Far Distant Echo

Outdoorsmen and armchair travelers will encounter history, ravenous insects, trail menus, hungry bears, and the quiet joys of endurance in this intriguing recounting of a 2008 canoe expedition. Six men began a 1,300-mile canoe trip along a traditional fur-trading route. During the two-and-a-half-month expedition, four of them dropped out. One of the two who saw it through (Marks) turned 62 on the trail, and the satisfaction of the authors at completing the trek is expressed in vibrant if understated language: "Both of our hearts were racing. We had made it." The highly detailed account of planning the trip underscores the atmosphere of authenticity, and problems encountered along the way ring true. This is no journal of transcendental rapture; the emphasis is on the incidental and, often, on mishaps. Moments of serendipity, too, are presented keenly. Publishers Weekly 07/09/2012