In Patagonia (Bruce Chatwin, 1977)

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ISBN 0-0997-6951-4

In Patagonia is an unusual 'travel' book: unusual in its construction and emphasis upon the elaborate histories of events peripherally related to its central quest. (One can find echoes of that in many later works, such as Jonathan Raban's Passage to Juneau.) It is easy to see how and why this book became so influential.

Yet, in respect of natural history at least, almost every 'fact' reported in the book (obviously allowing for the tall stories told to Chatwin by mad old priests and whatnot) is incorrect. There were no dinosaurs living "around 50 million years ago" (p. 8); the plesiosaur is not "a small dinosaur related to the modern turtle" (p. 51); and one will not find ostriches in South America (p. 65) unless they've escaped from a zoo. [Respectively, dinosaurs famously became extinct more than 60 million years ago, plesiosaurs are indeed diapsids (turtles are not) but no more closely related to dinosaurs than, say, snakes; and the large, flightless South American bird is the rhea.] No doubt many will feel I am nit-picking - but Chatwin's consistent and complete indifference to biological accuracy makes me wonder how much else of the book is tosh, too.

Unlike Theroux or Raban, with whom he is often considered among the more literate travel writers, Chatwin gives away very little of himself in this volume. The odd comment here and there, as he reveals an insight about somebody else, an insight which (however true or not) betrays the author's own unique way of looking at the world, a particular sympathy - these are the only glimpses he provides of himself.

When Chatwin died in 1989 at the appallingly young age of 49, among his obituaries was one by fellow author, Paul Theroux, which mentions that Chatwin seldom travelled alone. Yet if he had a companion in Patagonia, Chatwin has been meticulous to scour any mention of them from the narrative. Odd, if you ask me.

Recommendation: However factual it may be, very well-written and definitely recommended.

Look and Feel: My edition is the usual matt-finish paperback, with some b&w photographs.

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In Patagonia (Bruce Chatwin, 1977)

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