Books › Turn Right at Machu Picchu
Turn Right at Machu Picchu
333 pages
A witty, blister-inducing trek through history that proves the best way to understand an ancient mystery is to walk it yourself.
What it feels like
Reading this book feels like embarking on a grueling but deeply entertaining hike with your funniest, most historically literate friend. The narrative moves at a brisk, engaging clip, effortlessly toggling between the sweaty, blistered reality of trekking the Andes and the fascinating, often fraught history of early twentieth-century exploration. The mood is a delightful blend of self-deprecating humor and genuine awe, capturing both the absurdity of an indoor man braving the wilderness and the breathtaking majesty of the Incan empire. It is a transportive experience that delights armchair travelers and history enthusiasts alike, offering a journey that begins in wry skepticism but ultimately arrives at a place of profound, hard-won reverence for the past.
- Mood
- sweaty
- awe-struck
- transportive
- adventurous
- Tone
- wry
- self-deprecating
- inquisitive
- conversational
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- armchair vs. actual adventure · the myth of discovery · pushing personal boundaries · historical reckoning
- The writing
- The writing is sharply observant and laced with dry humor, seamlessly weaving dense historical exposition with entertaining physical comedy.
- The arc
- The journey shifts from humorous physical inadequacy and skepticism to a profound, hard-won reverence for an ancient landscape.
- Who it's for
- Armchair travelers and history buffs who love a witty, relatable guide who doesn't take himself too seriously.
Content notes
- colonialism
- mild physical peril
About the book
Traces the author's recreation of Hiram Bingham III's discovery of the ancient citadel, Machu Picchu, in the Andes Mountains of Peru, describing his struggles with rudimentary survival tools and his experiences at the sides of local guides.
Description from Open Library.
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