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Binding: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 914.570484
EAN: 9780810160101
ISBN: 0810160102
Label: Marlboro Press
Manufacturer: Marlboro Press
Number Of Items: 1
Book Pages: 146
Publication Date: 1996-07-24
Publisher: Marlboro Press
Studio: Marlboro Press

When the gentleman traveler George Gissing headed for Calabria in 1897 he wrote, "Every man has his intellectual desire; mine is to escape life as I know it and dream myself into that old world which was the imaginative delight of my boyhood." Gissing, who led a life filled with hardship and bitter disappointment, yearned for the rapture of the river Galaesus and the freedom he associated with the classical vision. Though he encountered rough terrain, poor accommodations, and often bitter disappointment, he learned the truth about himself and emerged triumphant.

Customer Rating:
Review Summary: A Bit Disappointing
Review: George Gissing certainly composes his thoughts in beautiful poetic prose. His style of writing is delightful and descriptive; however, it was difficult for me to get past his obvious prejudice for the Calabrese. He comes across as an arrogant and pampered Englishman with no interest in southern Italy whatsoever except for its ancient Greek ruins. If I had not been in Calabria at the time I was reading this book I would not have finished it. His relentless whining of the people and conditions is tiresome and his description of southern Italian food is questionable considering the delectable ancient recipes of the area. He even comments about his constant complaining at one point, yet makes little effort to be more optimistic. By the Ionian Sea was written over a hundred years ago and is considered a literary piece, but I would not recommend it for anyone interested in learning more about southern Italy or the Calabrian people.

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Customer Rating:
Review Summary: From Heel to Toe Along the Boot of Italy
Review: What possessed George Gissing -- best known for his hardscrabble pictures of poverty in London, such as NEW GRUB STREET -- to travel to Southern Italy and write a classical travel book about his journey? Yet there he is, working his way along the underside of the boot of Italy as a traveller. Even then, the area was known primarily for its rural poverty and has not attracted tourism at any time in its existence since the Greeks settled there over 2,000 years ago.

And yet this is perhaps Gissing's most charming book. He becomes ill, is taken care of by strangers, does his best to escape the clutches of the local bands of outlaws, and succeeds in his quest to see a corner of Europe known to few outside of Italy.

I highly recommend this book as the best introduction to a writer who deserves a revaluation of his literary reputation.

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