As much as I've enjoyed the other books in the National Geographic Best 100 series, I can't recommend this one. Marshall clearly loves the wilderness, and this journal of Alaska pioneering is full of details, but he tends to ramble, and doesn't really provide a coherent narrative to his travels. Basically, the book is "I went here, then we went here, then we saw this, then we camped here, then I hiked here . . . ." Marshall doesn't offer any unique insight or make this journal into any sort of memorable (for the reader) "adventure". In fact, the only part I clearly remember is when he recounts the overturning of his raft on some river. That part came alive, but was noteworthy only for its singularity. Apparently, it rains a lot in Alaska.
2 Pages, out of 5. ( )