Book Description
In his latest collection of death-defying exploits and far-flung travels, Outside Magazine editor Tim Cahill visits the side of an active volcano in Ecuador, the Saharan salt mines and the largest toxic waste dump in the Western Hemisphere. He also ventures to find a Caspian tiger in Turkey and giant centipedes in the Congo. Cahill is one of the last great intrepid journalists, and his thirty wildly entertaining essays display sparkling wit and unstinting curiosity. When not on the move, he debunks hoary notions of the kindness of dolphins and ruminates on religion, death and the perplexing phenomenon of yoga. Charming, incisive and absolutely fearless, Cahill is the perfect travel companion. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Everyman's Guide
Let's be perfectly honest with ourselves, here, folks. Deep down, we are all Tim Cahill - slightly pudgy, kind of geeky, and always a fish out of water when we travel. Not a single one of us can go anywhere in this world and immediately blend in, feel comfortable, look natural. It's impossible and while some of like to pretend that we are jet-setters, globe-trotters, and travel afficianados, the fact of the matter is that we're usually ignorant of the cultures we visit, the places we see, and the historical importance of the lands we visit. There's nothing wrong with that and Mr. Cahill proves that our ignorance can lead to enlightenment, adventure, and humor - albeit at our own expense.
Mr. Cahill has made a career of poking fun at himself in a way that's self-depreciating but allows his readers to develop and foster an unwavering respect for this man and his persepctive on the world - which I think is a common sense approach to people and places. But more importantly, you like the author. You feel you can call him Tim, meet him at a bar in Montana, throw back a few beers, and tell each other wild stories and blatant lies. He's that engaging, friendly, and comfortable in his style.
Being an avid reader of this type of travel lit., I've read many different authors who all try to emulate Tim in one way or another. But unlike his peers (Bill Bryson, for example) his humor is light-hearted and not caustic or sarcastic. And more importantly, when he does have an opinion about an issue his touch is light and simple - there are no vitriolic diatribes against a developer or policy.
Don't think for one second, though, that he can't turn around and whip off a piece that will leave you in a blubbering mess of tears. I read 'Enlightenment' in one sitting - sure, it was a long sitting, but one single one - at a local coffee shop. I got a plethora of stares and strange looks as I guffawed my way through it. The looks doubled when I finished the book in tears and sat there drying my eyes with a coffee-stained napkin.
No exaggerations here, this book will have you in hysterics one moment and tears the next. Buy this. Read this. Treasure this.

Out Looking for Trouble
This is not a quest for enlightenment, as the title says. Tim Cahill doesn't bore you with touristy descriptions of scenery and high culture that you get from the more button-down travel writers, but diaries of everything that goes wrong with world travel. In Cahill's case this can range from the comical to the disgusting to the downright dangerous. He's not a comedy writer, as some think, but uses humor effectively at key points in his writing to drive his accumulated insights home. Otherwise he is very perceptive and even serious when the situation demands it. This is a loose collection of essays from locations ranging from remote and dangerous third-world hellholes to American commercial adventure destinations. The writings are delivered with a lot of humble pie, which is Cahill's secret weapon. A funny example is when he compares himself to a platypus: "so strange, so different from the rest, so inherently dorky as to be unclassifiable by science." I can identify with that. Some winning essays here, among many, include a trip to a town in Ecuador on the verge of demolition by a volcano, and examinations of the true personalities of gorillas and dolphins. Another winning collection from Cahill, in which he proves that enlightenment is not the travel writer's friend. [~doomsdayer520~]

Travel Adventure With Moral Purpose
Engaging stories that allow readers to have adventures without leaving their easy chair, but that generally contain messages about the wonders of nature and our obligation not to destroy it. There are clear heros and villians in Cahill's world, and his comic quips and foibles notwithsatnding, he makes a good case for what he is so passionate about.

Unenlightening -
Well written, sometimes funny, but overall lacking! His earlier books are far more humorous. He seems to be straining to write this - maybe some more yoga Tim!

JL

A modern day explorer.
Many of the tales in this book were fascinating and funny but some were too short or unclear or just not interesting.Tim Cahill travels in a real way and grabs hold of the customs and food of the places he finds himself.Actually it is hard to imagine how he has survived this long, though he has had some scrapes along the way.It is fascinating that in Cahill's view, the bravest thing he has done is "appearing on one silly, unaired television show".

Tim Cahill is one of the modern day explorers who is documentingthe amazing diversity of cultures in this world and for that, this book is worth reading. ... Read more

Amazon.com
If you define "adventure travel" as anything that's more fun to read about than to live through, then Tim Cahill's Road Fever is the adventure of a lifetime. Along with professional long-distance driver Garry Sowerby, Cahill drove 15,000 miles from the southernmost tip of Tierra del Fuego to the northernmost terminus of the Dalton Highway in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, from one end of the world to another, in a record-breaking 23 1/2 days. Just like the authors' camper-shelled GMC Sierra truck, the narrative bounces along at a relentless pace. Along the way Cahill and Sowerby cope with mood swings, engine trouble, Andean cliffs, obstinate bureaucracies, slick highways, armed and uncomprehending soldiery (not to mention the challenges of securing O.P.M., or Other People's Money--the sine qua non of adventure, Cahill observes). Author of such off-the-wall travelogues as Pass the Butterworms and Jaguars Ripped My Flesh, Cahill is equipped with the correct amalgam of chutzpah and dementia to survive what can only be called "The Road Trip From Hell." Readers, however, will thoroughly enjoy themselves.Book Description
Tim Cahill reports on the road trip to end all road trips: a journey that took him from Tierra del Fuego to Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, in a record-breaking twenty three and a half days. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (26)

a great read for anyone who loves the art of travel
Of course, Cahill's art of travel is far different than most of ours, but any one who loves adventure will eat up this book. While the journey takes place in the late 80's, the day-to-day stories he tells are essentially timeless. There were parts of this book in which I was unable to contain my bursts of laughter, and other parts that were much more reflective. It's easy to get a human sense of what these two men experienced during such a short trip. Cahill interspersed hysterical personal perspective with a bit of historical perspective as well, making the book more meaningful than just a story about a road trip. It's a fast read, one I had a hard time putting down, one I am sad to have finished, only because I enjoyed it so!

A road trip through South and Central America
Cahill has a talent with words.Who else can write a book about a 23-day trip along the Pan-American highway, make it interesting, witty and educational without excessive prose?Although this trip was taken in 1987 it's still a good read.Some of the political issues boiling in the 1980s still simmer today in some of the countries.

The first half of the book is just about the planning aspect of the trip.There's plenty of behind-the-scenes information he writes about, like collecting donations and sponsors, ie the "dirty secrets of adventure travel."

The focus of this book is the time spent in South and Central America on the Pan-American Highway.Argentinia and Peru get about 30 pages, Colombia about 20, and other countries even less.Costa Rica is lavished with great praise, Nicaraguagets shafted.Some things don't change.He devotes a mere 30 pages for Mexico, US and Canada; the trip truly ends with a press conference in Dallas.

Cahill writes with enough compassion, historical perspective and canny business sense.My only complaint, should there be any, is why drive through some of the most beautiful stretches of South America in record time?!

This was one of Cahill's first books. I still think it's his best.That's why it's in reprint.

One of my favorite books
Granted, I bought the book, years ago, because the cover looked like it would be a fun book. How true! A terrific ride...with tension and giggles throughout! (And a trip I'm GLAD I was only living vicariously!) One of the few books I've reread...a couple of time, in fact.

Half Road Trip Half Boredom
Half of this book details the planning process of the road trip which is far from a rip roaring laugh out loud time. The road trip part of the book is somewhat interesting and there are a few good laugh out loud parts. It appears that Cahill was contracted to write a book and found out that he didn't have enough material from the road trip so he had to fill it with the thrilling money raising and visa application process. The ending is the classic "need to get this finished before deadline" and the last 3000? miles are glossed over in five pages. I like Cahill's writing style but this book is definitely lacking interesting material for him to use.

Has its moments
A generally enjoyable quick read book that has some laugh out loud moments.Cahill tells a fun story about his trip up two continents and gives some insights into the worlds of adventure driving and travel writing.Nevertheless, at times the story drags and gets a little redundant.I would have given it 3 1/12 stars if Amazon let me do it. ... Read more

Book Description
The author of A Wolverine Is Eating My Leg and Pecked to Death by Ducks gives new meaning to the words "going to extremes" in this exhilarating--and frequently hilarious--collection of adventure travel writing. "Cahill . . . (writes) with the precision ofJohn McPhee and Joan Didion tempered by a Monty Pythonesque sense of the absurd."--San Diego Union-Tribune. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

"Cahill has perfected the art of the short travel essay"
One of my favorites. Author of Pecked to Death By Ducks and A Wolverine is Eating My Leg, Cahill, a founder of Outside Magazine, has perfected the art of the short travel essay. There are man-eating sharks, dangerous cave diving, eating cheese in a yurt in Mongolia and all sorts of ridiculous first hand escapades all over the globe. He is brilliant and brilliantly funny. Perfect travel book to take along on a trip. If you want to learn how to write, read Cahill and pay close attention to his introductions and conclusions.

For the Vicarious Adventurer
Cahill's writing is somewhat of an acquired taste. This is a compilation of outdoor stories which do not always seem self contained - some missing context, some missing closure. And they are not necessarily adventures in the conventional sense, as stories may focus on nature, archaeology, sociology, etc. While the book cannot be construed as an outdoor reference, there is good information (ex. "wisdom" of cave diving). Some stories hit the vicarious adventurer's sweet spot. The author is at his best in this book when relating his experience caving in Kentucky, engaging the reader with educational content (ex. barometric effect on air flow), spectacular descriptions(ex. lightening igniting bat guano), and hair raising suspense (ex. getting lost in a maze of passages). Not all of the stories held an equal level of interest for me, but they are short enough to peruse and ponder as time permits.

Not just chills and thrills, but something to say as well
This is a well-written collection of essays by Cahill, subtitled "Adventure is a Risky Business," that succeeds best when Cahill is trying to make due with human nature rather than mother nature. Or, possibly, that's just where my interests lie. Even arm-chair tourists whose idea of "getting back to nature" is a stroll down the block can't help but envy Cahill as he is pushed in assignment after assignment in which he looks danger in the face and blows it a raspberry, and then falling on his face. Woah, that extended one metaphor to the breaking point, which Cahill tends to do at times as well. But don't think all is just chills and thrills here. There's some social commentary (some biting, some toothless), vivid description, outlandish occurrences, and breathtaking wonder. It may seem at times that you're reading a transcript for "NOVA," but is that so bad? Cahill's written two other volumes like this--A Wolverine is Eating My Leg and Pecked to Death by Ducks--which I plan to find and read, and that's probably recommendation enough for this volume.

Not as good as some of his others...
I felt that there were too many essays on Cahill's travels to a particular part of South America in this collection and these essays seemed to all blend together; they just weren't as funny or entertaining as previous collections of his work.For the first time, I found myself bored reading a Cahill collection.PECKED TO DEATH BY DUCKS or ROAD FEVER are far superior works because they contain essays that are much funnier and less redundant.

Tim Cahill is lots of fun
The best thing about Tim Cahill books, this one included, is that they are made up of perfect end-of-the-day-sized chunks that whisk you off to far points in the company of a humble but articulate and informed travelling companion. For everyone who may never spelunk, rappell, canoe down the Amazon, or face bison in mid-winter, but wishes they could!
If you liked this, you'd probably like "Pecked to Death by Ducks" even more. ... Read more

Book Description
“Let’s get lost together . . . ”

Lost in My Own Backyard brings acclaimed author Tim Cahill together with one of his—and America’s—favorite destinations: Yellowstone, the world’s first national park. Cahill has been “puttering around in the park” for a quarter of a century, slowly covering its vast scope and exploring its remote backwoods. So does this mean that he knows what he’s doing? Hardly. “I live fifty miles from the park,” says Cahill, “but proximity does not guarantee competence. I’ve spent entire afternoons not knowing exactly where I was, which is to say, I was lost in my own backyard.”

Cahill stumbles from glacier to geyser, encounters wildlife (some of it, like bisons, weighing in the neighborhood of a ton), muses on the microbiology of thermal pools, gets spooked in the mysterious Hoodoos, sees moonbows arcing across waterfalls at midnight, and generally has a fine old time walking several hundred miles while contemplating the concept and value of wilderness. Mostly, Cahill says, “I have resisted the urge to commit philosophy. This is difficult to do when you’re alone, twenty miles from the nearest road, and you’ve just found a grizzly bear track the size of a pizza.”

Divided into three parts—“The Trails,” which offers a variety of favorite day hikes; “In the Backcountry,” which explores three great backcountry trails very much off the beaten track; and “A Selected Yellowstone Bookshelf,” an annotated bibliography of his favorite books on the park—this is a hilarious, informative, and perfect guide for Yellowstone veterans and first-timers alike. Lost in My Own Backyard is adventure writing at its very best.


From the Hardcover edition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

A great entry point for those seeking to get the most out of a Yellowstone visit...
I have been to Yellowstone. I have used numerous hiking guides. I have even, in my fascination, read some books on the history and geology of the park.

Having used the Lonely Planet Yellowstone as a primary guide for an overview, I was pleased to find that the man--Tim Cahill--who had written the delightful introduction to that book has written a small book of his own on some of his adventures in the park. More than just stories, this book is a resource on multiple levels.

This coming year, I hope to be taking a BUNCH of people with me on a road trip to our nation's great "backyard." When I think about trying to get people fired up for such an adventure, the stories and enthusiasm of this book help me to get a little more enthusiasm. It further helps me to know where to begin to describe the awesome VASTNESS of wonder to be found in Yellowstome.

More than that, this book, with its list of further Yellowstone resources in the back, is a gold mine for those looking for Yellowstone resources. When Christmas rolls around, I will be sorely tempted to give this book as a gift to many who are thinking of going on the trip next year.

Until then, you should check this book out. And more than that, you should REALLY check Yellowstone out. Theres is no place like it on earth!

A pleasant diversion but not a compelling one
This book is a series of essays prompted by walking trails in Yellowstone.Thus, the subtitle is a misnomer - - this book discusses a bunch of walks, not just one.The title is a misnomer, too, as he's never "lost" in a real sense.But this book does involve some "getting lost" in a metaphorical sense.Cahill also wanders off topic a lot, usually in a pleasant way, which is a more literary way to "get lost."

Cahill writes each essay after hiking a trail.Each is idiosyncratic - - sometimes he talks about people he meets, sometimes wildlife or other sights, and sometimes general issues about Yellowstone.For example, a day hike on Mount Washburn sparks a geology lesson about the park.It also leads to musings about how Cahill's younger self was much too cool to go to any of the obvious tourist attractions in the park, including the trail up Mount Washburn.

He wanders "off topic" in such fashion a lot.For example, his essay on the Norris Geyser Basin was originally prompted by a hike to the basin but ends up discussing the joys of driving the Grand Loop Road.(Talking about driving a road is a bit out of place in a series of books about walking, but there it is.)Other essays concern the history of the park, the geology of geysers, the role of fire in the ecosystem, wheelchair-accessible backcountry campsites, and brief discussions of wildlife from squirrels to wolves.

He also writes about three extended trips in the backcountry.These are closer to trip reports, and describe more of what he and his companions do on these hikes.You don't learn that much about the trails, but you already knew that you should buy a hiking guidebook for that.He does give some Pretty Big Clues about an unnamed waterfall that you could "discover" if you want to.Oh, it's about 30 miles from the trailhead, which might be an obstacle.

The essays are pleasant diversions but none of them really have a big idea or compelling point.The book is also quite short, and could be devoured in an hour or two on the beach - - or, more appropriately, after dinner while visiting Yellowstone.Cahill's a talented writer, so I enjoyed the read but was still hungry after the meal.

Not just another walk in the park
Moments after opening the cover, readers are pulled from mundane lives across the globe and transported to one of this world's most fantastic hotspots: Yellowstone National Park.Who better than Tim Cahill to serve as guide and hiking partner?

From a bizarre winking spire in the Hoodoos to falling asleep at a grizzly picnic, Tim never fails to weave a wonderful tale.Included in a selected bookshelf appendix, a list ofYellowstone books of every stripe and shade will enlighten the curious and transform the uninitiated. While you may be disappointed that this book is so quickly over, you won't be let down by its quality.

In defense of Mr. Cahill less than lengthy book, this Crown Journeys offering is just one of an entire series of walking books, all of them brief.I doubt Tim had the option to plow beyond a contracted word count.That's fine with me.If he had given us the natural history of every flower on Mount Washburn, or any other feature in the park, this diminutive read could have easily mutated from a collection of cool essays into a two score set of encyclopedia.

Take it from a guy who has worked in park.This book is a great, albeit brief, introduction to Yellowstone.

A wonderful meditation on Yellowstone
Cahill's "Lost in My Own Backyard" is a different kind of book: rather than commenting on the sights and smells, the first short essay, entitled "Mount Washburn," describes current theories of the historical development of Yellowstone in terms of a catastrophic volcanic eruption, and observes "we're all just potential puffs of steam anyway, and the earth is might beyond our imagining."The book as a whole most closely resembles a cross between a travel narrative and a guidebook.Though it contains elements of the common guidebook (such as describing specific trails and hikes), the perspective is most often completely different from a standard trail guide.In fact, Cahill includes an appendix of excellent books on Yellowstone (include trail guides) that he considers essential for enjoying the park.I agree; they would be an indispensible addition to Cahill's book for anyone looking to explore the backcountry of the park.
The first half of the book - nine short essays - discuss short to moderate hikes in Yellowstone National Park with a twist: rather than the usual discussion of trail markers, precise distances, and the names of various peaks and viewpoints, Cahill focuses on the geological, thermal and ecological wonder of Yellowstone.His writing is a wonderful blend of humor, meditation on the natural beauties of the park, and half tongue-in-cheek yet deadly serious warnings about the dangers of the park and its wildlife.
The final three essays of the book are longer and discuss backcountry journeys Cahill and some of his neighbors have taken through Yellowstone.These more closely resemble common travel narratives, though they still maintain their guidebook-like feeling at some points.
This book is clearly a winner.Though Cahill frequently protests (in the words of Ferdinand Hayden) that "No language can do justice to the wonderful grandeur and beauty" of Yellowstone, his writing manages to capture something of the spirit of the natural wonders of the park, as well as the adventure of backcountry exploration.His writing is crisp, clear, and not particularly long-winded, which makes it a joyful relaxing read.Be warned: Lost in My Own Backyard may inspire you to go and get lost in America's backyard as well.

Whimsical Yellowstone
Lost in My Own Backyard enhanced my brief stay in Yellowstone. It informed without being heavy-handed and gave me an idea of some of the areas within the park that I know I'll never get to. The realities are expressed with humor, ("Whenever a creature makes an appearance near the road...there will be a traffic jam of hopeless proportions"). Cahill points out some of the sites that are off the beaten track, such as the petrified tree, that can be fun to see.His description of the Artist's Paintpots, however, failed to inspire in real life.
Lost in My Own Backyard doesn't pretend to be a guidebook.It's rather like sitting down with a whimsical uncle and looking at his photo album of Yellowstone National Park. ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (18)

Not So Great, But...
The content was too fragmented and uneven; it should have "flowed" a bit better. I felt as a reader (and writer), I was being jerked from one story to another. Some did make me laugh, however.

Made me laugh...
My husband and I have done some traveling and, with our upcoming move to Europe, plan on doing a lot more so this book caught my eye. I've never read any travel humor books but I really liked this one. Most of the stories were at least funny, if not hilarious, and a few of them I finished and never looked back. Several people have mentioned that some of these stories are found in other books so I'm sure I'll come across them again since this book has me hooked on travel humor.

Either travel fans or those who enjoy humor will love this 'best of' travel writing collection
Many of the best travel stories have their origins in mishaps, and here to offer up a satisfying dish of events is Not So Funny When It Happened, a survey of the best tales from travelers around the world. These come from Dave Barry, Bill Bryson, Anne Lamott and others: familiar authors whose funny encounters are not to be missed. Either travel fans or those who enjoy humor will love this 'best of' travel writing collection which takes an unusual approach to the normally-serious topic of travel experiences. Highly recommended.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

Yes, it's funny and has a good selection of authors, but...
How much travel humor have you read?How many works have you read by the authors included in this book?If you answered "a lot" to either of these questions, chances are that more than a couple of these stories will look familiar to you, as they are exerpts from previous publications rather than essays written specifically for this book.For example, the bit by David Sedaris is taken from "Me Talk Pretty One Day," and the Bill Bryson selection is taken from one of his books on America (either "I'm a Stranger Here Myself" or "The Lost Continent," unfortunately my memory fails me.)This is a great place to start for people who haven't read much travel humor.Since it does contain some fresh material, I would also recommend it to well-read fans of travel humor, but would also suggest buying it used rather than paying full price.

Now, on to the actual quality of the content- this book shows once again that good travel writing doesn't always have to come from some crazy adventure, and that simply having a good narrative style can make any situation interesting.Examples of standard situations turned into good stories include: a middle aged woman pondering the local young, pretty girls' reactions to her appearance in her bathing suit (a.k.a. "butthink"), overcoming cultural differences in Vietnam by claiming that a perfectly healthy ex-wife is dead.Of course, there are also stories of the bizarre- like taking a frog on a cross country train and ending up in the new-age alien spotting capital of the USA, where the frog is "saved by aliens" after jumping from a cliff...

Not So Funny When I Read It
... still, I did finish it, which is saying something.I found the first few stories unimpressive, but they seemed to get better as the book progressed.I thought that "The King of the Ferret-Leggers" by Donald Katz was utterly hilarious and quite worth reading the whole book for. ... Read more

Book Description
Cahill is great! He is the P.J. O'Rourke of the outdoors! Fearless and hell-bent on overcoming all obstacles in his path, Cahill takes us to the oddest and scariest adventures nature has to offer. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Give and Take
Tim Cahill's adventure travelogue, "A Wolverine is Eating my Leg", is a book of give and take as applies to the numerous subject matters he experienced and collects into this work.
For me, overall, I enjoyed they book but I will probably not read the book in its entirety again. I will read sections of it just not all of it. Keep in mind, these are works that were written for various magazines over a period of 15 years. There is no smooth flow from one adventure to the next but rather sudden large leaps. It is almost better to rate this book by its sections rather than the book on the whole. Some parts were just more interesting than the others. Here's my run down:
1. Treasure seeking in South America... lackluster - 2 stars
2. Gorilla Country... interest is rising - 3 stars
3. Tony & Susan Alamo Cult infiltration - even better, showing some interesting events that Cahill actually looked into, showing this "cult religion" to be much more voluntary and more of being duped than brainwashing - 4 stars
4. Jonestown, Guyana - this is the peak of the book, very interesting and after seeing the pictures of the mass 'suicide' it has an even bigger impact. This is the best piece in this book - 5 stars
5. The 'Terror of the Heart' section - Cahill covers things from public nudity, eclipse addicition, getting stuck on Marquesas islands, scuba diving around sharks, snakes, and sea lions. Nothing great here, meandering thoughts, kind of uninspiring - 1 star
6. 'Monsters' - Cahill talks about bigfoot and ice fishing for giant pike. I liked the bigfoot section but the ice pike fishing did nothing and is slow moving - 3 stars
7. 'Raggedy Edge' - Cahill covers surviving a walk in Death Valley, cave exploring, cliff skiing, and white water rafting in India. This was mildly interesting but was nothing spectacular - 3 stars.

Cahill relates the stories in varying degrees of interest and enthusiasm, possibly changing of his writing styles over the 15 years and the various magazines formats may influence this also. Overall, mediocre, there's better travelogues. Maybe if Cahill did all this in 1-2 years continuously it would have had a better reception from me. The Jonestown coverage is well worth the read though.

wolverine is eating my leg
Terrible writting,This was the first time i bought a book written by mr Cahill.I recommend renting his book if you want to sample his writting but he is very hard to follow with stories that never seem to go anywhere.The book is compose of many short stories and I would have to say that less then 40% of the stories are worth reading.

A great collection of near travel disasters
This is an excellent collection of thoughts and comments on the sheer edge of adventure. Cahill knows exactly how to describe the amazing stupidity of some of these adventure sports in a way that still leaves you interested in participating. Like his previous collection, Jaquars Ripped My Flesh, this book covers the gamut in place and sport, from extreme skiing in Montana to whitewater rafting in India. And while Cahill is a master at adventure writing, when he turns his pen to describing the cultures of some of the more exotic places that he has visited and the difference between their culture and our's, he's both hilarious and profound. This book is a selection of the Vintage Departures series, a group of books that I have found to be uniformly excellent.

Early Cahill Charm
"A Wolverine---" is the second book of articles mostly taken from "Rolling Stone" and "Outside" magazine.The articles were written as far back as 1971 when Tim was a young man indeed.And it shows.Youthful high spirits prevail, and there is much cheery bravado interspersed with excellent journalistic essays that display a remarkable maturity.

Ever wonder why people chase all over the earth to view a solar eclipse?Find out on a rollicking trip to find the absolute best place to get an unclouded view.Discover what all the shouting is about.

I am used to Tim somehow bringing me back alive, laughing all the way from the wildest, strangest parts of the world.I have always credited him with fine introspection and lyrical prose that sneaked into whatever he wrote. The guy is just incapable of bad writing.

The essays include a fine thought piece on the late Dian Fossey, the "Gorillas in the Mist" author who was murdered apparently by poachers. The essay on "reprogramming" of children who were enmeshed in cults is harrowing.Cahill has no use for the cults, but the rationale and methods of reprogramming are chilling.He infiltrated a California cult and lived there while developing his story.The living conditions (except for the leader who lived in a mansion on the hill) were unbelievably bad, yet the morale was high among the young converts.Tim presents a balanced, sometimes humorous, article that shows empathy for all except the leader.

The premier essay, which should be required reading, was his on-the-spot reporting of the Jamestown Massacre that took place in Guyana twenty years ago.The immediacy and power of his word pictures, the horror of 900 dead supposedly suicides, the incredible remoteness of the site crush with a pervasive sadness and dismay.

unique stories, different from his other books
While Cahill is always very entertaining, his later books have focused more on the caving, scuba, climbing and flying aspects of adventure travel.In _Wolverine_ the stories include a broader variety of journalistic endeavour, taking him from Jonestown to a bizarre religious cult toencounters with mountain gorillas.This was the book that hooked me onTim's writing.

What makes it so good is, for one thing, that he's neverso detached as to reek of smug pseudo-sophistication, but never so involvedas to let his emotions and opinions interfere with the story.The balancebetween the two extremes is perfect.For another, Tim simply does and seesthings hardly anyone else ever sees and does, let alone writes about.Foryet another, he is often very funny in a dry, Montana sort of way.If youare new to Tim Cahill, you're in for quite a few hours of great reading. ... Read more

Amazon.com
Travel writing has been popular since Herodotus first jotted down his observations while journeying abroad. Now Tim Cahill adds Pass the Butterworms to the genre, and a welcome addition it is. As in his earlier books Jaguars Ripped My Flesh, A Wolverine Is Eating My Leg, and Pecked to Death by Ducks, Mr. Cahill chronicles his trips to the far-flung corners of the world.Part of this author's charm is his resolute Everyman persona--he is neither remarkably brave nor extraordinarily competent.This is a man, after all, who capsizes his sea kayak in still waters and describes his rock-climbing experience as "hanging from a rope affixed to a diaper, which I am wearing in the place where diapers are most often worn. . . ."

Not all of Tim Cahill's essays in Pass the Butterworms are comic, however. Perhaps the most memorable in the collection is "A Darkness on the River," Cahill's account of the senseless murder of a friend's son in Peru and its aftermath. And even his funniest tales have a bittersweet quality to them--the inevitable by-product of an outsider looking in.Book Description
Cahill, the author of Buried Dreams, Road Fever, and Jaguars Ripped My Flesh takes readers on journeys to areas as remote as the rivers of Honduras and the immense grassland of Mongolia to the stunning geysers of Yellowstone and the deepest jungles of Peru. Here Cahill dares readers to follow him into his world of danger and high-spirited zaniness. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Someone described him as bittersweet and humorous, I think thats about right
Tim Cahill is one of those lovely everyman travellers, he is an observer, a victim, a traveller, and a very good writer of it all. This, a collection of his essays for various magazines but mostly Outside, is a nice mixture of some of his journeys.

This is quite a nice way to read travel sometimes and I think it works well for Cahill - you can just read one or two bits, or miss the stuff you don't want to read. Great for travelling with a book like this, bus rides, train rides etc can be easily chapterised.

Not all of what he writes is funny, or meant to be. The thing I like most about his writing is that he is prepared to be the butt of his own humour when it is appropriate. I also like him as an observer of what is around him - for instance in Family Values in the Raw he talks about his visit to the Dani People and about the missionarys there - they grow "70 different types of potatoes, each tastier than the last" and to the Missionary opining they were going to satan, he observes that in fact they seem to have good family values, they certainly don't stand around on street corners drinking and yelling "hubba, hubba" at passing women.

This is a really mixed bag of stories and situations - from people to places to groups - even to the North Pole - "the easy way"

Anything by Tim Cahill is a definite must read in my book - and this a great place to start if you haven't read him before.

See Him, Wouldn't Wanna Be Him
Here's another winning collection from Cahill, who takes all the risks of travel to remote and dangerous places and reports his travails in a humble and good-natured style. In this book we witness Cahill coming down with recurring malaria, going numb while posing for rock-climbing photos, and taking a great many falls and spills, usually resulting in embarrassing injuries. Much of Cahill's trademark sarcastic humor is missing from this particular collection, which seems to (intentionally or unintentionally) focus on more descriptive and serious examples of Cahill's writing. Some of the essays here are unexpectedly deep and even disturbing, such as the self-explanatory "Search and Rescue" and the real winner of the book, "A Darkness on the River," in which Cahill analyzes the murder of his friend's son. This book also has several interrelated pieces on the challenges faced by indigenous peoples in Irian Jaya, and the not-so-certain benefits of ecotourism in Honduras. The collection is held back from greatness by some sketchy and fragmented short pieces that don't offer any true insights, such as "Buford's Revenge" or "Help My Pilot..." but these may be useful for Cahill's more star-crossed fans. In any case, Cahill almost always brings us along for an enjoyable ride as he gets himself into all sorts of hardship for our amusement. ...

"Pass the Butterworms" to Your Favorite Friends
No butterworms, but plenty of reasons why not to live in Honduras, the joys of watching the international spear fishing competition (similar to watching the grass grow) and how to work the crowd of hostile natives (laugh a lot).

Tim Cahill is an unabashed delight.If I had to go all or any of these places, he's my pick of a companion.Funny, quirky, compassionate and I suspect a lot more competent than he lets on.An added bonus is his lyrical writing; his descriptions are magic.His analysis of bringing stone age people into the age of technology is thoughtful, insightful and all empathy.

In the essay, "On the River of Cold Fire" I have never read a better description of a totally cold, wet miserable journey.All the times, we have said "If I ever get out of here---" are summed up in this article.

I've decided I will forgive him for accusing Emily Dickinson of over-editing and even his titles.It is so difficult to tell your loved ones you want "A Jaguar Ripped My Flesh" or "A Wolverine is Eating My Leg" for your birthday.But be firm.Insist these are what you really want.

another Cahill success
How could anyone not like a chapter referring to Yogurt Riders? Tim Cahill's style is frank, entertaining and informal.

As with most of his other books, Tim has gone out and done a lot of interesting traveling. He's always willing to write about embarrassing himself if need be, and Idoubt he embellishes much if at all._Butterworms_ is a collection ofstories of these sorts of travels, and is well worth your time andmoney.

A special note:Cahill books make superb gifts in myexperience--anyone interested in new things and places tends to like them.

Don't pass the butterworms, please!
I was quite disappointed with this book, after Pecked to Death by Ducks and A Jaguar is Ripping my Flesh which were truly rip-rollicking great fun. ... Read more

Book Description
Tim Cahill writes in his introduction to The Best American Travel Writing 2006, "'Story' is the essence of the travel essay. Stories are the way we organize the chaos in our lives, orchestrate voluminous factual material, and -- if we are very good -- shed some light on the human condition." Here are twenty-six pieces that showcase the best travel writing from 2005, filled with "keen observations that transform ordinary journeys into extraordinary ones" (Library Journal).

Mark Jenkins journeys into a forgotten valley in Afghanistan, Kevin Fedarko takes a wild ride through the rapids of the Grand Canyon, and Christopher Solomon reports on the newest fad to hit South Korea: downhill skiing. For David Sedaris, a seemingly routine domestic flight is cause for a witty rumination on modern airline travel. Alain de Botton describes the discreet charms of Zurich, and Ian Frazier recalls leaving the small Midwestern town he called home. Michael Paterniti gives a touching portrait of the world's tallest man -- eight and a half feet and growing, while P.J. O'Rourke visits an airplane manufacturer to see firsthand how the French make the world's biggest passenger plane. George Saunders is dazzled by a trip to the "Vegas of the Middle East," Rolf Potts takes on tantric yoga for dilettantes, and Sean Flynn documents a seedier side of travel -- the newest hotspot in the international sex trade.

Culled from a wide variety of publications, these stories, as Cahill writes, all "touched me in one way or another, changed an attitude, made me laugh aloud, or provided fuel for my dreams. I wish the reader similar joys." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Literary Travels
I wasn't able to travel this summer, so I was more or less stuck in my small town in the middle of Oklahoma.Luckily, a handful of well-chosen books escorted me to exotic--and some very familiar--ports of call, this book, 2006's Best American Travel Writing being one of the most memorable.This is a wonderfully diverse collection of writings, featuring what many of us think of as "exotic" travel narratives, as well as my favorite kind of travel writing, essays that question the nature of travel and what we learn in the process of leaving the familiar behind.

One of the gems of this collection is Alain de Botton's piece, "The Discreet Charm of the Zurich Bourgeoise."I, too, am fascinated by the comfortable, efficient towns and cities in the world, ones that are rarely tourist destinations, but are fascinating in their own, discreet way.This piece is very similar to his book, The Art of Travel, as he juxtaposes Pieter de Hooch's paintings and their seemingly unremarkable domestic world with his love for the sedate charms of Zurich.It won't appeal to the National Geographic type of tourist, but this is what makes travel writing such a vital genre to me--and why I buy books like this.

Other high points include Sean Flynn's portrayal of American sex tourists in Puerto Rico, Ian Frazier's beautiful memoir of small town Ohio, Michael Paterniti's remarkable piece about befriending a Ukranian giant, Kira Salak's tour of modern-day Libya, George Saunder's enthusiastic (and humorous) account of Dubai, and by far the most laugh-out loud selection of all, Christopher Solomon's "Let's Ski Korea," which is everything you expect and more.

I always delight in these Best American... volumes, and the Travel Writing remains my favorite to read and re-read.Tim Cahill did an amazing job in selecting these works, and I look forward to "traveling" in them whenever the simple pleasures of Ada, Oklahoma become rather less poetic.

my travel writting text book--and a good read too!
It is a little bit hard to review this book because I have read most of the series and like them all. This is no exception and I thought that there are a few things that I can add.
As always a good/great selection of material and most/all are great reads. As has been stated elsewhere if you do not like one, you can skip it. However, I never skip a story. I sort of think that I might not finish one, but then I do and am glad that I did.
Not only do I like the stories, but I think of the book as a study guide for an aspiring travel writer. Thus far I have limited my travel writing by sneaking it into other nonfiction wrting that I do (I recommend this technique). I may never seriously go down the travel writting road, but the idea helps me notice things that I might not otherwise.
Here is a specific tip. Be sure to read the forematter of the book--the foreword and introduction. They are good reading too.
One small point. Compared to the others in the series that I have read, this edition would have to qualify for an R rating because of the story about prostitution in Costa Rica. I liked the story--and you can, of course, skip it if you do not like it--but I fell obligated to mention it. There was one other place (that I forget right now) that made me think the same thing.
As soon as I finished this book, I went out and bought one from the sports series!

Great selection of excellent travel articles
I bought this book to supplement a travel writing course.I read many of the travel articles and found them interesting and well-written.It was especially helpful to read these articles without the pictures that must have accompanied many of them -- the writing for the most part was superb.

Travel stories
Travel wrting is a special skill and the editor has chosen what I consider the best of last year's articles. I found the writing style and content of these articles show the special talents of these writers.

A great collection from Tim Cahill
No matter how your personal tastes run, it would be hard to find fault with this impressive collection of great writers at the top of their game. You've got Pico Iyer on a Japanese convenience store, P.J. O'Rourke on the largest commercial airplane in the world, Alain de Botton on why interesting people shouldn't need Zurich to be interesting for them, and David Sedaris hilariously covering his beef with a seatmate on a flight--coughdrop accidentally spit onto her lap and all.

This is an unsually varied collection that still manages to hit a home run far more often than most anthologies manage. George Saunders' GQ story on the have-nots and the super-haves of Dubai is like taking a walk on another planet. Caitlin Flanigan's New Yorker story about a huge hotel complex in Hawaii is a keen-eyed, honest, and downright funny critique of the expensive mega-resort concept--"The Price of Paradise." Christopher Solomon runs down the Korean ski experience in a piece from Ski magazine. Sean Flynn looks into the seedy underbelly of Costa Rica's sex tourism trade. Tad Friend rides around Oman with Tony and Maureen Wheeler, founders of the Lonely Planet empire. Michael Paterni spends time with a different kind of giant: an 8-foot Ukranian man living in a little village with no plumbing. And on it goes, one quirky surprise after another, usually highly entertaining or full of new insights we haven't read a dozen times already somewhere else.

Those who love Cahill's work will be happy to find some "writer tests the limits" adventure travel too, whether it's by camel through Libya, by sailing ship around the world, or being the first Western Whities to cross through an old Silk Road pass in Afghanistan.

This is a collection of essays that captures the joy, the wonder, and the irony of travel in the world we live in now. ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (1)

Skim this one
This book was disappointing.The only redeeming value was that it led me to other books about adventurers whom I would have not otherwise known.This book misses the richness of travel and adventure. You don't need to buy this book.Simply skim it in a book store and see where it leads you. ... Read more

Book Description

Few of us will ever have the chance to swim with wild Atlantic spotted dolphins or their cousins the duskies in their ocean habitats, but here's the next best thing: an up-close-and-personal encounter with these smart, playful marine mammals and the people who study them. With more than a hundred extraordinary photographs captured during the making of the documentary film Dolphins, this magnificently illustrated book immerses the reader in the mysterious company of animals whose intelligence may rival that of humans.

Best-selling author Tim Cahill uses his trademark humor to highlight the lives and careers of three scientists on the leading edge of dolphin research: Kathleen Dudzinski, a young expert in dolphin communication, Alejandro Acevedo-Gutiérrez, whose special field is dolphin foraging behavior, and their mentor, Bernd Wursig, whose pioneering work with dusky dolphins has earned him international renown. As they lead us on a fascinating underwater adventure, they share vivid stories from the field and explore the inevitable risks and unforgettable rewards of studying marine mammals in the wild -- an amazingly diverse submarine world where tiny plankton and delicate jellyfish coexist with our planet's largest and most powerful creatures, the great whales.

Filled with the dramatic, colorful images that millions have come to expect from National Geographic and IMAX theater films, this immensely readable book blends undersea adventure, marine science, and a detailed portrait of some of Earth's most remarkable and enchanting creatures. Dive into the irresistible realm of Dolphins. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Tim Cahill's newest book, Dolphins -- a must!
This high quality hardbound book is a tome of sorts to state-of-the art wild dolphin scientific research and the personalities of some of their researchers. Spellbinding, graphic text replete with dozens of large formatfull color portraits -- captured primarily for its sister IMAX film --Dolphins contains a pirate's treasure of newly-found knowledge to permeatethe casual reader's grey matter. Intended primarily for lay audiences; but,with enough quantitative analysis to keep the most discerning scientistinterested, Dolphins saturates the reader with a feeling that he's watchingand researching the dolphins alongside the real scientists. Conservative inthe Aldo Leopold sense of the word, Cahill provides the facts and lets thereader reach his/her own conclusions regarding the impacts of man on somedwindling dolphin populations.

A Keeper!
I found, after seeing MacGillivray Freeman's IMAX film Dolphins, that I wanted to know more. The book follows the basis of the film, but goes intomuch more detail. This book is a superb account of what it is like to studyand be around dolphins in the WILD.Cahill's style of writing makes youfeel as if you are with him each night as he recounts a day of activity andresearch.He doesn't "write down" to the reader, i.e., you feelas if you're right there with him, learning along the way.He conveys atrue sense of real-life scientific adventure that is fun and intriguing. The incredible pictures alone, many from the IMAX film, are worth buyingthe book for.I'm a conservative and will not tolerate"tree-hugger" political agendas.This book, like the film, isfar from being one that attempts to drill dolphin conservation into yourhead.Instead, it offers a refreshing angle that provides the reader theknowledge to draw his/her own conclusions about these fascinating animals. Even the lovely scientist, Dr. Kathleen Dudzinski, who Cahill makes themain subject of the book, lets the dolphins "sell themselves" vs.her preaching conservation.It is quite enlightening and is certainly oneto keep on the coffee table.

Beautiful book about beautiful animals
If you're a dolphin freak or a Tim Cahill freak (both of which I am),you're going to like this book.The photographs are just incredible, and as always, Cahill's breezy, sardonic style makes for enjoyable reading.

The book does a good job of not romanticizing the dolphins (If Isee one more New Age painting of noble dolphins swimming among a sea ofstars, I'll get nauseous) but still conveys an appreciation of theseimpressive creatures.

Cahill also does a good job of profiling a team ofcetologists studying the dolphins.

This isn't hard biology, but there aresome interesting sections authored by dolphin investigators, and referencesfor more technical readings in the notes.

lavishly illustrated
As a coffe table reference, its main virtues lies in absolutely spectacular pictures. Nothing so impressive appeared before on paper. Moreover, text is comprehensive and well balanced without aspiring toscholarly detail. In the style of the 'National Geographic' magazine,interviews and reports from the latest in the field are the core ofnarration. As we discover new things on their sensorial life andcomunication, dolphins become a more fascinating subject. No lover of seamammals can miss this book. ... Read more

Book Description
In his latest tour of the earth's remote, exotic, and dismal places, the author of Road Fever and A Wolverine Is Eating My Leg sleeps with a grizzly bear, witnesses demonic possession in Bali, and survives a run-in with something called the Throne of Doom in Guatemala. Vivid and outrageously funny. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

Only the Title is Clever
Tim Cahill is a jerk.This guy has seen and done some incredible things, things that people could only dream of doing.You'd think he'd value the life he's been lucky to lead, but it seems like he doesn't understand just how lucky he is.Of course, I am jealous that people give him these opportunities to do and see incredible things, but the main point is that he's a jerk.Maybe he's been doing incredible things for so long that he doesn't appreciate what he does, and if that's the case he shouldn't do it anymore.I get this impression of him from the sundry of lame anecdotes he shares with us in this book.You can tell he's just standing over the editor ensuring that they make him look "boxing clever," but basically, he's a pretty lame guy.He's trying WAY too hard.I would appreciate the stories more if he appreciated what he did for a living.This book makes him look flippant, smug, and conceited.Remember, the things he did are incredible, not the man himself.

brain candy
Each story is interesting and some of them are quite funny...buy it used...wouldn't pay full price for it!

Pecked to death by ducks
I was quite disappointed in this book.Cahill has written outstanding material but this collection seems to be a gathering of miscellaneous leftovers.I was led to this book after reading A Walk in the Woods by Bryson - and it was a false lead. The quality is not there.

Fascinating Journeys
I was recommended to read Tim Cahill's books as a huge fan of Bill Bryson.While both writers discuss their adventures in traveling, their styles are very different.Bryson's books tend to be coherent pieces about one specific trip or expedition (Australia, the Appalachian trail), while Pecked to Death is a collection of short works written by Cahill, sometimes for other magazines.I find Bryson funnier; however Cahill's writing seems to be more evocative of the natural wonders he is writing about.

This distinction mentioned; Pecked to Death by Ducks is a very worthwhile read.Cahill has traveled to some of the most amazing places in the world, with some of the most interesting companions, and these adventures are marvelously rendered in this book.In addition, since each chapter stands alone, it's quite easy to stop and start again.Definately recommended for anyone with an interest in adventure or eco-travel!

Great stocking stuffer for real or armchair outdoorsmen
You don't have to be a travel and outdoors enthusiast to enjoy this book; consisting of Truth McNuggets ranging in length from a few pages to a few tens of pages, it's as appropriate in the bathroom or next to the bedlamp as in a hard-used backpack or on the shotgun side of the car.You'll laugh, you'll cry, and now and then you'll probably wonder why on earth anybody would want to do such a thing -- but you'll be glad that he did and wrote about it. ... Read more

Book Description

Wild, spectacular Yellowstone thrills visitors with gushing geysers and free-roaming wildlife. Grand Teton entices with jagged peaks and glacial lakes. Packed with information for everyone from families with small children to hardcore outdoor adventurers, this guide takes you there.

• Thermal Wonders: From world-famous Old Faithful to gem-colored hot springs, Yellowstone's wild thermal features.
• Wildlife: Bison, elk, bears, moose, wolves, bald eagles - this guide tells you where to spot them.
• Outdoor Fun: The best spots for hiking, camping, rock-climbing, skiing, fishing, boating, and more.
• Insider Tips: Hundreds of places to stay, eat, and play, as well as how to find a wealth of hidden treasures.
• Beyond the Parks: From the Wild West bluster of Cody to the exhilarating ski slopes of Jackson Hole.

Customer Reviews (9)

Most helpful guidebook
Before my Yellowstone trip, I had purchased many books and maps and visited websites-you know the drill.This book helped with many insider tips-when talking with other visitors, they had consistently asked me how I knew these things, and I told them-the Lonely Planet guide.Even two park rangers wanted to know how I knew these lesser known tips-and they were impressed with the information.My favorites:how to get the best view of the Grand Prismatic pool (I'm not going to give that one away) and how to avoid bears on trails-which I'll let out of the bag-sing show tunes!Yes that sounds ridiculous-but when I saw a bear about 150 ft ahead of me on a trail and started singing Ethel Merman, well, bears are smart enough not to stick around for the encore!

Not The Lonely Planet I've Come to Expect!
Maybe it's because the author admits that he ventured off to complete this project only a couple days after getting married, leaving his bride behind.Perhaps a publishing deadline loomed large.I'm not sure what Lonely Planet's excuse is, but this book is the most thrown together, unhelpful guide I've ever seen in their repertoire! I've appreciated their "secret" tips and organized guides for many of my world adventures, and this one is just way below par. Abyssmal on any scale.

I did tons better researching on the internet on my own, which might be the best approach to these parks anyway, so that you're sure to get up to date information.This guide doesn't even mention the great guest ranch outside the park at which I snagged six nights a few months before my visit, how to make sure that you get tickets for special ranger-led, half-day back-country adventure hikes with 15 person limits, or that there are boat and kayak rentals/tours in Yellowstone from concessionaires.

The book literally gives you a headache, trying to figure out how to make sense of the vast amount of listings presented. A menage of maps and thrown-together tidbits are pretty meaningless without the necessary organization to figure out an orderly travel plan.It would have been a lot better if the book took you around each of Yellowstone's loops and through Grand Teton in a more logical format.

I alos found much of the information to be grossly outdated and inaccurate, and so many basic outdoor activities weren't explored in depth, and no real useful information or how-tos were given.I was thoroughly disappointed with my selection. With the vast amount of knowledge that I've accumulated through my own research, I could certainly re-write this guide myself!

You'll be lost without it!
If it's your first time in Yellow Stone or the Grand Tetons this'll be your bible .. the hikes listed in both places are well presented and with the maps included will help you plan you time in this wonderful part of the world .. The information on where you are likely to spot animals is really useful - Elk, Bison, Moose and Bear ... all accurate! The highlights and intineraries suggested helped with planning the trip.. but in addition to the traditional 'must sees' the book also suggests some wonderful off the beaten track experiences as well. Has info on where to stay and eat ..I stayed outside the park and would recommend either Teton Village or Jackson Hole as a good base with lots of top class accomodation. For European travellers Jackson Hole was the only place that I could get a mobile phone signal!

A Guide To the Tetons and Yellowstone
For one contemplating a trip to Yellowstone and the Tetons this book will be a fine handbook and guide.It is very detailed in regards to information about the parks and offers the reader a fine source of information for things to do on your visit.

As a backup source
For general planning of our trip, this book provided some useful information but the book does not give enough detail for a day to day planner. ... Read more

Book Description
Mountain Gazette offered proof that "outdoor literature" need not be an oxymoron. Running a scant eight years, from 1972 to 1979, the magazine featured material by major writers and artists on outdoor and adventure subjects. This volume collects the best material ? nonfiction, fiction, photography, cartoons, and illustrations ? from the old and new Mountain Gazette. Selections include singer-songwriter Katie Lee?s "The Ride," a meditation on biking through town naked; "The Monkey Wrench Gang: A Review," by George Sibley; and Karen Recknagel's "Climbing the Walls in Berkeley." Other contributors include Edward Abbey, Galen Rowell, Steve Wishart, and Cindy Kleh. ... Read more

Book Description
Peculiar, hilarious, odd, beautiful-all these words describe the remarkable art of Parks Reece of Livingston, Montana. Peter Fonda, Jim Harrison, Russell Chatham and many others have praised Reece's extraordinary artistic talent and his slightly skewed vision of the natural world. This book-the first collection of Reece's artwork-is destined to become an instant classic! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Highly recommended and uniquely memorable
Call Of The Wild: The Art Of Parks Reece is a most remarkable, 124-page showcase of the warm and often whimsical colored artwork of Parks Reece. Centered around the double themes of nature and wry commentaries or puns, Reece's paintings include "Hazards of Hunting" featuring a racoon using deer antlers to string its bow targeting an orange-vested hunter; "The One Who Learned the Words" representing a particularly exceptional hummingbird among hummingbirds; "Alien Abduction" showing a fish's point of view at being plucked out of the water, and much, much more. Highly recommended and uniquely memorable, Call Of The Wild is enhanced with essays by Tim Cahill and sonnets by Greg Keeler. ... Read more

Book Description
This enticing book offers insights into seldom-seen, rugged Pacific coastal spaces, from Alaska's Prince William Sound to Mexico's La Manzanilla. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Great coastal kayaking book by a great photographer
Joel Rogers is well known in the Pacific Northwest for being an excellent photographer, with a strong interest in sea kayaking.Many kayaking calendars and rowing calendars are photographed by Rogers.He's also a decent writer.This book is quite a beautiful description, in words and Roger's excellent photos, of kayaking trips from the Seattle/Tacoma area all the way up into Western Canada, including stops at locations not usually seen by man.Quite an interesting, quintessentially Pacific Northwest travel book -- provided that travel is on the water.

Paddling review
Just a counter-review to the latest.The first edition was chocked full of page-sized award winning pics.This is NOT a how-to or narrative.It is essentially a picture book including some words by the author introducing and explaining the pics and area.If you want to be inspired to paddle the west coast of Canada and North West US....pick it up, fantastic look/read.

Disappointing
I would have liked to write a favorable review of this book because I enjoy kayaking and being out in nature. Unfortunately it fails to convey the sense of high adventure, wonder, and splendor that are a part of every kayak outing in such remote and pristine locations. Instead, it laments the loss of ancient ways and cultures, and scolds modern man for his intrusions.

I'm all in favor of no-impact camping and preserving pristine shorelines. As I started each chapter I hoped this would be where the book got interesting! But alas it disappointed. ... Read more

Book Description
This digital document, covering the life and work of Tim Cahill, is an entry from Contemporary Authors, a reference volume published by Thompson Gale. The length of the entry is 3183 words. The page length listed above is based on a typical 300-word page. Although the exact content of each entry from this volume can vary, typical entries include the following information:

• Place and date of birth and death (if deceased)
• Family members
• Education
• Professional associations and honors
• Employment
• Writings, including books and periodicals
• A description of the author's work
• References to further readings about the author