"Quetico Adventures", by Tim Mead, is one of two books published by popular Boundary Waters Journal writers to come out this year (the second being "A Brief Time in Heaven: Wilderness Adventures in Canoe Country" by Darryl Blazino).  Tim's new book is more than a compilation of his many fine magazine stories and "Collective Wisdom" column contributions.  Not only does it contain significant new material, the entire volume is laced with pictures that do a fine job of capturing the flavor of the tale, the time, the paddling party, and the place.

His book is arranged into two segments.  The first is "trip report" oriented.  Each chapter pulls from Tim's rich store of descriptive accounts and vivid memory, both to tell a story AND to indelibly highlight facets of this special wilderness area that have likely left imprints on all of us (storms, bugs, newbie initiations, fabulous sportfishing, wildlife sighting, introducing youth to the park, pictos, etc. & so on).  If you're a park fan, this is a virtual experience down Memory Lane!

The second part of this book is more topical & utilitarian in nature.  Here, Tim shares hard-won wilderness wisdom and gets into a lot of useful stuff.  This may not be "Must-Reading" for newbies and rookies but I'd surely put it under the category of "Strongly-Advised Reading!"  For instance, he wrote a short chapter dealing with "canoe paddles", offering valuable tips on selection, use, and maintenance of this important equipment.  I was happy to see Tim favors a Bending Branches make of paddle.  Not only do I own a few, myself: I recently had the opportunity to tour the BB Osceola factory & witnessed for myself the outstanding quality & craftsmanship that goes into each & every paddle.  Anyway, the "Collective Wisdom" part of Tim's book is full of great tips for paddlers and campers of any vintage.

In "Quetico Adventures", Tim serves up a delicious meal that, much like our shore-lunch walleye sizzling in the pan, we will savor long before we ever taste it.  To this, he adds his own special spices, accumulated in a lifetime of diverse trips with close friends and family.  I, for one, appreciate the unique lens he has focused on the Quetico experience.  Admittedly, that may have much to do with the fact the book is so heavily laced with accounts of sport fishing that I enjoy so much.  Hey, if you're looking to improve your fishing prowess during your stay in Quetico, I can't think of a better place to start (at least until Kingfisher gets around to writing HIS book!).

All in all, "Quetico Adventures" will surely resonate with and appeal to QJer's and Quetico afficionados of just about any stripe.  Tim book may be obtained via the following website: (You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)   I endorse it in the highest terms.

Jimbo    

I received my copy (autographed!) in the mail yesterday.  As is my habit, I read a bit before bedtime, but the book got me so excited about my coming trip (June 9th!) that I lay awake for quite awhile.  Reading about places I have been triggers wonderful memories, and reading about places that I have not seen makes me look forward to many more trips.

Got it in the mail a couple of nights ago. I just spent nine days in Quetico earlier this month, but now -- more than ever before -- I'm itchin' to be back.

-- kypaddler