A Complex Coast
A Kayak Journey from Vancouver Island to Alaska
- Publisher
- Heritage House Publishing
- Publication date
- May 2023
- Subjects
- Art, Biology, English: Composition, Creative Writing, Literary Studies; Science
- Grade Levels
- 10 to 12
-
Paperback / softback
- ISBN
- 9781772034493
- Publish Date
- May 2023
- List Price
- $29.95
-
eBook
- ISBN
- 9781772034509
- Publish Date
- May 2023
- List Price
- $13.99
Where to buy it
Descriptive Review
Imagine kayaking 1,600 km solo for sixty-six days along a treacherous coastline, living off dried foods and seafood. Facing fierce storms and frigid waters, 24-year-old Norwell took this epic journey over two summers, carrying 15 kg of books! This is an exceptionally captivating, poetic and artistic travelogue, infused with stunning watercolour images and sketches of coastal maps and landscapes, with scientific descriptions of local berries, insects, fish, invertebrates, and seaweeds. His introspective thoughts reveal mature wisdom: “Solitude cultivates authenticity . . . Busy cities create busy minds . . . How do we cultivate an intimate human ecosystem?” Part educational/interpretive, part literary/artistic masterpiece, this book is a must-have for all secondary school libraries. Norwell, a geography graduate, is an author, illustrator, and world traveller.
Cautions / Content Warnings: Brief mention of masturbation and pornography.
Other End Matter: Appendix: endnotes, poetry, travel statistics, Pacific Northwest crossword, note about creating the book, Davidism dictionary, extensive acknowledgements
Images: Colour photographs, Colour illustrations, b&w illustrations, watercolour maps and illustrations
Bibliography: Yes
Index: No
Source: Books BC - BC Books for Schools
About the author
David Norwell is an author, illustrator, and world traveller. He holds a BSc in Geography from the University of Victoria, and has worked for six seasons conducting biological and geological surveys In BC, Alberta, and the Yukon. His passion is communicating science in a way that accesses the human heart. David has visited thirty-three countries, sailed across the Atlantic and Indian Ocean, trekked over the Himalayas with a kitten, and hitchhiked over two hundred rides. He is dedicated to understanding the human experience and sharing his findings. When not working on books, he is volunteering at schools, studying Buddhism, and practising meditation.