The Fetish Room
The Education of a Naturalist
Profile Books Ltd (Publisher)
Book
Paperback/Softback
224 pages
978-1-84668-415-9 (ISBN)
Description
Redmond O'Hanlon is known as an amiable anti-hero - the debunker of classical exploration literature - and here on this joint road trip with journalist Rudi Rotthier, O'Hanlon visits places from his dark childhood. With a fine sense of the comic and beautifully rendered observations of the people they encounter, Rotthier excels in painting a portrait of this English author as he details the escapades of their journey. O'Hanlon provides a stream of jokey anecdotes which offset the bleakness of almost all his memories as do their conversations on God, Darwin and nature.
Plagued by depression and scarred by his childhood and sadistic teachers, O'Hanlon drinks excessively, pops caffeine and nicotine pills. One of his most important possessions is a jar containing some of the charred remains of a close friend who committed suicide. In his house in Oxfordshire piles of books have spilled over tables and shelves and tottering mounds of dirty crockery obscure the sink. Yet, unlikely as it may seem, this is a remarkably light-hearted, sensitive and funny book.
Plagued by depression and scarred by his childhood and sadistic teachers, O'Hanlon drinks excessively, pops caffeine and nicotine pills. One of his most important possessions is a jar containing some of the charred remains of a close friend who committed suicide. In his house in Oxfordshire piles of books have spilled over tables and shelves and tottering mounds of dirty crockery obscure the sink. Yet, unlikely as it may seem, this is a remarkably light-hearted, sensitive and funny book.
Reviews / Votes
A wonderful and fitting portrait of this complex brilliant writer and the forces that drive him -- Carl Wilkinson * Financial Times *More details
Edition
Main
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Product notice
Paperback (UK-B)
Illustrations
8pp
Dimensions
Height: 198 mm
Width: 129 mm
ISBN-13
978-1-84668-415-9 (9781846684159)
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Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Redmond O'Hanlon is best known for his journeys into some of the most remote jungles of the world. His books include Congo Journey, Into the Heart of Borneo, In Trouble Again, and Trawler.
Rudi Rotthier is a Flemish journalist and author. In 2004 he won the Bob den Uyl book prize for travel writing for The Qur'an Route.
Rudi Rotthier is a Flemish journalist and author. In 2004 he won the Bob den Uyl book prize for travel writing for The Qur'an Route.