Clara’s Verdict
Michael Palin reading his own travel writing is one of those audiobook experiences that reminds you why the format exists. There is warmth and intelligence in his voice that no professional narrator, however gifted, could fully replicate — he is narrating his own curiosity, his own embarrassments, his own genuine delight at what he finds. New Europe is Palin at a high point: the journey is ambitious (twenty countries, more than any of his previous expeditions), the material is historically rich, and his instinct for finding the human detail inside the geopolitical picture is operating at full power. This audiobook is, frankly, a pleasure.
About the Audiobook
The conceit of New Europe is a good one: that Eastern Europe, so close geographically, remained as unknown to most British travellers as Tibet or the Sahara — closed off by the Cold War and the Iron Curtain for most of Palin’s life. The countries are now open, and Palin sets off with his characteristic reckless curiosity to find out what they are actually like.
He samples pig fat with brandy in one country, learns about mine-clearing in Bosnia, drives a stopping train in Poland, watches Turkish oil wrestling, and attends a Budapest fashion show — all with the same equable fascination he brings to everywhere he goes. What he is particularly good at is the interplay between painful recent history and the exuberance of people who have come through it. The countries of the former Eastern Bloc carry their memories differently from the West, and Palin is attentive to this without being solemn about it.
At 11 hours and 26 minutes, this is a generous but never indulgent journey. The material was originally recorded for the BBC television series, and the book contains considerably more than the programmes — as reviewers have noted, it rewards even those who have already watched the television version.
The Narration
Palin reads his own work with the ease of a man who has been telling stories all his professional life. There is no performance anxiety here, no sense of an author uncertain about how his words sound. His timing — shaped by decades in front of cameras and microphones — is impeccable. The anecdotes that are funny on the page are funnier spoken; the passages that are reflective deepen with his delivery. This is the definitive way to experience this book.
What Readers Say
Rated 4.5/5 from 300 listeners — a substantial audience that speaks to the book’s enduring reputation. UK listeners consistently describe it as « very entertaining and informative, » with several noting that it taught them about countries they had seen only on maps. One reviewer, a teacher, reported that her class of ten- and eleven-year-olds became absorbed by the physical copy of the book — evidence of a breadth of appeal that travel writing rarely achieves. Another reader, who had also seen the television series, confirmed that « the book is even better. » The most recent reviews maintain the same warmth: « his humanity and love of people comes through, » writes one 2024 reviewer. A reader who flagged the book as a « valuable history lesson » urged young people in particular to read it. The consensus is that this is vintage Palin — curious, humane, and impossible to dislike.
Who Should Listen?
For anyone curious about Europe — its history, its present, its people. This suits travellers, history enthusiasts, and anyone who simply enjoys the company of an intelligent, good-humoured narrator. It makes an excellent companion for long journeys, and for those who are planning to visit any of the countries Palin covers, the background it provides is genuinely useful. Fans of Bill Bryson’s travel writing will find Palin an equally congenial companion, and those who have enjoyed his other journeys — the Himalayas, the Sahara, Pole to Pole — will need no further persuasion.
Find Michael Palin: New Europe on Audible UK via the link below — also available on Kobo, Scribd, and Storytel.
