The exhilaration of challenging and surviving rapids in a fragile canoe has made white water canoeing one of the fastest growing sports in Canada. Much of this book is concerned with analyzing white water, with the techniques for handling it rather than trying to conquer it by brute force, with canoeing safety, and with the planning and organizing of safe but adventurous trips.

But The Canoe and White Water goes far beyond primers in canoeing skills. It sets the sport in the contexts of history, technology, geology and physics. The author describes how canoes have been made over the centuries, the factors governing their design, and the features to look for in choosing one today. In tracing the history of the canoe, he rediscovers part of the Canadian heritage. His own experience has led him to pursue the sciences which help the canoeist understand the sport: he discusses the physics of river turbulence, the geological formation of rivers, and environmental questions. His interests range from the personal rights of modern canoeists to the eating habits of the voyageurs of old. The book reflects his enthusiasm and his research.

The text is illustrated with modern photographs, instructive drawings of paddle strokes and river situations. It is a clear, concise, and interesting account which will delight the enthusiast and intrigue the curious.

C.E.S. Franksis a professor emeritus of the Department of Political Science at Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario. He has also prepared a television series and written articles on canoeing.

C.E.S. Franks' profile page

"This is a broad and penetrating review by an expert. It is a book canoeists, wilderness as well as white water, have waited for -- to read for pleasure and keep for reference."

Eric Morse