| Long Way Down |  | Authors: Ewan Mcgregor, Charley Boorman
Publisher: E-book
Category: Book
This item is no longer available
Rating:  8 reviews
Format: Import
Media: Hardcover
Pages: 320
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.7
ISBN: 0748108181
EAN: 9780748108183
ASIN: 0748108181
Publication Date: October 11, 2007
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| Customer Reviews: Read 3 more reviews...
Interesting travel writing with a motorcycle flavor November 24, 2008
Ewan and Charley's adventure from northern Scotland to the southern tip of Africa reads much like two diaries being integrated for the book. Each author has his own voice. These generally are complementary, but they expose their own tensions and those of the trip as well. Their involvement in African charitable organizations and the emotions they invoke raise the book from a fairly straight narrative into bringing greater understanding and sympathy for the situations faced in most African countries.
At one point, Charley takes the bungee jump from the Victoria Falls railway bridge (360 feet vertical drop). Ewan wonders a bit at Charley's bravado. Having been there and done that jump at age 62, I can appreciate both points of view. But if you are there, don't pass it up!
 ZZZZZzzzzx October 28, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
Being an avid motorcyclist, adventurer and non-fiction reader, I was excited to pick this book up when I saw it. Tried to get thru it several times, but it was just uncompelling. Very little about the actual bikes other than that they were BMW's. Having an entourage of trucks and cameras following them... What kind of adventure is that? ANYWAYS I never did get thru it although it was a good aid to falling asleep at night - 5 or 6 pages and I was out like a light.
 So many downs, pretty much no highs... October 2, 2008
0 out of 5 found this review helpful
I bought "Long way Down" ages ago with great expectations but I have to say, having finally found time to read it and having gotten myself half-way through, I feel decidedly underwhelmed. I went out and paid a handsome sum for this publication in hardcover after having my appetite aroused by blurbs which promised a great read, and a little humour, in the vein of classic travel writing. But that is not what I got. "Long Way Down" sallies forth into rich landscapes but gives up only a dull stream of prosaic impressions of the worlds and people which it passes. Its understanding of the nuance, complexity and colour of the locales it encounters is utterly superficial. This, it must be said, would be forgivable if the reward for such nearsightedness was a series of amusing or charming ironies. But charm and irony is a destination the writers of this drivel are unlikely ever to reach. It will remain a lasting shame to this century that Little Brown's Sphere buffoons have attempted to shove this abomination into the same generic space occupied by classics like Eric Newby's "A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush". Like a square peg into a round hole this common little book will not make for such a fit. What was Sphere thinking? Surely there was someone working at LB who had read Waugh, Steinbeck or Sinclair; someone who could have applied the proverbial brakes before Sphere foisted this shameless potboiler on the world with promising blurbs of truly faith destroying proportions. Lies, damned lies, and a couple of fat gits. That's really all this book turned out to be. Thanks for nothing...
A travel story September 7, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
A travel story. Short on drama and suspense but a lot of description of lands and peoples. Little talk about motorcycles even though they had some difficulties that could have added some interest. I enjoyed it for what it is.
Not quite an epic, but still an excellent read. August 23, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
Being someone who loves motorcycles, travel, and thought Long Way Round was awesome, this book was already high on my list. I saw the one time showing of the Long Way Down movie and I am currently watching the full series on the Fox Reality Channel. I love this stuff!
So why didn't the book get five stars? Well, I think it suffered from being the second time around. It never felt quite as much of a seat of your pants adventure as Long Way Round did. I suppose it shouldn't since this is the second major trip and all the crew kind of know what they are doing. I also thought that having Ewan McGregor bring his wife along for part of the trip did change the dynamic of the trip, as you'll hear Charley Boorman say a few times. But it was damn funny to hear about her falling all the time.
I won't say much more so as not to ruin some of the truly entertaining and interesting parts of the book. But if you love motorcycles, travel, or both, this book is for you. Heck, you've probably already read it!
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