Amazon Woman: Facing Fears, Chasing Dreams, and a Quest to Kayak the World's Largest River from Source to Sea

This book recounts the extraordinary journey of author Darcy Gaechter, the first woman to kayak the entire Amazon River. Part memoir, part feminist manifesto, the book aims to inspire people, especially women, to live out their dreams. Right away, Gaechter faced raging Class Five whitewater for twenty-five days straight, barely surviving a dynamite-filled canyon for a new hydroelectric plan. She encountered illegal loggers, narco-traffickers, Shining Path rebels, and poachers in the black market trade in endangered species. Gaechter also cut off her hair before entering Peru’s dangerous “Red Zone” in hopes of passing for a boy and being less of a target.

Hers is a heart-pounding adventure and a celebration of pushing personal limits. It’s a story of finding the courage and strength to challenge nature, cultures, social norms, and oneself.