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Northwest Passage
Told through the eyes of primary character Langdon Towne, much of this novel centers around the exploits and character of Robert Rogers, the leader of Rogers' Rangers, who were a colonial force fighting with the British during the French and Indian War.
Structurally, Northwest Passage is divided into halves. The first half is a carefully researched, day-by-day recreation of the raid by Rogers' Rangers on the Indian village at Saint-François-du-Lac, Quebec (or Saint Francis, to the Americans troops), a settlement of the Abenakis, an American Indian tribe. The second half of the novel covers Rogers' later life in London, England and Fort Michilimackinac, Michigan. Roberts' decision to cover the novel's material in two distinct halves followed the actual trajectory of Rogers' life.
Structurally, Northwest Passage is divided into halves. The first half is a carefully researched, day-by-day recreation of the raid by Rogers' Rangers on the Indian village at Saint-François-du-Lac, Quebec (or Saint Francis, to the Americans troops), a settlement of the Abenakis, an American Indian tribe. The second half of the novel covers Rogers' later life in London, England and Fort Michilimackinac, Michigan. Roberts' decision to cover the novel's material in two distinct halves followed the actual trajectory of Rogers' life.
Unknown Binding
First published January 1, 1937
About the author
Kenneth Roberts
82 books108 followersKenneth Lewis Roberts, a noted American, wrote his historical novels, including
Northwest Passage
(1937), about the colonial period.
Roberts worked first as a then popular nationally known journalist with the Saturday Evening Post from 1919 to 1928. Roberts specialized in regionalist historical fiction. He often wrote about terrain of his native state and also depicted other upper states and scenes of New England. He for example depicts, the main characters in Arundel and Rabble in Arms from Kennebunk, then called Arundel; the main character of Northwest Passage from Kittery, Maine, with friends in Portsmouth, New Hampshire; the main character in Oliver Wiswell from Milton, Massachusetts.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenneth...
Roberts worked first as a then popular nationally known journalist with the Saturday Evening Post from 1919 to 1928. Roberts specialized in regionalist historical fiction. He often wrote about terrain of his native state and also depicted other upper states and scenes of New England. He for example depicts, the main characters in Arundel and Rabble in Arms from Kennebunk, then called Arundel; the main character of Northwest Passage from Kittery, Maine, with friends in Portsmouth, New Hampshire; the main character in Oliver Wiswell from Milton, Massachusetts.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenneth...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 142 reviews
September 21, 2012
Not being terribly familiar with North America, especially that of the wild days of the late 18th century, just before the American War of Independence, I read this book with an open atlas at my elbow. This enabled me not only to read a ripping and entertaining yarn, or three, of adventures and endurance, but also learn lots about the geography and history of those times. This alone gave me enormous satisfaction.
The title is somewhat deceptive. The Northwest Passage, as I understand it, was the elusive sea-route past Hudson Bay, through the Arctic Ocean, to the Bering Strait, the Northeast Passage being the same route in reverse. By contrast, the eponymous passage of this book is the land route up the Missouri and out through Oregon. Further, while the middle part of the book deals with Major Rogers' obsession with discovering this road, it is not the main focus of the story as much as it is the heroes, villains, wars, and politics of the period.
The first part of the book was my favourite: an epic tale, in the tradition of Tolkien and Shackleton, of a journey through hell and back. The second part puts in perspective the political shenanigans of the British that were later to help trigger the revolt of the American colonists. The third part is a denouement, telling a love story of the first person of the narrative, Langdon Towne, and his finding peace in a troubled continent.
It was not only America that I learned more of, but Americans, too. The idea that the British, as colonial masters, were bumbling idiots is familiar to me. We could tell similar histories here in South Africa, as well as in India and elsewhere. Americans' excessive religiosity, the idea that they were chosen of God, parallels that of the Boers of South Africa in the early 19th century, who also sought to escape the clutches of British despotism and to find their own northeast passage. Freedom continues today, as I see it, to be the touchstone of all things that Americans find precious, and this book explains why better than any other I'd read. I liked it.
The title is somewhat deceptive. The Northwest Passage, as I understand it, was the elusive sea-route past Hudson Bay, through the Arctic Ocean, to the Bering Strait, the Northeast Passage being the same route in reverse. By contrast, the eponymous passage of this book is the land route up the Missouri and out through Oregon. Further, while the middle part of the book deals with Major Rogers' obsession with discovering this road, it is not the main focus of the story as much as it is the heroes, villains, wars, and politics of the period.
The first part of the book was my favourite: an epic tale, in the tradition of Tolkien and Shackleton, of a journey through hell and back. The second part puts in perspective the political shenanigans of the British that were later to help trigger the revolt of the American colonists. The third part is a denouement, telling a love story of the first person of the narrative, Langdon Towne, and his finding peace in a troubled continent.
It was not only America that I learned more of, but Americans, too. The idea that the British, as colonial masters, were bumbling idiots is familiar to me. We could tell similar histories here in South Africa, as well as in India and elsewhere. Americans' excessive religiosity, the idea that they were chosen of God, parallels that of the Boers of South Africa in the early 19th century, who also sought to escape the clutches of British despotism and to find their own northeast passage. Freedom continues today, as I see it, to be the touchstone of all things that Americans find precious, and this book explains why better than any other I'd read. I liked it.
April 16, 2013
I read Northwest Passage for the first time when I was ten and my mom picked it up at a garage sale. I then proceeded to read everything else by Roberts I could find.
Why do I still believe the books still stack up so well over time? First, Roberts was a historian and a rigorous one. His command of history and detail is immense and complex. Also, he does not present early American history as peopled only by noble settlers and bloodthirsty Indians and selfless leaders. He portrays the good and bad in all those he writes of and captures and venality and corruption in war that are inseparable companions to bravery and decency. These books were my real education in history and beat the pants off of the textbooks of the day. Still do. They made me love the United States because it IS such a product of good and bad.
There are other works by Roberts just as good, foremost among them the monumental Oliver Wiswell; a more complete look at the Revolutionary War than most of that or this day.
The only slight dating is the romantic relationships and this is, at best, a minor quibble. Read this book and discover an author you should know more about.
Why do I still believe the books still stack up so well over time? First, Roberts was a historian and a rigorous one. His command of history and detail is immense and complex. Also, he does not present early American history as peopled only by noble settlers and bloodthirsty Indians and selfless leaders. He portrays the good and bad in all those he writes of and captures and venality and corruption in war that are inseparable companions to bravery and decency. These books were my real education in history and beat the pants off of the textbooks of the day. Still do. They made me love the United States because it IS such a product of good and bad.
There are other works by Roberts just as good, foremost among them the monumental Oliver Wiswell; a more complete look at the Revolutionary War than most of that or this day.
The only slight dating is the romantic relationships and this is, at best, a minor quibble. Read this book and discover an author you should know more about.
June 18, 2012
I was very surprised to learn that the author had been one of the best journalists in America, before retiring in order to become a novelist. The skills of journalism have since clearly changed for the worse. I’ve learnt to be very cautious when picking up a book written by a journalist of our present day.
I found this book to be riveting reading; which given the length of this novel is a good thing!. I was terribly disappointed when I discovered the film of the similar-ish name (dir. Alfred Hitchcock) was a completely different story!
I’ve never before or since read a novel, let alone such a compelling and epic text, on the subject of unexplored America in the eighteenth century: the Americans vs the Brits vs the French, & all vs the native ‘Indians’ (who of course weren’t Indian at all), which is where this novel triumphs by including a search for the mythical North-West Passage.
The narrative of this book is vivid; sometimes uncomfortably, even horribly so. That, I suppose, is the joy of really good historical fiction; dusty bones talk, past lives, their hopes and fears come to life. Best of all there is the absolutely natural feel of ‘everyday life’ in very dangerous times; completely irrational really because the reader cannot possibly know what life for the real-life protagonists was really like. Yet that doesn’t matter one jot, because though fictional, the account of war, death and raw survival (there can be no other rational reason for eating boiled eagle) that this novel contains is so terrifically and compellingly believable.
I found this book to be riveting reading; which given the length of this novel is a good thing!. I was terribly disappointed when I discovered the film of the similar-ish name (dir. Alfred Hitchcock) was a completely different story!
I’ve never before or since read a novel, let alone such a compelling and epic text, on the subject of unexplored America in the eighteenth century: the Americans vs the Brits vs the French, & all vs the native ‘Indians’ (who of course weren’t Indian at all), which is where this novel triumphs by including a search for the mythical North-West Passage.
The narrative of this book is vivid; sometimes uncomfortably, even horribly so. That, I suppose, is the joy of really good historical fiction; dusty bones talk, past lives, their hopes and fears come to life. Best of all there is the absolutely natural feel of ‘everyday life’ in very dangerous times; completely irrational really because the reader cannot possibly know what life for the real-life protagonists was really like. Yet that doesn’t matter one jot, because though fictional, the account of war, death and raw survival (there can be no other rational reason for eating boiled eagle) that this novel contains is so terrifically and compellingly believable.
September 11, 2010
This book gets very good from page 50. Supposedly the second book is not
close but I heard similar complaints about Oliver Wiswell.The book is less predictable than his other titles but the best thus far is still Rabble in Arms.
Usually, the lead is just a foil for the excellent supporting cast. In this case the lead is his best so far. Cap Huff makes a few cameos along with Benedict Arnold is the only Roberts character in three books.
Heroes rise and fall in this book. The love story is better developed than in previous offerings. One person who is really heroic is barely noticed unless you are carefully reading the book.
The oft criticized second book is much better than advertised.
It is an excellent experience and should be read first by Roberts fans.
close but I heard similar complaints about Oliver Wiswell.The book is less predictable than his other titles but the best thus far is still Rabble in Arms.
Usually, the lead is just a foil for the excellent supporting cast. In this case the lead is his best so far. Cap Huff makes a few cameos along with Benedict Arnold is the only Roberts character in three books.
Heroes rise and fall in this book. The love story is better developed than in previous offerings. One person who is really heroic is barely noticed unless you are carefully reading the book.
The oft criticized second book is much better than advertised.
It is an excellent experience and should be read first by Roberts fans.
January 21, 2010
So long ago I read this book, it was one book that I got as a gift when I was young that I truly enjoyed. The story of Landon Towne and his "little trip" with Major Robert Rogers and the Rangers, would set the imagination of any young man on fire, as it did mine.
It later inspired me to track the story of Robert down and of course it takes a sad down turn as so many did. Still this story of determination, courage, duty not to mention cruelty and madness is still a good one.
It later inspired me to track the story of Robert down and of course it takes a sad down turn as so many did. Still this story of determination, courage, duty not to mention cruelty and madness is still a good one.
January 31, 2017
I've always been a nut about American Indians, reading almost everything in libraries from elementary school through high school. Northwest Passage was one of my favorites as a teen, but I hadn't give it a thought in more than two-score (!) years until a lapsed friend and I reconnected for a New Year's drink. It turned out he was an Indian aficionado, too, with the French and Indian War (1754-1763) being one of his specialties. I was so stoked after I got home that I bought the book and plunged right back in. I loved the book the second time around, too.
The dramatic focus are the events surrounding Major Robert Rogers' Rangers' raid on the village of St. Francis along the St. Lawrence River in early October of 1759. The Rangers (precursors to today's US Army Rangers) endured incredible hardships leading up to the attack, but nothing like the constant terror that accompanied being pursued (and butchered, if caught) by hundreds of French soldiers and Abenaki Indians bent on revenge after they found St. Francis burned, winter food stores destroyed, and most inhabitants killed. While fiction, the account given by our young hero Langdon Towne is rooted in more-or-less accepted historical fact. To borrow a phrase, this part of the book is "a ripping yarn." The historical Rogers and a handful of companions traveled over 200 miles in sixteen days across unmapped forests with little or no food. Rogers' will (and perhaps cannibalism) kept the party alive.
Subsequently, Langdon Towne finds his heart broken by a woman and moves to London to establish himself as a portraitist to society types. He re-unites with Rogers and eventually they embark on the second great adventure of the book. This fictional quasi-biography of Rogers forces the book to stick almost to actual events, though the author livens them up with a variety of subplots involving the narrator and his ward.
Because the book is so well-researched and written, I was able to surf the adrenaline wave of the St. Francis raid down the long slope of the last three-hundred-plus pages. I really enjoyed this book, but wonder if would even find a publisher today given its length and subject matter. (Note that the book was a bestseller when published in 1937, became a Hollywood movie with Spencer Tracy in the lead in 1940 and even made it onto the TV screen in 1958-59 as a series starring Buddy Ebsen.)
The dramatic focus are the events surrounding Major Robert Rogers' Rangers' raid on the village of St. Francis along the St. Lawrence River in early October of 1759. The Rangers (precursors to today's US Army Rangers) endured incredible hardships leading up to the attack, but nothing like the constant terror that accompanied being pursued (and butchered, if caught) by hundreds of French soldiers and Abenaki Indians bent on revenge after they found St. Francis burned, winter food stores destroyed, and most inhabitants killed. While fiction, the account given by our young hero Langdon Towne is rooted in more-or-less accepted historical fact. To borrow a phrase, this part of the book is "a ripping yarn." The historical Rogers and a handful of companions traveled over 200 miles in sixteen days across unmapped forests with little or no food. Rogers' will (and perhaps cannibalism) kept the party alive.
Subsequently, Langdon Towne finds his heart broken by a woman and moves to London to establish himself as a portraitist to society types. He re-unites with Rogers and eventually they embark on the second great adventure of the book. This fictional quasi-biography of Rogers forces the book to stick almost to actual events, though the author livens them up with a variety of subplots involving the narrator and his ward.
Because the book is so well-researched and written, I was able to surf the adrenaline wave of the St. Francis raid down the long slope of the last three-hundred-plus pages. I really enjoyed this book, but wonder if would even find a publisher today given its length and subject matter. (Note that the book was a bestseller when published in 1937, became a Hollywood movie with Spencer Tracy in the lead in 1940 and even made it onto the TV screen in 1958-59 as a series starring Buddy Ebsen.)
Read
March 1, 2015Robert Rogers is not much talked about these days, and so far as I know was never taught in schools. His name is inseparable from that curious time in American history, the mid-1700s, when we, a British colony, made war on France and native populations for possession of the continent.
Despite what the school books imply, it was never a given that Britain would control North America. Until the American Revolution, hegemony on these shores was very much in doubt.
Rogers made it much less so. Rogers was good at fighting. Despite the scorn of the British regulars who disdainfully became his colleagues, he pioneered a mode of warfare perfectly suited to the wilderness of northern New York and Canada. He strengthened Great Britain's grasp here. And he did it mostly by himself. His tactics are still studied. His outfit, The Rangers, is commemorated in name by the elite of the Army.
So what better treat could there be than this extremely readable novel, this historical fiction in the best sense, which puts a human face on a great but otherwise shadowy historical figure? The story is fantastic in all its ups and downs, the characters can almost walk off the page. And the picture of the American wilderness of those years is something everyone should see.
The opening half of the book--a harrowing tale of wilderness survival against all odds--has gone into the records as one of the greatest in American literature, all the more telling because true. The figure of Rogers comes through as one of the great American leaders of the country's early history--except, unfortunately for history students, Rogers wasn't technically American, though born in Massachusetts, and in fact took Britain's side in the revolution.
No matter. It's time to dust off this classic from 1937 and give it the full appreciation that another classic from that year--Gone With the Wind--may have stolen from it.
Despite what the school books imply, it was never a given that Britain would control North America. Until the American Revolution, hegemony on these shores was very much in doubt.
Rogers made it much less so. Rogers was good at fighting. Despite the scorn of the British regulars who disdainfully became his colleagues, he pioneered a mode of warfare perfectly suited to the wilderness of northern New York and Canada. He strengthened Great Britain's grasp here. And he did it mostly by himself. His tactics are still studied. His outfit, The Rangers, is commemorated in name by the elite of the Army.
So what better treat could there be than this extremely readable novel, this historical fiction in the best sense, which puts a human face on a great but otherwise shadowy historical figure? The story is fantastic in all its ups and downs, the characters can almost walk off the page. And the picture of the American wilderness of those years is something everyone should see.
The opening half of the book--a harrowing tale of wilderness survival against all odds--has gone into the records as one of the greatest in American literature, all the more telling because true. The figure of Rogers comes through as one of the great American leaders of the country's early history--except, unfortunately for history students, Rogers wasn't technically American, though born in Massachusetts, and in fact took Britain's side in the revolution.
No matter. It's time to dust off this classic from 1937 and give it the full appreciation that another classic from that year--Gone With the Wind--may have stolen from it.
January 14, 2018
Some time ago, I was curious as to the state of things in 1937 when I was born. I wondered what people were reading in those days, & learned that one of the bestsellers was this novel by Kenneth Roberts. Never having heard of Roberts (1885-1957), I "Wikipedia-ed" him only to learn that he graduated from Cornell University, wrote two fight songs for them & was a member of the Quill & Dagger Society; that he was a lieutenant in the intelligence section of the WW I American Expeditionary Force Siberia during the Russian Civil War instead of at the front in Europe; that he was the first American journalist to cover the 1923 Beer Hall Putsch, Adolf Hitler's first attempt to take power; that he'd written 8 key historical novels in addition to many more books; that he'd been a journalist, working for Saturday Evening Post; and that he was born & died in Kennebunk, Maine.
There was one other fact I learned which set up an immediate mental prejudice against him, almost causing me not to even read this book: "...Roberts wrote many magazine articles and a book during the period immediately following World War I that urged strong legal restrictions on immigration from eastern and southern Europe, and from Mexico, and warning of the dangers of immigration from places other than northwestern Europe. He became a leading voice for stricter immigration laws, and testified before a congressional committee on the subject. He wrote: 'If America doesn’t keep out the queer alien mongrelized people of Southern and Eastern Europe, her crop of citizens will eventually be dwarfed and mongrelized in turn.'”
That being said, I found this to be a truly engaging, fascinating novel. Some elements of Roberts's writing seems a bit "old school", but I never once lost interest throughout the whole 734 pages! The language of his story flows beautifully. The book is filled with interesting character studies: British, American, Native American, etc. For me, the most compatible character was the narrator, Langdon Towne, an artist as well as a sometime "Roger's Ranger". In many ways it's a thought-provoking book, with human issues set in a mid-18th century period in the U.S. & England.
As a native of Ohio, this passage caught me eye early in the book: "The prize for which they [colonists & the British vs. the French & Indians] struggled was one that aroused the cupidity of every king in Europe; and the King of France and the King of England would gladly have sacrificed the life of every general in their employ if by do so they could win. That prize was the ultimate ownership of the Ohio Valley, with its endless forests, fertile plains, tremendous rivers and wealth of furs -- the richest empire for which two nations ever contended..."
There was one other fact I learned which set up an immediate mental prejudice against him, almost causing me not to even read this book: "...Roberts wrote many magazine articles and a book during the period immediately following World War I that urged strong legal restrictions on immigration from eastern and southern Europe, and from Mexico, and warning of the dangers of immigration from places other than northwestern Europe. He became a leading voice for stricter immigration laws, and testified before a congressional committee on the subject. He wrote: 'If America doesn’t keep out the queer alien mongrelized people of Southern and Eastern Europe, her crop of citizens will eventually be dwarfed and mongrelized in turn.'”
That being said, I found this to be a truly engaging, fascinating novel. Some elements of Roberts's writing seems a bit "old school", but I never once lost interest throughout the whole 734 pages! The language of his story flows beautifully. The book is filled with interesting character studies: British, American, Native American, etc. For me, the most compatible character was the narrator, Langdon Towne, an artist as well as a sometime "Roger's Ranger". In many ways it's a thought-provoking book, with human issues set in a mid-18th century period in the U.S. & England.
As a native of Ohio, this passage caught me eye early in the book: "The prize for which they [colonists & the British vs. the French & Indians] struggled was one that aroused the cupidity of every king in Europe; and the King of France and the King of England would gladly have sacrificed the life of every general in their employ if by do so they could win. That prize was the ultimate ownership of the Ohio Valley, with its endless forests, fertile plains, tremendous rivers and wealth of furs -- the richest empire for which two nations ever contended..."
November 24, 2020
I first read Northwest Passage over fifty years ago and have subsequently read it several more times. It is one of my favorite historical novels. Roberts was one of America’s most popular historical novelists in the 1920s, 30s, 40s and 50s. Today he is hardly known. Although Roberts wrote many successful novels, this one, in my opinion is by far the best. The setting of the novel is mid to late 18th century America and England.
Roberts was a thorough researcher. Most of the book is historically accurate. Dominating the book’s landscape is Major Robert Rogers. Roberts’s Rogers closely approximates that of history’s. One of the best frontiers man of his day and a skilled Indian fighter, Rogers is gifted at anything he tries. He leads a highly successful raid on an enemy Indian settlement and saves most of his command in a retreat through hostile territory. His keen leadership, physical strength and sheer force of will were the underpinnings of this success. Once home, he begins the pursuit of fame and fortune by seeking out an all-water trade route to the Orient through North America, the Northwest Passage.
Being human, he ultimately, despite his formidable natural gifts, is unable to conquer his vanity, alcoholism, infidelity, and the wickedness of those who sought to use him. Instead of fame and fortune he spends quite a bit of time in debtor’s prison during his final years. Overall the story is well told and a joy to read.
What I do find different in my latest reading of the book is something caused by changes in me, not in the book. It is clear Kenneth Roberts had many biases that probably would have been the source of criticism today. He wrote the book in the mid-1930s. His description and characterization of Native Americans is often overly negative and sometimes borders on simple racism. If he were writing the book today, he would not be able to do this without severe criticism and rightly so.
Roberts was a thorough researcher. Most of the book is historically accurate. Dominating the book’s landscape is Major Robert Rogers. Roberts’s Rogers closely approximates that of history’s. One of the best frontiers man of his day and a skilled Indian fighter, Rogers is gifted at anything he tries. He leads a highly successful raid on an enemy Indian settlement and saves most of his command in a retreat through hostile territory. His keen leadership, physical strength and sheer force of will were the underpinnings of this success. Once home, he begins the pursuit of fame and fortune by seeking out an all-water trade route to the Orient through North America, the Northwest Passage.
Being human, he ultimately, despite his formidable natural gifts, is unable to conquer his vanity, alcoholism, infidelity, and the wickedness of those who sought to use him. Instead of fame and fortune he spends quite a bit of time in debtor’s prison during his final years. Overall the story is well told and a joy to read.
What I do find different in my latest reading of the book is something caused by changes in me, not in the book. It is clear Kenneth Roberts had many biases that probably would have been the source of criticism today. He wrote the book in the mid-1930s. His description and characterization of Native Americans is often overly negative and sometimes borders on simple racism. If he were writing the book today, he would not be able to do this without severe criticism and rightly so.
March 6, 2015
This book was recommended to me by my father. I was doubtful and expected it to be boring. On the contrary, it had a little bit of everything--adventure, romance, history--I loved every minute of it and was sad to see it come to an end. It is an epic, sweeping story. Stellar in every way.
October 11, 2015
Absolutely fabulous! I love historical fiction and this is as accurate, detailed and interesting a read as I have had in a long time. I'm guessing it is still in print . . . mine was printed in 1870s!
November 11, 2024
I have memories of reading Roberts’ books when I was a kid at my grandfather’s house in Maine so 3 stars but really 2. Written during the colonial revival of the 1930s they haven’t worn well. At best, Roberts was a contrarian, at worst a cranky reactionary, and he focused on rehabilitating characters like B Arnold or Tories like Rogers or the fictional Oliver Wiswell. The role of Booth Tarkington in editing and even writing his books also raises questions about Roberts’ ability as a novelist. This one is a mess. The first half is a straightforward adventure story of the French and Indian Wars and the second a cockamamie plot in London and the middle west.
July 9, 2023
Loved this book. A favorite of my college classmate, Kevin Ansley.
October 29, 2024
Each of us brings our own set of experiences, values, and beliefs to whatever book we read, and in my case, I returned to Northwest Passage (1937) because it was a book I loved when I read it in high school. Naturally, I’ve changed, and I wanted to find out how I might respond to this historical novel today.
The figure of Major Robert Rogers is drawn by Kenneth Roberts as a larger-than-life, inspirational leader with an indomitable spirit who makes extraordinary sacrifices for his country but is destroyed by other competitive leaders and his own dissipation.
But to me, now, he reminds me of something my favorite boss, a retired Navy Captain, said about charismatic leaders. Beware, he said. They often fail because they have an Achilles Heel. And then their avid followers are hurt and fail, too. In the end, they may not serve the country well. I can think of some presidents, generals, and presidential candidates who fit this description.
And so, Ezekiel Solomon, “a little Jewish trader” and a minor character in the book, jumped out to me in Chapter LXXI. “I don’t know nothing…only what I heard once from my granfadder…My granfadder said a statesman or a soldier what takes strong steps independent of everyone, wont never gain nothing by it so long as he lives, only hatred.”
“Perhaps, [Towne admitted], but unusual circumstances make exceptions to every rule, and the Major’s an unusual man.”
Soloman [replied], “My granfadder, he said that was a rule there wasn’t no exception to.”
Maj. Rogers’ enemies thwarted his dreams and plans, so he borrowed money beyond his ability to repay his debts. His creditors had him thrown into debtors prison. In real life, he was a gambler, betting “on the come,” who became an alcoholic.
What was his biggest bet in the novel? Finding the Northwest Passage across the North American continent. He thought he would find it by crossing land west of the Mississippi River instead of searching for it by sea, as other explorers did. He believed, and convinced others, that the passage would lead to fabulous trade with Japan and China. In turn, that would bring him huge wealth and fame. Also, it would greatly benefit his followers and the British colonies, Britain, and the King. In this pursuit, he was Don Quixote, tilting at windmills.
On the final page of the book, Ann says, “He’ll never die, and you’ll never want to be rid of him and what he stood for…Ah, no! You can’t kill what was in that man!”
And so it has turned out. Today, the U.S. Army Rangers are so-named because of him and his unit, Rogers Rangers. (Ironically, Rogers was an American loyalist and a British officer who fought against Washington in the American Revolution.) In 1992, Maj. Rogers was an inaugural inductee into the Army’s Ranger Hall of Fame. The headquarters for the Army Airborne and Ranger Training Brigade is located in Camp Rogers at Fort Moore in Georgia. Rogers is mentioned respectfully in “The Ranger Handbook” as the originator of ranger tactics in the American military. In his “Rules of Ranging,” Rogers sets forth his principles of irregular warfare. The handbook is given to every soldier in the Army’s Ranger School. A statue of Rogers stands on Rogers Island in the Hudson River, 40 miles north of Albany, New York.
Roberts tells certain parts of Rogers’ life story by using the first-person point of view. Langdon Towne, an artist, is the narrator, so we follow his own life, too. He eventually marries Ann. The book was a best seller, and in 1957, Roberts was awarded a Pulitzer Prize Special Citation for his historical novels that helped increase interest in early American history.
The figure of Major Robert Rogers is drawn by Kenneth Roberts as a larger-than-life, inspirational leader with an indomitable spirit who makes extraordinary sacrifices for his country but is destroyed by other competitive leaders and his own dissipation.
But to me, now, he reminds me of something my favorite boss, a retired Navy Captain, said about charismatic leaders. Beware, he said. They often fail because they have an Achilles Heel. And then their avid followers are hurt and fail, too. In the end, they may not serve the country well. I can think of some presidents, generals, and presidential candidates who fit this description.
And so, Ezekiel Solomon, “a little Jewish trader” and a minor character in the book, jumped out to me in Chapter LXXI. “I don’t know nothing…only what I heard once from my granfadder…My granfadder said a statesman or a soldier what takes strong steps independent of everyone, wont never gain nothing by it so long as he lives, only hatred.”
“Perhaps, [Towne admitted], but unusual circumstances make exceptions to every rule, and the Major’s an unusual man.”
Soloman [replied], “My granfadder, he said that was a rule there wasn’t no exception to.”
Maj. Rogers’ enemies thwarted his dreams and plans, so he borrowed money beyond his ability to repay his debts. His creditors had him thrown into debtors prison. In real life, he was a gambler, betting “on the come,” who became an alcoholic.
What was his biggest bet in the novel? Finding the Northwest Passage across the North American continent. He thought he would find it by crossing land west of the Mississippi River instead of searching for it by sea, as other explorers did. He believed, and convinced others, that the passage would lead to fabulous trade with Japan and China. In turn, that would bring him huge wealth and fame. Also, it would greatly benefit his followers and the British colonies, Britain, and the King. In this pursuit, he was Don Quixote, tilting at windmills.
On the final page of the book, Ann says, “He’ll never die, and you’ll never want to be rid of him and what he stood for…Ah, no! You can’t kill what was in that man!”
And so it has turned out. Today, the U.S. Army Rangers are so-named because of him and his unit, Rogers Rangers. (Ironically, Rogers was an American loyalist and a British officer who fought against Washington in the American Revolution.) In 1992, Maj. Rogers was an inaugural inductee into the Army’s Ranger Hall of Fame. The headquarters for the Army Airborne and Ranger Training Brigade is located in Camp Rogers at Fort Moore in Georgia. Rogers is mentioned respectfully in “The Ranger Handbook” as the originator of ranger tactics in the American military. In his “Rules of Ranging,” Rogers sets forth his principles of irregular warfare. The handbook is given to every soldier in the Army’s Ranger School. A statue of Rogers stands on Rogers Island in the Hudson River, 40 miles north of Albany, New York.
Roberts tells certain parts of Rogers’ life story by using the first-person point of view. Langdon Towne, an artist, is the narrator, so we follow his own life, too. He eventually marries Ann. The book was a best seller, and in 1957, Roberts was awarded a Pulitzer Prize Special Citation for his historical novels that helped increase interest in early American history.
November 3, 2023
I first read this when I was in high school, thought I would read it again and see if it captured the same feeling as the first time. Roberts is one hell of a writer of historical novels. He makes one feel if he is there alongside Rogers Rangers.
July 25, 2009
I enjoyed Roberts' writing style immensely: the prose was rich and nuanced, it reminded me of Patrick O'Brian. However, the novel did not sit well with me: it's really two books in one. The first part deals with Robert Rogers' St. Francis raid- our fictional protagonist joins Roger's Rangers on the eve of their raid on St. Francis. This tale is briskly told, conveying the dangers and hardships of the mission, weaving historical figures into the narrative and accurately (as far as I can tell) portraying the details of the mission. In this first half (350 pages) of the novel, author Roberts deftly explores tensions between the British regulars and their Provincial counterparts; as well as portraying the ambivalent attitudes of both toward Native Americans. All in all, the first half of the novel is a brisk, rousing historical adventure. The book started to lose me in the second half, however. The life of our fictional protagonist, Langdon Towne, continues to revolve around that of his former Captain, Robert Rogers, as Rogers' life descends into a Dickensian drama. Rogers attempts to parlay his military prowess into fame, fortune, and a personal empire in Britain's newly acquired Western territories. Rogers is no match, however, for the politics and skullduggery of imperial management, as he deals with- and runs afoul of- people like Charles Townshend, Edmund Burke, Sir William Johnson, and Jeffrey Amherst. Constantly scorning authority, the alcoholic, womanizing Rogers winds up in debtor's prison in London before returning to America to raise another Ranger contingent to fight the upstart American rebels. This second part of the tale could have been told much more efficiently; it was hampered by a contrived, melodramatic romance and repetitive ruminations on the relationships between Indians and whites in the Western territories. I almost gave up on the second half of the book. If readers find themselves losing interest after the first 350 pages, I'd advise letting it go- enjoy the tale of the St. Francis raid, but you won't miss much by dropping the book after that.
December 5, 2014
The best fiction makes us think about ourselves in ways we haven't or ways we simply don't. It is allegorical and turns a mirror onto our human foibles. The best fiction makes us think without realizing that we're doing it.
In finishing Northwest Passage I was struck by a pair of sentences written in the last five pages of the novel that seemed to jump out at me as representative of what this country has become.
In the first, the character Ann Potter rails against King George's England, which she refers to as "this land where nobody gets anything except by the accident of birth or favoritism" and "where noblemen think less of the poor than they do of dogs." We persistently believe in this country that a) it is still true that anyone can attain anything regardless of what they are born into, and b) that there is no such thing as privilege. This is a pernicious myth. If you have doubts about our "noblemen," check YouTube for the video of Mitt Romney's derisive comments about the lower classes, or look back a few years on my feed where you will find a former student of mine argue that the poor should pay more taxes than the rich because they use more services. In a recent conversation on someone's wall, the argument was again made that the wealthy have to overcome just as much as the poor in order to "make it." I'm not entirely certain how someone could make that argument with a straight face, but then we seem to have lost most of our capacity for rational, critical thought.
At any rate, the second quote is from the character Cap Huff, who complains, "Ain't that just like the English? Wasting money on kings that ain't no good too 'em, starting wars they don't know how to finish, and paying all outdoors for things they don't know nothing about!" Sound familiar?
It seems as if we are rapidly becoming the very England of King George III that we fought so hard to free ourselves from.
In finishing Northwest Passage I was struck by a pair of sentences written in the last five pages of the novel that seemed to jump out at me as representative of what this country has become.
In the first, the character Ann Potter rails against King George's England, which she refers to as "this land where nobody gets anything except by the accident of birth or favoritism" and "where noblemen think less of the poor than they do of dogs." We persistently believe in this country that a) it is still true that anyone can attain anything regardless of what they are born into, and b) that there is no such thing as privilege. This is a pernicious myth. If you have doubts about our "noblemen," check YouTube for the video of Mitt Romney's derisive comments about the lower classes, or look back a few years on my feed where you will find a former student of mine argue that the poor should pay more taxes than the rich because they use more services. In a recent conversation on someone's wall, the argument was again made that the wealthy have to overcome just as much as the poor in order to "make it." I'm not entirely certain how someone could make that argument with a straight face, but then we seem to have lost most of our capacity for rational, critical thought.
At any rate, the second quote is from the character Cap Huff, who complains, "Ain't that just like the English? Wasting money on kings that ain't no good too 'em, starting wars they don't know how to finish, and paying all outdoors for things they don't know nothing about!" Sound familiar?
It seems as if we are rapidly becoming the very England of King George III that we fought so hard to free ourselves from.
February 6, 2022
Maybe the book I've most enjoyed in my whole life.
I would describe this book as "manly". The events are mainly the struggles of men, the woman are seen exclusively from the view of men, and the lessons to gain from this are in service of how to be a better man. Right from the start, the central character embodies a trait any real man ought to have: a sense of purpose beyond what anyone else can give to him. He's on his own journey from the moment you meet him. That he gets swept up in the business of others never takes away from his steadfast resolve to be who he is and do what he does regardless of whatever anyone else thinks.
Then there's Robert Rogers. The manliest of men. Seemingly the perfect man, but as we come to find out, men are specialized creatures. A man great in one context is not necessarily great in another. Same goes for the civilizations that men create. There's greatness to them, but much to criticize no matter the heights they reach.
And there lies the manliest aspect of this book: the will to push against the flow. To show the ugly within the beautiful. To be honest regardless of the consequences; and this makes me feel a strong connection to Kenneth Roberts. He did not shy from controversy. If you look on wikipedia he is quoted thusly:
“If America doesn’t keep out the queer alien mongrelized people of Southern and Eastern Europe, her crop of citizens will eventually be dwarfed and mongrelized in turn.”
And...
"In Why Europe Leaves Home, derived from his Post articles, Roberts further referred to Jews as "human parasites""
Even at the time he said these things, it was the kind of talk that would work against you career-wise. But that's what men do. They hold strong opinions unapologetically. I can respect a man with strong opinions. That Roberts shared mine only sweetens the reading experience.
I would describe this book as "manly". The events are mainly the struggles of men, the woman are seen exclusively from the view of men, and the lessons to gain from this are in service of how to be a better man. Right from the start, the central character embodies a trait any real man ought to have: a sense of purpose beyond what anyone else can give to him. He's on his own journey from the moment you meet him. That he gets swept up in the business of others never takes away from his steadfast resolve to be who he is and do what he does regardless of whatever anyone else thinks.
Then there's Robert Rogers. The manliest of men. Seemingly the perfect man, but as we come to find out, men are specialized creatures. A man great in one context is not necessarily great in another. Same goes for the civilizations that men create. There's greatness to them, but much to criticize no matter the heights they reach.
And there lies the manliest aspect of this book: the will to push against the flow. To show the ugly within the beautiful. To be honest regardless of the consequences; and this makes me feel a strong connection to Kenneth Roberts. He did not shy from controversy. If you look on wikipedia he is quoted thusly:
“If America doesn’t keep out the queer alien mongrelized people of Southern and Eastern Europe, her crop of citizens will eventually be dwarfed and mongrelized in turn.”
And...
"In Why Europe Leaves Home, derived from his Post articles, Roberts further referred to Jews as "human parasites""
Even at the time he said these things, it was the kind of talk that would work against you career-wise. But that's what men do. They hold strong opinions unapologetically. I can respect a man with strong opinions. That Roberts shared mine only sweetens the reading experience.
June 4, 2018
4 June 2018
I remember reading this book and enjoying it when I was in High School. I think it was on a reading list for college preparation and also an adventure book. I remember liking the adventure part of the book, and the setting, in the old (colonial or early United States) Northwest Territories (Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin) and especially appreciating the description of the reality of almost starving to death back then, when things went wrong on a trek, when food and help were not nearly so abundant in the world.
I also liked the book reference(s?) in the story. As I remember, Roberts referred very positively to Gulliver's Travels, by Jonathan Swift via one (or more) of the main characters. Adding Roberts' mention of that book to it being on my long list of recommended readings for college, got me to actually read it too, not long after reading this book. Well worth it all the way around, even though it did not contain nearly the wisdom that Roberts' character assigned to it.
I remember reading this book and enjoying it when I was in High School. I think it was on a reading list for college preparation and also an adventure book. I remember liking the adventure part of the book, and the setting, in the old (colonial or early United States) Northwest Territories (Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin) and especially appreciating the description of the reality of almost starving to death back then, when things went wrong on a trek, when food and help were not nearly so abundant in the world.
I also liked the book reference(s?) in the story. As I remember, Roberts referred very positively to Gulliver's Travels, by Jonathan Swift via one (or more) of the main characters. Adding Roberts' mention of that book to it being on my long list of recommended readings for college, got me to actually read it too, not long after reading this book. Well worth it all the way around, even though it did not contain nearly the wisdom that Roberts' character assigned to it.
March 3, 2026
2 1/2 Stars - Thoroughly researched, but far too slow- moving
There’s no denying that Northwest Passage is deeply researched and historically detailed. Kenneth Roberts clearly invested enormous effort into recreating 18th-century frontier life, and the authenticity shows in the logistics, geography, and period atmosphere.
Unfortunately, the novel’s pacing makes it a difficult read—especially at 800+ pages in my e-book format. Long stretches feel slow and overly detailed, with repetition and drawn-out passages that sap momentum. What should be a tense survival and exploration story often lacks sustained excitement, and the narrative weight of the research ends up overshadowing the drama.
There are strong moments, particularly in the harsher wilderness sections, but they’re buried in a book that feels significantly longer than it needed to be.
For readers who love exhaustive historical immersion, this may still appeal. For those looking for energy, tension, and tighter storytelling, it can be a slog.
There’s no denying that Northwest Passage is deeply researched and historically detailed. Kenneth Roberts clearly invested enormous effort into recreating 18th-century frontier life, and the authenticity shows in the logistics, geography, and period atmosphere.
Unfortunately, the novel’s pacing makes it a difficult read—especially at 800+ pages in my e-book format. Long stretches feel slow and overly detailed, with repetition and drawn-out passages that sap momentum. What should be a tense survival and exploration story often lacks sustained excitement, and the narrative weight of the research ends up overshadowing the drama.
There are strong moments, particularly in the harsher wilderness sections, but they’re buried in a book that feels significantly longer than it needed to be.
For readers who love exhaustive historical immersion, this may still appeal. For those looking for energy, tension, and tighter storytelling, it can be a slog.
September 21, 2023
Northwest Passage as a novel probably deserves at least a three star rating but I took a star off for two reasons. One- the main character essentially adopts a young girl at a young age and as she matures he falls in love with her. Gross. Two- Kenneth Roberts was a prominent journalist and used his platform to advocate for certain immigration reforms. Chief among them the restriction of immigration of southern and Eastern European people whom he labeled as “worthless”. There were some cool scenes and decent character development but I’m not tryna commend a grooming protagonist written by a racist, them’s the breaks kiddo. Alright sorry for the dour content, next review will be light and funny I swear.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 29, 2018
Northwest Passage is an epic story of early North America during the French and Indian War. I’ve never read better historical fiction than that written by Kenneth Roberts. His books exceed expectations. As you join the story of Langdon Towne the research the author has done becomes apparent immediately and forgotten as quick as your taken into an adventure of exploration, the politics behind the shaping of men’s lives in America and England that slowly begin building the causes of the Revolutionary War.
The novel gives you much more than “the history of...”
Just as all Roberts books, I didn’t want it to end.
The novel gives you much more than “the history of...”
Just as all Roberts books, I didn’t want it to end.
February 11, 2018
This is the best book I've read in quite some time. Roberts did an exemplary job of fleshing out the characters and fine work of bringing even the scenery to life.
I've been intrigued by Major Robert Rogers and his Rangers since watching the series called Turn which is set during the American Revolution. This book gives readers a look at events prior and is really interesting. The author shows the man and his many facets.
I've enjoyed Kenneth Roberts Arundel, but this one surpasses it. I highly recommend this book.
I've been intrigued by Major Robert Rogers and his Rangers since watching the series called Turn which is set during the American Revolution. This book gives readers a look at events prior and is really interesting. The author shows the man and his many facets.
I've enjoyed Kenneth Roberts Arundel, but this one surpasses it. I highly recommend this book.
October 2, 2009
Another great boook by this author. My darling husband found it for me in an antique shop! I loved the perspective of the main character when he found his hero, turned antagonist in a debtor's prison, "so low that a man could go no lower this side of the grave." His forgiveness was apparent as he expressed, "I suspected, there in that same grime, but for the grace of God, might lie any of us, our talents quenched and our best dreams beaten." p. 694
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 20, 2009
I was lucky enough to read this in my youth, another one of those books that came my way, when I think of it something or somebody must have been passing these along to me, was it my eye or providence that lead me to these books. I know it has left an impression that has been with me all this time, I think I just identified with central character, then to get the chance to go and walk on the the same ground. Life is beautiful don't you just love being alive? Oh and reading books of course.
July 27, 2009
This is a historical novel about the French and Indian Wars and Major Robert Roberts and his Rangers in particular. While Rogers has setbacks Roberts introduces Langdon Towne, a Harvard-educated artist who demonstrates the heroism needed for the adversities encountered in the Northwest Territories. Growing up in Wisconsin I found this an exciting part of the history of my home state.
October 7, 2012
I enjoyed this book even though it wasn't quite what I expected. It's called Northwest Passage, but it really has very little to do with the Northwest Passage. Go figure. Other than that small quibble, I really liked the characters and the story kept me turning the pages!
November 22, 2007
ok, it's racist in today's light. it is still one of the great adventure novels of all times. in my humble opinion.
April 4, 2009
I've read this book at least three times, and I expect I'll read it some more. Probably the best volume of historical fiction available.
May 17, 2009
The best historical fiction writer that I am aware of. As good as the movie, rather vice versa.
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