Customer Reviews

South to Alaska: From the Heartland of America to the Heart of a Dream

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
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As told by his daughter, a factual story of one man's never-forgotten dream to move to Alaska via water. Travel with Melvin Owens and later, his wife, Cecil, aboard their boat--"Red Dog"-- which Melvin constructed from the first board. Very moving story of an American dream that was never forgotten and eventually realized. A well-written, very enjoyable book.

What were your dreams growing up?

To be a fireman? Policeman? Princess?

Those are common responses if you were to query a grade school aged child.

I wanted to be a football coach. Obviously, that didn't happen.

When Melvin Owens spotted a picture of an Alaskan cabin in a 4th grade text book, he knew from that day on, his dream was to live there. After a 50 year journey, his dreams came true.

Nancy Owens Barnes has created a masterfully blended account of her father's childhood in Oklahoma, her parents' marriage, her own upbringing, and ultimately his quest to build a boat in land-locked Arkansas, which would take him to his beloved destination.

It took three years of laboring in his "spare time" for Melvin to build the Red Dog in his Arkansas back yard. According to the author,

"The Red Dog surprised many who drove over the rise of the hill by our house to find a large ocean-going vessel sitting high and dry...they couldn't see that the Red Dog would be my father's song, and the final unfolding of a dream that had slumbered against his thoughts for many years."

From that point on, it would take another two years to navigate (primarily alone) the Red Dog thru con-artists, waterways, canals, Gulfs, foreign ports, customs, and finally to its destination - Ketchikan, Alaska.

South to Alaska is part Thor Heyerdahl, Bill Bryson, and Sebastian Junger (and even the prophet Noah!) in scope. With narrative that is equally entertaining as you read Melvin's folksy mannerisms; agonizing as you experience the many treacherous storms; and educational as you immerse yourself in the geography and botany of the lush Latin American region - it is rewarding on multiple levels.

In the end, I fell in love with Nancy's parents - people I seemed to recognize immediately from my own background. Two great people, working incredilby hard, and living their lives to the fullest.

I don't think Melvin ever saw an angel, but South to Alaska is ultimately about a man who was inspired to fulfill a God-given calling and dream.

Nancy Owens Barns stated in the forward of this work that "Some suggested I fictionalize the story. By doing so would allow me to drive drama to a higher level and to void my worries about maintaining truth."

Well thank goodness and lucky for us she made the right decision and went with the truth. I cannot imagine how adding a bit of fiction to this story would in anyway "add to the drama." or make this a more satisfying read. I have to tell you that at the end of each year I sort of do an informal review of the books I read during the past twelve months and rank them in order of pure reading enjoyment. I will tell you right now that this read made the top three and it is quite debatable whether or not I should stick it in first place. My goodness, this book has so very much going for it.

This true story, put in a nutshell, is the telling of the remarkable journey of her father - an odyssey really, starting from the time he was a young child; a child of the Great Depression, living in Oklahoma, through his remarkable voyage in a boat he built himself and sailed it from Fort Smith, Arkansas (of all places) all the way to Alaska...for the most part, completely alone. But the book is so much more than just a sea voyage; a scary one, I grant you, but a voyage never-the less. It is also the story of her mother, Cecil Marie, a rather remarkable woman in her own right.

The author's parents, Melvin and Cecil Owens had a dream. They wanted to live in Alaska. Both these individual lived the majority of their lives in either Oklahoma or Arkansas - they were not sea dwelling people. George Owen work construction and was one of those individual (alas, I am not one of them) that could build just about anything he set his mind to. We are taken through the three years, where in his spare time, Mr. Owens built the ship they named "Red Dog" in his backyard and then through his remarkable journey down the Arkansas River, the Mississippi River, the Gulf of Mexico, through the Panama Canal and then up the western coast of Central America, America, all the way to Ketchikan, Alaska where he and his wife finally made their home. (They ended up living in a home built by Mr. Owns near the water and forest for over twenty some odd years - remarkable!)

We travel with Melvin as he navigates river ways, crooked customs officers in foreign ports, the open sea and rather evil conmen, storms, sickness, anxiety..... Speaking no language other than English this quiet but determined man made a journey of a life time against tremendous odds.

Now let me be frank and explain. When I first heard of this book and the homemade craft, the Red Dog, I had visions of something like what I would build which would have been hammered and wired together out of scrap lumber, orange crates and empty oil cans. Mr. Owns though was a craftsman and the boat he built with his own two hands and spare parts was actually quite a sophisticated and seaworthy craft. The building alone; the process he went through absolutely amazed me.

But don't think this book is just about his two year voyage. This is actually the story of a family; a family of like mine and yours. Good hardworking people; a close family full of love and respect for each other. The author has used the techniques of flashbacks throughout the book to bring of a vivid picture of a family who made it through the depression, worked extremely hard all of their lives and above all, followed their dream. (I consider myself an armature historian when it comes to the Great Depression and I have to tell you that I learned much from this book. The author was able to capture the essence of those times perfectly. I felt she could have been writing about my own family at times). I also grew up in the same area (Missouri, Arkansas and Oklahoma) so I knew much of the physical background the author describes and can assure you she is spot on.

Furthermore, not only do we have a wonderful story here, but we have a story written by an author that can actually write and I might say, write extremely well. Her prose borders on lyrical and her ability to describe puts her on the same level with all the great travel writers....folks, this is one talented lady!

If you have not already read this work I would strongly suggest you do so. It is a great true story that has been written by a true master writer.

Other books by this author include:

Moose for Breakfast: Nature Writing in Essays and Poetry (My next Amazon order)

and

How to Swat the KILLER BEs Out of Your Writing: A Writing Skills Handbook on How to Write in Active Voice

Don Blankenship
The Ozarks

This is the true story of a young boy from the Depression-era south who dreamed of living in the north. He carried his dream into adulthood and, through relentless persistence, used his skills to overcome a multitude of obstacles and achieve his lifelong quest. If you have a dream, read this amazing and inspirational story.

I was one of those bewildered people who used to drive by the ship taking shape on the small Oklahoma farm, miles from the nearest navigable water, and wonder who was building it and why. I now know this was the first of two boats built by this artisan and adventurer and the beginning of an incredible journey.

His daughter has written a glowing tribute to this amazing man and his lifelong pursuit of his dream. She has crafted an exciting account of the dangers and hardships of his voyage and a touching portrait of him and his loving wife who stuck with him and shared in the ultimate realization of his dream.

Nicely penned,especially for those interested in real life sea stories or simply the desire to sail or motor under power to distant geographic locations. Very interesting and extremely courageous. Hats off to the author and her late parents.

South to Alaska is a first-rate story about an amazing voyage. The vivid descriptions made me feel like I was onboard the Red Dog with Owens, who personifies American ingenuity and the spirit of adventure. I found myself eager to stow away in a quiet place at night where I could escape to backwater port towns and remote coves. Twice the book kept me up till 3 a.m. It's easy and enjoyable reading, and the pages flowed like the waters of the Inside Passage.

Roger Weston, author of The Golden Catch

Nancy Owens Barnes does a great job in "South to Alaska" capturing the story of her father and his trek to Alaska. His boat "The Red Dog" is piloted from place to place and through the eyes of her father you gain a great point of view into some of the true highlight locations of the world including one of my favorites the Panama Canal. A good read for anyone who enjoys travel and specifically experiencing travel through the eyes of someone willing to take a few chances in the hope of accomplishing something great.

I liked this book. The story is well told and carries the reader along quickly. It's a real story of stubborn mid-western stick-to-it that leads to success.

More and more I look for books that inspire me to reach for my goals and my dreams. This story of Nancy's father, who headed first south, then north in a small boat all by himself to fulfill a dream he had long had, is one of these books. It made me feel good inside with a will to renew my own efforts to follow my heart.