The Gardens of Mars: Madagascar, an Island Story

(Paperback)

Publishing Details

Classifications

Physical Properties

Description

A journey both historical and contemporary among the fantastical landscapes, resourceful inhabitants and isolated tribes of the world's fourth-largest island of enduring fascination for its rich biodiversity: Madagascar. 'A beautifully written depiction of the history of this beguiling island' Literary Review 'Courageous, exploratory, humane and with a wry sense of humour' Spectator 'A feat of journalism, observation and determination' Dr Alyson Hitch 'Wonderfully witty and wry' Benedict Allen We think we know Madagascar but it's too big, too eccentric, and too impenetrable to be truly understood. As well as visiting every corner of the island, John Gimlette journeys deep into Madagascar's past. Along the way, he meets politicians, sorcerers, gem prospectors, militiamen, rioters, lepers and the descendants of seventeenth-century pirates. Insightful and wryly humorous, here's an encounter with the people, landscapes, politics and history of one of the most remarkable places on Earth.

Reviews

Few writers have delved into [Madagascar's] history and none as thoroughly and mercilessly as Gimlette... His descriptions of the everyday sights of Madagascar are wonderful... Enjoy the book as an evocation of this extraordinary island, in all its complexity and all its contradictions' * Literary Review *
A beautifully written depiction of the people and history of this beguiling and perplexing island -- Edward Paice
Courageous, exploratory, humane and with a wry sense of humour * Spectator *
Destined to scoop whatever travel book awards are still in existence these days * The Bay (Swansea) *
The best English-language travel writer out there * Travel Mag *
A fabulous new book * Timeless Travels *
John Gimlette's latest thoughtful study sees him explore the relatively recent human history of the world's fourth largest island * Wanderlust *
This is classic Gimlette an utter delight. Here is the tale of an enchanted island, one enlivened by its spirited inhabitants and mysterious past. But what makes the book so readable is the author's unfailing eye for the quirky and unexpected. It's a wonderfully witty and wry book, the author's wanderings through Madagascar lit all along the way by his telling eye for detail and accustomed panache -- Benedict Allen
In this chronicle of the fascinating strangeness of Madagascar [...] incredulity, horror and amusement coalesce in Gimlette's customarily talented narration of the weird * Irish Times *
Gimlette's 'walk-through history' is a tour de force, taking in slavery, Welsh missionaries, ancestor worship, French conquest, and forts whose ramparts are rendered in millions of egg whites * Telegraph *
[Gimlette] takes us to the beautiful but extremely weird tropical island where everything especially its history and fauna is larger than life -- Andrew Roberts, Engelsberg Ideas

Author Bio

John Gimlette is a prize-winning travel writer who has journeyed to more than 60 countries. He is the author of At the Tomb of the Inflatable Pig, Panther Soup: A European Journey in War and Peace, Wild Coast: Travels on South America's Untamed Edge and Elephant Complex: Travels in Sri Lanka. He is a regular contributor of travel features to the Telegraph, Financial Times and Guardian.