Synopses & Reviews
An ardent canoeist for more than forty-five years, John Manuel was first introduced to the solace, natural wonder and exhilaration of canoeing while growing up on the Chagrin River in Ohio, paddling an old Grumman canoe under the scrutiny of his father. Decades later, as he watches his elderly dad succumb to cancer, Manuel recalls this initiation into a lifetime of canoeing with both fondness and confusion.
What was the allure of rivers? Was it the challenge of rapids, the natural beauty his father had known? Or was it the need to pursue his own life, to escape from home and family expectations?At times rollicking and playful as the rapids it portrays, The Canoeist also possesses a rare emotional depth. Manuel gives us a vivid picture of his own human experienceof falling in love, its elation and heart-rending turns; the intimate connection among paddling friends; the fight to save the natural places he reveres; the frustration and joy of bringing children into the canoeing life. Chapters named for a dozen eastern rivers carry the reader from such historic events as the fire on the Cuyahoga River and anti-Nixon demonstrations in Washington D.C. to the wild and some times dangerous watersheds of Manuels life. In part an ode to rivers, The Canoeist also affirms the vital importance of family and friends, and reveals a portrait of America in changing times.
Synopsis
By turns rollicking and somber, this memoir of a life spent on the water takes readers through the deep, still rivers and bubbling brooks that run through one man's life. As a boy growing up on the Chagrin River in Ohio, John Manuel was introduced to the solace and wonder of canoeing while riding in an old, battered boat under the guidance of his austere father. Slipping away from his constrictive home and his father's taunts, he rode the turbid river behind his house to escape. Years later, watching his elderly father succumb to cancer, he reflects with wry humor, vivid prose, and emotional depth on his double-edged initiation into a lifetime of canoeing. His friendships, trials, and victories—all the wonders and dangers of life—are set against the bends and currents of memorable or historic waterways.
About the Author
"A parable of conservation and community...a fast and absorbing ride." Lee Smith, author, The Last Girls"An honest take on a man's path of self-discovery viewed through the lessons learned from a lifetime of running rivers." Paddler Magazine"What makes The Canoeist worthy is Manuel's ability to put us in the boat with him, spectating from the stern." The News & Observer (Raleigh North Carolina)"Gorgeously well-written." Wilmington Morning Star"The message is about lifebirth and death, love and trust, our burning need for wild places." Canoe & Kayak