Can an adventure story be as beautiful as it is heart-stopping and exciting? His writing style was just beautiful! I would have rated it higher except for the fact that the first 100 pages were a struggle. Book has great history lessons as well. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. 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. it was in a wooden dory, with the legendary boatman Kenton Grua, "The Factor" as he was known, and the character at the center of this book. This book is built around a record human-powered speed run in a wooden boat through the Grand Canyon. Last June, I went and listened as Kevin Fedarko gave us a presentation and overview of the Emerald Mile. In addition to his travel narratives in, , where he worked as a senior editor, Fedarkos work has appeared in, , and other publications, and has been anthologized in, in 2004 and 2006. 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. Emerald Mile Oarsman Rudi Petschek on the Breaking of his Grand Canyon Speed Record. For me, because I grew up in Page, Arizona and witnessed this great event, the story starts off a little slowbecause I had already lived that part. In addition to his travel narratives in Outside, where he worked as a senior editor, Fedarkos work has appeared in Esquire, National Geographic Adventure, and other publications, and has been anthologized in The Best American Travel Writing in 2004 and 2006. In 1983, following a devastating flood that led to one of the most disastrous dam wreckages in history, a trio of rafters launched a small wooden dory named The Emerald Mile just 15 miles from the failed Glen Canyon Dam. Whats one of the best memories from your speed runs? The flood caused two states of crises for two groups of people fundamentally at odds with each other - the engineers at Glen Canyon Dam and the river runners in the Grand Canyon. No, no such dory exists, but Kenton did have plans for such a boat. Publisher: Scribner Publication Year: 2014 Format: Trade Paperback Language: English Item Height: 1in. Your non-motorized record, which lasted more than 30 years, has been broken twice in three days. Can an adventure story be as beautiful as it is heart-stopping and exciting? Except for books, Amazon will display a List Price if the product was purchased by customers on Amazon or offered by other retailers at or above the List Price in at least the past 90 days. Among many other things, those dirtbag river runners uphold the virtue of disobedience: the principle that in a free society, defiance for its own sake sometimes carries value and meaning, if only because power in all of its formscommercial, governmental, and moralshould not always and without question be handed what it demands., National Outdoor Book Award for History/Biography (2013), PEN/ESPN Award for Literary Sports Writing Nominee for Shortlist (2014), National Outdoor Book Award winners, selected titles, Girls Who Bite! Photo by Kenly Weills. What if the reward that you were chasing lay not in the result to which you were ostensibly striving, but in the simple doing of the thing? 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 tale of your speed descents has no doubt inspired new generations to take up the challenge presented by the canyon. The Epic Story of the Fastest Ride in History Through the Heart of the Grand Canyon Even though the whole thing is very detailed, he wrote it in a lovely, almost kind of sentimental, reverent style. .orange-text-color {font-weight:bold; color: #FE971E;}Enjoy features only possible in digital start reading right away, carry your library with you, adjust the font, create shareable notes and highlights, and more. And, you could hear it from town. I only gave it four stars because the font was rather small for these old, tired eyes. 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. This book announces Fedarko as a major writing talent and at last sets forth the full story of an American legendthe legend of The Emerald Mile. Some of the information about the specifics of how the dam works I could've done without. Secondly, a longer dory would sacrifice ease of pivoting. (Note: the interview really beings at the 4:19 mark, so put your cursor there if you want to skip the wind-up and the ads.) My only regret is that I didn't read this book before going. For both runs, their craft was a wooden dory named the Emerald Mile. Overall I really enjoyed the book. Just finished it and I am exhausted - what a beautifully crafted story. 860 likes. Well-told, deeply-researched, engaging to read book. The saga of The Emerald Mile is a thrilling adventure, as well as a magisterial portrait of the hidden kingdom of white water at the bottom of the greatest river canyon on earth. What brought you back for multiple speed runs? A must read if going on a white water river rafting trip!! Photo by Rudi Petschek. Still, in this case, I remain super-skeptical. I knew almost nothing about the Grand Canyon or the Colorado River watershed when I picked up this book, now Im swimming in information and loving it! Di Bonaventura Pics adds Emerald Mile to its extensive development slate. From one of Outside magazine's "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. The night sky is so much better than anything I could have imagined. 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. Deseret News"The Emerald Mile is the rarest of creationsa magical convergence of words and paper, wood and water, rock and sky, human character and cosmic caprice. 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. Safe and Secure Mailer. The List Price is the suggested retail price of a new product as provided by a manufacturer, supplier, or seller. Kit and I checked both Flagstaff cemeteries and Kenton Grua was not buried in either location. Specifically, this book is about the 1983 flood that washed down the Colorado Basin into Lake Powell, forcing a massive, unprecedented flood down the Colorado River and through Grand Canyon. Did he survive? It was truly spectacular! In addition to his travel narratives in Outside, where he worked as a senior editor, Fedarkos work has appeared in Esquire, National Geographic Adventure, and other publications, and has been anthologized in The Best American Travel Writing in 2004 and 2006. Would you agree based on your speed descents? Let us know whats wrong with this preview of, Published Reviewed in the United States on August 7, 2022. Yet, I found myself learning details or stories that I had not heard as the flood was taking place. Kenton Grua in the Emerald Mile, the dory used on the speed run. We dont share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we dont sell your information to others. 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" by Kevin Fedarko is now on my short list of all-time favorite books, 5 stars plus! 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. 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." Not to mention I live next to Glen Canyon Dam and love Lees Ferryso, this book Gripped me hard too! I was further interested when the group pulled up on the beach. At first it just intrigued me with its promise of crazy adventure, but once started, I was hooked on the whole, incredible story. I highly recommend this to anyone interested in the outdoors or natural history. That same canyon had been a major, three-week survival challenge for Major Powells crew. Enjoy the rides! Then you spit into your palms and twirl your oar blades to confirm that theyre rotating smoothly in the locks. Any of my peeps that are into the outdoors or history -- read this. I reread some passages just to revel in the prose. Dallas Morning News"Crafting a tale as graceful and powerful as the natural wonder of which he writes the books goes beyond your typical river porn, offering a wide appeal to everyone from history buffs and the Popular Mechanics set to environmentalists and outdoor enthusiasts. Cleveland Plain-Dealer"Grua's wild ride on the Colorado, how it mirrored his mercurial personality, is just on part of Fedarko's story; however, the rive, which runs through seven states, and the canyon, rich in both geological and political history, prove to be the real protagonists." The Emerald Mile was the name of a boat, a legendary wooden dory that was once thought dead. The Emerald Mile: The Epic Story of the Fastest Ride in History Through the Heart of the Grand Canyon Accessory - June 3, 2015 by Kevin Fedarko(Author) 4.8 out of 5 stars1,985 ratings 4.4 on Goodreads 9,246 ratings Editors' pickBest Nonfiction See all formats and editions Sorry, there was a problem loading this page. Having (met many of the characters as a part of my river family and) grown up hearing these legends and histories told while gathered around the Dories at cocktail hour, I enjoyed reliving this in my imagination. I think this is his first, and only, book. The Emerald Mile, at one time slated to be destroyed, was rescued and brought back to life by Kenton Grua, the man . Okay. I was not roughing it, I was experiencing life!! This was a book that told the story of an incredible 36 hours by backing up and providing as much context as humanly possible to make it into the length of a novel. The Emerald Mile, at one time slated to be destroyed, was rescued and brought back to life by Kenton Grua, the man at . 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 dang. The author personally knew most of the "characters" that appear in this well researched, beautifully written, appropriately humorous expose on all things Grand Canyon. It was fun reading it after the trip too. This book is full of adventure, chronicling the fastest journey through the Grand Canyon on a watercraft. Fedarko was a staff writer at Time magazinefrom 1991 to 1997, where his work helped garner an Overseas Press Club Award for a story on the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin. This is terrific narrative nonfiction. The Emerald Mile. And even if your acquaintance with the two is fleeting (as is mine), you may want to read this thorough account of a speed run down the Colorado River in 1983 after one of the biggest water years in the western United State's history. in the tradition of the perfect storm and seabiscuit, the engrossing tale of the fastest boat ride ever down the colorado river through the grand canyon in the The fascinating characters are pretty much universally attached to this river and canyon at the hip. One of the best non-fiction books Ive had the privilege of reading. Now a resident of. This is a fantastic combination of storytelling and research. I have an ongoing admiration for the Rigg brothers, who in 1951 set their 53-hour record (scouting only Lava Falls; no Crystal then, no night rowing) with a cumulative experience of only three trips total between the two of them. 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. Fedarko was a staff writer at. Grand Canyon River Guide Buzz Belknap 1975 Pure Land Annette McGivney If you are interested in the Colorado Rive and the Grand Canyon, then I highly recommend it. As I sit in my office and stare out at the Jeffrey Pines in my back yard, in late November as we all wait for precipitation patiently, the big winter this story relies on feels ephemeral, like a thing of the past. This book takes me right back there. First, you cup a hand in the river and run the water over the back of your neck and face to reduce the cold shock of whats coming. Then in 83, again opportunity, this time to set the record to where the oar-powered record would be near unreachable. As a writer, he'll make you understand it, savor it, and ultimately love it as you never have before. I knew almost nothing about the Grand Canyon or the Colorado River watershed when I picked up this book, now Im swimming in information and loving it! My expectation based on the title, the cover and the synopsis I read was that it would be an exciting, adventure read. I love Fedarkos description of what was going on in Glen Canyon Dam and the accident at Crystal Rapid. Rapid snowmelt in June of 1983 created the highest water in the Grand Canyon in 25 years, the likes of which hadn't been experienced since before Glen Canyon Dam was built. The authors writing style was very cumbersome and he seemed to take two or three sentences to say what could have been said more simply with one. Enhancements you chose aren't available for this seller. Down the Great Unknown: John Wesley Powell's 1869 Journey of Discovery and Tragedy Through the Grand Canyon, There's This River Grand Canyon Boatman Stories. Just got off the river last week at mile 225. But, thank God, Crystal Rapid let us through, all thirteen of us, with just big splashes. Bens recovery from his Lava experience, solo in the dark in mid-winter, makes his feat infinitely more impressive. This book announces Fedarko as a major writing talent and at last sets forth the full story of an American legendthe legend of "The Emerald Mile". This book takes me right back there. Until the Marble Canyon Lodge burned down in 2013, they had a large photo of the 1983 flip of Tour West hanging on the wall that was taken by Richard Kocim. The night sky is so much better than anything I could have imagined. So I re-engagedand what a story it has to tell. I noticed a Dory painted in the colors of the Emerald mile. A superbly written, well-researched and wonderful book. And I had no id. The Emerald Mile is a fantastic read, and an instant throw-back for me to those days on the river. 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