The Canoeist (Jefferson Press) is a gripping memoir that draws on John’s 50 years of canoeing the waters of North America, sometimes alone, sometimes in the company of his wife, his son, or a group of friends. John sets each chapter on a different river and a different stage of his life. The fire on the Cuyahoga River, the anti-Vietnam War demonstrations on the banks of the Potomac, and the resurrection of the Pigeon River in Tennessee all serve as backdrops in this alternately exhilarating, poignant, and funny journey to manhood. The tensions between father and son, the joys and burdens of being a child, a parent, and a husband provide emotional depth that complements the exquisite writing and fast-paced action.