London, 1985, 1st UK edition., 1985. 288 pp, maps. In 1981 the author walked throughout southwestern Europe. Hardcover with dust jacket. Fine.
When John Waite set out on his 3000 mile journey through Portugal, Spain, France, Switzerland and Italy, he set himself no time limit. That the walk would test him to his physical and mental limits, he was aware, and this proved to be so as he struggled under the fierce heat of the exposed Spanish Plains, gasped for breath up the icy mountain passes of Switzerland, and had to cope with long periods of being on his own. Mean Feat is an exceptionally fine first book from a writer whose eye for detail effortlessly involves the reader in whatever he is doing or experiencing, so that after 3000 miles, we, like he are satiated and have to stop.
