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Miles Kington, INDEPENDENT
DAILY MAIL
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
36 of 38 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Good vintage - light on the palate with a lingering and very pleasing aftertaste,
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This review is from: A Land of Two Halves: An Accidental Tour of New Zealand (Paperback)
I first read this book a year ago, almost by chance; we were planning a 6-month stay in New Zealand, and the community library didn't have much else. Remember being amused by it, enjoying it a lot. Yes it is patchy and inconsistent, as another reviewer comments; what that reviewer fails to mention is that the book was written as a series of newspaper columns. It wasn't intended to be coherent; it didn't annoy me.
This is one of those books that make a bigger impact after reading than during. Whilst in New Zealand, it lingered in my memory. I felt I had a greater affinity with the place because of it. I've now bought it and am rereading it, with more pleasure than the first time. Because of the recognition. I suppose Bennett is a cynic; he is also perceptive, and funny. To me, this is the best kind of travel writing: he's got an unerring eye for the countryside, puts real characters on the page, and enlivens it with interesting trivia and anecdotes. One other thing: the first time I read the book, I didn't really appreciate what a fine writer he is, too. The prose is consistenly a pleasure to read. Which compares most favourably with the substandard dross that goes into 80% of travel writing!
31 of 33 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An enjoyable way to find infomation on New Zealand,
This review is from: A Land of Two Halves: Looking for a Lift in Both New Zealands (Hardcover)
Having chosen to try and emigrate to New Zealand I bought several 'guide-to-New Zealand' type books. All we're useful, pretty well written and as dry as desert that has just spent two hours in a sauna. This book is different, it doesn't advertise itself as a guide book and it doesn't read like a guide book, it is an excellent and funny account of a hitch-hike around New Zealand. However as you read Joe Bennett's account of his trip you learn a lot about the country and it's people,albeit from one ex-Brit's perspective, and have a laugh on the way. Some guide books have brought a wry smile but none have had me laughing out loud like this book has! If you're considering traveling to New Zealand or migrating there then I recommend this book to you, it's an interesting way of finding out about the country. Buy it with a 'proper' guide book and you'll be doing well in your pre-travel research.
21 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
New Zealand - A "must buy" book for visitors,
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This review is from: A Land of Two Halves: Looking for a Lift in Both New Zealands (Hardcover)
If you are to holiday in New Zealand or, like me, are thinking of a more permanent visit, this is a book that reveals so much more than the usual guide because it has been written by an "insider".The author arrived in New Zealand with a view to staying for a couple of years at the most and has now been there for over ten. In this book, he sets out to discover what it is that has kept him there. I particularly liked the humour which the author has brought to the subject but the reader also gets a feel for some of the politics and history of this fascinating Country. The previous reviewer makes a great mistake when he suggests that this "sideways look" denegrates the people he meets on his travels. Far from it, his observations tell you a great deal about the outlook and attitude of those he travels with ( he hitch-hikes around the Islands). Indeed, this book was recommended to me by a native New Zealander who felt that it provided so much more information than the "normal" guide. This is a real travelogue. You couldn't make up many of the people he meets and each provider of lifts has their own tale to tell. By the end of the book, I felt that I knew a lot more about N.Z. and had shared his adventure. I have recommended it to friends who have no intention of travelling but have thoroughly enjoyed the read for it's humour alone.
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