The Bone Man of Benares: A Lunatic Trip Through Love and the World

by Terry Tarnoff

In 1971, Terry Tarnoff packed a bag, a guitar and sixteen harmonicas and headed out on an eight year journey that would take him into the jungles of Africa, the mountains of India and beyond. This account of his revelatory journey is a tumultuous love story, a spiritual odyssey, and a rollicking escapade all rolled up into one. Tarnoff is a fevered, risk-taking writer with an uncanny ability to render place.  The Bone Man of Benares  is a lunatic bird of a book, flapping, singing, soaring, often all at the same time. It's a wild-hearted celebration of cross-cultural discovery, a laugh-out-loud, delirious adventure that traverses the chasm of time, speaking to readers young and old about the universal need for connection.

Genres: Travel, India, Spirituality, Philosophy, Drugs

388 pages, Paperback

First published June 10, 2004

About the author

Terry Tarnoff began his career as a writer at the tender age of twelve, when he was paid a penny a word to write phony letters to the editor of a small Milwaukee newspaper (he claims to have never matched that amount since, but that may be apocryphal). He graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a degree in psychology, then embarked on an eight-year journey that took him from Europe to Africa to Asia. Those experiences became the raw material for his first novel, "The Bone Man of Benares," which has been published in six countries and four languages, was produced as a play in San Francisco, and was optioned for a film project in Hollywood. Tarnoff's adventures and misadventures as a screenwriter became the basis for his second novel, "The Thousand Year Journey of Tobias Parker." His third novel, "The Chronicle of Stolen Dreams," explores inner space, outer space, and several spaces in between. His latest book, "The Reflectionist," reflects on the second half of his eight-year journey abroad. He lives in San Francisco, where he is working on his next novel. For more information, visit www.terrytarnoff.com.

Reviews

[Daren · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have had this on my shelf a long time, and hadn't really looked at it since I bought it. I wasn't sure what it was when I picked it up - it is categorised on the back as travel/memoir. I see that after its initial release it has been subtitled 'a novel based on a true story', which seems a much more realistic assessment than travel/memoir.

In many respects, it is similar to Gregory David Roberts' Shantaram, which is a real love or hate book. Personally, I consider once you remove your self from a position total belief, Shantaram is enjoyable, and I also enjoyed this - with some suspended belief.

In the book we visit interesting places - many of which I have visited - Thailand, Laos, Sweden, Amsterdam, Paris, Greece, Kenya, India, Nepal and Indonesia, amongst others. They are a fitting backdrop for the drug induced travel of a musician, who shags his way from destination to destination with a succession of hot girls he picks up.

Set in the 1970s, the destination are not the worn out tourist traps they are now, but offered a bit more seclusion, more of a welcome, and the Terry of this book, like the author, stayed for a decent duration in each place that took his fancy - no three night wonder, more like three months. The benefit of being a musician (harmonica, later guitar too) means that it is possible to earn while travelling - a luxury most of us don't have.

While not a completely likeable character Terry is certainly 'mostly likeable', and thankfully for me the philosophy in the book is kept moderate and never lasts too long in the narrative - as that is a surefire way to put me off. I read it in three days, which gives a good indication it is fast moving and easy to read - perfectly forming a alternate read from the slightly slow book I am midway through.

Final thought - I'm not sure the title was the best selection - it is duplicated in a chapter title, where Terry does meet the bone man, but it is one of many incidents in the book, and is probably a bit dislocated from the story. Nevertheless, a good quick read I enjoyed.
4 stars.

[Michael Danzig · Rating 5 out of 5]

You'll never find another book like this because this world is gone forever. Tarnoff's adventures in this book occur at a time when hippies, poets, musicians -- wanderers with rucksacks populated special places in the world. Terry Tarnoff is a harmonica player from the Midwest who falls in love with the beautiful Annika in Stockholm, travels with her to Amsterdam and Paris, then loses her in Greece. The rest of the book is an existential, philosophical, epical voyage through Africa and Asia, a crazy, psycho-chemical interweaving of the cultures of Nairobi, Calcutta, Kathmandu, Laos and Bali with a fierce introspection -- the obsession of a hyper-romantic, poetic young man. Tarnoff's observations of the intercsection of the hip international youth with the local population of Nepal, India and Laos is a funhouse of brilliant comedic revelation. He reaches points of hilarious situational absurdity which one could never imagine in today's googlized global world. Tarnoff's writing is magical, hypnotic in its rhythms, spilling out in cascades of bright cinematic eruption as we see the wonders of the east through his eyes. He constantly reacts with razor-sharp cynical wonder at the insanity of the conundrums in which he finds himself. The elusive Annika is always out there just beyond his reach as he searches through the exotic outposts the youth of the time have established in various capitals of worldwide hippiedom. Along the way, he tackles his demons within, often caught in a drug infused swirl of smoke and powder during those hot, humid monsoon-filled, somehow innocent times. There is an ecstatic and deeply humorous laugh-out-loud convergence with Tarnoff's mind and the reality of the bizarre situations in which he finds himself. We're along for the ride,bouncing from page to page as he bumps up against some of the wackiest, most otherworldly characters in literary history. It's a mad dangerous thrill to be inside this mind exploding with insight, wit, depth and downright interestingness. Who is the Bone Man of Benares? What could possibly be a Bone Man? And what does he have to do with Tarnoff? There's only one way you'll find out. Read this book and I guarantee you -- like me -- you'll know when you close it that sometime, somewhere you'll have the unquenchable desire to pick it up and start the fantastic journey all over again. You'll need to revisit Tarnoff's amazing trip through the 70's in Asia again because you know there will never be a time or place like this again.

[Kristin Myrtle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book soooo much! It has all of my favorite themes. It takes place in the tumultuous seventies, chronicles one man's search for the love of his life, the meaning of his life and all the other unanswerable questions. It involves plenty of gratuitous drug use, hot sex and strange rituals in smoky far off lands. You can almost smell the odors and aroma of the countries he travels to. I've read it multiple times, have memorized dialogue, and I highly recommend this book to anyone that loves wanderers, the big questions of life, outcasts, unrequited love, and the endless searching of a man's soul.

[Tillymintball · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating

A great adventure captured so well that I was transported to each and every country. If you enjoyed Shantaram you’ll love this.

[L. Myers · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Bone Man of Benares is my favorite book by Terry Tarnoff. The quixotic exotic adventures are told in Terry’s all too human voice; you will want to read the book over and over again, and you will wonder if this really happened. It did. Reading one of Terry Tarnoff’s novels is remarkably akin to listening to him play harmonica. It is like listening to some great blues song; you begin to smile along as Terry takes you on the ride of a lifetime, and you just want to keep going. This word maestro lets the reader into an exciting, exotic adventure of a lifetime. Terry travels the globe unraveling the mystic and peering in to every corner from the mundane to the divine. This is a book that makes you laugh out loud in surprise and moan in empathy as Terry is caught up in his quest. For that is what the book chronicle – a quest made by a tribe of North Americans, Europeans and others in the pursuit of the meaning of life or at least a good time. As Terry says in one of his lines, we did not travel to conquer we returned to learn. This book documents Terry’s travels in Europe, India and Africa; from Greece to Nepal; from Bali to Bangkok, and everywhere the reader is invited along. The author holds nothing back as he moves from one hard-won lesson to another. His unflinching honesty gives the reader a glimpse into the human heart and psyche in addition to taking us on one awesome road trip. In the end we are left feeling a little more human; just like we do when we listen to the blues – and we want to take a trip, sing along, or at least read the book all over again.

[Ak. · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're ok with suffering from severe, life-altering wanderlust, then please, do delve into Terry Tarnoff's world. It's your world, too, like you've never seen it. An absolutely fantastic read. The hard part is closing it ... and thinking about your tomorrow, which, if you're like me, revolves around e-mail and work and the humdrum of minutia. So hold on to Tarnoff as long as you can ... his book is the kind of drug that doesn't come in a bottle.

[Bex · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seriously one of the best books ever, and by far the best travel adventure book Ive read, nothing comes close, I only wish more people knew about it! Hard to come by copies in Australia, but have passed this book onto one other adoring fan who I hope spread it further.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, this was pretty fun. I've had some of my most memorable experiences in some of the places he explores here - particularly Lamu and India and Laos - and he did it in 1971 when there was a much higher degree of difficulty and less globalization. Still, there was a lot more about drug use than the cultural immersion and some of his descriptions of relationships and one-night stands sound more conquesty than appealing. Which, fine, it wasn't my experience to share. It still made me want to get out my passport and hit the trail.

[Simon Gibson · Rating 5 out of 5]

As one who has traveled and eventually emigrated to the tropics, so much of this wonderful book reflected my own experiences and discoveries. Through humour and honesty we get to experience a little of the real Europe, Africa, India, Nepal and Indonesia. Both the authors writing and narration make his impressions, experiences and emotions our own. I laughed out loud and shed a tear, a beautiful book about travel, self discovery and love. Very highly recommend.

[Tim Hulsizer · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the prototypical draft-dodgers of the Vietnam War era, American student Terry Tarnoff left the States in the early 1970s and embarked on a worldwide journey of self-discovery. Lest you think this book is filled with platitudes and Buddhas, however, allow me to set you straight: this is a fiery, drug-fueled voyage from The Netherlands to Scandinavia to Greece to Africa to India and beyond, with Tarnoff romancing women and blowing blues harmonica the whole way.

It's an interesting juxtaposition, his very grounded addictions to sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll contrasting with the inner peace he seeks and the spiritual locales in which he finds himself. The book is filled with apocryphal encounters and conversations he couldn't possibly remember decades later, so in one sense this is partially autobiographical and partially fictional. But one still gets the sense that Tarnoff has covered the essentials and really put himself out there, warts and all, for the reader to judge.

As for me, I was also once a young American who left the States and ended up lonely and confused in Asia, so I guess you could say I'm the ideal audience for the book. But it may have hit too close to home because I found myself frustrated by his initial carelessness with his lovers' hearts, and his self-centered posturing. Was I rooting for him or for my younger self to find their way? That confusion added an emotional element and the book has stuck with me since I finished it two months ago.

This book isn't necessarily for everyone. If you're uncomfortable with the idea of a flawed main character and a boatload of serious drug use, this tome will turn you off very quickly. But those readers with a modicum of wanderlust and a habit of introspection will surely find themselves in good company. After reading the book I was glad to discover that Terry is still very much alive and well, has written more books and even shared some of his vintage music recordings online. Now parked in California, he's still expressing and discovering himself through art. For some, it seems the journey never ends.

[Justjake · Rating 3 out of 5]

It should be a good book. The first 70 odd pages tell the last third of the story, chronologically, of a man who gave up his job and went on the ultimate hippy trip round the world. The first part of the book is some of the funniest stuff I have read on paper regarding the authors/characters adventure.

Then after 70 pages it jarringly changes. It's not hilarious adventures no more but instead a (painful to read?) love triangle across the globe. Then after or in between sorting that out the character gets monumentally high and you have no idea what is going on. A crazy mind bending book I'd probably need to read when I'm older to properly understand.

[Kristina · Rating 2 out of 5]

A few interesting tidbits, but mostly this book is all about a young American who traveled around for a few years and wants to talk about how adventurous and generous and good-looking and talented he is. The self-aggrandizing stories get pretty tiring.
If you want a GOOD travel book, skip this and read Michael Crichton's Travels.

[Leah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Similarish to Shantaram. I preferred Shantaram.

[Camille · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fabulous and fun read - I read every year or so. My copy is tattered because I've lent it out so many times. DO yourself a favor and read it if you haven't!

[Maureen Mooney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Crazy. Loved it!

[Ricky Garfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspired my travelling lifestyle!

Picked this book up around 2005/2006 and I've been trying to create my own version of this trip ever since.

[Jeanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book. Reminds me of some people I know.