Review: Took me by surprise
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 02 22, 2014
Thomas Baker's “I Live In Chile” caught me completely by surprise. What starts off deceptively as a travel book quickly becomes a beguiling, very personal, and highly entertaining look at a unique culture that most of us know little about. Baker, who was raised an American, now calls Chile his home and his mission is to introduce us to the Chilean version of what the French call joie de vivre. And there seems to be lots of that going on!What makes this book so special is Mr. Baker himself and his evocative and sometimes laugh-out-loud observations about a colorful land that stretches 2700 miles down the Andes mountain range from the driest spot on earth to the coldest, yet is only 215 miles at its widest point. This book is about Mr. Baker's personal journey of discovery that includes language, food, art, dance – all told in a narrative overflowing with joy and good will. To say that his enthusiasm is contagious is an understatement.Above all Mr. Baker is an enthralling storyteller and a master of words – befitting one who teaches English and is fluent also in Spanish and German. His book is not merely a travelogue, it is a love story about the country and its peoples he has taken to his heart, and he sweeps us up in it. It is a delightful read and highly recommended.