Fermor effortlessly interweaves anecdote, history and culture in this exuberant account of a walk as a young man in 1933 across Europe. This first volume chronicles his trip from the Hook of Holland, up the Rhine and down the Danube. The adventure continues in Between the Woods and Water, thankfully also reissued by NYRB. The books were written not by the young adventurer but the accomplished author 40 years later, adding perspective and a sweet nostalgia.  (CEU30, $16.95)