Travel book: Oh Mexico!

Oh Mexico! book cover. Photo / Supplied

Oh Mexico by Lucy Neville
Allen and Unwin, $29.99

Mexico City is notorious for its kidnappings, muggings and other criminal activities so why would a young Australian author choose to live there?

For Lucy Neville the answer was simple. She wanted to learn to speak Spanish well enough to avoid causing mirth among her listeners and to understand the nuances of the language.

Nice thought, but achieving it involved finding a place to live and a job to pay the rent and feed herself, which wasn't easy. Still, not only did she succeed, the effort also launched her into a series of hilarious adventures which make for an entertaining story and offer some rare insights into Mexican culture, politics and family life.

This is a delightful, informative memoir of a young woman on a mission.

Not only does she succeed but she finds love on the journey.