Transform from Tourist to Traveler
Enhance your journey through South America with local literature
I used to see the world as a tourist. I’d usually come away with some great photos and a belly full of the local food and drink after visiting the ‘must-sees’ and ‘must-dos’ of a place. But ever since I’ve been blessed to actually live overseas the last two years as an ‘ex-pat’ thanks to the Olmsted Scholar Program I’ve learned several new ways to optimize the enjoyment and learning experience provided by the opportunity to immerse in another culture. With the investment of a little bit of time each day, you too can go from tourist to true traveler.
One of the most effective ways to get the most out of voyages is to read a fiction or non-fiction book about your destination prior to your trip. My wife recommended this practice to me two years ago and it has immensely improved my ability to understand the people and places that we visit.
Looking back, it was like I was attending a sporting event without knowing the players, the rules, or anything that was going on. Yes, it was fun to be in the stadium- but I was missing a large percentage of the experience, like the whos, hows and whys. Thanks to the knowledge gained by reading a book about my destination, now I feel like I am back at the stadium, but now I know when to cheer, who’s who on the court, and the meaning of the game. Locally themed books enable in-depth understanding that other mediums just don’t provide.
My wife and I cultivated this list with the help of many readers and travelers who went before. While many aren’t considered uplifting beach reading, several of the books contain serious and moving themes based on the complex histories in the region that are worth exploring. Without further ado, here are some of our favorite works that enhanced our travels during twenty-four months of living in South America broken down by country:
Argentina. Imagining Argentina by Lawrence Thorton. Although written by a ‘gringo,’ this historical fiction novel uses one of the main vehicles of Latino literature, magical realism, to chillingly tell the story of victims of Argentina’s Dirty War. The most recent period of military authoritarian rule occurred from 1976–1983, and is still one of the most controversial periods in Argentine history. Reading this work provides a dark but deep understanding of how and why many Argentines harbor a deep distrust of the government or the military. No matter what city you subsequently visit you can see solemn monuments to the secret detention centers of an era gone by and understand the complicated history behind them.
Bolivia. Marching Powder: A True Story of Friendship, Cocaine, and South America’s Strangest Jail by Thomas McFadden and Rusty Young. For many years, one of those most popular places to tour in La Paz, Bolivia was its infamous San Pedro Prison — not a museum or a historical site, but an actual working prison with visits led by the inmates. This intriguing non-fiction story is told through the eyes of a journalist who visits an English prisoner there, and offers a first-hand account of both the impact of cocaine in the region and the rampant corruption that exists in certain facets of Latin American society. You can no longer go inside the prison when you visit La Paz but a stop outside for a photo will prove safer in the long run anyway!
Brazil. Invisibles by Ed Siegle. This fictional account focuses on a Brazilian refugee living in England, unsettled in his professional life until he confronts the questions of his past. He can only do so by returning to his native Rio de Janeiro and reconnecting with the family that he left behind. Readers discover Brazilian history and the character of the different neighborhoods of its most famous city through the narrator’s personal quest. Siegle vividly colors the city and its people even before you arrive for your visit.
Chile. The Statues that Walked: Unraveling the Mystery of Easter Island by Terry Hunt and Carl Lipo. Easter Island is the most isolated inhabited island in the world. Relatives of its original inhabitants survive to this day in what is now Chilean territory thanks to a vibrant tourism industry centered around its famous Moai statutes. In this non-fiction work, two scientists propose theories based on their field research that reverse almost everything we thought we knew about the island. They also highlight the modern day struggles of the indigenous people that you will see still working and living on there. No visit to this giant open-air museum is complete without first reading this companion.
Colombia. The Sound of Things Falling by Juan Gabriel Vásquez. Colombia is one of the most paradoxical South American nations. Around the world it remains infamous for its drug cartels and crime lords, despite the fact that today it is one of the safest places to visit in the region; in the past few years it has become a center of development, technology and innovation, but public places are still patrolled by bomb-sniffing dogs due to continued civil strife. The Sound of Things Falling is a fictional account of the scars that the drug wars left on the nation and how they personally impacted normal citizens. Understanding this perspective will give you a better sense of why there is still a slightly unsettled feeling on the streets of modern Bogota, even as many who fled the turmoil return to start restaurants and businesses in an effort to revitalize their diverse and beloved nation.
Ecuador. Floreana: A Woman’s Pilgrimage to the Galapagos by Margret Wittmer. Oftentimes we take things for granted in the 21st century now that we have supercomputer phones in our pockets and Amazon.com to deliver to our doorstep in hours. Margret Wittmer’s tale of her family’s journey to start a new life in the Galapagos Islands reminds us that not long ago in parts of South America people still had to work eighteen hours a day for their food, live in caves or preemptively pull all their teeth as a preventative to dental infection. A visit to the modern day Galapagos is unquestionably focused on the abundant and unique wildlife, but Wittmer’s non-fiction work gives nature aficionados a glimpse into the islands’ founding through the eyes of Floreana’s most famous human residents.
Panama. The Path Between the Seas: The Creation of the Panama Canal, 1870–1914 by David McCullough. Panama is technically part of Central America but it was once part of the country of Colombia. How exactly did it gain its independence? McCullough’s National Book Award-winning chronicle shows that money, power and shady politics aren’t something new during today’s Washington campaigns. Despite the intrigue surrounding the US’s claim to the canal, the innovation and leadership shown in the actual construction of the engineering marvel make for a worthwhile read and a visit to the wonder even more fulfilling.
Peru. Cradle of Gold: The Story of Hiram Bingham, a Real-Life Indiana Jones, and the Search for Machu Picchu by Christopher Heaney. Machu Picchu is South America’s top tourist destination for good reason: its ancient splendor is a true ‘bucket list’ item. This non-fiction stud profiles the larger-than-life Hiram Bingham as he rampages across South America in the name of National Geographic, the United States and personal glory. Although much is owed to his work and ‘discovery,’ it is clear that the way Bingham treated Peruvians and their historical artifacts helped shape the current view of gringos in the region. After traveling along with Bingham in Heaney’s engaging work, you’ll find a new appreciation for seeing Bingham’s name on the plaque inside the gates of the park when you enter Machu Picchu yourself for the first time.
Uruguay. Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors by Piers Paul Read. Many may have seen the movie of the same name where sixteen young men face unimaginable odds after a plane crash in a remote portion of the hemisphere’s highest mountains. But prior to a visit to Montevideo, explore the story harrowing moment by moment through Read’s nonfiction account. Then follow up by visiting the small but moving museum dedicated to the survivors in the city, where you’ll see pieces of the plane and improvised cold-weather gear crafted by the survivors. It is a human survival tale, but also one that features the South American-specific spectrum of the Catholic faith of the Uruguayans. They face moral dilemmas on the mountain and also never give up hope that a miracle can happen.
Do you have any South American favorites that helped you gain a more nuanced understanding? Feel free to leave them in the comments below!
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Jared Wilhelm is a Navy Pilot from Ohio, USA. The views expressed are his alone and do not represent any other entity or organization.
