This article was originally published in Overland Journal‘s Summer 2020 issue.
Two Wheels South: A Motorcycle Adventure from Brooklyn to Ushuaia
By Matias Corea
Review by Scott Brady
ISBN 978-3899559767
This hardcover volume is a beautiful journey of adventure motorcycling with a thoughtful balance of art, design, and constructive insight. In particular, I appreciated the sections on preparation, with honest consideration toward lower cost and proven products. Its 272 pages are perfect bound with a thick cover and quality paper; the images print beautifully and will look at home in any adventurer’s library.
The book chronicles Matias’ and his friend Joel’s journey from New York to Ushuaia on air-cooled BMW GS Paris Dakar models and does a good job of avoiding the temptation most travelers have of making their books a play-by-play account of their travels. Through- out the pages are big, beautiful images and large maps showing their routes and points of interest along the way. The sections on their numerous breakdowns and repairs illuminate necessary challenges to what was a transformative journey.
The Road Chose Me: Two years and 40,000 miles from Alaska to Argentina
By Dan Grec
Review by Scott Brady
ISBN 978-0995198913
Dan is one of the most notable overland travelers of the 21st Century, having circumnavigated most of the South American and African continents. In this 266-page volume, he focuses on his 40,000-mile journey around South America, visiting 16 countries along the way.
Throughout the book, Dan imparts a practical and open tone, touching on real subjects like loneliness while traveling solo, corruption, and the real cost of first-world debt. In gen- eral, the book follows his path south, but mostly avoids the travelogue theme by interjecting random insights with chapters on his Jeep, or by the addition of a particularly funny piece, such as catching fish with 120-volt electricity. Most importantly, this book is honest and positive about both travel and the people Dan interacted with, and that alone makes it worth the read.
Landy and Friends Book Series
By Veronica Lamond
Review by Bryon Bass
ISBN 978-0956678317
Join Landy, a 1956 Series 1 Land Rover, and Fender, a 1999 Defender 90, as they go on various adventures. With dogs riding shotgun and owners at the wheel, these iconic trucks conquer all sorts of tasks in this wonderfully illustrated series. Eloquently written with accurate, technical prose sprinkled about, these books easily engage the reader. Intended for children, adults will flip through the pages long after the kids are asleep.
Adventures include Landy getting invited to Solihull for his 60th birthday where he is greeted by none other than Hue, the first Land Rov- er ever built (Landy also gets an oil leak repaired). Fender helps rescue Molly the Dog from a cliff. Dan and Jack return to the harbor after fishing and must use the Hi-Lift to fix Fender’s flat before hustling the catch to Katy’s restaurant. With escapades fit for the venerable Land Rover marque, this eight-book series is a fantastic introduction for aspiring overlanders.
