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Rating: 
Summary: Exciting True Life Adventure Story
Review: Although I would never dare attempt such a treacherous journey fraught with so many dangers, by reading this book, I got an insight in the minds of Don and his companions as they attempted to paddle up to the Northwest passage by kayak. The book is a must read for people who love true outdoor adventure as played out under extremely adverse conditions. It shows what the human spirit can accomplish when guided by a vision, sheer determination and a "never say die" attitude. Once you start reading this book it is almost impossible to put down. I would highly recommend it.
Rating: 
Summary: A good example of what NOT to do in the arctic, or in life
Review: Another reviewer thought this tale was presented without whining; I must wholeheartedly disagree. The author continually bemoans his chosen fate, actually saying things like 'when oh when will this end?' He went up there three times with insufficient experience & no guidance; continually misreads the terrain and the weather; then is surprised when it's a really hard trip. He has little to say about any beauty he might have encountered along the way because he's only paying attention to the schedule.
He constantly complained about being behind a completely unrealistic schedule and how his companion slowed him down. He doesn't even apologize for the patronizing, dictatorial way he treated her. She was making better choices than he and was often better able to figure out their location, yet he treated her like a nuisance. He even admits to driving her to exhaustion (requiring hospitalization), then gets mad at her for not continuing the trip with him. In hindsight while telling the story, he still has no realization that he could have handled things better.
For a potential explorer, this book may provide a good idea of what to expect in the Arctic. The different adventures he encountered are often entertaining, but his attitude in telling them was intolerable. I kept hoping his companion would smack him in the head with her paddle.
For comparison, Maria Coffey's "A Boat in our Baggage" and Chris Duff's "On Celtic Tides" are glorious, well-written stories of grand kayak adventures. Both authors submerse themselves in their surroundings in an attempt to fully appreciate the experience, and they are richly rewarded for it. They had nothing but positive expressions of even the toughest events. They were not merely trying to beat the clock like Don Starkell - their goal was to find the magic of new places. They found the magic and artfully put it on paper for us to enjoy.
Rating:
Summary: This guy has incredible determination
Review: He was so determined to get to his goal that he was willing to risk death. And it is not hard to die in the artic. It was truly enjoyable to read about someone's harrowing experiences in the unforgivable artic from my warm couch. Although he had a few breaks, like finding cabins just when he needed too, (I don't think that early adventurers had that option or GPS, and they died for it)he still faced the natural elements without wining and worked hard when others would have quit. This was a great adventure story.
Rating: 
Summary: A "Journal of Stupidity", but...
Review: On first getting into this book, it occurred to me that "Journal of Stupidity" might be a more apt title for this personal account of poor planning, false ambition and misplaced energies. I regret to report that continued reading only reinforces this judgement. On reflection though, it must be said that the book conveys an honest and gripping first person portrayal of the man with all his faults and the expedition that never should have happened (hence my 4-star rating). This book is a MUST READ for any would be, modern day Franklins. Finally, I must express my empathy for the author's sometime paddling partner, Victoria Jason, whose shortened voyage will probably not warrant a book of her own, but whose measured sense of adventure and rational mind earns 5 stars from me. (REVIEWER'S CORRECTION: Victoria Jason did indeed write her book - see above review)
Rating:
Summary: Been there? Might go? Read this book.
Review: Sure, there are adventure stories, but the magnitude of Starkells achievement goes far beyond an adventure. What he did defies the reality that the rest of us live within. 999 people out of 1000 would have died in two days. Ever been to the Arctic? Read this book for a gripping, inspiring, almost unbelievable account of what the human spirit is capable of.
Rating:
Summary: A captivating, motivating real-life modern-day adventure!
Review: This book is all that you need in order to stop dreaming and reading about life, and to actually get up and do those things you've always wanted! This man is a do-er. He was 60 when he kayaked, mostly solo, across the top of Canada.
I wrote him a letter and he instantly responded. This book
helped me crystallize my own 'dreams' and start doing them.
Starkell's zest for life, nature, adventure, and personal discovery are awesome and inspiring. Polar bear and grizzly
attacks, kayaking over top of whales, and the author's
fingers and toes freezing off are just parts of this true story
Rating:
Summary: More irritating then inspiring
Review: This is a partial review, in that I put it down after the first 2 chapters. Embarking on this epic journey, he capsizes within 50 miles of his start point and is woefully unprepared to handle it. At this point I couldn't care less about the fate of the author on his future attempts.
Rating:
Summary: Respect for what he achieved, but at what cost?
Review: Well, I hope that when I'm nearing 60, I have the strength and energy of Don Starkell.That said, I sure hope I also have more common sense and less arrogance. I found this journey tediously frustrating, full of ego and "conquer the earth" mentality. Survival mentality? Yes of course. I realize he had to try three times, and that he had to push hard to get through because of ice, but I didn't see a whole lot of knowledge of the land, nor respect for his paddling mates when they accompanied him. And, preparation seemed questionable, as in these two examples: refusing to take a gun into bear-infested territory; refusing a radio because it could lead to an easy bailout if the going got tough. I found myself wondering what took Victoria Jason so long to decide to do her own journey. I found her book a lot more enjoyable, because she seemed a lot less caught up in telling the reader how tough she is, and she told me more about the land through which she passes. Book is reasonably edited, and the pictures are a welcome addition.
Rating: 
Summary: Incompetence and egomania in the Arctic
Review: When I first read this book, some of the adventures seemed so implausibly stupid that I suspected that the story was a hoax. Rest assured, the events described - however improbable - really did take place. The book is a must read for anyone contemplating solo adventures in the Arctic, if for no other reason then to dissuade them. However, Starkell is hardly a suitable role model; those who are familiar with his adventure have described him as "a danger to himself and everybody around him". Nor can much be said for his character; he almost killed his partner by forcing her on when she was seriously ill, yet in his account of the episode, he talks of nothing but how frustrating it was to be behind schedule.
For a truly heroic account of this and other adventures, I highly recommend the account of the late Victoria Jason, who accompanied him on his first two trips. Her book, Kabloona in the Yellow Kayak: One Woman's Journey through the North West Passage, is an inspiring account of courage and generosity made all the more remarkable by the fact that all the while she was battling what turned out to be a terminal illness. Despite all obstacles, she nonetheless succeeded where Starkell failed -- and kept all her fingers and toes to boot.
Rating:
Summary: Incompetence and egomania in the Arctic
Review: When I first read this book, some of the adventures seemed so implausibly stupid that I suspected that the story was a hoax. Rest assured, the events described - however improbable - really did take place. The book is a must read for anyone contemplating solo adventures in the Artic, if for no other reason then to dissuade them. However, Starkell is hardly a suitable role model; those who are familiar with his adventure have described him as "a danger to himself and everybody around him". Nor can much be said for his character; he almost killed his partner by forcing her on when she was seriously ill, yet in his account of the episode, he talks about nothing but how frustrating it was to be behind schedule. For a truly heroic account of this and other adventures, I highly recommend the account of the late Victoria Jason, who accompanied him on his first two trips. Her book, Kabloona in the Yellow Kayak: One Woman's Journey through the North West Passage, is an inspiring account of courage and generosity made all the more remarkable by the fact that all the while she was battling what turned out to be a terminal illness. Despite all obstacles, she nonetheless succeeded where Starkell failed -- and kept all her fingers and toes to boot.
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