52 Days by Camel: My Sahara Adventure

In conversational and occasionally digressive prose, Raskin, a seasoned desert explorer, with Pearson recounts his first visit to the Sahara. The book's title refers not to the duration of Raskin's actual journey but to a road sign listing the distance to Timbuktu as 52 days away, assuming one was traveling by camel. Taking in destinations as remote as the salt mines of Taoudenni, the labyrinthine trip--by van, camel, bus, truck, train, boat and jeep--is at times slow-going. In addition to the nuts and bolts of the journey, readers sift through tangential details to find diverting anecdotes and notable facts about the area's history and the customs of its residents. Informally annotated maps track Raskin's progress, and sidebars provide some entertaining information, such as tips for climbing onto a camel, various uses for a turban in the desert and for haggling with African shopkeepers. As a photographer Raskin shines (unfortunately, the gutter swallows some pictures). His images are illuminating and occasionally funny: to advertise his popularity, a Marrakesh dentist plants himself in the middle of the town square and proudly displays all the teeth he has pulled; and a man rides in the rear half of an old car being pulled by a donkey. Shots such as these will enliven the long desert crossing for many readers. Ages 8-up. (May)