Unrelenting winds, carnivorous polar bears, snake nests, sweltering heat, and constant hunger. Paddling from Minneapolis to Hudson Bay, following the 2,000-mile route made famous by Eric Sevareid in his 1935 classic Canoeing with the Cree , Natalie Warren and Ann Raiho faced unexpected trials, some harrowing, some simply odd. But for the two friends—the first women to make this expedition—there was one timeless the occasional pitfalls that test character and friendship. Warren’s spellbinding account retraces the women’s journey from inspiration to Arctic waters, giving readers an insider view from the practicalities of planning a three-month canoe expedition to the successful accomplishment of the adventure of a lifetime.
Along the route we meet the people who live and work on the waterways, including denizens of a resort who supply much-needed sustenance; a solitary resident in the wilderness who helps plug a leak; and the people of the Cree First Nation at Norway House, where the canoeists acquire a furry companion. Describing the tensions that erupt between the women (who at one point communicate with each other only by note) and the natural and human-made phenomena they encounter—from islands of trash to waterfalls and a wolf pack—Warren brings us into her experience, and we join these modern women (and their dog) as they recreate this historic trip, including the pleasures and perils, the sexism, the social and environmental implications, and the enduring wonder of the wilderness.
Along the route we meet the people who live and work on the waterways, including denizens of a resort who supply much-needed sustenance; a solitary resident in the wilderness who helps plug a leak; and the people of the Cree First Nation at Norway House, where the canoeists acquire a furry companion. Describing the tensions that erupt between the women (who at one point communicate with each other only by note) and the natural and human-made phenomena they encounter—from islands of trash to waterfalls and a wolf pack—Warren brings us into her experience, and we join these modern women (and their dog) as they recreate this historic trip, including the pleasures and perils, the sexism, the social and environmental implications, and the enduring wonder of the wilderness.
Hardcover, 226 pages
Published February 2, 2021
by Univ Of Minnesota Press
3/5 stars
As a canoe-tripping family this book immediately caught my attention. The idea of paddling all the way from Minnesota to Hudson Bay is an incredible (and daunting) undertaking, so I was really anxious to reading about this adventure.
The trip itself was inspired by the classic memoir, Canoeing with the Cree by Eric Sevareid, which tells the story of a similar canoe trip from the early 1900s. It was interesting to see a modern version of that same route and the challenges that still come with traveling such remote waterways.
While I enjoyed the sense of adventure and the appreciation for the wilderness along the route, I’ll admit I was hoping for a bit more detail about the practical side of the trip. When the authors mention arriving at camp, I found myself wanting to know more - how they set up camp, how they packed and organized their gear, and especially what kind of food they carried for a journey that lasted around three months.
Overall, this was still an interesting nonfiction adventure, I enjoyed the sense of community of those that helped along the way. I also happen to have Canoeing with the Cree sitting on my shelf, now I’m even more curious to read that one and see the original story that inspired this trip
This book is part of my 2026 Reading Off My Shelf Challenge, #10
No comments:
Post a Comment