Turn Right at Machu Picchu

Surprisingly enjoyable and complex. Bits of travelogue, history, opinion, even discovery—fitting for a book I chanced upon accidentally while browsing for maps at Travel Bug.

Adams ostensibly sets off to recreate Hiram Bingham's 1911 “discovery” of Machu Picchu as a centennial observation, retracing parts of Bingham's route and trying to offer us a vision of the world in those days. What he ends up with is a rich panorama of context: prehistoric, post-conquest, early twentieth century, and present day. Adams does a remarkable job of presenting the zeitgeist of each, vividly and memorably. Not just the history but the landscape, the personalities involved, even down to the minute but essential realities of plants, insects, and muddy trails. He takes you there. Adams himself is mostly invisible throughout the book; the main character is his guide, John Leivers, a truly fascinating Australian expat.

Engaging, entertaining, informative, often funny, often moving. A real gem. An absolute must-read if you're headed to Cusco, and a should-read even if you're not.