Turn Right at Machu Picchu by Mark Adams

Don't you wonder about the alchemy of a popular book? What makes a bestseller? Is it the publicity or the hype? Is it the content? The author? I wonder.

This book was both entertaining and informative. It took me awhile to finish because it's not exactly gripping, but it is fun to read and it is pretty straightforward. I liked the voice of the author, a writer who takes a journey to Machu Picchu in the footsteps of early explorer Hiram Bingham III. He was amusing and honest and as ignorant (so it seemed) about this part of Peru as his average reader probably is. So he's easy for the reader to engage with.

Of course, there aren't many answers to all the questions about the Mayans, so Mark Adams can't really help with all that. But he makes the trip feel pretty real to the reader and he introduces us to some modern day explorers and residents of the area around Machu Picchu who are eminently likeable. He has a gentle tone and a good way of explaining things. It was a fun book to read!

P.S. I wished for more pictures, though!