Customer Reviews

White Waters and Black

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4 star:		(2)
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A wonderful book about the scientific experience, although the author promises not to write anything of scientific value. Humerous, astonishing, exciting, touching and gripping are some of the best words to describe this story of scientists on a 2 year quest to explore unknown regions of the Amazonian basin. I re-read it often. My father knew one of the original explorers and I am lucky enough to know who the un-named emminent scientists were which gives it an added edge of enjoyment.

This is truly one of the all time best of the travel genre. It recounts the adventures of a group of mismatched scientists and academics led by the narrator, a witty raconteur more than equal to the demands of both the characters and the journey. The narrator takes us over the Andes to the headwaters of the Amazon River, and then down the river until the expedition finally expires halfway to their intended destination: the mouth of the Amazon. Their encounters with parasites, water hazards, jungle dwellers, and each other make for the fastest 400 pages you will ever read

I can't believe you can get this book used! I own three copies and I don't even loan it out. This is a terrific expedition book and a wonderful book about being human. My family was thrilled to know that this book was being re-issued. Like one of the other reviewers, I was brought up knowing who the various scientists were because my father had worked with a colleague. It gave us plesure to know the names, some of whom were quite well known even today. It was also nice to know that at least for the eminent icthyolgist and the eminent entomologist the work that they produced from this expedition was very useful. I have recommmened this book countless times, and get copies for friends I really like.

MacCreagh offers us a hilarious glimpse at what happens when biologists used to sitting at museum desks launch an expedition to collect specimens in the Bolivian Amazon in the 1920's. MacCreagh, the Tim Cahill of his time, recounts with wit and humor countless misadventures involving deadly rapids, suffocating swamps and close encounters with the natives. Nothing is as fascinating, however, as how formerly civilized scientists behave in the wilderness. One of the very best South American travel/adventure books of all time

This book is hilariously enjoyable. MacCreagh`s perspective and presentation are both subtle and overt. It is a shame that this book is no longer easily available, because I won't lend my copy for fear it won't come back. If the publishers won`t reprint, find a copy and read it.

When your read of other expeditions and how well they were conducted, then you read Gordon MacCreagh's humorous account of a mistake-ridden expedition into the Amazon, and you may wonder how this could happen. Clearly, the leader of MacCreagh's expedition was no Roy Chapman Andrews. Too many mistakes with both men and equipment. It is a humorous, often hilarious account of how not to conduct an expedition into the Amazon -- or anywhere else. I found it to be much better than Peter Fleming's "Amazon Adventure" and somewhat better than Arthur O. Friel's "River of Seven Stars," which has not been reprinted. MacCreagh's sense of humor and keen observations are what place this book at the top of my list of exploration/expedition books. I found it difficult to keep from sharing portions of this book with family and friends...

George Schaller, in his introduction, says that if you only read one expedition book, this should be it. He's right. The true story of one of the least glorious endeavors in the history of science is told by one of only two members of the 'most expensive expedition ever' who seems to have had a full set of marbles. Poor planning, laughable gullibility and a breathtaking lack of field experience force the others one by one to quit as the hapless crew navigate various tributaries of the Amazon. In the end, only the author and his companion 'Young America' remain, but unencumbered by the others they go on to discover more than the whole original dog-and-pony show with its six tons of gear. McCreagh was unavoidably a man of his time; even so his attitude to the natives is remarkably progressive, and this is what gets him his impressive anthropological results.
Despite his disclaimer to the effect that the work contains 'no science', this is a valuable glimpse into the dim world of the upper Amazon. First and foremost, though, it's a hilarious read - and all the funnier if you've ever been on an expedition yourself.

I am enjoying this travel account very much. It's like Bertie Wooster goes to the jungle.

Mr MacCreagh has maganed to write an outstanding book based on a rather unsuccessful expedition. It is the tale of an expedition of eight eminent scientist in the Amazon, who were put together not for their ability in the outdoors, but for their scientific knowledge.

The author is a helper/manager of the expedition. He manages to describe the expedition from its beginning in the Bolivia highlands out to the Amazon plains and to its disintegration. It is quite clear that the scientist were not sure what to expect, and so had not prepared accordingly. Huge volumes of luggage went unused and were a huge burden. Egos and discomfort made the scientist into bickering children and inept explorers. The author masks their names because apparently these were well known figures of their time.

There is a bit of scientific content in the book, but clearly the main reason to read it is for the good humor of the author in describing the situations they get themselves in. One learns more about people and how they behave when taken to extremes than one does about the Amazon.

This book is a truly inspired, and non-scientific, accounting of explorative travel in South America in the 1920's. Gordon MacCreagh writes with an often self deprecating sense of humor about travel in near impossible conditions. This narrative is a unique look at true adventure before the advent of motorized travel and the spandex now required for a walk to the corner store.