Survival of the Bark Canoe By John McPhee. An extraordinary writer, and our bookbuyer's favorite author. The story of building birchbark canoes and of a 150 mile journey through the Maine woods in those graceful examples of Native American technology. Covers the evolution of the bark canoe, from humble beginnings to the huge canoes that the fur traders entrusted their lives and livelyhood to. 135 pages, paperback.