New Travel Book: ‘Paradise With Serpents’

Travel Blog • Joanna Kakissis • 11.09.07 | 6:48 AM ET

Full title: “Paradise with Serpents: Travels in the Lost World of Paraguay”

Author: Robert Carver

Released: Sept. 3, 2007

Travel genre: Jungle adventure

Territory covered: Lawless, landlocked Paraguay and its population of pistol-packers

Promo copy: “In 1537 a group of Europeans founded Asuncion on the banks of the Parana river, where they were enthusiastically welcomed by the Gurani. An extraordinary fusion of New World and Old was created—a place where magnificent baroque cathedrals were built of carved stone in the heart of the jungle and solemn Catholic masses and high oratorios were sung and perfomed on European instruments by Gurani Indians and their Jesuit mentors…Carver travels into this forbidden lost world in search of his own golden city of outlandish experience. The physically reckless journey takes him from mule trains high in frozen mountains to steamers up remote rivers in dense tropical jungle and he faces the threat of malaria, dengue fever and the odd marauding outlaw.”

Critical verdict, Zagat-style: “At first the digressions strain the narrative, but then their accumulation begin to enrich Paradise With Serpents and elevate it into a compelling, dark, often mesmerising, laugh-out-loud travel yarn.” (The Guardian) Carver’s “insights into spiralling state control and individual alienation back home owe everything to the immense gulf separating Paraguay’s anarchy from Europe’s control-freakery” (The Independent), and the author “proves both funny and talented as he deftly links political history with local colour.” (The Financial Times)

Find it: Amazon, Powell’s, publisher