When I first heard our assignment was to read this book, it didn't really appeal to me...I thought, how much can you write about canoeing the Columbia River anyway? It just seemed it would be one big, long, boring story about canoeing and "guy stuff." I enjoy a good adventure and the book cover showed some promise, but I certainly didn't share the same level of appreciation for canoeing as Robin Cody...until now.
I must admit the first part of the book was a bit too much for my taste, although it did hit some high points when Robin had to navigate through rough water and wind conditions as well as the dams and locks. However, the anecdotal details about where to pitch the tent, the camping conditions, creepy critters, etc. left me less than inspired to read on. In fact, it took me twice as long to read the first 100 pages as the remaining 200 pages!
Perhaps my lack of appreciation for the journey on the upper Columbia was partly because I was unfamiliar with the geography and landmarks in Canada and I was more interested in learning about "our" part of the Columbia...specifically the part between Oregon and Washington.
Once Robin hit Grand Coulee Dam, my interest piqued as well as my memory of his travels. I don't recall many of the details about our river to the north, but at least now I know the source of the mighty river. Prior to reading Voyage of a Summer Sun, I had no idea the Columbia River source was in Canada, let alone so far up north.
I enjoyed the historical information about the sites and sounds of the river and the stories of the chance encounters with helpful strangers. The river draws a special kind of people; hard working, honest, warm-hearted, selfless, respectful, and humble people. People who honor the river and revere its majesty and fury...well, except for the people who built Hanford.
They were only interested in building bombs and not at all concerned for the welfare of the river and certainly not the people who lost their homes and property or their health as a result of the toxic waste.
I suppose it's easy to sit back now and criticize since we won the war with Japan and enjoy a life of freedom in the most powerful nation on earth, but one should take pause to ponder what might have been had we not won the war, bombs or not.
Captain Meriwether Lewis and William Clark took the risk of life, limb, and liberty to bring back the precious and valuable information of the Pacific Northwest of the United States territory. Their accomplishments of surviving the trek and delivering the data to the U.S. government, have altered the course of history, but have some Historian’s and author’s stating, “It produced nothing useful.”, and having “added little to the stock of science and wealth. Lewis and Clark’s expedition is one of the most famous and most unknown adventures of America’s frontier.
The United States was justified in dropping the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki for many reasons. First of all, just to start out, the bombings had nothing to do with Japan, it was about the Cold War and the real reason America used these weapons was to show Russia that the US possessed them. Second, the war in the Pacific had been raging for almost four years. The two battles immediately preceding the bomb decision were Iwo Jima and Okinawa, two battles where the Japanese fought to the death and the cost in American casualties was horrific. It was predicted that the invasion of the Japanese mainland at the Island of Kyushu -- scheduled for November of 1945 -- would be even worse.
In conclusion, I liked this book because it told about two different perspectives, one from the past and one from the present. It showed me the struggles Lewis and Clark faced, during their expedition, and what it was like to explore unknown terrain. I learned that the information gathered and the proof of an overland passage to the Pacific helped to open up the entire continent for rapid expansion and settlement to the new nation. It also told me about a family following in the footsteps of the Lewis and Clark expedition, and their excitement in doing so. I would defiantly recommend this book to my friends.
When Meriwether Lewis and William Clark first explored Montana in the early 1800s, they were awestruck by the open plains and delighted by the wide range of animals that roamed the land. After reaching the Great Falls, which is on the Missouri River in what is now Montana (Av2 books). Lewis wrote in his journal that it was “the grandest sight” that he had “ever beheld.” Today much of the landscape the Lewis and Clark crossed remains unchanged. The dense forest, rugged mountains, and rushing rivers are still abundant with fish and other wildlife.
Forsythe, Mark. The Trail of 1858 : British Columbia’s gold rush past. Canada: Harbour Publishing Co. Ltd., 2007.
Zaslow, Morris. The Defended Border, Upper Canada and the War of 1812. Toronto: MacMillian of Canada, 1983
... the ending of the book seemed too abrupt to me, and could be improved by making that a little smoother. It seemed like he was rushing to finish the book toward the end of the book, and quickly wrapped up the story at the end, I think that could be improved, but still nicely written.
There has not been a downward spiral with weapon usage since then either. No country has used a more destructive weapon on another country since the two bombings so the United States has not caused an even more violent Earth. President Harry S. Truman made the right call and ended the war. Japan has moved on since then. They now have become one of the world's wealthiest countries and one of the United States' most powerful allies. Although Japan was hurting for a while, they overcame their struggles which is testament to how strong the people of Japan are, just ask Tamiko Tamonaga and Sachie Tashima.
The dropping of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan were ethical decisions made by President Harry Truman and the United States government. By the time of the atom bomb was ready, the U.S. had been engaged in military conflict for over four years and lost over 400,000 soldiers. Truman claimed, "We would have the opportunity to bring the world into a pattern in which the peace of the world and our civilization can be saved" (Winkler 18). The bomb was aimed at ending the war immediately and avoiding prolonged battle in the Pacific Theater and the inevitable invasion of Japan. President Truman hoped that by showing the Japanese the devastating weapon the U.S. possessed, that the war could be brought ...
“My God, what have we done?” were the words that the co-pilot of Enola Gay wrote in his logbook after helping drop two bombs, one in Hiroshima and one in Nagasaki, that killed an estimated two-hundred thousand individuals. The bombings were completely unnecessary. Japan was already defeated because they lacked the necessary materials to continue a world war. The Japanese were prepared to surrender. There was no military necessity to drop the atomic bombs nor is there any factual information stating that the bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki were dropped to “save the lives of one million American soldiers.” The United States bombed Japan in August of 1945. The atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were uncalled for and could have been avoided.
The war was coming to a victorious conclusion for the Allies. Germany had fallen, and it was only a matter of time until Japan would fall as well. Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson was at the forefront of the American war effort, and saw atomic weaponry as a way out of the most monumental war ever. As discussed in Cabell Phillips’ book, The Truman Presidency: The History of a Triumphant Succession, Stimson was once quoted as saying that the atomic bomb has “more effect on human affairs than the theory of Copernicus and the Law of Gravity” (55). Stimson, a defendant of dropping the bomb on Japan, felt that the world would never be the same. If the world would change after using atomic weapons, could it possibly have changed for the better? One would think not. However, that person might be weary of the biased opinion of White House personnel. He or she should care more for the in depth analytical studies done by experts who know best as to why America should or should not have dropped the atomic bomb. As more and more evidence has been presented to researchers, expert opinion on whether or not the United States should have dropped the two atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki has also changed. More and more researchers seem to feel that the atomic bomb should never have been used (Alperovitz 16). Despite several officials’ claims to enormous death estimations, an invasion of Japan would have cost fewer total lives. In addition, post atomic bomb repercussions that occurred, such as the Arms Race, were far too great a price to pay for the two atomic drops. However, possibly the most compelling argument is that Japan would have surrendered with or without the United States using the atomic bomb. In defiance of top...
..., in a way that would undoubtedly change the image of the American military. The bomb on Hiroshima did just that, and left Japan with only the option to consider a surrender that would end the war. The first bomb was a horrific, necessary military operation. The bomb that destroyed Nagasaki just three days later, with a warning after the fact, was an animalistic attack. With the combination of the bomb on Hiroshima and the Russian invasion, the attack on Nagasaki was completely unnecessary. If the United States had never used the second bomb, the same conclusion would have been reached, but without the added destruction and brutal murder of innocent, noncombatant Japanese.
SImilarly, I did not really like the story because of the focus on nature. Though very well written, the emphasis on the conflict between human and nature, and the exorbitant amount of descriptions made the story less enjoyable for me. I prefer stories with a faster pace which is
Canada, also known as the “Great White North” is the second largest country in the world with a rich history located North America. Canada was originally inhabited by the Aboriginal people who crossed the Bering land bridge. The Aboriginals called this land “Kanata,” meaning “village.” These people would later be known as “Indians," named by the first explorers who mistakenly thought they were in the East Indies.
The descriptions of fishing procedures and equipment are often confusing, they are a vital part of the plot. Which gives the reader a better insight to what these fishermen went though. Without these details, readers would not be able to picture the dangers of the storm the way Junger wanted them to. The book is interesting, but never melodramatic. There is just enough tension in the conflict between man and nature to keep readers on the edge of their seats. Junger never tries to saturate his readers with so much emotion that they roll their eyes in disgust. He makes the fear and desperation realistic and believable.