3 comments about The Survivor: 24 Spine-Chilling Adventures on the Edge of Death.

1. This is a GREAT book by the Ultimate Adventurer/Explorer, John Goddard. The book covers many daring and dangerous activities that many would not even attempt. Goddard's living-on-the-edge lifestyle will definitely leave you on the edge-of-your-seat with his thrilling brushes with potential death. A must read. Also, his book "Kayaks Down the Nile" is equally thrilling...in both books you'll be shaking your head asking yourself," HOW did he ever live through it?" Simply...he IS the ultimate survivor! I couldn't put the books down until the end.



2. This book is a must-have. Buy it for yourself and your kids. Relive some of the most thrilling REAL LIFE adventures ever. John Goddard's life is like a hollywood movie.



3. Sounded like a great story..I even used Goddard's list once for an inspirational piece for school. Halfway through the book, I realized that this poorly written book is a compilation of highfalutin' chest thumping near-death experiences. If you are interested in real adventure, read about Shackleton, Krakauer or Simpson. Don't waste your money on this book!

2 comments about Joe Meek, The Merry Mountain Man: A Biography.

1. 
   Mountain man Joe Meek participated in some of the most important events in the Old West. He also had an outgoing, cheerful personality, and loved to tell stories of his adventures. Many of these stories were collected first-hand by Frances Fuller Victor, a "popular" (meaning not professionally trained) historian, and from these stories she webbed together a "biographical novel" of Meek's life (probably more novel than biography) - THE RIVER OF THE WEST. Vestal, in this book, attempts a more authentic biography of Meek, and succeeds for the most part, but not totally.
   
   Joe Meek was born in Virginia in 1810, ran away to Missouri, and in 1829 entered the Rocky Mountains as a fur trapper with William Sublette's party. For the next 11 years he trapped and explored the West, participating in the Pierre's Hole fight at the conclusion of the 1832 rendezvous, going to California with Joseph Walker in 1833-34, taking at least three Indian wives, and leading one of the first wagon trains into Oregon territory in 1840, where he eventually settled himself. He farmed in Oregon and became a town sheriff. He became interested in the political affairs of Oregon and after it became a state held a few minor offices. He helped organize the Republican party there and suffered greatly because of the prejudice shown his mixed-blood children. He died in 1875.
   
   Meek was a congenial man and made friends easily. He knew and trapped with all the legendary figures in the heyday of the fur-trade period, and was probably familiar with all the beaver streams north of the Green. Vestal's account of Meeks life is thorough, but he's sacrificed a scholarly approach for one of familiarity. Few footnotes appear and there is no annotation; details are left to hang unexamined. Worst of all, he includes invented dialogue (or what appears to be such) throughout the book. For example (just picking at random), he writes: "And Wyeth demanded, 'And why did you shoot him?'" How does he know Wyeth asked that? Is it taken from one of Wyeth's journals? No note indicates so, and Wyeth's journals are not in the bibliography. One can only assume he made up the quote. This is what Victor did in THE RIVERS OF THE WEST, which is considered by most a novel. Maybe future editions of this book will have an editor/annotator to add a serious flavor that the book is lacking. Otherwise it's a competently written (Vestal ran the writing program at the University of Oklahoma for decades), likable chronicle of Joe Meek's life and times.



2. Joe Meek. Definitely a colorful character of the 19th century fur trade era. Whenever reading books about the early American West, one always comes across the name Joe Meek. He came out west in 1829 at the age of nineteen desperately wanting to be a mountain man/fur trapper. Adventures were many up to the last rendevous of 1840 with the typical Indian fighting, grizzlies, starvation and thirst, etc. He then helped guide the first wagon train to Oregon and had much to do with the first government of Oregon. This is a delightful story of a charming individual. He loved life and people loved Joe, just beware of the oftentimes "backwoodsy" grammar in the book (I could have done without that).

5 comments about Pathfinder: John Charles Fremont and the Course of American Empire.

1. This is an excellent biography of an American that few people know about. Fremont was truly a vivid member of history from the days of the early republic through the age of manifest destiny. This book covers not only Fremont's triumphs but his downfalls. While a young and impetuous (sometimes dishonest) man, Fremont was successful in helping to expand this countries knowledge of its own topography and boundaries. Through a vivid use of journals and maps Fremont led expeditions that cataloged the trails for westward expansion.
   His service in the army corp. of engineers helped with the capture of California through bravado more so than force. After his brief governorship of California, Fremont was found guilty at a court marital for his actions against General Kearny and the Polk administration. Fremont's retirement would lead him to business ventures and a run for the presidency as the Republican Party's first candidate. These distinctions would continue as he was a commander of the western union forces during the Civil War. His greatest act here would be to promote a little known Grant to general and command the armies of Tennessee. Overall this is an excellent biography and does a great job of providing a balanced look at a little known person in American history. Highly recommended for those who want to understand how the groundwork for manifest destiny was laid.



2. This is a massively important book, one that invokes not only America, but also the frontier and the life of a man who, hitherto a minor player in history, has been brought to the forefront to show how he embodied an age. The author puts himself astride the arguments of American history, showing how John Charles Fremont was once the epitome of the American who helped brave the wilderness, and how recent revisionist historians cast him as an imperialist and a leader in the persecution of the Native Americans. For the author Fremont is neither and both, a man who forced America to "reimagine America itself". Born in 1813 in Savannah, Fremont was to embody America itself, the Colossus in the Cradle, that was just beginning to feel its way into the new frontier of the West.
   
   He was to be surveyor in the 1830s when the Cherokee nation was relocated. Fremont's most important expeditions would be between 1838 and 1854, charting various routes and mapping the American west. His campfires and wagon trails are today nothing but dust, few are preserved. The author sought in van to find them but found instead the legacy of Fremont, America astride the West gave birth to the American West and after that to commerce and the great movement of population, for which Fremont's old camping sites are now national parks or owned by the government or inside the property of corporations.
   
   This book evokes so many things it is hard not to give it praise for all of them. It tells the story of the American West and attempts by well meaning explorers to sympathize and help Native-Americans, Fremont himself judged the U.S government deficient in its promises to the American Indian.
   
   An amazing read that will be enjoyed by any student of American history or anyone interested in the frontier or the American West.
   
   Seth J. Frantzman



3. John Fremont was (in some aspects) the Alexander Hamilton of the mid-19th century. That may seem like a strange comparison, but they had one very strong similarity.... you either loved them or you hated them. Both were seen as larger than life and aroused strong emotions throughout the country.
   
   There are some pretty significant differences between the two - Fremont was world-renowed explorer of the American Wild West - while Hamilton was a bona fide finacial genius (which Fremont definitely was not!). Hamilton died too young and became somewhat of a martyr and his reputation has grown. Fremont may have lived a little too long and scandal soiled and diminished his reputation.
   
   Now to Chaffin's wonderful biography on Fremont: What a great/interesting read! The characters are much larger than life John Fremont, Thomas Hart Benton (His father-in-law), General Stockton (Who helped win California fo America) and of course Fremont's exploring buddy Kit Carson.
   
   Chaffin tells a tale that is so odd that it must be true. The tales of Fremont's four main explorations is straight out of a Hollywood movie. We follow Fremont up mountains, across rivers, through deserts - we see how they faced extreme starvation and how some members were forced to turn to canabalism (ouch!).
   
   Chaffin presents Fremont with warts and all - there is mention of his affairs, his conceit, his insubortination, his shameless self-promotion and his many financial blunders. While Chaffin does not apologize for Fremonts faults he also chooses not to dwell on these aspects.
   
   So why only four stars? There are some minor flow problems (for me) I found that the section on the war for California to be far too long, and the sections on Fremont's role in the Civil War and his ill fated Presidential campaign to be far too short. However, a significant amount of the book concentrates on Fremont's explorations.... which is exactly why I give a full recommendation.



4. I loved this book--an inspiring story that conveys the excitment of the exploration of the west. Author includes historical background so Fremonts actions are placed in the context of the time. Very readable--almost like a novel. The one drawback are the maps of Fremonts explorations. They are merely sketch maps without any location detail--I would have liked to have seen more detailed cartography with, perhaps, landforms included. Many (most) place names in the book are not shown on the maps. I kept my atlas at hand while reading, but many place names have changed. I strongly recommend.



5. A good book, rich in historical detail, but...wow, the copyediting is bad. It's enough that it's really hard to read the book. I hope they can fix the copyediting problems if they reprint the book or bring it out in paperback.

5 comments about Abbey's Road.

1. All of the material in this cassette is available elsewhere, but nowhere else can you hear the intonation, humor, and on occasions rants of Cactus Ed in his own voice. I have played this for friends who have never heard of Abbey and universally comment that they have never heard anything quite like it. Whether he's drinking with pigs in the desert, musing on planting a tree under the nuclear umbrella, or playing cat and hiker with a puma, there is wisdom and absurdity in every spoken sentence. If they ever get another copy and you beat me to it - mine has worn out - you have won a real prize.



2. This is an entertaining firsthand account of Abbey's adventures as he travels through some of the most remote and beautiful locales in the world. The first chapter, in which he travels through Australia, is by far the most entertaining, and Abbey's wit really shines here. He also makes strong arguments throughout the book about why preserving beautiful natural areas is so important. Some of the subsequent stories come off as so much fluff, in which Abbey is trying to find events of significance and/or peril in the face of a mundane trip. The events seem to me to be interesting enough without having to be dolled up.



3. This collection of previously published magazine articles is vintage Abbey, alternatively moving and funny, sacred and profane, flip and dead serious (well almost) and at all times entertaining. Divided into three categories - Travel, Polemics and Sermons, and Personal History - the subjects range from the Great Barrier Reef to technology to women to Winnebagos to hallucinogenic drugs - with many stops in between. The introduction, wherein Abbey comments on nature writing - and various nature writers - is itself worth the price of admission.



4. Do not let this book be your introduction to Edward Abbey. There is plenty of brilliance here, but an established fan will be able to appreciate that brilliance best.



5. This was my first introduction to the well known author, Edward Abbey. My impression was that Abbey wrote with a strong environmental voice and was an advocate of wildlands. Instead, I read about a man who kicks animals that don't get out of his way, who drags trashed cars through the Australian outback, who tosses his empty wine bottles into remote canyons,and who expresses a superior attitude to just about everybody. His writing style is highly variable, ranging from sophomoric (usually) to pure Americana (very occasionally). When he hits the latter, he can rival Mark Twain, which is probably why he enjoys the reputation he does. However, this reputation obviously wasn't made with the essays contained in this anthology. Folks looking for an introduction to Abbey are advised to try another book.

No comments about Three Women of Herat: A Memoir of Life, Love and Friendship in Afghanistan.

4 comments about The Lost Cities of the Mayas: The Life, Art, and Discoveries of Frederick Catherwood.

1. A very well done, review of the life of Frederick Catherwood, as well as an excellent description of the mid 19th centuries London, Paris, and New York. The efforts of the first archeological efforts, and how were the must important archeological discoveries at that time. With the beautyful work and potraits of Catherwood
   
   Excellent



2. Fans of Stephens and Catherwood should very much enjoy this volume. Catherwood is neither featured - nor ignored - in Stephens' "Incidents of Travel in Yucatan" set - their travels together being the source of most of the included drawings. This book, however, focuses not only on Catherwood's intriguing artwork, but reveals a good deal about the life of the man himself. Especially considering the price, this book is not only a must for those interested in the Mayan civilization, but also for the story of one of the first white men to discover and document this great culture for the rest of the world.



3. I have read all of John Loyd Stevens books and this is an excellent addition to my library. I would say this book is a must for all you amature Mayanists. Many times I have wished I could tag along with the great adventurers, Stevens and Catherwood, this is the next best thing! I also recomend all of John Loyd Stevens work. You might also check out "A Tourist in the Yucatan" A fun thriller, adventure set in the Yucatan.



4. In reading the The Lost Cities of the Mayas : The Life, Art, and Discoveries of Frederick Catherwood by Fabio Bourbon, one must first take in and enjoy the full folio size color reproductions of Catherwood's engravings and drawings. The vast aray of sumptous images and the clear and concise text that takes you on an adventure through the life of Frederick Catherwood, the first real Indiana Jones is a joy to read and imagine! Oh to have lived in the 19th c. and been on the first real archaeological journey through mexico and central america, documenting the opening up of an ancient civilization to the world. A must for the adventure reader and explorer.

4 comments about David Livingstone (Heroes of the Faith).

1. Recently when looking over a shared bookshelf, I made choice to read something I intended to be simple and quick. I was not disappointed. This short book was both simple and quick. A bit of a cross between a long magazine article and a children's book. It did however satisfy a basic understanding of David Livingstone's life.
   
   The series title 'Heroes of the Faith' certainly gives some insight into where the reader is about to embark. Mr. Wellman's run of Mr. Livingstone's life is full of excitement and adventure. It is a surface account, yet manages to be well written to provide flow and continuity. If one wishes to get a good general idea of this remarkable man's life and accomplishments this book would be an excellent choice to provide quick satisfaction. I do believe the author accomplishes a goal of providing the reader with the admirable aspects of Livingstone's life in a easily digestible format. The book also creates a desire to do further reading on David Livingstone.
   
   The series title 'Heroes of the Faith' also provides insight into shortcomings of this work. David Livingstone is painted in a very positive light. Even when the author does mention some of his shortcomings or faults the reader finds themselves wondering if he is really mentioning a shortcoming. The intention is to portray a hero, not to provide a critical look at his life and work. One is however able to read between the lines that perhaps Mr. Livingstone was not the easiest individual with which to get along. I do not feel the author was trying to hide this from the reader, but rather focus on Mr. Livingstone's strengths.
   
   I would definitely suggest this book as an introduction to David Livingstone's life and work. I give it 4 out of 5 stars as I feel the author accomplishes his goal of portraying a hero in a very easily read format. Minus one star for at times minimizing Livingstone's faults too far.



2. David Livingstone's life is all but forgotten in this generation that despises anything missionary or Christian but this is a shame. For Mr. Livingstone was ahead of his time in his treatment of the lovely African peoples. He treated them with sensitivity and respect in an age when most white men wanted to 'steal' the blacks and sell them into slavery or abuse them for their own greedy purposes. Livingstone showed the patience, kindness, and mercy that are required of those who heed God's calling as missionaries. Sam Wellman presents the life of this extraordinary man in layman's terms. A beautiful book about a beautiful human being and the people that his life touched.



3. The true story which this book is supposed to be telling was corroded by bias, which paved way for fictitious lies and assumptions. First and foremost, David Livingstone was not the first person to discover Victoria Falls. The native Africans who knew the Falls before him, were the ones that led him to its location.
   Also, castigating Africans for not trusting and loving him at-the-first-sight was very unfair. It showed how myopic the author, (Sam Wellman), and the reviewer, (Hazel Rochman), are. Both men must be joking if they assumed that readers have forgotten that Dr. Livingstone entered Africa at a period when the aim of 99.9% of Europeans who went there was to abduct and sell Africans into slavery.
   This book is dying for a revision. It will be an interesting piece if all the facts and figures are frankly accounted for.



4. I found this biography to be an interesting glimpse into the life of Dr. David Livingstone. Having no prior knowledge of this Missionary to Africa, I found this to be a very informative book. With admirable strength and courage balanced with humility, all supplied by the Holy Spirit , Dr. Livingstone hiked through the wilderness of Africa, intent on showing the natives the love of Christ. By his kindness and fairness to the African tribes, and by oral preaching in their own languages, he brought the saving news of Jesus Christ to them. He helped to heal animosity between neighboring tribes, and sought to replace the horrible slave trade with honest commerce by searching out water routes to the interior of Africa. Overall, following him through his struggles and sorrows built an attitude of respect for Dr. Livingstone and his work, making for an excellent book.

5 comments about Prince Henry "the Navigator": A Life.

1. Prince Henry 'the Navigator' provides the reader an intricately detailed account of the life of this crusader, geographical visionary, and aggressive entrepreneur. Seeking an end around the Saharan caravan trade, Henry pushed maritime exploration down Africa's Atlantic coast into a region shrouded in myth and mystery. Ostensibly claiming a crusader's fervor for the conversion of the barbarous, Henry initiated the Afro-Atlantic slave trade, charted Africa's western shoreline, commercially developed the Azores, battled desperately for control of the Canaries, and, as time and events allowed, launched invasions of Morocco with varying degrees of success.

   Henry thrust medieval Europe into the Atlantic providing the impetus for empires to come. Like any mortal, he was imprisoned by the consciousness of his times, yet unfettered in his drive to explore the unknown. Both flawed and famous, P.E. Russell's Prince Henry is placed firmly within the chronological context. He can be detested for his commerce in flesh, his cynical exploitation of faith, and his innate impulse to conquer, but he would then be measured not by the standards of his day, but of our own. In settling this score, Russell admirably adheres to objectivity.

   Despite spotty source material, P.E. Russell has presented a comprehensive, entirely readable account of Henry the Navigator. This is a solid and satisfying book which easily merits a rating of 4 stars.




2. Mr. Russell's book is superb in many ways: the prose is very elegant, even to a French speaking reader, the author's erudition is impressive and any amateur historian will find here a fascinating introduction to a side of European history which he or she is most unlikely to have been familiar with prior to acquiring Mr. Russell's book. That "the navigator" hardly ever set foot on a ship of any kind, I must confess I didn't know! His cupidity, pettiness in certain ways and magnanimity in other are very intriguing. The context is beautifully described. In other words, here is a splendid book by a very gifted historian. One word of caution, though: this is not an easy read! Don't take Mr. Russell's book to the beach after a stressful few months at the office. It takes a relaxed and attentive mind to really enjoy the book. I read it whilst in a yoga camp on a carrot juice fast. Both were perfect!



3. In 1385, when Henry the Navigator was born, Europe was a Eurasian backwater--fragmented and poor, inferior to China in marine technology, and far behind the Islamic world in geographic scope and cultural achievement. Two centuries afterward, Europeans dominated the world. Henry was one of the individuals at the root of this turnaround.

   As Peter Russell's biography is at pains to point out, Henry himself had no such grandiose vision. As a younger son of King John I of Portugal, he helped lead an attack on the Moroccan port of Ceuta in 1415, and was given responsibility for governing and supplying the enclave afterward. In the course of this work he seems to have devloped an appreciation for the special capabilities of Portuguese sailing caravels, and to have seen how they might be used to promote Portuguese expansion overseas.

   Beginning in the 1420's, Henry sent out a series of state sponsored voyages of exploration and commerce. As Russell relates, his motives were not always clear and were sometimes contradictory. At various times his captains sought uninhabited land to colonize, pagans to convert and enslave, allies to fight against Islamic North Africa, and new markets in which to trade. At times Henry seemed to relish fighting for its own sake, since the medieval culture in which he had been steeped required worthy enemies against whom to perform chivalric deeds of valor.

   In the 1430's Henry's captains began charting the coast of Africa south of Morocco, which had previously been unknown to Europeans. By his death in 1460 they had reached as far as Sierra Leone and had established profitable trading relationships with many of the kingdoms of West Africa--with slaves, sadly, as one of the principal commodities. After Henry's death the project continued until Portuguese ships had rounded Africa and reached India and the Far East. Henry took time off from these endeavors to sponsor further (unsuccessful) attacks against Morocco and to intrigue against his fellow Christians in Castile and Aragon.

   Russell, however, emphasizes Henry's medieval mindset so much that he almost misses what was unique about Henry's life and work. No other ruler of his time thought to direct state resources to maritime expansion. No other prince required his captains to keep such careful charts and records so that discovery might be cumulative. No one else, a century before Columbus, saw the potential for improved sailing ships to revolutionize commerce and warfare.

   Nevertheless, for all its flaws, this is a ground-breaking and carefully researched biography, marked by judicious evaluation of source material. One only wishes that Russell had not been so anxious to debunk his subject as to make him seem like just another medieval grandee, rather than the remarkable innovator which he was.




4. A fascinating book for history buffs and professionals, although maybe hard going for the general reader. It's wrong to criticize an author for not writing a different book, and this is a biography rather than a history of maritime technology but I felt shortchanged in the scientific history department. Why were the Portuguese able to make these voyages at this particular time? He mentions the caravels as better able to sail close to the wind than were purely square-rigged ships but does not say when and where they were developed or what the evidence is that this was a major development. Did anyone in Portugal possess any kind of sextant? Did the King really have "a court astrologer" ? Did Henry have access to the Majorcan maps? I'd like to have known more about these, and how they were circulated.
   Sir Peter's main message is debunking. He wants to show that Henry was a narrow-minded incompetent, literally Quixotic, medieval bigot and not a scientifically curious Renaissance man. He holds no punches about his involvement in the slave trade.
   Without endorsing post-mortem psychanalysis it seems strange that the author so resolutely withholds comment on Henry's celibacy and relationship with his adopted heir, while freely speculating about his motives in other areas.
   I was puzzled about the fate of Henry's brother Don Pedro. Regent of Portugal. The table at the front shows that he was killed in 1449, and on page 357 of my paperback edition we are told that Henry contributed to his death, but no details are given. Did I miss something?



5. Don Henrique, younger son of Portugese royalty, represents the cusp between the medieval and the Renaissance; the 14th and 15th centuries. As Russell's life of Henry shows us, he was a passionate crusader whose stupefyingly backward prejudices fueled a succession of costly wars against the Arab world (and won only one prize: the Moroccan port of Ceutes, still technically part of Europe). He founded his own religious order and lived a wholly ascetic life. Yet he was also an extremely risk-happy entrepreneur, funding exploration to the Azores, Madiera and the African coast as far as Guinea. Henry is not to be glorified, and in fact Russell's portrait is quite damning; he was a stubborn, greedy, violent man responsible for killing and enslaving countles Africans. But he was a force of history, and can be argued to have pioneered Spanish and Portugese expansion, even if, as Russell shows us, he may not have been fully conscious of this.

5 comments about A River Running West: The Life of John Wesley Powell.

1. My comment at the end of my title refers to Wallace Stegner's "Beyond the 100th Meridian." While that is a very good book, it comes close to perpetuating a myth of Saint John Wesley Powell.
   
   Compared to Stegner, who may be a point of reference for many readers curious about this book, Worster paints a far more complete picture of Powell, delving much deeper into journals and letters kept by colleagues, underlings, and exploratory co-travlers of his.
   
   We see a Powell who was NOT totally Stegner's beknighted prophet of a kinder, gentler Western development. Powell did favor independent farmers over corporate conglomerates, but just as much as Nevada's Sen. Stewart, he wanted to drain every last drop from the Colorado. And, Worster also shows how he ran afoul of the most ardent forest conservation advocates late in his Washington career.
   
   In short, Worster indicates the semi-mythical Powell, not just of Stegner but some other writers, should be taken with a grain of salt.
   
   Worster puts Powell's evangelical -- yes, evangelical -- fervor for irrigation in the backdrop of his childhood Methodism. While there's no way of proving this, it is certainly a reasonable interpretation.
   
   He also paints a broader picture of Powell the bureaucrat. Here again, he differs somewhat from Stegner, suggesting that Powell bears a bit of the blame, at least, for his own wing-clipping by Stewart et al late in his career.
   
   At the same time, Worster gives a detailed portrait of just how hard-working Powell was, both as a Washingtonian and the explorer of the Colorado River and Plateau.
   
   In essence, this is "revisionist history" at its best and most proper.



2. The title a River Running West is something of a misnomer. One could infer from this title that the bulk of this work centers upon Powell's Colorado River excursions (the front cover might lead one to believe so as well), yet barely 1/5th of it actually does. The beginning, as to be expected, recounts the early years of John Wesley Powell, but the entire second half of this weighty tome is dedicated to his time in Washington DC as head of the USGS. Indeed, to be fully accurate, if matching title to content, a more appropriate appellation might be A Bureaucrat in the East, but bureaucracy just doesn't sell well.
   
   Worster's underlying thread in this effort is Powell's transition from son of devout Methodists to enlightened, agnostic scientist. All well and good, if this is the Powell story. But, Worster bangs this drum so incessantly that it leaves one wondering if he was more concerned with Powell's religious upbringing than Powell himself. There's a whiff here of an agenda.
   
   To be fair, the Colorado River excursions are suspensefully told, but as with most books of the genre, the maps are sparse and dreadful. I can't believe I am in the minority for desiring detailed maps with which I might closely trace the route of intrepid explorers. This becomes especially desirous when I have personally visited sites along their journey for then I may more accurately transform the text into mental imagery. But with sub-par maps containing spotty detail and far too many blank spaces, this becomes a mere exercise in frustration.
   
   Despite this, Worster's biography of Powell is no less than mediocre. It follows the standard format of the genre leaving the reader educated if not exactly enthralled. It is not a book I leapt towards at every opportunity, though there was no need to coerce myself into continuing. A River Running West is but an average account of an indomitable man synonymous with western expansion. 3 stars.



3. Reading this book was like being present at the creation of America. It will appeal especially to U.S. history buffs and to anyone interested in the American West. Worster's telling of the feat that won Powell fame, leading the first expedition down the Colorado River and through the Grand Canyon, has definitely renewed my passion for exploring the West. Powell was a man of ideas, as well as action. For a quarter century he was at the forefront of debates over reserving land for American Indians, how to foster family farming in the arid West, and the thorny issue of water rights. For many years, Powell was a prominent official in Washington, as head of the U.S. Geological Survey, which he helped create, and in other positions. From what I gather in this book, Powell may have been as important as any single individual in making support of scientific research a normal function of the Federal Government. From the perspective of one man's career, Worster touches on a multitude of topics: railroads, telegraph, photography, landscape painting of the West, Mormon settlements, and many more. For the comprehension one gains of American life in those times, this biography is the equal of a first rate novel. Although a work of scholarship, it is written to be enjoyed by the general reader.



4. The book is well written and informative about the events of Powell's life and the geological survey in which Powell played such a major role. My primary disappointment with the book was that I felt I didn't know the person John W. Powell much better after reading the book. The book provided very little information about Powell's life outside of his work.



5. I enjoyed this book immensely. Thorough, evocative, thrilling, and comprehensive in its scope, it was a delight from beginning to end.
   I completed a major in Geography at Illinois State University many years ago, where Powell taught at one time, and I am embarrassed to admit the sad truth that in all the courses I took nary a word was ever mentioned about the great man. Considering his extraordinary contribution to our understanding of the natural world, it is all too sad.

2 comments about Fever & Thirst: A Missionary Doctor Amid the Christian Tribes of Kurdistan.

1. Before I read this book I knew little about this part of the world and nothing about the 19th-century missionary movement. The author writes with grace and confidence and has a reasssuring command of his subject. The book makes accessible a particularly complicated political arena and the motivations -- so foreign to a 21st-century reader -- of a passionate individual determined, at all costs, to bring Protestantism (and medical help) to the Christians of Kurdistan. Highly recommended.



2. An extraordinary book. This slice of 19th Century history, remarkable in its own right, is background to much of the strife in today's geopolitical news. My benchmarks for such things being David Fromkin's wonderful A Peace to End All Peace, and Karl Meyer's Tournament of Shadows, plus the works of Peter Hopkirk, I can safely say Taylor surpasses them all in rendering complex events, timelines, and relationships with clarity and immediacy. Fever and Thirst fills out an extra perspective on the machinations at the fringes of the Great Game, and serves up a hugely erudite portrait of fractious Christian attempts at empire-building in the Middle East circa 1840, mischief which remains at the heart of so much woe in that region. Taylor is not afraid occasionally to render sophisticated judgments on everything from the missionary's apolitical disengagement to the quality of the local wine (which I'll remember to forego should the occasion arise). It's reassuring that the author has opinions on his topic, and cares to express them. Likewise, that he can find some wry humor in such a tale of Romantic - even obsessive - zeal, despite the horrendous human cost he has catalogued. Fascinating detail and broad learning underpin the superbly sustained narrative (including some finer points of Christian theology, not to mention the history of the Ottoman Empire, about which it's hard to imagine many Westerner knowing a useful amount these days), and a controlled dramatic tone pushes the character-driven story forward. Fever and Thirst is particularly good at portraying the endless political chaos in the soul of the regions then nominally under Turkish domination, characterized by ever-shifting alliances, greed and betrayal. Artfully written and thoroughly enjoyable, the book offers lessons we may be thankful for, especially those that resonate with our contemporary experience, in particular the hubris, ignorance and fantasy at the heart of our misbegotten role as Crusaders still. Highly recommended.