Review: A Gripping True Story, Skillfully Told
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 07 9, 2013
"Farthest North" is the first Kindle Single I've purchased and I must say I was thoroughly delighted with it. This is the sort of tale I used to look forward to finding in Harper's or The Atlantic twenty years ago, though perhaps a tad longer than the articles they run. This was fine, as it is a truly gripping story that had me glued to my Kindle screen.Todd Balf, a seasoned professional writer who grew up on a remote part of the Massachusetts coast and who clearly has personal experience of the brisk, salt winds that come roaring off the Atlantic Ocean in mid-winter, grabs you right from the first paragraphs with an account of his protagonist, Elisha Kent Kane, scrambling to save himself and what's left of his crew, ice-bound in the far reaches of the Arctic. I won't tell you too much of the plot (this is non-fiction,). Suffice it to say that Joseph Conrad could not have done a better job with this material, and frankly I'm surprised I'd not heard of this expedition before. Balf has produced a gem. I will look for anything with his name on it.Highly recommended for all who love a good sea yarn or a tale of exploration, danger, and adventure.