Lost On A Mountain In Maine (2013) - Plot & Excerpts
In this true story, Donn Fendler is a twelve-year-old boy in 1939. He is on an expedition to climb Mt. Katahdin, at 5268 feet the highest peak in the state of Maine, with his father, brothers Tom and Ryan, and guide Henry Condon. Henry and Donn run ahead and meet another climber, Charles Austin, minister with the Church of All Nations in New York City, NY. Donn gets cold and decides to find his own way back to camp rather than wait for the rest. Henry cautions him against doing so and remains with Mr. Austin, but Donn leaves anyway. Unfortunately, a thick, fast-moving fog obscures the path. Donn falls down an embankment that hides him from sight. Then he takes a wrong turn that leaves him alone to wander aimlessly for nine days in the empty mountain wilderness. Will he make it to his camp or be found by the others? This book is Donn's own description of his struggles to survive after being separated from his companions, as told to Joseph B. Egan. For years I saw it advertised in the Christian Book Distributors catalogue and finally decided to purchase it to read as a family read aloud. With no food and no shelter, Donn survives by remembering his Boy Scout skills and by drawing on his faith in himself, his family, and God. His shoes and then his feet were cut to shreds on the rough stone outcroppings. He was tormented by insects, encountered a bear, and tumbled in an icy river. His "dungarees" were impossible to walk in, once wet, and he lost them. He suffered from cold, hunger, loneliness, and hallucinations. Toward the end of his ordeal Donn followed telephone wires and a stream, hoping that both would eventually lead him to what civilization there was in the great woods of Maine. Donn's harrowing story, as told to Joseph Burke Egan, who was an author and I think a journalist, apparently was first published later in 1939 and has been a beloved family and school classic in Maine since that time. Through the years, Fendler himself visited schools and libraries to share his experiences, and generations of Maine children have learned lessons about courage, faith, and will from Lost on a Mountain in Maine. I especially like the way in which Donn emphasizes the fact that he put his trust in God and said his prayers daily for God's protection and deliverance. In 2008, Donn's story wes retold with illustrations by Ben Bishop for a graphic novel entitled Lost Trail: Nine Days Alone in the Wilderness, published by Down East Books. I guess that this all right for a generation that doesn't want to read words, except for a few in a cartoon bubble every now and then, bur prefers just to look at pictures. However, we really enjoyed the original and thought it quite exciting.
My grandmother had this book on her bookshelves when I was a child and recommended it to me a number of times. Every time, I would find something else I wanted to read more and would return it to her without even opening it. Well, now I am blessed with that 1939 edition from her shelves and, whaddya know, Grandmother knew what she was talking about!This boy's story is amazing! Nine days in the Maine wilderness with nothing, and he lives to tell about it! Surely, he is a lesson in determination and keeping your head, as he calls it. Also, this story teaches us of the power of hope. Every day, Donn just knew he would find a camp or somehow be rescued. Otherwise, as he states, he couldn't have kept going.I really like the way this story is told, too. The word choices and verbal mannerisms are in keeping with how a 12-year-old boy would talk. Through his telling and through his actions in the book, I really get a sense for who Donn Fendler is.The most touching part of this story to me is Donn's nightly prayers. Here he is, lost and desperate, and he prays for his parents to be okay and not to worry. I don't suppose this would have affected me if I'd read the book back when my grandmother offered it to me, but now, as a parent with sons of my own, this part makes me cry.I highly recommend this book, and have added it to my list of required reading for my 5th grader.
What do You think about Lost On A Mountain In Maine (2013)?
12 year old Donn Fendler is camping with his family on Mount. Katahdin, Donn was climbing to the top with a tour guide's son, Henry, and when the got to the top they saw a person. Henry wanted to wait for him but Donn was getting cold, so he dissuaded to head back down to his father. When Henry got down to Donn's campsite he noticed that Donn wasn't with his father. Donn's father immediately sent out a search party to find him. When Donn got down farther he saw some cabins but no one was there. Will they find Donn? Read the book to find out.
—Kaitlyn
ORDEAL ON KATAHDINIn 1939 12-year old Donn Fendler became separated from his father and Scout companions while hiking on Maine's most formidable peak. This short book presents an as-told-to narrataive--reconstructed in comfortable and safe hindsight. One can imagine the anguish of his parents--contemplating variouis fates for their son during his nine-day ordeal, during which time he endured loneliness, exhaustion and starvaiton (he lost 16 pounds!) During fog and even sleet he sought his way down the unforgiving slopes haphazardly, while rangers and hundreds of volunteers scoured the craggy heights of Katahdin.The lost youth was actually less at risk of freezing or fallngin to deep gorges once he descended below the welcome timbewrline. His rambling route when retraced on a map showd a desperate, meandering path--partly induced by his mist-obscured vision. It was only when he discovered a stream that he recalled the advice to follow a stream downhill--to another larger one. In time he found a tote road, abandonded cabins and a telegraph wire--all of which provided hope that he was approaching (recently abandoned) civilization.This 100-page book includes an extensvie Afterword which descibes the frantic rescue efforts by adults in the outside world--accomplished in a era of comparatively minimal long-range communication. Donn's worst enemies prove the myriads of vicious flies and bugs which mercilessly attacked his scantily-protected skin. His narrative includes references to mostly peaceful encounters with widlife, spells of crying interspersed itermittent bouts of irrationality. He even spouted entrenched Scout lore when not featheirng the narrative with his moral servations on the emeregency use of other people's property. To sum up: an excellent Middle School survival tale set in simpler times, supplemented by actual b/w photos of his rescue and celebratory parade. One wonders at the list of Lessons Learned which he might have compiled in the weeks of recuperation following his ordeal on Katahdin. (August 12, 2012. I welcome dialogue with teachers.)
—Gale
Insuportable i decebedora segona part de les memòries de l'ex-president. L'estil paternalista i perdonavides, ja present a la primera part, s'imposa clarament en aquesta segona. Malgrat que el títol insinua que parlarem d'un període concret, els anys 1980-1993, es tracta d'un bombardeig desordenat d'idees i d'autocomplaença. El fet de ser, possiblement, el polític català més brillant del darrer quart del segle XX sembla que se li ha pujat al cap, poc espai a l'autocrítica, continues referències a la feina ben feta,... més que un llibre de memòries sembla un catàleg post electoral o un examen de final de carrera. Un dels pitjors llibres que he llegit mai i que m'ha fet treure les ganes de llegir la tercera part. (i més en l'any electoral en que estem).
—Joaquim Alvarado
