Idleness, Water, and a Canoe: Reflections on Paddling for Pleasure

I enjoyed this book with a wide ranging and detailed account of recreational canoeing mainly in Canada. With over thirty years canoeing experience in various disciplines mainly in the United Kingdom (latterly open canoeing in wilderness areas including a week near Temagami) I appreciated in particular the attempts to describe the special benefits and effects of paddling in remote areas and how some experienced a closeness to God. There was much that was new to me in nearly all areas as the author has brought together the results of extensive research from written and verbal sources. Some aspects such as the Canadian summer boy, the use of the canoe as a popular image and extensive wilderness areas are particular to Canada which has a much greater historic canoe heritage compared to the UK. The author demonstrates that there are many reasons why people are attracted to canoeing. These include a love of landscape, about being closer to god, about doing what our ancestors did , about getting away from it all(whatever it may be) and about finding and healing ourselves which are elaborated on. The book is not a manual nor a guidebook. The author also states, reminiscing about past journeys and anticipating a planned expedition are absorbing off season preoccupations and his book can remind one of their past experiences and contribute to an understanding of what might be expected on a future trip. Though there is attention to detail I found the book an enjoyable and absorbing read.