Paul Theroux on aging, slow travel, and the inherent complexity of Mexico

“A writer tends to notice things that other people do not notice. And they are noticing so they can write about it.” – Paul Theroux

In this episode of Deviate, Paul Theroux and Rolf discuss their travels through Mexico and magical realism (4:30); teaching as a way to get to know a country and the importance of reading (20:00); and Paul’s experience traveling along the US-Mexico border and geo-political complexities between the two countries (29:00).

Paul Theroux (@PaulTheroux_) is a pioneer of travel writing and author of many highly acclaimed books, including The Great Railway Bazaar and The Tao of Travel. His work has appeared in such publications as the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and The Guardian. In 2015, Paul Theroux was awarded a Royal Medal from the Royal Geographical Society – an award, approved by the Queen, which is the highest award attainable for a traveler. His latest book, On the Plain of Snakes: A Mexican Journey, was released last month. He last talked with Rolf on Deviate Episode 31, “Paul Theroux on the art of listening, and the necessary obstacles of deep travel.”

Notable Links:

• Sinclair Lewis (writer)
• William Faulkner (writer)
• Jorge Luis Borges (writer)
• Gabriel García Márquez (writer)
• Magical Realism (style of fiction)
• James Joyce (writer)
• Aldous Huxley (writer)
• Jack Kerouac (writer)
• Rebecca West (writer)
• Harriet Doer (writer)
• Leonora Carrington (artist)
• The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, by B. Traven (novel)
• Nathaniel Philbrick (author)
• Moby-Dick, by Herman Melville (book)
• Subcomandante Marcos (revolutionary)
• Zapatista Army of National Liberation (militant group)

This episode of Deviate is brought to you by Tortuga Backpacks, which set the standard for the best, most durable, organized, and comfortable travel backpacks. Tortuga products also include daypacks, duffels, and other travel accessories, which are all made with the traveler in mind and have been featured by Wirecutter, The New York Times, Travel + Leisure, Business Insider, Carryology, and many other industry outlets.

This episode is also brought to you by AirTreks, an industry leader in multi-stop international travel. If you’ve ever planned a trip with multiple stops, you know that finding the right flights can be difficult. Between balancing travel logistics and cost, it often becomes impossible to build an itinerary that matches your travel goals.  AirTreks is a distributed travel company with employees working from all corners of the world to help with your flight planning, specializing in complex routes with up to 25 stops. The AirTreks website offers suggested pre-planned travel itineraries to help you get started, but can customize to fit your journey.

The Deviate theme music comes from the title track of Cedar Van Tassel’s 2017 album Lumber.

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