The journals and letters of Sir Alexander Mackenzie Book

Well written and engrossing, Alexander Mackenzie's account of his travels across Canada is well balanced between exciting adventures and descriptive details of his trip. The book makes for a quick and entertaining read, as Mackenzie describes that hardships of taking a canoe halfway across Canada (and marching the rest of the way) past Native American tribes, some of whom had never seen a white man before. Unlike some of the early explorers, Mackenzie seemed to have a fairly progressive attitude toward native people (unless they stole something, which made him a bit Cook-esque) which also helped me really enjoy this book. One of my favorite North America exploration accounts for its readability and story.