River Queens - Alexander Watson

Alexander Watson’s River Queens: Saucy boat, stout mates, spotted dog, America is an education. I was already a longtime fan of road trip and long-walk memoirs but had never read one about a similar trip on America’s rivers before picking this one up. And the first thing I learned is that a river trip is more akin to a long walk than it is to a road trip – with many of the same advantages and benefits that traveling relatively slowly offers long distance walkers. There is simply no better way to take the pulse of America and her people than slowly working your way across large swaths of the country, all the while making new friends along the way. 

Alexander Watson

I am no boater, and neither were Alexander Watson and his partner, Dale Harris, until they decided to buy and restore the crippled wooden yacht that they would sail halfway across the country. The fact that Watson and Harris successfully managed to turn their dream into a reality despite their inexperience on the water is astounding. I can’t even imagine doing what these guys did. But they would need a whole lot of help as they made their way from Lake Texoma in Texas to Cincinnati, and luckily for them the river community was always there and eager to help them out.

It all started with a “forgettable” movie, one that failed to satisfy Alexander and Dale to the point that they were ready to head home. Instead, Alexander innocently enough made the suggestion that would define their lives for the next year and change: attending the 2001 Dallas Winter Boat Show. The boat show was a first for both men but it directly led to their purchase of the boat they would soon christen the Betty Jane, a beautiful 1950s-vintage wooden Chris-Craft admired by everyone who saw her on the water.  

Betty Jane

But it was not going to be that easy. Far from being a seaworthy purchase, the Betty Jane was ready to test every skill either of the men had acquired through their combined experiences with antiques and house renovations. As it turns out, getting her back on the water may have been the easy part. Now, Alexander and Dale had to prepare themselves to enter a whole new world, a culture with its own language, rules, expectations, and ways of doing even everyday things. They were going to need a lot of help and patience from their new friends – but would they find enough of either?

Bottom Line: River Queens is fun. But more than that, it is one of those memoirs that leave the reader with the hope that America may just not be as divided as she all too often appears to be. As a gay couple, Alexander and Dale knew that they were about to immerse themselves in a culture that might not welcome them, but not only were they welcomed, there were often tears left behind when they moved on down the river. If you are a fan of travel memoirs, this is a book you are going to love.

Review Copy provided by Author or Publisher