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Where the Falcon Flies: A 3,400 Kilometre Odyssey From My Doorstep to the Arctic by Adam Shoalts
melissa08112's review
adventurous
medium-paced
5.0
Another fabulous adventure by Adam shoalts!! Really enjoyed reading it and the stories of the hospitality he received while in Labrador made me very homesick.
romonko's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
4.0
This is a very gripping non-fiction story about one man's epic journey by canoe following the flight pattern of the Peregrine Falcon. I listened to the audio book which was read by the author himself. Adam Shoalts made this 4-month journey from Lake Eerie to the Arctic sea. He faces all kinds of dangers, and close calls. The 3,400 trip tested his resolve again and again.. Along the way he meets a few people here and there, and Adam found everyone that he talked to was helpful and encouraging. He suffers extreme cold, dangerous rapids, starvation, hydroelectric dams and encounters wildlife in its natural habitat. The book held me spellbound and made me appreciate the vast beauty of the Canadian wilderness. In my armchair I was along for the adventure with Adam Shoalts.
hmatt's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.25
It's no secret to anyone who knows my reading habits that Shoalts is one of my favourite authors, and I was over the moon to receive a galley copy of this book. It's a classic adventure memoir, which the author does incredibly well, told with his characteristic dry humour and distinctive voice.
While it's "fine" for me that there's a premise for each of his larger expeditions - I know this has got to be some kind of requirement for the job, but I certainly don't care why he's bushwhacking through Labrador - I feel like "tracing the falcon migration route" came across a bit weak through the middle of this. Again, not a problem for me, just what I noticed. This said, Shoalts does weave a through-line by discussing the bird habitats at various points along his route.
Especially through the section where he's canoeing the St. Lawrence, this is quite the refresher on Canadian history. Many, many names and battles I hadn't heard since I was 12. I really appreciate how the author weaves these narratives in with his own. This book was additionally special for me because the author traverses areas around where I grew up and knew/know more intimately, so I was really able to picture them while I read.
I'd say this is classic Adam Shoalts adventure memoir. For me it ranks just below my all-time favourite Beyond the Trees, and I'm looking forward to getting my hands on a physical copy so I can see all the plates of photos from his trip.
While it's "fine" for me that there's a premise for each of his larger expeditions - I know this has got to be some kind of requirement for the job, but I certainly don't care why he's bushwhacking through Labrador - I feel like "tracing the falcon migration route" came across a bit weak through the middle of this. Again, not a problem for me, just what I noticed. This said, Shoalts does weave a through-line by discussing the bird habitats at various points along his route.
Especially through the section where he's canoeing the St. Lawrence, this is quite the refresher on Canadian history. Many, many names and battles I hadn't heard since I was 12. I really appreciate how the author weaves these narratives in with his own. This book was additionally special for me because the author traverses areas around where I grew up and knew/know more intimately, so I was really able to picture them while I read.
I'd say this is classic Adam Shoalts adventure memoir. For me it ranks just below my all-time favourite Beyond the Trees, and I'm looking forward to getting my hands on a physical copy so I can see all the plates of photos from his trip.
Content Warnings
Minor: Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, War, and Death
rebecca_labrador's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
5.0
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