Customer Reviews

River: One Man's Journey Down the Colorado, Source to Sea

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is a book for those looking to take some quiet time to think about life, the river, and the environment. It is not a logistical book for those wishing to duplicate the experience. Fletcher's journey reveals the river from the perspective of an elderly man traveling at a slow pace (6 months) who is absorbing the spirit and feel of the Colorado and reflecting upon a lifetime of wilderness travel. It is slow, methodical, and at times a little tedious, but rich in detail and thoughtfulness.

This is a book for the thoughtful and reflective, not the pump-me-up, thrill seeker. The little mistakes the author makes are usually pointed out by himself, and they mark the book as authentic in that Colin is a lot like the rest of us in his amateur knowledge of the details of wildlife. He differs, though, in his ability to tell the story, a unique story, of adventure and life.

Colin Fletcher was one of my early "guides" into backpacking, and many of his hiking tips still stand up well as I continue to backpack in my 50's.

His trip down the Colorado provides more inspiration for what can be achieved as you get wiser and, oh yes, older, too.

This isn't an "adventure" story in the trite sense, nor a river guide. It's a sharing of a person's thoughts. Fletcher is a different kind of person than most of us, but his musings cause me to think about my own life strategies and outcomes.

-- P.C.

If you're already a Fletcher fan then you should read this book. If you've never read Fletcher then read his other books first, as River not only alludes to events detailed in his other books but also ties up quite a few loose ends about the man's interesting life.

I think most of the people who did not appreciate the book either had never read Fletcher before or were expecting a serious adventure tale of some kind. But the book is as much a reflection on Fletcher's life as it is a rafting/backpacking adventure. And River is decidedly not a "How To" book--don't expect details about planning, provisioning, logistics, etc., as these are purposefully glossed over. Fletcher spends just enough words describing river-running tactics to involve the reader, yet doesn't belabor the subject.

I got from the book exactly what I'd come to expect from Fletcher's work: humor, insight, shared anger and (perhaps fleeting) despair. And, yes, adventure. But River also had the feeling of a farewell, and there are some very poignant moments in the book when Fletcher literally says, "Goodbye." A remarkably interesting man who has led an amazing life. But I won't have goodbyes. If you're still with us, Colin, give us at least another two or three books!

A 67 YEAR OLD MAN, THE MIGHTY COLORADO AND A SOLO JOURNEY FROM WYOMING TO MEXICO - HOW COULD ANYONE WHO HAS EVER TRAVELED BY FOOT OR RAFT NOT READ AND LOVE THIS BOOK. HATS OFF AGAIN MR.FLETCHER.

Fletcher is a talented writer with a knack for finding unique adventures to partake in. He has some excellent earlier work.

This book had a lot of promise and I rather enjoyed the first half of the book. I figured if the first 50% of the river can be an interesting read for me, the Grand Canyon would surely be a special adventure. During the first half, we are treated to descriptions of beautiful areas, wildlife and sojorning. But voila, by the time he traveled the Grand Canyon, all he could talk about was 1) the other rafters(bad and good) that were floating in his vicinity. 2) how he failed to connect with his own memories of his land voyage through the canyon decades earlier. 3) How damn good of a oarsman he'd become in rapid after rapid after rapid.

There was essentially zero muse of the majesty, epicness, solemness, visuals, wildlife, geography, history(Powell), non-rapids adventure of the spectacular 200 mile stretch that is the Grand Canyon. Didn't seem like he much cared to flush out an interesting story for the grandest of all canyons. He pulled off an incredible solo adventure, but slopped together a subpar narrative of the journey when it hit its apex.

Colin Fletcher's keen eye and attention to detail makes his trip down the entire length of the Colorado River a delightful read. It put me in touch with wilderness adventures that I had enjoyed but long forgotten. This book is a must read for every nature lover

Perhaps I expected too much. I love Colin Fletcher's other books, I think I have read all of them. But somehow he seems to have lost his beautiful and inspiring style of writing. He didn't seem as motivated as on other trips he has written about. Or perhaps it was just a dull trip. Anyway, I had a hard time staying awake. I would recommend his "The Thousand Mile Summer" or "The Man who Walked Through Time" if you want a treat from the late Mr. Fletcher.

This is a good book for those who are genuinely interested in a journey in the wilderness. This is not a book for those who look for thrilling adventures, or those "armchair travelers" who look for commercialized travel books (such as those by Bill Bryson). You can say that the book lacks drama, it is too "plain". To a certain extent I agree with that. As Fletcher says in his book (about the Colorado), it plays "themes and variations". The same can be said about this book, most of the time it flows slowly, but along the way there are reflections, thoughts, observations, etc. It is not as "exciting" as the commercialized writings of Bill Bryson and the like, but you can sense the honesty in Fletcher's writing, that is, he did not take the journey with the goal of writing a book about it, he genuinely wanted to take the journey just for the sake of it.

This is not an Edward Abbey type of book either. Abbey's writing is definitely better. Comparing this book to "Desert Solitaire" is like comparing a amateur's snapshots to Ansel Adams' murals. But, like I said, if you are genuinely an ourdoor and wildness person, especially if you hiked or rafted in the canyon country, you will find much to enjoy in this book.

I did a whitewater rafting trip last year through Canyonlands NP and this book brought the wonderful memories of that trip - the beauty of the scenery and excitement of the rapids - back to me full force. I LOVED this book. Colin Fletcher's descriptions really bring you to the river and its surrounding beauty. I love how he describes everything, and how he goes off on tangents back to memories of his own life. This book is well worth the read!

I rarely savor a book - forcing myself to set it aside at times to prolong the enjoyment, but this was the exception. Fletcher might not have gotten his field guide out to identify every animal and plant species along his journey, nor shared information about his intense preparations. But more profoundly, this older gentleman was able to convey the peaceful, purposeful meandering awe that is the Colorado River experience. He gave me hope that in my retirement years I may be able to live on in an adventurous way and find the convergence of the wisdom and patience and humbleness that come with age with the freedom to follow my heart's calling. I felt at times I was on the raft with Colin, and found him a steady, interesting companion with a great attitude! He made me wish the river was 1000 miles longer - just as I felt when I got off the raft that took me through the Canyon!