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Welcome to StephenBarkley.com. This is where I post all the stuff I've been thinking, praying, speaking, and writing about. Thanks for reading.
Paddle to the Arctic: The Incredible Story of a Kayak Quest Across the Roof of the World © 1995 Douglas Gibson: McClelland & Stewart 313 pages Don Starkell is the last person I’d take on any sort of wilderness trip. He’s stubborn, driven, and near-suicidal in his quest to meet his goals. That said, his [...]
Survive!: My Fight for Life in the High Sierras © 2005 Simon & Schuster 241 pages Compelling and irritating are the two best words I can think of to describe Survive. Fortunately, compelling beat irritating and I finished the book. Let me explain. Survive is DeLeo’s true story about surviving a plane crash followed by [...]
Canoeing with the Cree ©1935 Minnesota Historical Society Press (1968) 206 pages Imagine letting your 17 and 19 year old son and friend, with no experience, paddle a canoe 2,250 miles through two countries to Hudson Bay. That’s exactly what Sevareid chronicles. The writing is simple and direct. Dialogue is interspersed with narration in just [...]
Running the Amazon © 1989 Random House: Vintage Books 279 pages This is more than a paddling story—it’s travel/adventure writing at its finest. The book chronicles the first team to paddle the entire length of the Amazon River, from its sickness-inducing heights in the mountains of Peru to the Atlantic Ocean. There are a number [...]
Sand County Almanac (Outdoor Essays & Reflections) ©1949, 1953 Ballantine/Random House 295 pages A storm blew up out of nowhere this spring while I was solo paddling the South Branch of the Muskoka river, just outside of Bracebridge. I pushed my canoe into the brush at the end of a secluded bay, and watched the [...]
The Cabin: A Search for Personal Sanctuary © 2005 Natural Heritage Books 175 pages I’ve entrusted my life to Hap Wilson in the past: I’ve followed his maps through the backcountry of Temagami, and down the Missinaibi River. I have learned to respect his accurate map making and rapid-sketching skills. When I heard that he [...]
High latitudes: A northern journey © 2002 Key Porter Books 300 pages I’ve got a soft spot for Mowat. He’s the Don Cherry of environmentalism. He’s the cranky opinionated guy that I too often find myself agreeing with! In High Latitudes, Mowat recounts his 1966 trip through the Canadian arctic. This book is more than [...]
Wintergreen: Reflections from Loon Lake © 1999 Key Porter Books 150 pages Beautiful. Simply beautiful. If you’ve ever spent time in the wilderness, you should read this book. You will find yourself mentally revisiting all the places you’ve camped. More than that, Hummel will make you want to return to the outdoors. Hummel’s love for [...]
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