A review
There are very few motorcycle travel books that focus on Canada, the USA, Mexico and the countries of Central America. The Hunt for Puerto del Faglioli (and yes there is a very good reason for this tongue twister of a title) is written with a fast flowing style that has you hurtling from high points, to full-on low points, to the highs again. I found myself turning the pages so fast, wanting to see what happened next, that once finished I had to read it again.
The book had me laughing out loud, making it fall firmly into the, ‘Reading this book on the bus is a risk’ category. But actually, you can read it anywhere and it’ll hold your attention regardless of surrounding distractions. The clever nuances, the quirky delves into history and Tyson’s observations of modern times take you right into these other worlds.
You might not agree with everything he says but I really like his thought-provoking honesty. For me, his ability to challenge both himself and the things he observes are an invaluable part of what makes this book both fascinating and a joy to read.
I like the way that though a plan is there, it isn’t stuck too so rigidly that opportunities are missed. In fact, Tyson is a past master at both seeing opportunities, and allowing himself to get wrapped up in them. The road adapts, melds and changes the direction of this journey in such a way that this book is very far from being predictable. You’ll find that Lady Luck is pretty active!
Did it give me itchy feet? Yes. Did the descriptions make me feel as if I was riding along too? Yes. Is the main character likeable? Very much so. Did I learn from the book and was I surprised? Yes to both. But I should warn you – if you are a tea lover, you will find times of desert in this book! If you’re intrigued, you get your copy here.
Sam Manicom
ISBN 978-0-9564305-19 (2nd edition)
342 pp
12 pp colour photographs
Published by Shuvvy Press 2009, 2nd Edition 2011. £9.99