First, a confession. I will never be accused of being an "outdoorsy" person. The only two camping experiences of my life, eons ago, both ended in near-disaster. My idea of roughing it would be staying at a Days Inn instead of the Conrad Hilton.
So . . . what is a non-avid outdoorsperson doing reading a book whose cover photo is a man holding a fish, and which revolves around canoeing, camping, portaging, and life in the wild? In a word (okay, two) -- loving it!
I was drawn to Jim Landwehr's writing through his blog. I was impressed by the freshness and clarity of his writing style and eager to see if it was sustained through a book-length manuscript. It was, and then some. His narration of his adventures in the Boundary Waters with his brothers, friends, and children kept me turning the pages, ready to see what was going to happen next. He brought the whole outdoor experience alive. The reader is literally there in the canoes, and the campsites, and walking the trails of the portages. His respect, and love, for the site of this memoir is apparent. And he makes the reader, who may never actually see the Boundary Waters, respect and care for them, as well.
Of course, there is so much more to the book than camping. It is about friendship, family, and endurance through life changes. It illustrates how a particular place can become so much a part of your life that in many respects, it is who you are. It is a perfect example of how the setting of a book can also become one of its characters.
Finishing the last page of Dirty Shirt, I had a new understanding, and respect, for those who turn to the "uncivilized" wildernesses of the world for sustenance, renewal, and continuity in their lives, and made me realize how much the places I haunt, while perhaps not quite so wild, serve the same function.
I highly recommend this book, and I am ready to see what Jim Landwehr has in store next!
Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.
Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now
Frequently purchased items with fast delivery
Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
About the author
Top reviews from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews. Please reload the page.
- Reviewed in the United States on September 4, 2014
- Reviewed in the United States on August 30, 2015
- Reviewed in the United States on July 21, 2015
- Reviewed in the United States on April 9, 2019
- Reviewed in the United States on April 20, 2021
- Reviewed in the United States on December 24, 2014
