With the quick wit and dry humour of a true Irishman, David “Irish” Anderson documents his epic eighteen-month motorcycle adventure from Ireland to South Africa in this captivating travel memoir.
What begins as a lofty idea in a pub becomes a reality after six years of planning when Irish and his wife purposely set out with their two heavily loaded motorcycles. Somewhere along the way, Irish loses his wife, but amidst the heartbreak, turmoil, and challenges on the long and often bumpy road, he gains a whole new perspective on life.
Follow his exciting journey as he does what you’re absolutely not supposed to do when you see an elephant, involuntarily exfoliates himself during a desert sandstorm, and receives plenty of well-meaning but impractical advice from strange characters.
With a telling eye for detail, Irish artfully captures the characteristics of each country he visits, the encounters with people he meets, the difficulties he faces, and the joy of discovery that comes with travelling to unfamiliar places, providing the reader with a rich tapestry of experience.
Anderson is a gritty yet tender writer who fashions touching moments just as easily as he does the harshest of circumstances, juxtaposing images like the “picturesque tapestry” of England’s verdant farmlands with his despair at discovering Sarah locked in an embrace with the couple’s Israeli friend. His reflections take the form of a diary, visiting the depths of his emotions as he muses on the people they meet along the way, all of which trigger a coming-to-terms awakening with the many wrong turns of both his journey and his life. Ultimately, he decides those risks are worth taking, as he writes, “I think I’m more afraid of not living.”
Anderson’s memoir is in turns amusing and poignant; when delays force him to set up camp in Jungle Junction just outside Nairobi, he muses on the similarities he shares with strangers from myriad backgrounds, while, when driving near the Dead Sea, he works to “escape [his] dark thoughts” after his “decade of devotion” with his wife comes to a screeching halt. Those moments will cause readers to pause and reflect on the twists in their own lives as well, to consider the power of not knowing what lies ahead against the painful awareness of what’s been left behind. This is a journey worth taking.
Takeaway: Epic motorcycle trip upends—and rebuilds—a man’s life.
Comparable Titles: Kathleen Terner’s Living at Full Throttle, Todd Lawson’s Inside the Belly of an Elephant.
Production grades
Cover: B+
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
"A captivating narrative that draws you into an extraordinary voyage. A must-read."
"Anderson's epic adventure, beautifully told, is more than the story of a man and his motorbike. It is about life, love, loss, community, and hope."
“A thrilling adventure tale, honestly told, that transports the reader to the heart of the action and perfectly captures the life-changing power of travel.”
“Irish has skillfully written much more than a travelogue. It is a profoundly searching account of a journey that navigates time, place, and emotional loss to arrive at a destination far more significant than planned. Stunning and relatable, this book is a must-read!”
