The Survival of the Bark Canoe

While living in New Ipswich, NH I would often see Henri working on a canoe at his open outdoor shed. In the '60's he would do about 6 canoes a year, selling for about 2000 $ The Blanchette brothers would test them out - Henri was not a canoeist, but would have a birchbark repair kit along for any mishaps. Years later, while living in Indianapolis, I met a birchbark craftsman who was building a birchbark teepee, at the Eiteljorg museum I mentioned Henri to him == He was well aware of Henri's skills. John McPhee's book extended Henri's skills to a wide audience across the States. I highly recommend the book.

I have enjoyed many of John McPhee's books. I'm looking forward to reading this one. McPhee almost always presents a movable feast.

A very enjoyable little book by McPhee, especially for those of us who enjoy his work, but can be overwhelmed (bored?) by his frequent choice of geology as his primary subject. As usual with McPhee we learn a great deal about the technical subject at hand; here the building of authentic birchbark canoes, but even more about the tradecraft and personality of the person and type of person dedicated to the subject. Like McPhee, I live in New Jersey and have hiked and camped in the Pine Barrens, and fished for and caught shad in the Delaware River, and perhaps understand a little of his wanderlust. McPhee mentions canoes in many of his other works, is clearly fond of and experienced with them, and can barely contain his excitement over getting authentic with a birchbark canoe. As others have noted, his portrayal of Henri changes a bit as we move from "the yard" to the water. McPhee notes that Henri is an artist in both ability and temperament. This is an academic conclusion that is easy to come by while watching in the yard, but not without a little personal discomfort to realize in the field. I often tell my kids that one of the most critical rules one must follow to get along with a group while on a team, on a trip, or even on a family vacation is to take care of your own stuff and do a little more than your share of the work.Henri violates this rule and complicates matters further when it is revealed that although he is the self appointed leader, the emperor has no clothes with regard to actually using the canoes. There is a faint sense of attempting to, but not quite being able to experience that which is desired. Do the canoes actually work as well as imagined? Is the land as beautiful? What of Thoreau and his observations? Have we incrementally embraced technology because it is quicker and easier, or because it is better? It seems to me that McPhee asks this question in many contexts, and slyly shows all sides without taking one, reminding me of the also excellent book by McPhee "Encounters with the Archdruid". Read the book to see how you answer these questions.

I read this book years ago and have even given a couple of copies away to friends! So I highly recommend this book and many of McPhee's other works. As to Henri Vaillincourt, the hero of the book; he would say don't believe everything you read in the book... He builds canoes still today, and very nice one at that. He even has a website that I will not list here. The true beauty of the book is first it recreates how to build a true Algonquin style canoe. Second it recreates Thoreau's "Maine Woods" trip. Lastly it shows a man, Henri with an interest that has became his passion for the last forty years or his life. If you ever drive up up New Hampshire Route 31 you can see his works of art in progress on the side of the road. I also recommend Thoreau's The Maine Woods as a companion book to this one!

As a canoeist, handyman, and McPhee fan, I enjoyed this little book very much. Like the 5-11-2000 reviewer, I found it to come in two parts. The first part details technical details about birch-bark canoes and how Vaillancourt became a self-taught master of their construction. The second part describes a canoe trip with Vaillancourt and others. That other reviewer found the second half to be parody of Vaillancourt, but I disagree. As in The Deltoid Pumpkin Seed, real life sometimes takes a turn that a dreamer would not expect. Like his other non-fiction, I felt that McPhee offered real insights to the peoples' character and doesn't hesitate to sing their praises nor describe their shortcomings. I enjoy the copious background information that McPhee includes in all of his books. Even more than a Tracy Kidder book, you come away feeling like you have some in-depth understanding of the subject.

John McFee has crafted an elegant essay that juxtaposes the lost native art and craft of canoe making with the psyche and only too human angst of an endangered species; a man who embraces the non-technical world.