With little more than backpacks and desire for adventure, Mark Mann and two friends set out on an expedition through Ecuador, Bolivia, and Colombia, submerging themselves in Latin culture. Through dense forests, daunting mountains, and pristine beaches, the trio makes its way — in a drug-induced haze. Soon the drugs become an all-consuming addiction that changes the lives of Mann and his friends forever. This is an engaging travelogue and frank memoir evokes the magical realism of South American literature. “Darkly comic, ultimately shocking, and packed with astute observations.” — Geographical
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This author writes "By 1492, after trying for 800 years, Ferdinand and Isabella had finally expelled the Moors from Spain." Wow. That and the reference to Japanese "Banzai trees" marks this book as not so much poorly written as poorly edited. No surprise that when I went back to look at the gushing blurb on the cover, I found it was quoted from a soft-porn lad-mag.
This book is candy. It might be interesting to people who have never done this sort of travel, and who are fascinated by the idea of giving it a try. But for the tens of millions of us who having done it for ourselves, the journey this book describes is very ordinary. Here is yet another little band of angry, self-righteous British slackers, who escape work by puking and quarrelling their way across the 3rd world.
And this book is nothing more than the diary of the trip. Episode after episode, one wonders, "what was the point of that little story?" The author at one point ponders splitting off from his two companions, but it is clear why he doesn't: most of this book is about his interactions with them. Without someone to spat with, he would have little to fill the pages.
To give his work gravitas, he follows the formula of interleaving his personal narrative with leftish social-historical-political commentary. He even includes a bibliography of all of 20 books! It is just added gloss on the basic pretension that this trip is some sort of spiritual pilgrimage, an anthropological exploration into recondite psychedelic shamanic practices. He is flattering himself. He and his friends are just a slightly more educated breed of yobs, going where others have gone before.
He could aspire to be a chronicler, at least, of the yob backpacking scene. In a sense, he is. Realising that all the above still doesn't amount to an interesting story, he continues his wanderings until all the risk-taking behavior (dangerous buses, big doses, getting drunk with strangers, etc. etc.) leads to the predictable tears. A tragedy provides the book's climax--and an opportunity to quote Pink Floyd lyrics. In the final paragraph we see him setting off for yet another dangerous country with his remaining companion. Perhaps he will publish a sequel...if only he can manage to kill off just one more traveling companion....
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I must admit I had to read this in one sitting. Not for the fact that I liked it, but unfortunetly I have a habit of once starting a book, no matter how bad, I have to finish it. And I needed to finish this one pretty quickly. I did like Marks love of the continent, but that wasn't enough to keep the story together. It was almost like reading my sisters diary when a child, but without the secrets, gossip and intrigue. And that's all this was - a diary, speckled with historical snip bits. The trouble with diaries that are published as stories is they lack the beginning, middle and end needed to satisfy the reader. To be fair, I could have forgiven him for missing the first two out. The Gringo Trail is a collection of experiences that fail to deliver on their promises of excitement and discovery, and makes you end up wishing Mark had made it up instead. Which I'm sure he is very capable of doing. Some true stories are well worth telling, and this is one of them... but more in the pub than published sense.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
DJ Wheeler needs to get a life (see review below), girlfriend or both.
The Gringo Trail is one of the most interesting books I've read in ages. OK, so some of the jokes are a bit corny but it livens up the (interesting) background info on the Andean countries Mann and his travelling companions visit.
I couldn't put it down and friends who've read it agree that this book has really captured the spirit of backpacking, more so than The Beach.
I would recommend this book to anyone thinking of visiting South America. And, like me, if you've been to some of the places Mann mentions, you will really be able to relate to what he has written.
The Gringo Trail is one of the most interesting books I've read in ages. OK, so some of the jokes are a bit corny but it livens up the (interesting) background info on the Andean countries Mann and his travelling companions visit.
I couldn't put it down and friends who've read it agree that this book has really captured the spirit of backpacking, more so than The Beach.
I would recommend this book to anyone thinking of visiting South America. And, like me, if you've been to some of the places Mann mentions, you will really be able to relate to what he has written.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Good Book, but not quite Great
I enjoyed the book, having travelled to South America myself and visited many of the places that he mentions. His political ramblings detract a little from the book. Read more
Published on November 1, 2007 by Steve "El Jefe" Boss
not for adults
The gringo trail is a list of bus stops along the Andes spliced between political diatribes lifted from books by Marxist academics. Little in this book is original. Read more
Published on April 17, 2007 by Joshua E. Cole
The Gringo Trail
Entertaining
Educating
I rated it to 5 stars
Educating
I rated it to 5 stars
Published on September 6, 2006 by Carstens Johan
An interesting read, especially if you love traveling
While the book did read much like a travel diary at points, it was very insightfull and introspective. It really gave me the feel of extended traveling around South America.
Published on August 7, 2005 by M. Cooper
Not something you'll find at Lunpolly
Those of you who have the vaguest interest in travel and are keen to stray further adrift than the resorts of Costa del Sol will find that this book seriously inflames such... Read more
Published on April 27, 2005 by Lord_of_drunken_misrule
'ey gringo, is no' so bad man!!!!
For those of you who like your travel experiences to be wild and exciting, 'The Gringo Trail' has to be worth a read. Read more
Published on June 16, 2004 by Martial Arts Fan
Obviously divides opinion - but I loved it!
Judging by the other reviews, this is a book you either love or hate. Well, I loved it! For me, this book captured the feeling of backpacking better than any I've read (far better... Read more
Published on July 10, 2003 by stpedrotraveller
This is probably the worst book I have ever read.
I don't often read a book that I think is really bad. I feel a bit disrespectful to the author's late friend who this book is a kind of tribute too, but it is really laughable. Read more
Published on July 1, 2001 by dastardlydan
Best Travel Writing!
This book was excellent reading. I couldn't put it down. If you are interested in South America, you will feel like you are there. Read more
Published on August 18, 2000
Great travel adventures from the lonely planet generation
At first I was turned off by all the attention given to drugs,since I don't take them and don't give a ( )about the clandestine"drug culture. Read more
Published on May 21, 2000 by AM
Inside This Book
(learn more)
First Sentence:
Mark took his last seventy mushrooms on the plane from London to Quito. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
open veins Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Santa Marta, San Pedro, South America, Latin America, Machu Picchu, Gran Casino, San Augustin, United States, Gringo Trail, Lago Agrio, Party Animal, Third World, Hong Kong, Pueblo Bello, World Cup, Clint Eastwood, Inca Trail, Lake Titicaca, Mike Snape, New Age, San Francisco, Cordillera Real, Doha Silviana, Finsbury Park, Hogar Donaldo New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Mark took his last seventy mushrooms on the plane from London to Quito. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
open veins Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Santa Marta, San Pedro, South America, Latin America, Machu Picchu, Gran Casino, San Augustin, United States, Gringo Trail, Lago Agrio, Party Animal, Third World, Hong Kong, Pueblo Bello, World Cup, Clint Eastwood, Inca Trail, Lake Titicaca, Mike Snape, New Age, San Francisco, Cordillera Real, Doha Silviana, Finsbury Park, Hogar Donaldo New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Citations (learn more)
This book cites 17
books:
See all 17 books this book cites
- Open Veins of Latin America: Five Centuries of the Pillage of a Continent by Eduardo Galeano on page 59, page 105, and page 121
- The Elements of Shamanism by Nevill Drury in Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
- Fruit Palace by Charles Nicholl on page 147, and Back Matter
- Food of the Gods by Terence McKenna on page 175, and Back Matter
- Food in History by Reay Tannahill in Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
See all 17 books this book cites
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