|
I loved this book so much, and though I really want to go on with the next part of the trilogy, I'm going to space them out rather than gobble them up all at once!
The language above all is so beautiful, and his descriptions of people, places, art, architecture and the countryside are wonderful.
Then there is his youthful enthusiasm and openness to everything he experiences. He was clearly a charming young man, by the way so many people took him in, helped him when he was in trouble (after all his possessions including his passport were stolen, for example), and generally helped him on his way.
Finally of course there are his observations of ways of life which probably no longer exist, and of the looming presence of Nazism in Germany and also in Austria to a lesser extent. With the benefit of hindsight, I was fearful about the future of so many of the people he met, such as the red-headed Jewish baker, the gypsies he saw on the way, and many others.
So a big thank-you to issybird for introducing me to Patrick Leigh Fermor! I'm looking forward to hearing what others thought about the experience of reading his book.
|