“In the wake of Thoreau, Leff paddles acutely, scrying the traces of the past in the natural and human complexity of the riverine present: an original book of long-term value.”—John Stilgoe, Harvard University
“Borrowing one of David Leff’s puns, I ‘Thoreauly’ enjoyed this book. Deep Travel carries the reader along on a strong current of narrative, and offers ample time to look over the gunwales and join the gliding waters in reflection. Leff follows Thoreau’s paddle-strokes not only by traveling the same rivers, but by creating a ‘fusion of inward and outward experience,’ incorporating essay-like musing about time and place—and the power of both stories and history to evoke them. Deep Travel is a primer on the art of ‘sight-seeking’ and ‘forensic observation,’ and Leff offers penetrating readings of the river, the vernacular landscape, and Thoreau.”—Ian Marshall, author, Peak Experiences: Walking Meditations on Literature, Nature, and Need and Walden by Haiku