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.

No comments about Visions of Grenada Carriacou and Petite Martinique.

1 comments about Merritt Island and Cocoa Beach (FL) (Images of America).

1. Great stuff on the area before "takeover" by the government for KSC/ NASA. A step back in time for a while, although limited in scope and concentrates on a few families.

No comments about The Unofficial Guide to the Great Smoky and Blue Ridge Region (3rd ed).

No comments about Indian Placenames in America: Mountains, Canyons, Rivers, Lakes, Creeks, Forests, and Other Natural Features (Indian Placenames in America) (Indian Placenames in America).

No comments about The Inside Passage - Route Planning Map: South Portion, Columbia River & Puget Sound to Grenville Channel, British Columbia.

1 comments about Landmark Visitor Guide Florida Keys (Landmark Visitors Guide Florida Keys, 1st ed) (Landmark Visitors Guide Florida Keys, 1st ed).

1. Before buying this book, I checked out lots of visitors guides to the Keys. This book is well organized with sections for areas of the Keys and then accommodations, restaurants, etc. It was easy to find information and the information is complete with description, address, and phone number. This is by far the best book specifically about the Keys. Unlike many, it does not focus solely on Key West. I recommend it to anyone planning a trip there.

No comments about Storm over Cuba.

2 comments about Travel Companion Chile and Easter Island (Travel Companion).

1. My wife and I travelled in the south of Chile during the fall of 1997. Gerry Leitner's guide was invaluable both in the planning and in-country parts of our trip. This guide is appropriate for both budget and non-budget travellers.

   Leitner's book -- unlike other guides -- provides a host of essential detail. Some examples include bus schedules, seasonal dates of operation, and accurate phone numbers. The information is unusual in its comprehensive character. In fact, we were -- in some instances -- able to get more accurate and complete information from Leitner's Travel Companion than local sources. This was all the more surprising in view of the fact that my wife is an Uruguayan national and a native speaker of Spanish.

   The excellent organization and outstanding maps in Leitner's guide always keep the traveler oriented. Again in contrast to other travel books on Chile, it is easy to find information and understand the relation of parks and towns to a region and of regions to the entire country. This makes it easy to plan a trip or change itinerary at a moment's notice.

   As a final note, the far south of Chile and Argentina otherwise known as Magallanes, Patagonia, and Tierra del Fuego -- notwithstanding its awesome beauty -- is a real place and not a mythical realm. This travel guide keeps the traveller's feet on this real ground. Its content encompasses and in many cases excedes the sum of all other travel guide literature on this region.




2. We recently returned from Chile and found this guide to be almost useless when it came to reccommending restaurants and hotels. About half of those listed were no longer in business. This book should not be sold until it gets updated

No comments about Time Out Havana 1 (Time Out Havana & the Best of Cuba).