Advantages: More than just country music
Disadvantages: Not their best effort

...following a similar route as Shania Twain did with "Come On Over" and trying to get more fans from other genres. How successful this might be will depend on the quality of the music. The album starts with the almost title track, "The Long Way Around", proving that the defiance the Dixie Chicks showed back in 2003 is still present. Musically, they appear to have taken a long way around as well, with their sound having much more of a folk influence than before and the latter part of the song particularly sounding a little like the Corrs. It's got quite a bouncy mid-tempo beat and proves to be a decent enough opener, with a pop-folk influence given a slight edge by the country sounding vocals. There's a slower start to "Easy Silence", which proves to be very much a pop-country ballad. There isn't quite the same strong country influence... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Very easy to read, well written and very witty
Disadvantages: You might stay up to late reading it!

...A Long Way Down is the latest in a string of big hit books written by the oh-so witty Nick Hornby. Previous titles you may have heard of include About A Boy, High Fidelity and Fever Pitch. If you have read any of his books before then you will already know how funny this guy is. If you haven't then I suggest you find out. This story tackles one of the most morbid of subjects in one of the most hilarious, yet poignant, ways. At times you will be sat almost crying at the tragedy of a situation whilst, at others, you will be laughing out loud, to the amusement of others, at the sheer stupidity of another. The story comprises of four main characters and they are Martin, Maureen, Jess and JJ. Each of the four characters is hell bent on suicide and this is, most definitely, the only thing they have in common. Never before have I known... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: It teaches us that we are all just people regardless of our race, ocupation, and location
Disadvantages: A Bit Long

...Ok so i was asked to write an essay about what makes Long Way Round such an interesting read, so i did, but it turned out to be more like a book review so i redid it and this is what i cam out with!! What makes 'Long Way Round' such an interesting read? 'Long Way Round' by Ewan McGregor and Charlie Boorman is an interesting read because we learn that we are all just people, regardless of our race, location or occupation. In this essay I am going to explain why this book is such an interesting read. First a quick summary of the book. Ewan and Charlie, both famous film actors travel the 20000 miles from London to New York the long way round. Along the way they encounter many difficulties and meet a lot of people form different cultures. Going through, places like, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, and Alaska. To start of with, we are all... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Enjoyable adventure
Disadvantages: Made me want to learn to ride a motorbike!

...This was a book I bought my husband for christmas, which he really wanted to read after seeing the TV series. It is written by actors Ewan McGregor (Star wars, Miss Potter, Moulin Rouge....) and his best friend, Charley Boorman (Hope and Glory, The Bunker...), who met on a film set and discovered a shared love of motorbikes. In 2004, the two set off on their first motorbike adventure, Long Way Round, where they traveled east around the globe. After the success of that journey, thy soon decided to start planning their next adventure, and that is where Long Way Down fits in. A three month journey from the northerly tip of Scotland to the very south of Africa, covering nearly 15, 000 miles on the bikes and nearly 20, 000 miles all together. The journey was intended to raise funds and awareness for several charities which the two... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Extremely funny, entertaining and touching in places
Disadvantages: None really worth mentioning

...'The Long Way Round' is essentially a travelling diary of the adventures of best friends Ewan McGregor (Star Wars, Trainspotting) and Charley Boorman (On Edge, The Bunker) as they travel from London to New York via Europe, Russia, Mongolia and other countries with nothing but themselves, their motorbikes and their camera man Claudio, (plus a small support crew following behind, but rarely interfering with their journey). They get themselves in some very peculiar situations, have a few near-death experiences, they laugh and they fall off their bikes on many, many occasions. I never actually saw this show on television, but when I was visiting my sister I watched their copy of the DVD and was completely taken by the show, (so much so I ordered my own copy the moment I got home). The friendship between Ewan and Charley is obvious...