Kings of the Yukon
An Alaskan River Journey
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Penguin Books Ltd
Published:6th Jun '19
Should be back in stock very soon
This captivating narrative follows Adam Weymouth's four-month canoe journey down the Yukon River, exploring its stunning landscapes and the challenges faced by its inhabitants as salmon populations decline.
Kings of the Yukon is a compelling narrative that chronicles Adam Weymouth's remarkable four-month journey by canoe along the Yukon River, which stretches nearly 2,000 miles through Canada and Alaska. This adventure takes readers through one of North America's most stunning and remote landscapes, where Weymouth not only immerses himself in the natural beauty but also connects with the people who have inhabited this wilderness for generations. His eloquent prose evokes the spirit of the region, reminiscent of the writing style of Robert Macfarlane.
At the heart of Weymouth's journey is the king salmon, a species that has long been vital to the local communities along the river. As he navigates the waters, Weymouth reveals the deep bond between the inhabitants and the salmon, whose annual migration has sustained their way of life. However, the narrative also addresses pressing environmental concerns, as the salmon populations decline and modern influences threaten traditional lifestyles. This dual focus on personal experience and broader ecological issues adds depth to the story, making it not just an adventure tale but also a poignant reflection on change and loss.
Through vivid descriptions and heartfelt encounters, Kings of the Yukon serves as both an exploration of a breathtaking landscape and a meditation on the fragility of the natural world. Weymouth's insightful observations and powerful storytelling position him as a significant voice in contemporary travel writing, capturing the essence of a world that is rapidly disappearing.
Weymouth combines acute political, personal and ecological understanding, with the most beautiful writing reminiscent of a young Robert Macfarlane . . . He is, I have no doubt, a significant voice for the future . . . a really outstanding new contemporary British voice . . . I've never seen such a strong and excited consensus among the judges for a winner. -- Andrew Holgate, Sunday Times literary editor and judge of the Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year Award 2018
Lyrical ... The elegiac tone that fills Kings of the Yukon, the sorrow at the loss of culture and nature in the wilderness, is an unavoidable reflection of life in the 21st century -- Richard Lea * Guardian *
A rich and fascinating book ... So vivid it reads like a thriller ... I was hooked -- Elisa Segrave * Spectator *
[Weymouth's] account ... is so assured, so accomplished, that I found it hard to believe it was his first book ... rich in characters, and beautifully written. -- Michael Kerr, 'The best Christmas books for travellers' * The Telegraph *
An epic ... Eloquent and tautly written -- Tom Fort * Literary Review *
I was knocked sideways by this book and quite unexpectedly. Adam Weymouth takes his place beside the great travel writers like Chatwin, Thubron, Leigh Fermor, in one bound. But like their books this is about so much more than just travel. -- Susan Hill
[A] brilliant account of a summer spent paddling the 2,000-mile length of the Yukon River... Kings of the Yukon succeeds as an adventure tale, a natural history and a work of art. Its various threads of context and back story are woven seamlessly into the daily panorama of the river journey -- Richard Adams Carey * Wall Street Journal *
Dazzling, often in unexpected ways, Adam Weymouth is a wonderful travel writer, nature writer, adventure writer - along the way, he is also a nuanced examiner of some of the world's most fraught and urgent questions about the interconnectedness of people and the natural world. -- Kamila Shamsie, author of 'Home Fire'
This is the best kind of travel writing. Weymouth embarks on an ambitious journey - 2,000 miles down the Yukon in a canoe - voyaging, listening and learning. An outstanding book -- Rob Penn * author of The Man Who Made Things Out of Trees *
An enthralling account of a literary and scientific quest. Adam Weymouthvividly conveys the raw grandeur and deep silences of the Yukon landscape, and endows his subject, the river's King Salmon, with a melancholy nobility -- Luke Jennings * author of Blood Knots and Atlantic *
- Winner of The Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year 2018 (UK)
- Winner of Lonely Planet Adventure Travel Book of the Year 2019 (UK)
ISBN: 9780141983790
Dimensions: 198mm x 131mm x 17mm
Weight: 214g
288 pages