Customer Reviews

Journey on the James: Three Weeks Through the Heart of Virginia

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

On pages 4-5 of the book, the author gives an account of how the idea came about for his canoe trip:
"The seeds of our odyssey were sown one afternoon in early 1998, as I stared at a computer screen...this particular afternoon I was awash in ennui. I felt trapped in a routine of regular stories cranked out on regularly spaced deadlines...Then something happened that made me feel a game piece in some cosmic chess match. I was called into a conference with my boss, Dennis Hartig,...I don't remember what he wanted to see me about, but I clearly recall the conversation taking an unexpected turn. 'You know what I think would be a great story?' he suddenly asked. 'You know what story I'd love to see you do someday?'...'No,' I almost whispered. 'What?' And apropos of nothing we'd ever discussed before, Dennis said: 'A series on canoeing the whole length of the James River.' He clapped his hands, stood up from his chair, practically yelled: 'Wouldn't that be great?'"
In addition to recently reading the book, I had also kept abreast of the author's journey when he initially published it as a series of newspaper stories as he travelled the river in 1998. That paper also ran the series in installments over the Internet, where readers not only could follow the writer's passage down the James, but communicate with him via a chat room at the journey's end. The series and the author's comments to readers have been permanently archived on the Internet, and can be found by locating the series, "Journey on the James," clicking on the prompt that says, "Write to Earl Swift", which leads the reader to the Hampton Roads Internet site. At that site, both story and author's dialogue with the readers can be found in the News and Opinion section under the heading of Special Projects. There, in response to the first reader's E-mail question, the author gives the following explanation of how the seeds for his story were sown:
"Needless to say, this project was a long time in the making. I was going through some old files this afternoon and ran into a self-assessment I wrote in 1989. Among the goal (sic) I listed: Canoeing the entire James. It came of a bit of a shock to read that, because I could have sworn I got the idea only four or five years ago."
So. Which version is correct?
For starters, I like the first author's initial account of the journey's beginning better than the one described in the book. The idea of a reporter developing a story idea that holds personal appeal for him then mulling, researching, and planning the project for years is much more intriguing to me than that of an editor yanking the disinterested reporter by the scruff of his neck and suddenly drop-kicking him into a project.
But most importantly -- why has the author's account of events changed? And if the editor did indeed suddenly pounce on the book's author with that story suggestion, then why, for Pete's sake, didn't the author tell us about his own (decade-long!) planning of the story and its sudden intersection with that editor's out-of-the-blue idea, which inexplicably matches the author's own? Surely, this utterly amazing occurrence is more than worth mentioning. The bottom line: The book is supposed to be non-fiction -- a narrative history. Although all history is open to interpretation, the basic facts should be immutable. I had lost interest in the book by page 5 because it was there that the author's credibility became as thin as Kate Moss after liposuction. I was left to wonder how many other facts of the journey the author has fudged throughout the remainder of the book. As a non-fiction writer and as a historian, this author needs to at least record his own history correctly before he tackles anyone else's.

I love the book and love Swift's writing.
Can't get enough of his writing in our local paper.
We learned so much about a river we never thought much about. It is a very interesting and exciting book. When my freind returns it, I'm also going to read it again. Great writing about outdoor Virginia.

For those of us who love and canoe the James this book is an excellent companion. Apparently a few of the reviewers have been right ticked off at Earl Swift's writing style, or his mannerisms, or his choice of words, or his choice of topics, maybe they just don't like his hair style. Who knows? I think most of the negative reviews are petty, unfair and not well thought out. Overall the book does what the author set out to do, and that is entertain us with his impressions of the James River and the people who share it with us. I can't find fault with any writer who has the courage to state his or her opinions. I think it is the responsibiltiy of the reader to understand what the book is about, and if the reader doesn't like the content then send it back for a refund. Heated, almost hysterical charges against the author are pretty weak when you actually read the book and digest the message. Swift is a professional writer and treats his subject - the James River - with respect.

This book contains a good description of the James River: how it impressively flows and changes from its source to its destination.

I enjoyed reading and learning from the history that is interwoven through the trip's description.

As an experienced canoeist who has paddled the James many times in the greater Scottsville area, I found the author's descriptions of the places and people all along the river's length to be interesting and worthwhile.

The descriptions of the expedition's logistical details such as camping, porting the canoe, finding directions, finding food, etc. seemed true to life and gave a sense of the mechanics of the trip as well as the life that has developed along the river's banks.

Ian Martin is the photographer who accompanies Swift and organizes things for the expedition on the shore. Swift's description of their interactions together is often a humorous counterpoint to the descriptions of Swift alone in the canoe or the passages that are devoted to history.

Read this book. It is well written and carefully researched. We need more books like this to understand and appreciate our environment and homes.

A canoe adventure chocked with well researched history, wonderful trivia, great tight writing and subtle wit.
I gave it as a gift to my outdoorsy friends but the best compliment I can give is--I'm on my second reading.

I'm fortunate enough to live in Hampton Roads where Swift is journalist for the Virginian Pilot newspaper. He's surely one of--if not "the"--finest writers in Virginia!

I was surprised to find that this book is largely a history book. Mr. Swift has garnered a great deal of research about pre-twentieth century life along the James River and incorporated the research into the account of his journey, a canoe trip along the length of one of Virginia's longest waterways.

I was, however, hoping for reasonably detailed descriptions of the folks who visit the waters or live near them. Instead, interactions with the people he meets along the way are cursory. Granted, if someone were to choose to travel down a river by canoe, meeting people along the way would be more challenging than if someone were to follow the river by foot. Challenging, yes, but not impossible.

Most annoying about his descriptions of the local color is that everyone appears to be viewed through an elitist lens. Here's the approach: savvy, educated city newspaper reporter meets the ignorant masses. Virtually everyone you'll meet in this book has been squeezed into one of the following categories: eccentric elderly, small-brained local yokels from small towns (in the form of fishermen, swimmers and boaters), clueless teens, representatives from Greedy Corporations, Evil Developers and Money-Mad Big Businesses, thickheaded security guards and policemen, ill-mannered tourists (in the form of boaters and water skiers) and young women whose only roles are romantic interests or sex objects.

While the descriptions of the people are sketchy and often unflattering, Swift's descriptions of the river and the landscape are lengthy and reverential as he frets about the various forms of pollution he encounters and its effects on the land and water. He also fusses about the polluted river's effects on the those whose lives intersect it, but I began to wonder, given his accounts of the people he meets along the way, why we should care about any of them.

Virtually anyone the author speaks well of he has met during his research: Apparently most of the brave, interesting or intelligent Virginians to grace the flanks of the James or traverse its waters lived before the twentieth century. (Even here some stereotypes present themselves. The actions of a woman settler who escapes her Indian captors are described as . . . brave? Heroic? No, they're " a testament to pluck." About another formidable woman settler, the author writes that although she was "short, mannish, foul-mouthed, handy in a fistfight, prone to drunkenness, she nonetheless snagged a second husband . . . " Please.)

After reading this book, if I were to in turn stereotype Mr. Swift, I would pigeonhole him as the typical exploitative, grandstanding reporter. Swift seems to view the James as a long stage down which to parade and the people he meets in the wings as mere props to use for his story. So, in the end, what we have is a book stuffed with an impressive array of footnotes and clever turns of phrases written by a professional writer to dazzle other professional scribes. However, while the writing experts huddle in a circle (with their backs to everyone else) admiring the book's technical expertise, the "ordinary" readers wander away looking for something with life and soul, with relevance to their lives. As for me, I don't believe virtually the only people worth meeting along the James's 430-mile length are dead.

I read about the journey when it came out in the newspaper and was interested to see how the book would be. The addition of more of the so-called "adventure" is not very interesting and comes across as filler. The story worked best as a shorter newspaper series.

Really enjoyable, interesting read about the James River. I've lived near this river, canoed and kayaked it, lost family members to it's unpredictable nature and considered it a part of my Virginia heritage as long as I can remember. I learned alot of new historical facts while reading this book and will think of those events the next time I am on the river in Nelson County.

I'm not sure why the prior reviews were so tough, this is not WAR & PEACE......it's just a well written story about one man's mini-adventure on the James.

I highly recommend this, especially for those of us that are familiar with the areas Swift writes about. I didn't get the feeling he was mocking the people he met along the river, some of the people around these areas (as in every place in the world) are Ya-hoos.

This is the perfect book to compliment anything you may have regarding the history of the Commonwealth of Virginia. I never truly realized how much history is along the mighty James River until I read this book. Starting as a trickle of water high in the mountains of western VA, through the central plains, and finally to the mighty river feeding into the Chesapeake Bay. Mr. Swift points out many historical places/things on his journey down the river which is a joy to read. By the end of the book, I felt like I was along with the expedition the whole way down!

The only reason I'm giving this 4 stars, is that it wold have been nice to include a map of the James River somewhere in the book, that way one could follow along and get a better idea where he was at every chapter.

The author comes acros as egotistical. Most readers, other than his family and friends, probably won't care about his opinions and the personal details of his trip. When telling us of the people he encounters who work, live and play along the rivers banks, he displays a superior attitude (the educated reporter meets us uneducated local yokels)