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Chesapeake: Exploring the Water Trail of Captain John Smith
This richly illustrated, informative, and inviting book intertwines two fascinating stories of discovery. The first, among the earliest classics of New World adventure, recounts Captain John Smith's exploration of Chesapeake Bay 400 years ago; the second revisits this stunning landscape as it is today—both to showcase its still-unspoiled splendors and to issue a timely warning of looming threats to its vibrant but fragile ecology.
Dozens of dazzling full-color contemporary photographs evoke the Chesapeake spirit in all its many moods, while a wonderfully wide-ranging selection of archival images span the four centuries since John Smith first sailed, rowed, and wandered its woods and waterways, mapping the wilderness shores of an untamed America.
The author, a veteran naturalist at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, has spent decades leading tours and teaching classes about the region. An ideal guide, he shares both his delight in the Bay's glorious diversity and his deep concern for its future. In addition, his unique blend of experience, environmental sensitivity, and historical expertise offers modern visitors a rare opportunity to discover the Chesapeake as Smith did so long ago, leaving beaten paths and familiar waters behind to learn why Congress will soon designate it as the first of America's official National Historic Water Trails.
For history buffs, conservationists, armchair travelers, tourists planning a trip, and anyone who simply loves first-rate nature photography, this beautiful book more than meets the high standard readers have come to expect from National Geographic.
Dozens of dazzling full-color contemporary photographs evoke the Chesapeake spirit in all its many moods, while a wonderfully wide-ranging selection of archival images span the four centuries since John Smith first sailed, rowed, and wandered its woods and waterways, mapping the wilderness shores of an untamed America.
The author, a veteran naturalist at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, has spent decades leading tours and teaching classes about the region. An ideal guide, he shares both his delight in the Bay's glorious diversity and his deep concern for its future. In addition, his unique blend of experience, environmental sensitivity, and historical expertise offers modern visitors a rare opportunity to discover the Chesapeake as Smith did so long ago, leaving beaten paths and familiar waters behind to learn why Congress will soon designate it as the first of America's official National Historic Water Trails.
For history buffs, conservationists, armchair travelers, tourists planning a trip, and anyone who simply loves first-rate nature photography, this beautiful book more than meets the high standard readers have come to expect from National Geographic.
192 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
28 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
October 29, 2018
This book was given to me for Christmas because of my love for Jamestown and early American history. I'm from the Chesapeake area (Maryland) and thought it would be very interesting to read. I was not dissapointed. I learned more about what the Chesapeake area looked like during John Smith's time and the places he traveled. I was surprised to find out how much he traveled in just two years. He ended up covering much of the Chesapeake bay along with most of it's rivers.
John Williams does a great job of covering John Smith's explorations while comparing the waterways to how they look today. It actually paints a grim picture. In the 400 years since John Smith was here we have made a mess of the beautiful place he discovered. As I read farther into the book, it became clear it wasn't just a history lesson Williams wanted to tell. He is also calling out to everyone living in the Chesapeake area to take the seriously our job to keep the Bay and all it's rivers clean. It's amazing how much they all affect each other. Reading this book has made me want to take the clean up of our area seriously while also making me want to explore the waterways more.
John Williams does a great job of covering John Smith's explorations while comparing the waterways to how they look today. It actually paints a grim picture. In the 400 years since John Smith was here we have made a mess of the beautiful place he discovered. As I read farther into the book, it became clear it wasn't just a history lesson Williams wanted to tell. He is also calling out to everyone living in the Chesapeake area to take the seriously our job to keep the Bay and all it's rivers clean. It's amazing how much they all affect each other. Reading this book has made me want to take the clean up of our area seriously while also making me want to explore the waterways more.
August 31, 2023
An interesting surface view of John Smith's travels around Chesapeake Bay in the 1600s. Rarely went in-depth on any part of the journey, but I enjoyed the compare and contrast between Chesapeake Bay then and Chesapeake Bay now. A very quick read.
The images in the book were so-so at best. I would have liked to see better images of John Smith's map, but I was pleased to see a typical National Geographic map of his exploration path in the front of the book to refer back to.
The images in the book were so-so at best. I would have liked to see better images of John Smith's map, but I was pleased to see a typical National Geographic map of his exploration path in the front of the book to refer back to.
December 26, 2018
Good overview of Capt Smith's exploration of the Chesapeake Bay and the current state of the Bay.
August 31, 2020
This Nat Geo book is a celebration and prayer for the well being of the Chesapeake Bay, and a breath-taking visual gift for those of us long enchanted by the water’s charms.
June 5, 2013
Let me start off this review by saying that I'm not part of the target audience of this book. I don't live in Chesapeake or even anywhere near Chesapeake (hell, I'm in bloody Southeast Asia--I didn't even know of Chesapeake some few months ago until a TV show referenced the place); I don't have any means of supporting the foundation for the sustenance of Chesapeake Bay; I don't go out boating for leisure and nor do I plan to; and, hell, I don't really care that much about the environment nor the history of a place which I didn't know existed until recently.
Yet, despite all of these, I was still charmed by this book. It's concise, and it offers equal parts of natural history and explorational history. It even gave out some few historical tidbits that really surprised me, such as the whole Pocahontas thing. There's also some neat tips for you boaters out there, which entertained even me--so it'll most probably be of great use to people who could actually use the knowledge stored inside this book.
I'll be honest here: I only bought this book because I was browsing a secondhand bookstore and this was selling for about a half-dollar (which, by the way, is a great bargain for a book this size). I didn't really expect to be amused, but I was and that's way more than I asked for.
Yet, despite all of these, I was still charmed by this book. It's concise, and it offers equal parts of natural history and explorational history. It even gave out some few historical tidbits that really surprised me, such as the whole Pocahontas thing. There's also some neat tips for you boaters out there, which entertained even me--so it'll most probably be of great use to people who could actually use the knowledge stored inside this book.
I'll be honest here: I only bought this book because I was browsing a secondhand bookstore and this was selling for about a half-dollar (which, by the way, is a great bargain for a book this size). I didn't really expect to be amused, but I was and that's way more than I asked for.
February 16, 2011
This is a very good overview of Smith's travels. Not as much history as some others - more natural resources than some of the general histories. A good mix. I particularly appreciated the recommendations of the author on how to explore Smith's route.
August 27, 2011
Growing up on the Chesapeake Bay, I found this book fascinating. You will love this if you are at all interested in the history or geography of coastal Virginia.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews