Mars on Earth : Wanderings in the World's Driest Desert.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Johanson, Mark.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Gay men--Travel.

Gay men.

Gay men--Biography.

Chile.

Travel.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (224 pages)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Victoria : RMB Rocky Mountain Books, 2024.

Summary:

An utterly unique travel memoir about a gay expat searching an otherworldly place for a deeper understanding of his partner and his adoptive homeland. Embark on an extraordinary odyssey through the heart of the world's driest nonpolar desert – the Atacama. In Mars on Earth, intrepid journalist Mark Johanson navigates this otherworldly terrain, a sliver of camel-coloured hills, windswept dunes, and desolate salt flats nestled between the Pacific's tumultuous waves and the towering Andes. Unfolding against the backdrop of Chile's 2019–2020 protests, Mark's journey begins in Santiago, unravelling a rich tapestry of human resilience and passion that fuels a nation's desire for change. As he traverses 1,200 miles of alien landscapes, Mark climbs to the Andean altiplano's dizzying heights, explores the Pacific's kelp forests, and ventures onto a lithium-rich salt flat threatened by progress. The narrative reaches new heights as Mark delves into the heart of the Atacama, meeting captivating characters – a guardian of ancient mummies, a guru in a glass box, and a copper miner who defied nature's grasp for 69 days. At its core, Mars on Earth weaves a rich tapestry of voices, highlighting the stories of Chile's marginalized communities, including the working class, Indigenous Peoples, LGBTQIA+ individuals, and immigrant communities from Venezuela and Haiti. Each narrative contributes to the social movement that could redefine the nation's future. This vibrant and adventurous work of narrative nonfiction is a captivating exploration of a land both barren and brimming with life.

Contents:

Cover

Title Page

Contents

Map of Northern Chile

Prologue

Chapter 1: It Began with a Spark (Chi, Chi, Chi, Le, Le, Le…Viva Chile)

Chapter 2: A Message from Above (Cults, Stars and Signs: How Deserts Mess with Minds)

Chapter 3: Sea to Sky, Part One: Sea (Coastal Geographies)

Chapter 4: Sea to Sky, Part Two: Sky (Andean Geographies)

Chapter 5: Of Mines and Men (Politics, Power and Masculinity: How Deserts Bury Secrets)

Chapter 6: Reading the Coca Leaves (The Life and Legends of the Likan Antai)

Chapter 7: Radiant Sun (The Life and Legends of the Aymara)

Chapter 8: It’s Blooming Bones (The Ancient Atacama)

Chapter 9: Out of Breath (End of the Road)

Epilogue

Acknowledgements

Select Bibliography

About the Author

Index

Copyright Page

Back Cover Generated by AI.

Notes:

Description based on publisher supplied metadata and other sources.

Part of the metadata in this record was created by AI, based on the text of the resource.

ISBN:

9781771606776

1771606770

OCLC:

1457636310