The Exploration of the Colorado River and Its Canyons

by John Wesley Powell
List(s):"Extreme Classics"
Category: "Travel"
Pages:397
Year of Publication:1875
Date Added:01/21/2010
Date Read:07/09/2012
Notes:Powell lost most of his right arm fighting for the Union, but that didn't stop him from leading the first descent of the Grand Canyon. The year was 1869, and he and his nine men started on the Green River in wooden boats. The rapids were overpowering. They lost boats and supplies. They ran out of food. Near the end, three of the men lost their nerve and climbed out of the canyon; they were killed by Indians. The others stayed with Powell and survived. Powell himself was an unusual man — tough, driven, hard to please. He was also a thoughtful man, a friend of Native Americans, and a gifted geologist.
My Rating: 6

Reviews for The Exploration of the Colorado River and Its Canyons

Review - Exploration of the Colorado River and Its Canyons, The

What the men were doing was fascinating. The way the story is told is rather dull. Powell includes a few bits of personal narrative, but mostly the book is just a dry recitation of the miles they traveled and the scenery they saw.

Reviewed by Roger on 2012-07-09 09:36:45

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