About this book

New from Bradt, South America: an Anthology of Travel Writing is an enchanting scrapbook of personal narratives from travellers in arguably the world’s most exciting and varied continent. Comprising both historical accounts (by famous figures) and contemporary articles or blogs (many by well-known personalities), this deftly curated collection of fine travel writing conveys the sense of excitement and awe that characterises explorations of a very special part of the world.

Ever since South America was ‘discovered’ in the fifteenth century, the continent has played upon our collective urge to travel and explore. Across eleven chapters featuring twelve countries, some of the world’s most famous destinations star: the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu, cloaked by cloud forest; the Amazon jungles; the Argentine pampas with its gaucho cowboys drinking yerba maté tea and eating plate-sized steaks; the wildlife wonders of the Galapagos; the Andean mountains; the big skies of Patagonia; and, at the foot of the continent, the fabled Tierra del Fuego.

Authors of the carefully curated group of stories include seminal figures of the past such as Charles Darwin and W.H. Hudson, modern-day TV personalities like Simon Reeve and Kate Humble, and acclaimed writers including Matthew Parris, Hilary Bradt, Stephen Moss and Adrian Phillips. Their styles differ markedly – from light and comic pieces to weightier, more reflective articles – as does the subject matter: there are cities and wilderness, wildlife and eco-tourism, exploration and exploitation, food and drink, backpacking and hiking, books and art, gauchos and their horses, adventure and misadventure.

Learn who risked being mistaken for a condor’s lunch, and how to drink the bitter tea known as yerba maté. Go in search of the world’s rarest hummingbird or test how far you would travel to eat Argentine steak. Launched to complement publication of the new centenary edition of the legendary South American Handbook, Bradt’s South America will delight and inspire anyone who has ever journeyed through Latin America – or has longed to visit while remaining in the comfort of their armchair.

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About the Author

Celia Dillow, the editor of this anthology, first travelled to South America more than 35 years ago, when she was posted to Montevideo with her diplomat husband. And so began a love affair with that unruly and enchanting continent. When not on duty, they were able to explore the quiet corners of Uruguay, always on the look out for its extraordinary birdlife. 17 years later, they returned, this time to live in Argentina, with three teenage sons and a shaggy dog. She has travelled extensively in the continent and has developed a passion for South American literature and other people’s travel stories.

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