{"product_id":"riverman-an-american-odyssey-9780008221164","title":"Riverman: An American Odyssey","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eRiverman: An American Odyssey is a book by Ben McGrath that explores the story of Dick Conant, a man who embarked on an all-consuming odyssey by canoeing thousands of miles of rivers and their innumerable smaller tributaries across America. The book is a brilliant and charming portrait of an unconventional man, a contemporary folk hero who slips the moorings of ordinary civilized life to tap into what Thoreau called 'a yearning toward all wildness'. It is also a riveting portrait of an America we rarely see, a nation of unconventional characters, small river towns, and long forgotten waterways. \u003c\/blockquote\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFormat\u003c\/strong\u003e: Paperback \/ softback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLength\u003c\/strong\u003e: 272 pages\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePublication date\u003c\/strong\u003e: 27 April 2023\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePublisher\u003c\/strong\u003e: HarperCollins Publishers\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBrilliant, clear, and humane Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love, has written a remarkable book titled 'Riverman: An American Odyssey.'\u003c\/strong\u003e In this captivating tale, Gilbert delves into the story of an extraordinary man named Dick Conant and his puzzling disappearance. Through vivid prose and meticulous research, she paints a vivid picture of the singular spirit of America's riverbank towns.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConant, on his forty-third birthday, embarked on an all-consuming odyssey into the watery arteries of America. Armed with a Gideon Bible and biographies of Einstein and Bismark, he set out to explore the unreported margins of society. For the next twenty years, he canoed thousands of miles of rivers and their innumerable smaller tributaries, from one end of the country to the other.\u003c\/strong\u003e His determination and spirit were unwavering, and he believed that the experience itself was the reward.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHowever, in 2014, Conant disappeared without a trace. It wasn't until Ben McGrath, a fellow paddler, encountered him by chance while paddling down the Hudson River, headed for Florida, that the mystery began to unravel. McGrath set out to find the people whose lives had been touched by their encounter with the great river wanderer.\u003c\/strong\u003e Along the way, he meets eccentrics and neer-do-wells drawn straight from the pages of Mark Twain, a vast network of friends and acquaintances who would forever remember this brilliant and charming man.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThrough his journey, McGrath discovers that Conant's odyssey was not just about the physical journey but also about the search for meaning and connection. He explores the themes of solitude, resilience, and the human spirit's ability to endure in the face of adversity.\u003c\/strong\u003e 'Riverman' is a testament to the power of storytelling and the enduring legacy of a remarkable man. It is a book that will captivate readers with its vivid prose, rich characters, and profound insights into the human condition.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWeight\u003c\/strong\u003e: 206g\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDimension\u003c\/strong\u003e: 129 x 198 x 19 (mm)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eISBN-13\u003c\/strong\u003e: 9780008221164\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ben McGrath","offers":[{"title":"Paperback \/ softback","offer_id":44201297608954,"sku":"9780008221164","price":7.13,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0522\/4297\/2845\/products\/1682687665167_book.jpg?v=1682791854","url":"https:\/\/shulphink.com\/products\/riverman-an-american-odyssey-9780008221164","provider":"Shulph Ink","version":"1.0","type":"link"}