In 2009, I was in the Bookbarn in Somerset and somehow got chatting to someone who worked there. It came up that I lived in Oxford, and he was determined that I should read The Silent Traveller in Oxford – published in 1944, the fifth of twelve books Yee would write as ‘The Silent Traveller’, visiting or living in different places in England and, later, Scotland, Ireland, France, Japan and America. It took me a long time to get to it, but I really enjoyed my day spent with Yee. And much of that day was also spent in Oxford, walking many of the bits that he talks about.
Yee moved to Oxford because his flat in London had been destroyed by bombing. That is one of the few acknowledgements that war gets in this book, which is otherwise almost halcyon in the way that wartime seems to have bypassed life and tradition in Oxford. Students are still studying, drinking, rowing. The streets still throng with people, and history and modernity still jostle each other amicably.
It’s hard to describe exactly what Yee’s approach to his travels is. Some of the time he is staying with acquaintances and relates their stories; some of the time he is invited into colleges and learns what sets each one apart. But much of the time he is simply walking, enjoying the small moments he stumbles across – whether human, animal, or simply landscape. I liked that he doesn’t restrict himself to one tour of the streets and pathways of Oxford, but retreads and retreads them, telling us about similar journeys but with different occurrences. He is as beguiled by a duck or autumn leaves or the colour of stone as he is by people and buildings of greater repute or consequence.
He also isn’t a tourist, as such – he lives in Oxford for two or three years, and while the book does feel like Yee is constantly an outsider keenly observing, it is drawn from a long period living here. It gives him a familiarity and fondness for it that isn’t possible for a day visitor. He does incorporate aspects of his earlier life in China – sometimes contrasting English and Chinese people, sometimes being inspired by similarities. I loved this, from one of his wooded walks:
This leisured rhythmical swaying of leaves and flowers had an intoxicating effect on me. I became drowsy, though my thoughts were clear. I thought of willows in my own country. It is impossible to travel any distance in China without seeing willows. They are as popular as chestnut trees in England, and because of their popularity they have come to play a big part in our daily life. At the Ching-ming festival when we visit our ancestors’ tombs we break off a few young willow branches to bring back home and hang on the entrance gate as a sign of spring. In far-off days when we parted from our relations or friends we waved willow branches as a symbol of the unbreakable bond between us, because the long slender branches blown by the wind seemed to cling to the departing ones and prevent their going.
I lived in Oxford for thirteen years, and still live in Oxfordshire, so I am very familiar with it – I enjoyed following his walks in my head, and thinking about how much and how little has changed in the eight decades since The Silent Traveller in Oxford was written. But I think there would be a lot to enjoy in this even if you’ve never been – and that’s because of Yee’s tone. He comes across as such a gentle, kind man. He doesn’t go for outright comedy, but there is a lightness to his touch that is joyful. And his illustrations add something rather lovely – this is the Radcliffe Camera, where I worked part-time as a library assistant for seven years.
It took me a long time to join Yee on these travels, and perhaps I wouldn’t get as much out of a book set somewhere I don’t know well, but I would still happily accompany Yee on another of his silent travels one day.
This looks like a lovely edition, the illustrations are beautiful. I like his approach to being interested in the big impressive things and small everyday things equally.
Yes! He seems a very wise man.
I love books like this. I wonder if it’s still possible to find a copy?
I think this original edition is a little scarce, but there seem to be more recent reprints.
I really like that style of illustration…
It’s lovely, isn’t it?
This looks so lovely! I can’t remember now who else has read another book by Yee in the series, or possibly this one. Hopefully one of your blog readers …
Karen wrote about the Edinburgh one!
I’ve only been to Oxford once, but I’d love to visit again – either literally or virtually through a book like this.
It won’t have changed much :D
You’ve reminded me that I mean to read this, thank you! Your copy is beautiful.
It’s lovely, isn’t it?
Oh, Simon! I’m so happy that you have read this! Chiang Yee is a hidden treasure. I have all his books (it took years of hunting; he can be hard to find), and have read all of them (except I can’t seem to finish his Japan, for some reason). They are gentle, fabulous reads, and his drawings are lovely. If I can be so bold as to recommend, read his London book next, then San Francisco. Then keep going with New York and Boston and the Lakelands. Oh, and then Edinburgh and Paris.
Thank you for the recommendations! I assume it doesn’t matter if you don’t know the places? Unless you are very well travelled and have been to all of those!
This series sounds really interesting. I have recently been reading Chun-Chan Ye’s trilogy about pre-Mao China, and this looks like the yin to his yang. Added to my burgeoning wishlist!
Oh interesting! He seems such a lovely man.
Sounds like as much of a treat as his book on Edinburgh was for me! I take your point about this being a place you know – I think if you *didn’t* know the place he was writing about, the book might resonate less. But I love what he brings of himself to the books!
Yes, I have been meaning to get the Edinburgh one since you wrote about it – I don’t know Edinburgh well, but enough to love it
His Edinburgh book is really good, he loved the place and people, the Lake District one is not quite as enjoyable, but for that one he didn’t spend so much time there, he seemed rather unimpressed by the landscape!
I can’t believe anyone would be unimpressed by the Lake District! But yes, will seek out the Edinburgh one
What a lovely job for you to have had. And I think it’s terrific that the bookseller hand-sold you this one…it really does seem a perfect match.