5 comments about Arctic Homestead: The True Story of One Family's Survival and Courage in the Alaskan Wilds.

1. I was very disappointed in this book. While the first half is entertaining and interesting, it eventually became offensive to me for a number of reasons. The author, Norma Cobb, refers to herself (in the section about working on the pipeline) as "not unattractive" but then later goes on to categorize Susan Butcher as being not much to look at. Well, from looking at the pictures, I might agree with Norma's appraisal of herself, (though it does sound boastful for someone living in Athapaskan country, where the Natives do not boast about themselves), but to denigrate Susan's looks is simply tacky. Many believe that Susan Butcher was a very attractive, natural and wholesome looking woman. Further, when Norma comments on the passes made towards her by another musher, Rick Swenson, well - that is equally tacky, particularly with a well known individual. Unfortunately, these things, along with other things such as poor grammar and incorrect usage of the English language point to someone who appears to be both rather full of herself and disdainful of people with more education. It is a shame that what was essentially a good story had these elements that detracted from it. I was also bothered by the characterization of others in this book as they did not, somehow, "ring true." This assessment was solidified for me when I read Ken Nelson's review of the book. I normally do not cull books from my personal library but this book won't be kept.



2. This is a great true story about a courageous family carving out their dream on America's last frontier. It is well written, easy to read with event details hard to imagine even during the mid 1970s. This is good reading for anyone planning a trip to Alaska.



3. UNBELIEVABLE EFFORT!
   
   I BOUGHT THIS BOOK BECAUSE THE COUPLE WAS FROM LONGMONT, COLORADO AND THEY WERE NOT FAR FROM MY ROCKY MOUNTAIN HOME.
   
   THE BOOK WAS A GREAT LOOK INTO THE STRUGGLES OF HOMESTEADING. SOMETIMES I THOUGHT THAT THEY WERE ALL A FAMILY RIGHT OUT OF THE "GRAPES OF WRATH." EITHER TO STUPID TO QUIT OR JUST PLAIN BULLHEADED. I THINK IT TOOK BOTH TRAITS TO ACCOMPLISH WHAT THEY DID. I RESPECT THEIR FOCUS AND THEIR FAITH.
   
   THE BOOK WAS A GOOD READ AND I RECOMMEND IT.
   
   IT IS UNBELIEVABLE TO ME THAT THEY ARE LOOKING TO SELL SOMETHING THAT WAS SO DIFFICULT TO OBTAIN AND MAINTAIN (TOWARDS THE END OF THE BOOK.)
   
   MAYBE THEY ARE THE "GRAPES OF WRATH" BUNCH, BUT WHATEVER THEY ARE, THE BOOK IS REALLY WORTH READING AND THE COUPLE/FAMILY HAD TRUE GRIT. FOR THAT AND THEIR FAITH IN JESUS, I TAKE MY HAT OF TO THEM AND SAY, BRAVO!



4. Okay, so it's an imperfect family. True they started out with nothing and yes, they are uneducated. Norma probably bent the truth a hair or two. She's got a right to her own opinion, it's HER BOOK!
   
   Les is probably a big brash dangerous guy, but she's still married to him. The kids ... well they grew up with the bears all around them and dogs to mush. Last I heard they are doing fine. How can we judge a family like this? They didn't exactly move to Alaska with a U-haul and a pocket full of change, but pretty close. To me, this story deserves respect because of the sheer magnitude of what they accomplished. These are poor uneducated Americans and I am very proud of them. I wish there were more people like the Cobbs.
   
   My gut feeling about this story is that Norma is mostly telling the truth. She admits to many mistakes, in every chapter, and is open about them. The death of the dogs was pretty damn upsetting and I'd really like to know the truth about that one. Will someone speak up? How about a member of the family? Or maybe some of the Alaskans who were friends to the Cobbs? I'd like to know what happened. I tend to believe that the guy left in charge of the dogs allowed them to die. I do not believe the family killed their own dogs. They just don't strike me as the type. Now the man who stayed behind to "care" for the animals, him I blame. He probably did what she said and killed the dogs with neglect.
   
   It happens. As an animal rescue person, I've seen animals die of neglect many times. I tend not to believe that Les shot all the dogs as inferred by one of their former friends. If there's disparagement about the book, it's not because of the storytelling, because this book is one of those that you just can't put down.
   
   Suspend your disbelief, take what you will from the book, but READ IT!!! It's fantastic.
   
   Jules Harrell



5. I have read many true story accounts of wilderness "Alaska Bush" living, but this one truly had me wondering how this family kept avoided being killed or dying from the unbelievable danger they continued to put themselves in. I found it interesting to read, but at the same time, almost painful. Living in Alaska, I see many, many adventure seekers who think they can make it in the bush without the necessary skills and knowledge it takes to survive on their own. It is truly a miracle that this family, although brave, all survived their experience.

5 comments about The Four Voyages: Being His Own Log-Book, Letters and Dispatches with Connecting Narratives.. (Penguin Classics).

1. This book was excellent. It taught me so much more about Columbus and his journey's. Being a school teacher, this book sure will help me while teaching my students. I now have much more knolege on the subject.



2. J. M. Cohen's translation of various 1st-hand or near first-hand accounts, including that of Columbus' son, Hernando Colon's LIFE OF THE ADMIRAL brings the Columbus story to life.

   The Introduction, coming from a translator of literature rather than a historian, is rather uninspiring; however, he does provide a rather thorough rebuttal of the argument, made by many supporters of Bartolome de Las Casas and referred to without explanation by Felipe Fernandez-Armesto in COLUMBUS, that Hernando Colon's work is a forgery. Indeed, since it appeared long before Las Casas' HISTORY was published, the issue of forgery may go in the other direction!

   The book, through early Spanish sources, looks at the rumor that Columbus relied on the map of an ailing Portuguese sailor. It makes plain Columbus' error in thinking he was near Japan (Chipangu) and his belief that he would reach Cathay! We see his rather innocent introduction to the potent tobacco plant and how the natives fed his belief that gold, pearl and spices were nearby.

   Columbus is shown to be of mixed character: on the one hand, he generally seems to respect the natives he meets and makes an alliance with one chieftain against the 'cannibal' Caribs. On the other, he takes several natives captive (to have them trained in Spanish so that they can serve as translators on future voyages), gives some Carib women to his men (who raped them as in the case of the vile Michele de Cuneo) and discusses conquest and enslavement of idolators [not particularly shocking considering the long history of conflicts and mutual enslavement between the muslim moors of Spain & Northern Africa and the Christians of Spain & Portugal].

   Columbus' biggest problem appears to be his tendency to leave his men (39 on the first voyage) as colonies while he explores elsewhere. Whenver he returns, the natives have either killed the colonists or were at war with them - often due to the Spaniards' greed and licentiousness. Indeed, at one point, he leaves his brother in charge and the Spaniards, being forbidden to sleep with the native women revolt and found a rebel colony where the women were supposed to be more accomodating! Columbus ultimately is forced into an accomodation with these Spaniards and eventually conquers the natives. We also see the separate voyage of Ovando to Hispaniola and the beginnings of the gold mines. Columbus, not unlike a number of his successors, suffered arrest and trial and, after his last voyage, was deprive of power and authority.

   Columbus' voyages, following in the footsteps of the Henrican discoveries, would likely have eventually been made by someone but Columbus seems especially driven to exploration. It was an unfortunate fact that he was also a very poor (and often absent) governor. His actions, sometimes courageous and thoughtful, sometimes harsh and reflexive probably represent the more civilized men of his time - when the Middle Ages was just ending, slavery and religious wars continued in Spain, Portugal, North Africa and Italy, and people were still being burned at the stake for heresy.




3. This book is a great description of the events related to the exploration of the new world made by Columbus. The first two voyages are the most interesting because of the discovery of the caribbean island and the natives inhabitants living there, the arawaks and the caribs. The latter were very particular on account of its cannibalism.
   
   In the third voyage, Columbus finally reach mainland and the fourth voyage was the toughest of all due to huge storms that lasted several days and the attacks of indian while there were repairing. At the end of the book there is an account made by Diego Mendez, a truly survivor and loyal servant of the Admiral who saved the lives of all of them while they were waiting in Jamaica, for a year.
   
   I my opinion Columbus was a great navigator and a brave man. It is sad how the life of the Admiral ends and the poor retribution from the kings of Spain.



4. This book contains primary sources ONLY. (How do I "rate" the letters of Christopher Columbus? :-) You can read about the life and times of an historical character by the very best historians for years, but until you read what that character actually wrote about his own experiences, you're groping in the dark. Nothing compares to getting it from the horse's mouth.
   
   These letters, beautifully translated, free of anyone's opinions, are history's nuclear core. Any gut sense YOU get from these words may well be closer to the truth than what you've read by any scholar. Occasionally you might realize that your favorite historian didn't actually finish reading some of the letters they're basing an argument on! Then you are in a position of knowing more than he/she does.
   
   I do wonder why Penguin doesn't fix the date of Columbus's death. The editor has him dying in 1509 (not a typo since it's repeated) which is a shame. Columbus died 500 years ago this spring, and a quincentenary only happens once. It's "Goodbye, Columbus" May 20th, 2006.
   
   FAVORITE VOYAGE: NO. 3, when he blesses the continent of South America with his tears (red with blood from exposure and illness) and warns the Monarchs that this is the Earthly Paradise and no one may enter without God's leave.



5. Christopher Columbus in his own writings, translated though, what could be more exciting? Well, maybe the hardships they faced during the journey, strange Islands and natives they discoveren and all politics that were involved to arrange the journey.
   
   The Four Voyages describes Columbus throughout his carreer as a ship commander and really comes to life in your mind. I saw a Pocahontas like film featuring Colin Farrell after reading this book and just felt a void of all detail being described in the book.
   
   You want to read about what the journies were like? Then buy this book.

5 comments about Touch the Top of the World: A Blind Man's Journey to Climb Farther than the Eye Can See: My Story.

1. Erik spoke at the American Dental Assoc. conference in Denver where my husband got the
   chance to meet him. He autographed a copy of the book "To Gray, Reach!".
   
   I happened upon it while cleaning last week and was immediately intrigued. I
   used to rock climb but have not been actively involved in the sport for a
   couple years. Anyway, I have never written to any author before but was so
   impressed with Erik's gift of story telling that I had to write. He is one
   funny dude. I laughed out loud at his adventures and dialog with his
   climibing partners. It brought back fond memories of previous climbing trips
   and the fun times I shared with my climbing buddies. I will probably never
   climb any of the seven summits but was able to enjoy expericing these climbs
   through his words.
   
   I am an Occupational Therapist and meet people everyday in my work that
   exhibit self-limiting behavior that prevents them from living full,
   enriched, healthy lives. I am going to recommend Erik's book to encourage
   others to REACH! Thanks for a great book! What a refreshing way to look at
   life...



2. This was definately an interesting book, and it kept my interest. In the midst of so many mountaineering books that are often similar, this offers a substantially different perspective. Few of us would have the skill or determination to climb even one of the seven summits. The author, however, summits four...blind. That being said, I didn't particularly care for his writing style. It seemed fragmented and did not have a lot of continuity, at times I had to reread sections to determine what he was talking about. Also, as someone else mentioned, it would have been more impressive if he had waited until he completed all seven summits before he wrote the book. Most of all, I thought the repeated sexual references did nothing to enhance the story. Whether it was referring to the computer game they played at the camp for the blind, his exchanges with the various guides, or whatever, they were really unnecessary. Repeating middle and high school dirty phrases was not impressive either. If his intention was to inspire and impress us with his mountaineering feats, then those references did not help his cause.



3. I saw Erik speak last year and received a copy of this book. It sat on my bookshelf for a long time until I had a chance to read it! I loved hearing his stories when I saw him speak, but the book goes much further and provides a treasure trove of great anecdotes of how he has refused to sit back and be led through life. Erik's tales weave a tapestry of courageous and compassionate acts that are an inspiration to anyone who's ever climbed a mountain or reached for a goal "because it was there". I highly recommend it!



4. I was disappointed in this book. I love to read about Everest and those who climb it, but this book was dry and too much about the authors whole life and not much about his Everest adventure.



5. About eight months ago (from the time of writing this review) my wife lost her eyesight. Knowing about Erik Weihenmayer from a Travel Channel special that included a segment about his leading the Global Explorers annual trek to Machu Picchu, I actually wrote his website in the hopes of getting someone there to give me ideas about how to help my wife enjoy the outdoors again. Little did I know I'd be hearing from Mr. Weihenmayer himself. He was truly gracious and helpful, and both he and some other folks from his site and Global Explorers suggested I give this book a look.
   
   I purchased this along with Sabriye Tenberken's "My Path Leads to Tibet." What I was hoping for was not so much the usual "inspirational" stories that make soccer moms cry when Oprah tells them to read this book but the day-to-day details that would give me insights into what my wife was experiencing and what I could do to help. "Tibet" provided some details, but didn't really cover a lot about how a person deals with losing their eyesight or what they learn about to adapt.
   
   Mr. Weihenmayer's book, however, provides a LOT of details about how he felt as he lost his sight and some decent information about how he learned t adapt. In fact, I used several of the things he mentions in his book to help my wife start adjusting. For example, he describes how his mother would make him put away the groceries that he liked (fruit, cereal, cookies, etc.) so he knew exactly where they were. On our next grocery trip, I laid out all of the foods that were mostly hers, or that she used a lot, and let her put them away. Those of us that have family and friends that have lost their eyesight, there can be a line to walk between wanting to limit their challenges as they adapt and thrusting challenges upon them so that they CAN adapt. This book provides enough insight into some of the challenges that can be helpful that it can give the reader ideas about how to help their blind friends and/or family.
   
   Likewise, Mr. Weihenmayer describes his adjustment to losing his eyesight with a combination of humor and bluntness that people who have lost their eyesight can sympathize one moment and laugh the next. I tracked down a copy on tape for my wife, and we actually listened to it while driving back and forth from the school for the blind she will be attending to learn the adaptive skills and technologies needed to get back into her career. It helped provide her with the understanding that her feelings, frustration, anger, and such were normal - that she was not the only one that had had these thoughts or moments. We're so inundated with mental pablum from the Lifetime and Hallmark channels' made-for-TV-movies about such things that many think they're supposed to face loosing their eyesight with the quiet, southern-belleesque dignity of Scarlet O'Hara or some garbage. No. There's times you want to bawl your eyes out and yell, "This sucks!!!! Why me!!?!?!!?!?" And that's okay.
   
   Mr. Weihenmayer's book helps show that such moments are perfectly normal. But he also shows how people eventually move on and learn to reclaim their lives. It should be noted, however, that the American Foundation for the Blind's credo mentions in part that, while there are exceptional people like Mr. Weihenmayer, the accomplishments of "normal" blind people are no less extraordinary. You don't have to climb Mt. Everest to be exceptional or inspirational as a blind person. Simply reclaiming your life as a human being in a world that is still rather unfriendly to blind people (seriously... you're set for life if your 400lbs and need a scooter, but you're still pretty much on your own if your blind) is no less awe-inspiring than climbing a mountain.
   
   If you know someone that has gone blind, or if you yourself have gone blind, pick up this book. Honestly I found the day-to-day details more interesting and helpful than the latter one-third that focused mostly on his climbing. But, that's because the first half to two-thirds focused more on the stuff I was actually reading it for.

5 comments about Wild Men, Wild Alaska: Finding What Lies Beyond the Limits.

1. I have known the author for over 30 years and he is 'the real deal.' Rocky speaks his mind and lives his dreams and the book is a testimony to a life well lived, mixed with adventure and integrity. A must read.



2. For guys or gals who like hunting and fishing and outdoor adventure this is a must read. I finished it in two sittings, couldn't put it down.



3. Rocky's book was an excellent read. After having fished two times in the wilds of Alaska in the past few years, I found the stories to be an exciting look into the last frontier that is Alaska. It is easy to become part of the story and to place yourself in Rocky's place. Fortunately, I did not have to be faced with the real dangers, reading about them was enough. Alaska is the last of our American frontiers. If you can't get there to see and experience it for yourself, then by all means read this book!! It will give you a taste of the wilderness life in Alaska and let you experience the wild without the streetlights and traffic that too often become our life in the "lower 48." Do yourself a favor and get this book.



4. I must say, from the perspective of someone who has never experienced the Alaskan wilderness firsthand Wild Men Wild Alaska does an amazing job of painting the beauty and nostalgia for it's readers. This is definitely one of those books that you just can't put down, highly recommended!



5. I found this book to be refreshing, honest, creative, vulnerable and challenging. Even if you're not an outdoorsman par excellance like the author, his style draws you into the great adventures of Alaska. I not only appreciated the raw realities of hunting expeditions, but also the tender realities that were revealed in the partnership Rocky has with his wife, Sharon. Here's a good read. Enjoy!!!

5 comments about Passionate Nomad: The Life of Freya Stark (Modern Library Paperbacks).

1. Freya Start was a pioneer in her day -- a remarkable and complex woman whose intellectual curiosity led her to explore a region --the Middle East-- where few Western women felt comfortable to go in company, let alone, as a solo traveler. THis book describes her character as it developed over time, headstrong, determined, and driven to compensate for her plain features and disfigured face with daring adventures. Her advise and counsel to the British foreign office proved to be amazingly prescient, though she was not always heeded. A very good book of historical and human significance.



2. Having just scrolled through the other reviews, I don't have anything to add except the comment that I am another fan of this book. I think the author did a good job of bringing this complex, interesting woman to life.



3. My Journey to Lhasa: The Classic Story of the Only Western Woman Who Succeeded in Entering the Forbidden CityForbidden Journey (Marlboro Travel)I don't understand why other great women travellers are not mentioned in any of these reviews. If you like this author, don't forget about Alexandra David-Neel who paved the way and Annemarie Schwarzenbach and Ella Maillart who traced their own unique paths. All but Schwarzenbach have been translated into English and are available from amazon.



4. A well written, well researched book about a fearless and adventurous woman who lived a most interesting life. Especially interesting--though not surprising--were how the insecurities she lived through as a child molded her as an adult. Her near financial poverty as a child in a world where peers and relatives lived sumptuous lives gave her a ravenous appetite for luxury as an adult. Her beautiful, emotionally remote mother and mostly absent father had her looking for love from the unlikeliest of men during most of her adult years. This book shouldn't be missed even if you aren't particularly interested in the part of the world she adored.



5. Remarkable testimony to an exceptional life. Freya Stark was an iconoclast in her time and ours, and her story is worth tracing, for a better understanding of one of the world's most enigmatic regions.

5 comments about Mountain Madness.

1. World-class mountain climber and guide gets a posthumous tribute from a mournful, devoted friend and fellow mountaineer.
   
   Birkby opens atop the 18,000-foot Himalayan peak Kala Patar. It's 1996, and Scott Fischer (1955 - 96) is showing him the skyline of Mount Everest, where Fischer will shortly lose his life. That climb was a far cry from the pair's initial adventure back in 1982, when Fischer convinced a then-inexperienced Birkby to scale Mount Olympus.
   
   The author details Fischer's childhood, when a love of camping and a penchant for thrill-seeking blossomed into challenging hikes as a teenager with the National Outdoor Leadership School. He would later join NOLS as an instructor, counting among his students Sebastian Junger (The Perfect Storm, 1997, etc.).
   
   Birkby tenderly recalls Fischer's clumsiness in his early 20s, when he miraculously survived more than 12 deadly plummets and was nicknamed "the Fallingest Man in Climbing." After gaining increased experience and acumen, he left NOLS and formed Mountain Madness, a company offering guided climbs whose motto was "Make it happen."
   
   Deftly detailing Fischer's life in conversational prose, Birkby shares stories about encountering bears and traversing frozen terrain in the Alaskan wilderness, adventures ascending Kilimanjaro and the death-defying challenges of the Annapurna Circuit trail. As his son neared his first birthday, Fischer became more determined than ever to scale Everest. Climbing down from its 29,000-foot peak in May 1996, the group he was guiding got caught in a blizzard. Everyone managed to descend to safety except Fischer, who perished from exposure. The tragedy received widespread media attention and a lasting memorial in Jon Krakauer's eyewitness account, Into Thin Air (1997).
   
   A fitting homage to one of the great outdoor extremists.
   (Kirkus Reviews)



2. Anyone who likes mountain climbing/adventure books will really love this portrait, as the author takes the reader through the experiences of Scott Fischer's most memorable life. A great pleasure to get the "behind the scenes" view of so many aspects of Fischer's multiple adrenaline filled challenges. When asked the question "Whom would you like most to have a beer with", Scott Fisher would be at or near the top of the list of any person who appreciates an action adventurist's life story. One cannot but feel a sense of real loss at not having had the opportunity to have met this person, "in person". This book, is I suspect, as near to being a close second, as one can hope for. I expect it most likely will be a best seller within the genre of mountain climbing/true adventure books.



3. Everyone who met Scott remembered him. His energy and enthusiasm always left an impression. Robert captures the person, but also captures the communities of people with whom Scott spent his life. This is a remarkable book on a remarkable person.



4. I got caught up in Mountain Madness and barreled through it in a week. Because Fischer's life is so crammed with the incredible, in the hands of the wrong writer, it could easily become a boring litany of outrageous feats. However, Robert Birkby gets it right. Each climb is unique in its setting, challenges, and personalities. And make no mistake, the book is crammed full of incredible adventure, both terrifying and triumphant.
   
   It was a lot of fun to read about the camaraderie and good times the climbers have when they are not risking their lives on the mountains. I'm afraid of heights, but I sure would have enjoyed hanging out with this guys on level ground. In fact, one of the things I appreciated was not feeling like an earth-bound outsider, looking in on the gods of climbing. Through Birkby, who was a friend of Fischer's and is also admittedly more of a horizontal hiker, I felt squarely anchored in the book. I also appreciated that Birkby is an outdoorsman, and I always felt like I was in the hands of someone who understood the process of climbing.
   
   Lastly, this is an excellent portrayal of a fascinating person. I got a good understanding of the drive behind Fischer's climbing. He seemed like a man with a relentless hunger, and yet a thoughtful man, who was struggling for balance in his life.



5. Scott Fischer's name as a mountaineer was as well known within the international mountaineering community as it was little known by the general public until his tragic death on Mount Everest during the deadly climbing season of May 1996. That deadly season at the top of the world captured the public's imagination not only because of the significant loss of life, but also because for the first time, the mostly private business of challenging the world's highest summit was available for the first time to all who were interested on the internet, over satellite phones and through Jon Krakauer's presence as an "imbedded" journalist for Outside magazine.
   
   With Scott's death, Birkby lost a close friend and an influence in his own life going back to 1982 when the two men, who had only recently met, climbed Mt. Olympus together in Olympic National Park. Although Birkby's evolution as a highly skilled and well known outdoorsman had taken him on a self described "horizontal approach to America's wild places" his new friendship with Scott inspired new types of vertical adventures with Scott and his commercial climbing company Mountain Madness that included expeditions to the summits of Mt. Kilimanjaro and Mt. Elbrus and even eventually, to the famous Everest base camp.
   
   Birkby's healing from the loss of his good friend began on the SCA high school crew he led in Grand Teton National Park the summer following the tragedy. But even as the pain eased, Bob and other member's of Scott's community grew frustrated with the incomplete portrait of who Scott was as a man, a father and a mountaineer that emerged publicly in major accounts of the accident. And so he eventually began a search for the truth of who Scott was, mostly gained through the eyes and hearts of those who knew Scott best, that Birkby chronicled in a manuscript that he was never sure would be published.
   
   It is to our great good fortune that not only did Mountain Madness eventually find its way to publication last February, but also that one of the book's most influential and articulate story tellers about Scott's life was Bob Birkby himself. This first person narrative tells great stories of adventures but also seeks - quite successfully - to ask and answer questions about why people seek out adventure in the outdoors and how we succeed or fail in balancing this need with other priorities in our lives.
   
   Scott was both a charismatic and controversial character, a fact that Birkby both acknowledges and illuminates. From his tracing of Scott's boyhood in New Jersey, watching a documentary on television about the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) that led to his odyssey to Wyoming's highest places, to his early frustrations of trying to make a living by following his passion with his company Mountain Madness, the reader learns much about what drove Scott Fischer to the heights he sought.
   
   And while Birkby had no intention to add yet another book to the considerable cannon of Everest disaster literature, the quality of his research and the trust his interviewees obviously placed in his integrity and commitment to tell Scott's story does in fact shed some new light on that fateful May expedition. But perhaps more importantly the author has succeeded in telling the story of a man, his community and what came to be a far more fleeting moment in the history of high elevation mountaineering than any of the real people living in that moment could have recognized at the time.
   
   As readers come to different conclusions regarding the who the real Scott Fischer was and how well Scott met the challenges of his own life and goals, Mountain Madness succeeds fully in articulating the call that wild places has on so many of us. And by the end of the book too, we realize that with his crisp descriptive prose, his own vast experience and deep sensitivity to human triumph and fragility, Bob Birkby was our perfect guide to this remarkable story.

5 comments about Into Africa: The Epic Adventures of Stanley and Livingstone.

1. Dugard is one of the new breed of biographer, in that he knows that every- mans life is made up of truth and fiction. At his best he gives us the more interesting side of both but is always faithful in explaining what has become myth and what can be documented. The life of David Livingstone has become so entangled with his myth that even after reading his diaries it's hard to tell how much is true and how much was perceived as true.
   
   When it comes to Stanley, who reinvented himself so many times not to mention his change of name, always leaves the impression that he has taken the time to edit his journals and diaries. He is very seldom shown to be introspective, except when he uses those emotions to further his own myth. He was a driven man who could never settle for what he had done before, and had to do more than anyone else. The story of Livingstone being found by Stanley at a little village in the Lakes Region of Africa would have been so much more powerful if it had not been deconstructed and rebuilt so many times.
   
   In this format, Stanley finds Livingstone sitting on the front porch of his house/hut and goes over to introduce himself. They are both civilized men who have been beaten down by the nature of Africa and have past the point of exhaustion. Livingstone is on the edge of starvation and has been for the last year. Stanley has crossed parts of Africa which Africans and Arab Slavers fear to go into. I can see Stanley (who idolized Livingstone) being uncertain of how to say hello, and therefore being as differential as possible.
   
   Dugard does a wonderful job of putting both men into the context of the societies they lived in and the people they depended on. It's a fine and interesting story.



2. This book is way too much fun. The story is so compelling, and so much fun to read, that I am left with one complaint:
   
   I have difficulty using this book as a research tool. It's fabulously entertaining, but the depth is hidden in the footnotes, and I am thusly forced to turn to other sources for the research that I wish to do by reading the book in the first place.
   
   Still, I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in post-Colonialism for a lively read.



3. Henry Morton Stanley, who's real name was John Rowlands- he was left at a horrible Victorian workhouse after his grandfather died (his mother having abandoned him), was a remarkable man. He certainly had his flaws, but considering his lack of family from age five, he did rise to a prominence that would certainly make a Horatio Alger book pale by comparison. By contrast the missionary David Livingston, was a crusading anti-slavery activist who became distracted by the then popular obsession- the source of the Nile. Despite his more prim upbring Livingston had his flaws, which emerge in his journals and letters. He was also a remarkable man and certainly endured (as Stanley did) hardships that should have killed him before they finally did.
   
   This fascinating story, including many details I had never encountered in earlier books, are well recounted in "Into Africa: The Epic Adventures of Stanley and Livingston" by Martin Dugard. This is a real page-turner and a story that is not censored to make either man look better than he was. I did find several errors in fact (elephantiasis is not a form of leprosy and one GENUS of mosquitoes transmit malaria, not one species as implied by the author!) However, despite such lapses and an occasional purple passage, Dugard has written a most interesting account of the famous expedition to find Livingston. The reader will also start to realize why Africa is in its current state, what with inter-tribal warfare, Arab and other slave trading, constant raids, murder, endemic disease and colonialism, it is hard to see how anything else could have resulted. The wonder is that any African states are stable at all after their fairly recent history.
   
   A good read and a worthwhile examination of two lives that unexpectedly intertwined.



4. A good story, though not extraordinarilly well written. It does serve well enough as a casual introduction to the story of Stanley and Livingstone.



5. Ever since I read "The Last Voyage of Columbus," I have been a Martin Dugard fan. In "Into Africa," Dugard does an admirable job of mixing adventure story-telling with important historical details to make this a fun, historically-compelling read. As a young child I thrilled at the adventures of Livingstone and openly wished to be like him. Now, many years later, Dugard's prose has pernitted me to relive that childhood adventure while also allowing the adult in me to savor the gritty reality of Livingstone's near-fatal treks.

5 comments about Flight of Passage: A True Story.

1. Rinker Buck is an engaging storyteller and this story is truly delightful. Touching at times and hilarious at others, Buck takes you along on he and his brother's amazing adventure across America in a Piper Cub. I would recommend this book to just about anybody, especially aviation enthusiasts.
   
   One note: you don't need to read the after word as it is a little sad and depressing after such a good read, and it doesn't relate to the story that much.



2. WARNING: the first few chapters are dry, I almost gave up on the book and I am glad i didn't because after the first few chapters the book is so interesting and grabs you.
   
   Very Funny and descriptive you will love this book even if you don't have an interest in aviation.
   
   it takes you through the boys journey and Rinker Buck describes everything in enjoyable detail. The book describes their flight across the country and back(although he really does blow through the journey back).
   
   The book reminds you of a different time in the world, 1966, when you could fly around without a radio and sleep on the tarmac at the airport.
   
   Anyone can enjoy this book and it is in story format, not biography.



3. This is a fantastic book! I've read it twice and will most likely read it again. It has so many compelling elements that it can't be fully appreciated in one reading. I think that the sheer adventure in Kern and Rinker Buck's 1966 coast-to-coast flight is what really seized me. I am the same age as the Buck brothers and struck out on my own the very same week they made their flight. Their desire to have an adventure, prove something to their father and master a pursuit reserved for skilled adults hit home with me. The book is funny, touching and insightful about family relationships.
   
   It is a great read and I, for one, am very grateful to Rinker Buck for putting this story down on paper all these years later.



4. I am a new private pilot and devour anything aviation related, so I very much enjoyed the flying theme of this book. But even without the flying aspect, it is a great story of how complicated father/son relationships can be and the bonding between brothers. It is a very touching story. Mr. Buck is a solid author as well, which is not always a prerequisite for writing a memoir.



5. Interesting and well written story of two kids flying across the country in a Piper Cub. Great adventure and an example of God's provision and protection even when people don't acknowledge His existence.

5 comments about The Travels of Marco Polo.

1. In the late 13th century, three Venetian merchants, two brothers and the son of one of them, visited China, which was then ruled by the Mongols. The Mongols distrusted the native Chinese and hired foreigners such as the young man as minor officials. The Venetian merchant-turned-official traveled extensively through North and South China, South-East Asia and India. After he returned to Venice, he took part in a war between Venice and Genoa, was taken prisoner, and in prison met a professional writer who wrote a book based on his memoirs and embellished it with the stock devices of late medieval romances. Among various Asiatic curiosities Messer Polo describes asbestos, coal, tigers, musk deer, sago and coconuts. He tells the story of the Buddha, describes the Mongol postal system (I was surprised that yamb, which is obviously the root of the Russian word yamshchik, a postal courier, is a Mongol word), Chinese paper money and the life of Indian yogis. For him, the Shinto "idols" of Japan are offensive for a Christian to read about, but the virginity test administered to prospective daughters-in-law in South China isn't. Marco Polo is no Jonathan Spence; he is not trying to get the reader inside the heads of people belonging to an alien culture; he is a merchant, and cares much more about the crops that grow in a certain kingdom or a region, and the crafts its inhabitants practice. Anyway, it is an enjoyable read if you liked Herodotus or the Russian Primary Chronicle. When I read it on the bus, the white man in the seat to the left of me was reading a textbook of Mandarin, and the white man to the right was practicing his Kanji - we are all Marco Polos now.



2. This is just a straight & plain narration on what Marco Polo came across. At times it's quite boring. But I mean no disrespect for Polo as he would still be a remarkable explorer & adventurer even today, not to say in the 13th century where transportation was in primitive modes. Contrasting Polo's map & the modern one is interesting though, as well as guessing the modern places corresponding to Polo's description.



3. Imagine a very boring person went through something fascinating. This person came up to you, started to talk about this incredible journey of theirs, but talking in this monotonous voice without changing pitch or showing excitement at any moment.
   
   That's essentially what "Travels of Marco Polo" is. It's an INCREDIBLY interesting book and a fascinating tale, but can it possible be said in a more dry and flat way? There is no energetic spark that makes this adventure jump off the page. Perhaps this is due to the times, but I suspect the translation is a bit literal and bland as well. The writing never changes tone, even in parts that are clearly exciting and amazing. All the facts are there, but the reader is forced to put too much energy just to make it interesting.
   
   Marco Polo had a most fascinating journey. Any history buff should snatch this book off the shelves (unless they decide to read the even longer, more annoying records that I'm sure can be found floating around), and anyone interesting in Marco Polo should as well. It may be dull at times, but it's still incredible, fascinating, and a riveting tale.
   
   Recommended to heavier, more able readers.



4. It has been a pleasure to revisit the travels of Marco Polo. I was transfixed by these stories of travel and adventure when I was a child, and never questioned the veracity of the narrative. I know today that the narrative has been corrupted over the centuries, that "The Travels" can scarcely be used as an historical reference, and that a more tantalizing and complete manuscript has probably been lost to the ages. Still, there are glimpses and insights within the narrative that could only have come from first-hand experience, and these describe an enormous, exotic world that titillates even today, while readers in the 13th and 14th centuries must have been enthralled.
   
   I was most keen this time around to Polo's descriptions of the cultures and wildlife he encountered, of the whales and lions and leopards and bears--he even describes a white bear, and the people who hunted it were surely of the group often called Eskimos. He describes dog-sledding in the far north and the cannibalistic practices of the people of Java far to the south, both of which are extant in our current era. There are also the fascinating observations of the Mongol Empire, of that group of nomadic people who somehow rose up, like an event in an Isaac Asimov novel, to conquer much of the known world.
   
   Somewhat depressingly, though, are Polo's observations of the tensions that existed between the Islamic and Christian worlds, tensions rooted in the competition for hegemony over trade in the Far East. Seven hundred years later, these tensions are still acting themselves out.
   
   This translation by Ronald Latham from 1958 includes an introduction that puts Marco Polo's life in context with events and includes footnotes to help the reader make sense of the myriad manuscripts that make up the travels of Marco Polo. This is a somewhat dry read; even Latham comments on the paucity of skill employed by Polo's chronicler. Once I put my mind in context with the narrative, however, I was able to roll with the repetition and sycophancy and enjoy the text.



5. 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 comments about The Climb: Tragic Ambitions on Everest.

1. I was informed of Boukeev and DeWalt's THE CLIMB by a friend of mine who is an avid high altitude climber. Having read Krakauer's INTO THIN AIR, I was interested in other points of view of the May, 1996 Everest climb. Krakauer does a fine job in his self identified "personal account", but I felt that both a differing view and a less "personal" examination might go a long way to explaining the problems of the climb, the philosophy of commercial climbing, and enhance my understanding of that year's terrible loss of life on Everest. THE CLIMB did not disappoint me. I came away with all that I sought. Reading both books (INTO THIN AIR & THE CLIMB) provided me with a better understanding and a more well rounded viewpoint than reading either book to the exclusion of the other. I would highly recommend that those who are interested read both titles back to back to obtain the full informational effect. Then, make up your own mind about the danger and death encountered on that May in 1996.



2. After i read Jon Krakauer's Into Thin Air, i thought i knew all there was to know about the 1996 Everest tragedy. Was i wrong.
   
   In Jon's book, Toli (Anatoli) was cast as a villian who knowingly put his clients at risks. After reading this book, i felt that Toli was the real hero in the tragedy. A few things strucked me:
   
   1. Toli came across as a humble and private person who just wanted to be in the mountains. This almost spiritual tie with the mountains shone throughout this book. Climbing mountains was all he ever wanted to do.
   2. Unlike Jon's book, this one didn't indulge in any conjectures. This gave Toli's account an air of honesty and somewhat more credibility.
   3. Toli was a superb climber (probably the best on both expeditions) trained in the best Soviet traditions whose actions on Everest were made based on what he thought was best for the safety of the clients. It was way too easy for Jon and others, especially amateurs, to restrospectively point fingers at him.
   4. Quite a number of people owed their lives to his personal bravery. I thought that this fact is the most telling point in the entire tragedy.
   5. Toli's poor command of English hampered him in his work in the expeditions and prevented him from explaining why he did certain things. This unfortunate fact alone could have cast him in a bad light on everyone's account of what happened.
   
   Read both books to find out what happened in 1996 but be wary of Jon's biased and ungrounded conjectures. Jon's book is by no means the official account of what happened. Read Toli's account to get a balanced view. Personally, i'm more inclined to believe in Toli's account. I was sad when i found out that this heroic man died in his beloved mountains in 1997.
   
   Read both books and see if you agree with me.



3. In 1996 one of the worst mountain climbing disasters that ever occurred on Mt. Everest took place. This tale of death and near death has been told and retold a number of times. With too many people who have paid large sums of money trying to reach the top, disastrous weather conditions, and bad judgments, loss of life was inevitable. It can be argued, that some of these deaths were needless, and that other actions would have brought other outcomes. If you are going to read only one book about this disaster, Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer is considered one of the best, and if I had to choose between Krakauer's book and Anatoli Boukreev's The Climb, I would choose Into Thin Air. Still, there are often two sides to a story, and Krakauer heavily criticized the actions of Boukreeve in his telling. The Climb gives you another perspective on what happened, showing Anatoli Boukreeve as more of a hero than someone who could have done more as Krakauer alleges. He stepped into the storm and rescued three of his own clients, bringing them down alive in a raging storm. Yet, could he have saved others? People who were not part of his expedition? This is the crux of the criticisms levied against Anatoli. This book, in many ways, feels like Anitoli trying to defend himself against Krakauers criticisms, but if you would like to hear more of the story, from another point of view, then I would recommend reading this book. When you are done, you can try to make your own judgment on what really happened.



4. This book appears to be written primarily to rebut certain incidents mentioned in Jon Krakauer's book, Into Thin Air. I have no doubt that Boukreev was an experienced and dedicated climber but this book is presented as if he did nothing wrong up on Everest in 1996.
   
   I have read almost every book published about the deaths on Everest in 1996 and the concensus of opinion is that everybody did something that contributed to the disaster. Boukreev made his share of mistakes and I would have been more impressed with this book if that concession had been made.



5. Having read Krakauer's book, seen the movie and watched the PBS doc, I read this, purported to be the closest to the ten sides of the truth in this adventure/disaster.
   In a nutshell, Krakauer looks bad from this perspective, Sandy Hill Pittman still looks like a phony new money weasel, and Fischer looks much better than anywhere else; he is unfairly slammed in the tv movie if this book is at all true, and it does ring truer than the other projects (though the PBS doc Storm Over Everest is a must-see).
   Worth reading for anyone into climbing and/or this incident, which says so much about our massive egos and small brains.