---
product_id: 130548940
title: "On The Plain Of Snakes: A Mexican Journey"
price: "26940CFA"
currency: XOF
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 11
url: https://www.desertcart.sn/products/130548940-on-the-plain-of-snakes-a-mexican-journey
store_origin: SN
region: Senegal
---

# On The Plain Of Snakes: A Mexican Journey

**Price:** 26940CFA
**Availability:** ✅ In Stock

## Quick Answers

- **What is this?** On The Plain Of Snakes: A Mexican Journey
- **How much does it cost?** 26940CFA with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship
- **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.sn](https://www.desertcart.sn/products/130548940-on-the-plain-of-snakes-a-mexican-journey)

## Best For

- Customers looking for quality international products

## Why This Product

- Free international shipping included
- Worldwide delivery with tracking
- 15-day hassle-free returns

## Description

On The Plain Of Snakes: A Mexican Journey [Theroux, Paul] on desertcart.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. On The Plain Of Snakes: A Mexican Journey

Review: Fantastic survey of Mexico and its rich and complicated existence - Paul Theroux drives a Buick across the entire 2000-mile border from the Pacific to the Gulf of Mexico, bouncing back and forth between the US and Mexico, where the first world fights to block out the third world, and great cruelty and vengeance takes place on both sides as hundreds of thousands seek sanctuary and hope. From there he goes deep into Mexico (“stay longer, travel deeper” is his ethos), driving through and meeting people along the way in places like San Luis Potosi, Mexico City, San Miguel de Allende, Oaxaca and Puebla, and all the way to the southern border of Chiapas, where he surveys the country’s poorest state and where the long migration from Guatemala to the US begins. While in Chiapas, he also convenes with the Zapatista army. Theroux writes eloquently and introspectively about Mexico’s history, culture, and people. He finds common cause with the people and their plight, he makes friends, and seems to develop a genuine love and adoration for the country and especially its working class people. Through Theroux’s lens, the book also serves as a pretty good survey on Mexican literature. He leads a 10-day writing workshop and spends time with contemporary Mexican artists and writers such as Francisco Toledo, Guadalupe Nettel, and Juan Villoro. He seems to have read nearly everything there is to read on Mexico, including all of the gringo writers who have spent time in the country and were profoundly impacted by it. The writing on Oaxaca is some of the best I’ve read. He views that beautiful but impoverished state through the eyes of artist activist Francisco Toledo and its vast indigenous population. There’s also humor in parts. He doesn’t hold back in his criticism of San Miguel de Allende and how it's been taken over by rich old gringos and their liberal guilt, essentially casting aside the local population. He also, somewhat surprising to me, is not a fan of Carlos Fuentes. Overall, it's an excellent read if you want to learn about Mexico and its rich history and contradictions.
Review: Solid writing. A bit meandering though. - I get that the writer is a respected and award-winning but his writing style, while certainly soild, has a feel of arrogance to it. He seems to be a bit full of himself. Putting that aside, it is a very interesting look at Mexico and I give him two thumbs up on his integration of Mexico's history into the narrative. There were some sections where he detoured into a long-winded journey into citing other literary works regarding Mexico and by Mexican writers. I felt obliged to skip over these sections. Otherwise, an enjoyable romp through the Mexican landscape. He is a much braver man than me. I would never have had the cojones to travel into the Mexican hinterland land alone. I was terrified for him.

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| Best Sellers Rank | #379,497 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #261 in Travelogues & Travel Essays #364 in Travel Writing Reference #1,303 in Traveler & Explorer Biographies |
| Customer Reviews | 4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars (1,763) |
| Dimensions  | 6 x 1.46 x 9 inches |
| Edition  | Illustrated |
| ISBN-10  | 0544866479 |
| ISBN-13  | 978-0544866478 |
| Item Weight  | 1.5 pounds |
| Language  | English |
| Print length  | 448 pages |
| Publication date  | October 8, 2019 |
| Publisher  | Mariner Books |

## Images

![On The Plain Of Snakes: A Mexican Journey - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71eR8i-nXnL.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Fantastic survey of Mexico and its rich and complicated existence
*by W***E on February 19, 2022*

Paul Theroux drives a Buick across the entire 2000-mile border from the Pacific to the Gulf of Mexico, bouncing back and forth between the US and Mexico, where the first world fights to block out the third world, and great cruelty and vengeance takes place on both sides as hundreds of thousands seek sanctuary and hope. From there he goes deep into Mexico (“stay longer, travel deeper” is his ethos), driving through and meeting people along the way in places like San Luis Potosi, Mexico City, San Miguel de Allende, Oaxaca and Puebla, and all the way to the southern border of Chiapas, where he surveys the country’s poorest state and where the long migration from Guatemala to the US begins. While in Chiapas, he also convenes with the Zapatista army. Theroux writes eloquently and introspectively about Mexico’s history, culture, and people. He finds common cause with the people and their plight, he makes friends, and seems to develop a genuine love and adoration for the country and especially its working class people. Through Theroux’s lens, the book also serves as a pretty good survey on Mexican literature. He leads a 10-day writing workshop and spends time with contemporary Mexican artists and writers such as Francisco Toledo, Guadalupe Nettel, and Juan Villoro. He seems to have read nearly everything there is to read on Mexico, including all of the gringo writers who have spent time in the country and were profoundly impacted by it. The writing on Oaxaca is some of the best I’ve read. He views that beautiful but impoverished state through the eyes of artist activist Francisco Toledo and its vast indigenous population. There’s also humor in parts. He doesn’t hold back in his criticism of San Miguel de Allende and how it's been taken over by rich old gringos and their liberal guilt, essentially casting aside the local population. He also, somewhat surprising to me, is not a fan of Carlos Fuentes. Overall, it's an excellent read if you want to learn about Mexico and its rich history and contradictions.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Solid writing. A bit meandering though.
*by S***T on June 1, 2021*

I get that the writer is a respected and award-winning but his writing style, while certainly soild, has a feel of arrogance to it. He seems to be a bit full of himself. Putting that aside, it is a very interesting look at Mexico and I give him two thumbs up on his integration of Mexico's history into the narrative. There were some sections where he detoured into a long-winded journey into citing other literary works regarding Mexico and by Mexican writers. I felt obliged to skip over these sections. Otherwise, an enjoyable romp through the Mexican landscape. He is a much braver man than me. I would never have had the cojones to travel into the Mexican hinterland land alone. I was terrified for him.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Travel as Enlightenment
*by B***A on October 25, 2025*

Another gem from Theroux. Read at the risk of gaining empathy, knowledge, and enlightenment. Smoothly written, as usual, this time with some photos.

---

## Why Shop on Desertcart?

- 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016
- 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories
- 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price
- 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members)
- 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection
- ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews

**Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.sn/products/130548940-on-the-plain-of-snakes-a-mexican-journey](https://www.desertcart.sn/products/130548940-on-the-plain-of-snakes-a-mexican-journey)

---

*Product available on Desertcart Senegal*
*Store origin: SN*
*Last updated: 2026-01-27*