A Time of Gifts by Patrick Leigh Fermor

I've never come across a travel narrative quite like Patrick Leigh Fermor's A Time of Gifts.  It's an amazing book and an amazing reading experience and one that is hard to describe.  I love nonfiction but I can only read it slowly, and this is a book you will want to read slowly in order to savor it, so packed is it of all sorts of knowledge and wonder.  In 1933, when he was only eighteen, Patrick Leigh Fermor set off from his home in England after being expelled for a flirtation with a local girl to travel on foot from the hook of Holland to Constantinople.  

Now I know people have done all sorts of adventurous things, and in all sorts of conditions, but there was something especially magical and romantic about Leigh Fermor's adventures, which are not completed in this volume by the way.  He begins in Holland, moves through Germany and down (or is it up?) the Rhine, to Austria, a short foray into Slovakia and then on to Hungary, and there we leave him, eager to hear more of his adventures.  They will continue in Between the Woods and Water (which I greatly look forward to reading), though they don't quite end there.  I've heard the final volume, which completes his journey is still to come and I wonder if it will actually ever arrive as Leigh Fermor is now 95. 

During his travels Leigh Fermor kept journals, one of which was stolen, though A Time of Gifts wasn't actually written until he was in his 60s, so the narrative was based on his writings and memories and later life experiences.  Perhaps what gives the book such a unique flavor is the sense of immediacy with which Leigh Fermor writes, yet it is also influenced by historical events he lived through.  At the beginning of WWII he joined the Irish Guards, but his skills with language meant his wartime work and adventures would take him to Albania and Greece.  His anecdotes may be firmly set in the Old World of Europe filled with "princes and peasants", but his experiences and knowledge are informed by a life very fully lived--four decades worth.  In her introduction Jan Morris writes "Leigh Fermor is not only remembering himself, he is looking at himself, too, as in one of those Cubist paintings in which we see profile and front face at the same time."

When he set off Leigh Fermor had planned on roughing it and he literally did live hand to mouth at times.  Eventually his meagre funds were supplemented by occasional checks from home.  Mostly, though he got by thanks to the kindness of strangers who would happily take him into their home for a night or let him bed down in their barn.  Somehow being a student, as noted on his passport, meant an easy entrée into various places and meant not only a free bed for the night but also dinner--one time he even slept in a small town prison cell.  Often one letter of introduction would lead to another friend and place to stay--as humble as a sofa or as grand as a schloss.  He was a happy-go-lucky sort of traveler, quite content with whoever he might meet--blue blooded aristocracy or someone barely getting by.  

Leigh Fermor was not only a scholar but an artist, too, in terms of his prose style and craftsmanship.  The book has a bit of everything--travel narrative, history, art, literature, religion, politics and philosophical meditation.  To be honest there were times his references flew above my head, and I could only enjoy the way he tells his story but it never lessened the pleasure I had in reading this book.  What is so amazing is that his formal education ended early, before he set off on his adventures, yet he writes in such a sophisticated and erudite manner.  This is someone who has lived and experienced life to the very fullest taking every opportunity to take whatever knowledge is on offer.

I've been slowly trying to collect his other books and look forward to reading not only his other travel narratives but his fiction as well, which I am very curious about.  A Time of Gifts is highly recommended.

Comments

[Ana]

I've been curious about this book for some time, but I've been having such uneven experiences with travel memoirs lately that I was a little hesitant. This sounds wonderful. I'm definitely moving it up on my list.

[Danielle]

Ana--This is definitely not a traditional travel memoir--it encompasses so much more and was written retrospectively. In her intro to the book Jan Morris said his publisher called it a work of genius--and Morris agreed. I'm looking forward to starting the next book where he continues on his journey.

[Claire (The Captive Reader)]

This has been on my TBR list for ages and this makes me even more eager to read it! Everything I've read by Leigh Fermor so far has been wonderful. And I'm always a sucker for Old World tales of "princes and peasants"!

[EB]

What a coincidence. These two books are to my immediate right at the very top of my TBR pile. I just finished A Time to Keep Silence and am very impressed with Fermor's writing and his life. I encourage all your readers to jump right into a Fermor book ASAP.

[Caroline]

So much praise from everybody. It sure does sound like something I have to explore. I am not much into travel writing but you did a great job reviewing it and making it obvious that it is so much more.

[Caroline]

I just saw A Time to Keep Silence on amazon. Sounds like something I would enjoy. His exploring of monasteries.
But the one you reviewed is a must too. The end of the old Europe. A bit like Stefan Zweig's The World of Yesterday (an earlier period but the same feel).

[litlove]

You have done better than me - I'm still stuck in the middle of Germany! It's not that I don't love the book - I do. But I haven't picked it up in a while (you know how that happens...). But I do think he is an amazing writer and he's recording a world of inter-national ease and trust, where strangers are welcomed and cared for without a worry, that could never exist again.

[catharina]

I have postponed starting A Time of Gifts to next month as the other diary I am reading takes more time to finish. Really looking forward to it, more so after this review.

[Liz F]

Thank you, Danielle, your review makes me want to find my copy of A Time of Gifts, which I originally read a long time ago, and re-read it very soon!
Must get hold of Between the Woods and Water too, so I can continue straight on if the mood takes me!

[Iris]

I seem to be the only one of the commenters that had never heard of this book before! It is now definitely added to my wishlist..

[Trish]

I love travel narratives and this one, with all its history, sounds like a lovely addition to my TBR pile.

[Stefanie]

I put this book on my TBR list after the first couple times you mentioned how much you were enjoying it. It sounds so good! Perhaps this winter when I'd like to escape I'll find the time to pick it up.

[LindaY]

This book does sound wonderful. Speaking of books that are wonderfully written, have you read Laurie Lee?

[Mystica]

You have really hooked me on this book. It is going to be very difficult to track down but I will find it eventually. Thanks for this post.

[Doulton]

Thank you for another great review. I'll have to add this to my long list---a list that will last until I get to be about 379 years old--of books to buy.

[Katrina]

'Paddy' seems to be mentioned everywhere at the moment so I think it's about time I got down to reading him.
Deborah Mitford(dowager Duchess of Devonshire) even mentions him in a recent interview in The Guardian. He is her greatest friend.

[Cath]

I loved this book and you've more than done it justice in your review. I have the second book on my tbr mountain and must get to it sometime.

[Dorothy W.]

Wow, this sounds really great! I love books about walking and walking adventures, so it's my kind of thing, definitely. It's going on the TBR list!

[Danielle]

Claire--This is the first book I've read by him, but it certainly won't be the last. And I love the period he wrote about, so it was especially interesting to me.
EB--So glad to hear that. I actually have A Time to Keep Silence on top of *my* TBR pile, though I will probably read the second travel book before picking up the book on monasteries. His work definitely deserves to be widely read.
Caroline--I do enjoy travel books, though I haven't read much of it lately. This is definitely very unique. I also have that book on monasteries and am really looking forward to it! I have read a couple of Stefan Zweig books--loved them both, and now will be on the look out for this title as well.
Litlove--I think I also stalled on the Germany part--it is a book that I could only read in certain moods and under certain conditions (definitely not a treadmill book!), but when I had a long weekend a while back I read the last third or so straight through. I think the timing was just right. His prose is gorgeous but so rich, too, you can only read a bit at a time. I don't think what he did could be done ever again either--at least not in the same way. I think that was part of my fascination with it.
Catharina--Actually it seems like a perfect fall book as he starts his journey in December. I think your timing will be just right.
Liz--If I didn't already have two other nonfiction books on my pile I would pick up the other travel book now. And this is one I could easily reread and no doubt get more out of it a second time.
Iris--I had heard of him, but I'm not sure I would have picked up any of his books had I not got a copy through my postal reading group. I do hope I introduce him to a few more readers, though, as he certainly deserves to be read.
Trish--This is a very rich read--has a little bit of everything. I think he has been called Britain's greatest living travel writer!
Stefanie--I think you might like this--it's very literary and it would be great to read it during winter as his journey begins right before Christmas! I love the cover of the book--it's so very fitting with what he writes about.
Linda--I think this is easy one of my favorite books this year. I have heard of Laurie Lee--I think he was friends with Elizabeth Jane Howard (whose Cazalet Chronicles I loved). I will have to check him out--I bet my library would have something by him.
Mystica--This is one that is worth searching out. It was first published in the 70s, so I bet there are lots of used copies floating about.
Doulton--I'll have to live that long to read all the books I own and want to own as well! I try not to think about it, but that is why I always have too many books started at once!
Katrina--Jan Morris calls him Paddy in her introduction! It's weird to think of him like that, but that must be what he goes by? Did you see that a book of letters between Leigh Fermor and the Duchess of Devonshire is going to be published (at least here in the US) this fall? I've asked my library to order it as I want to read more (and am also curious about Debo, too!). I will have to go in search of that Guardian article.
Cath--It's so hard to write about NF books, so I only glossed over things, but it's a great book to just discover on your own. I want to read the second book, too, though am not quite sure when I will get to it either...
Dorothy--I love that he walked--it is very appealing for that alone. Actually he cheated a couple of times, but still it's pretty amazing how far he got under his own steam. It's really a wonderful book--I hope you do get a copy eventually.

[Kathy]

This book sounds like a wonderful read. I'm going to add it to my list.

[Danielle]

Kathy--It really is a wonderful book! I can't wait to read more of his work--particularly the second book of his travels. I've also requested a book of letters between him and Deborah, the Duchess of Devonshire that is due to be published soon!