A second classic from W.H.Hudson – who was born to British parents in Argentina, but left and settled in the UK at relatively young age, never went back, and wrote all his books in English, yet is celebrated in Argentina as the great Argentine author, Guillermo Enrique Hudson – is the account of his travels to Patagonia, “Idle Days in Patagonia” (1893)

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In the very beginning Idle Days in Patagonia holds your attention. Hudson first grabs you with his narrow escape from drowning when the boat he was a passenger on went aground. Then after a trek through the dunes without food or water he arrives at an Englishman's camp where he proceeds to shoot himself in the knee with a revolver. Then, if that wasn't enough, while his companion goes to seek help he inadvertently cuddles up with a poisonous snake that has found its way into his sleeping bag. What's even more astounding is that he is glad the Englishman isn't there because he would have killed the "poor" creature! Because Hudson is an ornithologist he tends to go on and on about birds. Great if you are into that sort or thing. Not so much if you aren't. Towards the end of Idle Days in Patagonia Hudson belabors certain subjects (I found his chapter on eyes to be rather dull) to the point of reader disinterest. All in all Idle Days in Patagonia was like a giant freight train that started off with a great deal of energy, but once the fuel source was depleted, rolled to a slow and painful stop. ( )

Account of Hudson's trip to Patagonia as a young man. The first half of the book is a joyous account of his ramblings and observations. The second half, full of 19th century pseudo-science, is denser and less interesting. ( )