Rating: 
Summary: This Is No Travelogue
Review: After reading the Editorial Reviews here, I bought this book hoping for a travelogue from a "dentist turned bush pilot." Instead, this is a book of poorly done undergraduate-level philosophy.
The author treats respectfully both the Inuit, who apologized to the spirits of the animals they killed, and mid-twentieth-century intellectuals, who were absolutely certain (unencumbered by data) that there must be intelligent life in outer space. For Christianity and western civilization in general he shows nothing but contempt. Whatever.
This book's title and promotion promise something entirely different from this book. I wanted to read about the flying: How he read the weather, how he assessed whether a particular lake was adequate for landing. Is it possible to land in a lake that's too short to take off from? What other flying has this author done? Why did he take this trip? Why was he alone?
Well, I did find the answer to that last question: He's a sophist and a bore.
Rating: 
Summary: A Good Read !!
Review: As a retired mechanical engineer and private pilot I thoroughly enjoyed George Erickson's book "True North: exploring the Great Wilderness by Bush Plane".He combines description of the vast and wonderous beauty of the Canadian Wilderness with the adventure of flying alone in a small float plane with the occasional sojourns into the realm of science, such as an explanation as to how as airplane flies. But you won't need an engineering degree or a pilots license to enjoy the book because it's all skillfully presented in layman terms. A good read!
Rating:
Summary: A Good Read !!
Review: As a retired mechanical engineer and private pilot I thoroughly enjoyed George Erickson's book "True North: exploring the Great Wilderness by Bush Plane". He combines description of the vast and wonderous beauty of the Canadian Wilderness with the adventure of flying alone in a small float plane with the occasional sojourns into the realm of science, such as an explanation as to how as airplane flies. But you won't need an engineering degree or a pilots license to enjoy the book because it's all skillfully presented in layman terms. A good read!
Rating:
Summary: Great Read
Review: As one who has flown the Sub-Arctic North myself I found the book to be not only "aviation" but also a history and cultural lesson. Not many authors have the ability to broaden their primary interest and weave interesting sub-texts without losing their way.
Rating: 
Summary: True North, Exploring the Great Wilderness by Bush Plane
Review: Erickson has put me in the the great northern expanse with his writing. Each passage creates a picture of the lakes, mountains, shorelines, fish, and the relationship of man to the eternal. As a man of deep interest in the science of things, George helps me relate not only to his physical travels on and above the wilderness, feeling the touch of each blade of grass, yet looking down on the overall picture that the earth's fabric. I feel the great spirit of the earth and yet see how the elements are ordered through survival and time. He is truly in the same category as Florence and Francis Jacques, Jack London, and Henry David Thoreau. Noel Allard
Rating:
Summary: Diamonds, Darwin, Death and Deceit - True No has them all.
Review: Erickson's writing pulls the reader in for an exceptional odyssey through an Alaskan and Caanadian wilderness that most of us can only dream of. Better yet, it's a wonderful mix of Salmon and Sagan, Malthus and Musk oxen, plus caribou and Copernicus. No wonder it's a best seller! As one of my friends said after his second reading - Diamonds, Darwin, death and deceit - True North has them all.
Rating:
Summary: Science and Travel
Review: George Erickson has written a wonderful book telling of his travels in Canada aboard his Piper Cub. Along the way he intersperses his travelogue with lessons on science, and some of the history of the area, including what happened with native culture in it's encounters with European explorers and missionairies. Erickson has a wonderful story of exploration and the wonders that knowledge of how the world really works can bring insight and joy to our lives.
Rating: 
Summary: A real long trip
Review: I bought this book because I thought it would be fun to strap into the back seat of the seaplane and take a long ride into the North Country. I did that, and I learned many interesting things along the way. But about halfway through the journey, I began to feel like I was riding with my mother-in-law. The author seems to have a burr under his saddle about religion and obviously feels the church is the root cause of all the ills in the world. Not sure what that's all about, but everyone is entitled to their opinion and I didn't mind hearing his a few times. But it got to the point that every time the plane landed, he would unload his soapbox and get on a roll. The author mentions that his wife typically does not ride with him. Well after a few thousand miles in his back seat, I can see why. The author is an intelligent writer and knows his subject well, but it was like riding with a televangelist.
Rating:
Summary: History Lessons
Review: I enjoyed True North immensely. So many of us know so little of Canada and think of it as "that place up there." The book truly paints an inviting picture of the country.
As for the "soapbox" that one reviewer complained about, perhaps there needs to be more soapbox speakers who will inform us of the true story of events. Religion isn't all its cracked up to be.
Rating:
Summary: History Lessons
Review: I enjoyed True North immensely. So many of us know so little of Canada and think of it as "that place up there." The book truly paints an inviting picture of the country.
As for the "soapbox" that one reviewer complained about, perhaps there needs to be more soapbox speakers who will inform us of the true story of events. Religion isn't all its cracked up to be.
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