John S.
- Seattle, WA United States
- 07-23-15
Maybe it was me, but I wasn't awed by these books
I liked this one a bit better than the first one, as he was more outside his comfort zone in areas where German wasn't as widely spoken. However, a fair amount was less travel narrative than the antics of his noble hosts, or historical digression. I was fully used to the audio narrator, so the plummy tones didn't affect me as much this time. Think I'll try re-reading the print editions sometime in the future to see whether that makes a difference.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Miriam
- Los Angeles, CA, United States
- 09-02-15
I loved this book, this journey, even though it br
I loved this book, this journey, even though it broke my heart. An amazing journey through interwar Europe. Patrick Fermor got to experience so much of what has been lost forever, architecturally, environmentally, socially. I can't thank him enough for putting his experiences down on paper for us all to read. Fermor has such a refreshing, open perspective on everything he comes accross. And the central European history tidbits are wonderful and interesting, too.
The only possible downside I can think of is that Fermor sprinkles a significant amount of terminology and vocabulary throughout his books that was new to me, and since I tend to listen while driving, I was not able to remember some specifics long enough to look any of it up. (Except for the walking stick he bought in Germany, and the landsknechts).
Last but not least, the person reading the book was perfect for the job.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Nike
- 07-29-17
Read mark and learn
Read this after being given its companion book by a friend Dr Patrick Smith who diagnosed my illness and taught me to relax and rest God rest his wonderful soul Thank you Patrick. Thank you for the reading too. Bless you.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Pink Flamingo 64
- 07-27-15
Fantastic!
Compelling listening. Best travel books ever! His description of people and places is truly unique.
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
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Overall1 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Beth
- 05-05-15
So near but so far
Read all three books & was really looking forward to listening to them. Sadly, although Mr Redman has a pleasing voice and style his pronunciation is so consistently erratic as to spoil the whole experience. If only the producers would ensure that their narrators were up to speed with standard pronunciation! A good plan would be for any narrator, especially one dealing with a lot of foreign words or place names, to check with the BBC guide. It really ruined the books for me.
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Roderic
- 09-18-16
Dense with history but still interesting
I stopped listening halfway through this book as I was finding the dense exposition of European history too much to take in. However, when I returned to the book several months later I was enthused and I enjoyed the rest of it, history and all.
One has to accept that this is a book about history rather than a book about walking. Also, it is a book (unapologetically) by a posh Pom with an intense interest in people, language and Europe.
It works... if you let it.