Shooting the Boh: A Woman's Voyage Down the Wildest River in Borneo

I had intended to read a chapter or two of this book and ended up reading it in one sitting. It really was an interesting trip, and the descriptions of life in the rain forest are just amazing. The author slips in a fair amount of history of the earlier explorers and travel writers in the area but mostly manages to interleave things enough to keep the pace up.I almost didn't buy the book after reading some of the earlier reviews so I think I'd better address some of their points. There are maybe two pages about the hot flashes (out of 256) and a few mentions -- basically along the line of mentioning her spider bites, bee bites, foot rot, hot flashes, bad back, etc. It's really no big deal, and this is coming from a 30 year old "basic guy".I do think a responsible tour company would have stopped her from going on the trip after the airline lost her luggage instead of assuming she could borrow everything, but then again I think a responsible tour company would have brought a radio (duh) and had some plans as to what would have happened if, say, somebody had broken a leg. This trip could have turned into a real disaster. And while the author was often wasting resources, so was the whole group. They really didn't realize what a mess they were in until they were in deep over their heads.The whole interaction between the tour company (operating without a clue) the guides (competent but following the company line because they need the money) and the tourists (didn't ask the right questions before leaving or during the trip) is pretty fascinating. It's a real argument for independent travel. . . but not to the rain forest!

Shooting the Boh is metaphoric. Life is a scary journey, but each participant is lucky to be along for the ride. No matter how scary and dangerous, life is still a wonderful gift. Tracy Johnston expands adventure travel genre to include the journey of life. The plot is woman against nature; woman against the frailty of her own body; and woman against society.The main character is the Boh River, the wildest in Borneo. Johnston describes the sweat bees and the wet humid air so well you can feel it all, even the mildewed shoes. The secondary characters are all the members on the trip (this harkens back to Chaucer's Canterbury Tales).Johnston also details her own lack of preparation, her fears about a weak back and no air mattress, and her awareness that her night sweats are more than a reaction to humidity. She is at the onset of menopause. Yikes. Her fears and dread about her own mortality become a part of her trip.And finally, since this is a group adventure, the social aspect emerges. Woman against society. How to remain connected without compromising authenticity. Johnston looks to her fellow travelers, sizing them up, trying to understand where she fits in. Her portraits of each participant are full of insight and detail. She gives out detail as she perceives it in time, letting the reader go along with her growing understanding. This is tricky to do since these are real people, still alive, who might not agree with her evaluations. She even mentions this, when she notes her sketches are incomplete. She says she has tried to make it as honest as she can. And I think she succeeds.Johnston was hired to write about the Boh River trip. She did this and more. She elevated her account to include real life, and she captured universal themes--the weakness and strength of the human spirit to overcome life's challenges. And finally, she bears witness that the trip was worth it. She felt lucky to be along for the ride.

Although it's been a few years since I read this book, I remember it well. I'm rather surprised by how harshly some reviewers have reacted to the author. I've read quite a few "pure" adventure accounts, and quite a few that are adventure plus deeply thoughtful meditations on life and self. It seems to me that the author's book isn't quite either---and on purpose. While some have found the author annoyingly self-absorbed, I think that's part of the book's point: she's making observations on growing older, on being middle-aged and realizing what she's lost---and perhaps gained---in that process. I'm probably about the same age she is, so maybe it's easier for me to relate to what she's feeling about these things.Her tale apparently first appeared in "Cosmopolitan", not "Outside" or "Sports Illustrated", and that makes her focus on herself and other people like Sylvie and Mike quite understandable. Her description of the monstrously humid rain forest is enough to make me glad I'm reading about it rather than experiencing it first-hand. If you're looking for a straightforward, white-knuckled, "I can bravely cope with anything" book---or one with profound insights into someone's innermost life---"Shooting the Boh" might disappoint. As a personal account of one woman and her trip to Borneo, I enjoyed it.

Her account of a wild trip down a river in Borneo was entertaining, and a light, pleasant read, but I found much to be annoyed by. The whole trip seemed like a disaster waiting to happen: inexperienced "clients" going down an unfamiliar, unknown river, with insufficient food and supplies. It's just pure luck that they didn't have any serious problems, injuries, or fatalities. I get tired of reading about modern people trying to "get back to nature" and find "adventure" when what they're really doing is risking their own and other's safety.I was also really annoyed by the author's fixation on good looks, her own sense of being "over the hill" at age 40, and her dependence on the others in the outfit. I am only giving this book a 3 because it's fairly well-written, and it's a light entertaining read.

As an old Sobek River Guide, I found this book to be a refreshingly honest and truthful account of what can happen on a true "adventure travel" expedition. As I have always said, when a real adventure occurs, it's never what you would call a comfortably exciting sensation. But after your first, you can't help but look for more in your life.Thank you so much for writing this book!

Good used quality. Nothing wrong with the purchase. Thank you!

I read this book 25 years ago. It was that good that I wanted to read it again. Book was sold as Used Good. It was as the seller described it.