A Long Way to Walk

by Norman R. Kalloch Jr.

In 1783, a young family finds themselves stranded in Quebec City. Desperate to join his brother in the District of Maine, Robert Forbes attempts to lead his family through the wilderness following an ancient Indian portage trail also used by Benedict Arnold eight years earlier. The journey proves to be far more hazardous than the family had imagined.

275 pages, Paperback

Published June 1, 2018

About the author

After a 34-year career in natural resource conservation, Norm Kalloch spends nine months of the year happily living off the grid at West Carry Pond in Somerset County, Maine with his wife, Audrey. He spends countless hours improving their woodlot and thoroughly enjoys all that the Bigelow Mountain region has to offer.

Reviews

[Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Living in Maine since I bailed from MAssachusetts in 1973 I have am familiar with the great North Maine woods, the province of Quebec, and most of the rivers and streams mentioned in the book. I have spent time with dirt road motorcycle camping, wilderness backpacking, backcountry canoeing, and even big river rafting in the lands featured in the book. I found the book compelling and couldn’t put it down. I also have spent many days clearing trails along the Bigelow range, which features prominently in the book. I am saddened by the flooding of numerous communities in creating Flagstaff Lake. Flagstaff Lake was a smaller natural lake when the Long Falls Dam impounded the Dead River in 1950, enlarging the lake and turning it into a reservoir used for hydropower by regulating the flow of the Dead River into the Kennebec River.
The juxtaposition of the 1775 Arnold military expedition also adds to the richness of the tragic story of one North American immigrant family from pre- industrial England.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the end

[Rick · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting story, but the simplistic dialog made it seem like the book was written for teenagers.