Wicked River: The Mississippi When It Last Ran Wild, (Paperback)

from Sullywriter

A colorful, fascinating mix of history, culture, folklore, and geography.

from mhaley

Born and raised less than 3 miles from the Mighty Mississippi, this title offered me insights into the river and the culture which surrounded it, and still does. Wicked River encompasses the storied history of the river and the influence it had on the making of the country. From riverboat captain...

from Katong

Lively! Brings out personalities and character of the river people. Loved Sandlin's use of the painted panorama as a central motif, and his focus on the American dialect of the day.

from epersonae

A semi-chronological narrative of life along the Mississippi River, primarily before the Civil War, when the river valley was still part of the frontier. It was a dangerous place, both from nature (storms, earthquakes, the river itself) and from other humans (lots of drunkenness and piracy). Incl...

from kaitanya64

Popular history done well. This reads like a collection of short narratives of life on and near the Mississippi River from the first European/American settlements to just after the Civil War when railroads reduced the importance of the river as a form of transportation and began to "tame" the riv...