A woman bent on rediscovering her life after caring for her terminally ill husband. She visits several countries in South America and has adventures, it was interesting to read about the places and people she encountered.

South America and its culture have always been a dream destination for me. Currently in Mexico, I am working my way southward. This book continued to feed my hunger for travel and adventure.

Somewhere between a memoir and travelogue Webb takes readers on a adventure through her processing life abroad as well as the things that have touched her the most during that time. I never read her first book, but having read this one I feel that I must read it to know more of her story and what prompted this change of life.

From her childhood through marriage, Barbara Webb had lived in many countries and traveled through many more. So after caring for her husband as he battled cancer, she felt the urge to regenerate herself and her spirit by packing her bags and moving to South America. For her the only way to learn about a country is to live there and not as part of an expat community. Knowing little Spanish made the experience more challenging. Highlighted are Argentina and the tango, Ecuador and Chile. Neither a memoir nor a travelogue, but a little of both. Recommended for those interested in South America or the benefits of opening yourself to new experiences

Brave, brave woman. I enjoyed reading about her adventure; life altering for sure. Ms. Webb continues on her journey of self discovery in this book. I hope she writes another so I can read how she fares in the future.

A widow from England spend a lot of time in South America, and writes about it.
It starts in Argentina, with tango. As basically the only dance I know, I found it amazing how the author’s views were pretty much opposite to mine. Not saying either is wrong, just incredibly different viewpoints. Something we do agree on is the great Chilean poet Neruda, so I was happy to see a section on him. I didn’t learn anything new, but I’m sure many readers had never heard of him.
Most of all, I enjoyed her insights. She’s very observant, and thankfully doesn’t go too far in extrapolating what they might mean. This style of storytelling reminds me of my blog, which is obviously very high praise. . . obviously. (Shut up.)
The one low note was the section on internet booking, which went on far too long and really brought everything to a halt.
In all, an enjoyable travelogue with a unique perspective.
3.5 pushed up to 4/5

I gave this book a 5 out of 5 star review. It was an enjoyable and I would recommend. to others. Generously provided to me through NetGalley

“South America: Under the Skin of a Foreign Country” by Barbara Webb is a highly engrossing sequel to her "Moving from Grief in Cornwall,” which told of caring for her terminally-ill husband. In her latest memoir, the author travels alone to build a new life in Quito, Ecuador, 2,800 metres above sea level. She describes the challenge of adapting, not just to the altitude but to a new language and culture. The experience boosts her confidence to explore Colombia, Peru, Uruguay, Argentina and Chile. A beautifully written account of how one gutsy woman sheds grief to soar in a whole new world. 5/5

Pub Date 27 Jul 2015

Thanks to BooksGoSocial and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are fully mine.

#SouthAmericaUnderTheSkinOfAforeignCountry #NetGalley

I would recommend this book to those who might retire to Ecuador or who want a detailed guide to several South American countries while on the ground. The author gives a long narrative of what she did in South America, but it is just that - a narrative. She does not take you there with her and pull you into her story. For those who enjoy great travel writing for "armchair adventure" and to share a really good story, this book is too much bare description and weak on good old fashioned storytelling.