5 comments about Fatal Forecast: An Incredible True Tale of Disaster and Survival at Sea.

1. Reading this book brought back memories... of reading The Perfect Storm.
   
   Obviously differing in the details, it's the same story, told in much the same way.



2. The Georges Bank lies about 120 miles east of Cape Cod. It is no place to be in a small boat; especially when the weather turns bad. Wind-driven waves building from the fetch of the Atlantic collide with the shallows beyond the continental shelf and can build to frightening proportions. And weather in the month of November on the Georges Bank can be extreme. Ordinarily, automated buoy data provide the National Weather Service with information that enables relatively accurate forcasting. But in November 1980 the National Data Center's Georges Bank Buoy, located 170 nM east of Hyannis, MA, was not functioning. It had not been for some time. With inadequate data, the National Weather Service issued a benign forecast. Based on this forecast, four deep sea lobster boats headed for the Georges Bank. They did not expect a killer storm packing 100 knot winds and 50-60 foot seas. One boat pitch-poled; it's lone survivor spent 50 frightening and misearable hours in a rubber raft before rescue. Another boat badly damaged by a rogue wave and leaking badly fought on and eventually limped back to port. Brave men and women of the U.S Coastguard, in spite of fatique and grave danger to themselves, doggedly attempted to rescue the crews of these vessels. Fatal Forecast is a story of survival, duty and triumph of the human spirit. The book is well-written and grabs you from the Prologue and does not let go. In fact, I read this book at a single sitting. I could not put it down. When I got to the end I read the Epilogue and even the author's notes. I did not want it to end.



3. Probably my favorite catastrophe book yet! Very well written, making it so hard to put down once you start reading. I got this for Christmas and finished it within 3 days! Tougias not only rendered an awesome account of a real life dramatic fight for survival but also relayed vividly the other events that occurred in the lives of the men and families affected by the disaster at sea. A must read for those who enjoy seeing man triumph over the most trying adventure.



4. Well written, gripping account of tragedy at sea. Worth reading if you like the "disaster book" genre, but not quite as good as The Perfect Storm.



5. If you liked "The Perfect Storm," you'll love "Fatal Forecast."
   
   Michael J. Tougias' book is a gripping page-turner about fisherman fighting for their lives amid a severe storm off the New England coast.
   
   Tougias' taut storytelling puts the reader in the middle of the action. Like the best survival stories, you can feel yourself in the characters' place, trying to figure what to do next.
   
   I also like that Tougias includes related stories of fishing boat disasters (and near-disasters).
   
   I do have one small complaint. This book, like many of this type, includes a batch of pictures in the middle. I suppose it's cheaper to print the photos altogether like this rather than insert them at the appropriate place in the story. But in this case, if you look at the pictures (and what reader wouldn't?), some of them give away the ending of the book.
   
   That said, it's still a great story. Allow yourself plenty of time when you pick up "Fatal Forecast" -- it's hard to put down.

5 comments about Woodswoman: Living Alone in the Adirondack Wilderness.

1. This book surprised me with how enjoyable a read it was. I enjoy the outdoors and camp several times a year but have had no burning desire to have a log cabin, or visit the Adirondacks, until reading this book. She knew what she wanted, made it happen and did an incredible amount of the hard labor herself. Have also read the subsequent volumes.



2. This book is one that cannot be put down, both literally and physically. I see that the author has been put down, often called a "Barbie Doll". I find that hard to swallow on many levels. Whatever title you may give her, she above all is a women who can right an amazing book, live in the woods, and teach important lessons.
   I would fully recommend this book to anyone with an interest in the woods, Upstate NY, survial, and a good book. I am very happy I purchased this book in the heart of Upstate NY. My only regret is not reading it sooner.



3. I read this book when it was first published and I have carried it around in my head ever since. My copy has "gone missing" and now intend to repurchase and read it again. I will always recall Anne's adventures warmly. Her statement about using the wind as a dryer has stuck with me. She is a remarkble woman.



4. Her first - WOODSWOMAN - just captivated me from the first page to the last. Then, every other book in the series - WOODSWOMAN II, WOODSWOMAN III - was like watching a movie. I couldn't wait to see what would happen next. WOODSWOMAN IV is the most exciting yet - her walk across Black Bear Lake in February through three inches of ice water over one foot of snow is riveting. The chapters about her German shepherd, Chekika, who was quadriplegic for two years, show the deep love the author has for her dogs. When James Herriot published his books, I didn't think anyone could come close to his writing. But, Anne has. I love her books as much as his!



5. WOODSWOMAN IV - Book Four of the Woodswoman's Adventures.
   Anne LaBastille ISBN 0-9632846-3-0
   
   
   Strong and independent, Anne LaBastille has chosen to live very simply as an ecologist and an Adirondack wilderness guide. She loves the solitude of the mountain lakes and woodlands. Fortunately for us she shares her vision once again in this fourth book of the WOODSWOMAN series. She seeks solitude and revels in everyday miracles of nature. She lives a contemplative, traditional life in an increasingly technological world. In this book she shares vignettes of life in her log cabin next to the Adirondack wilderness; a frugal, yankee approach to publishing; a "Deliverance-like" adventure in Appalachia and much more. Her style is conversational and easy. Delve into a chapter and into the book's 50 photos and you are there, alongside her. It is a fast and delightful read.
   I really didn't want this book to end.
   
   
   Ellie Horwitz
   Concord, MA

1 comments about Two Years Before the Mast (Barnes & Noble Classics Series) (Barnes & Noble Classics).

1. I was going to read Walden by HD Thoreau, when I read a critical review of it, which said that RH Dana was closer to nature by far. I saw this book (yes this version too) and decided to pick it up. For less than $10, this book is a steal. I can see why it's a classic, and it is very close to nature. I'll never look at water or the wind quite the same way. Nor will I look at work and life quite the same way. Those sailors then definetely had it rougher than a lot of us could ever imagine. Dana does amazing in painting a clear picture of the people and the life. I was depressed and sleeping until noon every day before I read this, now I have found some peace in life again and get up at 6 am every morning. There is more to this book than the reader of it might even realize, it could possibly even save depressed lives. Being a 6th generation Californian, it was nice to know the history of my area as well. In 1835 when Dana visited, this state probably had less than 1,000 people or so, amazing. I agree with the other reviewers who said the nautical lingo is not necessary to be familiar with to appreciate and understand this eternal classic.

5 comments about Grand Obsession: Harvey Butchart and the Exploration of Grand Canyon.

1. Harvey Butchart was the first person to thoroughly explore the Grand Canyon on foot since Native American times. Obsessive by nature, he took detailed trip notes, and incorporated his notes in a trail guide that is still unrivaled. Butchart was the first person to walk the length of the park below the rim, and his tips were what enabled Colin Fletcher to become the first person to walk through the canyon in one season. Colin Fletcher's The Man Who Walked Through Time: The Story of the First Trip Afoot Through the Grand Canyon made Fletcher, and later Butchart, famous.
   
   Elias Butler and Tom Myers have produced an engrossing book on many levels. Most of the book is about events from the 1950s into the 80s. The hiker climber authors followed several of Harvey Butchart's routes while researching the book. Their personal stories lend a feeling of suspense to what would otherwise be a historical account. The book is a biography of a man, an exploration of a hiker's obsession and its effect on his family. Other books cover Colorado River exploration, but this is the first one I have seen that documents Grand Canyon exploration by foot. Researching the book was a fifteen year effort, and it is well documented with footnotes, photos and supplemental notes.
   
   As a long distance hiker myself, I was caught up with the multiple aspects of the book. The authors managed to impart the addictive nature of endurance sports, and the ramifications of a sport that consumes many hours. While Harvey hiked, his family grew up and moved on, seeing little of him.
   
   Hikers and Grand Canyon enthusiasts are certainly going to enjoy this book, but I strongly recommend it to anyone getting into a sport that consumes immense time away from family.



2. Harvey Butchart is held high on a pedestal with the majority of Canyon hikers and deservedly holds the respect of all for what he accomplished through shear grit and determination. Knowing that he had a wife and family in Flagstaff, I was always curious how he was able to balance family, his work as a Northern Arizona University mathematics professor and his passion -- no, his obsession -- with the Grand Canyon. Elias Butler and Tom Myers did an EXCELLENT job in researching and writing about Harvey's life from early childhood in China to missionary parents until his death in 2002.
   
   Be warned; you will learn that Harvey was human. A person cannot be a super human explorer of the Grand Canyon and still maintain healthy relationships at home. His family life did indeed suffer; how could that be avoided? Several of my friends were disappointed to learn of this, but it only makes sense. You cannot be obsessed with something and not have other aspects of your life get neglected. I feel the authors dealt very fairly with this. They did not paint Harvey as malevolent or saintly; they just stated the facts and very tactfully. The book is well written and the story of Harvey's life is extremely interesting. I highly recommend this book!



3. ...or you'll never get to sleep!
   
   Grand Obsession is a riveting biography of one of the most interesting characters ever to set foot in the Grand Canyon. An author himself, many hikers are familiar with Harvey Butchart's series of "guide books", Grand Canyon Treks. Even though Harvey somewhat vaguely reveals the secrets of the Grand Canyon in his books, he himself has remained a mystery until now.
   
   It is evident that the authors put an amazing amount of work into writing this biography. Every detail of Harvey's life, from his childhood in China, to "settling down" in Sun City, has been clearly and interestingly explained. The biography takes the reader on a roller coaster ride of emotions, from the elation of summiting a virgin butte to the heartache his frequent forays in the Canyon caused his wife.
   
   The authors break up the biography with the tale of their own adventure; following the footsteps of Harvey Butchart to the summit of Wotan's Throne. Their quest, a series of triumphs and failures, mirrors the life Harvey Butchart and helps the reader understand what Harvey must have felt in an even more profound way.
   
   I didn't want to put this book down. Every page was a new adventure, leaving me hungry for more, and making me want to go to the Canyon and follow the footsteps of Harvey Butchart myself!



4. This is a tremendously interesting and enjoyable biography. The writing is superb, the photographs enriching, and the flow and structure of the book are excellent. Most importantly, the authors have beautifully and humanely illuminated the life of an extraordinary -- and until now for me and many others -- a somewhat mysterious man.
   
   I met Dr. Butchart 35 years ago when I took his Algebra course at Northern Arizona University. He was a challenging professor (the best kind!), and as a young hiker and beginning Canyoneer, I was in awe of his Canyon reputation. I didn't get to know him beyond class. In subsequent years and after many off-trail and below-the-rim miles attempting to follow his terse guides, I was mystified as to who he really was. Thanks to Butler and Meyers, I have finally come to know him. And what a great arm-chair adventure getting to "know him" has been!
   
   "Grand Obsession" is not only a fine addition to the ever enlarging literature of the Grand Canyon, it is a fittingly great biography of a little known but great western explorer.



5. Harvey Butchart was a mathematics professor. His doctoral thesis was "Helices in Euclidean N-Space", and at one point he had to get twenty feet of wrapping paper to do his massive calculations for it. He looked the part, for he was scrawny at five foot seven inches and 135 pounds, and he had thick bifocals. He was socially awkward and shy. He was a good mathematician, with further papers and competence within the Northern Arizona University Mathematics Department. He had a perfectly respectable professional life. So far so dull. You would not have known it if you had seen him in his professor role, but he was a tenacious adventurer who made the Grand Canyon his realm of expertise. He logged 12,000 hiking miles in over forty years of canyoneering, he found new routes of access from the canyon rim to river, and he climbed 83 of the buttes in the canyon, often climbing by himself, and 28 of those climbs were the first recorded conquests. Everyone who knew him knew of his obsession with the canyon, and he is a hero to the many who have followed the trails he described. No one appreciates Butchart's life's work more than hikers Elias Butler and Tom Myers, who have written an admiring biography of the man who knew the Grand Canyon better than anyone, _Grand Obsession: Harvey Butchart and the Exploration of Grand Canyon_ (Puma Press). Not only is this big, well-illustrated book an account of Butchart's life and work, it chronicles much of the history of the canyon, especially after the boom in camping and nature appreciation that has occurred in the past decades. It is also an account of an obsession that was dangerous at times, and even tragic. The obsession was also hazardous to Butchart's family life, but he did put it to practical use for the benefit of others.
   
   Butchart only started hiking the canyon when he was 38 years old and moved to its region. It presented one challenge after another; he might have to bushwhack through a disused trial, float down a river, ascend sheer cliffs, or raise himself up scorching buttes. The almost photographic memory he used when he did mathematics was also put to work on the trial, so that he could remember routes long after he had trekked them. However, he took to documenting each hike he made, obsessively typing up a description once he returned home. He remained extremely fit, and as supervisor of the college hiking club, he found he had to take care so that he would not leave his students, less than half his age, in the dust. He was hard on himself. "You aren't really living if you don't risk your life once every six months," he wrote, and he was only half joking. Butler and Myers examine at length the effects of his hiking on his wife. Roma had no interest in hiking and had disdain for the fellow hikers who would visit her husband. She was able to have a truce when Butchart kept to schedule and made it home for bridge games and other activities Roma needed. Butchart had to slow down as he aged, although the slowing was very long in coming. After he had done his last hikes, there was a reconnection and delight in his relationship with Roma, and after she died in 2002, he was heartbroken and followed her just a couple of months later.
   
   Butchart's fame is assured, not because he had so many firsts in climbing and hiking the canyon (although these are considerable), but because of the three volumes of _Grand Canyon Treks_ he produced, going from the logbook notes he made after a hike and turning them into trail guides for others to follow. Butler and Myers are devoted to the books and use them often (even on a hike to Wotan's Throne, a butte that was a particular favorite of Butchart, to put his and Roma's ashes there). "Although a casual hiker could use _Treks_ to negotiate the beaten paths, Harvey presents the trails as mere frames upon which to drape the more exciting information, his routes that lead into the wild. _Treks_ thus introduced the sport of canyoneering to a generation of eager practitioners." Butchart was not unappreciative of the beauty of the canyon, but his guidebooks reflect his priorities, getting out there, getting to a goal, and getting there in time, rather than pointing out the sights. What he thought was important about his life is in those books. _Grand Obsession_ contains wonderful pictures of the canyon and Butchart at work in it, and is engagingly written even for people that don't have anything like a devotion to hiking. It is a full and admiring portrait of a remarkable, flawed man who blazed a trail, thousands of trails.

5 comments about The Beckoning Silence.

1. I saw the documentary entitled "The Beckoning Silence" on a transatlantic flight and was so overawed by its beauty, its understated sense of drama and Simpson's captivating interviews that, when the film was done, I simply went back to the beginning and watched it again. On my return flight I watched the film a third time. Like Simpson I too had read "The White Spider" as a teen and it seems we were both mesmerized by the story of Hinterstoisser's desperate attempt to lead the climb down the Eiger.
   
   I suppose I hoped that Simpson's book would be a chance to relive the film a fourth time and I've been disappointed. On film the man is a charismatic, thoughtful and fascinating interviewee and you truly get a sense of his inner turmoil about climbing. I'd previously read "Touching The Void" and found his writing-style uninspired so, having seen him talk with such passion on film, I was hopeful that this volume would reflect my new respect for the man. Didn't happen.
   
   So: the book is a collection of climbing stories - many of them involving tragic ends - written in the familiar Simpson style. But the film? Now there's another story! Catch it if you can.



2. For a guy with the true grit to drag himself out of a crevasse and down a South American mountain in "Touching the Void", he sure does a lot of whining at the begining of this book. His attempts at existentialism really bogs the book down. Once he gets down to doing what he is good at, writing about climbing, his description of his attempt on the Eiger is gripping stuff.



3. This book on mountaineering is written by the author of another classic, *Touching the Void*. It's a good read but unsatisfying overall, at least to me.
   
   Each chapter stands well enough on its own, and covers topics that are familiar in the mountaineering genre. In one chapter, a friend bails on a climb because he can't stand the growing death toll. In another, Simpson narrowly misses getting hit by an avalanche. The climax story is an attempt on the North Face of the Eiger - - what else? Simpson writes well and the stories work.
   
   The underlying theme, though, is the hardy perennial of mountaineering: why do I do this dangerous thing even as friends continue to die? The book dances around this but never confronts this. Instead, Simpson keeps climbing even as a louder and louder voice inside him tells him to stop. The sport comes across as an addiction that can't be explained to someone who doesn't share it.
   
   It's telling that when Simpson seriously thinks of quitting, he tries paragliding as an alternative. He and his mountaineering friends view this *dangerous* sport as a *safer* alternative to mountaineering. Why not try something more mainstream like mountain biking instead? I would have liked to see Simpson confront the issues suggested here - - whether he's pursuing adrenaline rush, death wish, a need to be extreme, or whatever it is.
   
   Alas, the book does not provide much illumination in such matters, so I don't think it works as a whole. It succeeds as a series of magazine articles stapled together.



4. book in excellent condition
   
   arrived really quick in the desert in the middle of australia
   ...thanks



5. I decided to read this book after reading Simpson's first book Touching the Void, which is one of the most interesting and inspiring books I have ever read. The Beckoning Silence shows a different side of Joe, and one that is most entertaining. He is someone with the confidence to make fun of himself as well as expose his fears but with an unwavering inner strength and wisdom. Originally I thought the book would be entirely about climbing the Eiger, but he actually takes you on a journey climbing several mountains while paralleling his experiences with his climbing heroes of the past and interweaving the impact they have had on his life. He also takes you paragliding in Spain; although, reading about his fear of flying while on a jetliner circling the airport with mechanical problems was one of the funniest things I have read in a long time. The last quarter of the book is dedicated to his climb and his fear of climbing the Eiger and all his heroes who paved the way with their lives before him. The reflection on the death of two other British climbers on the last three pages was a bit melodramatic and way to drawn out, but I think you'll really enjoy this book and since I heard he just finished the movie of the same title, you may want to check that out as well. Incidentally, "Touching the Void" was an excellent documentary, one of the best and most interesting I have ever seen and very true to the book.

5 comments about The Story of My Life (Penguin Classics).

1. Reading this book was a real chore. And a real snore.
   
   Given the sensational subject matter and the supposed wit and charm of the author, I had the feeling I was reading a really really bad translation.
   
   Im glad that other readers have confirmed this. ***DO NOT*** buy this edition unless you want dull lifeless tedious boooooooring version of this book.
   
   560+ pages? dang. i will have to wait 10 years before I give it another shot. what a waste. curse you penguin!



2. I gave this book four stars only because Casanova is such a well-known figure whose name has actually entered the English language. The book is a supposed autobiography and Casanova's sexual escapades and has much more in common with Baron von Munchhausen's fanciful tales than they do with reality. Casanova, who regarded himself as an artistic man of letters, tells literally unbelievable stories on himself. I especially like the tale in which a town's physician tells him to return "anytime" because he's infected half the women in the city with venereal diseases!
   
   The whole thing is one long dirty joke and, if you believe this thing, the joke is on you and Casanova gets the last laugh.
   
   Ron Braithwaite author of novels--"Skull Rack" and "Hummingbird God"--on the Spanish Conquest of Mexico



3. There are dozens of different versions of this book, and they are all DRAMATICALLY different. Do not buy this "Penguin Classics" edition!!!!!!!!!
   
   It is horrible! All the good parts have been "abridged" out of it.
   
   
   This is one of the silliest ideas I ever heard-but Penguin apparently tried to "clean up" Casanova. They have removed most of his stories about seduction from his auto-biography! Since Casanova was the world's greatest lover, I don't know why they think anyone would want the book except to read about seductions but those are exactly the parts they took out!
   
   Only Penguin could make Casanova boring.
   
   Buy a different edition of the book!



4. I love reading about Casanova's exploits, so I bought this copy for my collection. The pages are durable and strong, the spine doesn't bend or break like some books tend to do, so you end up with that funny "bump", you know what I mean? The text is legible and large enough, the font is a good choice. The front photo is cute to look at, and it doesn't fade. Over all, an excellent copy of this often reprinted story.



5. Giacomo Casanova (his name has become synonymous with that of a fiery amatory male!) was born in 1725. Somehow he managed to live until 1798 in a life which would make many people tired by just reading about his countless adventures!
   Among his many avocations was that of priest; soldier; courtier; gambler; violinist; spy;translator and famed author. Casanova managed to cram several lifetimes into his 73 wild years. If you want to follow this ultimate rake across the world be prepared to visit Italy, Germany,England,France, Spain, Switzerland, the Ottoman Empire of Turkey and Russia. Along the roue's route he met such luminaries as Voltaire, Frederick the Great and Catherine the Great.
   Casanova a serial lover of the fair and innocent maidens he seduce dwith wit, charm and seductive skills. He was imprisoned at times always managing a daring escape or the ability to have friends in high place save his love machine hide. He was no dunce being able to write and converse in many languages. His autobiography was written in French being widely published in his lifetime and ever since.
   The Penguin edition is an abridgement of his monumental work which in its entirety would swell to over 3,000 pages. The translators add material which connects the episodes. The book is filled with colorful characters; excellent descriptions of what Europe was like among the elite and filled with enough sex scenes to keep the reader searching for more.
   Casanova was not someone you would want your daughter to bring home to meet her family. He would make an excellent guest on the TV chat shows!
   Enjoy a few hours of pure escapism with this famous work!

5 comments about The Travels of Marco Polo.

1. "The Travels" of Marco Polo is easily one of the most important books in Western literature. Written during the Late Middle Ages, this book has been widely read and appreciated for nearly 700 years. Yet modern readers should note that this is not a modern work meant for pure entertainment. Furthermore, "The Travels" is not a narrative work in any sense, but rather a collection of anecdotes, observations and impressions of places little understood by Europeans during Polo's time. Considerable attention is paid to the products, wild-life, climate and various customs of the places visited by Polo (if indeed he did visit them), yet from this book we know almost nothing about Polo himself or his life during the decades he spent abroad. Thus don't expect a rousing adventure story, but rather a loose collection of stories - some real, some plainly fantastic - similar to those found in the first half of "The Histories" by Herodotus. Yet this book still offers much to enjoy and is a great read if you can accept the literary conventions of Polo's time and take the information presented here with a grain of salt.
   
   Regarding the Penguin edition: this version provides a very useful historical introduction to pre-Renaissance Europe and interesting biographical information about Marco himself. Furthermore, the numerous footnotes throughout the book make clear the differences between the early manuscripts of this work (at times, the extant MSS differ considerably) and the editors do a decent job (for a non-scholarly reader at least) of providing an "accurate" version of the text.



2. I have read this book while traveling in China by train. It is a very interesting description of past times, and essential reading for those interested in historical geography. Several points need to be clarified, though. First Marco Polo is not what one would call today an âaeunbiased observerâ. He traveled on the trips he wrote about while being employed as an emissary for the Mongols, and his admiration for the Mongol regime shows throughout. People and civilizations are judged by their proximity to the Mongol Khan. The point of view of the Chinese and other victims of Mongols is completely absent.
   
   Second, Marco Polo was obsessed with power, money, prostitution, and religion. Most of his descriptions center about these things, to the neglect of other aspects of human life. He divides the cities he encounters upon religious lines, even in places like China where the inhabitants themselves werenâ(tm)t aware or didnâ(tm)t care about such divisions. His admiration for Christianity and his contempt for Buddhism (whom he erroneously associates with idol worship) shows through. He often writes as if drunken with admiration for Mongol power, praising the Khan for massacring entire cities, while at the same time labeling peaceful people as âaepusillanimousâ.
   
   Having said that, these travelogues are still interesting to read. The short-chapter format is very well-suited to reading in the bathroom. The translation by William Marsden is very well-done and easy to read. However, my edition (Wordsworth Editions, 1997) could be improved in several ways. A map for instance showing the route of his travels would go a long way assisting the reader to follow along. Otherwise one has to reconstruct the places from the crude narrative (âaeand then we traveled 3 days by camel heading East, then turned to left and walked 1 day â¦â). Frankly, quite often I had no clue about which location he was writing. So I ended up copying a map from a history book and pasting it inside the back cover. Still one desires a more detailed map, with marks designating locations chapter by chapter.
   
   Another desperately needed improvement is a translation table. Many of the place names he used had long been ignored and replaced with new place names. In my edition there is one page glossary of place names, but that is far from adequate. For example, the glossary only translates 5 place names in China, leaving dozens other names in oblivion, and leaving me wondering whether the city of Kin-Sai, the one Marco Polo praises the most and devotes the most pages to, is modern-day SuZhou or HangZhou. This is an important deficiency that needs to be corrected. Whatever edition you decide to buy, make sure first that it has a good map and a good glossary of names!



3. A very remarkable book written in the 13th century. Many secrets were reviled when Marco returned. And may interesting explanations of things like the origin of cinnamon.
   
   Marco writes well enough of his travels and you feel that you are there. You can actually follow the trail if you have a map. He describes the flora and fauna of each region and describes the economics and industry of the region.
   
   Example: "The women of the superior class are in like manner free from superfluous hairs; their skins are fare, and they are well formed."
   
   It is interesting to see how little has changed from Marco Polo's 13th century and now.



4. Marco Polo purportedly spent 17 years travelling to the courts of Kublai Khan and, as an emissary for Kublai Khan, then throughout the Far East. Whether it actually happened or not is up for debate. I went into this text with an open mindset and have accepted that Marco Polo did indeed go on this trip with his father and uncle, but not to the extent as surmised. Instead he travelled and added stories he collected from traders and others to fill in gaps or points of interest to him. The book is broken into four sections now. Part One is his trip to the Great Khan's courts in Cathay (China). Part Two is his travels throughout the provinces of Cathay. Part Three concerns going to Japan, Southern India, and the Islands of the Indian Sea (Java, etc). Part Four is travelling into the 'northern countries' (Russia, etc).
   
   In general, Polo gives very brief descriptions of most regions, accounting for their religious beliefs, money used, fealty to the Great Khan Kublai. There's some intriguing customs (visitors will be taken into a home and the man of the house leaves until they are gone but the visitor has full access to the household including the wives, daughters, sisters, nieces), talks of cannibalism, dress, unfamiliar animals they encountered, and contributes to the whole messy history of Prestor John. It does get repetitive and dry after a while. Polo's talk of Kublai Khan is almost obsessive and he was obviously completely enamoured of this new culture. Overall, it was fascinating to read although I had to push myself through some parts due to repetitive descriptions. Any history buff should read this story about one of the purported most well-travelled explorers ever, not to mention he was possibly the biggest best-selling authors before the printing press was invented.



5. I believe I got what I paid for. There were much better books of great detail, but they cost much more. I would suggest saving your money until you can buy a much more comprehensive book. The reading and information provided in the book was light and was gone over very fast. I question some of the facts contained there in.

5 comments about The Man Who Swam the Amazon: 3,274 Miles on the World's Deadliest River.

1. I celebrate the effort in the swim and the writing, and the author seems like a nice guy, but I could not finish this book because it was so boring.
   The story takes a while to get into the meat of the journey and from then on reads like a travelogue of a very uneventful trip. The key tension in the story seems to be the 'Real World' like relationships on the support boats.
   Sorry, I wanted to like this but the writing is dry, the trip seems uneventful as described and it manages to suck the athletic effort out of the subject.



2. I followed Martin's swim via his web site from start to finish. Needless to say I couldn't wait for the book. I read it in just two sittings and found the insites into the man and his crew to be simpley amazing. Matthew wrote this as a day to day diary, just as the web site did. For those of us that will never experance the Amazon in person, it gives you the feel of the jungle and the strength and determation of this man. He has to considered one of the greatest and most unselfish people on this planet. To do this, to open the eyes of the rest of us to what is really happening with the inviornment is an accomplishment that no politican or hollywood movie could ever do. If we had Martin Strel running the governments of this world it would be a better place for all of us. Martin proves that anything is possible if you really want it. A must read for anyone who say's "I just can't do that".



3. This is your quintessential "page turner." Despite being fully aware of how the story ends, I found my fingers glued to the book, just dying to know what would happen next. In addition to chronicling Strel's astonishing athletic feet, Mohlke also allows the reader to voyeur his or her way onto the boat as we meet members of the crew and delve into small human dramas which unfold as they travel deeper into the deadly jungle, (I, too, can't wait for the movie.) All is written by an author who was masterfully able to marry articulacy with slang, and eloquence with wit. I loved it.



4. What Martin Strel did is unbelievable! This story is written beautifully to chronicle the journey through the jungle, as well as unveil the different sides of a man who seems incredibly human, yet not human, at the same time. The daily, journal style arrangement of this book has an easy, exciting flow and makes it near impossible to put down. I am exctied for the documentary "Big River Man" to come out, to put a face to all of the characters of the book!.....Here's to hoping that Martin's dream of peace, clean water, and friendship will be realized.



5. From the very first page, you know you are in for the story of your life. It is overwhelming to even think of the logistics involved in this unprecedented level of accomplishment - and even more so that it was the grueling feat of a man who, in most walks of life, would be well past his atheletic prime. Author, Matthew Mohlke, brings the reader onto the expedition, the highs and the lows. And if it is Martin's intent to remind the world of the need to preserve the beauty of our forests and rivers, he has accomplished just that with his passionate and unswerving devotion to this cause. In The Man Who Swam The Amazon, the authors share the danger and the beauty; taking the reader on a page-turning adventure that no script writer could ever improve upon. Thank you Martin and your whole incredible team for sharing all 3,274 miles with us; I could have read a page for every mile.

5 comments about Kingbird Highway: The Biggest Year in the Life of an Extreme Birder.

1. Kingbird Highway is a must read for every birder. It is a real adventure story; complete with life and death struggles! If Kenn Kaufman's life work wasn't birding - he could easily be a writer. Do yourself a favor and read this book.Kingbird Highway: The Biggest Year in the Life of an Extreme Birder



2. As a birder, I empathized with Kaufman's desire to see rare birds in Aleutians, explore the unknown, and experience the American wilderness through the binocular lens. For those of us who might be apprehensive about dropping out of high school and hitchhiking around the country pursuing our dreams, Kaufman makes it easy. He does it for us.
   
   This is the story of a young kid who was obsessed with birds. He left behind a life in small-town American in pursuit of his dreams (meaning to see new birds), and made a niche for himself in the then budding birdwatching sub-culture. On virtually no budget, he managed to navigate his way all around the United States, learning and growing as he traveled, making new friends and seeing wildlife all the while.
   
   His writing is gripping. The excitement that he feels in seeing each new bird, meeting Roger Tory Peterson, or having a car stop to pick him up after having walked for hours on a roadside is very real to the reader. This journey transcends the birds that define it, and background discussion make this book accessible to birder and non-birder alike.
   
   Perhaps most importantly, Kaufman provides an unconventional model for success. Not everyone has to go through the motions of securing a college degree, going to graduate school, or finding an entry level position someplace and begin climbing the corporate ladder. I wouldn't condone abandoning education, but think that Kaufman's case is useful in that it shows that self-education outside of the classroom can be just as (or more) informative and fulfilling.
   
   Kaufman's journey takes him through the full range of human emotion, introduces him to people from all walks of life, and opens up a natural world that a young, lonely kid in Kansas could only dream about. Mixing in some self-deprecating humor, Kaufman's book is both thrilling, and relaxing.



3. Written many years after the fact, this book is well worth reading many years after the fact. Kingbird Highway is an autobiography, a travelogue, and a `where-to-bird' guide for 1973. It is a tale of life, liberty, and the pursuit of birds. Kingbird, alias Kenn Kaufman drops out of high school to pursue his dream (obsession) of seeing more birds in a single year than anyone had ever seen before. There are several catches to his liberty and pursuit of birds. He must see the birds north of Mexico, a technicality that affects his dream. He has almost no money, so he does cheapest Big Year ever with the lowest dollar to bird ratio ever. He spends only about $1000 by hitchhiking everywhere and living off Little Friskies in a can of cold soup for dinner. Kingbird Highway provides a wonderful map of where to bird even now over forty years later. For example, the Brownville Texas Municipal dump is still the place to see Tamaulipas crows. Read in conjunction with a field guide, Kingbird Highway opens a world of birds, their habits, and habitats that might otherwise escape notice.



4. This is a good book, but not what I expected. It's about a specific time in birding and America. This makes Kenn Kaufman's experience unique. This was during the "early days" of birding and bird listers. There was not the instantaneous information of the location of rare species we have now. If you are interested in birding, the search for rare bird species, or the effort to see bird species out of their normal range, I would recommend this book.



5. Kenn Kaufman began birding at an early age, and as a young teenager he hid his "geeky" habit from his friends. Eventually, as he became older, he realized that there was a birding fraternity and he began to bird with others who loved it as much as he did. At 16, with his parents' blessing, he dropped out of school and began doing cross-country birding by hitchiking around the country. His knowledge of birds grew and his contacts with other birders increased. In 1973 he decided to go for a Big Year, that is a year in which he attempted to break the record for most birds seen in a year. The pace of Kaufman's quest was amazing and he relates his adventures in an interesting and down-to-earth style. Towards the end of his Big Year, Kaufman begins to question his own motives for building up his list and his introspection brings a new maturity to him and his methods of birding. This is a great book for any bird enthusiast.

5 comments about Cook : The Extraordinary Voyages of Captain James Cook.

1. Fast-moving and fascinating account of Captain Cook's three around-the-world voyages, culminating in his death at the hands of Hawaiian peoples who apparently mistook him for a god based on his ill-timed arrival and departure schedule.
   
   The concept of leaving on just one 3-year trip in uncharted lands so far from home and family and communication with them seems even more astounding and heroic today in the age of always available, always on communication. Of course, Cook and his crew weren't always heroes, displaying at times the reflexive racism and cultural arrogance of the age of Empire that spawned the exploration in the first place. However, it is interesting to watch Cook's attitudes change and mature during the voyages.
   
   You may want to cross-reference to Tony Horwitz' Blue Latitudes: Boldly Going Where Captain Cook Has Gone Before which I also reviewed. Horwitz applies his witty and accessible style to a popular cultural, anthropological, historical, and gastronomical view of Cook's travel stops and his impact on them.



2. This book covered Cook's 3 voyages into the Pacific. Cook's drive to explore new lands and interact with the people that he met along the way was fascinating. This book did not try to judge the actions of Cook and his crew, but rather chronicled the good and the bad, describing the various attitudes of several of the crew members as taken from their diaries and accounts of the voyages.



3. This is an anthropologically informed history of James Cook's three voyages to the Pacific. If you are looking for a biography of James Cook, a general history of Cook's voyages, or a maritime history, this book is not for you.
   
   The anthropological approach seems perfectly suited to these voyages since they included a number of first contacts between Polynesian and European civilization. In some cases, especially in his discussion of the artwork and the scientific approaches of 18th century Europeans in confronting Polynesia, Thomas is engaging. However.....
   
   As some other reviewers have noted, there is an air of anachronistic academic disdain that permeates the narrative and distracts the reader from engaging the subject. I'm not quite sure what Thomas's point is in much of the contempt he has for his subject. For example, he will deride Cook et al. for misinterpreting a certain aspect of Polynesian society, and tisk at the ignorance and cultural insensitivity that supposedly malinformed this misinterpretation. After all this, you'd think he'd supply better interpretations, right? Well, sometimes yes, with all the arrogance that 250 years of hindsight will buck you up with. Yet strangely, quite a bit of this book is devoted to his own guesses and speculating about Polynesian society. Perhaps these guesses are informed by that 250 extra years of scholarship, but they are often poorly argued and unconvincing.
   
   Read a more standard history of Cook before you read this, and then be prepared to wade through quite a bit of the ideological sludge that sullies some interesting material.



4. Fewer things are better than a good sea story dealing with unexplored regions of the world. Captain James Cook's British Naval expeditions in the late 1700's were some of the last expeditions to the unexplored parts of the world. For introducing the subject and telling a good story, Thomas does an excellent job of introducing the reader to the inherent problems in leading a naval and scientific expedition and first contact with Pacific Islanders.
   
   In many ways, today's outer space missions are less complicated than Cook's expeditions.
   
   The anthropology sections of this book are the weakest sections, but there are simply few ways to understand the native Pacific islanders of Hawaii and Polynesia and the Maori peoples of New Zealand and Aborigines of Australia.
   
   Cook's legacy is somewhat mixed in the Pacific basin, though to his credit, he handled first contact issues as well as he probably could. His death that resulted from an altercation with some Hawaiian tribe members was a bit of a tragedy, for few of his generation had as much patience in dealing with the inherent issues of Western and native interaction.
   
   For the reader wanting a solid introduction to one of history's greatest explorers and one of the greatest sea stories, this is a worthwhile book.



5. Before reading this book, most of what I knew about Captain Cook was from high school (not much) and from a vacation or two in Hawaii complete with visits to historic sites. I saw it at the library and checked it out because I am enrolled in a "Pacific Islanders in the U.S." course at my local junior college, and because I'm planning another vacation in Hawaii and want to feel more grounded in the history of the place while I'm there.
   I thought the book was great. It really cut through a lot of the mythology that surrounds what most of us are taught about Cook, to the real person, with failings as well as strengths. What I loved was I felt I got both perspectives, Cook's as well as the point of view of the People he encountered on the islands. One thing I got from the book is that Cook missed a lot. His journal records his perspective, but as well-meaning as it might be, that perspective was narrow and often limited by his own background. The island kingdoms he encountered, in Tonga, Hawaii and others were politically complex, and socially and culturally rich. Power plays were being made, not only by Cook, but by the People on the beach. I thought the presentation was balanced, and fascinating, and I am grateful for having read a book that allows me to think about this moment in history, and the islands themselves, in a broader way.