Eric Newby dies
This is sad news. Eric Newby was a fantastically witty and informative writer and I would recommend his books very highly. From BBC Online:
Travel writer Newby dies aged 86
Travel writer Eric Newby, whose works included A Short Walk In The Hindu Kush, has died at the age of 86.
Newby began travelling after World War II with a climbing expedition in Afghanistan, which formed the basis of his best-known book.
He was awarded a CBE in 1994 and was given a lifetime achievement award by the British Guild of Writers in 2001.
[snip]
He was frequently accompanied on trips by his wife Wanda, who he met in Italy during World War II following his escape from a prisoner of war camp.
[snip]
He was hailed as a “marvellous storyteller” by Washington Post book critic Noel Perrin.
The Times’ Geoffrey Moorhouse said: “The thing that sets Eric Newby apart from other literate travellers is gusto. Where others flutter on impressionistic wings… he barges into everything with relish and mockery in the opposite of the grand manner”. Read full article here…
- Eric Newby on Wikipedia (includes selected bibliography)
- The Telegraph obit