Book Review: Turn Right at Maccu Picchu

Although session two of book club was sparsely attended last week (everyone was sick!), we had a great discussion about this month's book, Turn Right at Maccu Picchu  by Mark Adams. When I first heard the title, I thought the book was going to be an historical account of Maccu Picchu and the Incas. And it was, sort of. But mostly it was a travel book and it focused more on the man who "discovered" Maccu Picchu than on the history of the Incas and of Peru in general. I'm not a huge fan of the travel nonfiction genre.

Mark retraces Hiram Bingham's steps, a professor at Yale in the early 20th century. There is quite a bit of information about Bingham's life in the book and I don't think it added that much to the story.

It was encouraging to know that a middle-aged man who, admittedly wasn't in the greatest of shape, could undertake such an arduous journey through the Andes of Peru. If money was no issue, I think I would book the next ticket to Peru.

I liked the book better, strangely, after I watched John Stewart interview Mark Adams. Then again, isn't everything better with a little John Stewart mixed in? And the whole story about Maccu Picchu and all things Inca is incredibly interesting. I mean, would you just look at this place???