As a travel writer, I was thrilled when I received a preview copy of “South America: An Anthology of Travel Writing.” It will be available on September 25, 2025, from Amazon and other book-selling websites.
Chapters, organized by country, feature several articles or portions of articles by notable writers. I haven’t visited every country in South America, but I have been to some of the featured countries in the book, including Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, and Peru.
Many of the authors have passed away, leaving their narratives for future generations to discover and appreciate. These narratives about scientific subjects and famous explorers, accompanied by beautiful prose and stories from contemporary celebrities and travel journalists, fill the 191-page paperback published by Bradt Guides.
According to the publisher’s notes, the narratives convey “the sense of excitement and awe that characterizes explorations of a very special part of the world. Ever since South America was ‘discovered’ in the fifteenth century, the continent has played upon our collective urge to travel and explore.”
I was most interested in articles featuring Charles Darwin, Sir David Attenborough, and Lyn Hughes—the latter about the Galapagos Islands. That’s where I began, followed by “Discovering South America’s Forgotten Corner, a Land of Walking Trees and Evil Spirits” by Emma Thomson in the chapter about Guyana & Suriname.
Eleven chapters spotlight 12 countries. Some pieces are adapted from books, while others are derived from blog posts. Each article varies in style and location, even if it is set in the same country—famous sites include Machu Picchu, the Amazon jungle, the Andean mountains, and Patagonia.
I have not finished the book. But from what I have read, the narratives may make you want to travel to the jungles, historic locations, and excellent restaurants, and see what the writers are enthusing about!
For more information about Bradt Guides, click here.
