Product Description

In his greatest challenge yet, intrepid author and broadcaster Simon Reeve sets out on a unique journey to track the Tropic of Capricorn around the globe. Motivated by a desire to learn more about forgotten corners of the world, Simon heads east through Africa, Australia and South America, discovering breathtaking sights, strange rituals, desperate poverty and exotic wildlife. For the 22,835-mile Tropic of Capricorn marks the southern border of the tropics, and crosses some of the wildest and most spectacular parts of our planet. Following Capricorn takes Simon across great deserts, awesome mountains, remote valleys and sun-kissed beaches. At the heart of the book are his encounters with the people of Capricorn, including the Bushmen of the Kalahari, Namibian prostitutes, gem miners in Madagascar, Australian Aboriginals, and indigenous tribes in South America. As he travels Simon investigates elephant culling in southern Africa, bleaching of the Great Barrier Reef, goes hunting with the Ache people in Paraguay, and makes pizzas with teenagers in the Brazilian favela once described as the most dangerous place on earth. Accompanying a major new BBC series, Tropic of Capricorn blends a travelogue with natural history, politics and stories of extraordinary lives all linked by one invisible line. In this latter-day voyage of discovery, Simon reveals parts of our world little understood or even known about in the West - until now.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #91115 in Books
• Published on: 2008-02-07
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 384 pages

Daily Telegraph, February 11, 2008
"like all the best travellers, Reeve carries out his investigations with infectious relish"

Daily Mail, February 9, 2008
"Five Stars...Brilliant...a fascinating, illuminating journey...much more than a travelogue"

Wanderlust travel magazine, March 2008
"a romping good travelogue"

Customer Reviews

A fascinating journey along the Tropic of Capicorn line
No Longer can we travel around the globe and ignore the sight and sounds of everything that is happening around us.
Be it though climate change or human destruction the world is changing around us and this book highlights these issues.
In this book Simon Reeve takes you on a journey along the tropic of Capricorn line starting in Africa & finishing in Australia.
Simon journey doesn't just visit big well known towns and cities, most of the places he visits are well off the beaten track.
On the first part of his journey, Simon travels though Africa and finds out that some countries economies are booming due to trade from China but others are still suffering from murderous dictators and chronic lack of food and good medical facilities.
In Australia Simon discovers that the Aussies are not like the stereotypes some of us are make out.
Traveling though Western Australia and the Northern territory, Simon discovers that the Australian farmers and people living in the outback are suffering the most though change in the climate mostly due to the chronic shortness of rain and very hot temperatures.
On the final part of Simon's trip along the Capricorn line in South America, he finds out though the native people that their land is slowly but surly being destroyed due to massive deforestation and they are without help from the government in trying to protect their land.
The fact that Simon got though his journey successfully is remarkably considering how far he and the crew traveled but this just goes to show journeys like this can be achieved.
This book provides an insight into Simon's fascinating journey and one well worth reading and discovering about.

Excellent reading to compliment the tv series
This is an excellent written account of the tv series.Simon goes into alot of detail of the four parts of his tropic of capricorn journey.I would fully recommend anyone who saw the series to read this book.For me the most disturbing parts were the aussie attitude to its first people,the aboriginals,and the soy plantations after deforestation in south america.I missed his first journey,equator,and I hope the BBC commission Simon to do another journey,next time being The Tropic of Cancer.