Slow boats to China

Seven months and twenty-three agreeably ill-assorted vessels are what were required to transport Gavin Young, by slow boat, from Piraeus to Canton. His odyssey teemed with excitement, adventure and colour. Gavin Young's account memorably distils the people, places, smells, conversations, ships and history of the places he encountered in what is his most famous book. The sequel, Slow Boats Home, is also reissued in Faber Finds. 'An unusual and fascinating book.' Hammond Innes, Guardian 'Storms, fleas, pirates, bad food and bureaucrats. My Young suffered what he did to entertain us.' Anthony Burgess, Observer