The Last River: The Tragic Race for Shangri-la is a breathtaking account of the ill-fated October 1998 expedition of an American whitewater kayaking team who traveled deep into the Tsangpo Gorge in Tibet to run the Yarlung Tsangpo, known in paddling circles as the "Everest of rivers." For Wick Walker and Tom McEwan, extreme whitewater pioneers, best friends, and trip leaders, the Tsangpo adventure was the culmination of a twenty-five-year quest for glory. Yet the team's magnificent dreams crumbled when their ace paddler was swept over a thunderous eight-foot waterfall, never to be seen again. Here is a fascinating exploration of both the seething big water and perilous terrain of the legendary Shangri-la, and the men who dared challenge the furious rapids that raced through this 140-mile-long canyon. The Last River invites us to view the Himalayas from a totally new perspective -- on a historic river so remote that only the most hardy and romantic souls attempt to unlock its mysteries.
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"A good read on how difficult an expedition kayak trip can be. This trip in what was to be a first descent the Tsangpo River in Tibet turned deadly for one paddler. It does remind me that safety issues are not to be overlooked in any outdoor adventure." — Larry (4 out of 5 stars)
"A good read on how difficult an expedition kayak trip can be. This trip in what was to be a first descent the Tsangpo River in Tibet turned deadly for one paddler. It does remind me that safety issues are not to be overlooked in any outdoor adventure."
" White water kayaking in the Andes. "
" A tragic true story of the attempted first kayak descent of the Tsangpo river in Tibet. "
" I'll stick to inland lakes and class three rafting. This is an incredible adventure story and a lesson on the value of knowing our own limits. "
" One of the only audiobooks I've ever listened to. "
" An attempt at an "Into Thin Air" for kayakers book. I liked it. Not a Krakauer author, but a nice read. "
" A little slow on the page turning here. The author could have left about half of the setup out comprising of a couple hundred pages and left the adventure section as a long magazine article. "
" This is a good book for whitewater paddlers and extreme sports enthusiasts. "
" A straight-forward rendition of another ill fated adventure. Not as stirring as Into Thin Air or a eloquent as "In Harm's Way" "
" A great story, but a slower read. Some parts are excellent, others drag a bit - the end brings up some very interesting points, though, about life and the decisions we all make(in this case by extreme sport atheletes). "
" This is not a compelling read unless you like paddling sports, it's more of a documentary. The technical and cultural aspects of their trip was very interesting. When you're paddling remember, we're just inbetween swims. :) "
" Read it a while back. Don't remember much about it ... it was OK as far as I remember. A group of kayakers wanted to kayak the upper reaches of an unexplored river that originates in the Himalayas. Tragedy strikes on I believe the first day of kayaking. "
Todd Balf is a nonfiction writer known for his ability to identify little-known people and events in the worlds of adventure and sports and breathe new life into them. He is author of the bestselling, critically acclaimed adventure sagas The Last River and The Darkest Jungle and the biography Major, about the pioneering Black bicycle racer Marshall “Major” Taylor. Balf is also the author of the Scribd Original Complications, a memoir about how illness reshaped his own life as an athlete.
Dennis Boutsikaris is a two-time OBIE award winner. He has received five Audie Awards and seven Golden Earphone Awards for his work in over 100 audiobooks and was voted one of the Best Voices of the Year by AudioFile magazine. He has appeared in numerous Broadway, television, and film roles. He played Mozart on Broadway in Amadeus and has appeared on television shows including Shameless, The Good Wife, House M.D., Grey’s Anatomy, ER, and Law & Order.
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