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The Winds of Mara
Very Good Hardcover New Alfred A. Knopf, 1973. First edition, first printing. Observations about natural life in the Masai country in southern Kenya. Brown cloth with gilt decoration and lettering, map endpapers, tinted top edge, illustrated title spread, 343 pages, color illustrated dustjacket. The book is in very good condition with light edge and surface rubbing, sound text block, good hinges, clean pages with no names or other markings. The mylar protected dustjacket is priceclipped and is also in very good condition with some minor chipping to tips of spine panel and some surface soil, mainly a bit of finger soil to the front and rear panels.. First Edition. Hard Cover. Very Good/Very Good. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall.
- GenresNonfiction
343 pages, Hardcover
Published January 1, 1973
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About the author
Colin Fletcher
66 books49 followersColin Fletcher was a pioneering backpacker and writer.
In 1963, Fletcher became the first to walk the length of Grand Canyon entirely within the rim of the canyon "in one go" — only second to complete the entire journey — as chronicled in his bestselling 1967 memoir The Man Who Walked Through Time. Through his influential hiker's guide, The Complete Walker, published the same year, he became a kind of "spiritual godfather" of the wilderness backpacking movement. Through successive editions, this book became the definitive work on the topic, and was christened "the Hiker's Bible" by Field and Stream magazine.
In 1963, Fletcher became the first to walk the length of Grand Canyon entirely within the rim of the canyon "in one go" — only second to complete the entire journey — as chronicled in his bestselling 1967 memoir The Man Who Walked Through Time. Through his influential hiker's guide, The Complete Walker, published the same year, he became a kind of "spiritual godfather" of the wilderness backpacking movement. Through successive editions, this book became the definitive work on the topic, and was christened "the Hiker's Bible" by Field and Stream magazine.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
July 6, 2017
Colin Fletcher described walking as “…a quite delectable madness, very good for sanity”. I am in complete agreement. Years ago I was introduced to the “long grassy ridge”, ten minutes drive from where Fletcher then lived, which shows up in various of Fletcher's writings, unidentified by him, but which I have always liked to believe to have been Mt. Tamalpais State Park in Marin County, north of San Francisco. Or Muir Woods. Or maybe it was Golden Gate National Recreation Area.
Or maybe not.
It very well could have been one of the many state or regional parks of the East Bay. I suppose I will never know.
I never met Fletcher, although we lived on the same coast, if not within exactly the same generation, and so came to know him through his books. Having read most of them, I always wished I might have known him, if only a brief introduction at a signing. Fletcher was, nonetheless, the companion who came along on my limited and usually solitary offroad adventures along forest trails and ocean beaches. His words, his philosophy, his admiration of the earth he traversed came with me. From his writings, I knew him to be spare, rugged, entrepreneurial and adventurous, but at the same time possessing a dry Britannic wit and gentle soul. His dedication in “The Complete Walker” is to his mother, “…who understood that walking for fun is no crazier than most things in life, and who passed the information along.”
Fletcher nominally wrote of backpacking, seldom using the verb form but instead referring to the more generic “walking”, undertaken in an extended form, distances long enough to take one far enough to require equipment for shelter, sleeping and cooking. As a young man, f newly graduated from high school in the late 60’s, I was captivated with the concept of going beyond the designated campsite by the road where I camped with my family, to wilder places, carrying everything I would need for the kind of long walks Fletcher described and wrote about. Simply walking, but with a “house on your back”, as Fletcher call it.
I have all Fletcher's books. They are and have been, collectively, my favorite form of armchair adventure.
Or maybe not.
It very well could have been one of the many state or regional parks of the East Bay. I suppose I will never know.
I never met Fletcher, although we lived on the same coast, if not within exactly the same generation, and so came to know him through his books. Having read most of them, I always wished I might have known him, if only a brief introduction at a signing. Fletcher was, nonetheless, the companion who came along on my limited and usually solitary offroad adventures along forest trails and ocean beaches. His words, his philosophy, his admiration of the earth he traversed came with me. From his writings, I knew him to be spare, rugged, entrepreneurial and adventurous, but at the same time possessing a dry Britannic wit and gentle soul. His dedication in “The Complete Walker” is to his mother, “…who understood that walking for fun is no crazier than most things in life, and who passed the information along.”
Fletcher nominally wrote of backpacking, seldom using the verb form but instead referring to the more generic “walking”, undertaken in an extended form, distances long enough to take one far enough to require equipment for shelter, sleeping and cooking. As a young man, f newly graduated from high school in the late 60’s, I was captivated with the concept of going beyond the designated campsite by the road where I camped with my family, to wilder places, carrying everything I would need for the kind of long walks Fletcher described and wrote about. Simply walking, but with a “house on your back”, as Fletcher call it.
I have all Fletcher's books. They are and have been, collectively, my favorite form of armchair adventure.
May 24, 2023
This book does a wonderful job of capturing the natural beauty of the savannah. Colin describes wildlife and man's impact. While at times he cones off as a curmudgeon, ultimately, he sees (and aptly describes) the natural beauty of Africa. It would be interesting to see how conservation has preserved the Mara.
June 1, 2018
It took a while to get through this one. I don't find the writing style as engaging as Fletcher's other books. It is still interesting but there are rough patches where I believe the prose and descriptions of places, animals or events are not well polished.
June 16, 2007
way out o' print. if you ever see this book, buy it for me and i'll pay you back.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews