There are several shortcomings in the book that keep it from being a reliable and useful climbing guide. First, it is too bloody large and heavy to haul around, being printed on heavy paper stock so that the photos are pretty. Second, it was not well proofed, and a book that has three authors should have some luck in catching basic information errors if there were indeed three qualified persons involved. Instead, we believe that the errors in many of the simpler subjects point to the possibility of more grave errors in significant details. A modern and serious trekking or climbing guide would include detailed positional data, including topographic and GPS coordinates. These are generally lacking. There are also some fundamentally silly statements, such as "Bolivia is a relatively safe country." Bolivia? Safe? Perhaps compared to Colombia. But Bolivia is fraught with hazards ranging from generally poor health and hygiene, unsafe tourist accommodations, treacherous public transport, and considerable street crime in the cities, even if you don't accidentally end up in one of the coca-growing regions. (There is also a statement that Peru is relatively safe, so evidently the authors' perception of "relatively safe" is not shared with those from the civilized countries). In the Chilean portion of the book there are considerable errors, including one that describes going "clockwise" as a way to make the John Gardner pass "less of an uphill struggle." Anyone who has climbed this pass will attest that the western side is steeper and more slippery than the east side, so this book's recommendation is quite backward. Another part of the same chapter even seems to contradict this observation, leading us to think perhaps one author was not really talking to another. Similar errors persist throughout the book, along with misleading information, misspelling of Spanish words, internal inconsistencies, and then the absence of essential data that should have been included. Pretty pictures, though.

Ever learn to draw a kitty by making a stack of three circles, progressively smaller from top to bottom? If so, would you conclude that everywhere you see three circles (a pawn shop, for example) there is occult symbolism of a secret feline cult? That's the kind of argument that underlies one of the basic premises of this slender volume: Andean paintings of the Virgin Mary show Her dressed in a stiff, voluminous cloak that creates the impression of a triangle, a cone; mountains are somewhat conical; inhabitants of the Andes worshipped mountains: therefore, pictures of the Virgin are actually secret objects of pagan idolatry.

There may be merit to the premise, but it is not demonstrated in this book except by a single (remarkable) painting that shows the Virgin's features actually emerging from Cerro Potosi. But does this prove the author's premise, or is it a reference to the hill's proverbial status as a source of limitless riches? It would be useful to see more overt examples that support the author's point of view, but this one picture and an anecdote are all the proof that's given. Curiously, many of the full-page illustrations show pre-columbian pieces (especially featherwork) that could easily be referenced at thumbnail scale, leaving room for a broader assortment of examples of the main topic. This monograph could also profit from a deeper inquiry into the dressing of religious statues in the Catholic tradition. (Many of the Virgin paintings actually portray statues that were objects of devotion, rather than the person of the Virgin. The cult of the Infant of Prague is one of the few examples of dressed-up statues familiar, at least to Catholics, in the United States.)

I found the price rather high ..., since there is not much in the text to make it an object of study and reference; and the illustrations, while attractive, cannot be described as sumptuous.

Set in "the good old days" this book details the trials and triumphs of the writer's adventures in the Andes.

The Book is a series of three letters Fermor wrote to his wife during his adventures.

It provides a rgeat insight into the mountains, people and culture of the Andes - from descriptions of mountaineering adventures to colourful local markets.

Sadly lacking in any real purpose (it's more a decsription of events rather than an adventure in itself) the book is nonetheless an interesting read.

I enjoyed these letters only because I have to admire someone who can write letters as interesting and informative as this. Sadly though they are not on the same level as 'A Time of Gifts' or 'Between the Woods and the Water' in terms of historical content or romantic detachment. The book is simply a commentary of a trip Leigh Fermor and some friends of his made in the Andes, nothing of any consequence happens, except that Fermor paints a particularly lucid picture of the scenery and the people in the area. It's worth reading if you're planning to visit the Andes or if you've only got a few hours to spare but don't want to work you way through one of his longer books.

In spite of its suggestive appeal of southamerican mysteries, this book lacks of a simple thing: common sense. The author tries hopelessly to evoke in this story the depth and magnificence of the native southamerican traditions, with no success. It seems very arrogant to pretend to hold the truth as the only one, as in this book. Suryavan Solar is quite clever when setting up his organization, pseudo esoteric school, where people get degrees in the hierarchy depending on how many books they have sold, or how many people they bring to their summer camp. Originally abusive. A book that needs that kind of "help" to be sold, seems to have little worth on its own to pass the test of the massive public acceptance.
Fellow disciples have little possibilities of getting close to the "mystic", "chosen one", if they have not fulfilled certain goals inside the organization. This smells like Waco.

No creo que este libro haya superado las 200 o 300 ediciones vendidas. La unica forma de vender libros de Suryavan Solar es induciendo a sus feligreses a creer que si no tienen el libro estaran en las manos de la "Fuerza Oscura". Argumento bastante pobre y pasado de moda. Ya nadie busca a un guru y menos uno que atemorice a sus discipulos con las mas terribles y abusivas instrucciones de noche. Este libro solo circula entre la gente de mas bajo nivel de discernimiento y que es capaz de hacer cualquier cosa para complacer a papito Suryavan.

How many books has Suryavan Solar written? It seems too many... With only one, it would have been enough. They all lack of a minimum sense of respect towards authentic authors, from who he has copied his apparent creative glimpses. The romantic dream of the adventure in the amazonian rainforest was a fairy tale he used for his sleeping baby, years ago. It seems he told the story so many times that now he beleives it's true.
I think this is a book for people looking to beleive in something. Which is perfectly okay, but let's be honest about it. Nothing more and nothing less.

While the book's premise is both unique and interesting, that the lost city of Atlantis can be found in the Bolivian Altiplano, there are major problems with this book. Firstly, this clearly is not a scholarly piece of work. It is poorly written and poorly presented. There is a lack of coherence and understanding to the ideas presented, the works cited, and even the diagrams utilized. Secondly, the works and diagrams cited in this book are done so without proper reference to their source and context. There is not even a precise map of the author's journey through Bolivia, nor how the purported location of Atlantis is situated with respect to other key cultural centres past and present that might add substance to the author's theory.

Thirdly, while the author is unable to find evidence correlating all of Plato's statements regarding Atlantis, no explanation is given for this. In fact one could argue that the author's interpretion of Plato's statements is somewhat subjective, seeing only what the author wants to see. Fourthly, very little evidence is presented to support the author's theory. A review of aerial maps and a drive across the Altiplano is the crux of the evidence presented. In fact, most of the book is spent speculating about related theories of antiquity, and even this is done with a degree of naivete.

In summary, although there is a lack of academic scholarship and expertise in this work, I do give the author credit for the originality of the theory. If anyone is to blame for this book, however, it is not the author, but the editor and publisher for allowing a book of such poor quality, presentation, lack of depth and substance to be published in the first place.

....Anyone who has actually read Plato's account should realize 2 things no.1 Plato said Atlantis sunk into the sea. no. 2 he said shoals of mud, left from the island's sinking, blocked the way to the Atlantic proving that Plato meant for Atlantis to be between America and the Gibraltar straits and the sea was the Atlantic not an inland sea as Allen would have us believe. After careful study I have come to believe that Plato's story was written as a moral tale and that he drew upon ancient legends as inspiration for his story never intending for anyone to try and look for it. Plato was a philosopher not a historian. Even if parts about the location of Atlantis were true we can by the above arguments rule out South America and the Andes very quickly without going there and wasting time looking for a myth. People need to understand the context in which the tale was written instead of ignoring facts and going on a wild goose chase. As for ancient contacts between South America and Egypt these could happen without Atlantis. I believe lost civilizations do exist but none as far fetched as Atlantis. ....

I too have put this theory aside, but a program airing on TLC has some pretty compelling arguments and presents his case much better than this book seems to, however there are many holes in Allen's theory, and his follwing is relatively small.

A must read if you are interested in Atlantis is Voyage to Atlantis by James Mavor. This, in my opinion, represents the most thorough and convincing attempt to locate the legendary city - this is also seems to be the most overlooked theory if indeed Atlantis did exist.

I believe after extensive reading and research that Atlantis did exist, but not as some overwhelmingly technoligically advanced society as some believe. I believe it was merely another city or "part" of a much larger society. They were advanced enough to have cold and hot running water, a complex understanding of the solar system, advanced construction techniques, and enough seafaring ability to establish trade, but some of the same can be said about many other ancient cultures.

That's my 2 cents.

Michael Sallnow, in this ethnographic title, explores and explains the unique cultic belief system of the Quechuan people, decedents of Incas. Spanish and Catholic domination and influence has created an unique cultural and religious expression among these passive people who live throughout the Andes. Though the Quechuan Peruvian Indian has little or no education and they remain dresses in "traditional" Andean dress - shirt, waistcoat, home spun nee britches and poncho, knitted cap and rubber sandals - they have developed an unique religious belief system that is based on belief apparitions of divine images and the miracles that followed such mystical theophanies

A devotional Spanish Catholicism was introduce 450 years ago to the Peruvian Indian a religious system blended "a rich diversity of pagan, early Christian and medieval traits." From this cult blend of Catholicism, animism and Inca religion a flourish cult, not a stagnant creed would spring. The color processional feasts and pilgrimages to the shrines of such events are the heart of the cult followings.

This academic dissertation, though full of valuable insight into the Catholic and Andean embrace that created will fail to engage and hold the attention of all but the avid student of ethology, anthropology and/or religion. Michael Sallnow fails to build a foundation of knowledge that the casual reader would need to comprehend the religious theology by which Incas initially lived. Also, Sallnow fails to explain how the Inca Indian, who was steeped in mysticism, was so easily absorbed in to Catholicism's rich imagery. Conditionally recommended

The book is a good research of all routes and it offers a nice historic review of the climbs. However, as a guidebook is useless. The author admits that only brief descriptions of the routes are given since he wants to preserve the nature of Andean mountaineering. This, in my opinion, is the wrong perpective of what a guide book should be. I can go to Peru and ask around and get the same brief description at no cost and bear the same risk of getting lost.