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Between Extremes: A Journey Beyond Imagination
 
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Between Extremes: A Journey Beyond Imagination (Paperback)

by Brian Keenan (Author), John McCarthy (Author)
3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
RRP: £7.99
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Between Extremes: A Journey Beyond Imagination + An Evil Cradling + Some Other Rainbow
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  • This item: Between Extremes: A Journey Beyond Imagination by Brian Keenan

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Product details

  • Paperback: 419 pages
  • Publisher: Black Swan; New edition edition (1 Sep 2000)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0552145955
  • ISBN-13: 978-0552145954
  • Product Dimensions: 19.4 x 12.6 x 2.4 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 100,967 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in these categories:

    #5 in  Books > Travel & Holiday > Countries & Regions > Middle East > Lebanon
    #13 in  Books > Travel & Holiday > Countries & Regions > Central & South America > Chile

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Product Description

Amazon.co.uk Review
Throughout their long captivity in Beirut, John McCarthy and Brian Keenan would often retreat to the lost paradises of their imagination, and particularly to the Chile of Isabel Allende's The House of Spirits, a land of and between extremes. Five years after their return from Beirut, Keenan and McCarthy travelled along South America's backbone, from the parched and scorching Atacama desert in the north to freezing, wind-torn Patagonia 3000 miles south, to realise their dream.

In addition to the two northern voices writing in unison is the continuous presence of Chilean poet Pablo Neruda. The Latin voice provides a delicate counterpoint to the prose, which is both fluid and humorous.

Between Extremes contains excellent descriptions of an awesome landscape and it guides the reader towards a penetrating and often surprising vision of the collective psychology of a society seeking to rediscover itself following the traumatic period of the Pinochet regime. At the same time, the two travellers seek to redefine their own friendship--this time in open spaces. --Philippa West --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Description
This work is a funny testament to a friendship born out of adversity.

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Customer Reviews

12 Reviews
5 star:
 (3)
4 star:
 (6)
3 star:
 (1)
2 star:
 (1)
1 star:
 (1)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
3.8 out of 5 stars (12 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars A good idea, but disappointing in execution, 15 Oct 2001
By A Customer
I had looked forward to this book, but I was regrettably disappointed. It hovered between being a travel book and an autobiography and didn't do either very well. A travel book should be about the country, its people and fellow travellers; the two men's relationship got in the way of this. But equally, the relationship was also inadequately described, and too frequently it descended into no more than amateurish name-calling. They obviously have a close though testy respect for each other, a respect and mutual support that helped them through their difficult captivity, but its description in the book was shallow.

I did however, like the idea that both authors interspersed their input and bounced the narrative between them. I enjoyed John's input more than Brian's, who too often wandered off into abstractions and over-emphasis quotations from Neruda.

To be honest, I was pleased when I had finished it.

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12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars There is more to Chile than Pablo Neruda, 7 Feb 2001
By E. Capurro (England) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
I am a Brit currently living in Chile - and this book was a disappointment to me. Unlike other books I have read on Chile this book did not convey the character of the people or the stunning beauty of the country.

I enjoyed the style of the book - it was a refreshing change to see two different view points set out section by section rather then the thoughts of the two mingled together. But this did not do Mr Keenan any favors - for by the end of the book I was skipping his sections. Pablo Neruda's poety is worth reading - there is no doubt - but there is so much more to Chile than one poet.

This country is stunningly beautiful - it's people so different in each region of this land - the scenery so distinct from north to south - and I was so disappointed that so little of that came across in their writing. In the end I felt that this book was more about their friendship and themselves than about a country which in recent times has had more publicity about some of its citizens than it has about its breathtaking beauty.

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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Far more than a story of a journey, 30 May 2001
By A Customer
Keenan & McCarthy provide plenty of enjoyment in this book. The delight of their plans in incarceration coming true (ok no yaks were farmed) is written individually rather than combined adding to the magic. They are completely different characters yet their history makes them perfect travelling companions - McCarthy's adventurer and Keenan's pessimistic, romantic spirits keep the book flowing. This more far more than a story of a journey it is a tale of 2 remarkable men realising dreams and exercising dark times.

The only failing is the constant reverting to Neruda (Keenan), this often takes away from the adventure and enjoyment of the Chile. Keenan appears transfixed, particularly towards the end of the book (travels) with Neruda. A minor blip on an otherwise good read.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Context is everything
If this was just a travel book, it would be pretty mediocre fare. However, it isn't. The 'extremes' of the title are not merely those of Chile, but the personalities of two very... Read more
Published 21 months ago by D. V. Glasgow

4.0 out of 5 stars Stick with it - its worth it
John MCarthy was captured in Beirut in April 1986 and held hostage for five years. Brian Keenan shared the last four of them. Read more
Published on 2 May 2007 by Four Violets

1.0 out of 5 stars Please, please give us a break
These two guys came to Lebanon and got kidnapped and that was awful (it happened to 30,000 Lebanese as well). Read more
Published on 6 Feb 2004 by Johnny Bliss

4.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating insight
This record of the journey of Keenan and McCarthy to Chile provided great insights into the friendship built up during capitivity. Read more
Published on 16 Oct 2001

5.0 out of 5 stars A super read which entralls one from beginning to end.
Between Extremes is a rattling good read which draws one inexerorably into the minds of two close friends who have endured so much yet have emerged from darkness to realise their... Read more
Published on 3 Jul 2000

4.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful story of friendship, poetry and yaks.
It must be very difficult for two authors to write a book, alternating short paragraphs with each other. Read more
Published on 18 Jan 2000 by simonmcc

5.0 out of 5 stars A remarkable testament of captivity and freedom
As an avid fan of both SOME OTHER RAINBOW and AN EVIL CRADLING I have long wanted to know how these two inspiring men dealt with the journey from captivity to freedom, a journey... Read more
Published on 6 Nov 1999

4.0 out of 5 stars Sit back, read, and enjoy
This is a delightful epilog to the authors' hostage stories. To be sure, a celebrity's book is always about the topic AND the celebrity. Read more
Published on 28 Oct 1999 by csemper@earthlink.net

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book full of travel, adventure and humour.
This is an excellent book that I thoroughly enjoyed reading. It is well-written, very amusing and contains beautiful photographs to compliment the text. Read more
Published on 21 Sep 1999

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