I look for compassion in a writer: compassion towards his characters and towards the peoples he writes of. I find only contempt in The Lower River. Hock is drawn mockingly in the beginning chapters and then dragged through increasing pain as the book proceeds. Hock has no chance in the world Theroux creates. The people around Hock are poor and merciless, destroyed by the freedom Africa has suffered—suffering is the only word to use after reading Theroux’s history of the area. The aid organizations are worse.I love Theroux’s language. I wish his heart were in the same league. Wanna make the world a better place? Wanna revisit your idealized youth? Don't. Just...don't. You'll be lucky if you make it back to your miserable life that took you decades of self-denial and dishonesty to create. If you still feel like jumping off a bridge, read this book.I kept hoping for a bit of humor to relieve the unease of this fish-out-of-water story. Maybe I should have reread Travels with My Aunt or Our Man in Havana instead.
Reminiscent of Conrad's Heart of Darkness, this is a page-turning and excellently written book.
—alice
Was reading in tandem with Zona Verde. The non-fiction is far and way the better experience.
—ihavenolife
A nice change from the 20-something buff hero. Slow paced, full of angst and nuance.
—zainab
One of my favorite writers. I love his travel writing as well as his fiction.
—lesliehaynie
One of the best Theroux books of all time.
—Paula
