Buck Up, Joshua

Martha Gellhorn’s Travels With Myself and Another is an account of four “horror” trips.* In her introduction, she describes how no one is ever interested in the travels stories were nothing goes wrong. As such, the disastrous trips span the Caribbeans, a trans-Africa trip, a week in Moscow, and an extended stay in China with her then husband, Hemingway, who is referred to as UC (Unwilling Companion) for the entirety of the text.

Gellhorn’s trips are colored with episodes of illness, unpressurized planes, dodgy accommodations, and incompetence. Nonetheless, her accounts of travel pre-social are evocative and captivating because the world she describes no longer exists. She made me yearn for travel that is not codified by tourist excursions and viral videos.**

Through her writing we get a sense of the woman she was: brave, daring, and opinionated. She was staunchly anti-colonialism but there are descriptions in the memoir which feel inappropriate and small-minded. UC said it best, “Martha loves humanity but can’t stand people.”

This apt description takes on a great relevancy once Gellhorn cashes in a check for a story she sold, about $3000, and then proceeds to take a three-month solo sojourn through Africa.

Gellhorn travels across West and East Africa hunting for moments of understanding as well as tranquility and sublime beauty. She finds them. But, these moments are fleeting. Especially once she is straddled with Joshua, a young man who was vetted as an adequate guide and driver through the territories of Uganda and Kenya. The duo set off in a Land Rover only for Gellhorn to discover that not only can Joshua not drive, but he is a city boy who has never left Nairobi.***

As their safari progresses, Gellhorn finds herself putting on a brave face as she does all of the driving and mitigates Joshua’s various fears. His vocal and frequent complaints include: too cold, too smelly, too dangerous. Through it all, Gellhorn admonishes him with the refrain, “Buck up, Joshua!”

Something about that really tickled my fancy. It’s such a good phrase and reminded me of Joan Didion’s essay, "On Self-Respect.”

In our everyday lives, regardless of whether or not we are staring into the mouth of a yawning lion or the eyes of a wild elephant, it would behoove us all to buck up.

This week, in addition to finishing Gellhorn’s memoir, I finished The Gospel of Wellness by Rina Raphael and The Jakarta Method by Vincent Bevins. I’m currently in the middle of The Girls by John Bowen and Happy by Celina Baljeet Basra as well as Clean by James Hamblin. Oh, and Wifedom! With all of the book reading I’m doing, there was little time for article reading. Instead, I present you with another edition of:

THE FIVE SENSES

Seeing: Gel-free red nails with a blue undertone, Black Friday sales, Manet/Degas at the Met, and hopefully Priscilla.

Hearing: Camille Paglia discussing her writing process. Plus, “Venus” by Frankie Avalon, Shelley Duvall’s “He Needs Me,” and “Barbie” by JaidynAlexis.

Smelling: Masque Vivant

Tasting: Every morning, there’s a toasted everything bagel with cream cheese, smoked salmon and red onions. On the mornings where I indulge, there’s sourdough bread with a lemon ricotta spread and charred oyster mushrooms.

Touching: Cashmere knits

*Not monetized
**Her travel writing also made me think about the nature and relevancy of travel writing in our current climate when everything feels ubiquitous.
***She did hire him despite the pangs of her intuition.