Any other writers who have the same writing style as Theroux ?

July 12, 2006 2:16 PM

Any other writers write like Paul Theroux ?

Do any of ye guyz know of any other travel writers (or otherwise) who have the same writing style of Paul Theroux ?

posted by jacobean to writing & language (10 comments total)

I would recommend Nick Tosches, Paul Bowles, Alifa Rifaat, Tayeb Salih, Amitav Ghosh, and Brian Kiteley.
posted by mattbucher at 2:46 PM on July 12, 2006

Nobody has the same writing style as Paul Theroux. What aspects of his style appeal to you most?

I wouldn't describe any of these as being like Theroux, exactly, but they sit on my shelf next to his books:

Fitzroy Maclean - "Eastern Approaches"
Eric Newby - "On the Shores of the Mediterranean"
Jonathan Raban - "Coasting"
Bruce Chatwin - "In Patagonia"
William Least Heat-Moon - "Blue Highways"
posted by Mars Saxman at 2:46 PM on July 12, 2006

I found Fiskadoro by Denis Johnson to be very similar to The Mosquito Coast, in both style and tone. But I tend to see books as being similar by their "feel" rather than their subject matter, so YMMV.
posted by SassHat at 3:05 PM on July 12, 2006

what appeals to me about his writing is his brevity, his detail
and that really sublte sense of humour. He is a bit of a sardonic git which I find funny.

Also, he goes beyond making cliches about his surroundings and will go make some obtuse observations that other writers would seem to miss.
posted by jacobean at 3:10 PM on July 12, 2006

Oops, hit the "post" too quickly there, too. I also thought that Robert McCammon's "A Boy's Life" reminded me of "Millroy the Magician."
posted by SassHat at 3:11 PM on July 12, 2006

some obtuse observations

astute?
posted by staggernation at 3:43 PM on July 12, 2006

yes I meant astute - thanks staggernation!
posted by jacobean at 3:49 PM on July 12, 2006

Ian Frazier skews more toward the humorous, but "Great Plains" and some of his non-fiction reminds me a little of Theroux.
posted by Frank Grimes at 4:52 PM on July 12, 2006

Are you looking for travel writing that's quirky, intelligent, observant and often very funny? Try Bill Bryson, Tim Cahill and Pico Iyer.
posted by barjo at 5:32 PM on July 12, 2006

thanks guyz - those suggestions are great - if anyone else has anymore - feel free...
posted by jacobean at 11:25 AM on July 14, 2006