The name of Duncan Minshull will probably be familiar to anyone who’s been hanging around the Ramblings for a while; he’s responsible for compiling two wonderful anthologies from Notting Hill Editions which I’ve covered previously, “Beneath my Feet” and “Sauntering“, as well a fascinating book called “The Burning Leg” which I read pre-blog. It still nestles on my shelves, and I really should give it a revisit…
Anyway, Minshull is something of a celebrated anthologist, and his previous two NHE collections gathered together the thoughts of writers on walking, and reflections of authors sauntering through Europe. I’ve always believed there’s a strong correlation between walking and thinking, and therefore writing, so both of these books spoke to me very strongly. The new collection, “Globetrotting: Writers Walk the World” takes things a step further, featuring as it does extracts from the works of authors who’ve criss-crossed the whole planet – and it really does make for a fascinating read!
“Globetrotting” is split into three sections, titled ‘Setting out on Seven Continents’, ‘En Route’ and ‘Final Steps on Seven Continents’. The mention of the number of land masses involved will give you some idea of the range of this book: from the far north to the deep south, the west to the east, the writers featured on this book have tramped over just about every bit of the planet! Not all are remembered as authors; there are explorers, scientists, missionaries, adventurers and those who are just fascinated by other lands and peoples. However, all have left behind some record of their travels and impressions, whether in a book or reports or diaries or letters home; and Minshull does an impressive job marshalling their tales together into a coherent narrative.
The list of authors included is impressive; there are well-known names like Herman Melville, Edith Wharton, Mark Twain, Anthony Trollope, D.H. Lawrence and Katherine Mansfield, to list just a few. Darwin and Rachel Carson make an appearance; early explorers like Isabella Bird and more modern names such as Colin Thubron; Shackleton and Amundsen also feature. And there are so many names new to me who share their thoughts on the trails they follow through places as far ranging as Rome, Moscow, Japan, Rio de Janeiro, Constantinople, India, Australia, China, North America and South America. That’s just a few locations, so you can see how widely Minshull has thrown his net.
The common thread to all of these varied commentaries is, of course, walking. For much of human history, it’s been shanks’s pony which has moved human beings around the world, and there are very strong arguments that this is still the best way to travel. As well as keeping you fit and active, you can engage with your surroundings on foot in a way that you can’t rushing past in a car, train or plane. Yes, I know we don’t have the time to walk everywhere nowadays, but I believe we should walk as much as we can. I would hate to live in a city which didn’t allow for pedestrians as I know a number of US ones don’t, for example; there’s a lot to be said for small town living!
Did I have favourites? Well, it’s perhaps unfair to pick these out of such a stellar selection; but I particularly enjoyed Isabella Bird’s thoughts on Japan (and am reminded that I have a number of her books unread on the shelves). A section called ‘Forest Walkers in South America’ featured a number of different authors and was fascinating. Colin Thubron’s visit to Lenin’s mausoleum on Red Square was suitably wryly observed. And a particularly poignant piece was the extract from Doris Pilkington Garimara’s “Follow the Rabbit-Proof Fence”, a book I’ve only heard about recently. But really, every entry in this collection is enjoyable, thought-provoking and stimulating; I didn’t want it to end!!
So all in all, “Globetrotting” is another fine anthology from Notting Hill Editions and Duncan Minshull. I love collections like this; as well as being eminently dippable, they also introduce you to such an interesting range of writers, and as with so many books, can have a really bad effect on the TBR. When you take into account the fact that the NHE books are gorgeous little cloth-bound editions, with beautiful quality paper and ribbon bookmarks, they make for a wonderful reading experience both in form and content. I have quite a shelf of them now, and “Globetrotting” is a welcome addition to my collection!
A Life in Books
May 03, 2024 @ 07:59:54
As an enthusiastic reader and walker, I think this sounds perfect to me!
kaggsysbookishramblings
May 03, 2024 @ 10:41:58
Definitely – so many interesting extracts, and a really wide range of authors featured. Perfect for the walker but also for the armchair traveller who isn’t going to get to these places in a hurry!
Margot Kinberg
May 03, 2024 @ 12:06:09
Oh, my goodness, how fascinating! And what a great perspective from which to view the world. I’ll bet each contributor has much to say. That anthropology background must really help give the collection some depth, too.
kaggsysbookishramblings
May 04, 2024 @ 18:46:37
It’s really so varied, Margot, and the extracts range over hundreds of years so as well as differing viewpoints you get the differing countries. So interesting!
madamebibilophile
May 03, 2024 @ 12:59:00
This sounds wonderful! I was thinking earlier in the week that I want to get back to more long walks. This sounds very inspiring, even though my travels will have to be armchair ones for now 🙂
kaggsysbookishramblings
May 04, 2024 @ 18:45:13
It certainly does make you want to get out and about again – I don’t walk as much as I used to before Covid, so I should try to get back to it. Though I won’t be going as far afield as these travellers!
Jane
May 03, 2024 @ 13:40:46
This does sound good, thanks!
kaggsysbookishramblings
May 04, 2024 @ 18:44:09
I thought it was wonderful!
griffandsarahthomas
May 03, 2024 @ 15:22:28
Your inspiring blogs that make me very glad that I abandoned (on about Jan 3rd) my very half-heartened resolution to try to reduce the pile of unread books on my shelf this year just keep on coming! Duncan Minshull is a new name to me and this book sounds absolutely fascinating. I also know it would lead me to make a long list of other titles to investigate!
I’ve just ordered ‘Where my feet fall’ from the library; good job I collected my reservations today!
kaggsysbookishramblings
May 04, 2024 @ 18:43:53
Thank you, that’s so kind. And I’m not managing to stop the incomings either, but I’ll always have plenty of choice. I really like Minshull’s books so was happy to read this one. And I’m glad your library has one of his titles, they do seem to be a particularly well-stocked branch and you’re certainly keeping them busy!!
mallikabooks15
May 03, 2024 @ 16:17:39
That is quite a range both in terms of space and the authors included. One to look up certainly!
kaggsysbookishramblings
May 04, 2024 @ 18:41:54
It is – very wide ranging, which I like and plenty of different viewpoints.
TravellinPenguin
May 04, 2024 @ 08:10:08
I like books about walking. I like walking myself too. 🌻
kaggsysbookishramblings
May 04, 2024 @ 18:41:13
Me too, so I always love to read about it – such a good way to travel!!
heavenali
May 04, 2024 @ 20:27:06
I think you must be right about walking and thinking going together. What a fantastic list of writers. A great little find.
kaggsysbookishramblings
May 05, 2024 @ 20:00:24
They definitely do for me – I often come up with things I want to add to reviews when I’m walking to and from work!!
marietoday
May 05, 2024 @ 14:57:27
Going for walks is one of my most loved things to do early in the morning or after dinner and hiking is my favorite thing to do on vacation… I hope I get to check out this book someday to share that love with other writers!
kaggsysbookishramblings
May 05, 2024 @ 18:52:07
I think you would definitely enjoy it – all of Minshull’s anthologies for NHE have celebrated the love of walking!
Liz Dexter
May 06, 2024 @ 21:43:53
That does sound wonderful. In my opinion, Rabbit-Proof Fence is a must-read in its entirety.
kaggsysbookishramblings
May 07, 2024 @ 11:58:38
So I gather – it sounds very powerful and moving.
MarketGardenReader/IntegratedExpat
May 07, 2024 @ 11:48:40
This sounds delightful, but I find anthologies difficult to read because there’s no continuity. I bought a book by Eric Newby from a book club catalogue, decades ago, as I’d heard his travel writing was superb, but have never read it because it a collection of other people’s writing. I have the same difficulty with short story collections. I’m far too distractible, I’m afraid.
kaggsysbookishramblings
May 07, 2024 @ 11:53:26
It’s lovely, and I don’t mind collections of writings like this as it gives me lots of ideas of other writings to follow up! As for Newby, I’ve read a load of his travel writing and love it – highly recommended!
Marcie McCauley
May 13, 2024 @ 20:56:22
I echo your enthusiasm about anthologies. Over the years, I suspect I’d either had some disappointments or I had pursued reading some of them when I wasn’t in the proper mood to suit them, as I’d come to distrust them a little, but earlier this year I started a mini project with a few of them and I have found them just delightful for that element of surprise and ‘discovery’. The very quality that might have previously annoyed me (unpredictability?) has been such a boon for me this year.
kaggsysbookishramblings
May 15, 2024 @ 15:36:37
I think I do enjoy the constant changes of viewpoint you get from an anthology, and the discovering of different authors. Yes, I need to be in the right mood, but I do find them very rewarding.