Distant Fires

Library Journal

Following much the same route taken by Eric Severeid and Walter Port in 1930 ( Canoeing with the Cree ), Anderson and his college friend set out to canoe up lakes Superior and Winnepeg and down the Gods River to York Factory on Hudson's Bay. The three-month, 1700-mile trip was full of wind, rain, and discomfort, but Anderson's account is also filled with humor, a youthful zest for life, and a mature sense of the history and culture through which they passed. ``Life is pursuit, not the capture,'' he believes, and the ``distant fires'' of the North remain a goal even as this particular journey is ended. Neither a how-to nor a step-by-step description, this is an enthusiastic tale of following a dream. Recommended especially for public libraries and YA collections.-- Roland Person, Southern Illinois Univ. Lib. , Carbondale

School Library Journal

YA-- Take two college men, lots of food, sleeping bags and fishing poles, throw it all into one canoe, and the result is the makings of true adventure. Anderson and a friend set out from Duluth, Minnesota on a 1700-mile trip that ended on the shores of Hudson Bay. Written informally, and with many glimpses of the travails of camping and canoeing, the author provides humorous episodes involving furious losing battles with mosquitoes, a recalcitrant tent that doesn't stay up in the wind, and cooking innumerable pots of macaroni and cheese for breakfast. Readers will also experience the serenity of the northwoods, the satisfaction of canoeing 50 miles a day, sunrises and sunsets over the water, and the kindness of strangers met along the way. For outdoor adventurers, or those who wish to travel vicariously, this is the book.-- Pam Spencer, Jefferson Sci-Tech, Alexandria, VA