Well written journal of crossing the great plains
583446
This was an enjoyable book to read and was very sad when the author sold her trusted pony Dick for a large some of money.
3479673
This was a very enjoyable book. A photo album of times gone by. She relates many remembrances of her life growing up in the plains. Worth the time to read.
110415
"Exploring The Great River" presents a collection of eyewitness accounts written by participants in early French and Spanish explorations of the Mississippi River.  Through its pages we are admitted to the historic expeditions of DeSoto, Marquette and Joliet, Hennepin and LaSalle.

The narratives are interesting in their details of the explorers who unlocked the secrets of our land, the terrain through which they traveled, the fauna, flora and the various Indians they encountered along the way.  The methods employed to hold the respect and awe of the Indians provides an insight into their relationships.  My father had always told me that DeSoto's body was sunk in the Mississippi River so that the Indians would not know that he was, in fact, mortal.  I was glad to see that story confirmed in this book.  The comparison of the different Indian tribes and their attitudes toward Europeans demolishes the stereotype of Indians as an undifferentiated monolith.  In truth, each tribe was a separate nation, somewhat like the nations of Europe.

While this book does not present the big picture of the riverine explorations, it does give some interesting facts.  Automotive historians may learn the inspirations for some car names of the past.  Overall it is an enjoyable and edifying read.
3501939
This is a wonderful insightful book. It is a pleasure to make this
Journey with Will as he traverses America.
42730
The author invites the reader to journey along with him as he travels the unseen, the unknown paths and byways from the sophisticated cities of Europe, through the desolate streets of Afghanistan, Pakistan and India to the coastal plains of Southeast Asia.
While choosing to be a lone traveler, using "magic messages" to communicate with the locals, he manages to secure food, work and occasional lodgings and to simultaneously "absorb" the truest of experiences of being a backpacker in strange yet wondrous lands.
This is much more than a simple memoir of his bold undertakings; it is a journal of an enthusiast living LIFE to its fullest and at the same time giving insight to the reader to what the world's people have to offer " the willing traveler."
1245705
North of Highway 8 by Dan Woll is a series of short stories dealing with various sorts of outdoor adventures.  Theres canoeing, camping, some climbing, and a fair amount of bicycle riding.  The stores are thematically linked by the type of adventurous spirit that you feel when you head North of Highway 8.  The title refers to the Highway that runs through the Northern half of the state of Wisconsin which very much delineates where the rugged/frontier territory begins.  Having myself been born and raised North of Highway 8, I can attest to the veracity of this book.  North of Highway 8 contains sincere affection for the Wisconsin Northwoods, and the spirit that you feel in that great frontier can indeed spur you on to many memorable endeavors.

The stories contained in this book are all of extremely professional variety.  Many of them are reprints that originally appeared in local newspapers and regional magazines.  Woll has a reflective yet concise writing style that makes this book a quick read.  He very effectively constructs a compelling narrative, and knows when to sprinkle in just enough philosophy to give the story some kick, but not so much that it slows anything down.  His work reminds me of Michael Perry with perhaps a little Sigurd Olson mixed in as well.

As a cyclist myself, I was naturally drawn to Wolls reflections on the Leadville 100 and the Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival.  The stories on these subjects effectively convey the both solitary and social nature of bicycle racing.  Woll is keenly aware that although you are racing with hundreds of other competitors, all of them enduring the difficulties of the course the same as you, in the end, every racer suffers to the finish alone.

The best chapter is probably The Untold Story of the Barneveld Tornado which discusses the rebuilding process of a small town ravaged by a tornado.  From the outside, weve all witnessed scenes like this where communities are wrecked and people come forward to provide aid.  However, this fascinating account goes beyond the initial rush of support and examines the permanent scars that are indeed left by such an event.

North of Highway 8 is a worthwhile read for anyone who enjoys adventure or outdoor activities.  It offers a mature and philosophical account of many activities that are physically and emotionally draining.  For cyclists especially, this book is a must read.
76999
Richard Serrano writes several stories in this single book. He describes a race across the land. A thousand mile race to the worlds Fair in Chicago where they will be met by Buffalo Bill Cody. He explains how the fair is the beginning of a more modern world. The race itself is a tale of problems, difficulties with authorities and the SPCA and some excitement, but lurking around them is a closing frontier.
Interviews and information from written sources give authenticity to this account. Photographs are included that also help to give interest. This is a book for those who wish to learn more about the west in a changing era.
4721047
C. B. Bernard follows in the footsteps of his distant relative Captain Joe Bernard to experience the myth and reality of Alaska. Chasing Alaska is a travel memoir that explores Alaska's peoples, culture, and terrain. While Bernard absorbs the here-and-now of this place of snow and perpetual darkness, he grapples to understand his own place in the world.

Bernard splices his cultural observation with personal experience. At times, the seams are a bit too apparent. On the whole, however, Bernard's personalized view of a Alaska, interspersed with observation on his genealogy and history lessons work well. He has created an exploration that take into account both internal and external dimensions. The prose is crisp and with a poet's sensitivity captures the small details and interconnections in nature and civilization which are often obscured by everyday life. Overall, Chasing Alaska is an insightful memoir and perspective on the majesty we call Alaska.

Related highly recommended books: Shackleton's&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Endurance/dp/078670621X/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Endurance</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Arctic-Adventure-My-Life-in-the-Frozen-North/dp/1626549990/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Arctic Adventure: My Life in the Frozen North</a>, which is a lesser known, but really interesting and well written account of living among Eskimos in the early 20th century.
1910479
What an enjoyable book - the chapter on Japan alone is worth the price of the book.  Mr. Schatzker's talents as a writer really shine.  He does a wonderful job of logging his quest for great steak, while also pointing out a lot of the problems with today's modern farming methods without being heavy handed.

I hope there will be a part 2, as there are many, many more places for him to visit in this quest.
3761918
The Pathfinder is well-written and does a good job bringing to life not only A. C. Anderson, but the others in the Hudson Bay Company western fur-trading operation.  I got the book, because I'm working on preserving historical Stevens County, Washington records and have read other books on fur trading.  Nancy Anderson does an excellent job of explaining how they traveled, how they interacted with others, and life in general.

I like books that tell a story and Nancy does that well with enough pace to keep it interesting, but enough detail to make you feel like you know the people and places.
2698101
This is not a long book, at just under 100  pages, but it is well written and a fun read. This is a personal account of a pilgrims walk on the Camino de Santiago, something I never seem to get enough off. This author did not go the full way, but plans to go back and finish the walk at a later date. I have enjoyed very much all of the books I have read by people who have taken this journey, each one giving us a peak into their experiences, friends they make, and the beauty of the towns and county.
1191146
Retired Col. Robert J. Gerard takes the reader on an intriguing journey in his recently published memoirs "The Road to Catoctin Mountain." He begins by telling stories of his childhood days in New York and New Jersey during the depression of the early 1930s. He shares in detail memories of his junior high and high school experiences during World War II.

Robert's purpose in writing this memoir is twofold: to leave a story of his life and experiences for his eight children and grandchildren to see him as a man with strengths as well as flaws. Secondly, friends who recognized Robert's gift for telling entertaining stories, while imparting information and inspiration, encouraged him to put them into print for others to enjoy as well as gain the benefit of his experience.

After his high school graduation Robert found employment at one of the Edison factories in West Orange, New Jersey.  Impressed by the heroic war stories told by two co-workers, veterans of WWII, Robert enlisted in the army in 1951. During his basic training he applied and was accepted for Officer Candidate School prior to being sent to active duty in Korea.

Gerard writes detailed accounts of his army career assignments as well as observations into the leadership styles of many of his superiors and fellow officers. He shares insights from the things he learned through these experiences.

I personally enjoyed Robert's humor as he related childhood stories, his frequent mention of popular songs of the era he was alluding to.  I also found his forthright observations on business management and philosophies of classroom strategies and educational goals. They are both noteworthy and vital.

Robert Gerard's career journey includes 31 years of service in the U. S. Army, several post-retirement jobs with the state, the federal government, a civilian corporation, and as a professor at Mount Saint Mary's College on Catoctin Mountain.  In this final career adventure Robert found fulfillment as teacher, mentor, and advisor to his students.

An understated tribute to his wife and family characterize the narrative as Robert writes of the importance of his wife Mary Lee to his success. His children, his marriage, and his career all have a part in this journey.

This is a book that will be enjoyed by retired and career servicemen in any branch of the United States Military and their families.  World War II, Korean and Viet Nam veterans will all identify with and enjoy Robert Gerard's journey on his "Road to Catoctin Mountain."
3194152
Ran across this book when I was looking to take a break from Sci-fi books.  Since I am a bicycle commuter, I found the idea of bicycling across the largest country in the world very interesting.  Many assumptions I had were shattered as I read this book about traversing the USSR in the late 1980's.  This isn't a day by day account of the trip but rather more like a week by week account with some details on the daily struggles.  Much of the book is devoted to the author's interactions with the local populace in rural russia.  The reader comes away with a solid understanding of the county as well as the difficulties of traversing russia's land ocean.
3487183
Francis Parkman lived the Oregon Trail, slept it, ate it, marveled at it, and wrote an excellent memoir that leaves one with the feel of sand in your boots and the smell of buffalo roasting on the fire.
As a young man, Parkman went out west in 1846 to discover the American Indian.  Setting out from Independence, Mo., Parkman proceeded to Ft. Larime (Wyoming), spent many weeks with a band of Indians as they hunted buffalo and secured life's necessities for the coming season, and returned to "the settlements" via Bent's Fort (Colorado) and the upper Santa Fe Trail.  (Making this wonderful book misnamed since he was only on about the first 1/3 of the Oregon Trail and never crossed the Rockies).
What Parkman has left us is a wonderfully descriptive first person account of overland travel in the rugged west and the life of the Indian (as viewed by an outsider).
The strength of this book is in the details.  Parkman has a keen eye whether it is turned towards imposing landscapes, Indian village life and travel, or buffalo hunting.  This book has a gritty feel that paints the grandeur of western vistas as well as the hard reality of subsistence life (both Indian and white traveler) lived outdoors in a frequently unforgiving land.
Parkman's voice does have a 19th century feel.  Modern readers will find he over-introduces new subjects (ie, "since, reader, we are telling of a buffalo hunt, now is a good time to acquaint you with the manner in which buffalo are brought to ground.") and the book does not have the flow associated with more contemporary writing.  His attitudes towards Indians reflect the majority view of that time period and he was certainly at times a gratuitous hunter.
But the book's descriptive power, as well as the fascinating telling of life among the Indians and on the plains makes this well worth the time.  This is a first person account that speaks of authenticity and gave me a feel for "what it must have been like."  A good read.
3911966
This is a very personal account of trips to great outdoor places in western US and Mexico. The author's love of the outdoors is clear, but the personal journey is  less compelling. A good book to read on a trip.
3060338
Read this book with a modern travel map and prepare to take notes of places you want to go see.  How can anyone drive through parts of the American West on the interstate highway and think, "I want to get off this road and go see what happened in that ravine".  Buck makes that happen.
So if you like adventures with car camping, hiking and taking all day to drive 200 miles, then you will like Buck's mastery of writing in a way that brings events from 175 years ago.  Also, if you learn about today's Western ranchers and their spouses and the challenges they face as businessmen and women and the differences they are making in caring for the environment, then you will appreciate Buck's perspective from a Northeasterner's viewpoint.  He did all of us a favor with this book by introducing us to another part of our heritage.
954919
I received a paperback copy of this memoir from my cousin. It is a wonderful and descriptive account of her experiences of the Red Road. Great job. Thank you for the gift. (Jamie)