Muddling through in Madagascar

by Dervla Murphy

A hilarious and perceptive travel journal. “Everything about Madagascar is surprising,” as Dervla Murphy and her 14-year-old daughter, Rachel, found to their delight. Despite accidents, misadventures, contrasts and the political instability of the Great Red Island, they returned with a lasting respect for the kindness of its proud people.

Genres: Travel, Africa, Madagascar, Nonfiction

Paperback

First published January 1, 1985

About the author

Dervla Murphy’s first book, Full Tilt: Ireland to India with a Bicycle, was published in 1965. Over twenty travel books followed including her highly acclaimed autobiography, Wheels Within Wheels.

Dervla won worldwide praise for her writing and many awards, including the Christopher Ewart-Biggs Memorial Prize, the Edward Stanford Award for Outstanding Contribution to Travel Writing and the Royal Geographical Award for the popularisation of geography.

Few of the epithets used to describe her – ‘travel legend’, ‘intrepid’ or ‘the first lady of Irish cycling’ – quite do justice to her extraordinary achievement.

She was born in 1931 and remained passionate about travel, writing, politics, Palestine, conservation, bicycling and beer until her death in 2022.

Reviews

[Vicky Hunt]

Travelogue that Often Waxes Poetic

I can not imagine anything more that could be desired in a good journey-writer's adventures than what Dervla has shared in this very enjoyable book. I noticed the beautifully descriptive moments right away; along with the alliteration, the Biblical allusions in many phrases, and even Shakespeare phrases repurposed for the moment.

"One fancies theirs is an indestructible sort of happiness – built-in, impervious to the slings and arrows of outrageous politicians."

The author tells about her trip across Madagascar; while sharing the relevant bits of culture, language, politics, and lifestyles. She does not leave out the dirt and poverty, but yet she reveals a love for the people and for the journey in and of itself. She travels in a relaxed way, staying with the Malagasy people instead of in hotels.

"I am always disquieted by the zeal with which ex-colonies cultivate such nationalistic trimmings, often while excoriating every aspect of the culture in which they are rooted."

The author has this unique writing voice that often catches me by surprise at her directness. Don't expect the academic language of a historian. Hers is the authentic voice of her life and experiences. She speaks directly and often uses expressions that make her straightforward style all the more endearing. I will be reading more of her works in the future.

"Within such chasms the liquid mud is always malodorous and, if the percentage of straying sewage is high and the dead cats are very dead, it exhales near-lethal fumes."

I read this book in the Kindle format for my stop in Madagascar on my Journey Around the World in 2019-2020. I had originally planned to read Bandits of Madagascar by Lawrence Winkler. I cast that aside for this book. My next stop is in the Seychelles, where I will be reading Seychelles Survivor by K. Lorraine.

"There must still be an animist in each of us, however respectably inaccessible, and such experiences of beauty and solitude restore animist reverence to its proper place in the scheme of human emotions."

[Diane]

I enjoy Dervla Murphy’s travel books. They are not guides and not books that might inspire you to travel. Usually she travels by bicycle, but this was not possible in Madagascar. Instead, she travels by local minibus, and much of the book describes the incredibly cramped conditions and terrible roads and terrible driving. This got a bit old after while.

I did like her encounters with the Malagasy or Madagascar people. She loves the people and, even though they are rarely able to communicate with language, she seem to have a natural rapport with them. She describes the Malagasy as wonderfully happy and warm and inclusive, even though they live in what we would see as desperate filth and poverty. I love how Dervla describes a situation that seems negative and then turns it into a positive comment. For example, she is unable to deal with the complex currency and is describing paying for something at a market. But the Malagasy man just laughs and returns a handful of coins; throughout the trip, she never feels taken advantage of . Her idea of a good trip is not just interacting with the people and seeing the sights, but living with the people, accepting their concept of time, food, and comfort, and although she might complain some, it is what she likes about her trips.

[Grace Tierney]

Despite hearing Dervla Murphy was a great Irish travel writer this is the first of her books I've read and it won't be the last. This time she takes her teen daughter for three months in Madagascar, traveling via the USSR (it's mid 1980s). She's knowledgeable about the country and its environmental and political issues but her focus is on the people and the landscape and she loves both.

She isn't afraid to admit her mistakes (she manages to get a dose of gout at one point) but it's her willingness to engage with the local people which is most charming. I've read many travel writers but I hadn't realised that all of them were middle-class single males (typically from colonial countries) and it was refreshing to get a female viewpoint on travel. Think about it, a woman with her daughter on a tight budget will get a different welcome in a remote village to a single man, and potentially face different challenges. I also enjoyed reading a travel tale seen through Irish eyes, and of a similar age to myself too.

As you'd expect we find plenty of ramshackle buses, confused timetables, and unusual companions along the road. I enjoyed her daughter's witty one-liners (nothing like a 14 year old to bring their famous mother down to size and to see things clearly). I'm looking forward to finding another of her tales soon.

Highly recommended.

[Carmen]

The Malagasy word Fihavanana has -perhaps not surprisingly- no exact English equivalent. It was translated for us by a Merina friend as "benevolence and friendship towards all one's fellowmen" and it describes one of the most obvious Malagasy characteristics. As our friend said, "The basis of our Malagasy philosophy is this: it is better to lose money than affection."

Wow! I've found a gold mine here, I didn't know a thing about Dervla Murphy and her adventures before reading this book, but she has a new fan from now on.
I really envy these fearless and adventurous women like Dervla who are an example for all of us. Olé!

[Mark Eveleigh]

I read this book for the first time when I was researching my own Madagascar travel book and re-read it last year when I was commissioned to update a Lonely Planet guidebook on the island. Murphy (who, sadly, passed away in 2022) remains one of my favourite travel writers of all time and this book is one of her best. Another I would recommend - full of Dervla's unique brand of dauntless intrepidity - is 'Full Tilt'.

[Sheila]

Definitely not a book to inspire would-be tourists to Madagascar. Since it was written 30 years ago, things will have changed, but I hope the character of the locals is still so cheerful and optimistic.

[Karen]

I always like to read a book set in the country I’m visiting and this was no exception. Intriguing to see how some travel options have eased between 1983 and 2019 but the majority of the towns (and some of the experiences) remain recognisable today

[Judy]

3.5 actually -While I struggled with this travel memoir, I'm still looking forward to reading another by Murphy. Her grasp of the history and culture of locations coupled with the time and place of her adventures bring a unique perspective. Her writing flows and I adore her sense of humor.

[Irene]

This is an account of the several weeks the author and her 14 year old daughter hiked through Madagascar. It was published in 1985, an era when few tourists made their way to the island nation. A bit of history is woven into the travel log. 2.5 stars

[Richard Goodfellow]

Another classic Murphy series of disasters. She seems to relish discomfort but her pain is our gain. She takes rather fewer risks when accompanied by her long suffering daughter Rachel and this can make the story a little less interesting but as usual she has delivered an enjoyable read.

[Krista]

I know Dervla Murphy is well-regarded as a travel writer, but man this book was a slog to get through. Her purple prose is excruciating to read, the historical sections are a snooze-fest, and I came away with the impression that she didn't enjoy Madagascar at all.

[Janet]

Somewhat sad to read in 2022. Fascinating account of travelling around fairly inaccessible parts of Madagascar a generation ago.

[Christina]

Too much use of the word 'cum' for my liking and too many comparisons to Ireland. Nice feel for visiting Madagascar. Fine book.

[Megan Kelosiwang]

Not only do I enjoy Dervlas skill with language but she has to be recognized as much more than a mere travel writer. The way in which she travels often feels chaotic, irresponsible and unimaginable with a child in tow, but she is fearless in her drive to understand the real essence of a place and its people. Her research is thorough and in depth and her ability to link this to travelogue is seamless. An adventurer to inspire us al.

[Donna Jo Atwood]

Murphy has a love of travel that takes her down the roads less traveled. She and her daughter (age 14 at the time of this book) not only shun countries that are well settled and "civilized", but they seldom afford themselves of any little pockets of civilization in the places they do go.
This is NOT my kind of travel, but it does make for interesting reading. It made me interested enough to look up Madagascar on the internet to see what's been happening there recently. (The book was written in 1985.)

[Srriley]

Magnificent

This book was recommended by a world travelers book. Because it was available on kindle, I purchased it. So glad I did! While I expect Madagascar to have changed a bit since the writing, I'm familiar enough with African culture to know it won't have changed too much. I am prepared and looking forward to my own Madagascar exploration!

[Don Smith]

Who knows anything about Madagascar? And who knows what it would be like to travel here with a 14 year old daughter? Dervla and her daughter visit a lemur preserve and report that part of the problem of their survival is that they are considered to be very tasty.

[Emilie]

I have no doubt that Dervla Murphy is a really interesting woman. This book, however, struck me as being snobbish and obtuse. It's also out of date. Back to the library!

[David Corleto-Bales]

The intrepid Dervla Murphy rides a bicycle through the poverty, chaos and wonder of 1980s Madagascar.

[Kathy]

Good read if you are heading to Madagascar (which I was!).

[Sheila Hooker]

I'm going there in September, and I sure hope the roads have improved since this book was written.