Journey (1989)

In Michener terms, this is not a long, saga
book. But a very fascinating read. ( )

Enjoyed immensely. Sad story about a failed expedition and a lesson to be learned about foolish stubborness, arrogance. ( )

Haven't read Michener in years. Found this paperback copy in my "Littte Free Library" on the corer of my block.
Very short or a Michener but just as good as ny of his longer writings. ( )

In July of 1897 the ship Portland docked at Seattle and set off the great gold rush to the Klondike fields. Many adventures set off from Seattle and made their way up to Alaska and into Canada. This tale is part of the book Alaska by James A. Michener. However, a few decided to bypass America all together and made their way through Canada starting at the eastern seaboard. This book is the tale of five such travellers and their experiences in the vastness of the Canadian Arctic. A good read, with a different take on the tale for those familiar with the Alaskan version. ( )

After reading about the Klondike Gold Rush in the newspapers, Lord Evelyn Luton takes a notion to travel to the gold fields in Canada. He's more interested in the adventure than in striking it rich, and for patriotic reasons he determines to travel within the confines of the British Empire, without straying into the United States. His stubborn refusal to take any of the easier routes that would take his party through Alaska leads to tragic consequences for his traveling party.

Since I'm not an outdoorsy person, I don't usually read wilderness adventure stories unless there is some other aspect to the story that appeals to me. In this case, I was drawn to the history of the gold rush and to the characters who formed Lord Luton's party - four men from England's privileged class and an Irish servant. One of the travelers carried Palgrave's Golden Treasury, and the poems or fragments of poems scattered through the novel are some of my favorites from my high school days - Robert Herrick's "The Poetry of Dress" and "Counsel to Girls", Shelley's "Ozymandias", Milton's "On His Blindness".

This book would be a good choice for supplemental reading in a course on leadership. It illustrates the folly of refusing to alter one's plans in light of new information or a change in circumstance. ( )