Alexander von Humboldt (1769–1859)

I’ve come to love nonfiction works from authors who’ve trekked the world thanks. So I couldn’t miss this book written about the author’s journey through Venezuela from 1798-1804. He was a naturalist so he includes many in-depth descriptions of plants and animals, landscapes and people. He was obviously extremely knowledgeable and tough to be able to deal with the harsh terrains of all sorts. He was sensitive to the plight of slaves, but less sensitive to some tribes he labeled lazy. But he was fair, too, identifying the good, the bad, the ugly, and the lovely (and sometimes the crazy) about all the people he encountered. One obviously native man insisted he was white and held himself out as so pretentious it was quite comical. Sometimes a bit boring, but overall this was a fascinating peak at a world far distant from our own.… (mer)

Naturalist-explorer von Humboldt makes his way through often uncharted territory in Venezuela of 1800. He muses on the different plant species- so similar, and yet not identical- to those on other side of the world; encounters piranhas, capybaras, jaguars... (I was mystified by an account of a near-miss with a 'tiger' , given the author's expertise on animals, that he had already referred to jaguars, and that I can find no record of tigers in Venezuela...)and sees stunning scenery.
The locals are Indians of various tribe;, blacks- slaves and freed- and European settlers.
Interesting account.… (mer)