The Kingdom by the Sea: A Journey Around the Coast of Great Britain

by Paul Theroux

Release Date: October, 1995

Edition: Paperback

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A Writer's Writer

When the car radio/player went dead on my journey through Britain, Scotland, my companion and I opted to read aloud this brilliant book during fog stops. I purchased it along with a slew of walking tours and B&B guides not knowing what a jewel we had found. We laughed so hard and paused stopped by something profound hitting us right in the gut - This man is so intelligent and observant, most people would likely miss the world for photos, postcards and tshirts. As we'd approach a new town or village, we did with his keen eye ringing in our ears. After Scotland, we flew to Ireland and rented a car and didn't even bother to see if the radio worked. I'd wave the book and shriek, "he's right! he's soooo right!" - especially where he spoke of the punks riding the train to Margate. Jeez...Mr. Theroux picks through the social garbage of a country and finds the key to its heart, even if partially troubled.

This aspects of culture or personality can be "hard to read" or not pleasant or downright insane- he points this out beautifully. There is the great animal sadness to be found in those enigmatic places, especially for the traveler with his bag and notebook - connecting to our times - our own particular darknesses - Mr. Theroux is especially sensitive to this - next to Evelyn Waugh and all those greats, he's one of my favorite writer-writers. He's one of those writers you want to call up and thank.

Mr. Negativity Takes a Hike

Does Paul enjoy ANYTHING? I first read this book in 1993, just before my first trip to England involving areas outside London. My reaction then was that Theroux had captured most of the negative aspects of British society---and very few of the positive ones. I have now read the book for the second time, after several more trips to England and additional contacts with the English people in Surrey, Kent, and East Anglia. I still feel the same way I did in 1993. What does Therous consider "wonderful"? The comment made by a Brit that someone "mispronunciates". So Therous enjoys other people's mistakes. How warped is that? And what does he compliment? The National Health System. Well, it may have been great in the early 80's, the setting for this book, but it is pathetic now, if numerous UK newspapers, and discussions with the English, can be believed. So Therous is tired of London. He even QUOTES Dr. Johnson about someone who is tired of London being tired of life. Well, Theroux seems to be tired of life in this book, for he notices ugly nuclear power stations, tacky vacation camps, loud teenagers, dirty b&b's, lower class people, drowning sheep, and the unemployed. Paul! Every society has these features (except perhaps for the drowning sheep). Where are the delightfully eccentric Brits, the Underground that works better than its much newer counterpart in Washington DC, the wonderful ethnic restaurants, the beer and ale, the overall civilized behavior of drivers, and the thousands of years of culture? Your books need some balance, Mr. Theroux. So, on balance, so to speak, one can use this book as an accurate picture of the negative aspects of the UK in 1982. If one desires a picture of positive things in the UK culture, then or now, go elsewhere.