For my first post within my new category of travel literature reviews, there was no choice but one of my all-time favourite authors: Graham Greene.
Technically, the subject of this review is a novel and not travel literature as such. But then, it covers travel in quite some detail and I absolutely love it. So here we are.
“Travels with my Aunt” just has to be one of the most bizarre novels I’ve ever read. If the protagonist wasn’t already in his fifties, it might well qualify as a kind of coming-of-age story. But then again, does coming of age – or coming into one’s own, maybe – necessarily have to do with actual age in the number sense (even if most people come of age within a certain age range)?
The thought promoted by this novel, that you can still up sticks and change your life at any old age, is a rather refreshing one, methinks. I suppose it would be fairly amusing to research the establishment’s reaction to the publication of this novel in 1969.
(The novel is a must-read in any case, even if you go on and read some of my spoilers.)
The novel describes how the life of Henry Pulling, an unassuming and rather boring retired banker, is gradually being turned upside down by his elderly aunt. At this point, you should throw all preconceptions about elderly aunts overboard.
Aunt Augusta is a formidable lady in her eighties who keeps herself a toy boy, smokes pot, smuggles currency and evades payment of taxes. She has relations to criminals and con-men, to CIA-agents and South American despots. Augusta also has lots of money of uncertain origin, and boasts of a former career in the horizontal business. Prudish Henry naturally insists on portraying her as a travelling actress.
Despite seeming quite put out by Augusta, Henry soon begins to suspect there has to be more to life than fulfilling society’s expectations, planting dahlias and leading the exact same life day in day out, year after year.
We see Henry undergo a massive transformation from an uninspired, timid and ultimately unhappy man to someone who dares leave the world as he knew it behind. Against all odds, Henry decides to pursue what might or might not turn out to be a happier life. This should give hope to anyone stuck in a dreary situation.
Not that it is advisable to start a smuggling business in an unstable country on the brink of civil war, mind you.
The idea of taking stock, allowing oneself new experiences and starting over is as valid and important today as it was 55 years ago, though.
If only we all had a tough Aunty Augusta to take us by the hand and lead us into adventure.
Please note that this blog post is a revised version of one first published on my previous blog ‘Inside Chrissie’s Mind’.