The Danube

A Journey Upriver from the Black Sea to the Black Forest

By: Nick Thorpe

Narrated by: Nick Thorpe

The author takes us on an unexpected journey up the Danube, where we encounter a remarkable and unfamiliar world.

The magnificent Danube both cuts across and connects Central Europe, flowing through and alongside 10 countries: Romania, Ukraine, Moldova, Bulgaria, Serbia, Croatia, Hungary, Slovakia, Austria, and Germany. Travelling its full length from east to west, against the river's flow, Nick Thorpe embarks on an inspiring yearlong journey that leads to a new perspective on Europe today. Thorpe's account is personal, conversational, funny, immediate, and uniquely observant - everything one expects in the best travel writing.

Immersing himself in the Danube's waters during daily morning swims, Thorpe likewise becomes immersed in the histories of the lands linked by the river. He observes the river's ecological conditions, some discouraging and others hopeful, and encounters archaeological remains that whisper of human communities sustained by the river over eight millennia. Most fascinating of all are the ordinary and extraordinary people along the way - the ferrymen and fishermen, workers in the fields, shopkeepers, beekeepers, waitresses, smugglers and border policemen, legal and illegal immigrants, and many more.

For listeners who anticipate their own journeys on the Danube, as well as those who only dream of seeing the great river, this audiobook will be a unique and treasured guide.

©2013 Nick Thorpe (P)2019 Nick Thorpe

Good personal adventure

Overall the book was very enlightening.
The flow of the read was uneven . At first there was more history than story and the geographic progress was deliberately slow.
After Budapest it moved quickly and it was at times difficult to follow exactly where the traveler was.
I could not follow on Google maps as easily.
I read the book because I am headed to a Viking river cruise.
I have a much deeper understanding of the culture and history of the Danube.
A must read for Danube cruisers!

Sound affects and languages in local dialect along the river

Enjoyed the insights from historical angles along each country; very interesting and worthwhile re-reading

monotone speaker put me to sleep within 10 minutes

Author should not have been the reader - and did he just drop in stuff he recorded without cleaning it up and making it understandable? I love travel tales but this was disappointing in so many ways.