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Alone Against the North: An Expedition into the Unknown
Winner of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario's 2016 Young Authors Award
Winner of the 2017 Louise de Kiriline Award for Nonfiction
Adam Shoalts was no stranger to the wilderness. He had hacked his way through jungles, stared down bears and climbed mountains. But, one spot on the map called out to him irresistibly. Cutting through the forbidding landscape of the Hudson Bay Lowlands is a river no hunter, no explorer, has left any record of paddling. It was this river that Shoalts was obsessively determined to explore.
What Shoalts discovered as he paddled downriver appeared in no satellite imagery or a series of waterfalls that could easily have killed him. Just as astonishing was the media reaction when he got back to civilization. He was crowned "Canada's Indiana Jones" and was feted by the Royal Canadian Geographical Society and congratulated by the governor general. Shoalts had proved that the world is bigger than we think.
Gripping and often poetic, Alone Against the North is a classic adventure story of single-minded obsession, physical hardship, and the restless sense of wonder that every explorer has in common. Shoalts's story makes it clear that the world can become known only by setting out into the unfamiliar, where every step is different from the one before and something you may never have imagined lies around the next curve in the river.
Winner of the 2017 Louise de Kiriline Award for Nonfiction
Adam Shoalts was no stranger to the wilderness. He had hacked his way through jungles, stared down bears and climbed mountains. But, one spot on the map called out to him irresistibly. Cutting through the forbidding landscape of the Hudson Bay Lowlands is a river no hunter, no explorer, has left any record of paddling. It was this river that Shoalts was obsessively determined to explore.
What Shoalts discovered as he paddled downriver appeared in no satellite imagery or a series of waterfalls that could easily have killed him. Just as astonishing was the media reaction when he got back to civilization. He was crowned "Canada's Indiana Jones" and was feted by the Royal Canadian Geographical Society and congratulated by the governor general. Shoalts had proved that the world is bigger than we think.
Gripping and often poetic, Alone Against the North is a classic adventure story of single-minded obsession, physical hardship, and the restless sense of wonder that every explorer has in common. Shoalts's story makes it clear that the world can become known only by setting out into the unfamiliar, where every step is different from the one before and something you may never have imagined lies around the next curve in the river.
304 pages, Paperback
First published October 6, 2015
163 people are currently reading
2599 people want to read
About the author
Adam Shoalts
7 books300 followersADAM SHOALTS is a historian, archaeologist, geographer, and Westaway Explorer-in-Residence at the Royal Canadian Geographical Society. Shoalts holds a PhD from McMaster University where his research examined the influence Indigenous oral traditions had on fur traders in the subarctic and Pacific Northwest. He is also the author of Alone Against the North, A History of Canada in Ten Maps, and Beyond the Trees, all of them national bestsellers. He enjoys long walks in the woods. Follow his adventures on Facebook and Instagram
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 294 reviews
December 24, 2015
A one-man dominates nature against all odds attitude is far more evident than the love of stewardship and conservation the author professes within these pages. While no doubt the author has made an exciting foray into the Canadian wilderness and a great contribution to exploration, what could have made for a gripping story was overshadowed by 1) sloppy story-telling, and 2) the narrator's ego-- which is roughly the size of the great white north. To his credit, the author does well reporting the history of a place and explorers that preceded him, though he appears strangely enamoured of his colonial forefathers and embarrassingly dismissive of contributions of the first nations people who settled and explored Canada. His own adventures? Less-well crafted. To fill space the author adds descriptions of other forays into the wilderness beyond the Again or even the first un-named rivers with a bewildering lack of rhyme or reason-- indeed leaves the reader wondering about the outcome of the journey, and why it was even mentioned at all. In an attempt to evoke an emotional reaction in his audience the author describes the death of his dog. This could have been powerful if the first time we'd heard tell of the dog was more than a page prior. Every fleeting glimpse of a bear drawn out, every encounter with another human is excruciatingly crafted to make the author seem tougher, wiser, stoic or larger-than-life, leaving me to wonder if his canoeing partner Brent left not because he couldn't stand the wilderness, but because he could not stand the insufferable ego of this fedora-wearing Narcissus.
May 10, 2016
Loved the subject, loved the story. Shoalts' account of it, however, comes across as immature and narcissistic. His main literary device seems to be building himself up by making everyone else in the book appear as bumbling, less skilled, less courageous, less determined, less knowledgeable....you get the picture. He even manages to make his own father seem inferior. I thought perhaps that I was reading too much into his narrative but then I saw him on TV and heard him speak at an event. There's an arrogance and a lack of grace about him that makes him inaccessible; a shame because what he does is pretty incredible and I'd like to hear more about it. But I'd like to read more about the subject matter and not his mastery over it. The fact that he's a skilled woodsman and explorer is a given. That's why we're reading the book. We don't need to be reminded of it every 2nd paragraph. I can't help but compare him to Les Stroud who, while not an Explorer (a title Shoalts doesn't let us forget for long), does similar things and has comparable skills. Stroud differs, thankfully, in that he is able to tell a story and educate without arrogance or condescension. He's just a guy from Etobicoke who knows how to take care of himself. A little bit of Stroud's humility might serve Shoalts well.
September 2, 2016
There have been some complaints from readers about this author's ego; complaints that the book is about him, more than it is about the Canadian Wilderness. But, perhaps, all great adventurers are somewhat self-centred; what could possibly make them risk their lives the way they do if not for some deep inner ego-driven force. They clearly do it, not so much for the knowledge gained but out of a compulsion for adventure; their thirst for seeing what's around the next corner; their thrill in risking their lives, without thought of how that affects others. In other words, they are not like you and me. They carry an insatiable passion within and this passion benefits us all when they write books like this, detailing their adventures and those of other explorers before them. An unfortunate side to the risk taker's adventurous and careless spirit is their inability to understand and have compassion for others who have less compulsion than them; I found his somewhat derisive tone for his companion, Brent Kozah a bit harsh. He claims they are still friends; I wonder what Brent would have to say about that after his depiction in this book; Adam Shoalts could have been a little kinder. Nonetheless, this book was an exciting depiction of a great adventure and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
December 27, 2025
“A classic adventure story of single-minded obsession”
Shoalt’s luscious but chilling opening paragraph of the prologue will give an adventurous, outdoor-minded (and jealous, if I may say so) reader an excellent idea of the treats in store in ALONE AGAINST THE NORTH:
“Ahead of us lay the pitiless expanse of frigid ocean known as Hudson Bay. Behind us lay countless miles of windswept tundra, trackless swamp, and impassable muskeg. Half-famished polar bears roamed the desolate coastline. It wasn’t a place one should travel alone – or at all, really.”
ALONE AGAINST THE NORTH is a gripping story that discloses the heart, the mind, the obsession, the adventures, the exploits, the skills, the determination, the courage, and the achievements of a single-minded explorer determined to chart the length of an unknown river in the James Bay lowlands of Arctic Canada. The Again River was a route which might have been traveled on extremely rare occasions at some point in Canada’s past but that had never been documented or mapped in any way. It was also a river that would mercilessly eat up a canoeist with the temerity to attempt to do so who made so much as the slightest error in judgment.
As an experienced (and, I dare say, somewhat accomplished) outdoorsman, hiker, canoeist and camper in all four seasons, I can attest to the awesome difficulty of Shoalts’ achievements on this first-time descent of a terrifying river. Part biography, part adventure story, part environmental diatribe, and part natural science essay, ALONE AGAINST THE NORTH is all a page-turning and completely compelling story. Congratulations to Adam Shoalts on the outcome and the completion of a book that is easy to heartily recommend to both experienced and wannabe outdoor adventure lovers.
Paul Weiss
Shoalt’s luscious but chilling opening paragraph of the prologue will give an adventurous, outdoor-minded (and jealous, if I may say so) reader an excellent idea of the treats in store in ALONE AGAINST THE NORTH:
“Ahead of us lay the pitiless expanse of frigid ocean known as Hudson Bay. Behind us lay countless miles of windswept tundra, trackless swamp, and impassable muskeg. Half-famished polar bears roamed the desolate coastline. It wasn’t a place one should travel alone – or at all, really.”
ALONE AGAINST THE NORTH is a gripping story that discloses the heart, the mind, the obsession, the adventures, the exploits, the skills, the determination, the courage, and the achievements of a single-minded explorer determined to chart the length of an unknown river in the James Bay lowlands of Arctic Canada. The Again River was a route which might have been traveled on extremely rare occasions at some point in Canada’s past but that had never been documented or mapped in any way. It was also a river that would mercilessly eat up a canoeist with the temerity to attempt to do so who made so much as the slightest error in judgment.
As an experienced (and, I dare say, somewhat accomplished) outdoorsman, hiker, canoeist and camper in all four seasons, I can attest to the awesome difficulty of Shoalts’ achievements on this first-time descent of a terrifying river. Part biography, part adventure story, part environmental diatribe, and part natural science essay, ALONE AGAINST THE NORTH is all a page-turning and completely compelling story. Congratulations to Adam Shoalts on the outcome and the completion of a book that is easy to heartily recommend to both experienced and wannabe outdoor adventure lovers.
Paul Weiss
July 21, 2017
The other 2-star reviews hit the nail on the head so I won't repeat them.
What I will add is that as a hiker I enjoy setting up artificial challenges for myself that might lead me to hike a couple of extra miles or hit some arbitrary deadline. For all the talk of the necessity of exploration and survival at all costs, I see this type of artificially inflated challenge figure prominently in Adam's adventures. There is nothing wrong with this but for two things: A) he's outsourcing risk to his would-be rescuers, and B) it conflicts with his insistence that his adventures are for the sake of exploration.
Two cases in point (spoilers):
If you review the map of his journey that he began with Brent, his original design (that he shockingly did not thoroughly read Brent into before setting out) was to portage 100 km over 2 weeks and explore the western tributary of the Brant River (pages 66, 85, 93). His second plan relates to the nameless river and he sells it to Brent saying, "We would have to travel upriver, against the current, wading through the water and dragging the canoe behind us for about a hundred and twenty kilometers" (93). Evidently, Brent was not sold. The third plan which they begin to pursue takes them down the Sutton River and then back up the Brant, but this plan was "so dangerous that I was reluctant to mention it" and yet Adam "wasn't sure whether [Brent] understood what the plan I had sketched out involved exactly -- and I was in no mood to explain it" (94). In my view, this is criminal as an outdoors companion and Adam should be ashamed rather than prideful of risking his friend's life without his informed consent. I disgress... Ultimately, when Brent leaves the trip, Adam executes plan #2 alone and drags his canoe upstream 120 km along the nameless river. Apparently, the nameless river was a worthy target of exploration after all, even though it was his preference to explore the Brant River tributary. However, if you inspect the map, the furthest upstream point he made on the nameless river is indeed ~120 km upstream from the Goose Lodge, but it is also only ~4 km (!!!) from the point the plane dropped them on Hawley Lake (with two lakes covering perhaps a third of that distance, and no especially challenging terrain that can be seen on satellite imagery). So basically, he lies to his friend about the necessity of dragging their canoe upstream 120 km because that was the only version of the journey that was sufficiently hardcore for Adam. It wasn't enough to canoe or "explore" the nameless river in a straightforward way at all, and also, I partly suspect that he wanted to scare Brent off as an excuse to be alone and increase the challenge and the scale of the tale he would have to tell.
A second more minor case in point, he canoes the Again River finally and yet neglects to carry sufficient tools to effectively document his discovery, despite this apparently being the only distinction between explorer and adventurer. So he must return...
I'm all for adventure and self-challenge for their own sake, but spare me the preaching and talk of fate and necessity.
What I will add is that as a hiker I enjoy setting up artificial challenges for myself that might lead me to hike a couple of extra miles or hit some arbitrary deadline. For all the talk of the necessity of exploration and survival at all costs, I see this type of artificially inflated challenge figure prominently in Adam's adventures. There is nothing wrong with this but for two things: A) he's outsourcing risk to his would-be rescuers, and B) it conflicts with his insistence that his adventures are for the sake of exploration.
Two cases in point (spoilers):
If you review the map of his journey that he began with Brent, his original design (that he shockingly did not thoroughly read Brent into before setting out) was to portage 100 km over 2 weeks and explore the western tributary of the Brant River (pages 66, 85, 93). His second plan relates to the nameless river and he sells it to Brent saying, "We would have to travel upriver, against the current, wading through the water and dragging the canoe behind us for about a hundred and twenty kilometers" (93). Evidently, Brent was not sold. The third plan which they begin to pursue takes them down the Sutton River and then back up the Brant, but this plan was "so dangerous that I was reluctant to mention it" and yet Adam "wasn't sure whether [Brent] understood what the plan I had sketched out involved exactly -- and I was in no mood to explain it" (94). In my view, this is criminal as an outdoors companion and Adam should be ashamed rather than prideful of risking his friend's life without his informed consent. I disgress... Ultimately, when Brent leaves the trip, Adam executes plan #2 alone and drags his canoe upstream 120 km along the nameless river. Apparently, the nameless river was a worthy target of exploration after all, even though it was his preference to explore the Brant River tributary. However, if you inspect the map, the furthest upstream point he made on the nameless river is indeed ~120 km upstream from the Goose Lodge, but it is also only ~4 km (!!!) from the point the plane dropped them on Hawley Lake (with two lakes covering perhaps a third of that distance, and no especially challenging terrain that can be seen on satellite imagery). So basically, he lies to his friend about the necessity of dragging their canoe upstream 120 km because that was the only version of the journey that was sufficiently hardcore for Adam. It wasn't enough to canoe or "explore" the nameless river in a straightforward way at all, and also, I partly suspect that he wanted to scare Brent off as an excuse to be alone and increase the challenge and the scale of the tale he would have to tell.
A second more minor case in point, he canoes the Again River finally and yet neglects to carry sufficient tools to effectively document his discovery, despite this apparently being the only distinction between explorer and adventurer. So he must return...
I'm all for adventure and self-challenge for their own sake, but spare me the preaching and talk of fate and necessity.
September 24, 2017
The story may have been interesting but the ego of the author and his constant running down of those around him really put me off. It overshadowed the storyline for me and I wouldn't recommend it for that reason.
November 30, 2015
I received an advance copy of this book through Goodreads Giveaways. When I first received the book, I figured it would be a bit of a slog for me. I vastly prefer fiction over non, am not even remotely an outdoorsy type, and thought the premise was perhaps a bit too thin to build a book upon. A whole book about some guy canoeing in the Canadian wilderness? It turned out to be a fabulous read. The book was entertaining, at times humorous, intelligent, and educational. The author and explorer is very knowledgable about a number of subjects (Canadian flora and fauna, history, wilderness survival, etc.) and weaves this into the telling of his story. I often took breaks from the book to do additional research on the internet to supplement the reading. The book itself was very descriptive and I often felt like I was right there with him while, at the same time, being greatly relieved that I was not.
January 9, 2016
I've only recently started to enjoy non-fiction and they've mostly been stories of outdoor expeditions, excursions, and life altering and enriching experiences. This book I enjoyed all the more because of its Canadian content. I've actually been to some of the northern Ontario cities referenced in the book and ridden the Polar Bear Express. Enough of me! This book was well written and I enjoyed learning some history I was unaware of. Adam Shoalts has a love of adventure, the land, and a level of bravery not often seen. I especially was both encouraged and saddened by the short afterward that reminds us all of our responsibility to take care of the land and the earth we have. Good read!
August 17, 2015
This is an incredible account of a real-life adventure story. Adam writes with intelligence and humour, drawing the reader into a world of unbelievable isolation and formidable challenges. "Alone Against the North" is impressive, engaging, and completely unique. It would make a great documentary.
November 6, 2015
This book definitely grips you from the start, I found that I couldn't put the book down until I finished it. I've never read this type of book before, but I saw the author speak at Toronto's Word on the Street literary festival, and was intrigued. Reading the book, I felt like I was walking right beside the author through every swamp and forest, his descriptions of Canada's vast wilderness are so clear. The way he describes his encounters with wildlife such as bears, eagles and moose as well as his experience with his surroundings make me love and fear the wilderness at the same time.
Even though the Adam doesn't really delve into what he's feeling during every hurdle, you find yourself understanding how he feels regardless. You feel like you're reading a non-fiction versus a fiction because the book reads like a story. I am the most impressed by this because most non-fiction books i've encountered tend to be dry. I also really like how Adam incorporated historical tidbits that relate to his current position in his journey, so on top of reading a great story, I learned more about history! I would definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys walking through the woods, watching reality TV on the discovery channel, or anyone interested in the exploration of Canada.
Even though the Adam doesn't really delve into what he's feeling during every hurdle, you find yourself understanding how he feels regardless. You feel like you're reading a non-fiction versus a fiction because the book reads like a story. I am the most impressed by this because most non-fiction books i've encountered tend to be dry. I also really like how Adam incorporated historical tidbits that relate to his current position in his journey, so on top of reading a great story, I learned more about history! I would definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys walking through the woods, watching reality TV on the discovery channel, or anyone interested in the exploration of Canada.
October 17, 2020
A little biography mixed with adventure and a dash of Canadian geography. Adam Shoalts has been called the "Canadian Indiana Jones", and it is clear why he earned such a moniker after reading "Alone Against The North."
The book follows Adam as he plans and executes a solo expedition to map an unexplored river, The Again River, in the Hudson Bay Lowlands of Northern Ontario. Adam does a wonderful job of describing the scenery and painting a clear picture of both the beauty and harshness of the landscape, for those of us who will never experience first hand.
Adam has a nagging, almost obsessive need to be outdoors and explore. The excitement he feels when planning a new expedition and the peacefulness he experiences whilst alone in nature is very well expressed and becomes almost contagious through his writing. This book made me stand over my canoe, which is currently hidden under a foot of snow, and yearn to be out paddling on an unexplored river.
This book is a must read for any outdoor enthusiast.
The book follows Adam as he plans and executes a solo expedition to map an unexplored river, The Again River, in the Hudson Bay Lowlands of Northern Ontario. Adam does a wonderful job of describing the scenery and painting a clear picture of both the beauty and harshness of the landscape, for those of us who will never experience first hand.
Adam has a nagging, almost obsessive need to be outdoors and explore. The excitement he feels when planning a new expedition and the peacefulness he experiences whilst alone in nature is very well expressed and becomes almost contagious through his writing. This book made me stand over my canoe, which is currently hidden under a foot of snow, and yearn to be out paddling on an unexplored river.
This book is a must read for any outdoor enthusiast.
February 21, 2020
wow what a courage , to go alone in the wild , with all danger it take gut and determination.
that a fascinating adventure .
that a fascinating adventure .
February 1, 2024
Another adventure of Adam Shoalt’s that captured my imagination!! This book captured his first solo trips exploring previously uncharted rivers on the Hudson Bay lowlands! Vivid descriptions of the scenery, encounters with animals of all kinds (including Polar Bear!!) and unexpected waterfalls! I cannot wait to read or listen to the rest of his books!
October 25, 2022
I do love me a good adventure story, even as I know that Shoalts would cringe at the word 'adventure' and correct it to 'expedition' or 'exploration'. Alone Against the North is his tale of updating the map for a river that, to his knowledge, had never been fully traversed. (At least, not by Europeans. By Shoalts's reckoning, it doesn't count if there's no written record.)
I enjoyed the adventure/exploration part of the book, but the tone is a bit off-putting at times. Shoalts ended up doing the bulk of his trips alone, because the one friend who had the experience and the know-how to go with him didn't want to commit to it; consequently, the friend Shoalts brought along as a last-minute replacement was, well, ill-prepared in almost every way possible. And...that's not the friend's fault...but Shoalts never misses an opportunity to drag him for being lazy, for being easily discouraged, for not knowing how to build a fire, etc. etc. etc. As far as I can tell, if anyone's in the wrong here it's Shoalts (for bringing along someone he knew full well was unprepared and expecting him to keep up), but he very much treats it as though the friend was in the wrong. Tries to present it as a 'there were no hard feelings; he never went into the wild again but we're still friends' sort of thing, which to me means—so it was such a terrible experience that Shoalts ruined the wilderness for him forever? And if they were still friends after the trip, were they able to remain friends after the publication of this book?
I'll probably still read Beyond the Trees, because I'm curious, but I'll adjust my expectations accordingly.
I enjoyed the adventure/exploration part of the book, but the tone is a bit off-putting at times. Shoalts ended up doing the bulk of his trips alone, because the one friend who had the experience and the know-how to go with him didn't want to commit to it; consequently, the friend Shoalts brought along as a last-minute replacement was, well, ill-prepared in almost every way possible. And...that's not the friend's fault...but Shoalts never misses an opportunity to drag him for being lazy, for being easily discouraged, for not knowing how to build a fire, etc. etc. etc. As far as I can tell, if anyone's in the wrong here it's Shoalts (for bringing along someone he knew full well was unprepared and expecting him to keep up), but he very much treats it as though the friend was in the wrong. Tries to present it as a 'there were no hard feelings; he never went into the wild again but we're still friends' sort of thing, which to me means—so it was such a terrible experience that Shoalts ruined the wilderness for him forever? And if they were still friends after the trip, were they able to remain friends after the publication of this book?
I'll probably still read Beyond the Trees, because I'm curious, but I'll adjust my expectations accordingly.
April 15, 2017
Warning: Reading this book may cause you to want to quit your job, leave your family and head off alone into the mosquito and black fly infested northern wilderness. The siren's call is strong and I say that as someone who has experienced first hand the awfulness of the black flies as a tree planter in Northern Ontario during my university days.
I feel that this book has been unduly harshly reviewed by a few critics. Yes, Shoalts does come off as a bit of a jerk in the beginning. He seems to me though to be someone who says what he feels even if most of us would be more likely to hold back. I took him to be someone with an extremely driven personality and let's not kid ourselves, you need to be that way to live that kind of life. This is not camping in Muskoka. I can't help but yearn to do what he does as I sit here in a crowded Tokyo train. Definitely worth a read.
I feel that this book has been unduly harshly reviewed by a few critics. Yes, Shoalts does come off as a bit of a jerk in the beginning. He seems to me though to be someone who says what he feels even if most of us would be more likely to hold back. I took him to be someone with an extremely driven personality and let's not kid ourselves, you need to be that way to live that kind of life. This is not camping in Muskoka. I can't help but yearn to do what he does as I sit here in a crowded Tokyo train. Definitely worth a read.
December 31, 2015
I received this book through good reads first reads.
Definitely recommend this book. Well written. You feel that you are right along side the author on his travels on foot and on the water, along the uncharted waterways of the north.
Adam keeps you engaged. The short additions of history when he gets to certain locations is a nice touch.
Could not have imagined an adventure like this on his own, my fear for him when encountering bears , or mishaps on the water felt like being there.
As a parent I can imagine what his family goes through when Adam is on these adventures. I certainly would not recommend doing this alone.
Definitely recommend this book. Well written. You feel that you are right along side the author on his travels on foot and on the water, along the uncharted waterways of the north.
Adam keeps you engaged. The short additions of history when he gets to certain locations is a nice touch.
Could not have imagined an adventure like this on his own, my fear for him when encountering bears , or mishaps on the water felt like being there.
As a parent I can imagine what his family goes through when Adam is on these adventures. I certainly would not recommend doing this alone.
July 15, 2016
An adventure story from one of Canada's great explorers. I am now convinced that passion and determination will allow you to do just about anything. Adam Shoalts always wanted to canoe the Again river in the Hudson Bay Lowlands and his wish came true. Hired by the Canadian Geographical Society to map and chart out the river, he embarks alone against this true wilderness and then enthrals us with the details of his adventure. Personally, I wouldn't have lasted 10 minutes but Shoalts goes the distance and the story is awe inspiring. The human spirit is infinite in its capability of achieving the impossible.
September 15, 2016
If you are at all interested in wilderness camping and canoeing this book is for you. Shoalts' idea of a canoe trip would make most people shudder.
He drags a battered canoe and some paltry equipment through some of the most difficult conditions imaginable in Northern Canada in order to explore a previously unknown river.
Not only does he have to drag his canoe up rivers to get to the headwaters he has to portage through the thickest spruce forests and boot sucking muskeg. All the while hounded by clouds of black flies and mosquitoes and threatened by massive polar bears.
It's the best "trip report" you've ever read.
He drags a battered canoe and some paltry equipment through some of the most difficult conditions imaginable in Northern Canada in order to explore a previously unknown river.
Not only does he have to drag his canoe up rivers to get to the headwaters he has to portage through the thickest spruce forests and boot sucking muskeg. All the while hounded by clouds of black flies and mosquitoes and threatened by massive polar bears.
It's the best "trip report" you've ever read.
March 9, 2020
DNF at 75%
This was the most god awful book about outdoor adventuring I have ever read. The entire book is one long, pretentious ego boosting ramble. Roughly 2 chapters are actually about paddling, the rest is the author self-aggrandizing about being an “explorer” and roasting his friends for not being as experienced in the backcountry or outdoors.
It was awful. Don’t read it.
This was the most god awful book about outdoor adventuring I have ever read. The entire book is one long, pretentious ego boosting ramble. Roughly 2 chapters are actually about paddling, the rest is the author self-aggrandizing about being an “explorer” and roasting his friends for not being as experienced in the backcountry or outdoors.
It was awful. Don’t read it.
March 24, 2017
"What a blessing to be born in a land of almost limitless wilderness". Incredible story and wonderfully written.
January 22, 2018
I feel conflicted about this book to say the least. I thought it was an incredible adventure story. The descriptions of Schoalts' travels were vivid and engaging. As many other reviewers have pointed out, he also comes across as insufferably egotistical and I was shocked at the uncharitable way he portrayed people who were ostensibly good friends of his in the narrative.
Egos like his are not uncommon in these sorts of stories though, and to be fair, he undertook something I don't think many people could. I consider myself a reasonably competent outdoorsman, and have done my share of back-country trips in remote parts of Canada, but I can't even imagine taking on the kind of risks the author did in going into these places solo with so little knowledge of what he might face.
What I found far more disturbing was the glibly ignorant, neocolonial attitude with which he approached his explorations. He came across as incredibly dismissive of the First Nations peoples whose land he was traveling through. Their beliefs get consistently portrayed as backwards superstitions and Schoalts is consistently disrespectful of admonitions from locals about the areas he is traveling in. He seems to even take pride in being openly dismissive of the cultural beliefs of First Nations across the country, as though this dismissiveness proves his worth as a scientific thinker. It is possible to be respectful while still being discerning and holding differing beliefs, but Schoalts seems completely uninterested in that. He is equally dismissive of the achievements and history of First Nations people compared to the European explorers who came to the land after them. He dwells excessively 0n the distinction between exploration, wherein one makes scientific observations and keeps detailed records of these findings on their journey, and travel, where one does not make such records. While I can appreciate the distinction between these two modes of experiencing a landscape, the constant privileging of one over the other and the subsequent dismissal of any indigenous claims to propriety in the areas Shoalts writes about feel unnecessary, ill-informed and disrespectful.
For a book written so recently, the uncomplicated celebration of the achievements of European explorers who often subjugated and cruelly mistreated the native inhabitants of the lands they travelled through is frankly quite disturbing. I think this aspect of the book is far more troubling than any perceived personal arrogance on Schoalts' part. For my part, I share Schoalts' interest in the stories of these early explorers. I find their accounts enrapturing and the idea of exploration is one that has captured me for a long time, but I think it is important to acknowledge the costs to the people already living on the land that such explorations entailed.
While the book is severely marred by Schoalts' patronising attitude in this regard, I still really loved the story at the core of this book and the message that the age of exploration is far from over. The sense of wonder it inspires makes it a book worth reading, but I hope in the future Schoalts might make more of an effort to listen to the voices of those who are still suffering at the expense of the ancestors of the explorers he so uncomplicatedly admires.
Egos like his are not uncommon in these sorts of stories though, and to be fair, he undertook something I don't think many people could. I consider myself a reasonably competent outdoorsman, and have done my share of back-country trips in remote parts of Canada, but I can't even imagine taking on the kind of risks the author did in going into these places solo with so little knowledge of what he might face.
What I found far more disturbing was the glibly ignorant, neocolonial attitude with which he approached his explorations. He came across as incredibly dismissive of the First Nations peoples whose land he was traveling through. Their beliefs get consistently portrayed as backwards superstitions and Schoalts is consistently disrespectful of admonitions from locals about the areas he is traveling in. He seems to even take pride in being openly dismissive of the cultural beliefs of First Nations across the country, as though this dismissiveness proves his worth as a scientific thinker. It is possible to be respectful while still being discerning and holding differing beliefs, but Schoalts seems completely uninterested in that. He is equally dismissive of the achievements and history of First Nations people compared to the European explorers who came to the land after them. He dwells excessively 0n the distinction between exploration, wherein one makes scientific observations and keeps detailed records of these findings on their journey, and travel, where one does not make such records. While I can appreciate the distinction between these two modes of experiencing a landscape, the constant privileging of one over the other and the subsequent dismissal of any indigenous claims to propriety in the areas Shoalts writes about feel unnecessary, ill-informed and disrespectful.
For a book written so recently, the uncomplicated celebration of the achievements of European explorers who often subjugated and cruelly mistreated the native inhabitants of the lands they travelled through is frankly quite disturbing. I think this aspect of the book is far more troubling than any perceived personal arrogance on Schoalts' part. For my part, I share Schoalts' interest in the stories of these early explorers. I find their accounts enrapturing and the idea of exploration is one that has captured me for a long time, but I think it is important to acknowledge the costs to the people already living on the land that such explorations entailed.
While the book is severely marred by Schoalts' patronising attitude in this regard, I still really loved the story at the core of this book and the message that the age of exploration is far from over. The sense of wonder it inspires makes it a book worth reading, but I hope in the future Schoalts might make more of an effort to listen to the voices of those who are still suffering at the expense of the ancestors of the explorers he so uncomplicatedly admires.
December 30, 2020
I read this book in a single day. As an avid backcountry tripper where my trips are in mostly heavily populated Algonquin lasting 4-6 days in length, I truly appreciate the detail in this book. Blazing trails, triple portaging, the bugs and remoteness of what he has done is truly remarkable. The book is a great mix of nature storytelling, Canadian exploration history and facts about our landscape. It has to be next to impossible to truly depict what the Lowlands are like, and now I feel like I have experienced them. To those saying he is egotistical, I invite you to embark on a trip that is 1% as difficult as this and paddle your own canoe. I did not find him overly egotistical, but confident in his abilities in the outdoors. However, I do believe his approach to not scouting whitewater is quite reckless, his confidence in his own abilities and respect for nature are must in order to accomplish something like this. If you like the outdoors, this is a must read.
January 3, 2020
This book makes my bear story less exciting but I loved it anyway. Also, local author making it to the big time!
October 4, 2017
The book ends with a lament.
"When forests and wetlands are converted into farms, shopping malls, highways, or cities, we lose more than just the world's biodiversity - that bewildering blend of animals and plants that makes our world such a fascinating place. We also lose something that's deep in our collective psyches - the vast, forbidding, but enchanting world of untrammelled wildness, those critical "hunting-grounds for the poetic imagination."
Shoalts is an engaging and likeable author. The story is readable, entertaining and generally upbeat. He does tend to make the almost impossible seem only a matter of hardwork and perseverence. It is a credit to his humility, but the book may tempt some without a fraction of his skill to try their hand at such adventure. This kind of activity is only for the most hardened and experienced of explorers.
The book explains that despite all the technical equipment and know-how available today, all the communications and all-seeing sattelites, much of the world has either not been visited by humans, or if it has, there is no record of our passage. The area surrounding Hudson and James Bays is a good example, and includes hundreds of rivers and lakes without human report. Shoalts acknowledges that some might have been visited by aboriginal peoples, but probably not all. The need for survival limited opportunities to explore in such a harsh and unforgiving environment.
This book does not attain the level of Krakauer's writing and lacks the intensity of a book like "Annapurna" but it is very good and a joy to read.
"When forests and wetlands are converted into farms, shopping malls, highways, or cities, we lose more than just the world's biodiversity - that bewildering blend of animals and plants that makes our world such a fascinating place. We also lose something that's deep in our collective psyches - the vast, forbidding, but enchanting world of untrammelled wildness, those critical "hunting-grounds for the poetic imagination."
Shoalts is an engaging and likeable author. The story is readable, entertaining and generally upbeat. He does tend to make the almost impossible seem only a matter of hardwork and perseverence. It is a credit to his humility, but the book may tempt some without a fraction of his skill to try their hand at such adventure. This kind of activity is only for the most hardened and experienced of explorers.
The book explains that despite all the technical equipment and know-how available today, all the communications and all-seeing sattelites, much of the world has either not been visited by humans, or if it has, there is no record of our passage. The area surrounding Hudson and James Bays is a good example, and includes hundreds of rivers and lakes without human report. Shoalts acknowledges that some might have been visited by aboriginal peoples, but probably not all. The need for survival limited opportunities to explore in such a harsh and unforgiving environment.
This book does not attain the level of Krakauer's writing and lacks the intensity of a book like "Annapurna" but it is very good and a joy to read.
April 22, 2022
What should be a fascinating overview of the exploration of North America and the rigours of movement and surveying in the remote wilderness is instead dominated by Shoalts' insufferable character and enormous satisfaction with his survival skills. The narrative jumps around frustratingly, from a flash-forward prologue (the cardinal sin of novel writing) to meditations on other explorers' efforts and from ruminations on Shoalts' work assisting archaeologists and scientists in other parts of Canada (he is, he keeps reminding us, doing a doctorate) to a series of failed expeditions, none of which had anything to do with the river Alone Against the North is nominally about and all of which failures Shoalts blames on his erstwhile companions. Worse than the disjointed narrative is Shoalts' reporting of his internal monologue on how disappointing, incompetent or unreasonable his companions are—one of them has the nerve to turn down a dangerous canoe trip into the hypothermic wilderness because his wife is pregnant. The cretin!
By the end of the book, having heard all about Shoalts' huge success upon his return, his instant celebrity and TV spots and interviews and being given a flag by the society of so-and-so, it is somehow unsurprising that despite all his glory no one wants to join him on his next trip. Did Wes, Brent and Dad really bail out because the trips were too hard, one begins to wonder, or because another day stuck in a canoe with this subarctic narcissus was just too much?
By the end of the book, having heard all about Shoalts' huge success upon his return, his instant celebrity and TV spots and interviews and being given a flag by the society of so-and-so, it is somehow unsurprising that despite all his glory no one wants to join him on his next trip. Did Wes, Brent and Dad really bail out because the trips were too hard, one begins to wonder, or because another day stuck in a canoe with this subarctic narcissus was just too much?
August 26, 2018
Adam Shoalts is a man of my heart, his adventures are ones I would love to do. I had the opportunity to meet him when he released his second book. He does not disappoint. I hope he continuea to explore and write about it. Hey maybe he will take me with him.
December 26, 2015
This is a great read for anyone interested in wilderness, adventure, and folklore.
September 5, 2020
It's sometimes hard to understand why someone does something you would never do, even when they themselves tell you exactly why they do it. Adam Shoalts makes his motivation for unnecessarily risking his life abundantly clear, in great detail, on every vividly evocative page.
History of course is full of explorers (and Shoalts mentions many of them in this book), but their motivation was perhaps more practical, or at least more understandable. They did it for fame, love of country, fortune, or outright desperation. Shoalts's motivation is none of these. He avoids the spotlight; his love for Canada is directed primarily at the land not the nation; there's certainly no money in it; and he could have a very comfortable life if he were to so choose. Oh, and there's also the fact that the river he chooses to explore is relatively inconsequential. It does not lead to anywhere important or particularly romantic or alluring. He selects it based solely on the criterion that no one has ever navigated it.
So why does he constantly expose himself to situations where a sprained ankle or a nasty fall or a simple infection could easily result in a long painful death? The answer is surprisingly simple: he can't help himself; he has the soul and temperament of an explorer. He does it for the challenge, for the discovery and, most audaciously, for the sheer, intoxicating "fun" of it! In some ways he is a man "out of time", a throwback to a golden age of adventure, self reliance, and unabashed ego.
This book could easily have been a moderately engaging account of a canoe trip in Canada's north -- a kind of travelogue. But it is much more. It is an intelligent, informative, and eloquently written tale of adventure and survival that draws you in the way the best man-versus-nature genre of fiction does. Except that it's not fiction. And that's what makes it hard to put down. At certain points I thought (irrationally of course) the story would end with his death! Spoiler alert: it doesn't.
You would think that one such harrowing adventure would be enough for one lifetime, but no; it's just one of many. Luckily for us he decided to share this one with the world.
History of course is full of explorers (and Shoalts mentions many of them in this book), but their motivation was perhaps more practical, or at least more understandable. They did it for fame, love of country, fortune, or outright desperation. Shoalts's motivation is none of these. He avoids the spotlight; his love for Canada is directed primarily at the land not the nation; there's certainly no money in it; and he could have a very comfortable life if he were to so choose. Oh, and there's also the fact that the river he chooses to explore is relatively inconsequential. It does not lead to anywhere important or particularly romantic or alluring. He selects it based solely on the criterion that no one has ever navigated it.
So why does he constantly expose himself to situations where a sprained ankle or a nasty fall or a simple infection could easily result in a long painful death? The answer is surprisingly simple: he can't help himself; he has the soul and temperament of an explorer. He does it for the challenge, for the discovery and, most audaciously, for the sheer, intoxicating "fun" of it! In some ways he is a man "out of time", a throwback to a golden age of adventure, self reliance, and unabashed ego.
This book could easily have been a moderately engaging account of a canoe trip in Canada's north -- a kind of travelogue. But it is much more. It is an intelligent, informative, and eloquently written tale of adventure and survival that draws you in the way the best man-versus-nature genre of fiction does. Except that it's not fiction. And that's what makes it hard to put down. At certain points I thought (irrationally of course) the story would end with his death! Spoiler alert: it doesn't.
You would think that one such harrowing adventure would be enough for one lifetime, but no; it's just one of many. Luckily for us he decided to share this one with the world.
March 6, 2025
I enjoy his books
June 27, 2020
Loved this book but I enjoyed his "Beyond the Trees" a little more.
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