Customer Reviews

Odyssey to Ushuaia: A Motorcycling Adventure from New York to Tierra del Fuego

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I bought this book excited to read about a fellow KLR rider undertaking a trip that I've been comtenplating myself. But instead of any insightful look at the people or places along the way, what we're left with is a juevenille cursory glance, while most of the book consists of the author looking to score with the ladies.

I felt entirely sympathetic with his two riding companions, as countlessly the author performs bone-headed manuevers, over-sleeps, doens't prepare in the least for a trip of this kind, and the guy wonders at the end why he isn't invited to one of their weddings.

This was a huge dissapointment, and if you're looking for insightful looks at motorcycle and travel, read The Perfect Vehicle, or Ghost Rider, or Zen and the art of Motorcycle Maintenence. All great books.

Avoid this stinker.

This book is quite a joy to read. Once you start reading you can hardly put it down. The vivid and detailed descriptions of all the characters and places that they run into allow yourself to get totally immersed in the whole adventure. Knowing one of the companions (Peter) since I was a little kid and seeing how accurately Andres described him in all of his aspects, lent a lot of credibility to every account in the book. I also got the chance to hear about the entire adventure through Peter's perspective and its just like Andres wrote about it. I recommend this book to anyone with an adventurous spirit.

A refreshing read by a novice adventurer that highlights both what to do and what not to do on this kind of expedition. Half the time I wanted to shake him silly for some some stunt, the other half of the time I was laughing at his descriptions of the same stunts. His awareness of his own weaknesses are an important part of the story. There is a good mix of technical narration, local history, and philisophical exploration. There are loose ends, a lot of references that could use a web site or phone to follow up, but enough info to track down if one is really interested. An excellent first effort, I look forward to another book from this guy, both for the writing and to see how he develops.

Its an entertaining story told in a very engaging manner. I found myself laughing out loud at the humorous anecdotes and situations that the author found himself in. I didn't want to put the book down. The writing is tight and lucid; the stories are interesting and funny. One of the best books of the type I have ever read. I highly recommend it.

This book has all of the essential elements of the perfect beach read; exotic locales, exciting adventure, hysterical calamity, and a little romance. Add in an adorably bumbling hero with a tendency to stick his foot in his mouth and two of the most quirky characters the internet could produce as riding companions, and you get quite an entertaining read. It's hard to believe that this is a true story - some of the things that happen along the way are just too bizzare and funny to be believed... but you know what they say about truth being stranger than fiction!
This book has a lot to offer the armchair adventurer too; lots of great descriptions of some pretty amazing locales, lots of historical facts and cultural information, and a few nasty run ins with border rip off artists and the ubiquitous greasy corrupt cops. Although I've never even gone near a motorcycle, this book made me want to run out and buy one to experience this myself! He offers a lot of insider information that would be very useful to those planning a similar trip.
Overall, I highly reccomend it!

I'm probably the last person that should ever read this book (I've never ridden a motorcycle, never been to South America, and definitely never wanted to combine the two) so I didn't know what to expect from this book. I couldn't have been happier with what I found. The author mixes in interesting tidbits about the motorcycle lifestyle, some of his riding heroes, and of course all the places and people he meets along the way. Mixed with the information were hilarious misadventures that make the people seem even more likable and real. The amount of information offered about each place was perfect for me. Any less and I would have felt like I wasn't learning anything. Any more and it would have slowed down the book. I'm a very slow reader but Carlstein has a way of writing in which you start reading and before you know it you've read 50 pages. Highly recommended.

I really enjoyed reading this story of motorcycling.

These guys really had a good time.

If you like travel, adventure, touring, the lore of the open road then you will love this book.

Highly recommended.

I have never read a "Travel" book before, let alone a "Motorcycle Travel" book so I may not be qualified to say that this is more of a tale of adventure than a guide of any sort. That said, this book has been a page-turner that has me looking for something similar to replace it now that it is over. Andre's makes you feel like you have been on the road (and off the road) and conveys, often at his own expense, a sense of the ups and downs of his relationship with his two riding partners.
This is not a Moto-Travel reference. It is not a guide to where to stay or what to eat. It is a true-life tale of a dream come to life. I hope to follow in Andres, Peters and Robert's footsteps some day.

A rich, fun and sexy read for anyone with a spirit for adventure. The author's honesty is irresistible, lending the narration a charm that soon has you hooked. Delightful character observations, historical anecdotes, cultural pearls and even a little philosophy are woven with humor and tension to create an engrossing journal. Even the technically challenged reader will get caught up the struggle to keep those mechanical beasts on the move. You'll come away feeling invigorated and a little wiser, touched by both the beauty and ugliness of the people and terrain encountered - and no doubt with a burning desire to be on the back of Carlstein's bike for his next quest. Get in line.

Not exactly a travel guide, if anything perhaps a "how not to" guide in parts. I found it a bit slow starting and was afraid that it would simply be another "we went here and we did that" sort of account. However, as I read on I found myself getting drawn in and really enjoying the story. It is Carlstein's first book as far as I know and it's interesting to me how it seems to just get better and become more intriguing as the story and his writing develops. The latter chapters became a real page turner for me. Should this author write another moto adventure story, I hope that he travels alone or simply picks up riding companions as he finds them. I found myself most engaged when he described his alone time. As someone who doesn't drink and is happily married, I could have done without the partying and womanizing tales, but I had to remember that was the adventure of a younger man with a different perspective and these events were a vital part of his experience. I particularly enjoyed the candid and forthright manner of his portrayal. I enjoyed this book and would certainly recommend it.