The Fever Coast Log: At Sea in Central America

by Gordon Chaplin

A journalist voyages to Central America to view firsthand the exotic, sometimes seamy life along the coast and retraces the route of a long dead relative, Frederick Catherwood, who had taken part in an archeological excavation of Maya ruins

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction

229 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 1992

About the author

Gordon Chaplin is the author of the novel Joyride and several works of non-fiction, including Dark Wind: A Survivors Tale of Love and Loss: Full Fathom Five: Ocean Warming and a Father's Legacy, and Fever Coast Log: at Sea in Central America. A former journalist for Newsweek, the Baltimore Sun, and the Washington Post, he has worked on marine conservation with the Baja group Niparaja and since 2003 has been a research associate with the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia. He lives with his wife Sarah and young daughter Rosie in New York City and Hebron, NY, and is the father of two older daughters, Diana and Julia.

Reviews

[Hope Bennett · Rating 2 out of 5]

An unfortunate abandoned read. Reading the summary I found excitement in the foreshadowing of a travel adventure. I expected there to be facts but easily became confused as the author switched between his travels and tellings of family history. Some ideas felt incomplete and detached from the story itself. 20 pages in I had to wonder if I was reading a history book overcome with facts, locations and dates or in fact a story of a personal account of travel. The reading then served no purpose to me and I ended up abandoning the story altogether. I saw some hope in the beginning when Lord Jim arrived at Belize but I quickly became lost and disappointed.

[Chris Kramolis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Found this book on my shelf and have no idea where it came from. I like travel essays and wanted a quick read over Thanksgiving weekend. Turned out to be a great read about adventure along the central American east coast, self exploration, and a good bit of history. The writing was colorful and smart. Wish they would have proceeded through the Panama Canal and continued up the west coast to extend the book!

[Maryam · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dude fully recounts pushing his wife off the boat at some point, like, CMON. Violence. Anyway I was bored in Costa Rica and had finished all my books and found this book on a coffee table in the hotel lounge. Read it out of sheer boredom. Regrets were had. Does not stand the test of time.

[Fran Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gordan and his girl friend sail from the US to Central America and have many adventures and a few misadventures along the way.

[Christopher Fry · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like that we bounce between the history of the locations they visit and their impressions. I was hoping for a bit more insight into his personal revelations.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good book...not one of those travel stories that are just describing what they see ("on day one, we went to..."). The story mixed in a bit of history and personal essay in with the travel itself, making it much more interesting. I didn't quite get what he was always getting at with the personal side of the story, but I did get that it was a cathartic experience for him. Definitely worth picking up!

[Luxagraf · Rating 3 out of 5]

A travelogue of a voyage from Miami to the Panama canal. Written in the spirit of Graham Greene and the like. It's okay. Not one of my favorites.

[Seasweetie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed sharing Chaplin's journey along the Gulf of Mexico. It was moving, interesting, human and made me want to follow him.