FREE TALES FROM THE FAST TRAINS: AROUND EUROPE AT 186MPH PDF Tom Chesshyre | 320 pages | 12 Jan 2012 | Summersdale Publishers | 9781849531511 | English | Chichester, United Kingdom Free Book Giveaway! | Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. Want to Read saving…. Want to Read Currently Reading Read. Other editions. Enlarge cover. Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Open Preview See a Problem? Details if other :. Thanks for telling us about the problem. Return to Book Page. It's all about the journey rather than the destination in this high-speed travel account. From shiny London St. Pancras, Tom travels to places that wouldn't be featured on a standard holiday. Pancras, Tom travels to places that wouldn't be featured on a standard holiday wish-list, and discovers the hidden delights of mysterious Luxembourg, super-trendy Rotterdam, and much-maligned Frankfurt. Get A Copy. Paperbackpages. Published July 1st by Summersdale first published January 1st More Details Other Editions 4. Friend Reviews. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. To ask other readers questions about Tales from the Fast Trainsplease sign up. Be the first to ask a question about Tales from the Fast Trains. Lists with This Book. Community Reviews. Showing Average rating 3. Rating details. More filters. Sort order. Sep 13, Ipswichblade rated it liked it. Quite a good book with some nice history bits but Tom needs some help with writing conversations into the book. I can't believe that his girlfriend talks in such a stilted and precise way. Really irritating by the time I got half way through the book. Oct 09, Stephen rated it liked it. Jun 07, Penny rated it liked it Shelves: travel-general. A variety of travelogues about long Tales from the Fast Trains: Around Europe at 186mph 'fast train' experiences from London to locations in mainland Europe. The book reads more like a series of train travel articles and would probably appeal more to readers who might actually want to do some of these trips. The book suffers badly from poorly written dialogue between Chesshyre and his girlfriend, irritatingly known throughout as 'E'. There were many times when I felt she just can't have existed - no one could be that daft or dull. Remove e A variety of travelogues about long weekend 'fast train' experiences from London to locations in mainland Europe. Remove everything about her from the book and it would be much improved. Sep 26, Paul rated it really liked it Shelves: books-readtravel-bookssummersdale-travel. This is a series of shot travel tales by Chesshyre as he heads out across Europe by fast train to various destinations. He is normally accompanied by his girlfriend, E, but is sometime alone, and occasionally a friend. Really enjoyed it, and he sells the idea of the high speed train route. In some cases it can be faster than the equivalent flight. The book makes me want to do this, when the children are old enough to be left! Feb 20, Ali rated it it was ok. Liked the stuff about the countries they visited but really badly written. This was my first travelogue and I liked the concept a lot. The writer gives you a feel for so many different places and cities in Europe, well known and not so well known ones. It certainly makes you curious about exporing Europe with fast trains-I believe the travel times will be even more reduced nowadays. Will This was my first travelogue and I liked the concept a lot. Will be looking up more travel writers after this one. Jun 28, Turi rated it really liked it. Not a fan of the style, but the substance is gold. The author tries too hard to be witty, and periodically includes conversations that are meaningful only to him and add nothing to the narrative. Otherwise, I am a full convert to train travel, and look forward to exploring the Continent. Nov 27, Axel T rated it really liked it. A fun romp around Europe, makes me want to go inter-railing again. Dec 12, Rich Saskal rated it really liked it. As someone who likes the idea of flitting about a continent by train I was predisposed to like this book, in which the author sees what the possibilities are for taking long weekends from London by train via the Channel Tunnel. Each chapter is a different trip, so I took my time reading it, one discrete chapter at a time. The prose might be a tad dry to take in all at once. It is also another example of a book I owned for years before even starting, so I enjoyed a wry grin when the author credul As someone who likes the idea of flitting about a continent by train I was predisposed to like this book, in which the author sees what the possibilities are for taking long weekends from London by train via the Channel Tunnel. It is also another example of a book I owned for years Tales from the Fast Trains: Around Europe at 186mph even starting, so I enjoyed a wry grin when the author credulously wrote of a start date for London-Berlin direct trains. Jun 23, Stuart Hill rated it liked it. Tales from the Fast Trains is a travelogue of journeys around Europe, all starting from London's beautifully restored Saint Pancras terminal. Each chapter is centred on a particular destination which range from Tales from the Fast Trains: Around Europe at 186mph famed Bruges to some more obscure, less touristy destination. The author is a travel writer for the Times newspaper and his writing is very much in the style of the Sunday supplement feature. The earlier chapters were particularly prone to an excessive amount of prosaic detail, recount Tales from the Fast Trains is a travelogue of journeys around Europe, all starting from London's beautifully restored Saint Pancras terminal. The earlier chapters were particularly prone to an excessive amount of prosaic detail, recounting what time the train departed and how long the journey was. The writing did improve somewhat but was nevertheless a little too reliant on recycling touristic cliches; Bruges is 'medieval and beautiful', Paris waiters are snooty etc. The book sometimes has the feel of a PR brochure rather than an account by a professional travel writer. To be fair, the chapters Tales from the Fast Trains: Around Europe at 186mph lesser known destinations were Tales from the Fast Trains: Around Europe at 186mph greater interest, and I enjoyed reading about the history of Rotterdam, a Frankfurt tour which covered drugs and prostitution rather than the financial institutions for which the city is better known, and an engagingly honest guide who took the author around Cologne. On most journeys the author was accompanied by his girlfriend, referred to only as E. I did wonder whether 'E' was a work of fiction. They seemed to be included to introduce a comic element to the book but unfortunately came across as being a little irritating. The choice of pseudonym was a little strange too, and I kept imagining that the author was with an indie rock musician who had got lost on the way to Susan's House. This is the kind of book which, appropriately, could be easily consumed during a train journey. It has its moments but wasn't distinguished enough to be truly memorable. Mar 14, James rated it really liked it Recommends it for: Everyone. A little like travelling itself, once one gets beyond the 'and we're only X hours from London' references on average, three times a chapter there is a very enjoyable journey shared. The places he visits are entertaining, and I enjoyed the apparently 'care free' approach to sight seeing on whims though reading through the acknowledgements one realises that there was a great deal of public relations input into the writer's plans. I will be rereading this again as I plan some trips abroad myself A little like travelling itself, once one gets Tales from the Fast Trains: Around Europe at 186mph the 'and we're only X hours from London' references on average, three times a chapter there is a very enjoyable journey shared. I will be rereading this again as I plan some trips abroad myself, though Tales from the Fast Trains: Around Europe at 186mph exposes the only negative opinion I have about the book. The writer wants us to believe he is a convert to European trains though it can seem a little hollow without discussing the home network. The writer certainly enjoys remindings us that wine costs less in France, why not mention comparative cost of train tickets? Journey times? Network planning and strategy? Not enough space in the book or don't want to be a 'train geek' commuters, on your way towork? No, you are 'train geeks' seem to be the only reasons. The writer's style is okay and I will try out some of his other books eventually. Jan 13, Glenn Keenan rated it it was amazing Recommends it for: Anyone who would enjoy interrailing around Europe. A fantastic book by the same author who brought us "To Hull and Back: On Holiday In Unsung Britain", this is a travel writing book that takes the reader on a trip around Europe by Eurostar and other high-speed train companies. It gives a bit of history about many different destinations that can be reached simply by train from London no need to get a flight or wait around in the airport terminals or go through security.