"if there is a point to being in the canyon, it is not to rush but to linger, suspended in a blue-and-amber haze of in-between-ness, for as long as one possibly can. Just got off the river last week at mile 225. Eloquently written and well researched the boom covers many facets of the Grand Canyon all focused through the lens of the "speed run." Refresh and try again. Well-told, deeply-researched, engaging to read book. There is also a lot of information about dams and the environmental aspect of building them. Fedarko seems to be well-read in many genres, and is able to seamlessly pull up references to other literature to add dimensions to an already 3-D book. A few key points factor in to making this a good match for me: Absolutely fascinating! "The Emerald Mile" by Kevin Fedarko . A great read. From one of Outside magazines Literary All-Stars comes the thrilling true tale of the fastest boat ride ever, down the entire length of the Colorado River and through the Grand Canyon, during the legendary flood of 1983.In the spring of 1983, massive flooding along the length of the Colorado River confronted a team of engineers at the Glen Canyon Dam with an unprecedented emergency that may have resulted in the most catastrophic dam failure in history. Even though the whole thing is very detailed, he wrote it in a lovely, almost kind of sentimental, reverent style. There is a section of the book toward the end that is, but the majority of it is quite the opposite. Durango Telegraph"His poetic and descriptive writing should only brighten his accolades and helps his non-fiction book read like a fast-paced fiction adventureIt isn't necessary to be a history buff or whitewater expert to enjoy this story With meticulous research, notes and epilogue, Fedarko tells a satisfying story that is quite an entertaining ride." 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We see Dorys all the time here in Flagstaff, but this one is special, it's the Emerald Mile, the boat used by Kenton Grua (who was also the first person to walk the entire length of Grand Canyon), Rudi Petschek and Steve Reynolds in 1983 to make the historic "speed run" through the Grand Canyon. This book started out slowly, and I found some of the flowery prose to be ponderous, but the second half was much better than the first. Many people have been discussing whether its fair to put your dory run in the same category as a kayak descent. So we gave up. It is a dramatized documentary of the personalities among the renegade dory-drivers, the law-abiding dam-builders and the adventurers along the Grand Canyon. I have been hugely privileged enough to do the trip 3 times in my life as a passenger on the big rigs, so it brought me right back there. Fedarko earned a Masters of Philosophy in Russian history at Oxford in 1990. I had no idea all that was happening in the '80's. It's not really a story just about the fastest ride, which is a small part of the book. In fact, it would not be overblown to say The Emerald Mile deserved a spot on the bookshelf alongside such enduring classics as Cadillac Desert, Desert Solitaire and Encounters with the Archdruid. It's also a rare and fascinating glimpse into what could have been one of our nation's biggest environmental disasters everthe failure of the Glen Canyon Dam. In the midst of this crisis, the decision to launch a small wooden dory named "The Emerald Mile" at the head of the Grand Canyon, just fifteen miles downstream from the Glen Canyon Dam, seemed not just odd, but downright suicidal. Impressively well-researched and very well-written. His descriptions brought every scene to life for me - even when (or especially when) he goes off on a lyrical tangent - e.g., " And peeking over the cliffs like a Chinese lantern was a swollen, yellow globe that draped the folds of the surrounding plateau in moonbeams" sigh. I could picture the landscape, the rapids, the boats and remember the feeling of being free from the outside world for just a little bit, as I read. What makes the book so compelling is the broader narrative - this is not so much a book about a rafting trip it is a book about the Grand Canyon and America's relationship to wilderness. First, high praise for Kevin Fedarko! Now a resident of Nevada City, California, the 82-year-old river guide whos been down the Grand Canyon a whopping 94 times, shared his thoughts on the recent events over email. re-creates an incredible voyage through the flood-swollen Grand Canyon in such heart-pounding detail that you need to pause every few pages to catch your breath that your favorite reading chair becomes a spray-soaked perch on a bucking boat hit hard by a river running high and fast." Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club thats right for you for free. Product Identifiers It appealed to two of my interests: engineering, with its descriptions of how the personnel at the Glen Canyon Dam dealt with the huge water inflows from the El Nino event and the damage caused to the spillways, and whitewater rafting, with its descriptions of the fastest ride and how rafting companies, their customers, and the river rangers dealt with the danger of the increased water flows and changes to rapids through the Grand Canyon. The epic story of the fastest boat ride in history, on a hand-built dory named the "Emerald Mile," through the heart of the Grand Canyon on the Colorado river. The goal was to nail the all-time record for the fastest boat ever propelledby oar, by motor, or by the grace of God himselfdown the entire length . An ebook can be read on an electronic device and has no narration. The guide, his back to the river, looked me in the eye. Accessories such as CD, codes, toys, may not be included . Can an adventure story be as beautiful as it is heart-stopping and exciting? Fedarko earned a Masters of Philosophy in Russian history at Oxford in 1990. We work hard to protect your security and privacy. The boat flipped in a mammoth incarnation of Crystal Rapid, but through combination of luck and honed whitewater skill, the trio was able to climb back aboard the dory in the runout to the swollen rapid, right it, and go onto set the record time. Thats awesome. My expectation based on the title, the cover and the synopsis I read was that it would be an exciting, adventure read. Can an adventure story be as beautiful as it is heart-stopping and exciting? Format: Paperback Publisher: Scribner favorite Add to wishlist , rarest of creationsa magical convergence of words and paper, wood and water, rock and sky, human character and cosmic caprice, . As a boatman, Fedarko knows this world intimately. Enjoy!! Arrives by Thu, Sep 22 Buy The Emerald Mile : The Epic Story of the Fastest Ride in History Through the Heart of the Grand Canyon (Hardcover) at Walmart.com I feel like if I would have read this before, I would have had a much greater appreciation for all that I was seeing and doing. While some visitors undertake back-country hikes, most people are content to enjoy the views from the South Rim, and do not venture much below the rim. This one is, and Fedarko's book is as inspiring as a dory itself, flying down a wild river. What I didn't expect was the beauty and depth of the writing. This book is a kind of love letter to the Colorado River and its Grand Canyon. Not everyone will want to invest the time necessary to fully appreciate this exquisite work of narrative nonfiction. Grand Canyon River Guide Buzz Belknap 1975 Pure Land Annette McGivney Did you, Kenton and Wren realize that your time could be beaten by kayak at normal flows? Lose this wild place America, and you will lose a big chunk of your soul. I noticed a Dory painted in the colors of the Emerald mile. I almost didn't finish this book. In the midst of this crisis, the decision to launch a small wooden dory named the Emerald Mile at the head of the Grand Canyon, just fifteen miles downstream from the Glen Canyon Dam, seemed not just odd but downright suicidal.The Emerald Mile, at one time slated to be destroyed, was rescued and brought back to life by Kenton Grua, the man at . So I asked him if he knew Kenton Grua. The last time I rowed was back in Boy Scouts. Neither experimental flows nor the big flood were considerations, as at the time these were beyond even our imagination. Best book about a true story that I've read in a long time! The book provided the exploration history of the Grand Canyon, and while interesting, was a struggle to read through. He juxtaposes the Glen Canyon Dam engineers' race to avoid catastrophic failures during the huge 1983 spring runoff with what was happen. His 2013 release, The Emerald Mile: The Epic Story of the Fastest Ride in History Through the Heart of the Grand Canyon, won a NOBA- a National Outdoor Book Award. Where human history and natural history collide! It was fun reading it after the trip too. If you are interested in the Colorado Rive and the Grand Canyon, then I highly recommend it. Photo by Kenly Weills. -- Bob Shacochis author of Swimming in the Volcano and Easy in the Islands"Fedarko's effortlessly engaging narrative is a labor of passion from an adventurous journalist who still calls the Grand Canyon home." It helps that I saw the Grand Canyon for the first time this summer. finished it and I am exhausted - what a beautifully crafted story, Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 1, 2017, Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 4, 2014, Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 10, 2015, Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 27, 2014, Reviewed in Canada on November 9, 2020, Learn more how customers reviews work on Amazon, Scribner; Reprint edition (July 1, 2014). Learn how your comment data is processed. Would you agree based on your speed descents? The Emerald Mile, at one time slated to be destroyed, was rescued and brought back to life by Kenton Grua, the man at the oars, who intended to use this flood as a kind of hydraulic sling-shot. . Perhaps even more so as this story focuses on one single individual. The Emerald Mile, at one time slated to be destroyed, was rescued and brought back to life by Kenton Grua, the . 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