The Source: How Rivers Made America and America Remade Its Rivers
The Source: How Rivers Made America and America Remade Its Rivers book cover

The Source: How Rivers Made America and America Remade Its Rivers

Price
$11.87
Format
Paperback
Pages
352
Publisher
W. W. Norton & Company
Publication Date
ISBN-13
978-0393356618
Dimensions
5.5 x 0.9 x 8.2 inches
Weight
9.9 ounces

Description

"Move over Cadillac Desert and The Last Oasis : a new classic on American rivers has arrived." ― James Salzman, author of Drinking Water "Original… [and] poignant." ― Robert Glennon, New York Times Book Review "Authoritative.… Even readers with an allergy to learning history will come away with a greater understanding of how rivers have literally made our country." ― Tracy Ross, Outside "In [Doyle’s] telling, rivers become a lens on federalism, energy and conservation―a rolling narrative." ― Nature " The Source is one of those rare books you look up from and see with fresh eyes." ― Dan Flores, best-selling author of Coyote America Martin Doyle is director of the Water Policy Program at the Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions and a professor of river science and policy at Duke University’s Nicholas School of the Environment. He lives in North Carolina.

Features & Highlights

  • “An original and thought-provoking exploration of the sinuous course that water has carved through our economic and political landscape.” ―Gerard Helferich,
  • Wall Street Journal
  • In a powerful work of environmental history, Martin Doyle tells the epic story of America and its rivers, from the U.S. Constitution’s roots in interstate river navigation, to the failure of the levees in Hurricane Katrina and the water wars in the west. Through his own travels and his encounters with experts all over the country―a Mississippi River tugboat captain, an Erie Canal lock operator, a project manager buying water rights for farms along the Colorado River―Doyle reveals the central role rivers have played in American history and how vital they are to its future.
  • 20 black and white illustrations

Customer Reviews

Rating Breakdown

★★★★★
60%
(128)
★★★★
25%
(53)
★★★
15%
(32)
★★
7%
(15)
-7%
(-15)

Most Helpful Reviews

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Fabulous!!! Highly Recommend

The Source is fabulous! It’s dense, authoritative, well-researched & well-referenced.
For me, it was a slow read - because it is filled with thought-provoking information & insights.
Rivers have shaped the basic facts of America - where we live, how we conduct business, how we deal with risks, and how we govern ourselves.
By this great work, Martin Doyle (author) provides a thorough history of the central role Rivers have played in our local/national development. He informs us how vital (despite being taken for granted & oft-abused) Rivers are to our future.
For anyone wishing to better understand issues of American Environment, Government, and History - this seems a “must read”.
Fabulous job, Mister Doyle!!
3 people found this helpful
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More than just rivers!

This book was a fun read as it talked about how rivers shaped the economy of the US early on, but it also provided some background as to how different government institutions were created and shaped by the rivers or by diverting rivers. There were a lot of tidbits that were surprising and fascinating about how different systems are set up to utilize rivers for commerce, energy and entertainment and how different projects were constructed or funded. Highly recommend for people who are curious about rivers or about the formation of different government entities!
1 people found this helpful
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One of the most impressive nonfiction books I've ever read

Martin Doyle has changed my perception of American history more than any author I’ve read. Wow. He opened my eyes to dynamics of our republic’s foundations. He introduced me to trends and dynamics never covered in my high school or college history classes. So many times while reading this I thought, “I had no idea!” I learned SO MUCH. I was already in love with rivers, impressed by rivers, and wary of how humans exercise our dominion over rivers. Doyle made me consider them as both change agents and victims. Doyle’s incredible research and topical expertise are paired with a pragmatic approach—far more objective than subjective. And he somehow does all of that with an approachable voice of an everyman. If you love rivers or history, you’ll love this journey. If you have the eyes of a libertarian capitalist, the curiosity of a scientist, the mind of an engineer, or the heart of a conservationist, you’ll get sucked in like I did.
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Well researched, written and informative.

This book was well researched and is very well written. Enough technical detail to understand the how and why while still being very readable. I agree with the previous reviewer that said this should be required reading - combines, history, social studies and science to explain why our rivers and streams are in the shape they are today
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Worthwhile read, but ...

This is a thought provoking book, but it covers a broad range of topics in sometimes inadequate detail.