- Paperback: 160 pages
- Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd; New impression edition (25 Jun 1970)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0140031170
- ISBN-13: 978-0140031171
- Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 4,188,078 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
New York Times Book Review
'Sex, drugs, fantasies and the machinery of derangement . . . Bowles' overpowering void descends on the mind and heart like a hypnotic spell.'
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
The Listener
'Very, very good.'
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is not a book about sex and drugs; the so-called product description is wildly inaccurate.
Up Above the World is the story of two Americans, a retired doctor and his young wife, travelling through Central America and of what befalls them when they encounter another couple, one of whom may be intent upon doing the travellers harm.
I suppose it wouldn't be stretching things too much to liken the book to The Comfort of Strangers but written by someone with the eye of an artist, the ear of a musician (naturally--Bowles was in fact a musician), the prose of a poet and the ability to re-create one's worst nightmare. Bowles excels at depicting landscape, from scrubby plain to dry jungle, and its inhabitants, from crickets singing in the sultry nights to unwordly spiders to inscrutable humans. No doubt that's the reason his books are so full of atmosphere. In this one, the atmosphere from the start is one of menace and doom; I can't convey how oppressively ominous it is but shall say I put it aside for a few moments now and again simply for relief.
It's a shame Bowles seems to be something of a cult writer and perhaps as famous for his life as for his books: he's a far better writer than many more well-known ones. If you've not tried him, he's certainly worth a go--and if you've read and liked this, try The Sheltering Sky as well.
Up Above the World is the story of two Americans, a retired doctor and his young wife, travelling through Central America and of what befalls them when they encounter another couple, one of whom may be intent upon doing the travellers harm.
I suppose it wouldn't be stretching things too much to liken the book to The Comfort of Strangers but written by someone with the eye of an artist, the ear of a musician (naturally--Bowles was in fact a musician), the prose of a poet and the ability to re-create one's worst nightmare. Bowles excels at depicting landscape, from scrubby plain to dry jungle, and its inhabitants, from crickets singing in the sultry nights to unwordly spiders to inscrutable humans. No doubt that's the reason his books are so full of atmosphere. In this one, the atmosphere from the start is one of menace and doom; I can't convey how oppressively ominous it is but shall say I put it aside for a few moments now and again simply for relief.
It's a shame Bowles seems to be something of a cult writer and perhaps as famous for his life as for his books: he's a far better writer than many more well-known ones. If you've not tried him, he's certainly worth a go--and if you've read and liked this, try The Sheltering Sky as well.
7 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Bowles is a great writer and he has written better books. If you are new, have heard the murmurings, and are looking to be wowed, go with The Sheltering Sky. This is not his strongest plot or his strongest batch of characters; it is slow to get going and where exactly it gets to is up for debate. But, if you want to see Bowles laying his lifelong thematic obsessions bare, this is the book. The parargaph at the top of page 178 is one of the most shockingly honest things anyone has ever written about their art, other people, the world, period. Volumes could be written eucidating the second sentance of that paragraph (Bowles himself has written a few of them).
7 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This well-plotted novel is so much more than it seems. It doesn't take long to get right into the story with its moody pockets, hallucinatory scenes and beautiful people who are duplicitious at best. Each character is out for more and deserves less in this brilliantly written, Central American caper. To devour Bowles' obsession with landscape as description highlighted with his self-centered characters use of illicit drugs and wild sex is more tantilizing than being an active participant. Although I am a major Bowles groupie, I must say this is my favorite of his novels. I'm just sorry more people have not read it. He is a true genius in the old school of fiction writing where the reader can really think about the peculiar actions of the characters which lead to the next plot twist. If I weren't afraid of airplanes, I would fly to Tangier and serve him some mint tea. I hope he is comfortable during this period of his life in Tangier.I read that he is not feeling well.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Manipulative and Enticing Character draws you into his Spider's Web
Bowles spins a fascinating yarn which starts out a little like a travel book with the stereotypical Fat Lady aboard the cruise liner befriended by Dr Slade's wife. Read more
Published 21 months ago by Kiwifunlad
Does not do what it says on the tin.
Hi folks, im a fan of Paul Bowles by the way.
Here i will list the following praise for 'Up above the world ' written on the back of the copy in my possesion ( you know,... Read more
Here i will list the following praise for 'Up above the world ' written on the back of the copy in my possesion ( you know,... Read more
Published on 12 Aug 2009 by B. J. Crossley
Be patient, be rewarded!
Also try Sheltering Sky by the same author.
Published on 7 May 1998
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