A beautifully detailed account. It's difficult not to envy her as she forages with the otters and sleeps with the bears. Hahn's fascination with all that surrounds her is contagious. Hahn remains honest and thoughtful about her experiences. Her extensive knowledge of nature, native customs and legends, and the navigation history of the area nicely complement her personal experiences, while her eloquent writing allows readers to feel both the pain and the triumph of her journey. Almost immediately, her narrative made me eager to travel beside her. Hahn's vivid personality, thirst for adventure, and expertise in the outdoors are exemplified in her recently-released book ... Hahn's unpretentious prose is enhanced by the inclusion of her sensitive, hand-drawn field sketches decorating the pages, as well as by generous amounts of natural and cultural history of the famed Inside Passage. The book reads like a novel, but makes it feel like there's a tour offered. [Hahn's] natural-history writing is exceptional, and the book contains many other surprises ... and delicate drawings This work is a remarkable blend of adventure travel, natural history, vivid animal encounters and heartwarming tales of the often zany characters [Hahn] met along the way. [Hahn's] eloquent writing allows the readers to feel both the pain and the triumph of the journey. [Hahn] shows herself to be as spirited-and complex-as the waters she loves. [Hahn's] intimate knowledge of the plants, animals and lore of the Pacific Northwest coast shines through in her writing. This is as much a book of spiritual and emotional awakening as it is a narrative. The reader shares in Hahn's growth from a timid, young woman battling storms, solitude, and imagined threats from bears and men in Alaska, to a confident, self-sufficient, and spiritually stronger woman in the San Juan Islands. A very personal and lively account of a long solo paddle. Spirited Waters, like [Hahn's] adventure, is wildly beautiful. Part travelogue, part memoir, part natural history, it details with heart and humor the animals and people Hahn met on her adventure, as well as the landscapes of her mind. Hahn is not only an extraordinary paddler but also a naturalist who has great insight into the plants and animals she encountered from Alaska in route through wild waters to her home in Bellingham. A thoughtful and refreshingly honest book ... [a] beautifully woven tapestry of ever-changing coastal waters and skies, dazzling marine life and fluctuating human emotions. If you're just getting into sea kayaking or kayak touring, Jennifer Hahn's new book will let you know what to expect if you really get deep into the sport.