Long Journey Home The: The 1932 Motorcycle [Hardcover]

Caitlin Fitzgerald (Editor), Alexandra Rowley (Editor), Robert Fulton Jr. (Author), Fulton Jr. Robert (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2000

Edited by Caitlin Fitzgerald and Alexandra Rowley. Essay by Alexandra Rowley. Introduction by Robert Fulton Jr.

In 1932, Robert Fulton Jr. -- inventor, sculptor, architect, writer, film maker, pilot and explorer -- undertook and filmed an 18 month motorcycle voyage around the world. Descendant of the inventor of the steam ship, Fulton has travel and intrepid adventure in his blood, and has only recently been acknowledged for his many creative endeavors, including his work in photography and film. In 1932, following a year of architectural studies in Vienna, young Fulton set off on a modified Douglas twin-cylander motorcycle to film the architectural wonders of the world, but soon came to realize that he was interested in filming people as well as places. Fulton credits this journey with shaping his life, his attitudes, his curiosity, his respect for other cultures and for nature, his understanding of solitude and interconnectedness. The Long Journey Home chronicles the 18 month voyage from London, through Europe, the Middle East, India and Asia, with stills from the original 35mm nitrate film Fulton shot along the way. His beautifully composed images express the wonder of a young man realizing the world for the first time, and reveal all the attendant felicity and tribulation he experienced.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Robert Fulton Jr., born in New York City in 1909, graduated from Harvard with a degree in architecture. His book, One Man Caravan, which chronicled his around-the-world motorcycle journey, was published in 1937. It was reprinted by Whitehorse Press in 1995. Upon his return to America, Fulton produced films for Pan-American Airways, became a pilot, and embarked on his career as an inventor. Among his inventions are the Airphibian, the only certified flying car, and Skyhook, an air-sea long-range rescue system still used by the military today. He presently works and resides in Connecticut and Massachusetts.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 112 pages
• Publisher: August Press (April 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0967248418
• ISBN-13: 978-0967248417
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 8.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,663,071 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars What a book!, August 31, 2000

By 

Roderick Wagner (San Francisco, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Long Journey Home The: The 1932 Motorcycle (Hardcover)

Very thoughtful and interesting book. Masterfully edited. It's a MUST BUY.

5.0 out of 5 stars a peregrination for the simple wayfarer, June 24, 2000

By 

Mariko A. Ono "M. April" (Bay Area, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Long Journey Home The: The 1932 Motorcycle (Hardcover)

this account of mr. fulton's journey across the world fed me with images of profound beauty, simple and fleeting figures, and visual humility. i really enjoyed the simplicity of the book's layout and architecture -- there was no need for more text; the photographs supplied the reader with its own 'blind' footnotes. i liked the fact that the book captured how travel can be simple, at times clumsy, and incredibly poignant. this is a beautiful book.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Nice, but could have been better, June 16, 2000

By 

Heiko Stribl - See all my reviews

This review is from: Long Journey Home The: The 1932 Motorcycle (Hardcover)

To have a book of "round the world trip 1933" must be great? Well unfortuanetly one gets the feeling this book could have been better. More pictures, as Fulton was a very talented photographer in his days. Some countries are hardly represented: Japan 2 pictures, France 1, Java 1. It wouldn't have hurt to include more photographs, as hardly any text is included. I felt the book is not really giving a deep insight in his travels / experiences he had in the 1930's.