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A Time of Gifts

A John Murray Journey
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( 8,827 ratings, 1,020 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
A Time of Gifts by Patrick Leigh Fermor is a travel narrative that chronicles the author's journey on foot from the Hook of Holland to the Middle Danube in the mid-1930s. Fermor vividly describes the landscapes, cultures, and historical insights encountered along the way, blending adventure with rich personal reflections.
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Format: Paperback / softback

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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you appreciate rich, evocative descriptions and historical insights. It beautifully captures the author's journey on foot across Europe, imbuing the experience with a sense of adventure and discovery.

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A Time of Gifts

The great travel classic, first published in 1977 and recounting an epic journey of nearly 50 years before. A John Murray Journey.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

INTRODUCED BY JAN MORRIS

In 1933, at the tender age of eighteen, Patrick Leigh Fermor embarked on a remarkable year-long journey on foot from the Hook of Holland to Istanbul. Decades later, he penned A Time of Gifts, a dazzlingly original and evocative narrative of the first part of this epic trek through Europe. This literary masterpiece takes readers on a vivid journey that starts from the Low Countries, up the Rhine, through Germany, down the Danube, and across Austria and Czechoslovakia to the edge of Hungary.

Fermor's adventures began with only a rucksack, a sturdy pair of hobnailed boots, and a meager allowance of one pound a week. His initial plan was to live rough, in the manner of a tramp, a pilgrim, or a wandering scholar. However, a fortunate meeting in Bavaria opened doors that led to nights spent in grand castles, indulging in the hospitality of Europe's elite, providing a fascinating glimpse into the old world of princes and peasants.

A Time of Gifts celebrates both the coming-of-age of a young man and the soul of a continent teetering on the brink of imminent upheaval. Through Fermor's eyes, we witness the splendour of Europe's resplendent domes, monasteries, and grand cities, all against the backdrop of a continent soon to be transformed by war, modernisation, and societal change.

Hailed universally as a timeless classic, A Time of Gifts is not merely a travelogue but an enriching exploration and a passionate love letter to the continent's rich cultural heritage. Fermor immerses readers in architecture, art, genealogy, and history with an infectious enthusiasm that portrays his unique cultural awakening.

'[This] gloriously ornate account of that epic journey is a classic' – ROBERT MACFARLANE

'The feeling of being lost in time and geography with months and years hazily sparkling ahead is a prospect of inconjecturable magic.'

'Not only is this journey one of physical adventure but of cultural awakening. Architecture, art, genealogy, quirks of history and language are all devoured -- and here passed on -- with a gusto uniquely his' – COLIN THUBRON, SUNDAY TIMES

'One of the most romantic books of the twentieth century, Patrick Leigh Fermor's account of a long walk across Europe is also a literary treasure, a rich blend of action and observation' – GUARDIAN

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

A Time of Gifts by Patrick Leigh Fermor is highly praised for its rich and detailed narrative of the author's journey across Europe. The book is considered a classic in adventure literature, celebrated for its vivid descriptions and eloquent storytelling.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781529369526

Publisher: John Murray Press

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 08 July 2021

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: John Murray Publishers Ltd

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 30.0mm

Width: 128.0mm

Height: 194.0mm

Weight: 278g

Pages: 384

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About the Author

In December 1933, at the age of eighteen, Patrick Leigh Fermor (1915-2011) walked across Europe, reaching Constantinople in early 1935. He travelled on into Greece, where in Athens he met Balasha Cantacuzene, with whom he lived - mostly in Rumania - until the outbreak of war. Serving in occupied Crete, he led a successful operation to kidnap a German general, for which he won the DSO and was once described by the BBC as 'a cross between Indiana Jones, James Bond and Graham Greene'. After the war he began writing, and travelled extensively round Greece with Joan Eyres Monsell whom he later married. Towards the end of his life he wrote the first two books about his early trans-European odyssey, A Time of Gifts and Between the Woods and the Water. He planned a third, unfinished at the time of his death in 2011, which has since been edited by Colin Thubron and Artemis Cooper and published as The Broken Road.

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