One of my favorite canoeing books is "Pole, Paddle and Portage" by Bill Reviere, published by Van Nostrand in 1969 I bought it when it came out and I still read through it once in a while. its an excellent book on canoeing technique and equipment. Unfortunately it appears to be out of print and available only through used book sites like Alibris.com.  I knew Bill when he was the outdoor editor for the Portland Press Herald in Portland, Maine.  Bill lived his passion which was the great outdoors.