In the Naga's Wake: The First Man to Navigate the Mekong, from Tibet to the South China Sea »

Mick O’Shea is the first person to successfully navigate the Mekong River. He is an expert adventurer who enjoys white-water rafting, trekking, kayaking, and camping. He is the cofounder and CEO of Wildside Eco Tours, which specializes in travel and eco-tourism in Laos.

Upon first seeing its unforgiving rapids, 20-year-old traveler Mick O’Shea began dreaming of a solo expedition down the Mekong River, from its source in Tibet to the South China Sea. This exhilarating travel novel captures O’Shea’s extremely dangerous kayak adventure into the unknown through remote gorges, terrifying rapids, and deadly whirlpools, past floating headless bodies, looming dams and terrifying Chinese soldiers. Always seeking adventure and adrenaline, this explorer was immediately attracted to the Mekong’s power as well as to its spiritual and cultural significance and exotic beauty. This extraordinary true story of one man’s wild ride down one of the fastest and most dangerous rivers in the world is a compelling read for armchair travelers, extreme-sports fans, environmentalists, and Southeast Asia enthusiasts.   

Robert SaundersonCopyright 2006 Reed Business Information. - School Library Journal

Adult/High School
O'Shea fell in love with the Mekong River at the age of 20 and ever since has dreamed of becoming the first person to explore its entire length. This book describes his dream and its fulfillment, as it records his ambitious, dangerous, and exhilarating ride down the river known as Kong, "Mother of Water." This wet and wild tale of adventure is sure to satisfy armchair explorers. But the book is much more than a simple narrative of man against killer rapids, monster whirlpools, freezing temperatures, and unexploded land mines. All of that is central to the author's story, but so is an environmental and political disaster about to descend upon the millions of people who inhabit the valleys of the Mekong. The Chinese are in the process of constructing eight immense dams in Yunnan Province, two of which have been completed, with another four currently under construction. This "Mekong Cascade of Dams" is one of the largest engineering feats ever undertaken. O'Shea points out that Yunnan is prone to more devastating earthquakes than almost any other region of the world. The Chinese are building the dams to provide electricity for urban and suburban areas in China. They have made no mention of compensation or any benefit to the peoples of Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, or Vietnam. The author admirably accomplishes his two main goals: to relate the harrowing story of his kayak trip and to direct attention to the man-made threats to this stunningly beautiful and wild corner of the world.