Down the Wild River North, by Constance Helmericks

In suburban Arizona, 1964, Connie Helmericks announced to her two daughters, 12-year-old Ann and 14-year-old Jean, “We’re going to make a canoe expedition to the Arctic Ocean.” And for two successive summers, that’s exactly what they did. Down the Wild River North (328 pages) is the vividly told story of their adventures in the remote northern reaches…

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James J. Hill: A Great Life in Brief, by Stewart Holbrook

James J. Hill (158 pages), the “Empire Builder,” (1838-1916) was a Canadian-American railroad executive with the Great Northern Railway, responsible for building railways across the northern US. Part visionary, part robber baron, part buccaneer, Stewart Holbrook brings his story to life, in brief, as well as the lives of the other movers and shakers in…

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