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  • The Great Railway Bazaar

  • By: Paul Theroux
  • Narrated by: Frank Muller
  • Length: 10 hrs and 53 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (42 ratings)

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The Great Railway Bazaar

By: Paul Theroux
Narrated by: Frank Muller
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Publisher's Summary

The Great Railway Bazaar is Paul Theroux's account of his epic journey by rail through Asia. Filled with evocative names of legendary train routes - the Direct-Orient Express, the Khyber Pass Local, the Delhi Mail from Jaipur, the Golden Arrow to Kuala Lumpur, the Hikari Super Express to Kyoto, and the Trans-Siberian Express - it describes the many places, cultures, sights, and sounds he experienced and the fascinating people he met.

Here he overhears snippets of chat and occasional monologues, and is drawn into conversation with fellow passengers, from Molesworth, a British theatrical agent, and Sadik, a shabby Turkish tycoon, while avoiding the forceful approaches of pimps and drug dealers. This wonderfully entertaining travelogue pays loving tribute to the romantic joys of railways and train travel.

©1975 Paul Theroux (P)1983 Recorded Books LLC

What listeners say about The Great Railway Bazaar

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Absolutely Engaging

This is an incredible journey. Theroux’s writing is evocative of sights, sounds, smells, savour, this is a standout that is definitely a book written in its time with views of the era. Having read it, I am truly stunned at the trip that Theroux took at a time when the world was, let’s face it 45 years younger. If you’ve never read this brilliant author, do so now. Muller’s narration is excellent; he must have picked up at least 40 voices and accents - not exactly nailing some of them - but he made this book come alive.

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3 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great read

I first read this book 40 years ago and it's still resonates. Great narration by Frank Muller.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Narrator Frank Muller brings it to life.

A meandering journey full of human encounters. Facing cultures head on in a nostalgic feeling time in history.

A book of nothing and everything.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

GREAT LISTEN

one of the best I've listened to so far. Frank Muller is an excellent narator and Paul an excellent writer. Highly recommend for train buffs Nd travellers alike.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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Excellent, but Lugubrious!

Very well written and narrated. It is a time capsule especially of SE Asia that I can compare to when I first began my Asian odyssey in 1994.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
  • MEW
  • 12-11-2019

So unlike Theroux

I have enjoyed all Paul Theroux' other books but this one is all over the place. I will persist for a few more hours only.

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