Sunday, May 21, 2023

Yossi Ghinsberg, Lost in the Jungle ****

A young Israeli backpacker meets three fellow travelers in Bolivia and they set out on a rainforest adventure. Do they seem ill-prepared for the challenges? Yes. Does the quartet get along as the going gets tougher? No. Does everything come out okay? The title indicates that it does not.

Ghinsberg writes clearly and straightforwardly about their exploits and motivations. In the early chapters I thought his style might be a bit too unadorned and wished for a more literary account, especially as the relationships begin to fray. (I found the intragroup dynamics at least as interesting as the outdoor adventure.) But as the problems and difficult decisions piled up, Ghinsberg's uncomplicated style turned out to be exactly right. I would have appreciated maps, photos, or illustrations though.

No comments:

Post a Comment