Take a photo of a barcode or cover
itsaripotter 's review for:
In Patagonia
by Bruce Chatwin
While technically a travel account, In Patagonia is more like a history lesson of the various areas, specimens, and people who either lived in or found their way to Patagonia. Chatwin introduces colorful characters ranging from German settlers to a native who may have inspired Shakespeare. You hear of Butch Cassidy's escapades in the area and even encounter the old stomping grounds of the infamous prehistoric giant sloths.
I had the expectation for Chatwin to be a central figure which the book followed as he encountered the various places and people throughout his story. However, he often seemed content to bow out and not offer much more than being a placeholder in certain situations. In theory this sounds like a good strategy when highlighting a subject, but often his absences made the vignettes seem like random bits just thrown in a pot together.
Due to the lack of a consistently central plot or focus the book does plod along at times, and I'll admit to wondering more than once why we were focusing on a particular event or person. Chatwin's encounters and recountings do offer a lot of interesting background and factoids about Patagonia and its characters, but not not all them are as interesting as others, particularly when the vignettes become Inception-esque flashbacks and history lessons.
All-in-all, I would recommend this book to those with an interest in the area or with a bent towards history studies. It doesn't read like a typical travel account and so might not be what one may expect, but there's still plenty to appreciate.
I had the expectation for Chatwin to be a central figure which the book followed as he encountered the various places and people throughout his story. However, he often seemed content to bow out and not offer much more than being a placeholder in certain situations. In theory this sounds like a good strategy when highlighting a subject, but often his absences made the vignettes seem like random bits just thrown in a pot together.
Due to the lack of a consistently central plot or focus the book does plod along at times, and I'll admit to wondering more than once why we were focusing on a particular event or person. Chatwin's encounters and recountings do offer a lot of interesting background and factoids about Patagonia and its characters, but not not all them are as interesting as others, particularly when the vignettes become Inception-esque flashbacks and history lessons.
All-in-all, I would recommend this book to those with an interest in the area or with a bent towards history studies. It doesn't read like a typical travel account and so might not be what one may expect, but there's still plenty to appreciate.