The Old Patagonian ExpressThe Old Patagonian Express
Score Classic
What it's about
Paul Theroux boards a subway train near his home outside Boston and keeps going, by train, all the way to the tip of South America. He travels through Mexico, Central America, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and Argentina, describing the passengers he meets, the landscapes and his own moods, including a visit with the writer Jorge Luis Borges in Buenos Aires.
Why it's worth reading
It was a National Book Award finalist and is a classic of travel writing.
You'll love it if you liked
A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail
Blood River: A Journey to Africa's Broken Heart
The Snow LeopardGood to know
Theroux can be grumpy and unkind about people and places. It's from the 1970s.
By the numbers
- Readers31 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics28 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller2 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
Why it made the list
Reads as
True story, Adventurous
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Quick answers
Is The Old Patagonian Express worth reading?
Yes. It was a National Book Award finalist and is a classic of travel writing. It ranks #2,480 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 58.8 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Old Patagonian Express about?
Paul Theroux boards a subway train near his home outside Boston and keeps going, by train, all the way to the tip of South America. He travels through Mexico, Central America, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and Argentina, describing the passengers he meets, the landscapes and his own moods, including a visit with the writer Jorge Luis Borges in Buenos Aires.
How long does it take to read The Old Patagonian Express?
About 11 hours (429 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Old Patagonian Express?
If you liked it, try A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail by Bill Bryson, Blood River: A Journey to Africa's Broken Heart by Tim Butcher or The Snow Leopard by Peter Matthiessen.