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tomas 
Group: Members
Posts: 2366
Joined: Oct. 2006
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Posted on: Jan. 15 2013, 4:01 pm |
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I first picked up Arctic Crossing: One Man’s 2000 Mile Odyssey Among the Inuit by Jonathan Waterman while doing research for a bucket list trip. Over the course of three summers Waterman kayaked, skied, and dogsledded along the Northwest Passage coast. While the book provides an interesting overview of the land and animals encountered during his trip, the bulk of the observations are about his interactions with the Inuit.
He reminds the reader several times that he suffered from the same illusion that many have about the Inuit and how they maintain their traditional way of life (ie hunting seals with spears). The reality, however, was a shock to his system. The Inuit struggle to determine how much of their traditional way of life and culture is to be maintained and how much “civilized” influences need to be incorporated. He observes how in hunting camps the Inuit display a proud identity, yet town life grinds them down to the point where the hopelessness matches that of inner-city life in a metropolis. There is a fair amount of pontification against Canadian policies towards the Inuit and at times his dwelling on the subject was tiring. On the flip side, he also is both amused and disgusted with modern Inuit life.
Overall this is an interesting book if you are interested in one man’s observations of modern Inuit life and how the appearance of the Northwest Passage coast.
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To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.
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| Post Number: 2
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mtngrl
Group: Members
Posts: 3516
Joined: Feb. 2002
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Posted on: Jan. 24 2013, 12:43 pm |
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tomas, glad to read your review. I have this book on my list, but I'm not sure I'll read it after reading how much is about the Inuit and Canadian political views. I'll keep it on my list and see later, if I'll read it.
tomas, have you seen the movie "The Red Tent"? I just saw it (again) yesterday, and it is one of my favorites.
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“He who knows the most, he who knows what sweets and virtues are in the ground, the waters, the plants, the heavens and how to come at these enchantments, is the rich and royal man” -- from Nature, by Ralph Waldo Emerson
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tomas
Group: Members
Posts: 2366
Joined: Oct. 2006
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Posted on: Jan. 25 2013, 10:00 am |
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The one with Sean Connery? Yep, I got it from Netflix a year or so ago and watched it. Hadn't seen it from when I was a teenager and really liked it. Obviously it took liberties with the entire event, but the court of honor concept was pretty darn cool. A definite must see for polar buffs.
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To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.
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| Post Number: 4
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mtngrl
Group: Members
Posts: 3516
Joined: Feb. 2002
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Posted on: Jan. 31 2013, 1:13 pm |
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Yes, that's the one. Glad you've seen it. Yes, interesting concept with the "court".
Now, about this author Jonathan Waterman (Arctic Odessy). I may realy have this wrong, but I think there was a guy by that name, who wrote for Backpacker Magazine in their early years. He wrote a lot about the NE US. He ended up commiting suicide and years ago I read a book about it. Do you know if this is the same guy?
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“He who knows the most, he who knows what sweets and virtues are in the ground, the waters, the plants, the heavens and how to come at these enchantments, is the rich and royal man” -- from Nature, by Ralph Waldo Emerson
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| Post Number: 5
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tomas
Group: Members
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Joined: Oct. 2006
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Posted on: Feb. 01 2013, 10:55 am |
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Huh, I did some quick internet scanning and found and interview with National Geographic from 2007. Nothing after that.
His Northwest Passage trip took place in the 1990s, so it is possible he is the guy you are thinking about.
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To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.
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GoBlueHiker
Obsessive Island Hopper...
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Joined: Jul. 2006
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Posted on: Feb. 01 2013, 11:46 am |
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Just to clarify, there are two Jon/John Waterman's. I read Jon's (the author's) book "In the Shadow of Denali" several years back, and he describes the other John (the climber) Waterman, who was a young but very prolific Alaskan climber that apparently committed suicide in 1981 after personal struggles by telling friends and family not to look for him, and headed out on a solo climb up a face of Denali, and was never seen again. There are rumors that he might have just "disappeared" intentionally, is still alive, etc etc, but no one really knew. He just disappeared, probably swallowed by the mountain... whether his disappearance was intentional is a matter of conjecture. (This is from my recollection of the book... some details might be off but that's the gist of it.)
The two guys can easily be confused, since they frequently were in the same circles but never actually met each other.
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Wealth needs more. Happiness needs less. Simplify.
www.RainForestTreks.com
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| Post Number: 7
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mtngrl
Group: Members
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Joined: Feb. 2002
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Posted on: Feb. 11 2013, 2:46 pm |
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OK, I have it wrong. It is Guy Waterman I'm thinking of. I believe he died on a mountaintop in the Northeast. It was suicide. His wife, Laura Waterman, wrote a book titiled "Losing the Garden", about how she accepted the fact that he was going to commit sucide. a curious book. As I remember, he wrote often for Backpacker Magazine in the early days. My mistake.
Thanks for the info, GoBlue, and just a note, I get such a kick out of your Barbara, so glad you two got together.
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“He who knows the most, he who knows what sweets and virtues are in the ground, the waters, the plants, the heavens and how to come at these enchantments, is the rich and royal man” -- from Nature, by Ralph Waldo Emerson
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