Fearlessness, and possibly foolishness, compelled Kenton Grua and a small crew to launch a refurbished dory, a flat-bottomed fishing boat, named Emerald Mile into the Colorado River "on the crest of flood tide" late one night in the summer of 1983. Grua used the swollen river "as a kind of hydraulic slingshot" to pitch them as fast as possible from Lee's Ferry on one end of the canyon, to the Grand Wash Cliffs on the other. In this absorbing volume, writer and part-time river guide Fedarko provides an intimate look at Grua's motivations and accomplishments. Nicknamed "the Factor" because he "injected a uniquely wild-ass variable into the river equation," Grua was implacably stubborn and combative, but also intensely playful. More importantly, he had a genuine appreciation for "the grand whole of the "—the river, the rim rock, and the trails in between. Grua's wild ride on the Colorado, how it mirrored his mercurial personality, is just one part of Fedarko's story; however, the river, which runs through seven states, and the canyon, rich in both geological and political history, prove to be the real protagonists. Eight page photo insert. Agent: Jennifer Joel, ICM. (May)
"Journalist and part-time river guide Kevin Fedarko has produced a work of jaw-dropping scope and page-turning action in this account of a speed record of rowing the length of the Grand Canyon that remains unmatched.... An unforgettable read, rendered in vivid, sometimes majestic, prose."
"This spellbinding true story leaps from the inner workings of Glen Canyon Dam and the psyches of river guides to boat-eating whirlpools and a wooden river dory named the Emerald Mile. Kevin Fedarko’s prodigious research and breathtaking narrative transcend the Southwest. It’s a roaring adventure with wave after wave of spills and thrills. Let’s hope Fedarko owns the movie rights."
"The Emerald Mile is the rarest of creations–a magical convergence of words and paper, wood and water, rock and sky, human character and cosmic caprice. Can an adventure story be as beautiful as it is heart-stopping and exciting? This one is, and Fedarko’s book is as inspiring as a dory itself, flying down a wild river. I have no doubt it will become an instant classic, a timeless chronicle of what can still be legitimately called the American spirit."
author of Swimming in the Volcano and Easy in the Islands - Bob Shacochis
Grua’s wild ride on the Colorado, how it mirrored his mercurial personality, is just one part of Fedarko’s story; however, the ride, which runs through seven states, and the canyon, rich in both geological and political history, prove to be the real protagonists.
"Fedarko's first book is a masterpiece of literary nonfiction, a method of writing that uses the techniques of novelists and short story writers to tell true stories in a compelling manner. Think Into Thin Air or The Perfect Storm . Fedarko spent years as an editor at Outside magazine, working with some of the best writers in the world; with The Emerald Mile , he has joined them as a thoughtful, thorough researcher and superb storyteller."
Fedarko’s effortlessly engaging narrative... is a labor of passion from an adventurous journalist who still calls the Grand Canyon home.
At its heart an engrossing meditation on the eternal struggle between man and nature.
Grua’s wild ride on the Colorado, how it mirrored his mercurial personality, is just one part of Fedarko’s story; however, the ride, which runs through seven states, and the canyon, rich in both geological and political history, prove to be the real protagonists.
It would not be overblown to say The Emerald Mile deserves a spot on the bookshelf alongside such enduring classics as Cadillac Desert , Desert Solitaire and Encounters with the Archdruid . It's that good.
Kevin Fedarko’s new brilliant work... is the story about wilderness and the American mind, albeit an American mind juiced on Class V adrenaline... Perhaps because we sympathize so strongly with the characters of The Emerald Mile— thanks in no small part to Fedarko’s flowing prose— you'll feel yourself lurching along with them on wooden boats, in ocher-hued canyons, beneath cobalt skies, into the frenzied thrashings of the Colorado River as the very landscape of the West attempts to choke it.
"From the bottom of our planet's most awesome landscape, Kevin Fedarko has found and rescued a great American tall tale that just happens to be true. As a boatman, Fedarko knows this world intimately. As a writer, he'll make you understand it, savor it, and ultimately love it as you never have before. Here is an instant classic of adventure literature—a story shot through with bravura but also touched by the rarest kind of grandeur."
editor-at-large at Outside Magazine and author of Blood and Thunder and Ghost Soldiers - Hampton Sides
His poetic and descriptive writing should only brighten his accolades and helps his non-fiction book read like a fast-paced fiction adventure... It isn’t necessary to be a history buff or whitewater expert to enjoy this story...With meticulous research, notes and epilogue, Fedarko tells a satisfying story that is quite an entertaining ride.
Kevin Fedarko's magnificent book covers a lot of ground – and water... So it is a great boon of Fedarko’s book that he tells the story of the dam, and of the engineers and technicians who built it... with as much respect and homage as he gives to the dorymen.
The Emerald Mile re-creates an incredible voyage through the flood-swollen Grand Canyon in such heart-pounding detail that you need to pause every few pages to catch your breath... He writes so vividly that your favorite reading chair becomes a spray-soaked perch on a bucking boat hit hard by a river running high and fast.
"The Emerald Mile is the rarest of creations–a magical convergence of words and paper, wood and water, rock and sky, human character and cosmic caprice. Can an adventure story be as beautiful as it is heart-stopping and exciting? This one is, and Fedarko’s book is as inspiring as a dory itself, flying down a wild river. I have no doubt it will become an instant classic, a timeless chronicle of what can still be legitimately called the American spirit."
From the bottom of our planet's most awesome landscape, Kevin Fedarko has found and rescued a great American tallt ale that just happens to be true. As a boatman, Fedarko knows this world intimately. As a writer, he'll make you understand it, savor it, and ultimately love it as you never have before. Here is an instant classic of adventure literature—a story shot through with bravura but also touched by the rarest kind of grandeur.
Man's indomitable need for adventure is the only thing more impressive than the awesome power of nature and the brilliance of technology described in this lovingly rendered retelling of one of the most remarkable events ever to occur inside the Grand Canyon. In 1983, at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, a confluence of unlikely events provided three unique characters with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to become the fastest to ever race through that singular marvel in a rowboat. How these quirky "dory men" were able to surmount every obstacle thrown in their way and actually attempt this remarkable undertaking is breathtaking enough. But theirs is not the only tale being told. This is the story of the Grand Canyon itself, harkening all the way back to the days when a band of befuddled Conquistadors first stumbled upon its rim and failed to grasp its magnitude. It is also the story of the Glen Canyon Dam, that Herculean feat of human ingenuity that was constructed with the staggering imperative to harness the power of the Colorado River. Former Time staff writer Fedarko's extensive knowledge of both, coupled with his powers of description, are almost as impressive. Powerful and poetic passages put readers inside the adventurers' boats, even if they have only ever imagined the Grand Canyon or seen it in pictures. "Every mile or so, the walls opened and gave way to yet another side canyon filled with secret springs and waterfalls," he writes. "The air was alive with pink-and-lavender dragonflies that paused, twitchingly, on the shafts of their suspended oars." Each piece of the extensive back story is assembled as lyrically as the epoch-spanning walls of the canyon itself and as assuredly as the soaring concrete face of its dams. An epic-sized true-life adventure tale that appeals to both the heart and the head.
"From the bottom of our planet's most awesome landscape, Kevin Fedarko has found and rescued a great American tall tale that just happens to be true . As a boatman, Fedarko knows this world intimately. As a writer, he'll make you understand it, savor it, and ultimately love it as you never have before. Here is an instant classic of adventure literature—a story shot through with bravura but also touched by the rarest kind of grandeur."
editor-at-large at Outside magazine and author of Blood and Thunder and Ghost Soldiers - Hampton Sides
Author Fedarko recounts the true adventure of a speed run through the Grand Canyon in a wooden boat during the terrifying 1983 flood. Narrator Paul Michael Garcia grabs listeners' attention right away with his ominous tone. There are some side trips, though, that are less gripping. The early sections of the audiobook provide background information on such things as the Spanish exploration of the region and dam building. It's interesting but a bit long. Garcia's graceful voice works well for the descriptions of the canyon’s beauty, but some listeners may still feel like listening to the book’s opening and then skipping to the second half. From there, Garcia delivers the drama of the run itself with every word, for an edge-of-the-seat thrill. Listeners will want to keep going to the last drop to learn the Emerald Mile crew's fortunes. J.A.S. © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine