BOOK REVIEWS
ONE MAN RIDES NORTH-EAST Ketan Joshi 2021 ISBN 979-8-5204156-3-3
Historical facts , geographical observations , political interjections , all offer value to any travel account , something that Ketan Joshi has achieved with One Man Ride North-East , his account of riding to India ’ s north-east , the regions of Assam , Meghalaya , Manipur , and Nagaland .
Joshi has crafted an interesting read of an area often left off the travel itinerary however , something lacks and at times it feels that One Man Rides North-East is a copy and paste from a personal travel blog . The lack of editing , suggestions of ‘ checkout my videos ’, personal interjections that verge on sexism and racism , are at times distracting leading the reader away from the core of the project yet it is worth persisting to discover you know very little of this region , and isn ’ t that the point of travel writing ? To educate and inspire .
One Man Rides North-East is worth that effort , what Joshi has penned is something that both educates and inspires . You will search for more , seeking answers and the desire to ride this part of India . Joshi also generates discussion regarding the local history and colonial politics , an area not often discussed and something that will have you questioning the formal history lessons .
As unpolished as One Man Rides North-East can be , it is a book that has many more highs than lows and something that should be added to your reading list , especially if you ’ re planning on a visit to north-east India .
JOURNEY OF CHARITY : THE PHOTOGRAPHIC ODYSSEY Michael Davey 2016 ISBN 978-0-6469516-4-5
Presenting like a personal photo album , photo essays often lack the inspiration of the written word , too many personal choices of imagery we all see . When a book comes along , compiled by a photographer with an eye for detail it can be a different story .
Michael Davey ’ s Journey of Charity : The Photographic Odyssey is a splendid example of what works . A collection of images that depict the vast and the macro of the Australian landscape , Davey has captured what many hope to achieve .
Journey of Charity : The Photographic Odyssey is the accompaniment book to the biography of the same name , detailing the authors bicycle ride around Australia in 2014 to raise funds and awareness for children with cancer . The result is a stunning collection of images .
Davey has managed to capture the vast variations of Australia , the deep reds of the desert regions , the vivid greens of the tropics , and the inviting blues of the coastal waters . It ’ s a credit to Davey to capture such beauty during his ride , and yet the collection displays the benefit of slow travel … you really do see much more .
If you ’ re planning a ride , powered or not , around Australia , have a look at Journey of Charity : The Photographic Odyssey , if not inspired you ’ ll at least appreciate the beauty of this land .
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