Paul Theroux on the art of listening, and the necessary obstacles of deep travel

“All writing is trying to destroy a stereotype, and the individual that you’re writing about — the figure in the landscape — is actually the ideal.” —Paul Theroux

Paul Theroux‘s highly acclaimed novels include Blinding Light, My Other Life, and The Mosquito Coast. His 1975 book The Great Railway Bazaar is credited with revitalizing the genre of literary travel writing, and his more recent travel books include Ghost Train to the Eastern Star, Dark Star Safari, and The Last Train to Zona Verde.

In this episode of Deviate, Rolf and Paul talk about Theroux’s new book Figures in a Landscape, and strategies for writing about the “human architecture of a place” (4:30); the attitude and time-investment required for meaningful travel reportage (19:30); the qualities that determine successful travel writing (24:50); the essential discomforts and obstacles of travel (31:45); the uses and shortcomings of paper maps in developing countries (39:15); and where Paul is traveling next (45:00).

Books, articles, and films mentioned

• “Paul Theroux on Blogging, Travel Writing, and ‘Three Cups of Tea’” (2011 Atlantic interview)
• The Great Railway Bazaar, by Paul Theroux
• The Mosquito Coast, by Paul Theroux
• The Tao of Travel, by Paul Theroux
• Deep South, by Paul Theroux
• American Notes, by Charles Dickens
• Barbary Shore, by Norman Mailer
• Journey Without Maps, by Graham Greene
• Sea and Sardinia, by D.H. Lawrence
• Travels, by Ibn Battuta
• Travels, by Marco Polo
• Lafcadio Hearn’s Japan: An Anthology
• India: A Million Mutinies Now, by V.S. Naipaul
• “Paul Theroux’s Quest to Define Hawaii” (2012 Smithsonian article)
• “Mandalay,” by Rudyard Kipling (poem)
• Rashomon (1950 Akira Kurosawa film)
• The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (1943 film)

People mentioned

• Doris Lessing (novelist and poet)
• Tom Wolfe (author and journalist)
• Robin Williams (actor and comedian)
• Elizabeth Taylor (actress)
• Michael Jackson (singer-songwriter)
• Rod Steiger (actor)
• Mike Nichols (film director)
• Margaret Mead (anthropologist)
• Colin Turnbull (anthropologist)
• Bronislaw Malinowski (anthropologist)

The Deviate theme music comes from the title track of Cedar Van Tassel’s 2017 album Lumber.

Note: We don’t host a “comments” section, but we’re happy to hear your questions and insights via email, at deviate@rolfpotts.com.