Peter Stark (1) (1954–)

I have always been in awe of people that can set out upon the unknown, take themselves into the wilderness and survive, and At The Mercy of the River delivered all these things and then some. Peter Stark writes of the fifteen day expedition when he and four others set out upon Mozambique’s Lugenda River on a kayaking trip. Their goal was to be the first party to make the first descent of this unpaddled river.

They succeeded in their goal, and his written account relates both the good and show more the bad. His descriptions of this unspoiled wilderness and the wildlife they encountered along the way painted a picture that brought this land to vivid life. The river itself was a force to be reckoned with as they contended with rapids, waterfalls, and gorges that would try all of their strength and endurance. Travelling with five strong personalities meant that there were clashes, and the author battled with both control issues and his own insecurities.

Being aware that they were caught up in an adventure much like the African explorers that went before them, the author often found himself contemplating on the stories of some of the greatest African explorers. Throughout the book, he sprinkled tales of Vasco de Gama, Mungo Park and David Livingstone along with others which helped both himself and the reader to better understand the “hows and the whys” of exploration.

At The Mercy Of The River is a well written adventure story that is riveting and informative. This was a life changing fifteen days for all members of the party and is a book I highly recommend. show less

Non-fiction narrative of the journeys involved in the original settlement of Astoria, “the first American colony on the West Coast of North America, much in the way that Jamestown and Plymouth were the first British colonies on its East Coast.” Peter Stark relates John Jacob Astor’s vision of becoming a magnate of global commerce and how he attempted to make it a reality. To do so, “in 1810, he would send two advance parties—one around Cape Horn by sea on the Tonquin and one across show more America by land.”

This book is an adventure story involving American history, exploration, leadership, globalization, colonization, entrepreneurship, and biography, all woven together into an engaging, and sometimes shocking, story of the establishment of the first non-native settlement in the Pacific Northwest. It is a story of character and leadership styles, and the very tangible outcomes of decisions made at critical junctures. It made me question, before the decision was made, what I would I have done, and would it have turned out better or worse?

Stark provides a striking account of the physical and mental anguish endured by these adventurers. He also presents another example of cultural insensitivity in the treatment of the Native Americans, and how, ironically, the expedition would never have succeeded without their assistance. It is a tale of how extreme stress brings out the best and worst in human nature.

I very much enjoyed this action-oriented factual adventure, including vignettes such as:
• An explosion of immense proportions
• A group reduced to eating their moccasins (and worse)
• A pregnant woman with two small children walking most of the way across the remote wilderness

My quibbles with the book are few. While Thomas Jefferson is mentioned in the ever-so-long subtitle, his involvement is not covered in much depth. There are a few typos in the Kindle edition and the section about the War of 1812 was, for me, not as cohesive or compelling as the rest of the book. Recommended to those interested in true adventures, exploration, or American history. show less

A popular account of a nearly forgotten epic of commercial empire building, the striking thing to me is the raw hubris of it all, as Astor's vision depended too much on men who were not as committed as him in the face of too many unknowns; never mind that it's hard to imagine that Astoria could have really survived the course of war. Still, the whole exercise most certainly contributed to the course of American empire, as the the overland contingent of Astor's company (by the skin of their show more teeth) essentially pioneered the Oregon Trail. show less

A well-written story of Stark's 14-day kayak journey down the Lugenda river in Mozambique in the company of four other kayakers. Before leaving, he considered many of the risks in such a trip in an uncharted area. In reality the hazards were more numerous: relationship with others on the team, the lesser skills of some members, health problems, conditions, and even being scared. Stark is contemplative throughout the journey and his honesty is refreshing without being navel-gazing. The show more journal is interspersed with accounts of historical exploration in Africa that adds interest and comparisons. In some respects, little has changed in this area. Recommended. show less