Sitting back, reading a great adventure book is a favorite pastime for many. If you enjoy reading about white water rafting or other types of river journeys, then you’ll find the following books to be great additions to your “books to read” list this year.

The Emerald Mile by Kevin Fedarko

In this riveting story, you are taken on a journey that weaves together adventure, history and environmental politics into a great tale. It is about the guides, dory boat outfitters and dam engineers along the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon. It offers a reader a holistic view into running rivers in Southwest America.

The River Why by David James Duncan

This is a coming-of-age story that takes place in Oregon. It’s about a young fly fisherman named Gus Orviston. Those who fly fish or have an interest in it will find this beautiful prose to be humorous and earnest in its fishing approach to finding the deeper meaning of life. Explore love, humor, family relationships and environmental problems wrapped into one exciting tale.

A River Runs Through It by Norman McLean

This book can easily be read numerous times, each time being just as thought-provoking and entertaining as the last. It’s a literary masterpiece that is honest, taught and heart-wrenching. The story surrounds two brothers growing up in a family of fly fishers in Montana. It explores metaphysical questions, but in a colloquial manner. If you’re looking to read great tales about water adventures, then you’ll want to check out these three must-reads. If you want to live your own adventure with through a Toccoa River, Ocoee River, or Nantahala River white water rafting trip, you can check out the options available from Rolling Thunder River Company. For the best white water rafting in New Mexico, check out the trip options here at New Mexico River Adventures. Our Taos rafting and Santa Fe rafting trips won’t disappoint!