5 comments about Down in Bristol Bay: High Tides, Hangovers, and Harrowing Experiences on Alaska's Last Frontier.

1. This is a great little book and a fun read. It takes a lot of guts to do what Bob Durr did. His descriptions of the Alaskan bush and the people who live and work there are wonderful. Everyone should meet a person like Pope at least once in their lives. The philosophical discussions on board the fishing boat were sometimes tedious and less than believable, but somehow it all works. I hope Durr will write another book about the rest of his life in Alaska.



2. This book is a describes a man's struggle to break from the "creature comforts" world to live and fish in Bristol Bay, Alaska. It told a story that was captivating because when reading, you always wanting to know what was going to happen next. The story tells of a man who achieves having the best of both worlds ands puts the utimate dream to the test. I would highly recommend this book to all adventurists and those who would like to "escape" to the alaska frontier; if not in reality, then through this book.



3. While this is a better book that the second one, there is still something lacking. Depth I suppose. The fishing stories are good but I'm afraid the actual techniques and day-to-day trials are glossed over with tales of drunkeness. The characters are accurately portrayed, but each year is a rerun of the last, a quick summary of the same. Frankly, for all of Durr's qualifications this is the one theme that I can't help but think carries on to this day: The acid Leary professor drops out and stays out. But life is what happens between the parties. During this period, at least I know how he made a living, which is what dismayed me with the Coldman Cometh: thirty-five years of successful bush living on imaginary income, from the readers' perspective. He doesn't share finances here either though so we don't know what he made from the fishing trips.
   
   Staying in Alaska without money is tough. And with a family to support even more impossible, yet Durr seems to go about it as if there's nothing to it; the path of least resistence he describes to Pope, but in Alaska there is a great deal of resistence always. I can hear him try to justify the scheme to his late wife who never says anything or gives him a hard time about the difficulties of living on the edge like that, but Durr rarely reveals anything of this nature. He's very much secretive, which is a motivating force for the retreat to Chase and Back-Lake. I found the Durrs to be stand-offish in 1976, suspicious of newcomers to the land, even fellow "hippie" brothers. This may be due to personal paranoia and the more-people-coming fear, which is the message I got. As it turns out Durr managed to outlast the other '70s settlers in Chase of which I was one, albeit briefly. That evidently was what he wanted in the first place.



4. Great read for anyone who wants to get a flavor of the Alaska life and great figurative return for those who have lived it. It is also great literature because he was an English professor.



5. I read this book a little over a year ago, so it is not exactly fresh in my mind, but I must say I disagree with most of the other reviewers here.
   
   If you looked at every book's page on Amazon, you would see that the vast, vast majority of books have an average user ranking of 4 or 5 stars. I think this is because someone who picks up a book and think its junk won't bother to finish it, and rarely would bother to write a review. What ends up happening is that only those people who like a book rank it, and therefore almost everything gets a high ranking. Well, I didn't like this book, but I will take the time to write a review.
   
   Parts of this book are entertaining, especially those dealing with moving his boat from SE Alaska to Bristol Bay, and some of the discussion on fishing. Overall, however, it seems that the author does a poor job of describing the natural majesty of his surroundings nor about the internal conflict of a man embarking on a new life.
   
   Most annoying, however, is the author's slippage into the 3rd person when he describes drinking and 'adult partying' (don't know what words amazon will let me use here) when the rest of the book is in the 1st person. The narrator shows up at a party, and then all of a sudden it is someone else who is sleeping around on his wife.
   
   Anyway, if you want to read a good book about fishing up in Alaska, check out Joe Upton's 'Alaska Blues'.

5 comments about The Riddle and the Knight: In Search of Sir John Mandeville, the World's Greatest Traveller.

1. What a disappointment . After reading one of Milton's other books I was excited to get this for Xmas. The book is a soft introduction to some of the history of both the Middle Ages, the Middle East, but thats it . I felt that the author had stumbled onto a possible winner but in the end it didnt pan out but had to publish a book to justify his travels ( and perhaps his advance ). Best I can say about the book is the bibliography. This alone was worth one star , otherwise I would have only given a rating of one star. Not a recommended buy



2. A fairly irritating book about an important subject, this book is loaded with a collection of traveling non-sequiturs that are collated and vaguely related to findings of the author as he makes the same trip that Sir John Mandeville made starting in 1322. Mandeville wrote a book after his 34-year journey called The Travels that influenced many important people after him. For example, Christopher Columbus, influenced by Mandeville's book, proposed his voyage to the new world to Queen Isabella of Spain and was turned down. Months later, after Isabella had read Mandeville's book she was approached again by Columbus and she changed her mind, funding his history making voyage to the new world. Mandeville's book was used by many others as a reference for hundreds of years until somewhere in the 1800's when he and his book were discredited and Mandeville generally became known as a fraud, never having actually traveled to the places he claimed to have visited. In The Riddle and the Knight, Milton's trip to all the same places starts off with the promise of getting to the bottom of a very old debate, "Did Mandeville actually take the trip he claimed he took? By actually making the same trip today, what could be found to either prove or disprove Mandeville once and for all?" That's a great idea but the writer got bogged down including almost everything that happened to him on his 20th century journey whether it added to proving Mandeville's journey or not. On page 189, Milton is staying in a monastery in Egypt and two U.N. peacekeepers stumble upon the ancient institution. One of them is an American who is remarkably like Gomer Pyle. Halfway through this jewel, I paused and thought, "This episode will have no bearing whatsoever on what Milton is doing with his story." True enough, it didn't. It was simply a loud and colorful, intrusion into the quiet life of the monastery Milton was staying in. "What the heck. Let's put it in the book." Milton was fair in citing the frequent number of times that almost every ancient author would plagiarize one another and that Mandeville was not much different. Unlike the book's title, The Riddle and the Knight, any references to a riddle somewhere in the book were sparse, casual, and hugely unfulfilled. The author also missed the opportunity to properly observe that all early discoverers and travelers were at some point liars who all knew that keeping the attention of those who listened would sometimes require mention of the strange men foreign lands who have no heads, or really giant women from another distant land or strange elixirs that have remarkable healing powers. It's all part of giving the audience what they want or need to hear, from P.T. Barnum to Ripley's Believe It Or Not to the nightly news.



3. This book wears two faces: 1) a travel book, and 2) an attempt at some serious historical research. The author, Giles Milton, a professional writer/journalist, sets out to retrace the path of the legendary fourteenth-century traveler and writer, Sir John Mandeville. Milton's ostensible goal is to rehabilitate Mandeville's controversial reputation.

   Sir John Mandeville was the alleged author of one of the most famous early-renaissance books. From about 1350 to 1800, his "The Travels of Sir John Mandeville" was incredibly popular and influential, rivaling the Bible and Euclid's Elements. Then, about 1800, scholars began to question whether "Mandeville wrote Mandeville" -- or indeed whether there ever was such a man. His book is still in print (see Penguin Classic, The Travels of Sir John Mandeville), and is even making something of a comeback,

   Mr. Milton is a good writer, and as a travel book his work is quite entertaining. Minimally, it gives us a chance to compare the Middle-East-now with what it was in Mandeville's time. For those who like travel books, that might be enough to make the book worthwhile. Some woodcuts taken from a 1481 edition of Mandeville are real gems. (Penguin should have included these.)

   But as serious historical research I have problems with the book. Mr. Milton tries to convince us that Sir John Mandeville really did exist. The historical evidence he presents is weak, at best, and consists chiefly of a barely legible epitaph in St. Albans Abbey. But even here some rigorous scholarship is missing. (What is the earliest mention of this epitaph? To whom is it attributed? Have other scholars noted the inscription, and at what dates? What are their opinions regarding its authenticity?)

   My overall impression is that Mr. Milton was not able to gather the evidence he was hoping for, and so had to temporize. I was particularly disappointed that the second edition does not address any of these weaknesses.




4. A fascinating read! The satisfaction comes not in finally putting to rest the historical debate whether Sir John Mandeville ever made his epic pilgrimmage but rather in going along with Milton as he makes his journey. Settle into your favorite armchair and take off on a most engaging travel narrative. Along the way you will decide for yourself the truth about Sir John's narrative, which is exactly the way all such quests should be pursued.



5. This book was awesome! So much adventure and neat information. I liked how Giles Milton included his travels in following Sir John's book to find things -- it was like being on a scavenger hunt from the past. The only thing that would have made this a better book would have been some color pictures of the churches visited! It was a slight disappointment that the Mandeville book was not real...but a fun to follow!

5 comments about Don't Tell Mum I Work on the Rigs, She Thinks I'm a Piano Player in a Whorehouse.

1. I laughed out loud at this book. I found I could not put it down until it was finished. Even if you are not familiar with the oil industry (I'm not) the book is a must read.



2. This book surprised me - don't be fooled by the title. It is hilarious. Paul seems to be one of those people whose life is a series of laughable events. Highly recommended reading.



3. Paul Carter's "Don't Tell Mum I Work on the Rigs (she thinks I'm a Piano Player in a Whorehouse" is the first book I've read in a single sitting in over a decade.
   
   This is a hilarious lad book that follows the outrageous life of Paul Carter, who is among those nomadic and enigmatic outlaws who work on oil rigs around the world.
   
   Oddly, there is little about rigs in detail chronicled. Rather, Carter builds his tale around the odd characters and the remote and improbable settings of oil rigs, dealing in turn with boredom, drinking, outrageous anti-social acts, elaborate practical jokes and the bizarre pets he and his comrades of the derricks collect along the way.
   
   Carter's narrative is clean and direct, something that apparently comes naturally to him (while other authors struggle for years to lean-up their prose reading endless swatches of Raymond Carver to do so).
   
   But it is Carter's human and animal characters that haunt: for indeed any lad who has gone off on adventures (working in Alaska salmon fishing and canning for me) recognizes the human flotsam and jetsam depicted here. Those with a past, those who'd like to forget a past, those who'd like others to forget their past, and those who have no future other than their immediate animal needs in the present are all here, faithfully and fatefully sketched like so many guys you've known. Carter makes rig workers into that odd fraternity of a modern French Foreign Legion.



4. I end up buying a lot of books that document people's interesting adventures in far away places. Some of them turn out to be poorly written or boring, but NOT THIS BOOK. I read it in a day, and loved it. While I'm in the oil industry, and that might help viusalize some of the places he ended up in, it's not at all necessary to have a background to enjoy this book- the majority of it is actually his travels to and from the rig. Love the crazy cast of characters, variety of pets, and especially the Brunei native whose dog had a dog...



5. I loved this book! Basically, it's a collection of short (some very short) stories about the author's life on and off the oil rigs of the world, the people he meets along the way and his reflections on all of it.
   
   The writer is clever and extremely funny, he has the knack for telling a story that makes you feel as though you're at a party with him and he's a good mate just back from the rigs. He's also extremely honest about his past, his mistakes (sometimes with dire consequences for him and his friends) and his love life.
   
   I have talked about some of his stories at parties and had people in tears with laughter.
   
   I particularly liked that the author knew where a story should end. He didn't pad them out with uninteresting facts, he just told his stories and let them end where they should.
   
   This book is heaps of fun and has the added advantage of being great for busy people; just read a story and pick it up again when you have a free 5 minutes.

No comments about When You Lunch With the Emperor.

No comments about Once a Fool: From Tokyo to Alaska by Amphibious Jeep.

1 comments about Letters from Sea, 1882-1901: Joanna and Lincoln Colcord's Seafaring Childhood.

1. Letters from the Sea takes the reader back to the turn of the century and lets them peak into the unique life of a sea captain and his family. Not only do the letters tell us of the trials and tribulations of being away from home and friends, they let us look into the warm relationship this family shared, despite being apart for years at a time.

   Parker Albee uses the treasure trove of actual letters from the Colcord's along with the Joanna's and Linc's later writings to put us on the deck of the State of Maine during a storm, socializing with other families in Hong Kong Harbor and waiting in Searsport for the family to come home. It is a wonderful story of the sea and of family.

No comments about In The Footsteps Of Daniel Boone (In the Footsteps).

2 comments about Smithy: The Life of Sir Charles Kingsford Smith.

1. While i confess to not having read any other books on Sir Charles, I have an appreciation of sorts through the many Smithy stories i had grown up with. My father had worked at Brisbane airport where the Southern Cross stands today and as a boy i recall him telling me Smithy stories as we walked around the old plane. Naturally, 70 odd years after the epic flight, traffic streams past and no one gives it a second glance (although oddly this amazing historical icon is almost hidden from view). I wonder how many young Australians today know who this man is and what he contributed to world aviation.

   This book offered a smorgasboard of adventure and excitement and really does put into perspective the amazing feats this man accomplished. It also shows to us a character that was flawed in many ways. Smithy is portrayed as being reckless, selfish and irresponsible and yet also often displayed amazing courage, determination and humour. The book seems factually thorough while continues to flow nicely and is really an entertaining read.

   This book would provide an ideal starting point for a film, that could further document and publicise, not only Smithy but all those other early aviation pioneers. Just so many amazing flights amidst so much danger and often so much fun.

   A great story of a legend from a time when you really had to do something to earn that epithet.




2. I was reading this book on a visit to NZ, flying from Los Angeles to Auckland. This put Smithy's epic adventures in a new light...as a commercial pilot myself, I could start (just start)to appreciate the problems they encountered, let alone the fear they must have felt... An excellent book, well researched, and as the review states, "not a dull page in the book". Well done Ian.

2 comments about Memoirs of a Bengal Civilian.

1. John Beames was not a major historical figure, but this book should appeal to anybody who has an interest in British India. Beames describes his early life as the son of a minister in England and his college days at Haileybury, as part of the last generation of young men to pass through the East India Company's private college. The majority of the book is taken up with his career in the Indian Civil Service between 1858 and 1893. Beames is notable for his clean command of the english language - which was considered exceptional for the times he was writing in - hardly a phrase of purple prose in sight. He was also notable because he was considered to be an ordinary man, one of the civil servants who did their duty very well and to the best of their ability, contributed to history, but yet are not remember as many of the Viceroys India who had far shorter careers, often far less distinguished.

   One of the historical gems in the book is Beames' description of Calcutta. For him it was womderful city of palaces and parks, of high society, young woman keen on romance, and young men with too much leisure on their hands. These descriptions present such a contrast to the images of Calcutta today.

   In his descriptions of Indians and Anglo-Idnains Beames is perhaps a perfect man of his times in that he often displays the usual prejudices of the British in India. At the same time, however, he was not overtly racist and would acknowledge that individuals should be judged as individuals. In this respect some of the most entretaining passges are reserved for those of his english colleagues in Indian who he considered to be incompetent fools despite their often high standing in that society.

   A wonderful book for anybody who wants an insight into those times.




2. This is an excellent book on what life was like for englishmen in British India. John Beames was obviously a good writer and the narrative flows quite smoothly. His description of Calcutta with some specific street names (Chowrangee) brought back memories because things did not appear to have changed much in 1968 when I was in Calcutta.
   
   I agree with the publisher that the first chapter on ancestry is quite turgid and boring. So if you wish skip the first chapter. You will not miss much. Too bad that John Beames died before completing the book. However, his grandson has a nice epilogue to the text.
   
   Much of what Beames states in the book sounds familiar to me. I used to know a guy in Hyderabad, whose granddad was a "assistant" to one of the British Collectors and much of what he said coincides with several narratives in the book.
   
   Of course in keeping with the times Beames had the usual prejudices against the natives but that was the culture in those days.
   
   I found it interesting that an intelligent perceptive man like John Beames seemed not to question the white elephant, viz., what in tarnation were the British, doing in India?

No comments about Wiley Post; From Oklahoma to Eternity.