Bøger af W. Hodding Carter

In September 1775, Benedict Arnold let 1,100 men up MaineΓÇÖs Kennebec River in hastily built wooden bateaux. The 300-mile journey along Indian trade routes was intended to allow Arnold and his men to sneak up to the British held Quebec and rout them from the city. While the mission itself was a dismal failure, the 80-day trek by Arnold and his men is considered one of the greatest military expeditions of all time. Fast forward to the 21st century: Writer and adventurer W. Hodding Carter teamed with a small group of friends to retrace ArnoldΓÇÖs route. They built a single bateau (to the exact specifications of those used by ArnoldΓÇÖs men) and strove to make the same trip in the same number of days. What followed was an adventure by turns harrowing and hilarious, as the small band braved Maine weather and water to complete the trip. Carter recounts their journey, from the building of their bateaux to preparing and setting out, to the trials of dealing with white water, swamping, and portaging a nearly 500 pound craft. Woven throughout is the story of ArnoldΓÇÖs expedition, culled from historical sources as well as numerous first-hand accounts in the form of letters home from ArnoldΓÇÖs men. ItΓÇÖs a unique and exhilarating look at a key moment in Maine history.

A riotous journey through America's most controversial, beautifully unapproachable, and abused wilderness -- the Florida Everglades.In December 2000, President Clinton signed into law a 7.8 billion restoration plan for the Everglades that garnered national attention and has since become America's touchstone for environmental issues. Enter W. Hodding Carter, a man already bemused by the state of Florida and determined to see what, if any, progress has been made with the Everglades. For reasons unclear even to him, this amazing, remote, mosquito-infested, hard-to-love region has captured Carter's imagination and won't let go. So, for the past few years, Carter has examined the Everglades from all angles -- social, political, cultural, environmental -- culminating in an ungodly canoe trip through the heart of the Everglades.But this being Hodding Carter -- a man who sailed a Viking ship dressed in serge for one book and followed in the footsteps of Lewis and Clark for another -- a canoe trip the length of the Everglades is merely the tip of the iceberg. Stolen Water finds him adopting a manatee, and auditioning to be a mermaid at Weeki Wachee Springs -- not enough that he reports on things, he actually has to do them, too, often to hilarious effect. In the end, though, his tireless reporting reveals the Everglades as never before. Not content with merely observing, he also interviews all the key players, from environmentalists to sugar farmers to Senator Bob Graham, and gives them just enough rope to hang themselves. Always humane, often controversial, and highly readable, Hodding Carter has brought to life this murky, alluring place through his powerful eyewitness account and swampy mishaps. Stolen Water is narrative nonfiction at its best, from one of our most talented and funny writers.

Hodding Carter writes, "e;The unsung hero of human history was, of course, the Brain of Drains, the Hub of Tubs, the Power of Showers, the Brewer of Sewers...the humble plumber.... The Irish may have saved civilization, once, but plumbers have done so countless times."e; When we consider the amenities that really make a difference in our well-being, surely good plumbing must rank near the top. But rarely have we taken the time to appreciate the engineering marvels that bring clean water into our homes with the turn of a tap and wash our waste products away with the flip of a lever. Until now. Witty, anecdotal, and thoroughly entertaining, Flushed not only chronicles the long and notable history of plumbing, but follows Hodding Carter's travels and travails as he casts his own Roman lead water pipes inspired by the writings of Pliny the Elder, descends into the sewers of London, installs a state-of-the-art Japanese toilet in his bathroom, and fearlessly tries to understand everything about this most underappreciated pillar of civilization. A winning combination of history, science, and firsthand experience, Flushed will entertain and educate all those who have never contemplated the hidden intricacies of this miracle of everyday technology.