Down the Mississippi With Stinky: 2 Women, a Canoe, and a Kitten

by Dorie Brunner

Brunner, Dorie, Brunner, D.

Genres: Nonfiction

136 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2000

Reviews

[Lavonne]

Rated 2.0 primarily because of the writing style, but I'd give it a 5.0 for the amazing feat these two women pulled off in the summer of 1960 - traveling the length of the Mississippi River. Such adventurous spirits! Adding an unplanned companion of the kitten into the mix gave them a distraction from the difficult days they had on (and off) the water. What's amazing is that she wrote this memoir 40 years after the adventure without daily notes - just some notations on their maps.

I would have enjoyed knowing more about the two adventurers. Readers were only allowed a tiny glimpse into their beings.

[Jill]

Admittedly I picked up this short book at the suggestion of my mother because I had seven days in which to finish two additional books in order to make my book goal for the year. This book met its purpose in being a quick, enjoyable read. While not particularly well written, you still get a sense of the adventure taken by the author in this canoe trip down the Mississippi in 1960 by the two women and a kitten. They overcame many significant challenges, including several tornados, camp intruders, and miscalculations. The author offers suggestions for people attempting to make this trip in the present day, however, I have to think that reading about their experiences would quench the thirst of anyone hankering to make this dangerous adventure their own.

[Lynn]

I only read this because D's sister also has a cat named Stinky. I loved this book. I can't believe these girls travelled the Mississippi in a little boat back then!

[Janet Librarian]

Wonderful adventure of demanding canoe trip.