Old Men Can't Wait

Description

This epic exploration of thirteen countries takes Gandolfi across desert and over mountains, through the Amazon forest and the length of the Appalachians. Guide books may warn of thieves, bandits, corrupt police and border officials; Gandolfi writes of the remarkable kindness and generosity he encounters. Courtesy, patience and good humour are his passports while hurry is his anathema. Whether in village or city, his joy is in leisurely conversation. Gauchos, oil workers, peasant farmers, officials, owners of vast haciendas, Venezuelan revolutionaries, students at Texas A&M - all excite his curiosity and he faithfully records their opinions while submitting his own thoughts, beliefs and fears to an often merciless inspection. Above all this is a jubilant chronicle of hope and understanding, of new friendships, glorious country, sublime architecture, good food, and ultimately, an old man's determination to surmount his years. Outrageously irresponsible and undeniably liberating, Gandolfi's travels will fire the imaginations of every traveller, young or old.

Simon was born in London in 1933. After military service served as a subalten in the 16th/5th Lancers, at the age of 18, early friendships with the co-directors of the cult movie, Performance introduced him to the wider world of the arts, and actor Antony Quail encouraged him to write his first novel, Even With The Shutters Closed. He has been privileged in making writing and travel his primary occupations in has been fortunate in living in and experiencing a variety of cultures: Spain/Ibiza, Greece, France, Afghanistan and the Indian subcontinent, the Dominican Republic and, finally, Cuba for four years before returning to his cottage in Herefordshire.