About the Book 

In 1933, at the age of 18, Patrick Leigh Fermor set out on an extraordinary journey by foot—from the Hook of Holland to Constantinople. A Time of Gifts is the first volume in a trilogy recounting the trip, and takes the reader with him as far as Hungary. It is a book of compelling glimpses—not only of the events which were curdling Europe at that time, but also of its resplendent domes and monasteries, its great rivers, the sun on the Bavarian snow, the storks and frogs, the hospitable burgomasters who welcomed him, and that world's grandeurs and courtesies. His powers of recollection have astonishing sweep and verve, and the scope is majestic. First published to enormous acclaim, it confirmed Fermor's reputation as the greatest living travel writer, and has, together with its sequel Between the Woods and the Water (the third volume is famously yet to be published), been a perennial seller for 25 years. 

Recommended for:

• Fans of biography 
• History lovers 
• Future world explorers 

About the OKS Author  

Sir Patrick Leigh Fermor attended King’s in The Grange from 1929 to 1932. During his time at King’s, he was known to maintain the highest levels of sophistication that would path his way for his career. When he first left King’s, Patrick walked from the Hook of Holland to Istanbul, switching between sleeping in barns and huts and being invited to country houses of the gentry in Central Europe. Patrick also opened The Grange House in 2007. 

A Time of Gifts was published in 2021 and is available for purchase on Amazon.