Book Review: Northland: A 4000-Mile Journey Along America's Forgotten Border

Part travelogue, part history, Northland is a book about the regions around the northern US border – from Maine all the way to Washington state. Porter Fox takes us along on a series of voyages – by canoe, by Great Lakes freighter, and by car across the north of the United States.

I enjoyed this book as someone who has called northern Michigan my home for the past seven years. I found Fox’s journey by Great Lakes freighter fascinating. But unfortunately by traveling that way Fox missed the best of the Northland by skipping entirely the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

As a fan of History the sections on the history of the border were the best part. The travelogue sections were well written, but missing some of the personal introspection and transformation that makes the best travel books so enjoyable.

Four Stars

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Title: Northland: A 4000-Mile Journey Along America’s Forgotten Border

Author: Porter Fox

Publisher: W.W. Norton

Publish Date: June 4, 2019

ISBN-13: 9780393357097

Publisher’s List Price: $16.95 Paperback (as of 12/2022)