Book Description
Even in this age of extreme sports and made-for-TV survival games, there still exist places on earth where the most intrepid among us can plunge into truly unknown territory. The acclaimed adventure writer Peter Stark had waited all his life for just such an opportunity. But when he was invited to Africa to join a small expedition kayaking down Mozambique’s Lugenda River, he balked. The 750-kilometer rivercourse was largely uncharted–dotted with rapids, waterfalls, and home to deadly crocodiles and hippos; two of his four travel companions were not skilled kayakers; and he had a family to think of, (not to mention that at forty-eight, he himself was feeling a bit old for the life untamed). Suppressing inner doubts and driven by that most human of urges–to see what lies beyond the next bend–Stark signed on for the adventure of a lifetime.
At the Mercy of the River is Stark’s harrowing, insightful account of this venture into the unknown. “Why,” he muses between capsizes in the Lugenda’s croc-infested waters, “are humans compelled to explore?” The expedition’s five distinct–and sometimes clashing–personalities provide individual answers to that question.
Equipped with only the most rudimentary comforts and lacking the customary explorer’s gun, the party encounters breathtaking natural splendor, rich wildlife, and villages little affected by modern life. Ever aware that they are following in the metaphorical footsteps of great explorers of the past–Vasco da Gama, Mungo Park, Ibn Battuta, David Livingstone, and other men of adventure who bridged Africa and the West–Stark shares these explorers’ stories with us, finding a common thread linking his experience with theirs. Using their accounts, his travails on the Lugenda River, and the insights of wilderness philosophers such as Henry David Thoreau, Stark attempts to understand the very nature of “exploration” while pondering the question, Where will we go when our wilderness vanishes?
At the Mercy of the River is at turns inspiring, heart-thumping, and even amusing. But most of all, it is a riveting adventure story for a time when adventure is in danger of losing its meaning.
Customer Reviews:
Authentic first person narrative.......2007-06-08
I read this in preparation for my own trip to southern Africa. Peter Stark is a wonderful writer with humble authenticity and believable emotional descriptions. He captured the insecurities of the community he traveled with and was quite honest about his own fears. I plan to read more of his work.
Rolling down [and under] the river.......2005-10-19
Pilots say that any landing you can walk away from is a good landing. The same might be said of "wilderness adventure". Peter Stark walked away from a trip down an untraversed African river, but it was a close thing. Dumped in the river, beset by crocodiles, hippos, a black mamba and a dodgy stomach, Stark lived to relate his tale. He tells it well, with all the passion of a survivor. A map and photographs, and even a bibliography provide visual accents to the narrative. With no small research flavouring the account, the story is an exciting read.
Stark was contacted by a lady in Botswana to be the "recorder" of a "first". Cherri Briggs, an "adventure company" owner, wanted to descend the Lugenda River in Mozambique. Briggs was assembling a kayaking team to make the first trip down an unknown tributary of the Rovumba which empties into the Indian Ocean. Having made a hasty survey flight, Briggs told Stark that there were rapids but their skill level was unknown. Although at forty-eight years old and with a family, Stark shed his misgivings to join the team. Four other men had been recruited for a journey that would prove the need for care in selecting exploration teams.
Travelling by canoe or kayak, even in company, offers opportunity for introspection and reflection. In company, perhaps such travel demands it. Stark, no stranger to wilderness travel, had years of canoe experience. Clashes with leaders of the expedition were inevitable. Wilderness travel in case such as this can mean many have "leadership" roles. In this case, Cherri was the expedition leader, but Clinton took the lead in finding the best kayak path. "Following the leader" in one instance led Stark to the edge of a ten-metre waterfall. Truly, one false move would have had him "at the mercy of the river". His experience got him and his partner out of difficulty, but it was a close thing. It eroded the relationship between Stark and Clinton. The breach was patched, however and the trip continued. Hardly, however, uneventfully.
Stark was a newcomer to Africa, most of his wilderness trips taking place in North America. He had much to learn, and tried earnestly to do so. The book is spiced with personalities and accounts of African exploration. From the fabled trips of Ibn Battuta to Dr Livingstone, Stark explains how outsiders entered the African scene over the centuries. "Discovery", conquest, wealth and religion all played their various roles, sometimes intermingled. Stark's use of these stories is unusual. Most of them are presented as if he's suddenly driven to remember them while otherwise unoccupied. They make wonderful reading, but their contribution to the Lugenda journey is nil. That's not really a flaw, since the purpose of the book is as much Stark's personal discoveries as is the river passage. The one map and many photographs add further sparkle to this lively account. It's worth your time for its information, its glance into the mind of an adventure journalist, and for its snippets of exploration history. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]
A fine blend of history and modern adventure.......2005-10-11
Peter Stark was invited to join a small expedition kayaking the Lugenda River in Mozambique: a river no white man had ever kayaked, still largely unmapped and wild. At The Mercy Of The River: An Exploration Of The Last African Wilderness tells of his adventure down the river, providing high adventure for armchair travelers with 'you are there' action. From croc-infested waters to reflections on great explorers who also explored the region, At The Mercy Of The River will have you on the edge of your seat, sharing fellow explorers' journeys in a fine blend of history and modern adventure.
At the Mercy of the River : An Exploration of the Last African Wilderness.......2005-09-18
book in excellent condition
Fantastic Trip.......2005-09-14
For the price of the book, I got a great trip to Africa! Truly a wonderful read about a place that I may never actually be able to go to except for in this book. Thanks for the tour.
Average customer rating:
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Flora of Tropical East Africa - Eriocaulaceae (1997) (Flora of Tropical East Africa)
S. Phillips
Manufacturer: CRC
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ASIN: 9061913772 |
Book Description
The Flora is prepared at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in close collaboration with East African Herbarium and in liaison with the University of Dar es Salaam, the University of Nairobi and the Makerere University. Significant contributions are also made by specialists elsewhere. This reference should be of use to anyone concerned with the identification and utilization of plants in eastern Africa.
Customer Reviews:
Planning a medieval Party?.......2002-12-27
If you are planning a Medieval Celebration of any kind this is a great book to buy. My Fiancee and I have been looking for medieval books to plan our wedding by and I stumbled across this one its been very helpful and I'm sure it will get alot of use. It has many tradations recipes and lots of fun games a must have.
So-So Information for Event Planning.......2001-08-24
My fiance and I purchased this book as we are planning a medieval wedding. The title and description of this book implied that we would find lots of valuable information on that topic. Well, we found lots of valuable information for feast planning, or putting on a re-enactment (a la Society for Creative Anachronism), and very little concerning period wedding traditions. The most interesting parts were the recipes/redactions and the instructions for medieval dance steps. There are also several pages that contain sheet music for period songs. If you are looking to put on a reenactment or feast, this is the book for you. If you are looking for anything else, I suggest you look elsewhere.
Book Description
A first-hand description of the Durga Puja, the Hinda celebration of the Great Goddess.
During a nine-day period every autumn, Hindus in India and throughout the world worship the Great Goddess, Durga--the formidable deity who is loved like a mother. One of the most dramatic and popular of these celebrations is the Durga Puja, a rite noted for its visual pageantry, ritual complexity, and communal participation. In this book, Hillary Peter Rodrigues describes the Bengali style of Durga Puja practiced in the sacred city of Banaras from beginning to end. A romanization of the Sanskrit litany is included along with an English translation.
In addition to the liturgical description, Rodrigues provides information on the rite's component elements and mythic aspects. There are interpretive sections on puja, the Great Goddess, women's roles in the ritual, and the socio-cultural functions of the ritual. Rodrigues maintains that the Durga Puja is a rite of cosmic rejuvenation, of empowerment at both the personal and social levels, and a rite that orchestrates manifestations of the feminine, both Divine and human.
Book Description
This innovative work of cultural history examines the function of public rituals in colonial Mexico City. Festivals were a defining characteristic of life in the capital. For most of the colonial period, inhabitants could witness as many as 100 religious and civil celebrations in a year. The largest of these events, both civil and religious, were sponsored by the authorities and were crucial means to embody political and social concepts.
The first European public rituals were introduced immediately after the conquest of the Aztec capital. Spanish priests seeking to evangelize the native population introduced Catholic festivals, and civil authorities sponsored celebrations designed to glorify the Spanish empire. Spectacle was one tool in an arsenal of colonizing agents, and over time the growing diversity of the population made festival statecraft all the more important, as government-sponsored revelry attempted to promote shared histories and values among diverse and potentially dangerous groups.
Festivals organizers developed a highly sophisticated message embedded within the celebrations that delineated the principles of leadership and the duties of both rulers and vassals. The pervasiveness of festivals and the power of the political message associated with them created possibilities for individuals to assess and participate in a larger discussion of good governance in the colony.
This cultural history examines the functions of public rituals in colonial Mexico City, often totaling as many as 100 celebrations in a year.
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Pilgrimage in Medieval Scotland: (Historic Scotland Series)
Peter Yeoman
Manufacturer: Batsford
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0713481749 |
Book Description
This account of the nature and significance of Scottish medieval pilgrimage looks at the various sites and the saints associated with them. These places range from local holy wells, trees, and crosses to famous destinations such as St. Andrews and Whithorn. Ultimately, we learn the reasons why people embarked on these pilgrimages, and what experiences they faced during their journey.
Book Description
This exceptional book is the first full-length study on the 1951 Festival of Britain. As a consciously constructed cultural and educational event, or rather series of events, the Festival provides an opportunity to see a society and a government struggling to recast national identity after the experience of World War II. Primarily an examination of how Britain and Britishness were portrayed in the 1951 Festival’s exhibitions and events, Becky E. Conekin considers the Festival’s history and historiography, its purpose, its representations of the future and the past, the role of London and the "local", the British Empire and finally its legacy.
Book Description
From the twelve days of Christmas to the Spring traditions of Valentine, Shrovetide, and Easter eggs, through May Day revels and Midsummer fires, and on to the waning of the year, Harvest Home, and Hallowe'en; Ronald Hutton takes us on a fascinating journey through the ritual year in Britain.
His study encompasses the whole sweep of history in all the British Isles from the earliest written records to the present day. Treating rituals ancient and modern, Christian and pagan, Hutton's colorful and absorbing history debunks common assumptions about the customs of the past and the
festivals of the present. Stations of the Sun is the first complete scholarly work to cover the full span of British rituals. Challenging the work of specialists from the late Victorian period onwards, the book reworks our picture of the field thoroughly and illuminates the history of the calendar
we live by.
Customer Reviews:
All about the holidays.......2007-08-07
It has become a widespread notion that most of our holiday traditions derive from pagan sources. Not so, Hutton demonstrates. Ironically, it may be that Christmas is far more of a "pagan" holiday than Halloween!
A Brick of Scholarship.......2005-11-20
This book is not for a casual reader. It is, instead, a compendium of primary source information for those curious about the calendar year in Britain. It's fascinating scholarship and absolutely authoratative in its research, but not for "just reading"! At some points, the paragraphs are so thick with citations and details that my eyes began to gloss. In general, though, the prose remains readable, even when detailing minutia.
I do want to address one criticism from an earlier reviewer, who said this about the book:
"Hutton debunks everything he presents; after a while it kind of got on my nerves. Virtually every description and explanation is followed by some sort of 'but this probably didn't happen' or 'this probably wasn't really the way it was' disclaimer. fter reading several chapters, my attitude morphed into 'why are you wasting my time telling me about stuff that didn't happen? Can't you tell me about anything that probably DID happen?'"
I'm not sure if this reviewer and I were reading the same book. Yes, Hutton debunks many myths surrounding these customs, but to say that he provides no information on what DID happen, or how it happened, is bunk. The book is thick with information, a real brick of scholarship. There are ten chapters alone on the evidence of various Christmas and New years traditions!
Those with a serious interest in the development of many Western calendar customs in Britain (many of which are also the ultimate root of our American traditions) should definitely add this boo to their collections.
An excellent British scholar,.......2003-01-23
Hope this great book comes back into print here. It's wordy, but I always appreciate the detail and background he provides. It's out of print here, it's still in print in the UK, so I got it from there.
A Great Source.......2000-08-18
This book is a great source for information about British customs and lore. Hutton is excited about his subject and holds it in deep regard all the wile telling us the way it really is. I learned a lot from this book and I consider it essential reading for everyone (especially neo-pagans) who has an interest in this subject.
As a neo-pagan I wouldn't want to have this vast subject explained to me in one sentence - I want examples as to why a certain custom or seasonal festival is important/necessary in the wheel of the year. Ialso want sources states because if someone were to just say to me "Everything you have read about British seasonal customs is wrong" I would say, "Prove it". Hutton indeed takes the time to prove his arguments.
Hutton isn't against neo-pagans, but he is _for_ scholarship.
Actually, I returned this book after trying to read it........2000-02-16
I was so excited when I found this book! I hate to tell you how disappointed I was when I read it. Many positive reviews are posted here, so maybe I should try it again, but I'm not sure I have the patience.
Hutton debunks everything he presents; after a while it kind of got on my nerves. Virtually every description and explanation is followed by some sort of "but this probably didn't happen" or "this probably wasn't really the way it was" disclaimer. After reading several chapters, my attitude morphed into "why are you wasting my time telling me about stuff that didn't happen? Can't you tell me about anything that probably DID happen?" I (barely) finished it, feeling that I was left with anti-information as opposed to information.
"Debunking" popular notions is all well and good, but without offering any alternative ideas or explanations, this book could have been written in one sentence: "No concrete information is available so don't believe anything you read or hear about this subject."
Average customer rating:
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Spectacle, Pageantry, and Early Tudor Policy (Oxford-Warburg Studies)
Sydney Anglo
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0199206031 |
Book Description
Sydney Anglo discusses every English royal entry, festival, disguising, masque, and tournament from the accession of Henry VII to the coronation celebrations of Elizabeth I. Based principally on primary sources, his study is analytical rather than descriptive. In 1969, when this book first appeared, the serious study of Renaissance court festivals and civic pageantry was in its infancy and - although the subject has since burgeoned - the volume of publications relevant to the early Tudors was modest and largely confined to matters of detail. In this new edition Professor Anglo discusses material published since 1969 in a preface where, as far as possible, the material is arranged according to the chronological and thematic order of the book. The original pagination and notes which have regularly been cited by scholars has thereby been retained. A bibliography of works cited in the text has been added to facilitate the work of a new generation of students.
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Heraldry, Pageantry and Social Display in Medieval England
Manufacturer: Boydell Press
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Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 1843830361 |
Book Description
Medieval culture was intensely visual. Although this has long been recognised by art historians and by enthusiasts for particular media, there has been little attempt to study social display as a subject in its own right. And yet, display takes us directly into the values, aspirations and, indeed, anxieties of past societies. In this illustrated volume a group of experts address a series of interrelated themes around the issue of display and do so in a way which avoids jargon and overly technical language. Among the themes are family and lineage, social distinction and aspiration, ceremony and social bonding, and the expression of power and authority. The media include monumental effigies, brasses, stained glass, rolls of arms, manuscripts, jewels, plate, seals and coins. Contributors: MAURICE KEEN, DAVID CROUCH, PETER COSS, CAROLINE SHENTON, ADRIAN AILES, FRÉDÉRIQUE LACHAUD, MARIAN CAMPBELL, BRIAN and MOIRA GITTOS, NIGEL SAUL, FIONN PILBROW, CAROLINE BARRON and JOHN WATTS.
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Autumn Traditions: Bonfire Night, Halloween And Other Festivals to Celebrate the Season
Doc Rowe
Manufacturer: English Heritage
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 1905624034 |
Customer Reviews:
Great Book.......2007-06-08
With honest to goodness, (up?)down to earth, interviews of people that have really earned their place in the book. A Fantastic read.
Voices from the Summit.......2001-02-26
Description: The World's Great Mountaineers on the Future of Climbing, celebrating 25 years of the Banff Film Festival. Size is 251 pages w/ contributor bio and many mountain photos, measures 9" by 12", softbound, published by National Geographic in association with The Banff Centre for Mountain Culture. From the back cover: "An extraordinary tribute to the art of mountaineering with many of the worlds greatest climbers, a book both unique in scope and unprecedented in authority. Looking back at the climbers milestone's and forward to new challenges, these founding fathers, contemporary superstars, and their chroniclers explore every aspect of the sport and offer thoughtful, personal, and often provocative vision of what mountaineering truly means to the men and women who test their spirits and hazard their lives in the risky but rewarding world of high adventure."
Contributors include Reihold Messner, Ed Viesturs, Wade Davis, Sir Chris Bonington, Catherine Destivelle, David Breashears, Greg Childs, Leo Houlding, Sir Edmund Hillary, Lynn Hill, Yvon Chouinard, Jeff Lowe, Todd Skinner, Kitty Calhoun, Will Gadd, Thomas Hornbein, Royal Robbins and 15 others weighing in on 11 topics crucial to the future of mountaineering, from Himalayan climbing and the ethics of adventuring to ice climbing and rock climbing, plus a history of the Banff Mountain Film Festival.
Personal opinion: Interesting read with the individual bios and mountaineering history, great information on philosophical approach to the climbers world. Easy to read sections without losing focus, each climber stands alone, can move around rather front to back. A good reinforcement to belief, you can do anything you want.
Books:
- Atchafalaya Houseboat: My Years in the Louisiana Swamp
- Atlas of Pacific Salmon: The First Map-Based Status Assessment of Salmon in the North Pacific
- Back to Earth: A Backpacker's Journey into Self and Soul
- Bengal Cats (Complete Pet Owner's Manual)
- Birds of Africa South of the Sahara (Princeton Field Guides)
- BRS Physiology (Board Review Series)
- Buffalo Before Breakfast (Magic Tree House 18, paper)
- Cabin Fever: Dialogues with Nature
- California Coastal Access Guide
- California the Beautiful
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