Pacific Dream [Paperback]

John Illig (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 6, 2005

Unflinchingly honest, vividly told, funny, true, fascinating, exciting---—Pacific Dream is all these things. John writes with a candor that'’s shockingly fresh and real. His prose is clear as the water in one of the rushing streams he fords. It'’s as if the reader walks the trail with him, and he makes every step of his trek across America as exciting as it is surprising.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Fascinating...thought-provoking book. --Maine Sunday Telegram

Amazingly stark prose...Illig is fearless...truth shines through every word. --Night Owl Review

About the Author

John Illig grew up in New York and later spent 17 years living in Maine. He now lives in Vermont and coaches squash at Middlebury College. He is currently at work on a new novel.

Product Details

• Paperback: 228 pages
• Publisher: Elderberry Press (January 6, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 193276237X
• ISBN-13: 978-1932762372
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #936,580 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Pacific Dream, May 5, 2005

By 

Reader - See all my reviews

This review is from: Pacific Dream (Paperback)

A number of years back I read Trail Ways, Path Wise, which I completely enjoyed. When I found out about Pacific Dream, I had to read it. I really felt like I had done the Hike with John, and the best part was that I never even got a blister! In this book John discussed his difficult relationship and exposed his inner thoughts and emotions with such candor and humor. Everything about the book was crystal clear; from his descriptions of the scenery surrounding him to his many thoughts and revelations. It really was not only an adventure book, it was also a love story which leaves you wondering about his future.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great adventure available in e-book everywhere for just 2.99 on B&N, Apple and other sites., April 20, 2005

By 

Jack Of Alltrades "Just another soul" (Loth Ethtadoth Unidoth) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Pacific Dream (Paperback)

This book is for the rest of us. Okay, so we can't walk across America. We can still feel it, see it, smell it, understand it. That's what this journal, written as simply and powerfully as any literary stylist might. The writer is flawed but so completely honest about himself that we can't help but like him. And we know we can trust him too, and that is what makes this narrative so enthralling. I walked the Pacific Crest Trail with John when I read this, and all I missed out on were the stress fractures. Get it in ebook for $2.99.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Great story; needs better editing, November 2, 2011

By 

Brendan C - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Pacific Dream (Kindle Edition)

This was good adventure writing that I greatly enjoyed - the author tells a fine story and bravely laid out his difficult personal struggles he was facing in his life and marriage at the time in his life when he hiked the PCT. The description of the mental and physical challenges of thru-hiking were excellent.

However, I didn't rate the book higher because I was seriously distracted by what I can only call sloppy editing.

First was there were many misspelled words throughout the text (maybe this was just in the Kindle edition?). Proper names were often misspelled - "Senora pass" should be "Sonora pass", "Monmouth" should have been "Mammoth" to name just a couple of examples. Perhaps an automatic spell checker was the only typographical editing done?

A big part of this genre is description of what you see and learn about the places you visit on your adventure and in this I was also annoyed by scientific inaccuracies scattered throughout. For example: the author claims that the rain shadow effect is caused by high pressure at high elevation. I'm sure the author knows from personal experience that air pressure is lower at high elevation!

Apparently most people are not as bothered by this kind of thing as me (none of the other reviewers mention this), so hopefully you can just enjoy the story for itself.

Thumbs up to the author; thumbs down to the publisher.