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Trail Of Feathers: In Search Of The Birdmen Of Peru (2003)

Trail of Feathers: In Search of the Birdmen of Peru (2003)

Book Info

Author
Rating
4 of 5 Votes: 2
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ISBN
1559706775 (ISBN13: 9781559706773)
Language
English
Publisher
arcade publishing

About book Trail Of Feathers: In Search Of The Birdmen Of Peru (2003)

A page turner.The gothic cast of characters set this reader's hair alight.The courage displayed on the journey can only be admired, the rotting boat, the horrendous food stuffs, the climate.This a work of anthropology and at the heart of it a frightening account of how vital knowledge to be found in the jungle is being lost; a knowledge of plants and their properties is more than ON THE WAY to being destroyed. The Shamans who have, guard and keep this knowledge, the property of the tribe, if knowledge can be a property, DISCOUNTED along with the jungle itself.A book so dense ( though not necessarily evidently so) that it can be read and re-read.Haunted by the fate of the animals: the pig the chickens the sheep; the substitute sloth, the guinea pigs et al. Parallells to be drawn with our own 'western' behind the scenes butchering.The birds the insects, the destruction of a fragile environment; difficult to face; ones mind wishes to move off such pathways. The author is a brave man.It's an unreal world we live in.Re-written review..Nov 2013

Tahir Shah is an amazing writer with a wonderful curiosity, intelligence and adventurous spirit. I have travelled in South America but his story of his quest to find the bird men taught me so much about the South American culture, the history, and the fascinating and heart breaking impact of Industry and Christianity on the rich tribal cultures and traditions, their spirituality and the plant life. I found myself laughing out loud at the incredible situations he found himself in. HIs descriptions of his treks up the mountains and his hikes deep into the Amazon to meet what were thought to be tribes of head hunters was fascinating, at times hilarious and very informative. A fantastic book.

Do You like book Trail Of Feathers: In Search Of The Birdmen Of Peru (2003)?

I've read one other book by this author, which I enjoyed very much. When I started this one, I thought "Uh, not as the other one". This book is different and much to my surprise, very interesting.Starting with an interest in South American shrunken heads, Tahir Shah, begins his research and search for them. In Peru, he comes across the legend of the Birdmen of pre- columbian South American and begins his search for the tribe that was infamous for making them. His travels takes him down the coast of Peru, back to Lima then into the Peruvian Amazon basin. On the whole, a rousing adventure.
—Georgene

Tahir Shah is an English travel writer and adventurer. In this book he follows up on a long-time obsession with the notion that certain "bird-men" were able to fly across the jungles of Peru, following from early accounts by the Spanish conquistadors. He obssesion leads him to Peru, including the ruins of Macchu Picchu and a trip up the furthest reaches of the Amazon with a superstitious crew to find head-hunting members of the Shuar people whose still claim to have to have the ability to fly. Not without a few slow spots, this book is still a treat for those who enjoy these kind of informative but tounge in cheek adventure stories. Defintely worth the psychdelic conclusion.
—Cecil Lawson

An interesting read, and very informative! I've always wanted to go to Peru to see its wonders, and Shah's account of his experience there is steeped in rich detail so that I could appreciate its beauty vicariously through him. Not forgetting his quest into whether the ancients flew (an interesting topic, I might add!) this book explores ancient wisdoms, focusing on an interesting theory behind the Nazca Lines and the shrinking of heads. It seeks to answer ancient questions, whilst simultaneously dredging up new ones. A very good read overall, with some light-hearted comedy thrown in. Pleasurable and surprisingly amusing.
—Kelly

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