Hard Rivers: The Untold Saga of La Salle: Expedition II

by Craig P. Howard

In Hard Rivers, author Craig P. Howard recounts the harrowing journey of La Salle: Expedition II, a reenactment of the 1681–82 voyage of La Salle from Montreal to the Gulf of Mexico. The crew, made up of sixteen teenage boys and seven adults led by one charismatic teacher, launched their canoes on August 11, 1976, and arrived at the Gulf on April 9, 1977, 3,300 miles later. Lake Michigan and Midwest rivers froze solid in the historic cold, forcing the teens to march 500 miles, first from Chicago to St. Joseph, Michigan and then across Indiana and Illinois. Despite temperatures of twenty-seven below and wind chills of seventy-eight below, near fatalities outside Green Bay, and a truck accident near Hebron, Indiana that hospitalized four, they achieved something that had never been done before and will never be done again.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

360 pages, Paperback

First published July 15, 2016

Reviews

[RJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

A dangerous, harrowing never to be forgotten reenactment of LaSalle's 1600s canoe journey from Montreal to the Gulf in the 1970s.Despite it being one of the coldest winters ever recorded, all who started the trip, finished it despite the hardships, disagreements, injuries and problems. The author has covered every detail and involved the reader in every dip of a paddle, every mile walked, finishing the book with details of the participants lives now.

[Veronica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have always been fascinated by the early history of North America with the first encounters with the Native People, Voyageurs, explorers, and early settlers especially the amazing European men who explored an unknown and dangerous land so I jumped at the chance to read about a reenactment of one of our early explorers, La Salle.
Led by the passion and determination of the main organizer, Reid, a hardy group of 16 teenage boys and 7 adults underwent rigorous training and preparation to make a modern day trek of the route that La Salle did in 1681-1682.
I found the story of the research, training, and preparation a bit tedious at times but I think it was fully necessary to have it in the book to ensure that readers comprehend just how much time and effort went into preparing for the journey. I found the story of the journey itself to be not only mesmerizing but also tense and nerve-wracking to the point where I could not put the book down.
These amazing people faced such incredible feats and extreme danger at times. I was especially touched by how the author showed (with help from most of the participants) how it changed them and affected the rest of their lives after they completed their quest. This is a story that deserves to be told and retold. I am amazed at the courage and determination that these men had. I really wish there was a way to make a movie or mini-series about this feat as I don't think too many people remember and they do deserve to be remembered as well as the history of our early explorers.
I received a copy of this book from the publishers for free in exchange for an honest review. If you love history and adventure I would highly recommend this book.

[Olivia · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Hard Rivers" tells the story of the LaSalle: Expedition II team, a group of teachers and recent high school graduates in the 1970s who journeyed by lakes and rivers from Montreal to the Gulf of Mexico, following the 1600s expedition of LaSalle. It's a journey that takes a great deal of time and endurance, as they face nature and winter.

The book is written like a very extended newspaper article, which makes sense since Howard was a writer for the Houston Chronicle for a number of years. Facts are given with several quotes from the participants from interviews, journals, and other sources. The use of images is a nice touch, allowing you to picture the canoes and people as they actually were. Although nature was certainly an enemy, their ability to get along with each other was the omnipresent foe.

It's an impressive journey that they made, and I am actually surprised that it would have been allowed from teachers, school boards, etc. but these were addressed towards the beginning with insurance policies, etc. The book is well written and gives a documentary of the events before, during, and after this adventurous expedition. I'd be interested to read a subjective account of the events and journey from one of the participants as well.

Please note that I received a copy of this book through a goodreads giveaway.

[Fredrick Danysh · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 1976 a group of young men recreate La Salle's 1681-1682 expedition down the Mississippi River. The work discusses the hardships of the group and the changes that have occurred to the environment since La Salle's time. I found the work interesting as I taught about La Salle's Gulf of Mexico expedition and the loss of the La Belle off the Texas coast during my many years as a Texas history teacher. This was a free review copy through Goodreads.com.

[Kevin R Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating real life story

I bought this book after stumbling on the recording by the expedition in a used record store in Princeton, Illinois. I gre up about 45 minutes from the high school that gave rise to the high school. I had never of it. This was an amazing story grounded in the Midwest of my childhood. It is well told and a story worth telling.

[gnarlyhiker · Rating 2 out of 5]

Where's the beef? Howard reports too much of the interpersonal conflicts between the re-enactors and not enough of the physical beauty of the adventure. I expected more of the latter.

good luck


**ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley

[Joshua · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this book in a giveaway. Hard Rivers, author Craig P. Howard recounts the harrowing journey of La Salle: Expedition II, a reenactment of the 1681–82 voyage of La Salle from Montreal to the Gulf of Mexico. It's a great book that journeys into this expedition.

[Eyani · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great read about an unorthodox trip

[Scott Hensley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. As a fan of History it was exciting to learn about the struggles that we face during exploration. Very well done!!