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Overview
A delightful and hilarious companion for anyone taking a trip and an indispensable work for any fan of Jan Morris.
With her travel chronicles unparalleled in twentieth-century literature, Jan Morris’s legendary books on Venice, Manhattan, and Trieste have made her one of our most beloved writers. Now reflecting back on over half a century, Morris has decided to write not about the destinations but about the people she has encountered. Whether writing as James or later as Jan, Morris introduces us to a panoply of memorable characters—the Sherpa guide who first scaled Mt. Everest, the lascivious Manhattan cabbie, and the proverbial spy in the raincoat. She provides insightful portraits of the famous, such as Harry Truman and Jordan’s King Hussein, and glimpses of the infamous, including Adolf Eichmann. Recalling human encounters on six continents, she paints a vibrant, funny, and moving picture of humanity. Ultimately, no figure comes into clearer focus than Morris herself, an astonishing chronicler of the human spectacle. Contact! is one book you’ll want to carry with you wherever you go.
Synopsis
A delightful and hilarious companion for anyone taking a trip and an indispensable work for any fan of Jan Morris.
Library Journal
British journalist Morris has traveled for decades, writing her way around the world. Now best known as a travel writer, she here collects vignettes of encounters with and observations of people from her numerous adventures and assignments. Varying from a few sentences to a few paragraphs, each vignette paints a picture or tells a story that brings a personal touch to the narrative of Morris's life and travels. They range from the humorous to the enchanting and tell us as much about Morris as she tells us of people around the world. This is not a typical travelog that one reads essay by essay but something to pick up and put down as time allows. Readers will appreciate the diversity of the people, from the famous to the relatively unremarkable, from six continents. VERDICT Essential for Morris fans, this is also a great travel companion for the road.—Sheila Kasperek, Millersville Univ. Lib., PA