River of Lakes: A Journey on Florida's St. Johns River
by Bill Belleville
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Book Summary Information
Author: Bill BellevilleEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2001-09-25
ISBN: 0820323446
Number of pages: 246
Publisher: University of Georgia Press
Book Reviews of River of Lakes: A Journey on Florida's St. Johns River
Book Review: Excellent book
Summary: 5 Stars
I really enjoyed this book as it is a wonderful mixture of history, exploration, and imagery. The author is so descriptive that you can easily follow the entire journey with a map. I suggest anyone really wanting to get into this book to follow the author in Google Earth - all of the coves, springs, rivers, points, towns, islands, lakes, and bridges are named, and on top of that there are Panoramio pictures to view in most areas. For example, when he describes the huge oak tree in Astor, I zoomed in and clicked a few pictures people had taken of it. Or you can follow the Oklawaha to Rawlings' house. I also used Wikipedia often for more back stories (and a dictionary).
I did want a little more of some of the conversations/interactions with locals, some were condensed to a paragraph, but maybe that's all they were. Others on the boat with him weren't named but only described in passing, but he probably wanted to focus more on the river/journey itself and not dialogue. As a personal preference (that probably wouldn't be wanted by others) I wished a lot of his historical facts were cited directly and not in one big massive bibliography at the end, and maybe a map and some pictures, but you can get those easily online. Also, some of the rivers and side lakes got cut short or not mentioned but I'm sure only so much can go into one book.
Overall excellent read. This book has caused me to explore five different places this weekend alone that were mentioned in the book, and I could point out some interesting facts to people with me (such as the decrease in water cycling through Lake Jesup). I will definitely be investing in a kayak or canoe to explore some of the local tributaries.
Summary of River of Lakes: A Journey on Florida's St. Johns River
First explored by naturalist William Bartram in the 1760s, the St. Johns River stretches 310 miles along Florida's east coast, making it the longest river in the state. The first "highway" through the once wild interior of Florida, the St. Johns may appear ordinary, but within its banks are some of the most fascinating natural phenomena and historic mysteries in the state. The river, no longer the commercial resource it once was, is now largely ignored by Florida's residents and visitors alike.
In the first contemporary book about this American Heritage River, Bill Belleville describes his journey down the length of the St. Johns, kayaking, boating, hiking its riverbanks, diving its springs, and exploring its underwater caves. He rediscovers the natural Florida and establishes his connection with a place once loved for its untamed beauty. Belleville involves scientists, environmentalists, fishermen, cave divers, and folk historians in his journey, soliciting their companionship and their expertise. River of Lakes weaves together the biological, cultural, anthropological, archaeological, and ecological aspects of the St. Johns, capturing the essence of its remarkable history and intrinsic value as a natural wonder.
Less well known than the embattled Everglades, northern Florida's St. Johns River has long been subject to the same forces that have imperiled that vast wetland. "The St. Johns," writes naturalist Bill Belleville, "is surely one long and meandering palimpsest," a place that has been remade many times over as humans have sought to grow crops, raise livestock, and otherwise make the river bend to their will. With 3.5 million people now living in its broad valley, the St. Johns is coming under increased pressure to change, its dense forests cleared for shopping malls and housing developments.
The river harbors many secrets, and Belleville is only too happy to share them as he makes a case for why the river should be allowed to follow its own path. It is a place, he writes, of giant snails and nesting herons, a place of wild storms and suffocatingly hot days. And more: it is a place of rare qualities, one that deserves to be protected. The author writes approvingly of grassroots efforts to do just that. His book is a fine piece of advocacy journalism blended with memoir, as he recounts his long history kayaking and hiking the length of the St. Johns. In Belleville, the river has a gifted champion. --Gregory McNamee
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