Free eBook Blue Nile: Ethiopia's River of Magic and Mystery (Adventure Press) download

Virginia Morell has once again blended her storytelling skills with an adventuresome spirit in `Blue Nile." In it she journeys down the Blue Nile through Ethiopia to the Sudan. In 1999 Morell, on assignment from National Geographic, joined an expedition to be led by famous photographer Nevada Wier, with equally renowned Conrad Hirsch as guide. The idea was to spend two months rafting down one of the most dangerous and treacherous wild rivers in the world; meeting the natives, studying the wildlife, and putting a face on a beautiful and remote landscape.

Morell was ecstatic to be included and to be able to join forces with Hirsch, a friend and former teaching colleague. Things started off poorly, however, when Hirsch became stricken with a malignant brain tumor and had to withdraw as guide. He suggested that second boatman, Michael Speakes be promoted to his position. Speakes was experienced, having participated in earlier trips down the Blue Nile, and promised to "carry us safely down this remote river at potentially high water volumes." Not as personable as Hirsch, Speakes did guide the voyage safely, albeit while exhibiting grating people skills.

Morell does a wonderful job of describing the highs and lows that always accompany such ventures. Her detailing of the flora and fauna is captivating, her shivering and drenched existence is transmitted to the reader in chilling realism, and her disappointments, such as lack of large wild animals, attacks by warring natives (I suspect that deep in her heart she would have welcomed some), and more personable leadership skills, are relayed to the reader with aplomb and discretion. Those failings, along with very few white water thrills, gave me the impression that much more was expected of the journey than was experienced. The people and the landscape carried the day.

Morell is an acclaimed science journalist and author of three award-winning books (not including the soon to be published "Animal Wise,"). She is a regular contributor to "Science." "National Geographic," and "Conde Nast Traveler." Her ability to transform the complexities of scientific discovery and exploration into prose that's easily understood by the lay reader is the hallmark of her work. I'm an ardent fan and I predict, if you read this book, you'll be just as enthusiastic.

Schuyler T Wallace
Author of TIN LIZARD TALES

This book read more like a grade school culture capsule than a 500 mile wild river adventure that had never been accomplished before. However it did provide some insight into the Ethiopian culture and some good words to try out on my Ethiopian friends. Virginia Morell came across to me as a bit of a middle aged Drama Queen who was just absolutely overflowing with prattle and contrivance. It seemed to me that Morell rather fancied Captain Speaks and was frustrated that he was a real professional boatman and summarily ignored her attempted manipulations. There was no "Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone" on this trip for Virginia. The book tells an even better story about the Author than the Blue Nile.

It was a very exciting river adventure. After reading the book, I really wanted to book a river raft trip down the Blue Nile.
I totally recommend this book to all readers.

My interest in Ethiopia has been piqued recently by my son working on a report about Ethiopia for school and a friend's involvement helping an Ethiopian orphanage which has inspired two trips to help the boys at the orphanage in the last year with a third one planned in the near future. I picked this book up because I have developed an interest in reading travelogues, and really enjoyed the last National Geographic book I read to my kids, _George Washington, Spymaster: How the Americans Outspied the British and Won the Revolutionary War_.

The first part of the book, which focuses mainly on Ethiopian history, the history of Blue Nile expeditions and her personal history in Ethopia is excellent. Her description of the team members is brief in the beginning and really, the only members who receive focused attention are Mr. Speaks, the leader of the tour guides and their main interpreter, Zelalem. Once the trip begins, the narrative becomes more disjointed. The trip barely begines and Ms. Morell speaks of a "daily routine," making me wonder if I missed something. She doesn't speak much about crocodiles, the primary animal threat to past expeditions, and yet, Mr. Speaks had a bucket full of rocks to throw at the crocs, discouraging them from taking a nibble at their boat. This would seem to indicate that they were more prevalent than her initial account indicated or that Mr. Speaks was always prepared to keep the boats and his passengers safe. On several occasions, it seems as if she skips days or even a week in her account. She seems to bounce from brief descriptions of the flora, fauna and river, to descriptions of the people the team encounters, haphazardly adding interactions with other team members and team illnesses with very little context or follow up. I really enjoyed reading her narratives of the people they met on the Blue Nile and how they viewed the river. The conflict between Ms. Morrel/Nevada and Mike Speaks would have been better left out of the book because it contributes to the disjointed feel of the narrative--yet another thread that is added seeminglingly haphazardly to the story. Even the pictures, as beautiful and wonderful as they are, are thrown in two different places in the book without any real connection to the story.

I think the main problem with the book is found in the beginning chapters when Ms. Morell describes how the trip begins and progresses: The main members of the National Geographich team are trying to squeeze in a project between other projects and have very little time to really plan and communicate their needs to the boat tour operation. The result is that the tour is rushed because of other commitments made by the boat tour company and the boat tour leader doesn't initially understand the purpose of the trip is to both navigate the river AND explore the surrounding area and people until sometime in the middle of the trip. The uneven pace and disconnected narration seems to be a reflection of this. However, even with the faults, I am glad that I read it.