Itemize Regarding Books Trail of Feathers: In Search of the Birdmen of Peru
| Title | : | Trail of Feathers: In Search of the Birdmen of Peru |
| Author | : | Tahir Shah |
| Book Format | : | Paperback |
| Book Edition | : | Deluxe Edition |
| Pages | : | Pages: 288 pages |
| Published | : | June 16th 2003 by Arcade Publishing (first published February 27th 2001) |
| Categories | : | Travel. Nonfiction. History |
Tahir Shah
Paperback | Pages: 288 pages Rating: 3.93 | 463 Users | 38 Reviews
Commentary Toward Books Trail of Feathers: In Search of the Birdmen of Peru
A shrunken head from Peru and a feather with traces of blood are the clues that launch Tahir Shah on his latest journey. Fascinated by the recurring theme of flight in Peruvian folklore, Shah sets out to discover whether the Incas really were able to "fly like birds" over the jungle, as a Spanish monk reported. Or was their soaring drug-induced? His journey, full of surreal experiences, takes him from the Andes mountains to the desert and finally, in the company of a Vietnam vet, up the Amazon deep into the jungle to discover the secrets of the Shuar, a tribe of legendary savagery.- Travel writing at its best, at once colorful, informative, and amusing. Doris Lessing said that Shah has a "genius for surreal traveling."
- The cast of characters includes madmen and dreames, sorcerers and con men, headhunters and scholars--in short, the usual assortment for Shah.
- Features an appendix on flora-based hallucinogens of Amazonia, including ayahuasca, "the vine of the dead."
- Hardcover ISBN: 1-55970-613-9
Specify Books Supposing Trail of Feathers: In Search of the Birdmen of Peru
| Original Title: | Trail of Feathers: In Search of the Birdmen of Peru |
| ISBN: | 1559706775 (ISBN13: 9781559706773) |
| Edition Language: | English |
Rating Regarding Books Trail of Feathers: In Search of the Birdmen of Peru
Ratings: 3.93 From 463 Users | 38 ReviewsWeigh Up Regarding Books Trail of Feathers: In Search of the Birdmen of Peru
I found the content of this book interesting; it shows several different societies and cultures as the author travels across Peru and down the Amazon searching for answers about the Birdmen of Peru. Some reviewers commented on the humor in Shah's writing but I didn't really feel it was that funny. I suppose it's the dry, British wit, but it was just too dry for my taste. Even though it was told in first person narrative, documenting his adventures, it felt more like a third person telling--weInitially intrigued by the idea of early flight in Peru, Shah treks through the jungle in search of the Birdmen of Peru. Rather than early Wright brothers, he finds that hallucinogens leaving the user with the sensation of flight are the real answer. Fascinated, he tries them himself by tracking down an obscure Amazonion tribe with a reputation for head shrinking and describes a horrible experience that he takes much better than I anticipate I would in the same position. Interesting discussions
One of my best books by Tahir- thrilling adventure as if I had been with them.
So I orignally borrowed this from the library while researching the Inca Trail. I had every interntions of only reading the chapter on the trail, but the author had me hooked and I had to go back the two or three chapters and start at the front.Part humour, part documentry, the book follows the author through Peru in search of the men who could fly or the bird men.Pick this one up if you want to know a bit about South America and it's cultures in a light read.
Tahir Shah is an amazing writer with a wonderful curiosity, intelligence and adventurous spirit. I have travelled in South America but his story of his quest to find the bird men taught me so much about the South American culture, the history, and the fascinating and heart breaking impact of Industry and Christianity on the rich tribal cultures and traditions, their spirituality and the plant life. I found myself laughing out loud at the incredible situations he found himself in. HIs
Tahir Shah likes to play the fool, but behind the jokes is a sharp observer of people. Trail of Feathers is actually a fascinating adventure and serious work of ethnopharmacology masquerading as yet another dumb European travelogue (as a Pakistan Brit raised in the West, I count Tahir as Western, at least compared to indigenous Amazonians). A chance encounter with a mysterious Frenchman at a London auction for shrunken heads gives Tahir the bug of an idea. The Inca flew, and he's going to find
_Trail of Feathers_ by Tahir Shah began at an unusual place; at a London auction of shrunken heads. The author, who had been on the trail of shrunken heads for some time and who had sought to begin a collection, was frustrated by his lack of funds and the limited availability of tsantsas (as they are more properly called, a product of the Jivaro people of South America). However he did come across a mention of something else interesting out of Peru, a group referred to by a cryptic Frenchmen as
0 Comments:
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.