# A Good Read...



## evL_MT (May 8, 2015)

So I thought I'd start a thread on good books related to what we do. 
Could be rafting, kayaking, cooking, camping, and trailer crap as well, whatever. 
We have piles of info at our finger tips but sometimes, it's nice to read a good book.

The reason being is I just got one of Bill's books, "The Guide's Guide Augmented" and wow, really kewl. I thumbed through it for an hour or so and then started reading if from the beginning. I'm only a third of the way through the 312 pages of this thing and it is completely awesome. I am sure that some of you old salts have already read it or have the original copy. But I thought I'd bring it up as a great read. 

I got it from :: 
Books | Whitewater Voyages 

I also found, and was able to procure, through eBay, one of his books from 1978 called "Whitewater Rafting". I am still waiting for that in the mail so I'll keep y'all posted on that. I dig anything from the 70's.

Out of respect I should note that the Author of these books is William McGinnis. The dude rocks... 

I'll admit, it's odd to go seeking out books like this for as long as I've been pulling and pushing the sticks but I like being educated; now anyhow. Before I was just young and dumb running $hit I probably wouldn't do now. 
I recommend a Swift Water Class, and keep up on the education. 

So, if ya got a good book to share, let us goof-balls know...
-


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## Schutzie (Feb 5, 2013)

So many books, so little time...............
For starters, find the Monkey Wrench Gang by Ed Abby; not for knowledge as a guide, but a ripping good read anyway.

George Henry, who has seen and done more on the river than most of us can even comprehend has a very entertaining book, Row Away From the Rocks

A Book that I think is either Soggy Sneakers or Soggy Tennis Shoes, my copy is at least 30 years old, lots of good tips and advice for running before self bailers, aluminum ........... everything, and throw bags.


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## pinemnky13 (Jun 4, 2007)

Here ya go. Now read em and get smarterer


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## jkr61 (Mar 13, 2015)

Emerald Mile- awesome book about speed run down the grand in '84. Read it while doing grand and realized that I had just run into a guide who was in the book.


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## Strieby (Jan 1, 2014)

Don't forget _There's This River_ Love that book.


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## evL_MT (May 8, 2015)

Oh, great response folks. 

I wanted to add :: 

Western Whitewater 
"From the Rockies to the Pacific" 
By Jim Cassady, Bill Cross, and Fryar Calhoun 
Publisher is North Fork Press - ISBN 0-9613650-4-8 

Keep'em coming! Thanks! 
-


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## curtis catman (Sep 29, 2015)

Anything worth doing. Can't think of the author right now but it is a great book about 2 friends that rowed the Salomon river to the ocean. Also set a record for longest distance traveled buy human power in 24 hours.


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## Maxident (Feb 1, 2011)

For to and fro the river- 
Roadkill Cookbook


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## MaxPower (Jun 8, 2008)

The doing of the thing
By Buzz Holstrom


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## stuntsheriff (Jun 3, 2009)

Good News by edward abbey is a timely book for 2016 .


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## mattman (Jan 30, 2015)

Been reading a fair bit of Craig Childs lately, mostly on foot exploration in the southwest, Anasazi history, miss adventures, and so forth. To all the awesome river running books listed I'll ad The Liquid Locomotive, and some Neally if you can get your hands on it! Whitewater Tales of Terror was awesome!
Oh, big water little boats, and of course, Exploration of the Colorado River and it's Canyons.


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## MountainmanPete (Jun 7, 2014)

*Tony Hillerman: A Thief Of Time*

Great book blending fact and fiction featuring the San Juan River from SI to MH.


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## WillVolpert (Apr 16, 2008)

pinemnky13 said:


> View attachment 11950
> 
> 
> Here ya go. Now read em and get smarterer


I'm biased, but yes to Halfway to Halfway.


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## Snakerivergirl (Sep 1, 2014)

Great thread - thank you. Here are some of my faves: Merciless Eden by Doug Timms about the Main Salmon; Indian Creek Chronicles by Peter Fromm about life for a year in the Selway Wilderness; Anything Worth Doing by Jo Deurbrouck; Half way to Half Way; and River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt's darkest journey by Candice Millard. 



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## amv48 (Mar 27, 2011)

You can't go wrong w Craig child's. Great author. Also, down the great unknown is a great read, and finally, if you've ever run diamond down or are familiar with the Las Vegas, Hoover dam area, desert riverman is a great book.


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## swiftwater15 (Feb 23, 2009)

The Last Voyageur, by Vince Welch. About Amos Berg, an early river runner.

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## mowgli (Feb 24, 2010)

jkr61 said:


> Emerald Mile- awesome book about speed run down the grand in '84. Read it while doing grand and realized that I had just run into a guide who was in the book.



+1 on The Emerald Mile. Cadillac Desert will fascinate river people as well. 


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## Andy H. (Oct 13, 2003)

evL_MT said:


> Oh, great response folks.
> 
> I wanted to add ::
> 
> ...


I'll second this - the essay's are great and river descriptions set the standard for guidebooks as far as I'm concerned. 

Another good book is The Complete Whitewater Rafter by Jeff Bennett as there's lots of good technical information about running rivers and he also includes history of river running and how we came to the modern types of boats and setups we have now days.

-AH


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## Barry Stough (Sep 28, 2007)

Down the Great Unknown, of course, John Wesly Powell's trip and Undaunted Courage about lewis and clarks adventure


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## ArgoCat (May 14, 2007)

If you liked Undaunted Courage, read Astoria by Peter Stark. One of the best books I've read in a long time. Chronicles the journey of two groups...one by sea and one overland to establish the first permanent trading post on the Northwest Coast.


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## willpaddle4food (Oct 11, 2003)

Goodbye to A River, by John Graves. Written in the '50's, I believe, about a guy canoeing the Brazos before it's dammed. A whole lot of deep thinking and solitary paddling, and a fair amount of history of the area and the Comanches. Really good book.


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## Tom Martin (Dec 5, 2004)

For shear amazing perseverance, get a copy of Verlen Kruger's The Ultimate Canoe Challenge: 28,000 Miles Through North America

Thanks for the shout-out MattMan for Big Water Little Boats: Moulty Fulmer and the First Grand Canyon Dory on the Last of the Wild Colorado 

For factual history, Otis Marston's From Powell To Power: A Recounting of the First One Hundred River Runners Through the Grand Canyon

And here's a tip of the hat to the authors working on the books we'll be talking about in the next few years! Nothing better than messing about on boats with books!


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## technolo-g (Jun 29, 2015)

I really enjoyed Living The Best Day Ever by Hendri Coetzee. It's about Hendri's travels on the rivers of Africa

https://smile.amazon.com/Living-Best-Ever-Hendri-Coetzee-ebook/dp/B00JKU58RQ


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## johnryan (Feb 6, 2013)

I would skip Marston's Powell to Power. It's a publication sorely in need of an editor to pare down Marston's rambling and long winded account of river running history. There was little new in it that couldn't be found elsewhere, without Marston's bias against others and chip-on-his-shoulder attitude. Other books tell river history much better. 


Here's one not yet mentioned: The Doing of the Thing: The Brief, Brilliant Whitewater Career of Buzz Holmstrom 


https://www.amazon.com/Doing-Thing-Brilliant-Whitewater-Holmstrom/dp/1892327074


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## johnryan (Feb 6, 2013)

Oops, sorry, The Doing of the Thing was mentioned by Maxpower. I'll change my suggestion to The Very Hard Way: Bert Loper and the Colorado River.


https://www.amazon.com/Very-Hard-Wa...=1469047382&sr=8-1&keywords=the+very+hard+way


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## mattman (Jan 30, 2015)

The very hard way was an awesome book. Some great inspiration there, especially when life seems a little bit tough.


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## Tom Martin (Dec 5, 2004)

Thanks for the laugh JohnyRyan. I'll sure give you credit for seeing Marston was not God's Gift to creative historical fiction writting. Most of the "elsewhere" writers were not born or in grade school when Marston pulled his source material together. If folks want the story from as many folks on those early river trips as possible, not just "elsewhere's" favorite person, Marston is THE go-to-source. You can go after me, but good luck going after Dock. All the elsewhere's used his work, sometimes an embarrassingly large amount of it. Guess they didn't see the biases and chips you do. So it goes...


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## buckmanriver (Apr 2, 2008)

curtis catman said:


> Anything worth doing. Can't think of the author right now but it is a great book about 2 friends that rowed the Salomon river to the ocean. Also set a record for longest distance traveled buy human power in 24 hours.


I think that record has been broken sounds like a good book though. New 24 hour Human Powered Vehicle (HPV) record


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## mr. compassionate (Jan 13, 2006)

https://www.amazon.com/Brothers-Bashkaus-Siberian-Paddling-Adventure/dp/1555916082

Brothers on the Bashkaus, awesome true story


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