Muddling through in Madagascar (Paperback)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Readers who have followed Murphy's adventures ( Full Tilt: Ireland to India with a Bicycle ; In Ethiopia with a Mule ) know she is a dauntless traveler, unfazed by the unexpected and physically able to face rigorous conditions. But the Republic of Malagasy (Madagascar) was a challenge. Murphy and her 14-year-old daughter Rachel made their way across and around the southern two-thirds of this fabled island, finding spectacular scenery and severe erosion; there was no reliable modern communication system or transport network, and sanitary conditions were best left unmentioned. Murphy interweaves the story of their adventures with an account of the island's history and its peoples. Nominally Christian, they retain an unusual form of ancestor worship and some animalism with complex taboos ( fady ). The author found them gentle and courteous, untouched by tourism and without a work ethicnearly everything on the island appeared to be crumbling, from infrastructure to education, under Malagasy management. This is a lively tale of adventure in an exotic environment. Photos.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Review

'A travel writer of rare heart and freshness' Observer 'Dervla Murphy belongs firmly to that fine tradition of eccentric women travellers ... endearingly self-deprecating' Spectator --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 276 pages
• Publisher: Overlook TP (April 27, 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0879513608
• ISBN-13: 978-0879513603
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,521,635 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It is really true!, December 20, 2000

By	Richard R. Roach (Kalamazoo, MI United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I enjoyed this book because after visiting Madagascar and returning 5 times it is the most accurate book about what it is really like to be a guest in this beautiful country. I appreaciated the authors respect for the Malagasy people that I have come to love and admire. This is a great treatise in cross-cultural adaptation, wandering through a culture in which you have no clue what the rules and values are about.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Hilariously troubled journey through Madagascar., September 24, 1999

By A Customer

The author and her 14-year old daughter Rachel travel through Madagascar, (an island off the coast of East Africa), on foot, hitchhiking, by bus and by taxi. The unusual number of misfortunes besetting them had me hold my stomach with laughter, or cover my mouth in fear. -- Dervla Addict.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting and Entertaining, June 25, 1999

By A Customer

This is the second Dervla Murphy book that I've read, and I really enjoyed it. I especially loved the way that she managed to work a great deal of history and basic information in without making it seem that way. For those who haven't read it, this is the story of a trip that the author and her daughter make through Madagascar. It is funny, interesting, and fun to read. I especially appreciated the way that Murphy generally managed to avoid the condescending view of people in Third World countries that becomes so obnoxious after awhile. I also appreciated the way that she was honest about mistakes that she made and seemed quite able to laugh at her own errors. Much of the information seems accurate as well; when I was most of the way through the book I read most of another book giving a basic overview of Madagascar, its history, culture, and etc. and the majority of it fit very well with what Murphy discribes here (the differences could probably all be explained by the fact that this other book is several years newer). While I have never been to Madagascar, this book made me feel like I know it and the world a bit better.