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Reviewed by Carol Thompson for Readers' Favorite
The Elderly Gentleman’s Ulyssee by Hans Bodmer is a whimsically reflective travelogue chronicling a twelve-day hike on foot from Zurich to Geneva. Framed through the perspective of a sharp-witted, older protagonist, the book unfolds as both a physical journey and a philosophical exploration, where introspection, satire, and social commentary accompany each footstep. Bodmer’s protagonist is an aging man driven by curiosity, a need for movement, and a desire to reconnect with a more tactile experience of Switzerland. While his stated goal is to reach a café in Meyrin, the true substance of the book lies in the vivid encounters and internal musings that surface along the way. These encounters range from run-ins with grumpy hotel proprietors and flirtations with mysterious women in black to spirited debates on politics, religion, aging, and the meaning of life. Alongside humorous tangents, such as developing a Coke/hour index to measure income disparity, the narrator offers glimpses of tender memories and existential inquiries.
Despite the terrain’s literal and metaphorical demands, the writing remains playful. Hans Bodmer embraces ambiguity and irony, often using apostrophes to emphasize provocative words and phrases. The narrative voice balances weariness with optimism, never quite succumbing to sentimentality, yet consistently returning to wonder. Observations about modern consumerism, global inequities, and spiritual uncertainty are interwoven throughout, adding depth to what could otherwise be a lighthearted narrative. Stylistically, the work recalls travel memoirs like Patrick Leigh Fermor's A Time of Gifts, but with a drier wit and a more personal philosophical bent. The Elderly Gentleman’s Ulyssee is a thoughtful and eccentric meditation on time, solitude, and what it means to keep moving, even when the world, or one’s body, urges stillness.
