Whitewater Texas is not a real estate scandal. Published by Texas A&M University Press, it’s a guide to white-water rafting in the state by veteran kayaker Steve Daniel. Like “Ski Lubbock,” “Whitewater Texas” may sound like an oxymoron, but the 48-year-old Daniel, an A&M philosophy professor by day, provides a flood of information about the sport, technical data like streamflow statistics, and of course, an impressive number of rivers and streams where new and experienced paddlers can ride the rapids (one of his favorite spots is the Blanco Narrows, a series of drops along a sixteen-mile stretch of the Blanco River). What makes the book all the more interesting is that Daniel lost both his legs in an accident while rafting in Mexico in 1987. True to his rugged nature, however, he has never given up on the sport. He still loves its beauty, solitude, and excitement—not to mention the camaraderie with other kayakers. “When people are paddling with me, they never think about my amputations,” he says. “Once I’m on the river, I’m one of them.”
