Rating: 
Summary: One of the best
Review: As a sea kayaker, and someone who has spent a good deal of time in Ireland, I was anxious to read this book. Expecting the usual mix of tech talk and testosterone, I was at least hoping for a nice description of some of the places where I had spent time. I received, instead, a wonderful gift of time and space. The author captures the romance, history and myth of Ireland and mixes it with the present day in a manner which kept me reading constantly. One of the beauties of sea kayaking is gaining a perspective of the world otherwise unavailable, and he fulfills this in a descriptive style which takes you along for the ride. I don't think that I would attempt to paddle the West Coast of Ireland, but thanks to Chris, I do believe I have been there.
Rating:
Summary: on celtic tides
Review: As the author of On Celtic Tides I am pleased to share with my readers the news that On Celtic Tides has won the literary catagory of the 2000 National Outdoor Book Award. I hope all who purchase my book will realize it is not, and was not, intended to be a "how to" manual or a guide book on sea kayaking. It is simply my account of a journey on the sea that is the highlight of my sea kayaking carreer- indeed one of the highlights of my life.
Rating:
Summary: Journey of the Heart
Review: Celtic Tides is not only a wonderful story of sea kayaking around the coast of Ireland -- it is a reflection on life. Chris Duff is a gifted writer who combines the outer world and inner world with great insights. His great courage and skillfulness are matched by a wisdom which is well beyond his years. Celtic Tides is a journey around the coast of Ireland and into the heart and soul of a gifted young man. Thank you, Chris.
Rating:
Summary: Journey of the Heart
Review: Celtic Tides is not only a wonderful story of sea kayaking around the coast of Ireland -- it is a reflection on life. Chris Duff is a gifted writer who combines the outer world and inner world with great insights. His great courage and skillfulness are matched by a wisdom which is well beyond his years. Celtic Tides is a journey around the coast of Ireland and into the heart and soul of a gifted young man. Thank you, Chris.
Rating: 
Summary: A good kayak travel account damaged by personal philosophy
Review: Chris Duff gives a good account of his journey around the island. There were excellent descriptions of the weather and sea conditions he paddled through. And his narrative of his interaction with the people of Ireland was great. The addition of the history of the island and it's people was good, but could have been better. What really pulled the book down from a 4+ was his constant insertion of his spirituality. Just how many time must a reader of a travel journal be subjected to the authors attempts to feel history by touching a rock, or hut, or trying to draw the souls of long dead monks from the dirt floors of their old dwellings? In a journal one expects and accepts some amount of personal philosophy, including spirituality, but Chris got lost in it and nearly sucked the excitement, the life out of an otherwise great account of his travel.
Rating:
Summary: a magical tale of journeying
Review: chris duff's travel in a sea kayak was one of the most wonderful books i've read in some time! His clarity of vision, storytelling, balance and insight were and are refreshing. The book is intimate both on and off the ocean. One need not be a kayaker to revel in the journey but it certainly helps. i was truly saddened when he completed the trip and look forward to reading about his other voyages. i'd love to join him the next trip out! vincent maher, NYC
Rating: 
Summary: adventure, joy, contact and contemplation
Review: Duff's book is one of only a handful of kayaking books really worth dipping into. His prose and purpose is conveyed perfectly to the reader. Both kayakers and students of water will enjoy this work by Duff. Only Ann Linnea's book comes close to matching it for creating lingering memories. Both works figure strongly in my book which reviews outdoor water recreation - Deep Immersion: The Experience of Water. Duff loves getting wet and immersing himself in Ireland's coasts. As Thoreau wrote " That part of you that is wettest is fullest of life" (quoted from Profitably Soaked: Thoreau's Engagement With Water; Green Frigate Books, 2003).
Rating:
Summary: Excellant book! For lovers of kayaking and/or Ireland.
Review: From the very beginning of this book it is apparant that it is as much about Ireland as it is about kayaking, and therein lies its magic. I have never been in a kayak, but I have spent time visiting the offroad sections of Ireland. After reading Chris's journal, I feel that I have spent weeks in an kayak and know how it feels to become one with the boat. At the same time, he has validated for me the mystical sense that the places of Ireland have that is not found anywhere else in the world. There are three key ingredients to the success of this book. The first is the authors ability to describe with great clarity the physical world, be it in the ocean, the view of the ocean from the top of a hill, the ruins of some ancient dwelling, or even in the simplicity of a tent. Even if you have never been there, after digesting his words you "know" what it feels like, what it looks like, what it smells like. The second key ingredient is his ability to portray the people of Ireland in their true character. They are a people of great charm, wit, and abounding genorousity. Having spent time in farms and pubs on western Ireland, I could close my eyes as I read his passages and be there again. The third and most important ingredient is his descriptions of the mystical pressence found in the old ruins scattered across the country side and sea scape. This is the most profound aspect of a visit to Ireland, the feeling that the only thing seperating you from the past is a thin veil of time, lighter than the fog that is almost always present. As I read Chris's description of his visit to Skellig Michael, it was a mirror of a visit I made to a fort on the top of the Slieve Mish Mountains on the Dingle Penninsula. He put into words what my heart and mind felt, but what my mouth and hands could not say. This is not a book about kayaking, it is about embarking on a journey that I have taken, one that delivers you to the root of your existance, a journey totally unexpected. All in all, one of the best books I have read in years.
Rating:
Summary: One of my favorite reads
Review: I almost didn't read Chris Duff's "On Celtic Tides" due to some of the reviews posted here. The book is either loved or not quite what the reader was seeking. Luckily for me, this book overwhelmed me with the excitement of Mr. Duff's travels and learning more about the historical sites in Ireland. I thought he found a perfect blend of description of the sea's, kayaking and history and emotion. His writing style continually impressed me. He is an expert at painting pictures with words but isn't wordy for the sake of filling space. His words are well thought out and his style unique. I also enjoyed the fact that he never complained. I've read other stories of significant journey where the author excessively complained about his loneliness or hardships. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about how he mentally managed the rough seas that were encountered. This is not a book about kayak technique, although there are inferences made about the technical aspects of kayaking. The reader is exposed to mental tools and techniques that may help in a rough situation, and this is certainly an under exposed area in the standard kayaking how-to book. I highly recommend this book, don't be dissuaded from reading it.
Rating:
Summary: One of my favorite reads
Review: I almost didn't read Chris Duff's "On Celtic Tides" due to some of the reviews posted here. The book is either loved or not quite what the reader was seeking. Luckily for me, this book overwhelmed me with the excitement of Mr. Duff's travels and learning more about the historical sites in Ireland. I thought he found a perfect blend of description of the sea's, kayaking and history and emotion. His writing style continually impressed me. He is an expert at painting pictures with words but isn't wordy for the sake of filling space. His words are well thought out and his style unique. I also enjoyed the fact that he never complained. I've read other stories of significant journey where the author excessively complained about his loneliness or hardships. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about how he mentally managed the rough seas that were encountered. This is not a book about kayak technique, although there are inferences made about the technical aspects of kayaking. The reader is exposed to mental tools and techniques that may help in a rough situation, and this is certainly an under exposed area in the standard kayaking how-to book. I highly recommend this book, don't be dissuaded from reading it.
|
