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3.77 AVERAGE
3.77 AVERAGE
adventurous
medium-paced
A very enjoyable and humorous account of the author's many expeditions to Peru to follow in Hiram Bingham's footsteps. An eye catching cover is what attracted me to this book and the writing kept me turning the pages. Too bad the photos were all in black and white. Adams' self-deprecating humor and funny analogies at times rivalled Tim Cahill's travel writing. His companion for the hiking and climbing of the Inca Trail is a Crocodile Dundee like Australian who is a walking encyclopedia of Inca culture and "outdoorsmanship." Their relationship makes the tale interesting to say the least. This book has made me want to visit Machu Picchu but I don't know if I'd want to go unless I could go with John Leivers, the Australian.
adventurous
funny
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
adventurous
challenging
informative
slow-paced
Loved this book...made me want to pack a rucksack and hike the Inca Trail.
After hearing so much about Peru from the guys at work, it was nice to hear a new perspective. I love reading about anthropology, and tales that merge the past and the present are the best. Following in Bingham's footsteps was a great premise for a book, but I enjoyed the people even more than the story.
It was a really hard for me to focus on Mark Adams "Turn Right at Machu Picchu: Rediscovering the Lost City One Step at a Time." One moment I'd be reading; the next, googling images of Peru, discovering the Top Ten Things To Do in Cusco, and scouting flights to Lima (which I never realized bordered the ocean). Peru's Level 4 COVID-19 travel warnings brought me back to earth, so to fulfill my wanderlust, I kept reading. Mark Adams is a good travel companion. As an editor for a travel magazine who finds himself desk-bound, Adams finally succumbs to embarking on a great adventure: retracing the steps of Hiram Bingham, a real-life Indiana Jones, who "found" Machu Picchu and let the rest of the world know of Peru's little secret. Lead by John Leivers, a guide who puts Indy to shame, Adams delves into Incan history, Bingham's explorations and exploits, and graduates from "tourist" to bona-fide "traveller".
Adams is informative, entertaining, and funny. He does not take himself too seriously. I appreciate how he deals with complex issues, such as imperialism and white guys "finding" places that aren't lost and taking things that aren't theirs (and having to return them), with a light touch. I especially appreciate his detail about Incan culture and architecture. In the meantime he hikes through the jungle at high-altitudes, camps on the edge of cliffs, and experiences life-changing vistas. His work follows the travelogue trope of the "everyman who bites off more than he can chew" that one finds with Bill Bryson, Tony Horwitz, Tim Moore, and J. Maarten Troost, but they bring a sense of coziness to armchair travel. If they can go out in the world and survive, so can we.
Adams is informative, entertaining, and funny. He does not take himself too seriously. I appreciate how he deals with complex issues, such as imperialism and white guys "finding" places that aren't lost and taking things that aren't theirs (and having to return them), with a light touch. I especially appreciate his detail about Incan culture and architecture. In the meantime he hikes through the jungle at high-altitudes, camps on the edge of cliffs, and experiences life-changing vistas. His work follows the travelogue trope of the "everyman who bites off more than he can chew" that one finds with Bill Bryson, Tony Horwitz, Tim Moore, and J. Maarten Troost, but they bring a sense of coziness to armchair travel. If they can go out in the world and survive, so can we.
A fun book! Adams is witty and has a colorful and even writing style that is soothing to read.
I was recommended this book because I took a trip to Peru this year. I enjoyed the book (which I listened to on audiobook), but I found that I would get lost in all of the details a little bit. It was a unique experience to read both before and after I had seen some of the places the author talks about - I was intrigued by the story before I went, and then found the history more fascinating and real once I had already been to the places being talked about.
The most interesting parts, in my opinion, were related to Bingham and his travel/excavation trips. Artifacts that made it back to the U.S., the fight over which country was the rightful owner, as well as Peruvian and American perceptions about the situation were all interesting anecdotes - I hadn't actually been aware of any of these situations before. The author gives the book a fact-filled journalistic flair while still managing to make it feel like a real-life adventure story. I would say it's an interesting book for someone who likes history and travel experiences, but it does get a bit difficult to sort through all of the tangents for the real story line.
The most interesting parts, in my opinion, were related to Bingham and his travel/excavation trips. Artifacts that made it back to the U.S., the fight over which country was the rightful owner, as well as Peruvian and American perceptions about the situation were all interesting anecdotes - I hadn't actually been aware of any of these situations before. The author gives the book a fact-filled journalistic flair while still managing to make it feel like a real-life adventure story. I would say it's an interesting book for someone who likes history and travel experiences, but it does get a bit difficult to sort through all of the tangents for the real story line.
Well I know lots more than I did about Machu Picchu. Interesting history learned through a novel/story rather than straight at ya. Can't wait to see all the things he talks about.