Amazon.com Review
"Every time I thought I had reached the peak, that the passion for the journey must certainly begin to wane, I would stumble on another experience that pulled me onward," writes Chris Duff, recounting his solo circumnavigation of Ireland by sea kayak in the summer of 1996. "Stroke by stroke, four miles an hour, Ireland was filling me with its life blood." Beginning and ending in Dublin, Duff paddled 1,200 miles over the course of three months. Sometimes he piloted his frail craft through waters too tumultuous even for hardy local fisherman; other times he sought refuge in sixth-century monastic ruins on coastal islands or waited out storms for days on end in his tent. In this sense, Duff's journey is a study in contrasting worlds: land and sea; past and present; solitude and society. The story's suspense comes not from a questionable outcome but in the surprise of daily encounters. Who or what relic of the past will the author stumble upon next? Ultimately it is Duff's openness to ancient and elemental forces, expressed in starkly honest prose, that propels his narrative through the churning waters of Irish history and landscape. But this is also the story of a sea kayaker at the top of his game, dealing with nature's harsh blows and quiet caresses.
--Kristopher Kaiyala
From Publishers Weekly
In a book whose only success is bringing to life the thrashing seas of coastal Ireland and whose ultimate failure is trying to evoke the ethos of the storied isle, Duff describes a 1200-mile circumnavigation from Dublin to Dublin. A seasoned kayaker who has undertaken several herculean voyages, Duff is uniquely suited to the challenge of the west coast of Ireland, where the gushing Atlantic clashes with the rugged land. But while Duff does give readers a sense of the ocean's power and peril, he falls far short of exemplifying Ireland's reputation for inspiring creativity. Duff, who is of Irish descent, plays on the theme of the journey as a route to self-discovery, but does so in a way that hardly captivates. Often Duff seems to get in the way of his story, when the focus should be on Ireland itself. There is no doubt that the island's beauty and majesty move Duff, but his attempts to convey his feelings are often cloying. "In a hushed voice that came deep from within," he writes on encountering a sea bird, "I said: 'You are so beautiful my friend. What have you seen and where have you been today?' " The few insights into Ireland's culture and history come from the locals Duff meets. But these encounters are tainted by a formula that wears thin quickly: the fisherman or villager expresses disbelief at Duff's undertaking, Duff assures them that he is serious and they proclaim that he must be mad. Though the trip is not always pretty, Duff is able to pull himself through adversity, and the sheer achievement of finishing speaks for itself. Duff's book, however, is not nearly as impressive an accomplishment. (July)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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