Book excerpt: "White Waters and Black" is an adventure novel by the American writer Gordon MacCreagh, who recreated some of his experiences during his visit to the Amazon river. The book tells about eight "Eminent Scientificos" as they set out to explore the Amazon in 1923. They have no idea what to expect from this wild land, and as they meet rapids, malaria, monkey stew, and "dangerous savages," they change. The book is prominent in two ways: it offers an incredibly realistic account of the trip to Amazon and subtle observations on human behavior in extreme conditions.