Riding the Dragon's Back: The Race to Raft the Upper Yangtze [Hardcover]

Richard Bangs (Author), Christian Kallen (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1989

Two men who rode the four-thousand-mile Yangtze River from its headwaters to the China Sea in a raft describe the journey, the dangers and sights they encountered, and previous expeditions that ended in death. Reprint. PW.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

From the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau at more than 17,000 feet above sea level, the Yangtze sweeps nearly 4000 miles to the East China Sea near Shanghai. Its source, in a remote and sparsely populated area, was discovered in 1985; few travelers had seen the upper river in one of the last unexplored regions on Earth. Bangs and Kallen, coauthors of Rivergods , wanted to be the first Americans to raft the uncharted "Great Bend" section of the upper Yangtze. They lost out to Ken Warren and his Sino-USA Expedition; in addition, two Chinese groups planned to run the river from its headwaters (altitude 17,660 ft.) to Yibin (797 ft.). In three ill-fated expeditions of 1986 there were six fatalities. The following year, Bangs and Kallen successfully took a team of experienced rafters and well-heeled clients to the river. To their first-rate adventure story, the authors add background material on ethnic groups and early explorers of the region. Photos .
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

YA-- Explorers in any field are persistent, even foolhardy creatures, but the feats they accomplish inspire awe in us lesser mortals. Long ago, the Yangtze River was vividly described in National Geographic, whetting Bangs' appetite to raft this treacherous river "dragon." This pioneering adventure is detailed with trial, disaster, excitement, and success. Interestingly, the underlying theme of the book is self-exploration--basic human behavior in extreme circumstances, learning to work together, to share, and to appreciate a once-in-a-lifetime experience. A fascinating account with great YA appeal.
- Jenni Elliott, Episcopal High School, Bellaire, TX
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 260 pages
• Publisher: Atheneum; 1ST edition (October 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689119321
• ISBN-13: 978-0689119323
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,531,622 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #77 in Books > Sports & Outdoors > Outdoor Recreation > Rafting

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