Andes

A "captivating" journey through the landscape, history, and diverse cultures of one of the world's most majestic mountain ranges: "A modern travel classic" (Jon Lee Anderson).

For centuries, the Andes of South America have caught the imagination of travelers, inspiring fear and wonder. The groundbreaking scientist Alexander von Humboldt claimed that "everything here is grander and more majestic than in the Swiss Alps, the Pyrenees, the Carpathians, the Apennines, and all other mountains I have known." Rivaled in height only by the Himalayas and stretching more than 4,500 miles, the sheer immensity of the Andes is matched by its concentration of radically contrasting scenery and climates, and the rich and diverse cultures of the people who live there.

In this remarkable book, Michael Jacobs delves into the rich history of the Andes as he journeys across seven countries, from the balmy Caribbean to the inhospitable islands of the Tierra del Fuego, through the relics of ancient civilizations and the remnants of colonial rule. He begins in Venezuela, following the path of 19th-century revolutionary Simon Bolivar, but soon diverges to include accounts from sources as varied as Humboldt, the young Charles Darwin, and Bolivar's extraordinary and courageous mistress, Manuela Saenz. On his way, Jacobs uncovers the stories and secrets of a region steeped in history, science, and myth.

"Even a reader with no prior interest in the Andes, or South America in general, can't help but be captivated by this Englishman's Andean odyssey . . . An engrossing read, written with historical depth, dry wit and moments of endearment." -Globe and Mail