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Review
‘These diaries get us as close as we can now come to the camp fire around which Thesiger told his best stories’
Anthony Sattin, Sunday Times
Product Description
The earliest and most influential expeditions of the man now considered to be the greatest living explorer.
The Danakil Diary is the account of two journeys Thesiger made into the Danakil country in Abyssinia, now Ethiopia, in 1930-34 at the age of 24 – which, today, he still regards as the most dangerous he undertook.
It was an extraordinary journey and a remarkable achievement. Thesiger succeeded in penetrating country that had wiped out two Italian expeditions and an Egyptian army before him, discovered what happened to the Awash River (one of the area’s last geographical mysteries to be solved) and managed to survive amongst the Danakil tribesmen, to whom a man’s status depended on the number of men he had killed and castrated.
Besides giving early proof of Thesiger’s descriptive genius – with his portrayal of the beautiful, savage landscapes, and their varied wildlife – The Danakil Diary reveals youthful evidence of his fierce motivation and uncompromising will, which are familiar hallmarks of his sixty years of travel among primitive peoples in some of the harshest and remotest areas of the world.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Wilfred Thesiger is the last of the truly intrepid explorers. Born in Abyssinia he was familiar with the people of the region and undertook the first two journeys into completely unmapped areas in the 1930's. The two journeys described in this book shaped Thesiger's whole life. For those who have read other Thesiger books, this provides an intimate glimpse into his childhood and formative years and provides insights into his attitude to his exploring and adventures. The book is written from his diary which could make it boring, but his anecdotes, asides, letters to his mother, and observations of those around him transform it into a wonderful evocation of a time now sadly long past. A fascinating read recommended to all those hooked on travel books.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Thesiger, Britain's greatest modern day explorer, undertook a journey through the Danakil country of Abyssinian at the age of 22. The Danakil had killed and mutilated all members of the previous European expeditions to their tribal lands but this did not deter Thesiger, in fact it probably made him more keen to go. Thesiger completed his route through the Danakil country and this book contains the diary entries made during Thesiger's expedition. Thesiger and his entourage encountered some very hiary moments but these are dealt with in his usual modest way making the reader think that actually it must have been a bit of a breeze. Clearly it couldn't have been but therein lies the measure of the man. Any readers interested in Thesiger and his life should definitely read this book as Thesiger claims that it was this expedition that set him on his life of exploration.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
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1 review
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Wild at Heart
27 Aug 2010
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
An upcoming trip to Ethiopia sparked the recommendation of this book from friends who had read it. It was not easy to find, as it is out of print etc., but I located it through Amazon. It was a fascinating read primarily because, due to a childhood in post-colonial Addis Ababa, he enjoyed access to a culture and area at a time (pre-WW II) when this was virtually unheard of. His writing skills were limited (lots of "lists", but, after all, it IS a diary!), but the narrative voice was strong. Cultural and political situations were very revealing, keeping in mind that the author's upbringing and existence are British Empire personified. The black and white photographs are a documentary unto themselves, a testament to his skill and bravery. Overall, a very interesting glimpse into a part of the world that has remained largely wild and under the radar.
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