Up on the River: An Upper Mississippi Chronicle

Up on the River: An Upper Mississippi Chronicle by John Madson. Hardcover edition. ISBN: 9780805239669.

Here is a richly drawn and vibrantly personal exploration of America s supreme river. Some of my best time on the River has been in the company of game wardens, biologists, commercial fishermen, clammers, trappers, hunters, and a smelly, mud-smeared coterie of river rats in general, wrote John Madson of his thirty-year acquaintance with the Mississippi. UP ON THE RIVER takes us into this world, with forays into the river s fascinating history and ecology. This is a loving and sometimes uproariously funny tribute, full of unforgettable characters and creatures. Like Joseph Mitchell s Up in the Old Hotel or William Warner s Beautiful Swimmers, this is a classic book about a singular American place. An experienced biologist, conservationist, and outdoorsman, John Madson traveled America from the Rockies to the Florida Everglades. His books include Where the Sky Began, which was named a New York Times Notable Book of 1982; Out Home; and Stories From Under the Sky. Madson died in 1995, leaving behind a rich legacy.