River Hippies & Mountain Men (Real-Life Adventures of the Texas Yeti)
At a glance
LuvemBooks Verdict
Best for
Readers who love American wilderness non-fiction and Western backcountry culture — especially fans of the earlier Texas Yeti books looking for Taylor's account of his two-year working apprenticeship among the river guides and mountain men of Idaho's Frank Church Wilderness.
Worth it if
You're drawn to authentic, lived adventure memoir from an unorthodox perspective — an older Texan immersed in one of America's most remote landscapes — and are willing to meet a self-published series voice on its own terms.
Skip if
You prefer literary introspection, urban memoir, or narrative non-fiction with broad cultural stakes, or you're new to the series and unwilling to backtrack — the book assumes familiarity with Taylor's persona and backstory rather than re-establishing it.
What readers & critics say
Bookseller listings on AbeBooks.co.uk highlight that Taylor is described as "the antipode of Walter Mitty" — someone who actually lives the adventures he imagines — and quote verified purchasers praising the book's storytelling. AllAuthor's profile of Taylor notes that his debut journal of solo-wintering Lewis and Clark's Rocky Mountain route became an Amazon bestseller, establishing the series' credibility.
Sources: AbeBooks.co.uk, AllAuthorAsk LuvemBooks
Was this helpful?
- Is it worth reading?
- For readers already invested in the 'Real-Life Adventures of the Texas Yeti' series, River Hippies & Mountain Men is a rewarding continuation that adds communal depth to Taylor's established persona. Verified Amazon purchase reviews describe it as entertaining and well-written — 'the next best thing to being there,' in the words of one verified reviewer. The key caveat is series dependency: new readers may find themselves catching up on a character whose backstory is assumed rather than re-established, and the highly specialized subject matter — mule packing, wilderness outfitting, Frank Church Wilderness subculture — will resonate most with readers already drawn to American backcountry non-fiction.
- Similar books
- Readers drawn to River Hippies & Mountain Men will find common ground with several titles in the LuvemBooks catalogue. Kevin Fedarko's A Walk in the Park offers another immersive, boots-on-ground American wilderness experience, while Bill Bryson's Notes from a Small Island delivers the humorous, self-deprecating travel voice that fans of Taylor's persona tend to enjoy. For adventure-driven non-fiction with a spirit of late-in-life exploration, Albert Podell's Around the World in 50 Years is a natural companion, and Pamdiana Jones' When in ROAM shares the freewheeling, experience-first spirit of the series.
- Who should read this?
- River Hippies & Mountain Men is squarely aimed at readers who love American wilderness non-fiction, Western backcountry culture, and true-life adventure told from an unorthodox vantage point — specifically, an older Texan rather than a twenty-something thru-hiker. Fans of the first two books in the 'Real-Life Adventures of the Texas Yeti' series have the clearest reason to pick this up. Readers new to Taylor but intrigued by a two-year working apprenticeship in Idaho's Frank Church Wilderness will find an entry point, though they'd benefit from starting with Book 1. Those drawn to urban memoirs, literary introspection, or narrative non-fiction with broad cultural stakes are likely to find the specialized subject matter — mule packing, wilderness outfitting — a poor fit.
- About Patrick Taylor
- Patrick Taylor is a retired medical researcher, professor emeritus at the University of British Columbia, and best-selling novelist. River Hippies & Mountain Men is the third entry in his five-book 'Real-Life Adventures of the Texas Yeti' non-fiction adventure series.
- Where should I start with this series?
- LuvemBooks recommends starting from Book 1 of the 'Real-Life Adventures of the Texas Yeti' series, which chronicles Taylor's solo winter traverse of Lewis and Clark's Rocky Mountain route — the journey that established his persona, writing voice, and the series' signature formula. That debut became an Amazon #1 bestseller and provides the backstory that River Hippies & Mountain Men assumes rather than re-establishes. Readers who arrive at Book 3 first may find themselves catching up on context that the narrative takes for granted.
- How does this compare to earlier books in the series?
- The most notable shift in River Hippies & Mountain Men is its move from solo endurance to community. The series began with Taylor's solo winter traverse of Lewis and Clark's Rocky Mountain route, establishing the formula of a lone older Texan taking on extreme wilderness challenges. This third installment trades that solitary dynamic for the social world of backcountry outfitting — the river hippies and mountain men of the title are fully realized figures, not backdrop. That progression gives long-time readers a broader view of the Western wilderness lifestyle and adds dimension to Taylor's arc without abandoning the core 'antipode of Walter Mitty' authenticity.
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Age & Reading Level
Recommended age
Adult
Reading level
Adult
Skip if you prefer urban memoirs, literary introspection, or narrative non-fiction with broad cultural stakes rather than specialized backcountry wilderness subculture.
Editorial Review
River Hippies & Mountain Men is the third installment in Patrick Taylor's non-fiction "Real-Life Adventures of the Texas Yeti" series, chronicling his two-year apprenticeship as a stockman and backcountry packer in Idaho's vast Frank Church Wilderness — a portrait of a life genuinely, not vicariously, lived outdoors.
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