Customer Reviews

Cooper's Creek: Tragedy and Adventure in the Australian Outback

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I love first-hand historical accounts of outdoor adventure and exploration, and this one is a classic. The descriptions of wildlife alone are worth the read, but this is also a riveting story of an expedition run amok. Like the equally fascinating "Desperate Passage" and "The Ice Master," this story is also often brutal and heartbreaking. As a sensitive person who cries easily, I am nevertheless drawn to these stories because they have so much to teach us about human nature, and the extremes of cowardice and bravery of which it is capable under survival conditions.

I loved this book. It takes you back to the period by describing the actual provisions and other details of the excursion. The auther gives good insight into the motivations of the key players. As you read this book you will feel as if you are with Burke and Wills on their amazing but doomed journey. There are some "old English" terms which one has to deal with but they add to the authenticity of the book. One criticism, I would have enjoyed more maps of the journey as the one map in the book is too small to be useful.

If you just want the information, it's OK. But there are too many people, too little developed, for you to care what happened to any of them one way or another.