THE CLOUD FOREST: Chronicle of the South American Wildernesses

by Peter Matthiessen ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 9, 1961

This is an adventure story of the highest order, all the more exciting because it is true, written by a naturalist (Wildlife in America) who is also a novelist. There are descriptions of wildlife, Indian tribes (including comments on the Aucas of recent notoriety), stimulating references to historical and scientific sources, and, in addition, an experienced understanding of people and a fluid knowledge of the subject at hand. So munificently endowed we begin the record of a 20,000 mile journey through South America: the rain Forests, the Andean slorr, the Mato Grosso, Tierrn del Fuego and the Amazonas. Along the way Mr. Mathlesson summarizes his feelings on all the major South American cities and discusses the queer customs and interpretations of the law existent in the Mato Grosso, province of Golas, Brazil where murders often go unpunished and money buys off the gravest sins. The last part of the book describes the expedition to recover the legendary monstrous fossil which includes swirling down the maniacal Pongo River on a balsa raft. Fiction has never topped this.

Pub Date: Oct. 9, 1961

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Viking

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 1961

Categories: NONFICTION