Shadow of the Bear: Travels in Vanishing Wilderness - Brian Payton

The Basics: Shadow of the Bear: Travels in Vanishing Wilderness, Brian Payton, 2006, 304 pages, paperback

How I found it: I read an excellent article in the winter 2007 issue of Explore magazine by J.B. MacKinnon (c0-author of The 100-Mile Diet). The article, entitled "To Kill a Bear" mentioned a book by MacKinnon's friend Brian Payton, and it sounded fascinating so I picked it up.

What's it about?: Payton travels around the globe to visit the habitats of the world's eight remaining bear species. He explores the relationship between the bears and the people they live near, the cultural importance of the bears to those people, and the struggles facing each bear species. The book is part travel writing, part investigative journalism, and part bear biology and behaviour manual.

Did I like it?: I really loved this book. I learned a lot - for instance, I had no idea that there were bears in South America (the spectacled bear), India (sloth bears), and South East Asia (sun bears). I also really enjoyed the way Payton presented the book: it was a personal journey for him to learn about these bears and their threatened existence. However, Payton is often self-critical of his opinions and quick to realize that there are no easy solutions. I couldn't put it down, and in some ways wished it was longer.

Will you like it?: If you are at all a fan of non-fiction, I think this is a must-read. Payton writes well and is engaging. The book is divided into neat chapters - one for each bear species, making the book easy to read in chunks when you have time. But you'll probably want to read it all at once!

But don't take my word for it: The usual major media blurbs from Amazon, a review from Green Living Online, one from the Winnipeg Free Press on the Bear Matters BC website, another on Bear Matters BC, this one from the Vancouver Sun, and the author's website.

Voyageur: Across the Rocky Mountains in a Birch Bark Canoe - Robert Twigger

The Basics: Voyageur: Across the Rocky Mountains in a Birch Bark Canoe, Robert Twigger, 2006, 390 pages, hard cover

How I found it: My Dad highly recommended this book so I requested it from the local library.

What's it about?: Twigger is a Brit with limited outdoor experience who attempted to replicate a journey that has not been repeated since Alexander MacKenzie did it in the 1700s: cross the Rocky Mountains by birch bark canoe. He spent a considerable sum having a birch bark canoe made for him in the traditional way and did a bit of paddling about on the small English rivers near his home in Oxford. Otherwise, he didn't do much preparation. His expedition stretched out over 3 consecutive summers, but I won't give away how far he got as it would take away from the experience of reading the book.

Did I like it?: I am not the most seasoned outdoorsperson I know, but I believe I am fairly knowledgeable. Therefore, books like this one get me a little aggravated. Twigger bumbles through the book, seeming to know close to nothing about canoeing (he is inexperienced in white water), trip planning (he agrees to take on trip partners he has just met, and has never camped or canoed with, he buys all of their food for one summer in a mad 30 minute rush in a grocery store in the last big town before the put-in), and even basic camping and survival skills (he brings huge amounts of extremely heavy gear, but has little first aid knowledge). Despite the aggravation, I found this book to be an okay read. A description of a journey of this magnitude could never be boring, and Twigger writes in a straight-forward, honest, and often self-deprecating style that I liked. However, I still feel that Twigger is one of those guys I would never ever want to share a campsite with, despite the fact that he fully owns up to his idiocy.

Would you like it?: If you are a fan of adventure travel literature, this book is one of the few written about trips in Canada, and its not a bad book. It's just not a great book. If you are more of an armchair traveler, than a hands-on one, the idiocy of many of Twigger's decisions may be lost on you, and you might like this book far more than I did.

But don't take my word for it: Some really basic info from Amazon, a review from the travel site Road Junky, a bunch of glowing reader reviews from the British Amazon site, a review from The Spectator, and one from The Guardian.

Beyond the Horizon: The Great Race to Finish the First Human-Powered Circumnavigation of the Planet - Colin Angus

The Basics: Beyond the Horizon: The Great Race to Finish the First Human-Powered Circumnavigation of the Planet, Colin Angus, 2007, 374 pages, hardcover

How I found it: In undergrad I was introduced to Colin Angus' short films through a UBC Geography film night. I subsequently read his other books and have been following his progress ever since. Last spring I attended a screening of his film Beyond the Horizon and listened to him and his fiance speak about their journey.

What's it about?: Angus began a human powered attempt to travel from Vancouver to Moscow via foot, bicycle, rowboat, and skis in 2004. His partner, Tim Harvey wrote a series of articles about the trip for The Vancouver Sun. Their plan was to try to get to Moscow, then announce their plan to the world of continuing on back to Vancouver by human power. Unfortunately, Angus and Harvey didn't get along as well as planned, the expedition was under-funded and partially unplanned, and the two eventually parted ways in Siberia. Angus ended up finishing the adventure with his fiance, Julie Wafaei. Throughout his journey, Angus and Harvey engaged in a brutal he-said, he-said in the media.

Did I like it?: I was interested to read this book since Angus came across so poorly in media accounts. I was interested to hear his side of the story and to better understand what went wrong between him and Harvey. Angus has commented many times that it is sad that his achievement has been overshadowed by the battles between Harvey and himself, and its true - I was more interested in the Harvey aspect than anything else when I picked up this book. As well, when I attended Angus' talk and film last spring, he glossed over his problems with Harvey and Harvey's involvement in the journey. At the time I thought it was unfair, given how well Harvey came across in the media - basically, it appeared that Harvey was deeply wronged by the selfish Angus and that Angus didn't care. However, after reading the book and hearing Angus' version of events, I think that Angus was being a gentleman by refusing to get into the horrible things that happened between the two of them; he refused to air their dirty laundry. In the book, Angus comes across as the bigger man, although he still does come across as quite selfish. However, I think that his side of the story makes for a very compelling read - whether you are familiar with his journey's history or not. Don't be fooled into thinking that this book is about reducing carbon-impact or raising awareness though. Angus insisted that was the purpose of his journey, but due to his continued reliance on assistance from fueled forms of transport for logistics, it's clear that is not the case. His goal was simply to be the first to get around the globe on human-power - a worthy objective in any case.

Will you like it?: If you followed Angus and Harvey's journey at all, this is a must read so that you can get both sides of the story and decide who to believe. Otherwise, if you like adventure travel stories, this one is pretty good, and it covers a journey that had never been done before.

But don't take my word for it: The usual product info and reader reviews from Amazon, a review from Geist, one from journalist Joe Wiebe, and the book's official webpage.

Ultimate High: My Everest Odyssey - Goran Kropp

The Basics: Ultimate High: My Everest Odyssey, Goran Kropp with David Lagercrantz, 1999, 227 pages, paperback

How I found it: This book was lying around my parents house. It's likely that it belongs to my dad.

What's it about?: Kropp was a mountaineer from Sweden who decided to climb Everest in a manner that he felt was the "purest" way to do it. This involved biking from Sweden to base camp with all of the gear and food he would need on the climb. He then attempted to climb the mountain using only his own gear, and food, using no fixed ropes or porters, and no bottled oxygen. Kropp climbed in 1996, the famous disaster year chronicled most famously in Krakauer's Into Thin Air, and several other books (I've read pretty much all of them). His climb ended up getting put on hold as the crisis unfolded.

Did I like it?: I've read a lot of mountaineering books and there are really two kinds of mountaineers: the normal ones and the crazy ones. Kropp was a crazy one. His dedication to his training was fanatical. He seems to have been quick tempered. But his journey is an interesting read as he has his own insight into the 1996 Everest season and other general mountaineering topics. In general, this was a fairly average read for a mountaineering book and not particularly great. However, it is by no means bad.

Will you like it?: There are much better mountaineering books, and even much better Everest books than this one. However, the "pure" way in which Kropp chose to climb is vaguely intriguing. Kropp also had aspirations to be a full time adventurer on the scale of Colin Angus. After his trip to Everest and back, he skiied to the north pole and had plans to sail to Antarctica from Sweden, ski to the pole, then sail back. However, Kropp died in a rock climbing accident in 2002 so this book is the only documentation of an adventuring career that never got off the ground.

But don't take my word for it: The usual reader reviews from and publishers blurbs Amazon, a review from the Denver Post, and one from the New York Times are all I could find.

Cabin at Singing River: Building a Home in the Wilderness - Chris Czajkowski

The Basics: Cabin at Singing River: Building a Home in the Wilderness, Chris Czajkowski, 1991, 149 pages, paperback.

How I found it: My dad has read most of Czajkowski's books (along with most of the non-fiction section of his local public library) and recommended that I read something of hers. I chose to begin with her first book.

What's it about?: Czajkowski was born in the UK but apparently has lived all over the world. She moved to Canada in the late '80s, settling in Salmon Arm, BC, but found city life too hectic. If you've ever been to Salmon Arm, you might find this a bit laughable. Nevertheless, Czajkowski ended up in the Chilcotin area of BC, south of Tweedsmuir Provincial Park in her search for solitude. Some friends of hers had an old homestead that could only be reached by a float plane or a 2 day hike in from the road. They agree to let her erect a cabin on their property. This book details her struggle to build the log cabin herself, and to make her home in the wilderness. Oh, and did I mention she had never used a chain saw before?

Did I like it?: While Czajkowski is definitely an odd character, I definitely related to her in a lot of ways. The idea of setting out nearly alone in the bush, building your own home, and being self-reliant is very appealing in a lot of ways. The fact that a woman with no carpentry experience accomplished this is admirable as well. I would love to be able to walk out my front door and do a multi-day off-trail hike. Czajkowski is not an exceptionally gifted writer, but her succinct and personal style, coupled with her interesting subject matter make for a good read.

Will you like it?: Many of Peter Gzowski's CBC listeners did. Czajkowski wrote periodic letters to his morning radio program, and reading them became a regular feature on his show. Many Canadians were interested to hear the story of an independent woman living alone in the wilderness. She is the Susanna Moodie of our time. Of course, if you hate the outdoors, you might not like the book, but that will be your loss.

But don't take my word for it: A collection of reviews on Amazon.ca, a bio on the author from BC Bookworld, a review from the blog Classical Bookworm (complete with a reply from the author in the comments section), and finally the author's web page with info about her books, as well as the guiding operation she runs out of one of her newer wilderness cabins.

Hiking the Dream: A Family's Four Month Trek Along the Trans-Canada Trail - Kathy Didkowsky

The Basics: Hiking the Dream: A Family's Four-Month Trek Along the Trans-Canada Trail, Kathy Didkowsky, 2002, 292 pages

How I found it: While in Vancouver, I only had time to browse through the trekking and travel section of my favourite used bookstore, Bibliophile. This is one of three titles I picked up.

What's it aboout?: Kathy Didkowsky is a mother and part of the Nova Scotia Trans-Canada Trail Council. She takes her three kids on a hike across Canada to celebrate the Trans-Canada Trail as a project she calls Hike 2000. There is no fundraising or particular awareness goal and they aren't connected to any organization. Despite what is often written about this journey, they didn't hike all the way across Canada - they hike 20km a day, for 10 days in each province for a total of 2000 kms. As well, they rarely travel on the Trans-Canada Trail because it really doesn't exist yet - it is still in the planning and development stages. The book is written diary style and includes entries from Kathy, her kids, various friends and relatives that they hiked with and the many former railroaders they met while hiking old rail beds that have been turned into trails.

Did I like it?: I really expected to like this book since the idea of walking on trails across Canada seems pretty fun. Boy, I was quite disappointed. Didkowsky is a phys-ed teacher, not a writer and it shows. The journal-style entries from her and others aren't that interesting to read. The book seems to be almost a vanity published book, although I know it isn't. It is more a scrapbook of these peoples journey than a travelogue. I also didn't like the way the hike was organized. The 200km in each province is a bit of a cop-out in my eyes. As well, having no awareness goal or fundraising objective seemed a bit odd since as far as I know this is the first attempt of anyone trying to walk across Canada not on roads. Oh, but wait, they walk on roads quite a bit when they need to make up a few extra kms. That's another thing that bothered me. And for someone who apparently works part-time as a wilderness guide, Didkowsky didn't seem to have done much planning or obtaining of maps of the areas they walked in. I'm sure this was an incredible journey for the family and friends that did it, but as a book, it's really not that compelling and I struggled to finish it.

Will you like it?: Likely not. It is more about the personal lives of the people on the hike than the hike itself. If you are interested in railroads, you might like it however.

But don't take my word for it: Reader reviews from Amazon.ca were quite positive, a blurb from Trails Canada, and the website for Spirit Adventures, Didkowsky's guiding company were all I could find.

Greener Than Eden - Michael Kohn

The Basics: Greener Than Eden, Michael Kohn, 2006, 253 pages, paperback.

How I found it: I read an article about this book in the July/Aug 2006 edition of Outpost Magazine and decided to put it on hold at the library.

What's it about?: A novel about a young man trying to escape trouble he has gotten himself into at university by going tree-planting for the summer. Noah is "green" at the job but quickly works his way up to a spot on the coveted "high-baller" crew making the big money. His summer is filled with inner struggle, love, conflict and all that usual good angsty stuff. As well, there is a great cast of characters to round out the mix. Oh yeah, and they plant a helluva lot of trees.

Did I like it?: This is Kohn's first novel, but it doesn't often show. He writes well without being obnoxiously poetic. I didn't really know anything about tree-planting before reading this book, even though I know quite a few people who do it every summer. In that respect the book was quite educational. I found the plot quite interesting, especially the interplay between the characters and Noah's personal struggle. Overall, it was a good fast read without being pulpy and formulaic.

Will you like it?: If you have ever thought about going tree-planting, this is a must read. If you are curious about it, that is another good reason to read Kohn's novel. Kohn is an emerging Canadian writer worth supporting; this is good contemporary fiction so go read it already.

But don't take my word for it: A reader review (and spoilerish plot summary) from an Amazon.ca reader, a mixed review from the Globe and Mail, and one from This Magazine.

The Leave No Crumbs Camping Cookbook - Rick Greenspan & Hal Kahn

The Basics: The Leave No Crumbs Camping Cookbook: 150 Delightful, Delicious, and Darn-Near Foolproof Recipes from Two Top Wilderness Chefs, Rick Greenspan and Hal Kahn, 2004, 232 pages, paperback

How I found it: It was recommended to me by a MEC employee at a member seminar on back-country cooking.

What's it about?: This book is both a recipe book and a book about how to be a chef in the back country. It will give you ideas and recipes to help you move beyond pre-packaged freeze-dried cardboard tasting backpackers food or the standard spaghetti with pesto. The book draws heavily on the use of a dehydrator and lots of at-home prep, which will appeal to the ultra-liters but also has some recipes for canoe-trippers or car-campers willing to carry more and spend more time cooking.

Did I like it?: I loved this book. I got a copy from the library but I loved it so much that I have ordered my own from Chapters. The recipes all seemed yummy (unlike a lot of the more traditional backpacking cooking books where the recipes seem too healthy - I don't want brown rice in the backcountry - I want restaurant-type food!). As well there were lots of ethnic dishes to tempt me including recipes for backcountry sushi (it involves dehydrating and rehydrating the fillings), pad thai, Chinese dumplings, matzo balls and chala bread you bake in your camping pot. The book is also hilarious! The two guys who wrote it have an awesome sense of humour and I actually laughed aloud at some of their tips and jokes. (I do have to offer a slight disclaimer though: I haven't actually cooked anything from this book yet - haven't had time. But from reading over the ingredient lists and instructions, it looks pretty foolproof and mighty tasty. I promise to come back and edit this review if the recipes suck but I really doubt I'll have to.)

Will you like it?: If you backpack and own a dehydrator you will be in heaven with this book. Even if you don't own a dehydrator you will still be excited to own this book. Anyone who is serious about eating something tasty at the end of a long day on the trail should own this book as it will help you avoid the pasta and pasta and more pasta backpackers rut. (Did I stress how much I love this book?)

But don't take my word for it: Reader reviewers on amazon.ca loved it, an article from Stanford Magazine (where Greenspan is an alumnus).

Paddle to the Arctic: The Incredible Story of a Kayak Quest Across the Roof of the World - Don Starkell

The Basics: Paddle to the Arctic: The Incredible Story of a Kayak Quest Across the Top of the World, Don Starkell, 1995, 313 pages, hard cover

How I found it: I had read Greg's copy of Paddle to the Amazon, which is about Starkell's earlier paddling adventure from Winnipeg to the mouth of the Amazon River by canoe. I quite enjoyed that book so I thought I'd like Starkell's other book as well.

What's it about?: Starkell attempts to be the first person to paddle the Arctic from Churchill Manitoba to Tuktoyaktuk NWT. He travels mostly alone, but partly with his female friend (girlfriend?) Victoria Jason. Fifty-nine year old Starkell is an experienced paddler but he still faces many challenges in his journey including hypothermia-inducing icy waters, polar bears, storms and sea ice. I won't tell you what happens though - you'll have to read it to find out.

Did I like it?: As far as adventure travel books go, it was okay. It was certainly a compelling story and a quick read. However that was mostly because a lot of the time Starkell is an idiot and takes way too many risks leading to some tense situations that make for excellent reading. It was also refreshing to read a modern account of travel in the arctic. I'd read a bit about the Franklin expedition (and the Shackelton expedition to Antarctica) but obviously times have changed and equipment and technology have improved. Starkell travelled in the early 90s and repeatedly states that he would have become hopelessly lost without the brand-new technology of his GPS. The one thing that really bothered me about the book was Starkell's attitude towards his sometimes companion Victoria Jason. If you have watched any couples on reality television (such as the Amazing Race) you know that there is a certain type of North American man who is so driven and competitive that they treat the women they love like baggage/crap and expect way too much of them. Starkell tells the story from his side of it and apologizes for the way he treats Jason, but I still get that vibe from him and like him a lot less than I did in his Amazon book where he treated his young sons as near equals on the trip. All in all, Starkell comes across as a bit of an a-hole, but I guess it takes that type of personality to be successful that these sort of adventures (See Colin Angus for example).

Will you like it?: If you like adventure travel books Starkell's are a must read. He accomplishes some pretty amazing things and lives through incidents that would have killed other people. If you've never read adventure travel books his are also a good place to start. They are Discover Channel-style sensationalism at its best and if that is what you expect from adventure travel books you won't be disappointed.

But don't take my word for it: Editorial and real people reviews from Amazon.ca, and a review of Victoria Jason's book, Kabloona in the Yellow Kayak, from her part of the expedition and some web discussion of Starkell's book and his character.

Being Caribou: Five Months on Foot with an Arctic Herd - Karsten Heuer

The Basics: Being Caribou: Five Months on Foot with an Arctic Herd, Karsten Heuer, 2006, 234 pages, a documentary about the same trip is also available and is also called Being Caribou (it was written and directed by Leanne Allison, Heuer's wife)

How I found it: I saw the film, Being Caribou at the Best of the Banff Mountain Film Festival in Vancouver in early 2005 and loved it. I knew that Heuer was writing a book so I ordered it from the library when it came out.

What's it about?: Heuer and his wife spend their honeymoon being caribou. They migrate with the endangered Porcupine caribou herd to their calving grounds in Alaska and then back to the Yukon. They made this trip because Bush's government wants to allow drilling in the herd's calving grounds, which would likely lead to the end of the herd. Heuer and Allison wanted to raise awareness, and also to find out what the migration was like since there was little scientific documentation of how it happens, which routes they take and how the caribou decide the time is right to make the migration.

Did I like it?: Oh yes. I love adventure travel books and the idea of spending five months in the wilderness for an environmental cause you believe strongly in appealed to me. It's a really compelling story, and at times a real struggle for Heuer and Allison. However, in most cases the book is always better than the film. Not here though. Heuer writes competently, and I can't fault him for trying, but after seeing the incredible scenes of the caribou on film, a written description often doesn't cut it. As well, the film features video diaries from both Heuer and Allison so the book doesn't add much in that department either.

Will you like it?: If you read the book first, you'll like it. If you see the film and you want more, you'll like it. But if you aren't totally wowed and inspired by the film, the book isn't for you. Although this is a book review, I recommend the film much more than I recommend the book.

But don't take my word for it: Real people reviews, editorial reviews, and a collection of positive criticism of the book from the official Being Caribou website.

The Bear's Embrace: A True Story of Surviving a Grizzly Bear Attack - Patricia Van Tighem

The Basics: The Bear's Embrace: A True Story of Surviving a Grizzly Bear Attack, Patricia Van Tighem, 2000, 273 pages, hard cover

How I found it: It was recommended by a poster in a book review thread on Clubtread.com, a Vancouver hiking forum.

What's it about?: The autobiography of a woman who is attacked by a grizzly bear near Waterton Lakes in southwestern Alberta and survives. The book is more about her struggle to fight infection, facial disfigurement and depression in the years following the attack than it is about the attack itself.

Did I like it?: No. It scared the crap out of me. I am already scared of bears and of debilitating depression so this was not the book for me. I did finish it though it was painful. I kept waiting to see if there was a happy ending; to see if she would rise out of her depression and come to terms with her changed appearance. At the end of the book it seemed as if she had pushed past the depression and was getting on with her life. Then I turned the page and found that some earlier reader had glued in a photocopied newspaper article to the back page of the book. The article was Van Tighem's obituary from 2005. It seems suicide won out in the end and that her husband, who tried so hard to be supportive during the course of the book, ended up divorcing her finally. No happy endings here unfortunately.

Will you like it?: I don't think so, unless you are a masochist. In some ways the book reads a bit like those "Real life tragedy" stories that Readers Digest used to run... like a car wreck you can't look away. If this is your thing, you might like this, but otherwise I think this book will just scare you and make you sad.

But don't take my word for it: Real people reviews, editorial reviews, and a Q and A with the author.

Grizzly Heart: Living Without Fear Among the Brown Bears of Kamchatka - Charlie Russell

The Basics: Grizzly Heart: Living Without Fear Among the Brown Bears of Kamchatka, Charlie Russell and Maureen Enns, 2003, 357 pages, paperback, Cloudline.org (Russell and Enns' bear project website).

How I found it: It was recommended in a book review by a poster on the Vancouver hiking forum Clubtread.

What's it about?: Russell and his partner travel to Kamchatka (in Eastern Russia near the Bering Sea) to live among Grizzly bears and to test their controversial theory that man and grizzlies can co-exist without fear of each other. Despite his lack of scientific credentials, Russell ends up adopting and raising orphaned cubs and successfully releasing them back into the wild.

Did I like it?: Definitely. I had seen Werner Herzog's documentary Grizzly Man about Timothy Treadwell, a man who attempted to live among grizzlies in Alaska and was ultimately eaten. Grizzly Heart is a nice counter-balance to that story. Russell's theories on human-bear coexistence seem much more rational and though-out than those of Treadwell, although they are still quite unconventional. (For example, he recommends feeding bears after they come out of the den as a way to keep them from seeking food from garbage dumps, etc.) Russell is by no means an experienced or talented author, but he gets his story across well.

Will you like it?: I think so. Again, it reads like a novel if you require plot. It is a bit unfinished in its ending, but that is merely because Russell was not finished his study when he stopped writing the book. As well, it has some great bear photography and some really cute stories about the bear cubs. (If you are interested in bear photography, Russell's and Enns have also put out a book of photographs taken during their study called Grizzly Seasons.) Even if you are not interested in the bears, it is an interesting adventure and survival story.

But don't take my word for it: Some real people reviews and editorial reviews.

The Hermit of Gully Lake - Joan Baxter

The Basics: The Hermit of Gully Lake, Joan Baxter, 2005, 160 pages, softcover

How I found it: I had seen it in the Nova Scotia section of Chapters here and then I went to the Halifax Public Library and saw it on display in their new non-fiction section so I picked it up.

What's it about?: A biography about a man from northern Nova Scotia who deserted the military by jumping off a troop train heading that was taking him and other soldiers to serve in WWII. He lived the rest of his life in a hut next to Gully Lake in the northern Nova Scotia wilderness. He was a hermit, but he was not completely cut off from the outside world. He lived mostly in the bush until his death at 87 years old in late 2003 or early 2004.

Did I like it?: Yes! There wasn't a lot of info about him to work with, but the author does a great job anyway. She really makes the reader understand the hermit, how he lived, and why he might have chosen to live that way. I liked the idea of someone spending their whole adult life camping out.

Would you like it?: I think so. Even if you are not interested in the outdoors, if it still interesting from an anthropological perspective since the hermit lived in his own little culture. As well, it is an interesting biography. It is not the best biography I've ever read, but it is definitely the most unique. Plus it's a small book so it won't take you long to get through it.

But don't take my word for it: Well, you might have to as Amazon doesn't have any reviews for this one. Here is the press page for the publisher and a Wikipedia article about him as these are all the only relevant sites I can find.