Smrz, Mary Anne, Paddlin’ with Thoreau: Reflections from the Red Kayak, Monee, IL: Mary Anne Smrz, 2023, 314 pp. Softcover. (ISBN: 978-1-7325578-7-1), USD 10.95. Available for order online through www.redkayak.net or via the author at info@redkayak.net.
This book is the fourth in Smrz’s “Reflections from the Red Kayak” series, which are combined outdoorswoman memoirs and meditations on life lessons. Per the jacket copy: “A long-time student of Thoreau, Mary Anne’s intention is to bring forth his wisdom in a collection of essays, reflecting upon his lesser known quotes. Each essay begins with Thoreau’s thoughts and finishes with Mary Anne’s insights from her kayaking and climbing excursions.”
The present volume features excursions to several mountains in Thoreau country, including Wachusett, Monadnock, Katahdin, and Kineo, as well as pond and river journeys in Concord and Maine, plus a visit to Thoreau College in Viroqua, Wisconsin.]
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**THIS BOOK REVIEW WAS PUBLISHED IN THE SPRING, 2025, EDITION OF THE THOREAU SOCIETY BULLETIN. THE THOREAU SOCIETY IS THE LARGEST ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO AN AMERICAN AUTHOR, WITH MEMBERS IN ALL 50 STATES AND 22 COUNTRIES.