Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Small Earthquakes:
Not everyone forgot.
Quick synopsis:
A look at the forgotten connections of Great Britain and South America.
Fact for Non-History People:
The 1982 Falklands War was a 74-day undeclared war.
Fact for History Nerds:
Valparaiso, Chile was known as the “Jewel of the Pacific” in the 19th century.
My Take on Small Earthquakes:
I guess it says a lot about me that I am most fascinated reading about places where there are not a lot of people. This played out exactly as expected when I read Shafik Meghji’s Small Earthquakes.
Meghji looks at the legacy of British interventions (which is putting it lightly in some cases) in South America. I should clarify that the author mostly focuses on the southern parts of South America such as Argentina, Uruguay, Tierra del Fuego, South Georgia, Easter Island (Rapa Nui), and portions of Chile. It is part travelogue and part history in what becomes a very enjoyable read.
Back to my personality fault (superpower?). While the whole book was a fun and informative read, not all sections were equal. I found the beginning chapters a bit slower as Meghji spends some time in the more populated areas and focuses on random historical buildings while telling stories. For me, once the author gets to the chapters like South Georgia is where the book fully takes off. The stories are a bit more focused, and the travelogue becomes much more informative about what type of place Meghji is traveling to.
Basically, you should pick this one up and give the narrative a little time to pull you in.
(This book was provided as an advanced reader copy by the author.)
Verdict:
A good time. Buy it here!
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