The Epic Story of the Fastest Ride in History Through the Heart of the Grand Canyon

This is a wonderful book, part history, part geology, part geography, part engineering and part adventure. If you love any or all of these things, I highly recommend it. The book is well researched and well written. Both my husband and I read it and then I bought if for my father.

Fantastic read, I've recommended this book to more people than any other in the last ten years. Fedarko's imagery of what it's like to be in the Canyon is lyrical. His combination of the history of the Grand Canyon with the two stories keeps you turning pages. Can't wait to read what he writes about his hike through the Canyon with Pete McBride.

I enjoyed this history of the Grand Canyon and its river runners. The writing is highly descriptive as opposed to spare, spilling over into repetition from time to time (leading me to think "Yeah, i get it, this river guide was really obsessed/driven/thoughtful/etc., let's move it along." Still, it's a fascinating and thorough story of the exploration, protection, and development of the Colorado River basin in general and the river running community in particular. The author's passion for the land and affection for the river guides is infectious.

The subtitle "Epic Story of the Fastest Ride..." is misleading. Mr Fedarko's work is a terrific summary of Powell's expedition; an in depth study of the construction of the Glen Canyon dam and its very close call of failure in 1983; a marvelous complimentary assessment of Martin Litton and Kenton Grua; the inside/outside game that cost the Sierra Club its tax exempt status and finally a description of what it is and why that makes this geologic wonder so special to those who work on the river.

This book is such a joy to read. So much is revealed and Mr Fedarko's literary abilities are stunning. This is one of those rare books that I will savor to read again and again for years.

For those who love stories by Grand Canyon river guides, few can surpass Christa Sadler's There's This River... Grand Canyon Boatman Stories. Her work contains real joy about this canyon.

The story is about the Grand Canyon and one particular year that set records, but the author weaves a remarkable history of discovery and adventure through it. The story itself is a confluence of a history of adventure (including the first ever trip to explore the Grand Canyon by John Wesley Powell), the inevitable and intermingled history of damns, and the historic weather and adventure events of 1983.

This is not simply the terrific telling of a real adventure but is a tale that brings the Grand Canyon, the Colorado River, its guides and its tourists into your life. Vividly portrayed, compellingly told, this is a tale for anyone with an interest in nature, courage, ecology, history or America. One caution: if you read it, be prepared to feel compelled to take a ride through the Canyon on the River yourself to confirm how beautifully this book captures it all.

Excellant history of the Grand Canyon, and those who dared to enter it. The title is somewhat misleading in that only the last few chapters actually tell of the speed run through the canyon. The majority of the book deals with the history of the canyon, the boats and boatmen who run the it, and the construction of the Glen Canyon Dam. It is a fascinating story for anyone who has been in the canyon, or hopes to go some time.

I LOVED the history and engineering details that were tucked in around many of the adventure sequences! I felt I learned a great deal from this book and as an avid whitewater rafter as well as having recently visited the Glen Canyon Dam recently I was able to appreciate much of what was described. A Wild and wonderful book for anyone interested in whitewater rafting, the Colorado river, weather, and the madness and passion that led to this historic river run.

My husband and I really loved this book. My husband has oared the Colorado through the Grand Canyon twice and hiked the trails into the Grand Canyon over ten times and he could not put the book down. Thank you Kevin Fedarko for writing such an exciting book.

Excellent book, much more to it than I expected. Great history of Western water policy, Colorado River/Grand Canyon exploration, white water rafting and protection of our natural resources. Many passionate and interesting characters. Kevin Fedarko is knowledgeable on many subjects and makes them interesting to the reader.

Having traveled down the river on an OARS three week trip, I really enjoyed it. It covers the history, politics, building and maintaining the Glen Canyon dam including some dangerous floods. It also has a great description of the lives and racing of the river boat leaders, who set record times for traversing the Colorado. I strongly recommend it to anyone who has gone on the river, or is thinking about trying it.

I'm a Colorado River junkie preparing for my 10th Grand Canyon River Trip next year by building my own Dory so I was predisposed to love this book- It is really really good and I found myself sitting up to keep reading it long past when I had to be asleep to face the next day. Kevin's research is awesome and the writing is wonderful. The storey lives in legend among all boat men and women along the Colorado and this book does ample justice to the whole event. Will be reading it again and again.

Excellent read! Combines history, drama, human nature study, engineering, government oversight and more to a real life story to which most can relate. The Colorado River and Grand Canyon are the last frontier for many. The story of three men who rode the river almost non-stop for two days with a one time event high water will not be repeated. This is one of those books which you really do keep reading until you fall asleep or finish the book.

This was an exciting and detailed read. Mr. Fedarko cleverly juxtaposed the characters over time from the initial discovery of the Colorado River to the present while exposing the true grit and determination of those who make a living off the river today.

The story has momentum with vivd descriptions of the water, people and the details of "The Fastest Ride". Only once-could this super fast time be achieved due to all the variables aligning at the same time. With gutsy determination and unearthly results, the trio of veteran dory men are the gods of the Colorado.... Quite a triumph!

My husband and I, and our kids, and grandkids, all have rafted the canyon many many times,,, and this book is WONDERFUL!
I have tons of pictures and videos, but too many to add here.

If you are planning a trip here or have done it many times, just go ahead and get the book, you will love it.

An excellent history of the river leading us from the first white observers through Powell and his successors, and the creation of Crystal. It provides a balanced look at the events culminating in the events of 1983. Having run the Colorado in both 1982 and in the fall of '83 and almost drowned in Crystal in 1986 the details provided both informed and literally immersed me in all that is enticing and frightening of the power of the River.

A really great history lesson on the Canyon and the dam system that brackets it. All wrapped around an almost unbelievable story of man;s ability to conquer the elements and survive. An exciting and worthwhile read.

I have rafted the wondrous Grand Canyon four times and will be going back next year. It is difficult for me to find words that describe how one can be in a place where you feel simultaneously minuscule and majestic, but that is the secret of the Grand Canyon, a truly spiritual place. This is the first Grand Canyon book that expresses how I feel. I was an Edward Abbey fan who read and reread Desert Solitaire and the Monkey Wrench Gang. Now I am even beginning to understand the Glen Canyon Dam, a project that I despised because I never got to see the canyon before the dam changed it.

This book is not just a true story about a boat and a race, but a literary masterpiece. Kevin Fedarko must have read my mind and put my thoughts into his beautiful words. For that, I thank him! It may read like fiction but it is factual (geology, history, engineering) and an exciting and emotional story. I can't say enough good things about it. Even if you are not a Grand Canyon addict like me and never plan on rafting the Colorado, it is a great book. Enjoy it!

This book is a great read and a wonderful history of river running in the Grand Canyon. It is very well researched. I was impressed with its even handed and sympathetic representation of the diverse players leading to present being of the canyon including the problems and motivation of such diverse entities as the Burea of Reclaimation, the National Park Service, commercial guide services, conservation activists and rugged and independent river guides.
This book is more than just a story about river running. It is a mural and a poem depicting the lures and controversies surrounding one of the most beautiful and enchanting places in the world and the humans that interact with it.

Raised on Colorado River and found this fascinating and sad. Mighty river no more. I could cry when I go "home" and see the channeled trickle that the Colorado has become. would have loved to see it in it's glory. I wish everyone a life changing experience like this group experienced. Read this and Cadillac Desert for a clear picture of the development of the Colorado.

Kevin has blessed us all by skillfully interweaving whitewater action, boatman perspectives on dory history in the Grand Canyon, and a blow-by-blow description of Glen Canyon Dam operations during the '83 high water crisis! Thank you, Kevin for this well-paced interesting story!

A fantastic read! Read this in anticipation of my upcoming Grand Canyon river trip. It will enhance my appreciation of the adventure tenfold. Nonstop action about an incredible adventure woven into a history of the Grand Canyon and Colorado River that few people know. I have been several times, including a rim to rim hike and I learned things I never heard of. Rates up there with Endurance (the story of William Shackleton). If you are going to the Grand Canyon, this is a must read.

Just into the first few parts of this book. Great history of man and the Grand Canyon starting with the Spanish discovery and extending to present day. The effort to tame the Colorado as well as preserve its wild qualities. Can't wait to get to the actual speed run down the canyon. I have purchased a second copy for a friend who also loves the Canyon.

A fantastic read! Read this in anticipation of my upcoming Grand Canyon river trip. It will enhance my appreciation of the adventure tenfold. Nonstop action about an incredible adventure woven into a history of the Grand Canyon and Colorado River that few people know. I have been several times, including a rim to rim hike and I learned things I never heard of. Rates up there with Endurance (the story of William Shackleton). If you are going to the Grand Canyon, this is a must read.

Just into the first few parts of this book. Great history of man and the Grand Canyon starting with the Spanish discovery and extending to present day. The effort to tame the Colorado as well as preserve its wild qualities. Can't wait to get to the actual speed run down the canyon. I have purchased a second copy for a friend who also loves the Canyon.

A fascinating story of the Colorado River, the individuals who guide on the river and the Glen Canyon Dam and its history all intertwined during the biggest El Nino in recent history. Very well written and hard to put down. I highly recommend this book!

It is a very well written book that beautifully illustrates the greatness of the Colorado River and Grand Canyon, as well as the engineering feat of building a dam and controlling the water flow.
At times, I felt it got bogged down with details and I was inclined to skim over those sections. But, it quickly bounced back into action and regained my attention .
It ended with a bit of environmental preaching, which I didn't like; but overall, it was worth the read.

Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction ! I'm not sure "stranger" is the right term, but in the case of "The Emerald Mile" certainly more interesting than a lot of fiction. It never really occurred to me that I might get interested in all aspects of The Grand Canyon, but I did. Not a textbook and not "adventure porn", but somewhere in between. A great read !

I just finished reading "The Emerald Mile: The Epic Story of the Fastest Ride in History Through the Heart of the Grand Canyon" by Kevin Fedarko... I can honestly say, without reservation, that it is the best, most interesting, most descriptive book I've ever read about what it means to be a "River Person". There are many folks out there who run rivers and have great information about how to do it, but there are few, okay, this is the first I've found, who can actually convey what it takes and how it feels to become one with a river. Kevin Fedarko does it... He's a poet in a river-guide's body. Borrow it from your library, from a friend or simply BUY THIS BOOK!! I hope it satisfies you half as much as it did me!! Really!!

Exciting rafting adventure on the Colorado river through Grand Canyon National Park. Complete with history of John Wesley Powel's first rafting of the river prior to construction of any damn dams. And both Powel and our Emerald Mile hero both completed the historic conquest of the mighty Colorado River in a wooden dory. Strap yourself in for a ride!

Outstanding book. We purchased the audio version and the reading is great. The word pictures and the writing is excellent. Makes you feel as though you are right there with the boatmen! It devotes a substantial amount of space to "side bar" information but is still riveting. I already have a long list of people that I want to recommend it to and I am not yet quite done.

The Emerald Mile is a great story...that is true. This story will suck you in as fast as Grand Canyon whitewater! You will not be able to put it down until it is done...just like the fastest ride in history thru the Grand Canyon!

Do yourself a favor and read this book...you will be glad you did!

Great outdoor adventure story. Provides a short history of Grand Canyon rafting, the politics of dams, both existing and not built. An in depth look into the lives of those running the river, especially focused on the events of one spring and the ramifications of an unprecedented snow melt.

Though the Emerald Mile promises an epic journey, it gives you much more than just a ride on the Colorado, it gives you the whole history of the Grand Canyon, the development of its dams, and the NON-development of dams that could have ruined this national treasure. And every word of it is part of a thrilling adventure, with rocks tumbling around your head and great gushes of spray drenching your consciousness. By the time you finish, you feel as if you'd ridden the Colorado dozens of times yourself and you care more than you ever dreamed you could about the river, about the canyon, about the guides through whom the river runs like their own blood. Impeccably researched and referenced, entrancingly written, intelligently and lovingly shared.

This is a fast-paced, well-researched non-fiction book that reads like a well-conceived novel. Having taken a dory trip through the Grand Canyon I found his descriptions of the boatmen, the scenery, and the pulse-pounding sensation of riding through a class 10 rapid all to be vivid enough to bring back the emotions from my trip. I am giving this book as Christmas presents to several of my friends who have spent years hiking the canyon with me. And I plan to re-read it again ... and again.

A beautifully written epic which flows along the mighty Colorado River as it barrels toward the Sea of Cortez. Oh yes, it's journey takes us through the spectacular and majestic Grand Canyon. A vivid encounter which culminates with a mad adrenalin filled rush to clock the fastest run ever thru the Grand Canyon. Can you tell? I loved it?

Like many, I purchased this book after reading the excerpt in Outside magazine. The author does an excellent job interspersing history with specific updates on river rafting (which is the core of the exciting stuff). The inter-woven story of the issues at the Glenn Canyon dam were particularly interesting. The author brings alive Kenton Goa even though the book was written after his death. Overall an outstanding story.

Reading this book is like running the Colorado river: the story is full of characters, human and aquatic and natural wonders and each of then are linked together from one end of the Grand Canyon to the other. Simply brilliant.

I thought this was about some guys setting a speed record through the Grand Canyon. Two thirds of the way through the book, they start their run. This book is about so much more that a trip down a river! I couldn't put it down.

a wonderful combination of natural history and cultural history of the Colorado River and Grand Canyon and a fascinating history of the dams that forever impacted and, in most ways, destroyed the Colorado River. The interspersed stories of the river-runners make for a wonderful, exciting, interesting, book.

Very well written account of the race against the clock, and much more. It is actually a good historical accounting of non native Americans' experience with the canyon. It is well researched history that reads like a suspense novel.

Very good description of the canyon and the dams that store the water. Very real and exciting as I know the rapids and Martin Litton. Fedarko did his home work and it shows as the story unwinds. Fascinating read as Fedarko ties it all together. You will not want to stop reading this story as it is captivating.

This is a wonderfully written story of the river guides' life on the Colorado River and the equally important story of Glen Canyon Dam. I lived the story of my husband's experiences at Glen Canyon Dam in the summer of 1983, never knowing the story of Kenton Grua and his colleauges and their scary river run downstream of the dam. Kevin has brought the two stories together in a beautifully written and interwoven story of the human experience to overcome life's challenges from the two opposite perspective of those who love the open river and those who desire to control the river for beneficial uses. Kevin does an excellent job of representing both perspectives with respect and dignity. Once opened, this is a hard book to close.

The writer of this book documents the failings of our engineered society and the near fatal failure of systemes to respond.
I have hiked the canyon many times and floated the river.
This book is a mandatory read for anyone who have ventured from the paved roads of the National Parks.
Great read!

I found Emerald Mile interesting. It gives a person lots of information. It encouraged me to go back down to the area and check the area out. The race was not a big part of the book. But everything in the book is very interesting. Give it a try.

I have read many books. What makes Kevin Fedarko's book so special is not only his talent in bringing in so much history, but also the poetry of the words that he uses to describe that history. I have lived for 40 years next to the Glen Canyon Dam and only recently experienced the magic of a 10-day boat ride down the Colorado River into the heart of the awesome magesty of the Grand Canyon. It is an unforgetable experience, much more special now that I have read Kevin Fedarko's book, "The Emerald Mile." I can't recomment this book highly enough. Buy it! You'll be glad that you did.

Boudicca Joseph