Figures in a Landscape: People and Places

By Paul Theroux

Book Overview

A delectable collection of Theroux's recent writing on great places, people, and prose

In the spirit of his much-loved Sunrise with Seamonsters and Fresh Air Fiend, Paul Theroux's latest collection of essays leads the reader through a dazzling array of sights, characters, and experiences, as Theroux applies his signature searching curiosity to a life lived as much in reading as on the road. This writerly tour-de-force features a satisfyingly varied selection of topics that showcase Theroux's sheer versatility as a writer. Travel essays take us to Ecuador, Zimbabwe, and Hawaii, to name a few. Gems of literary criticism reveal fascinating depth in the work of Henry David Thoreau, Graham Greene, Joseph Conrad, and Hunter Thompson. And in a series of breathtakingly personal profiles, we take a helicopter ride with Elizabeth Taylor, go surfing with Oliver Sacks, eavesdrop on the day-to-day life of a Manhattan dominatrix, and explore New York with Robin Williams.

An extended mediation on the craft of writing binds together this wide-ranging collection, along with Theroux's constant quest for the authentic in a person or in a place.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0544870301
• ISBN13: 9780544870307
• Release Date: May 2018
• Publisher: Mariner Books
• Length: 416 Pages
• Weight: 1.42 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.6" x 6.0" x 9.2"