Quondam

Travels in a Once World

By: John Devoy

Narrated by: John Devoy

Length: 15 hrs and 23 mins

Publisher's summary

Once in a while, a travel book comes along that pushes at the boundaries of the genre. Quondam: Travels in a Once World does exactly that, asking us to reimagine the relevance and potential of travel. In this case, an epic, true-grit expedition by bike through the heart of Africa without the umbilical cord of technology, when being on your own meant exactly that.

A superb observer and storyteller, John Devoy recounts his adventure in an imaginative and captivating style that has won the admiration of Dervla Murphy and Ted Simon, two writers who have left their own indelible marks on the literature of travel.

©2018 John Devoy (P)2019 John Devoy

Wow!

I can’t believe I am the first to review this amazing book. What an incredible journey this was across Africa. It is a piece of work more about intimate human connection than anything else when human connection was necessary for a journey such as this. In the 80s when this took place, cell phones and gps were t available. An intimate connection to the land and people was necessary.
The narration is spot on, an excellent reading by the man who lived it, interspersed with Irish folk songs and his glorious Irish accent.
Overall this is a very calming book that I think could be enjoyed by anyone looking to travel through a once world. There are many highs in this book as well as sadness, sickness, and perseverance in the face of personal calamity. If there was any one book I would recommend to a friend or a stranger this year it would and will be this one. Thank you for writing this memoir John.

It's about so much more than travel

First, this man has the most relaxing voice on the planet. Second, this is not just a story about travel. It's about people. It's about navigating the world before the age of the internet and easy connection. Third, it is about a biking adventure through Africa.

I love travel memoirs voiced by the authors. I think it lends an authenticity to the story that you just cannot get with another narrator. John Devoy voicing his own book is magic. The cadence of the story is perfect. Like many places, the African continent has changed a lot in the last 30 years. You feel like you are right there on the bicycle with John as he navigates the landscape and people he meets along the way. It is wildly refreshing.

I received this book in return for my honest review.

Honest, Entertaining, and Informative

John shares an inspirational account of his travels, predominantly the segment through Africa. Naturally, John shares the things that went well and were beautiful, presents great insights into the cultures, countries, people and places, but he is also honest, sharing his vulnerabilities and challenges. It makes the account sincere, compelling, and inspiring. Thanks for a wonderful share, looking forward to the next book in the trilogy!

Awesome travel tale!

This was such a raw and descriptive story of travel, I felt as if I was right there with the author at times. He definitely did some roughing it on his journey, it was a good thing he had a great sense of humor & love of other cultures, he needed this to get through the rough spots & physical illnesses.
This book deserves 5 stars & the narrator (also the author) had a hard job tackling the different languages & dialects & handled it like a champ! I would recommend this book for anyone who loves to travel!
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.