Turn Right at Machu Picchu: Rediscovering the Lost City One Step at a Time by Mark Adams [Book Review]
Summary
“In 1911, Hiram Bingham III climbed into the Andes Mountains of Peru and “discovered” Machu Picchu. While history has recast Bingham as a villain who stole both priceless artifacts and credit for finding the great archeological site, Mark Adams set out to retrace the explorer’s perilous path in search of the truth—except he’d written about adventure far more than he’d actually lived it. In fact, he’d never even slept in a tent.
Turn Right at Machu Picchu is Adams’ fascinating and funny account of his journey through some of the world’s most majestic, historic, and remote landscapes guided only by a hard-as-nails Australian survivalist and one nagging question: Just what was Machu Picchu?”
-From Amazon.com
Review
I absolutely devoured this book to be honest with you. Once I sat down and really started to get into it I read it within a day or so! I was wholeheartedly captured by the story, the images and the history that was put across in this book.
This is the type of book that really takes you away to what the author is writing about. It is non-fiction and historical, so it does jump a little bit between the history of Bingham and then the author, Mark, and his adventures. However, because of the kind of story I had to keep reminding myself that it was non-fiction. I was continually impressed at the levels of efforts that Mark went to to get to Machu Picchu, the more difficult route that he took and how he managed to survive it. It really made me realize that while I am adventurous, I am not an adventurer because some of the stuff he went through seemed so incredibly daunting! But was impressed, thoroughly.
I was really drawn into the local Peruvians and the impressiveness of the guides. I have always loved watching traveling shows and seeing guides at places where, to be frank, the white man shows up and just to see stuff and has no idea how difficult it is. Like you see those guides in Nepal carry all that stuff, this was a similar mood! The locals make these treks look so easy, they risk their lives and are just awe-inspiring with what they do. And what their lives are like. So I loved how they had a decently large spot in this book.
Honestly, I can’t really say too much about the book without spoiling bits of it as each page and section was an experience – from the deciding to go on this trip by Mark to the conclusion, it was such a wonderful ride. I loved every moment of it, I really learnt way more about Machu Picchu than I ever thought I would, and this is a book that I am so glad I got to read. Clearly I need to read some more books of this nature as I continually enjoy them.
Also who knew that Hiram Bingham III inspired Indiana Jones?? You learn something new every day!
I would give this book a solid 4/5!
Happy Reading!
