The Houseboat Book: The Log of a Cruise from Chicago to New Orleans

A weary city doctor dreams of swapping his bustling practice for a slow‑drifting life on the water. Inspired by the simple phrase “house boat,” he envisions a leisurely cruise down the Illinois and Mississippi rivers, fishing, sightseeing, and finding the peace needed to revive his creativity. The narrative follows his meticulous preparations—researching costs, boat types, licensing rules, and the scarce literature on inland house‑boat travel—to turn that vision into a real journey.

As the departure approaches, he charts a route that will carry him from Chicago’s canal system all the way to the vibrant streets of New Orleans, timing the voyage to accompany the migrating ducks. Along the way he shares practical tips, early setbacks, and the charm of discovering a largely undocumented way of traveling America’s great river. Listeners will be drawn into the mix of hopeful planning and the gentle humor that comes with pioneering an adventure few have recorded before.