Inspired a bit by Salt Path discussion. After yet another book with a great premise (The Path of Peace, about walking the route of the WW1 Western Front) that I've abandoned because of too much detail about the author's blisters and what feels like pages of description of feeling tired/wet/cold. It's hardly timeless prose, why do they do this?
Patrick Leigh Fermor is my gold standard at the moment. He was a complete arse by all accounts, but his writing is lyrical and wonderful and he doesn't go on his ailments or tedious logistics all the time. Who else have you found that writes like this - descriptive, interesting, and minimal navel gazing?