This is the tie-in book to a Michael Palin documentary series I was unfamiliar with it until my son told me about it. In this one Palin visits Eastern Europe, referred to as New Europe because these countries, once behind the Iron Curtain and inaccessible to travel, were deeply caught up in their new beginnings. In comparison with his previous travelogues, this one is rather bland probably because there isn't as much lively activity in these countries. However, he enjoys a truffle hunt, watches a Turkish oil-wrestling match, drives a still-in-use steam locomotive, visits Bulgarian Gypsies, and drinks lots of coffee. But there is the somber side to this trip; visiting a Balkan mine fields, trips to Auschwitz and Dresden, and sites of more recent battles in the Slavic nations. Palin leaves the reader with the hope that this part of the world is on the right track in recovering from the years of Soviet oppression. He also acknowledges that this trip was had less fun-loving events and was "overwhelmed by significance."
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