First Overland

The Story of the Oxford and Cambridge Far Eastern Expedition

by Tim Slessor

Readers Book Club, 1957, black and white photographic plates, illustrated endpapers (maps), hardcover, dustjacket

Very Good Condition, a little edge and shelf wear, a little rubbing and bumping to edges and corners, a little foxing to endpapers, age toned pages, no inscriptions, dustjacket in good condition with some edge and shelf wear some rubbing, chipping and small tears, a little creasing and discolouration (see photographs)

“First Overland is the story of the Oxford and Cambridge Far Eastern Expedition.  Six young men, five from Cambridge and one from Oxford, ser out in two Land Rovers to drive across Europe and Asia to Singapore – a journey never before accomplished by car.  In their successful attempt they travelled 32,000 miles and crossed twenty-one countries.  But the trip was not solely one of adventure, for all members had undertaken to do certain field and research work in a number of the lands they were to visit.
The account of the trip, as told by Tim Slessor, one of the party, is a first class travel book.  The young men were not concerned with breaking speed records, it was not a race to see how quickly they could reach Singapore.  Consequently, they took time to explore the places they visited, even to detour if necessary if something worthwhile offered.  As a result, the book is filled with fascinating sidelights on people, customs, social and industrial life, buildings and history, and these are told with keen observation and quite a deal of humour.”