Paul Theroux has achieved international fame and literary accolades for his travel writings, novels, short stories, poetry, and critical essays. Just as his literary interests shape his travel writings, so do his global travel experiences inform his fictional narratives, which frequently center on characters who find themselves displaced in foreign climes. Some few of Theroux's characters learn about others and themselves in alien lands; most, however, find only confirmation of long-established preconceptions. Many of Theroux's themes are somber, but his treatment of even the most serious subjects displays a full range of comedy, from black humor to the lightly acerbic. In fact, Theroux once said that one of his primary aims in writing is to entertain the reader. He most often laughs at preening, postcolonial racists, those with education and power but without humility, compassion, or any real understanding of other cultures.

For Theroux, travel is an integral...