First published 2001
David James Duncan grew up believing rivers and mountains reflected his inner world. After three decades of walking roughly three thousand waterways with his fly rod, he brings together memoir, activism, and environmental science in this personal exploration of America's threatened waters. Duncan targets industrial policies that sacrifice public rivers for corporate profit, particularly exposing how outdated federal mining laws enable destructive cyanide extraction. He champions the famous river from Norman Maclean's writing while advocating for struggling fishing communities, Native American tribes, and the collapsing Pacific Northwest ecosystem. Duncan calls for removing four major dams from the Columbia and Snake river systems to restore wild salmon runs. His environmental investigations balance scientific rigor with the wonder and gratitude he finds wading through wilderness. The book offers reflections on water as spiritual discovery, fishing as pilgrimage, and coho salmon as guides for living. Duncan presents rivers as sacred objects, dying birds as messengers, and salmon as sources of life itself.
Genres: nature, environment, non-fiction, biography-memoir, activism, american-history
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: activism, environmental-issues, memoir
Setting: Columbia River, Pacific Northwest, Snake River
304 pages · Hardcover · Sierra Club Books