This is the first in a series about books in my library. I will include actual cover scans of my copies of the books, rather than GGG (google-grabbed graphics), though the latter would be quite easy.
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| PrairyEarth - William Least Heat-Moon |
The book is
PrairyErth, a combination of two words run together, and both misspelled. It is by Native American author William Least Heat-Moon. I hesitate to label him as such, because often this might mean that the author typically focuses on Native American-related subjects. Sherman Alexie would be an example of this. None of the books I have read by Mr. Heat-Moon so far are focused on Native American issues, though he does not hesitage to mention such matters when appropriate.
He is best known for
Blue Highways. My favorite book by him was
River Horse, about a journey across the US in a small boat. That's east to west, and very difficult to navigate. Lake Erie sure is brutal in the book.
This touches on a very favorite book genre of mine: nonfiction books of people taking small boats on long journeys in American waterways, especially the Mississippi. There was one in the works by a blogger I used to read. His name was Guyuss Baltaar. But he cut his journey short, and I can barely even find his name on Google any more.
If anyone has any good books or blogs on such river journeys to point me to, please let me know. B
ig River Magazine has a lot of discussion and links for this also.
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| Postcard -Masonic Temple, Cottonwood Falls, Kansas |
Heat-Moon calls this book a "Deep Map". Yes, it does have maps, but it is not heavily illustrated. In the book, he basically 'goes to town' on Chase County, Kansas. Every aspect of it, including history and its natural environment. I'd never really heard of this county in the Flint Hills before or after this book.
6 comments:
This is the only one of his books that I haven't read. Should I?
If you haven't read Harlan Hubbard's SHANTYBOAT, you must give yourself that pleasure. Harlan and his wife, Anna, built their shantyboat on the banks of the Ohio River, opposite and a bit east of Cincinnati, and they took their time--YEARS!--drifting (no power!) down the Ohio and Mississippi to the Louisiana bayou country. It is a magical book that my husband and I have read many, many times.
There is another book called SHANTYBOAT that's also worth reading. It isn't as magical, but it all takes place on the Mississippi, starting way north of Lake Pepin.
Also, there's a book for young people called HOUSEBOAT GIRL. I think it's by Lois Lenski. That one is set in early westward expansion days, and the family takes livestock and groceries with them down the Ohio, and as they go they operate a store for people living along the river who need to buy supplies.
You are probably familiar with the fellow who paddled a canoe from
Portland, OR to Portland, ME and his blog ?
First I have heard of it. Thanks!
PJ: It was definitely worth reading. I don't know if I will re-read it though. I was thinking of dropping it off at this Free Little Library. Or is it one you want?
I'm sure I have a copy, dmarks. But if you're going to drive up to Northport sometime, let me know. And say, have you seen the Edgar Rice Burroughs stamp, featuring Tarzan? Very cool!
No, I've not seen that. Good for mailing a postcard to Tarzana!
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