As most of you know by now, every Wednesday we focus on the arts, especially those that not only entertain but adds to our knowledge. I am always thrilled to bring to light not only new finds from the arts but those from the past that should be viewed or read one more time. Of course, at my age, some of you might be hearing of these older books and movies for the first time.

One of my favorite authors is Paul Theroux whose books on his travels are not only delightful reads for a lazy evening but are also very informative. His novel Mosquito Coast was made into a successful movie and his non-fiction travel adventures The Great Railway Bazaar and The Old Patagonian Express transport us to new worlds.

Theroux, through his brilliant story telling, illustrates for us the history, the cultural, the politics and the beauty of people as he travels through different countries. As we follow his amazing adventures, he enlightens us about the complex problems in different regions of the world. There is no better way to learn about our neighbors on this planet than through a good story teller with the intellect to probe deeply into what he sees as he travels.

By reading Dark Star Safari: Overland from Cairo to Cape Town, you will not find a more enjoyable way to learn about the nations along the East Coast of Africa. The book rivets you as he faces danger and the unknown while traveling alone via trains, camels, boats, back of trucks, buses and every other conceivable mode of transportation imaginable. Theroux has the magical ability to take us right along with him as he rides a horse in Cairo to the Pyramids:

“…..the jaunt on horseback that early evening in Giza was gorgeous. Trotting though the back alleys that reeked of rotting food and litter, we passed basins of dirty water and buckets of garbage and chamber pots that were being emptied from the upper balconies, with a squawk that might have meant ‘gardy loo’. The smoke from fires lit in braziers, the stink of pissed-on walls, the graffiti, the dust piles, the brick shards, the dried mud, the neighborhood so decrepit and worn, so pulverized, it looked as though it had been made of whole wheat flour and baked five thousand years ago and was now turning into crumbs. But I loved riding in the crepuscular dusk, parting the air that was penetrated with food smells and smoke and garage, jogging through puddles with the muezzin howling, the dogs barking, the children chasing my sorry pony – the lovely evening sky showing through the dust cloud and striped bright yellow and cobalt blue. And then the pyramids, smaller than I had expected, so brown and corrugated and geometric, it looked like giant origami folded from cardboard.”

The author faces real dangers on his way to Cape Town and we watch in amazement as he navigates his way out of them. As you read, you want to become him and witness and experience what he is seeing. However, as you read on, you begin to question whether you have the courage to face the obstacles that Theroux finds in each new nation. Most importantly he captures the people, their struggles and their laughter. He captures the joy of children and the pride of parents no matter what nationality. His prose is elegant but his story telling is his genius. He is clearly addicted to travel and he writes:

"The traveler’s conceit is that he is heading into the unknown. The best travel is a leap in the dark. If the destination were familiar and friendly, what would be the point of going there?”

Do yourself a favor this summer and pick up this amazing book and go into the unknown with Theroux. You will not be disappointed.