- “Dishonesty Is The Second-Best Policy and Other Rules to Live By” by David Mitchell
- “Michael Palin In Venezuela” by Michael Palin
Started: 11th January 2026
Finished: 13th January 2026
4/5 stars
I’m a big fan of Michael Palin’s travel writing. It’s accessible, witty, observant and always seems to present as balanced a view as possible. Most of his books are also lavishly illustrated with excellent photos. This one is no exception – it’s awash with colour, both from the natural beauty of the country, and also the architecture and culture.
His trip to Venezuela took place in early 2025, and the book was published in the summer. Given what’s gone on there in recent weeks, it already feels slightly out of date, but Palin’s observations as he tours the country are a useful primer, and I’m now keen to read up more on the country’s turbulent history.
This is quite a short read, but a very interesting one, full of human interest, with plenty to inspire and make you think. I really enjoyed it. He interviews plenty of everyday Venezuelans, and it goes to show there’s a lot of things we fail to grasp about countries we don’t know much about. Whatever the political shenanigans are, there’s much more to a country than that.
I’ve not seen the TV documentary this book was based on, but I fully intend to rectify that soon.
