No comments about Peoples of Old.

No comments about Mischief in Patagonia.

5 comments about The Last Cowboys at the End of the World: The Story of the Gauchos of Patagonia.

1. If you cherish the ways in which John McPhee and Barry Lopez make meaning out of landscape, if you appreciate a writer with an observant heart and a feel for language, and if you wonder how people manage to live--for well and for ill--in a world turned inside out, this is the book for you. By turns harrowing, hilarious, and touching, "The Last Cowboys" will command your attention and remain in your thoughts long after you have read the last page.



2. If you have been to Cisnes,Patagonia (or want to go there) this is a must book to read. I spent 10 days in this area in February, 2002 and saw some of the people that Nick writes about. In reading the book Nick made me feel that I was back there as I could visualize where the events were taking place. The changes to Coyhaique have continued since 1999 as I found it to be a very modern town. After reading this book I would like to make a return trip.



3. This is just to correct a gross mistake from one of the other reviewers. Gauchos are the archetypical argentine country men, not chilean. and Patagonia is argentinean in more than 90% of its extension.
   Gaucho literature is almost exclusively argentinian. An obligatory introduction to the world of gauchos is José Hernández' Martin Fierro. See this book first to get a glance at the gaucho's rough life before embarking in a second-hand misleading historiography.



4. I had the pleasure of meeting Nick Reding earlier this year, and as I chatted with him over some drinks, I was really struck by the thought, "This guy has led a really amazing life!" As a result, I went out and grabbed this book and as I read it, I became even more amazed.

   Nick tells the story of his experiences in the Chilean Patagonia in a way that draw you in to every moment. The vividness of his writing and the beauty of some of his comparisons made this quite an enjoyable read. His attention to detail leaves the reader with a feeling that they are right there staring over Nick's shoulder as he goes about life in a very different part of the world.

   Nick has that knack that some of the best writers have of being able to see the common thread that exists between very different experiences and places. This book is also extremely well researched with a lot of attention to historical detail, but this detail is not integrated in a dry textbook like manner. Instead when Nick feels it is neccessary to illuminate the reader about a particular piece of history to provide context for an event, he explains that history without distracting from the main storyline.

   Overall, this is an excellent piece of writing and I look forward to future books by Nick (he assures me at least one more is on the way).




5. This is an exceptional study of the Patagonian gauchos and their life style and habitat before it is extinguished forever by western values, money and culture. As a tourist in Patagonia it should be required reading, especially if you are attempting a riding trip there as we were, across the Andes. For a moment you can understand what you are seeing and experiencing, for a second you are part of the scenary, not just watching it voyeuristically unfold before you. I don't think I understood travel until I read this book.I will never travel again with my eyes open and my mind closed.

5 comments about Chile Guide (Open Road Travel Guides).

1. I bought a number of books for my trip to Chile and found this one to be the most helpful by far. I only had a few weeks and I needed some good input on how to spend my travel time. I appreciated this guide because it gave opinions and recommendations.

   I think the authors and I have the same expectations for travel -- we seek out interesting places but also good food and comfortable (not necessarily fancy) lodgings. I'm definitely an indepedent traveler who likes to seek out new experiences. This guide led me perfectly along the way.




2. Of all the guidebooks I read to prepare for a two week trip to the southern part of Chile - this one had me the most enthused about going. The descriptions in the book compel you to go to out of the way places I would have missed otherwise. It is not as detailed as the Rough Guide - but sometimes the zen for travel can be lost in the details. These authors have an obvious enthusiasm and love of this country. This feeling did not come across in many of the other guide books.



3. It is the nature of travel guides to be a bit sketchy, else you would be carrying something the size of a phone directory. But this book is neither the handy and compact size of the Lonely Planet guide to Chile, nor as comprehensive. And it is full of errors in many sections. In the Hanta virus discussion the translation of the principle disease vector is improperly translated as being a "rat" when in fact it is a quite small "mouse." There are many other examples of just plain incorrect translations, some of which may get you into trouble, while others just illustrate lackluster proofreading. These numerous errors suggest that while the authors may have visited Chile, they did not become competent in its language and customs. Much of the information is just plain wrong, and appears to be gleaned from sources other than first-hand knowledge and experience. For example, during the past ten years I have often crossed the frontier between Chile Chico (Chile) and Los Antiguos (Argentina), first as a tourist and later as a Chilean resident, and NEVER have I needed what the authors claim is an essential "salvoconducto." This bit of misinformation was apparently picked up from very old guidebooks of the past, which should suggest to contemporary readers the origins of many of the errors in this unfortunate attempt at a modern guide to Chile. As the Chileans themselves might say "Lindo, pero harto errores"(nice but plenty of mistakes). Conclusion: not recommended.



4. Although many of the other reviewers were critical of the information in this book, I found it the only Chile guidebook that had recommendations for places that only Chileans know about. I also found the tone of the book entertaining, and it was clear that the authors actually lived here instead of visited a few times. Before moving here, my Chilean husband and I used it for a two week trip for 10 "gringos" and found not one recommendation to be off target. In fact, we've recommended some of the places to other Chileans! Its target audience is not the Lonely Planet crowd, but those of us who are no longer staying in hostals and have the means to rent a car instead of taking the bus.
   We live in Chile and after one of our visitors "borrowed" the book, we are now ordering a new copy to be able to plan future getaways and itineraries for friends. I couldn't recommend it more!



5. I went to Chile with 8 friends and we all decided to each bring one travel book. After our second day in Santiago I don't think my book was even opened. It became an amusing side joke to the trip.
   Like some of the other reviews, I agree that it caters to a traveller that is not on a strict budget. It did not seem thourough or detalied enough to give the reader options. There were the few recommendations and that was it.
   On the positive side, the recommendations were good ones. The book simplified scenarios that could be overwhelming with too many options. In many instances it could at least point you in the right direction.
   If you are buying a book for Chile, I think you can find a more complete book somewhere else that would contain all the information that is in this book.

No comments about Chile-Argentina-Isla de Pascua - Trotamundos.

No comments about Atlas Argentina/Chile/Uruguay/Paraguay/Brasil/Bolivia (Firestone).

No comments about ...Patagonian year,.

No comments about An Englishman in Patagonia.

No comments about Chile: Arica Desert to Tiorra Del Fuego.

No comments about The Defense Institute of Security Assistance Management Mobile Education Team visits Santiago Chile.(EDUCATION AND TRAINING): An article from: DISAM Journal.