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3.77 AVERAGE
3.77 AVERAGE
Really 3 and a half stars. I think I would have gotten more out of it if I waited until after I visited MP.
Author retraces footsteps of (a) 16th century Inca retreating from conquistadors, and (b) self-styled explorer Hiram Bingham III, who, in the early 19th century, publicized the location of Machu Picchu via a series of articles in National Geographic. Along the way, the author muses over Inca sites reclaimed by cloudforest, the Inca Trail, and archaeoastronomical theories for grand citadels located in both the Andes and the Amazon. Strongly suggested reading prior to entering Machu Picchu via the 4-day Inca Trail.
If my husband and I weren't heading to Peru, I would have quit this book about a hundred pages in. The problem with travel books is that authors tend to have difficulty striking a balance between history of the place they are visiting along with their personal story. This particular author was mostly ill-prepared physically so his stories started out slightly humorous and then just annoying. The story felt dis-jointed to me and poorly written. I ended up skimming the last fifty pages.
Now how I wish I'd booked our trip early enough to get a permit to hike the Inca Trail!
An amiable read that combines adventure travel with history. Three stars feels low but I can't quite give it four. I really wanted more photos to give me an idea of the terrain that was being covered.
The "discoverer" of Machu Picchu, Hiram Bingham, isn't the ideal topic for the historical section of the book. I'd have much rather have read more about the Inca themselves. On the other hand, it was Bingham who inspired the author's journey, so it does make sense logistically.
We get to know the author's guide more than we do the author himself, but John Leivers is a character well worth hearing to know. One of the best things about this book is that it reminds us there is a great deal more to Machu Picchu than a check box destination for global jet-setters, and that talking the slow route can be much more rewarding.
The "discoverer" of Machu Picchu, Hiram Bingham, isn't the ideal topic for the historical section of the book. I'd have much rather have read more about the Inca themselves. On the other hand, it was Bingham who inspired the author's journey, so it does make sense logistically.
We get to know the author's guide more than we do the author himself, but John Leivers is a character well worth hearing to know. One of the best things about this book is that it reminds us there is a great deal more to Machu Picchu than a check box destination for global jet-setters, and that talking the slow route can be much more rewarding.
I read this in advance of my upcoming trip to Peru. In two weeks, I'll be down there and wanted to review the history and theories about Machu Picchu all while enjoying a contemporary take on travel to this country. It was a sometimes funny account of a modern man's trek through the Andes and communities of rural Peru. Adams is an engaging likeable narrator despite his obvious city-slicker ways. He's self-deprecating, knowledgeable, and enthusiastic about his subjects. Approaching the people and history of Peru in a respectful way, Adams entertains rival theories to Hiram Bingham's accounts while also carefully criticizing his approach. Sometimes very heavy with detail, it's still a great read to evoke the setting and feel of Peru. I'll see how it compares to the real thing in just a couple weeks!
I really enjoyed reading about his trip & the characters he encountered along the way. Personally, however, I have almost no interest in Incan history so I found the detailed historical parts (more than half of the book) pretty dull. Not a bad read otherwise.
Kind of boring. Adams takes a very long time to admit that a white guy didn’t discover Machu Picchu. I’m just a little over this kind of story I think. I’m over the perspectives of Americans on other countries histories.
Ok, yes, it took me forever to get through this book. It was NOT the book's fault. There were children born between cracking the first page and closing the back cover. So sue me. In any event, it was a very good book - almost like being there. Machu Picchu is a place I've always wanted to visit, and this book takes you there. And it's a very interesting and funny trip.