"The Old Patagonian Express" by Paul Theroux

One good thing that I did take away from Bryson's Notes from a Small Island was curiosity about an author he'd mentioned once or twice, Paul Theroux. I had never heard the name before, but apparently Theroux is quite prolific and is considered the source for the best travel writing, especially when it comes to traveling overland by train. I looked over a couple of his titles at Barnes & Noble and settled on The Old Patagonian Express.

Theroux, studying a map at his home in Massachusetts, is able to trace a train route from Boston all the way through the Americas into the heart of Patagonia, the southern portion of Argentina. The story begins aboard a Boston commuter train and, sure enough, ends in the dusty backwaters of Patagonia ("Nowhere is a place," writes Theroux). The journey in between the two points- more important, of course, than the destination- is full of colorful characters, adversity, and some danger, all expertly and fascinatingly described by Theroux.

Some- if not most- of the places Theroux visits on his way are not beautiful; the landscapes are often barren and the people who live there are tough individuals, usually living in poverty. Despite all of this, Theroux maintains a narrative tone and though the landscape varies very little at times, he is always able to keep his observation fresh. He does not repeat himself, as Bryson did, but instead keeps a keen eye. The writing itself is often more interesting than the places it describes.

But that is not to say that Theroux does not find himself on some adventures, too. The riotous and frightening atmosphere of a South American soccer match, the border-crossing made in a hitched ride, and his experiences with train travel in general are only a few. My favorites are the story of an Irish ex-priest ("I wish I could, but I can't write. I'll tell you what, Paul- you write it. It would make a good story, wouldn't it?") and Theroux's time spent with the famous writer and poet Jorge Luis Borges.

To say that The Old Patagonian Express is about Central and South America is inaccurate. It's a book about traveling. I often think about the days of travel before the printed word: those who did travel also took on the responsiblity of carrying news and descriptions from place to place. They were welcomed guests who were expected to "sing for their supper", to share their exciting, interesting, and alien stories. Reading this book was like that. It was like inviting someone into your home to tell you about a place you've never been, equal parts entertainment (which is not to say fiction) and education (which is not to say boring).