I agree with Toothfairy...Paddle to the Amazon is a very entertaining book; but Starkell seems sometimes to get carried away with the GOAL.  Perhaps that is a pre-requisite to being able to finish crazy trips like that!  I remember thinking some of the days the book relates sounded like child abuse for his son who hung in there with him.  Didn't know about the Arctic journey and now I'll have to read it.... :o