This is another of those books that I'd seen referred to, referenced and quoted over the last decade or so..so I finally bought a copy.
Originally written in German, it ostensibly is an account of the author's walking tour of south-eastern England. But in reality its an almost surreal mix of digressions and diversions as we delve into all sorts of semi-related topics. From a 17th century doctor to Herring fisheries, 19th century China, Joseph Conrad's adventures in Africa and the silk trade..including all sorts of things inbetween. Its all fascinating material and I enjoyed it immensely. There's a certain theme of lost glories and the eventual end that comes to all things. My only problem was that when discussing another individual the author sometimes flipped into their first person perspective without warning - I'm not sure if that was a result of the translation or just a style thing. Definitely worth seeking out a copy.
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