Rivers Running Free: Stories of Adventurous Women [L0150]

1987 PB in nice clean condition. This collection of women's memoirs of canoeing experiences comes as a welcome alternative to the many outdoors books centered on the exploits of men. Despite the differences in time and setting from 1905 to the 1980s, from Mexico to the Hudson Bay many of the contributions share a common theme: that of women shedding societal roles and surviving by their wits and strength. Many of these accounts are inspirational; an eighty-year-old woman reflects on six decades of canoe experience, a woman celebrates her recovery from cancer with a summer on the Yukon, adventurous women paddle on the Sea of Cortes and the Arctic Barrens. Some of these stories are written by women in the early 1900s who, constrained by fashion restrictions, completed their canoe adventures in the long skirts of the day. Rivers Running Free includes old and contemporary maps to accompany the stories of these intrepid women. This collection is sure to inspire readers who love the natural world and travel by people-powered watercraft.

From recent-ish Amazon/GoodReads reviews: "Unable to get away on a canoe trip one summer, I joined in spirit the women featured in Rivers Running Free. The book is a collection of 37 first person narratives by and about women examining their relationships with the wilderness, their companions and themselves. Fascinating."; "We need more books like this one. My lifecoach gave me this collection, and it sent me on a journey to find the longer stories of the women in this book. Adventurers, trailblazers, sportswomen all. I love it."; "This book has stayed with me for years. I was impressed by their willingness to let go of comfort, to dig deep and find inner strength when the weather or circumstances turned difficult. I remember the women as approachable, people I would like to be around and emulate. I've given it as a gift twice. It's a great inspiration for anyone getting ready to attempt something outside of their comfort zone."