A nice trip up the river and unknown
935243
I have been enjoying all of Bill Markley's books and being very interested in Lewis and Clark. It was natural that this would be my next Markley book.  Great style, you can imagine yourself on the trip.  I liked the description of the discoveries they made. and the way they went about dealing with Native bands.  Many a explorer have found out that only one thing could cause an attack, and lost their life because of it...Lewis and Clark are proven good leaders, and anticipate all problems.  I also wanted to learn more about the men and this was accomplished by Bill.  Now I want to kayak the river with Bill.
123744
It is relaxing and can bring you into a journey.
752181
This adventure around, she has to figure out the mystery of Ernest Hemingway's ghost who seems to be writing yet another great American novel, mysterious green glowing lights out in the waters surrounding Fort Jefferson, and the hunt for ancient ship wreck. Naturally, Kitty finds herself in very dangerous situations that she has to get out of but she always manage to do it with flare and sometimes......SPOILER ALERT....flames, as in a homemade Molotov cocktail! Seriously, where did she learn how to make one of those?

My favorite part came toward the middle of the story. Her visit to the Fort Jefferson and Dry Tortugas National Park. I learned a lot about the history of Fort Jefferson, why it was there, how it got there and other hidden mysteries in its waters. The story is packed with fun tidbits of historical information.

What I didn't care too much for is how long it took to get to the good part of the story. Her time in Florida seemed to drag out for a long time. Nothing THAT interesting happened except for the Hemingway ghost sighting at his famed writing spot. In fact, the title seems misleading because she really isn't looking for the ghost through out the story. Most of the story is about trying to figure out the who and why of the mysterious glowing lights out on the water.

Overall, it was a fun read. I'm looking forward to Kitty's next adventure.
2358625
I enjoyed reading the book but in the beginning almost stopped reading but just had to go to the finish. The descriptions throughout the book were amazing and I felt like I was walking alongside the author. With all the wonderful descriptions of the land and all the people he met I thought o f one thing that seemed to be missing. Only once was a mention of a bridge. As a covered bridge enthusiast I would imagine that there would of been some covered bridges along the way. With the many streams that were crossed I just felt how they were crossed was missing.  That missing part to me was why I have it a four star instead of five.
214705
Whitewater rafting is one of the most popular sports in the United States. Every year hundreds of thousands of tourists and avid "river rats" float every type of river in the country. Challenging rivers like the Colorado through the Grand Canyon to the Middle Fork of the Salmon in Idaho, fromthe Tuolumme in California to the Gauley in West Virginia, are routinely rafted by adventurers seeking the challenge and thrill of facing these liquid locomotives. It is not uncommon to wait up to 15 years for a private permit and up to 3 years for a seat on a commercial raft trip through the Grand Canyon.

Predictably, there are numerous books about individual whitewater rafting experiences and a respectable number that explain how to participate in the sport with or without the benefit of a guide. In addition, a few former guides have written books about their experiences but remarkably there are few anthologies written by river guides that purport to tell the truth about river running on western rivers.

This book seeks to remedy that oversight by providing stories from 30 former and current "river rats" that will provide as good a description as one is likely to get of the less than scientific method of river running as practiced by a bunch of "...misfits and misanthropes, dreamers and daredevils, weekend warriors and professional guides, nataphobes and bibliophiles, "established voices" and undiscovered gems." In short, these are stories purported to be factual from a group that's primary claim to fame is storytelling regardless of the truth. It is that and much more.

The stories of kayakers, dory men, canoeists, rafters and assorted others are humorous, thoughtful, questionable, and a reminder of the river lore that has lured rafters to water since Huckelberry Finn. There are stories about nude canoeists, games and pranks favored by river guides, lost tourists on the river and a host of others that provide a hard-to-put down account of both adventures and misadventures on western rivers. Not to be missed is Jessica Maxwell's account of forcing herself to face the "grim river reaper" that is probably more true for a number of rafters than they would, or will, admit. While some of the essays appear to be designed to glorify the writer they are more than offset by the works of such legends as Bruce Berger, John Nichols, Scott Thybony, Brand Dimock and Edward Abbey. To read these eclectic accounts of river experiences is to be introduced to wilderness writings of the first order. Highly recommended.
4957789
We hit a rock a few minutes into our trip and while I was disappointed...I quickly realized the quality when we didn't sink. With the different chambers..we were able to float 6 more hours down the river with no problem! I will definitely patch it and look forward to more adventures!
330752
I am not a fly fisher woman but I love nature, water and the outdoors. I loved the descriptions of Appalachian country, a place I hope to explore soon.  I enjoyed the peek at the the author's lives and relationships.  If you enjoy reading about nature, the call to be outdoors, the feel of the grass or water beneath your feet "Downstream" is the book for you.  Open your imagination as you open up "Downstream".
1780274
The story begins with a thunderstorm, a big enough storm to wake up Madeline, who is soon joined by her comforting father. They wait out the storm together, and it does subside, but the pair need to find out what damage was done. Stepping outside to check their yard, they decide to search their nearby docked boat for Madeline's journal. They find it, but, unfortunately, become locked in the cabin. Making the best of the situation, they turn it into a camping adventure and spend the night on the boat.

As if the storm and the night on the boat were not enough adventure, Madeline wakes to find her father nowhere around, herself somehow in a forest, and greeting a giant man who urges her to come with him - because she is the chosen one who must save his entire civilization from their troubles.

Not entirely sure if it is a dream or reality, Madeline bravely sets off to do what she can to help the people in trouble, even though she feels that she is only a little girl, so what can she do? Along the way she finds out that she is quite capable, capable of more than she had ever imagined. (But I don't want to give away the story, so I won't say more about what happens!)

A Journey to Remember is a sweet adventure story starring an eleven-year-old girl who rises to several challenges and saves the day. The story delivers a positive set of messages while also being fun and full of beautiful imagery and very creative and interesting places.

If you are looking for a chapter book with a nice blend of reality and magic, check out A Journey to Remember.
3968072
It was a wonderful read. You pretty much guess the ending, but the journey to get there was the fun part. Thanks for the trip!
896671
The journey was pretty cool. The creatures were fascinating and the plot fairly surprising in some parts. A good one off read.
3958057
A slow, meandering story about a slow, meandering journey--a trip a man makes in a canoe down the river of his childhood (The Brazos in Texas) before it was dammed up and was no more.

It is--or can be--a slow, meandering read, but the joy of this book--and there is a lot to enjoy--comes from the meandering---as the man, author John Graves, recounts the history, legend and lore that took place along the banks of his beloved river,at places and sites he is seeing for the last time--Indian stories and pioneer stories, some shocking in their horror, some inspiring, some humorous, and always, always, interesting.

Join him on his trip. It well worthwhile--but don't be in a hurry. Enjoy this tale--these tales of the Texas Brazos, places, scenes and sites never to be seen again but that will always be a part of our misted, shaded, and, now, water-covered past.
1383299
My husband is the sailors-hopeful, not me, but since this was written by the same author as another book regarding island life, I felt it would be an enjoyable read. Aside from some pointed editing issues, this was a delightful account of the adventures of long-distance boating on a small craft. It didn't make the heart race, but provided that simple feel of coming unwound, which is, I suppose, the very reason that boaters do such things as recounted in this tale. It provided an occasional surprise regarding distant island customs, and was enjoyable as my first of 4 'island adventure' books, but would not be something I'd buy again. A fast read, I went through it in a night, but it fit the bill to help my mind 'get-away' and enjoy a new perspective.
1874325
I have enjoyed a number of the 'American Rivers' series of books, and this one is of particular interest since we have ancestors from that area. I gave a nice feeling of connection to the area. And as with other books in the series it is kind of mellow read describing the history and geography of the area written in a by-gone era in a perspective that is hard to achieve nowadays.
1639808
This story begins as two men  acquaint themselves during a layover at the airport. One man is intrigued by the other man's tale, a story of his life.
Gabriel, world traveler, white water rafter and lover of The River, was dealt a tragic hand by The River at the young age of five. It takes years for him to conquer his fears, return to The River and find healing and a new life. This is a very captivating story and uses the analogy of The River as a reference to God (as far as I could understand). The characters were easy to follow and the ending has an unexpected twist. I really enjoyed the book, and am sure most that read this book will enjoy it also.  The story itself is very good.

At the same time, I was a little disillusioned, maybe I was looking too deep. Throughout the book, It seemed like it was leading up to a climax, in which the author would then reveal how, The River, was a reference to God and healing for our emotional pain comes from God who knows all and has a purpose for all things that happen to us. There was also a part of the story that could very well have been used as a tool of witness to the sacrifice Jesus paid on the cross with his death. But direct reference to God or the Bible in this book is slim to none. It bothered me. I did do a little research to find out what this author actually believes. There is a website for The River Field Guide. It does seem to have some insight as to what the author may have been attempting to convey with his book. The story itself though is very much worth the read!

I received this book from Book Sneeze program. All opinions are my own.
2171180
A GREAT READ AND WILL WAIT FOR ANOTHER JOURNEY WITH THIS GUY. THE TRIP WAS A SUPPRISE AND TURNS WITH A BEER AND SHOT BACKER
1744803
It was fun following Tudor Parfitt on his wander through northern Africa and Israel.
No observable conclusion, but a great trip.
4478344
Good uplifting story.  Great for a quiet day by the river or sitting on the porch with a glass of lemonade and a cool breeze