Journey without maps by Graham Greene: book review

Journey Without Maps (1936) is a classic travel novel. It’s a memoir of Greene’s exhibition to Liberia where Western civilization had not yet settled in the country.

At the age of 31 he fulfilled his childhood dream to travel to Africa. He had never been out of Europe before he embarked on a four week journey to West Africa. Married for six years with a one-month baby girl, he left his wife and child to travel with his 23-year-old cousin, Barbara.

With a great lack of preparation – he didn’t know how many miles he’d have to walk, how long it would take, or what his actual route would be – and a high degree of incompetence – he didn’t know how to use a compass – he set out with high expectations. As Europeans did at the time, he hired porters to carry his luggage; in fact, he hired 26 local porters and a cook. And as Europeans also did at the time, he wore a pith helmet.

He writes of his excitement and freedom. He also writes of his fears, fatigue, irritations, impatience and severe fever (after 14 days in the field): “all I wanted was medicine, a bath, iced drinks, and something other than a bush lavatory of trees and dead leaves …” His contradictions are the most notable aspect of his writing. One moment he describes a life-altering journey, the beauty of the country and its nature, and a love of Africa that never leaves him. The next moment he describes Liberia as “hellish.”

His cousin Barbara also writes of her experience during the expedition in Land Benighted (1938) which was reprinted in 1982 as Too Late to Turn Back.

Journey Without Maps is vivid and evocative, interesting and fascinating, but above all, timeless.

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