All Aboard!

One of the greatest travel writers around, Paul Theroux takes us through Central and South America in 1977(?). To say that "The Old Patagonian Express" is a classic is to sell it short because unlike other travel writers, Theroux really gets down to the nitty gritty using his wit and sarcasm.
Theroux is a master at describing everything that he sees with the most perfect words and phrases. Beyond description, however, Theroux gives his astute analyses of the situation, such as the poverty he observes throughout the Americas. He is also incredibly well-read and brings in references to other literature. Most amusingly, he talks about the struggles of travelling alone and by a difficult method, the train.
In short, reading "The Old Patagonian Express" gave me the feeling that I had also gone on the same trips and experienced the same ups and downs. For an armchair traveller like me, there’s no better way to go and no better person to go with than Paul Theroux.