The Starship and the Canoe
by Brower, Kenneth
pub. Holt Rinehart and Winston, NY, 1978     isbn 0030391962
later pub. by Harper Perennial, NY, 1983     ISBN 978-0060910303
270 p. - maps - -
Brower created a double biography of Freeman Dyson, an English (now a citizen of USA) theoretical physicist and mathematician, born 1923 and his son George Dyson, born 1953. They became estranged and George went to live in Canada on Vancouver Island. For some time George lived up a huge tree and designed and built large kayaks of a type called baidarkas. He became fameous for his canoes, as the best designer and builder of these specialized boats.
Brower independently interviewed both father and son and wrote somewhat separate biographies of both of them. Then he managed to have a meeting between them, which resulted in each having some appreciation of one anothers work.
This is a particulary interesting book, and a truly Good Read.
(Brower is also author of A Song for Satawal which I also recommend a a good read.)
~ 1980 ~

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