by Stark, Peter
First published 2005
Peter Stark stands at the edge of Mozambique's Lugenda River, questioning his decision to join this expedition. At forty-eight, with a family waiting at home, he wonders if he's too old for such risks. The 750-kilometer journey ahead remains largely unmapped, filled with rapids, waterfalls, crocodiles, and hippos. Two of his four companions lack serious kayaking skills. Yet the pull to explore what lies beyond the next bend proves stronger than his doubts. As the team paddles deeper into unknown territory, Stark finds himself capsizing in crocodile-infested waters while grappling with a fundamental question: why do humans feel compelled to explore? The five expedition members each carry different motivations, creating tensions that complicate their progress. Without guns or modern luxuries, they encounter stunning wilderness, abundant wildlife, and villages untouched by contemporary life. Stark draws connections between his journey and the great African explorers who came before him, from Vasco da Gama to David Livingstone. Through his struggles on the Lugenda and the wisdom of thinkers like Henry David Thoreau, he seeks to understand exploration's true nature while confronting a troubling reality: where will future generations go when wilderness disappears?
Genres: nature, adventure, non-fiction, biography-memoir, africa
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, man-vs-nature
Setting: Mozambique, Lugenda River
Period: 21st Century
352 pages · Hardcover · Ballantine Books