Walking the Nile – Levison Wood

(Reviewed by Ishita RC)

“And, as in my expeditions in the past, I wanted to learn more about the people who lived along this mighty river, people whose lives are dictated by its ebb and flow. In a continent in which borders are always in flux, the Nile is a constant. I wanted to see how it shaped lives from the ground, day by day and mile by mile.”

The quote perfectly captures the essence of Walking the Nile and what and why the author set out for such a daring expedition.

The entire journey is spread over a period of nine months, and the book accurately captures the foils, toils and success earned during the 4000 miles of the river spread across six nations – Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, South Sudan, the Republic of Sudan, and Egypt. Each page reflects a detailed account of his experiences, the type of people he encountered and the exact feeling that was felt by him at that point of time.

The chronicle of the journey is so beautifully written with the right usage of words and imagery, that as a reader I was transported to that moment of time, experiencing the same things as the author. And that itself, is the beauty of the book which will endear  one and all. The narrative style in first person, for a change, gives it more impact.

I truly loved every single page of this book. The pictures have been provided in the middle of the book which helps in making the whole journey more real for the readers

This is one of the most intriguing travelogues  that I had the good fortune to read in recent times. Walking the Nile is a detailed and captivating account of one of the most fascinating adventures in the history of travel. This is one of those books that truly epitomizes the saying, “What you see is, what you get.”

I have often been asked: “Why the itchy feet?” “Why do you always want to go somewhere, when you just got back?” There has never been one perfect answer that could explain my feeling and love for seeing something new. Levison Wood is able to explain that same feeling in such a simple way, which can be related by any travel enthusiast.