COLIN FLETCHER
1 A book for the ourdoor type
This is a good book for those who are genuinely interested in a journey in the wilderness. This is not a book for those who look for thrilling adventures, or those "armchair travelers" who look for commercialized travel books (such as those by Bill Bryson). You can say that the book lacks drama, it is too "plain". To a certain extent I agree with that. As Fletcher says in his book (about the Colorado), it plays "themes and variations". The same can be said about this book, most of the time it flows slowly, but along the way there are reflections, thoughts, observations, etc. It is not as "exciting" as the commercialized writings of Bill Bryson and the like, but you can sense the honesty in Fletcher's writing, that is, he did not take the journey with the goal of writing a book about it, he genuinely wanted to take the journey just for the sake of it.
This is not an Edward Abbey type of book either. Abbey's writing is definitely better. Comparing this book to "Desert Solitaire" is like comparing a amateur's snapshots to Ansel Adams' murals. But, like I said, if you are genuinely an ourdoor and wildness person, especially if you hiked or rafted in the canyon country, you will find much to enjoy in this book.
2 Well worth the read!!
I did a whitewater rafting trip last year through Canyonlands NP and this book brought the wonderful memories of that trip - the beauty of the scenery and excitement of the rapids - back to me full force. I LOVED this book. Colin Fletcher's descriptions really bring you to the river and its surrounding beauty. I love how he describes everything, and how he goes off on tangents back to memories of his own life. This book is well worth the read!
3 Motivating book as one eases out of "youth"
Colin Fletcher was one of my early "guides" into backpacking, and many of his hiking tips still stand up well as I continue to backpack in my 50's.
His trip down the Colorado provides more inspiration for what can be achieved as you get wiser and, oh yes, older, too.
This isn't an "adventure" story in the trite sense, nor a river guide. It's a sharing of a person's thoughts. Fletcher is a different kind of person than most of us, but his musings cause me to think about my own life strategies and outcomes.
-- P.C.
4 An excellent "thinking" book
This is a book for those looking to take some quiet time to think about life, the river, and the environment. It is not a logistical book for those wishing to duplicate the experience. Fletcher's journey reveals the river from the perspective of an elderly man traveling at a slow pace (6 months) who is absorbing the spirit and feel of the Colorado and reflecting upon a lifetime of wilderness travel. It is slow, methodical, and at times a little tedious, but rich in detail and thoughtfulness.
This is a book for the thoughtful and reflective, not the pump-me-up, thrill seeker. The little mistakes the author makes are usually pointed out by himself, and they mark the book as authentic in that Colin is a lot like the rest of us in his amateur knowledge of the details of wildlife. He differs, though, in his ability to tell the story, a unique story, of adventure and life.
5 An excellent read for Fletcher fans
If you're already a Fletcher fan then you should read this book. If you've never read Fletcher then read his other books first, as River not only alludes to events detailed in his other books but also ties up quite a few loose ends about the man's interesting life.
I think most of the people who did not appreciate the book either had never read Fletcher before or were expecting a serious adventure tale of some kind. But the book is as much a reflection on Fletcher's life as it is a rafting/backpacking adventure. And River is decidedly not a "How To" book--don't expect details about planning, provisioning, logistics, etc., as these are purposefully glossed over. Fletcher spends just enough words describing river-running tactics to involve the reader, yet doesn't belabor the subject.
I got from the book exactly what I'd come to expect from Fletcher's work: humor, insight, shared anger and (perhaps fleeting) despair. And, yes, adventure. But River also had the feeling of a farewell, and there are some very poignant moments in the book when Fletcher literally says, "Goodbye." A remarkably interesting man who has led an amazing life. But I won't have goodbyes. If you're still with us, Colin, give us at least another two or three books!
6 A Pedantic Windbag
I rather enjoyed Mr. Fletcher's earlier books. But his cruise down the Colorado is the essence of tedium, filled with the sort of philosophical meanderings usually found in fortune cookies. He even makes shooting the rapids seem boring -- he has the amazing ability to take an interesting subject, and completely suck the life out of it. Though there are fine moments, overall, I couldn't wait for the trip to end -- I mean, how many times can he talk about the photo he took 40 years ago at a Mexican border crossing? He's a writer who's a bit too in love with the sound of his own voice.
7 Its about the Experience
I rarely savor a book - forcing myself to set it aside at times to prolong the enjoyment, but this was the exception. Fletcher might not have gotten his field guide out to identify every animal and plant species along his journey, nor shared information about his intense preparations. But more profoundly, this older gentleman was able to convey the peaceful, purposeful meandering awe that is the Colorado River experience. He gave me hope that in my retirement years I may be able to live on in an adventurous way and find the convergence of the wisdom and patience and humbleness that come with age with the freedom to follow my heart's calling. I felt at times I was on the raft with Colin, and found him a steady, interesting companion with a great attitude! He made me wish the river was 1000 miles longer - just as I felt when I got off the raft that took me through the Canyon!
8 Why the long wait to publish?
I agree that the book is uneven. What's the story behind the story? Why, if he made the trip in 1989 (and the river has changed quite a bit since then) did he and/or his publishers wait so long to publish it?
9 Just when you thought he was through...
A 67 YEAR OLD MAN, THE MIGHTY COLORADO AND A SOLO JOURNEY FROM WYOMING TO MEXICO - HOW COULD ANYONE WHO HAS EVER TRAVELED BY FOOT OR RAFT NOT READ AND LOVE THIS BOOK. HATS OFF AGAIN MR.FLETCHER.
10 Send this book down the river to the sea.
Colin Fletcher's journey down the Colorado River, from source to sea was a long, dull, uneventful voyage. Reading his book recreates the trip; long, dull, and uneventful. Mr. Fletcher shows a complete disregard for the native wildlife, not knowing the difference between a beaver and a mink for instance. Although he had a field guide of western birds at his feet he apparently didn't consult it to identify the "brown hawks" and he has the audacity to call Edward Abbey an "inept wilderness adventurer"(pg. 284) for much more interesting river journal reading try Ed Abbey's Down The River,The Journey Home, One Life At A Time Please, Abbey's Road, or Beyond The Wall.
11 Water on the brain???
This book was recommeded to me by an avid canoer. Growing up by Flaming Gorge, now living in the vicinity of the Gates of Lodore, and having travelled extensively in Canyonlands and Lake Powell added spice. I was looking forward to a vivid description of the river, the country, and what it was like preparing and executing a solo journey of this magnitude. What a disappointment.
Fletcher, and his editors, gives us a wooley-headed pseudo-mystical monologue, interspersed with observations of the land being traversed. On more than one occasion I found myself re-reading a paragraph 2 and 3 times to figure out what Fletcher was attempting to say. His cutsey way of getting up on his soapbox to lecture his audience, and then climbing down again ultimately became more irritant than entertainment.
Fortunately large sections of the book could be skipped without really losing any thread. If one is interested in learning about the Colorado river basin and tributaries, or what it takes to execute such a journey, this book is not for them.
Oh, and by the way, there are no precambrian rocks exposed in the Green River canyons through the Gates of Lodore and Split Mountain.
12 Disappointing book; better to read WATER AND SKY
I had expected the river trip down the Colorado from the headwater would be a great book, but I was very disappointed. A much more interesting book is D. Kesselheim's WATER AND SKY which discusses a canoe trip down the Athabasca river in Canada.
13 An epic voyage, story full of content, sloppily written
Colin Fletcher has taken an amazing trip and written an amazing story about it. Very inspiring to have done this at the age of 68... But this book was thrown together in a hurry and not well edited. I found myself bogged down by the writing some times. Though I really liked the side themes that Fletcher give us, that add breadth to the story, I wish it were a little tighter.
14 This book is almost as good as doing it yourself.
Colin Fletcher's keen eye and attention to detail makes his trip down the entire length of the Colorado River a delightful read. It put me in touch with wilderness adventures that I had enjoyed but long forgotten. This book is a must read for every nature lover
