Arctic Crossing: A Journey Through the Northwest Passage and Inuit Culture

Who was it who said, "less is more"? That's one truth that stands out in Jonathan Waterman's "Artic Crossing" - a epical solo trip of the Northwest Passage done without fanfare, without oodles of sponsorship dough. I liked the author's cool, understated writing style, the wry observations about his sufferings and about the Inuits. No hyperbole, none of self-inflation that is so common in adventure writing, this book is truly believable. A wonderful read.

I am always amazed and delighted by Jonathan Waterman's skill with language, and with his ability to convey his explorations of both external and internal landscapes. This is a writer who loves wild places, but never seeks to conquer them. Arctic Crossing gives readers a genuine view into the challenges of solitary travel, and a welcome understanding of the rich Inuit culture. Waterman sugar coats nothing - not the cold, not the real dangers of his travels.Yet he captures the sweetness of learning to "watch birds" rather than identify, of a reunion with his wife that helps him regain his center. He catapults readers right into places in the world and in the heart that most would have never otherwise travelled.

Jonathan Waterman's book succeeds on several levels. The most important is the treatment the author gives of the Inuit and Inuvialuit communities, their history, and his own interactions with them. The presentation is unsentimental and the reader is rewarded with a view of things as they are. The book presents the historical and present situations in a way that enhances our understanding, though it is by no means clear what exactly should be done by Canada or Nunavut to alleviate the problems. One can only wish the best for this amazing far-north culture.From the point of view of adventure, this book is a must-read for anyone interested in solo exploration. Waterman is as experienced as they come in the realm of long, strenuous adventures in arduous conditions. He takes on this multi-year kayaking trek without a radio, even though he knows he is not an expert kayaker. While he deals with various problems and incidents, the most intriguing problem seems to be that of simply being alone for long stretches. He survives it, but it was apparently not easy.Finally, the book succeeds in conveying the beauty of nature (landscape, seascape, birds, and animals) in this shoreline environment. For the author, and probably for most who have visited it, the Arctic is a very special place, and the book, in its prose, general spirit, and photographs conveys that. Regarding the pictures, I appreciated the fact that in addition to the standard color insert, which has excellent photos, the author and publisher have decided to include many black-and-white pictures in the text. These enhance the presentation a lot, especially compared to many adventure books that get published quickly and without real thought to the inclusion of the best photos.

Author Waterman does it again! Arctic Crossing is a very readable and powerful solo tale of high drama in one of the most unforgiving corners of our planet. Jon's richly written tale captures the many moods of both a hauntingly beautiful landscape and the Inuit Culture that inhabit it. The myriad challenges faced by the author in his epic trek should be reason enough to lure virtually any adventure travel reader. Offering far more than yet another tale of polar endurance, Waterman's keen observations of Inuit Culture becomes the unexpected hook.Having spent three years living in a remote Siberian Yupik Eskimo village, I found this book to be compelling in its honest appraisal of Indigenous Northern Culture. Rapid cultural change and its associated dysfunction which challenges many Arctic cultures is typically not well documented in print. That which exists often times is either candy coated or worse yet, over sensationalized. Reported with a sense of respect, Jon's accounting of cultural interactions are at times brutal, yet refreshingly accurate.This book captures the unique rhythms of remote Arctic ecosystems through rich imagery. The author was very obviously moved by his time spent in the spare pastel light of the Barrens. His writing is focused on capturing that elusive essence of the Arctic experience that defies the average writer's efforts. Fortunately, Waterman is no ordinary writer.

This book is beautifully written! Unlike most adventure books, Waterman's account of his 3-year Arctic adventure, leaves behind the hero perspective and sincerely tells a story about the Inuit culture, the Arctic landscape and its amazing wildlife, and how he travels solo through it all. Find out what it would be like to journey alone without seeing another person (or signs of another person) for weeks at a time...how many of us have been completely alone, even for a day? His details of the people once called Eskimos are thoughtful and compassionate. The Inuit are faced with modern day assimilation while desperately trying to hold on to their 1,000 year old traditions. This struggle is carefully outlined, as he was able to get close to "The People". His encounters with wildlife, especially bears, made me wish I were there, but at the same time thankful to be reading about it in the comforts of home. This book is for anyone wanting to know the meaning of true exploration and wanting to learn more about the beuaty and mystery of the Arctic and Inuit.