For years William Nealy has been delighting whitewater paddlers with his informative and hilarious cartoon maps of popular canoeing and kayaking steams. Practically collectors' items, these maps are sought by paddlers all over the United States for their accuracy, relevance, and wild insider's perspective on those strange creatures who inhabit the exotic sport of whitewater paddling. Now, for the first time, Nealy has coupled his most celebrated Southeastern U.S. river maps with an anthology of cartoons, paddling homilies, and unsolicited advice. The result is a crazed but incredible book titled Whitewater Home Companion, Southeastern Rivers, Volume I. Through his distinctive drawing and wholly peculiar river-submarine terminology, Nealy successfully reveals rivers and boaters alike as never before. Contained within the covers of this book is a wealth of information and humor good for many hours of pleasure both on and off the river.
A world-famous cartoonist, William Nealy is best-known for his groundbreaking book Kayak, which combined expert paddling instruction as well as artful caricatures and parodies of the whitewater enthusiasts themselves. The quality of his work transcends its subject; this book, and the others which followed, spawned a host of imitators, and made William a cult figure in the world of outdoor sports. Born on February 4th, 1953, Nealy grew up in Birmingham, Alabama. Never comfortable in a highly structured environment, he left high school before graduating, and then attended St. Johns College, eventually graduating from Birmingham-Southern. He brought a thorough and rigorous intelligence to his interests and avocations, all of which, in his hands, became arts.
A classic! Although he classifies some rapids more conservatively than current AWA standards and refers to some rapids with other names than those they are known by today, his wit and experience shine through on every page. I enjoyed reading [and seeing] his observations on familiar runs and added a few new ones to my bucket list.