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Down the Great Unknown: John Wesley Powell's 1869 Journey of Discovery and Tragedy Through the Grand Canyon
Drawing on rarely examined diaries and journals, Down the Great Unknown is the first book to tell the full, dramatic story of the Powell expedition. On May 24, 1869 a one-armed Civil War veteran, John Wesley Powell and a ragtag band of nine mountain men embarked on the last great quest in the American West. The Grand Canyon, not explored before, was as mysterious as Atlantis — and as perilous. The ten men set out from Green River Station, Wyoming Territory down the Colorado in four wooden rowboats. Ninety-nine days later, six half-starved wretches came ashore near Callville, Arizona. Lewis and Clark opened the West in 1803, six decades later Powell and his scruffy band aimed to resolve the West’s last mystery. A brilliant narrative, a thrilling journey, a cast of memorable heroes — all these mark Down the Great Unknown , the true story of the last epic adventure on American soil.
367 pages, Paperback
First published September 30, 2001
333 people are currently reading
3755 people want to read
About the author
Edward Dolnick
12 books184 followersEdward Dolnick is an American writer, formerly a science writer at the Boston Globe. He has been published in the Atlantic Monthly, the New York Times Magazine, and the Washington Post, among other publications. His books include Madness on the Couch : Blaming the Victim in the Heyday of Psychoanalysis (1998) and Down the Great Unknown : John Wesley Powell's 1869 Journey of Discovery and Tragedy Through the Grand Canyon (2001).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 308 reviews
June 18, 2021
5 Stars for Down The Great Unknown: John Wesley Powell’s 1869 Journey of Discovery and Tragedy thought the Grand Canyon (audiobook) by Edward Dolnick read by Danny Campbell.
I’ve been to the Grand Canyon several times. I had heard about this trip through the Grand Canyon by Powell and his men but I’d never heard all the details of the trip. This was so much harder than I had realized. I had no idea that the men didn’t know how to white water raft. And that there boats were so ill suited for this kind of an adventure. They were constantly gambling with their lives too see this trip through to it’s end.
I’ve been to the Grand Canyon several times. I had heard about this trip through the Grand Canyon by Powell and his men but I’d never heard all the details of the trip. This was so much harder than I had realized. I had no idea that the men didn’t know how to white water raft. And that there boats were so ill suited for this kind of an adventure. They were constantly gambling with their lives too see this trip through to it’s end.
April 21, 2015
I read the book in preparation for an upcoming trip to the Grand Canyon. I read it in my methodical style as I do such books constantly referring to maps and googling other references to increase my understanding. It has me super-excited about the trip!
It is a great book about an epic 1000 mile journey down the Green and Colorado Rivers through the Grand Canyon in 1869, led by a man-John Wesley Powell, who had one arm amputated during the Civil War. It is a gripping story with lessons on geology, geography, scholarly history, theology, and human psychology. The area was unexplored by Europeans at the time and yet the 10 men bravely headed down the river to explore and map the area. They rowed backwards facing upstream, always worried that the next rapid might be a sheer drop-off that would destroy their boats and drown them, and yet they went on with 6 men in the end finishing the trip. The story is based upon 3 men’s diaries with perspectives on each day’s event that are drastically different. I especially enjoyed the excerpts from John Wesley Powell’s diary and book as he is the consummate romantic marveling about all he sees along the way while the others are consumed by their fears. His writing reminds me of John Muir’s. It is one amazing story!!!
It is a great book about an epic 1000 mile journey down the Green and Colorado Rivers through the Grand Canyon in 1869, led by a man-John Wesley Powell, who had one arm amputated during the Civil War. It is a gripping story with lessons on geology, geography, scholarly history, theology, and human psychology. The area was unexplored by Europeans at the time and yet the 10 men bravely headed down the river to explore and map the area. They rowed backwards facing upstream, always worried that the next rapid might be a sheer drop-off that would destroy their boats and drown them, and yet they went on with 6 men in the end finishing the trip. The story is based upon 3 men’s diaries with perspectives on each day’s event that are drastically different. I especially enjoyed the excerpts from John Wesley Powell’s diary and book as he is the consummate romantic marveling about all he sees along the way while the others are consumed by their fears. His writing reminds me of John Muir’s. It is one amazing story!!!
November 1, 2022
A decent read, but it would be a great companion if you do a tour of the Western US. The Green and Colorado Rivers and the Grand Canyon, of course, are featured. These were the first men to descend the rivers successfully. Almost 500 sets of rapids along the way. Incredible dangers, completely wrong boats to use, all novices who had no river experience, lost one of 4 boats soon after start and 1/3 of their rations, grueling conditions. These were men who could endure, and had to. None died as a result of the river, although 3 men quit just before running the last (and probably the worst set of rapids). They were murdered as they tried to walk out. Who did it is a mystery--although commonly blamed on local Indians--there are some other possible culprits. 3 Stars
John Wesley Powell, the trip leader, was a Civil War veteran who had lost his right arm at Shiloh. Thirty-five years old and unknown, Powell was a tenderfoot who barely knew the West, a geology professor at a no-name college, an amateur explorer with so little clout that he had ended up reaching into his own (nearly empty) pocket to finance this makeshift expedition. His appearance was as unimpressive as his resumé—at 5 feet, 6 inches and 120 pounds, he was small and scrawny even by the standards of the age, a stick of beef jerky adorned with whiskers.
To Powell, a natural leader, all that was unimportant. Overflowing with energy and ambition, he was a man of almost pathological optimism. With a goal in mind, he was impossible to discourage.
They really went off into the unknown. The Southwest US was generally unexplored except by the Native Americans living there.
Powell lost an arm at Shiloh where he commanded an artillery battery.
Powell felt a lifelong bond with those who had seen and endured what he had. When he met a Mississippi congressman, C. E. Hooker, who had lost an arm fighting for the Confederacy at the Battle of Vicksburg, Powell made a pact with his new friend and wartime enemy. Powell had lost his right arm, Hooker his left. Whenever either of the two bought a new pair of gloves, Powell proposed, he should send his friend the extra, useless glove. For thirty years, the two men kept to their bargain, shipping spare gloves back and forth.
Overall, a lot of rapids run or portaged around. It does get a little monotonous in the middle but still admire how they did it.
John Wesley Powell, the trip leader, was a Civil War veteran who had lost his right arm at Shiloh. Thirty-five years old and unknown, Powell was a tenderfoot who barely knew the West, a geology professor at a no-name college, an amateur explorer with so little clout that he had ended up reaching into his own (nearly empty) pocket to finance this makeshift expedition. His appearance was as unimpressive as his resumé—at 5 feet, 6 inches and 120 pounds, he was small and scrawny even by the standards of the age, a stick of beef jerky adorned with whiskers.
To Powell, a natural leader, all that was unimportant. Overflowing with energy and ambition, he was a man of almost pathological optimism. With a goal in mind, he was impossible to discourage.
They really went off into the unknown. The Southwest US was generally unexplored except by the Native Americans living there.
Powell lost an arm at Shiloh where he commanded an artillery battery.
Powell felt a lifelong bond with those who had seen and endured what he had. When he met a Mississippi congressman, C. E. Hooker, who had lost an arm fighting for the Confederacy at the Battle of Vicksburg, Powell made a pact with his new friend and wartime enemy. Powell had lost his right arm, Hooker his left. Whenever either of the two bought a new pair of gloves, Powell proposed, he should send his friend the extra, useless glove. For thirty years, the two men kept to their bargain, shipping spare gloves back and forth.
Overall, a lot of rapids run or portaged around. It does get a little monotonous in the middle but still admire how they did it.
June 18, 2015
I loved the author's newest book, The Rush: America's Fevered Quest for Fortune, 1848-1853 so I looked for other's he has written. I enjoy history written from journals and thought the topic of being the first to run the rapids through the Grand Canyon would be an excellent topic. Not to be.
The story was all over the place diverting to various places that went beyond supplying the pertinent information for the story to excess detail that need not be part of the book. I did not want a history of the Civil War for example.
I can only imagine the awe of those canyons -- so pristine. The danger, the adventure, the excitement! The story potential. Fizzled. The story dragged on and was continually sided tracked by overwhelming detail of geology, the Civil War, and current rafting techniques. All have their place in the story but the level of detail overwhelmed the purpose of the book, the journey down the river.
The story was all over the place diverting to various places that went beyond supplying the pertinent information for the story to excess detail that need not be part of the book. I did not want a history of the Civil War for example.
I can only imagine the awe of those canyons -- so pristine. The danger, the adventure, the excitement! The story potential. Fizzled. The story dragged on and was continually sided tracked by overwhelming detail of geology, the Civil War, and current rafting techniques. All have their place in the story but the level of detail overwhelmed the purpose of the book, the journey down the river.
October 9, 2022
Here is the TL;DR:
Good idea for a book. Lost me at citing Dolly Parton in a Wonderbra. (I know. Why would you even...?)
The Grand Canyon is something close to unfathomable. From the rim, its sheer magnitude seems to make comprehension impossible. It's big, yes - very big. What does that mean? The Canyon is more than just large: it's beautiful and it's varied, filled with over a billion years of history (the oldest rocks in the canyon are 1.84 billion years old) and secrets and tucked-away places, vermillion rocks and fossils, smooth-worn secret grottos and slot canyons, waterfalls and streams that run to the Colorado, condors and mountain lions - and on. How do you comprehend something like that?
Dolnick's book Down the Great Unknown is not a bad start, conceptually. This book, shall we say, contains multitudes - multitudes of great parts and also multitudes (beyond multitudes) of writing that induces multitudinous eye rolls.
But first, the good:
Dolnick has done his research well: he's deeply familiar with the world of the immediate aftermath of the Civil War and the age of the explorers in the West. He knows his sources well, too: a mark of his fluency is how easily and seamlessly, almost conversationally, he brings in his primary sources. This book at its heart traces the journey John Wesley Powell and his men made down the Colorado River (beginning from the Green River in Wyoming) through the Grand Canyon. Dolnick relies on a number of often contradictory sources; the ease with which he incorporates them in most instances is a highlight of the book. He does justice to his sources' words and allows them to shine, while also going beyond these texts to highlight the world around them.
Another good point: Dolnick is very good at describing the Grand Canyon. As mentioned above, sometimes the word we stick on is vast or grand - all of which are just iterations of us saying, "The Grand Canyon is freaking massive." But Dolnick introduces us the variance and the nuance, the multitudes the Grand Canyon contains. I read this book after 4 days backpacking in the Grand Canyon, seeking some remembrance of the quiet lovely places I'd found - Dolnick does this aspect of the Canyon justice.
The Bad:
On to the less than positive aspects of this book. My God, the metaphors. The metaphors! It's part and parcel of describing something like the Grand Canyon that you have to make it understandable. How big is big? It's hard to understand without some comparison. I understand that. But Dolnick went too far and chose some awful, awful analogies. Some of his comparisons and metaphors were very apt and helped me understand the scale of the Canyon and the river. However, it was hard to find a page that did NOT contain a metaphor - and some were just tasteless and ridiculous. At some point, I stopped taking them seriously, even if they could have been helpful. See two of the silliest here:
“The Green ran muddy and red-colored, the Grand ran clear, and the two rivers flowed side by side, like a young couple wary of committing to marriage” (166).
“The effect is to exaggerate the river's fall, which seems hardly necessary. This is like outfitting Shaquille O'Neal with elevator shoes, dressing Dolly Parton in a Wonderbra” (247)
Do we really need to talk about Dolly Parton's bra? Even hypothetically?
Perhaps these aren't that bad. But when there's a new ridiculous metaphor every other page, they get old very quickly. And overall, Dolnick would have benefited from a better editor (seriously can't believe they left in a comment on Dolly Parton wearing a Wonderbra). The metaphors needed a ruthless hand on the chopping block. So did his verbs. Every source seemed to "observe". Did they observe? Or did they just say? Or write? He tried to incorporate quotations from modern river-runners, and somehow the wording always just felt awkward and weird - similarly, he sometimes tried to bridge a gap between his 19th century sources and the present by speculating on thoughts and feelings, and it just didn't work. Finally, I felt that he tried to incorporate immaterial historical sections that added little to the text. I'm a Civil War aficionado, and even I thought he incorporated too much Civil War talk - a little would have added texture, but the amount he included felt irrelevant. I wondered if he did this in part because the actual storyline felt very thin.
All in all, this book is not a bad read for someone itching to understand the depths of the Grand Canyon a little better. I found it nostalgic; I'm sure anyone who's hiked into the Canyon, or rafted the Colorado, would find it the same. Dolnick is a good writer, but he got carried away. What's left is a kernel of a good story and promise of impressive nature-writing, buried under irrelevant bloat. I had previously purchased a book by Dolnick on the decoding of the Rosetta Stone; upon finishing this book, I promptly returned the other one. I don't think I can take more metaphors.
Good idea for a book. Lost me at citing Dolly Parton in a Wonderbra. (I know. Why would you even...?)
The Grand Canyon is something close to unfathomable. From the rim, its sheer magnitude seems to make comprehension impossible. It's big, yes - very big. What does that mean? The Canyon is more than just large: it's beautiful and it's varied, filled with over a billion years of history (the oldest rocks in the canyon are 1.84 billion years old) and secrets and tucked-away places, vermillion rocks and fossils, smooth-worn secret grottos and slot canyons, waterfalls and streams that run to the Colorado, condors and mountain lions - and on. How do you comprehend something like that?
Dolnick's book Down the Great Unknown is not a bad start, conceptually. This book, shall we say, contains multitudes - multitudes of great parts and also multitudes (beyond multitudes) of writing that induces multitudinous eye rolls.
But first, the good:
Dolnick has done his research well: he's deeply familiar with the world of the immediate aftermath of the Civil War and the age of the explorers in the West. He knows his sources well, too: a mark of his fluency is how easily and seamlessly, almost conversationally, he brings in his primary sources. This book at its heart traces the journey John Wesley Powell and his men made down the Colorado River (beginning from the Green River in Wyoming) through the Grand Canyon. Dolnick relies on a number of often contradictory sources; the ease with which he incorporates them in most instances is a highlight of the book. He does justice to his sources' words and allows them to shine, while also going beyond these texts to highlight the world around them.
Another good point: Dolnick is very good at describing the Grand Canyon. As mentioned above, sometimes the word we stick on is vast or grand - all of which are just iterations of us saying, "The Grand Canyon is freaking massive." But Dolnick introduces us the variance and the nuance, the multitudes the Grand Canyon contains. I read this book after 4 days backpacking in the Grand Canyon, seeking some remembrance of the quiet lovely places I'd found - Dolnick does this aspect of the Canyon justice.
The Bad:
On to the less than positive aspects of this book. My God, the metaphors. The metaphors! It's part and parcel of describing something like the Grand Canyon that you have to make it understandable. How big is big? It's hard to understand without some comparison. I understand that. But Dolnick went too far and chose some awful, awful analogies. Some of his comparisons and metaphors were very apt and helped me understand the scale of the Canyon and the river. However, it was hard to find a page that did NOT contain a metaphor - and some were just tasteless and ridiculous. At some point, I stopped taking them seriously, even if they could have been helpful. See two of the silliest here:
“The Green ran muddy and red-colored, the Grand ran clear, and the two rivers flowed side by side, like a young couple wary of committing to marriage” (166).
“The effect is to exaggerate the river's fall, which seems hardly necessary. This is like outfitting Shaquille O'Neal with elevator shoes, dressing Dolly Parton in a Wonderbra” (247)
Do we really need to talk about Dolly Parton's bra? Even hypothetically?
Perhaps these aren't that bad. But when there's a new ridiculous metaphor every other page, they get old very quickly. And overall, Dolnick would have benefited from a better editor (seriously can't believe they left in a comment on Dolly Parton wearing a Wonderbra). The metaphors needed a ruthless hand on the chopping block. So did his verbs. Every source seemed to "observe". Did they observe? Or did they just say? Or write? He tried to incorporate quotations from modern river-runners, and somehow the wording always just felt awkward and weird - similarly, he sometimes tried to bridge a gap between his 19th century sources and the present by speculating on thoughts and feelings, and it just didn't work. Finally, I felt that he tried to incorporate immaterial historical sections that added little to the text. I'm a Civil War aficionado, and even I thought he incorporated too much Civil War talk - a little would have added texture, but the amount he included felt irrelevant. I wondered if he did this in part because the actual storyline felt very thin.
All in all, this book is not a bad read for someone itching to understand the depths of the Grand Canyon a little better. I found it nostalgic; I'm sure anyone who's hiked into the Canyon, or rafted the Colorado, would find it the same. Dolnick is a good writer, but he got carried away. What's left is a kernel of a good story and promise of impressive nature-writing, buried under irrelevant bloat. I had previously purchased a book by Dolnick on the decoding of the Rosetta Stone; upon finishing this book, I promptly returned the other one. I don't think I can take more metaphors.
July 24, 2017
“Down the Great Unknown” by Edward Dolnick, published by Harper Collins.
Category – History/Adventure Publication Date – 2001
If you are looking for a history book that is full of adventure, “Down the Great Unknown” would be an excellent choice.
In 1869 a one armed man, John Wesley Powell, decided to explore the Grand Canyon by way of the Colorado River. He was going to a place no man has been and had no idea of what he was getting himself into. He attempted to get the United States involved in the project but when they refused he took the project on himself.
He was able to convince nine mountain men to help him, even though they had no experience on a river like the Colorado. They used boats that were not suitable for the rapids they would encounter. Not only would they have to face the rapids but some were so formidable that they had to portage around them. They were also faced with starvation as the food they brought was either lost or became inedible.
When they finally ended their journey only six men had completed the trip, they were exhausted, nearly naked, and in dire need of food.
Where do these men come from? What drives them to do the things they do. Where do they find the courage to complete the task when all seems hopeless?
A great read that combines history with an incredible journey down the Grand Canyon.
Category – History/Adventure Publication Date – 2001
If you are looking for a history book that is full of adventure, “Down the Great Unknown” would be an excellent choice.
In 1869 a one armed man, John Wesley Powell, decided to explore the Grand Canyon by way of the Colorado River. He was going to a place no man has been and had no idea of what he was getting himself into. He attempted to get the United States involved in the project but when they refused he took the project on himself.
He was able to convince nine mountain men to help him, even though they had no experience on a river like the Colorado. They used boats that were not suitable for the rapids they would encounter. Not only would they have to face the rapids but some were so formidable that they had to portage around them. They were also faced with starvation as the food they brought was either lost or became inedible.
When they finally ended their journey only six men had completed the trip, they were exhausted, nearly naked, and in dire need of food.
Where do these men come from? What drives them to do the things they do. Where do they find the courage to complete the task when all seems hopeless?
A great read that combines history with an incredible journey down the Grand Canyon.
July 6, 2017
This is a really well written account of John Wesley Powell's expedition from Green River Station, Wyoming to a Mormon settlement downstream of the Grand Canyon. Edward Dolnick continuously impressed me with his ability to describe all the features of whitewater with analogies and descriptions that made my arm chair feel like an overburdened vessel at the mercy of titanic waves. The story of the ten fool hardy men who risked it all to chart the unknown is told in such detail that at times you want to scramble out of the canyons yourself. Thankfully, the author does just that, he whisks us away to the battle of Shiloh where Powell lost his arm, and later we get out of the canyon to hear 1869's version of fake news about the death's of Powell and his crew. The story of the expedition is put into historical context so that we get the proper setting of this insane excursion. Inevitably, we arrive back in the canyons, painstakingly inching through danger after danger while the food runs out and spirits wane.
As a whitewater enthusiast and geologist, I was wary of generic descriptions and inaccurate details. Instead, I found this book to be profoundly accurate and I found myself wondering how I spent so many years paddling white water without making the connections Dolnick put forth to the reader. My only gripe is that he kept referring to the Vishnu Schist as granite, but this is because Powell himself called it granite and the journal entrees of three men where commonly cited.
In the end, this is the ultimate tale of perseverance. Against all odds, these men journeyed into the pits of hell and...well I'll let you find out. Enjoy!
As a whitewater enthusiast and geologist, I was wary of generic descriptions and inaccurate details. Instead, I found this book to be profoundly accurate and I found myself wondering how I spent so many years paddling white water without making the connections Dolnick put forth to the reader. My only gripe is that he kept referring to the Vishnu Schist as granite, but this is because Powell himself called it granite and the journal entrees of three men where commonly cited.
In the end, this is the ultimate tale of perseverance. Against all odds, these men journeyed into the pits of hell and...well I'll let you find out. Enjoy!
July 27, 2011
Good book. This is a nicely written account of the the Powell expedition but not a real page turner. I liked the digressions about Powell losing his arm at Shilo. If you want to know about the first trip down the Colorado through the Grand Canyon, this is for you. I think the low draft rubber rafts of today would have made Powells expedition much easier. enjoy.
March 21, 2025
John Wesley Powell caught my attention when my husband and I visited the Grand Canyon in 2013. I would periodically think that I should read a book about him and then I would forget about it. When we visited Lake Powell and Horseshoe Canyon in Page, AZ a few months ago, I decided that it was finally time to learn more about this explorer.
I kind of wanted a book that was about Powell's entire life but I didn't really see anything like that at my libraries. I was most interested about his trip down the Colorado River and through the Grand Canyon anyway, so this was a fine substitute.
I will never raft the Colorado River, and especially not the section through the Grand Canyon. That was my biggest takeaway. The descriptions of the rapids and the power of the water were terrifying.
But this was a truly interesting book. I honestly couldn't wait to read more about Powell and his crew every night. The fact that the first European team to raft the Grand Canyon was led by a Civil War veteran with only one arm and practically no experience on the water is mind-boggling to me. The entire group was made up of novices! Sure there were some "mountain men" who were used to living off the land but that knowledge doesn't lend itself to reading rapids and finding the best way through them. Holy smokes.
The author takes a lot of tangents on the river journey. I'm a tangential thinker and storyteller myself so it didn't bother me but his style might not be for everyone. There were sections about the Battle of Shiloh, where Powell lost his arm, that segued into the state of medicine and infection control at the time. There were interviews with today's river guides who know the river like the backs of their hands. There was some history of the areas they were passing through and some then-current events. It all added up to an interesting whole for me.
If you like reading about explorers doing the seemingly-impossible, this book is a great choice. But if you're planning a rafting trip down the Grand Canyon and you're feeling a little hesitant about it, maybe wait until after your trip.
I kind of wanted a book that was about Powell's entire life but I didn't really see anything like that at my libraries. I was most interested about his trip down the Colorado River and through the Grand Canyon anyway, so this was a fine substitute.
I will never raft the Colorado River, and especially not the section through the Grand Canyon. That was my biggest takeaway. The descriptions of the rapids and the power of the water were terrifying.
But this was a truly interesting book. I honestly couldn't wait to read more about Powell and his crew every night. The fact that the first European team to raft the Grand Canyon was led by a Civil War veteran with only one arm and practically no experience on the water is mind-boggling to me. The entire group was made up of novices! Sure there were some "mountain men" who were used to living off the land but that knowledge doesn't lend itself to reading rapids and finding the best way through them. Holy smokes.
The author takes a lot of tangents on the river journey. I'm a tangential thinker and storyteller myself so it didn't bother me but his style might not be for everyone. There were sections about the Battle of Shiloh, where Powell lost his arm, that segued into the state of medicine and infection control at the time. There were interviews with today's river guides who know the river like the backs of their hands. There was some history of the areas they were passing through and some then-current events. It all added up to an interesting whole for me.
If you like reading about explorers doing the seemingly-impossible, this book is a great choice. But if you're planning a rafting trip down the Grand Canyon and you're feeling a little hesitant about it, maybe wait until after your trip.
September 19, 2020
In 1869 John Wesley Powell and ten other adventurous men set out to explore the Green and Colorado Rivers. The story of the trip down through the canyons was told through actual letters and diaries that Dolnick researched. This would have been more than enough to give this book a 4 star rating.
The problem I had with it, was the constant insertions of 1) other times in history 2) extensive descriptions of the canyon wall and cliffs 3) modern day tales of disasters on the rivers.
I enjoyed the book, but not not as much I wanted too.
The problem I had with it, was the constant insertions of 1) other times in history 2) extensive descriptions of the canyon wall and cliffs 3) modern day tales of disasters on the rivers.
I enjoyed the book, but not not as much I wanted too.
October 29, 2021
This book covers the journey of John Powell and his team of 9 others as they became the first [white] men to venture successfully through the whole Grand Canyon on 1869.
I love a book full of adventure and travel. And sometimes this book hit that sweet spot. But at times it became repetitive (which isn't particularly the fault of the author, he only had so much to work with) and some tangents felt forced as if there just needed to be filler. Down the Great Unknown took me a long time to get through. The print was tiny (if only I had read it on my Kindle!) and the pace was slow enough to often put my tired eyes to rest. An interesting look into the journey but definitely not a book for those only into history in passing (unlike this girl who will pretty much read any history book in existence).
I love a book full of adventure and travel. And sometimes this book hit that sweet spot. But at times it became repetitive (which isn't particularly the fault of the author, he only had so much to work with) and some tangents felt forced as if there just needed to be filler. Down the Great Unknown took me a long time to get through. The print was tiny (if only I had read it on my Kindle!) and the pace was slow enough to often put my tired eyes to rest. An interesting look into the journey but definitely not a book for those only into history in passing (unlike this girl who will pretty much read any history book in existence).
March 4, 2012
An enjoyable read, simultaneously gripping and informative. I picked up Down the Great Unknown after reading another of Dolnick's books (The Clockwork Universe) that I enjoyed immensely, and while this isn't quite in the same league as that one, it's still worth looking into. Dolnick's style isn't as dense as many nonfiction writers, so this is an easy read but doesn't skimp on the details, and even his tendency to put in anecdotes surrounding this period is entertaining. (Granted they are occasionally a little too much.)
Perfect for the reader with a casual interest in the Westward expansion, exploration, or the time period in general. Likely not so intriguing for those with a deeper familiarity with the same.
Perfect for the reader with a casual interest in the Westward expansion, exploration, or the time period in general. Likely not so intriguing for those with a deeper familiarity with the same.
September 21, 2021
I have mixed feelings about this book. I enjoyed the parts about John Wesley Powell and the ragtag band of nine mountain men that went with him on this journey but the rest was all over the place. Pages filled with unnecessary fluff, information that has nothing to do with the journey, and the author’s speculations on events. Reading this dry book not only was tedious and it lacks background information in many areas of the stories. I wanted to love this book, like so many others I am fascinated by the Grand Canyon. It is not a book I would recommend to you if you are doing research or wanting a well-rounded story.
August 28, 2025
It is hard to imagine the journey of John Wesley Powell and his nine travelling companions given the progress of time and technology. However, I think it's hard to imagine even with the modern context. To get a sense for the scale of the feat, look at a map and trace your finger along the Green River from Green River, WY until it joins with the Colorado River in today's Canyonlands National Park. Then trace the Colorado all the way to the Hoover Dam. Now imagine doing that route in a boat, without GPS, without maps, without enough food, and, in the case of Powell, without a right arm. Just tracing the route with my finger, or swiping on a map app was enough to make me tired. Reading about it was exhilarating and I totally recommend this book to anyone who loves this part of the country or loves an adventure.
One of my favorite elements of the book is Mr. Dolnick's balance in the narrative. The historical record is highly skewed in the favor of Powell himself, however, Mr. Dolnick takes great pains to give the reader a more complete picture of the expedition's crew. In doing this, it adds color and context to what those men accomplished. To help the modern reader conceptualize things he also includes a fair amount of contemporary information, explaining the lengths to which technology has changed, information has improved, among other things. He is also really clear about the dangers even with all of the progress. I just feel like it was well researched, well written, and well balanced.
The last thing I'll mention is the change which has affected the waterway since Powell's day. Mr. Dolnick called the Colorado waterway the most regulated waterway in the world primarily due to the numerous dams which now control its mighty flow. He stopped short of being critical or approving of the works, but did include opinions of others like Edward Abbey who definitely disapprove of the changes. If I had any observation or complain about how this subject was addressed in the book, it would be that Mr. Dolnick's information was restricted to the United States, without mentioning anything about how these changes affect Mexico. I did finish feeling like the issue was more complicated than I had previously thought and it certainly wasn't the focus of this book.
One of my favorite elements of the book is Mr. Dolnick's balance in the narrative. The historical record is highly skewed in the favor of Powell himself, however, Mr. Dolnick takes great pains to give the reader a more complete picture of the expedition's crew. In doing this, it adds color and context to what those men accomplished. To help the modern reader conceptualize things he also includes a fair amount of contemporary information, explaining the lengths to which technology has changed, information has improved, among other things. He is also really clear about the dangers even with all of the progress. I just feel like it was well researched, well written, and well balanced.
The last thing I'll mention is the change which has affected the waterway since Powell's day. Mr. Dolnick called the Colorado waterway the most regulated waterway in the world primarily due to the numerous dams which now control its mighty flow. He stopped short of being critical or approving of the works, but did include opinions of others like Edward Abbey who definitely disapprove of the changes. If I had any observation or complain about how this subject was addressed in the book, it would be that Mr. Dolnick's information was restricted to the United States, without mentioning anything about how these changes affect Mexico. I did finish feeling like the issue was more complicated than I had previously thought and it certainly wasn't the focus of this book.
January 31, 2023
I visited the Grand Canyon for the first time as one of the final stops on a week long vacation in Arizona and Utah. I only had about 2 hours to take it in, and so rushed from pullout to pullout. In the weeks afterwards, when my friends asked me what I thought, I answered that it was "Nothing special, just a big hole in the ground." The half dozen or so trips that I have made there in the past 10 years have long since changed my opinion.
My love for the rugged canyon lands of Arizona and Utah is what drew me to this book. It truly is a 5-star account of Powell expedition, the first men known to have made the complete 1000 mile trip through the canyons of Utah and Arizona, including the Grand Canyon. As many other reviewers note, the author makes frequent references to events outside the expedition; events of the Civil War, and experiences of other rafters and boatmen. Some are beneficial, and some are not. A chapter devoted entirely to the Civil War Battle at Shiloh definitely falls into the latter. It was so tiresome, that it provoked me to skim through many similar accounts in the later chapters of the book.
As far as the telling of the story, Dolnick writes extremely well. He introduces us to men of a tenacious spirit, willing to endure and overcome intense hardships in order to do what others had not done. Without these qualities, they would never have survived their passage through "The Great Unknown." These are men to be admired for their resilience and courage, for doing what few believed could be done.
My love for the rugged canyon lands of Arizona and Utah is what drew me to this book. It truly is a 5-star account of Powell expedition, the first men known to have made the complete 1000 mile trip through the canyons of Utah and Arizona, including the Grand Canyon. As many other reviewers note, the author makes frequent references to events outside the expedition; events of the Civil War, and experiences of other rafters and boatmen. Some are beneficial, and some are not. A chapter devoted entirely to the Civil War Battle at Shiloh definitely falls into the latter. It was so tiresome, that it provoked me to skim through many similar accounts in the later chapters of the book.
As far as the telling of the story, Dolnick writes extremely well. He introduces us to men of a tenacious spirit, willing to endure and overcome intense hardships in order to do what others had not done. Without these qualities, they would never have survived their passage through "The Great Unknown." These are men to be admired for their resilience and courage, for doing what few believed could be done.
December 22, 2024
It's astounding that Powell's small crew of mostly mountain men, with no knowledge of boats and even less of white water rapids, made the initial trip through the Grand Canyon and mostly lived to tell about it (the three men who died were ones who were tired of the adventure, climbed out of the canyon, and set out overland to presumed safety. They were murdered. Had they stuck with the expedition, they would have finished the trip only 24 hours later.
Hazards on the remarkable journey included "near drownings, run-away boars, a fire, feuds, [and] rations barely adequate to stave off starvation." The boats were totally inappropriate for the purpose. One of the men summarized that they had run 414 rapids and made 62 laborious portages. River runners today, who have detailed maps of what to expect and plenty of experience are amazed that the team had success at all. Powell had lost his right arm in the Battle of Shiloh yet still road the rapids and climbed cliffs. I'd admire him more if he hadn't tried to claim all the credit for himself.
Sixth book I've read by Dolnick, This was obviously one of his first. A few too many analogies, "imagine ifs..." and side tracks into history only loosely related (e.g., too many pages devoted to the Battle of Shiloh). Still good stuff. Interestingly, our library system didn't have this one. I had to get it through WorldCat, and it came in from a college library in San Antonio.
Hazards on the remarkable journey included "near drownings, run-away boars, a fire, feuds, [and] rations barely adequate to stave off starvation." The boats were totally inappropriate for the purpose. One of the men summarized that they had run 414 rapids and made 62 laborious portages. River runners today, who have detailed maps of what to expect and plenty of experience are amazed that the team had success at all. Powell had lost his right arm in the Battle of Shiloh yet still road the rapids and climbed cliffs. I'd admire him more if he hadn't tried to claim all the credit for himself.
Sixth book I've read by Dolnick, This was obviously one of his first. A few too many analogies, "imagine ifs..." and side tracks into history only loosely related (e.g., too many pages devoted to the Battle of Shiloh). Still good stuff. Interestingly, our library system didn't have this one. I had to get it through WorldCat, and it came in from a college library in San Antonio.
February 16, 2017
The story of Powell and his crew making their way through the Grand Canyon in boats in 1869 is beyond fascinating. And Dolnick is the perfect one to tell that story. (This is the second of his books I have read, the other being The Clockwork Universe - about the scientific revolution - also a wonderful book.)
Powell himself wrote eloquently of this adventure, but Dolnick brings an outsider's sensibility to bear on the thing. For example, several of the men kept diaries, so Dolnick can compare their differing descriptions of specific days' goings-on. Also, Powell's published works were written years after the events and he greatly expanded on his diary entries. His memory had to be as fallible as anyone's and his motivation in later life was to persuade congress of his environmentalist beliefs. None of this diminishes the value of his writings, but it allows Dolnick to contextualize the history.
A gripping read.
Powell himself wrote eloquently of this adventure, but Dolnick brings an outsider's sensibility to bear on the thing. For example, several of the men kept diaries, so Dolnick can compare their differing descriptions of specific days' goings-on. Also, Powell's published works were written years after the events and he greatly expanded on his diary entries. His memory had to be as fallible as anyone's and his motivation in later life was to persuade congress of his environmentalist beliefs. None of this diminishes the value of his writings, but it allows Dolnick to contextualize the history.
A gripping read.
June 20, 2019
This is a fascinating story, with some colorful characters and a lot of relation to the overall mythos of the American Dream and specifically the ideal of Manifest Destiny. Powell is an incredibly interesting figure, whose drive and grit are admirable and honestly inspiring, even as he left a lot to be desired as a leader and an explorer. All this being said, Dolnick's account of Powell's crew and journey is only alright. It tends to get bogged down in the details of the journey rather than the themes, and often breaks into tangential areas of comment that add some to the primary narrative but not enough to justify their inclusion in many cases. The men that Powell traveled with are compelling enough in their own right, they didn't need extras added on to make the entire story more "interesting." What I wished was a more in-depth character study of each of the men involved, or at least more details about their lives and fame following the expedition.
This is not a bad book, and I wish that Goodreads enabled me to actually give it 3.5 stars. It just wasn't as good as it could have been, or as Powell's story ultimately deserved.
This is not a bad book, and I wish that Goodreads enabled me to actually give it 3.5 stars. It just wasn't as good as it could have been, or as Powell's story ultimately deserved.
March 4, 2024
The expedition and experiences of the crew's journey into an unknown land was interesting. However, the story seemed to continue on about what seemed like every set of rapids in their adventure. I often wondered if they were still on the Green River or had reached the Grand.
March 30, 2018
Fun to read. I do a lot of hiking and backpacking. My adventures are child’s play in comparison. What these guys went through was astonishing.
December 27, 2021
What an incredibly fascinating story! Additionaly the reader is provided with unnumerable interesting facts not only about river running itself but about the time in which the story unfolds. Also it is well written.
May 3, 2022
I can't imagine doing what they did--never knowing what's around the next bend or if you're suddenly going down an unknown Niagra. An interesting read if a bit on the slow side.
October 24, 2014
One of the great true adventure stories of the past few centuries is surely John Wesley Powell's expedition down the unexplored Colorado River and through the Grand Canyon in 1869, a journey of some 1,000 miles in ninety-nine days. Ten poorly-prepared men set out in six ill-equipped wooden boats, but only six survived.
Powell, a multi-faceted one-armed Civil War veteran, was the leader of the group, and much like another of my favorite adventurer-heroes, Ernest Shackleton, probably singlehandedly was responsible for shepherding those who did survive to safety. If the expedition had been led by a man of lesser judgment, courage, or leadership, the expedition would probably be nothing more than a historical footnote. But in addition to his other admirable qualities (and they were many), Powell was a superb writer, and his account of even the grimmest moments of the long, dangerous trip is one of insight and gusto.
Dolnick interlards generous passages from Powell's journals with present-day accounts of running the Colorado River's treacherous whitewater sections. What he comes back to time and again (with no decreasing effect) is how difficult it must have been for Powell and his crew, lacking proper rafting equipment, not to mention knowledge of what lay ahead around each bend of the river. Dolnick has crafted a taut, highly readable account which wears its mantle of scholarship lightly. The most striking thing is how many levels this book is successful on -- as adventure story, as geological/geographical account, as history, as a psychological portrait, and even as anthropological account.
Powell, a multi-faceted one-armed Civil War veteran, was the leader of the group, and much like another of my favorite adventurer-heroes, Ernest Shackleton, probably singlehandedly was responsible for shepherding those who did survive to safety. If the expedition had been led by a man of lesser judgment, courage, or leadership, the expedition would probably be nothing more than a historical footnote. But in addition to his other admirable qualities (and they were many), Powell was a superb writer, and his account of even the grimmest moments of the long, dangerous trip is one of insight and gusto.
Dolnick interlards generous passages from Powell's journals with present-day accounts of running the Colorado River's treacherous whitewater sections. What he comes back to time and again (with no decreasing effect) is how difficult it must have been for Powell and his crew, lacking proper rafting equipment, not to mention knowledge of what lay ahead around each bend of the river. Dolnick has crafted a taut, highly readable account which wears its mantle of scholarship lightly. The most striking thing is how many levels this book is successful on -- as adventure story, as geological/geographical account, as history, as a psychological portrait, and even as anthropological account.
April 13, 2007
This is the weakest adventure/exploration-type book I've read so far and I don't recommend it. Most of it is pretty damn boring. It gets a little more interesting towards the end, but only for a little bit. The interesting bit concerns the situation at the end of their trip down the Colorado river through the Grand Canyon. No one had ever been all the way down it before, on boat or foot, so they had no idea what was in store for them. For most of the trip they had dealt with this by exploring the river carefully and pulling to the side whenever they approached dangerous rapids. They would then carry the boats over land around the rapids, a time-consuming and laborious process. But as they went down into the canyon, and the walls towered above them, they quickly realized that they might end up in a situation where there were rapids ahead but no way to get off of the river, because of mile-high cliffs on both sides. This never actually happened. What did happen was that as they ran out of supplies, they realized they just had to make a run for it, and so they just raced through the most terrible rapids. Luckily, they made it.
August 22, 2016
I picked this book up at the Grand Canyon after watching the IMAX movie that includes a dramatic reenactment of Powell's journey. A one-armed Civil War veteran led the first exploratory trip through the Grand Canyon? And some of the men took a land route right at the end and were never heard from again? Sounds as exciting as the Amazon river & rainforest adventures that I enjoy so much!
Parts of this were really interesting, but Dolnick's focus on including every detail written down by the various group members that kept journals made parts really boring, too. I wanted the big picture, the main adventures, not the mundane details. And while some of the additional background (geological history) was interesting, the civil war battle background was not what I came for.
The men don't even enter the Grand Canyon until over halfway through the book, and while the rest of the journey is important, I think a lot of that could have been condensed.
Parts of this were really interesting, but Dolnick's focus on including every detail written down by the various group members that kept journals made parts really boring, too. I wanted the big picture, the main adventures, not the mundane details. And while some of the additional background (geological history) was interesting, the civil war battle background was not what I came for.
The men don't even enter the Grand Canyon until over halfway through the book, and while the rest of the journey is important, I think a lot of that could have been condensed.
October 25, 2008
That the author was so present in the telling of this story was both its best and worst feature. He brings context to events and circumstances, but he does so through odd illustrations. For instance, he describes a boatman stuck in a muddy whirlpool as being in the center of a massive glass of chocolate milk as it is stirred by a giant 8-year old. It was consistently distracting, but I think it enhanced my understanding of the challenges the expedition team faced in the process of exploring the Grand Canyon for the first time.
In the end, I think it was worth reading, especially for the passages regarding Powell's fascination with geology and for the social context (e.g. national arguments about Manifest Destiny) revealed through the men's experiences with the outside world.
In the end, I think it was worth reading, especially for the passages regarding Powell's fascination with geology and for the social context (e.g. national arguments about Manifest Destiny) revealed through the men's experiences with the outside world.
January 14, 2019
“I decided to run it,” wrote Sumner, “though there was a queer feeling in my craw, as I could see plainly enough a certain swamping for all the boats. But what was around the curve below out of our sight?” If there was a waterfall lurking just out of range, everyone understood, they were about to speed to their deaths. But, with no options, Sumner announced that he was ready to start. “Who follows?” he cried. Hawkins and Hall, the two youngest members of the expedition, one the none-too-expert cook and the other the ex-mule driver who had once complained that his boat would neither gee nor haw, answered first. “Pull out!” they yelled. “We’ll follow you to tidewater or hell.”
May 3, 2012
Wonderful book, the audacity of what these guys pulled off is amazing. Good insight into leadership skills - some to use, some to avoid & how they worked or didn't. Well written & made me want to find out what happened next. Not to mention great descriptions of the landscapes & river as they progressed. Certainly something to read if you live in the area.
September 21, 2012
great story
horribly written
horribly written
June 23, 2020
Could be better written.
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