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music_teacher's review
informative
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
3.75
The information was interesting, but very scattered, and interspersed with anecdotes of dubious entertainment value. The best aspect of the book was its collection of other quotes, resources, and descriptions.
ruth_walkingaway's review
5.0
I’ve travelled on both British night trains, the Caledonian Sleeper and the Night Riviera because why would you not, so I imagined at the very least I would be able to read-create these journeys, but in fact neither of these feature in this book of European sleepers. I am very, very far from a train fanatic but there is something exciting and captivating about having a bed with crisp linen sheets on a train; the disappearance of these grand wagon-lits is a huge loss to anyone for whom the journey is part of the adventure. Even though this was written just a few years ago, I am quite sure most of these journeys no longer exist and European travel is the worse for it.
This is a thoroughly entertaining read, as the author makes several journeys we get to share a compartment with him and the people he meets. I laughed out loud several times, clearly we share a similar sense of humour. When I read bits aloud no one else seemed to find them quite as entertaining so perhaps there’s just a handful of us. I was also happy to see Ian Nairn quoted on several occasions, another outspoken and astutely funny man, and I can’t help thinking what an excellent journey it would be for the three of us to have dinner in a restaurant car and I could watch them drink far too much while we dine on oysters and game, before retiring to our seperate berths to wake up in Istanbul.
This is a thoroughly entertaining read, as the author makes several journeys we get to share a compartment with him and the people he meets. I laughed out loud several times, clearly we share a similar sense of humour. When I read bits aloud no one else seemed to find them quite as entertaining so perhaps there’s just a handful of us. I was also happy to see Ian Nairn quoted on several occasions, another outspoken and astutely funny man, and I can’t help thinking what an excellent journey it would be for the three of us to have dinner in a restaurant car and I could watch them drink far too much while we dine on oysters and game, before retiring to our seperate berths to wake up in Istanbul.
thewonderingfool's review against another edition
3.0
Useful information, but there didn’t seem to be a love of trains by the author. It felt like a tickbox exercise, emphasised by the return journey of each leg being by cheap plane.
tasha_206's review
adventurous
hopeful
informative
mysterious
reflective
4.75
Sleeper trains and distant railway travel arts you will never be forgotten!!
matthewjackson's review
3.0
I did enjoy this book, especially the awesome cover. That said, it’s made me realise that I am nowhere near as much of a train geek as I thought I was… It was a little tricky to keep up with all of the historical references.
Best part is Andrew’s travelogue from the few remaining European sleepers. I would have loved to have been around during the heyday of sleepers, but the impression I got from this book was that this mode of travel is largely extinct now.
All in all, a decent read!
Best part is Andrew’s travelogue from the few remaining European sleepers. I would have loved to have been around during the heyday of sleepers, but the impression I got from this book was that this mode of travel is largely extinct now.
All in all, a decent read!
nocto's review
4.0
I've only ever taken a proper sleeper train once - from Cologne to Copenhagen and back, though I've travelled overnight on numerous Amtrak services. Actually they were all proper sleepers I think I just couldn't afford a bunk on the Amtrak ones at the time. Our trip on that European CityNightLine train wasn't great and my family didn't want to repeat it but I have good memories of the experience all the same. (Besides if you ask my daughter for a memorable holiday moment from her childhood there's a good chance she'll tell you about the bit where Daddy threw his sock in the toilet on the train. It isn't always the parts where everything goes to plan that we hold most dear.)
Martin writes this as a lament (perhaps) to European sleeper services which are fast disappearing. It's part travelogue, part history book, part literature review and I really enjoyed all the undisguised nerdery and insight as well as finding out that our sub par experience with the night train was actually about par for the course.
Martin writes this as a lament (perhaps) to European sleeper services which are fast disappearing. It's part travelogue, part history book, part literature review and I really enjoyed all the undisguised nerdery and insight as well as finding out that our sub par experience with the night train was actually about par for the course.
schopflin's review
5.0
This didn't cast its spell on me quite as much as Belles and Whistles but the topic is one very close to my heart. Martin tells the tale of Wagon Lits and other night train services very well. I also learn how lucky I was to be able to travel from Budapest to Istanbul all the way by train back in 2011.