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The Source: How Rivers Made America and America Remade Its Rivers
How rivers have shaped American politics, economics, and society from the beginnings of the Republic to today.
In this fresh and powerful work of environmental history, Martin Doyle explores how rivers have often been the source of arguments at the heart of the American experiment—over federalism, taxation, regulation, conservation, and development. Doyle tells the epic story of America and its rivers, from the U.S. Constitution’s roots in interstate river navigation, the origins of the Army Corps of Engineers, the discovery of gold in 1848, and the construction of the Hoover Dam and the TVA during the New Deal, to the failure of the levees in Hurricane Katrina. And through encounters with experts all over the country—a Mississippi River tugboat captain, an Erie Canal lock operator, a western rancher fighting for water rights—Doyle reveals how we’ve dammed, raised, rerouted, channelized, and even “re-meandered” our rivers.
In this fresh and powerful work of environmental history, Martin Doyle explores how rivers have often been the source of arguments at the heart of the American experiment—over federalism, taxation, regulation, conservation, and development. Doyle tells the epic story of America and its rivers, from the U.S. Constitution’s roots in interstate river navigation, the origins of the Army Corps of Engineers, the discovery of gold in 1848, and the construction of the Hoover Dam and the TVA during the New Deal, to the failure of the levees in Hurricane Katrina. And through encounters with experts all over the country—a Mississippi River tugboat captain, an Erie Canal lock operator, a western rancher fighting for water rights—Doyle reveals how we’ve dammed, raised, rerouted, channelized, and even “re-meandered” our rivers.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published February 6, 2018
162 people are currently reading
1359 people want to read
About the author
Martin Doyle
1 book3 followersMartin 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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
March 14, 2018
I was fascinated again and again when reading this book. I would have gladly read a book-length treatment of the topic of nearly any chapter, whether it would be shipping on the Mississippi, the vastly complicated Chicago sewage system, what went wrong in New Orleans during Katrina, mills and dams on eastern fall lines, municipal bonds (not a side topic!), channelization, divvying up the water of the Colorado River, and more.
What I appreciate about Doyle is that, although our views of water usage, the role of the government, the priorities of man vs. nature, etc., are evidently quite different, he did not use this book to attack those he disagrees with. Instead he writes a good story and lets the reader draw his own conclusions. Great, great stuff here about the history of this country and about how things work, whether it is getting sewage from point A to point B or getting barges from point B to point A or powering textile mills in Industrial Revolution-era Massachusetts or a dozen other topics.
What I appreciate about Doyle is that, although our views of water usage, the role of the government, the priorities of man vs. nature, etc., are evidently quite different, he did not use this book to attack those he disagrees with. Instead he writes a good story and lets the reader draw his own conclusions. Great, great stuff here about the history of this country and about how things work, whether it is getting sewage from point A to point B or getting barges from point B to point A or powering textile mills in Industrial Revolution-era Massachusetts or a dozen other topics.
February 20, 2020
I told my juris-doctored manager that I was reading this and he said, "Gibbons vs. Ogden?" And I was like, yeah, have you read this?"
He was like, no, but then added, "Mississippi river boats? FEMA?"
And I was like yeah, did you write this?
Mr. T (my Father) recommended this book to me and like all of his recommendations this book's main point was something like "Man the world is complicated, you gotta remember that everyone's just making stuff up as they go along, and also don't ever become a sewage worker."
He was like, no, but then added, "Mississippi river boats? FEMA?"
And I was like yeah, did you write this?
Mr. T (my Father) recommended this book to me and like all of his recommendations this book's main point was something like "Man the world is complicated, you gotta remember that everyone's just making stuff up as they go along, and also don't ever become a sewage worker."
December 22, 2017
The Source is a well written book. It details the history of rivers and water in this country. It explains how the water we use for everyday use evolved.
December 6, 2018
This was incredibly disappointing. Doyle tries to write a McPhee-like environmental history, but forgets the main part: the environment. Doyle stays as focused on the government policies and economics as a bad AP US History teacher might—leading to a book that doesn't capture the sense of what a river is, how it operates, or what it means. If you write an environmental history without the environment, it makes me angry, and it makes me stop reading. There are too many other—better—ENVS histories that I have to get to to let this 9-hour audiobook that never looks at the deep science behind levy-construction or consults pre-United States river/watershed management. It feels like a form of negligence to stay so focused on the curious white dudes who engineered and policed our rivers. I should learn about them, but not in this context that strips away the holistic nature of fluvial systems and the American state. I fear for those who finished this book and that is all they'll ever read about American rivers. Science and environmental effects are straight-up ignored in this draft. Woophf.
Also, Doyle is not a tenth of the writer McPhee is. Not to compare them. But I will.
Also, Doyle is not a tenth of the writer McPhee is. Not to compare them. But I will.
April 6, 2019
Excellent!
September 13, 2019
This is an excellent history of the American connection to rivers, from laws and policies to reshaping and later reclaiming through conservation. Much like The Death and Life of the Great Lakes, this is very readable and interesting, though it could use a few more pictures and maps.
The book is broken into sections, each with a strong focus on one aspect of inland waters. Some of the most interesting parts for me were the differences in laws between the riparian east and the more public land focused west. I also had no idea the flood control districts were that important. Also quite interesting were settling the various claims on water, from eldest to use-it-or-lose-it, and how the Colorado river was eventually settled between many states. In the last section of the book, the conservation and restoration sections were very interesting, if a bit too short. Extensive notes refer to articles an occasionally books, and an index completes the work.
Policies and laws are the strongest focus, and entirely within the lower 48 - Alaska and Hawaii are not mentioned. Natural lakes are also covered only in passing. This book is focused on rivers, but is mostly a people story. Recommended, but left me wanting a little more.
The book is broken into sections, each with a strong focus on one aspect of inland waters. Some of the most interesting parts for me were the differences in laws between the riparian east and the more public land focused west. I also had no idea the flood control districts were that important. Also quite interesting were settling the various claims on water, from eldest to use-it-or-lose-it, and how the Colorado river was eventually settled between many states. In the last section of the book, the conservation and restoration sections were very interesting, if a bit too short. Extensive notes refer to articles an occasionally books, and an index completes the work.
Policies and laws are the strongest focus, and entirely within the lower 48 - Alaska and Hawaii are not mentioned. Natural lakes are also covered only in passing. This book is focused on rivers, but is mostly a people story. Recommended, but left me wanting a little more.
October 31, 2022
I grabbed this off the "featured" shelf at the library, because it looked visually appealing and I do like a river history. I also thought it might have some good material for environmental history-focused lectures, and it does. I will say, though, that sometimes the book kind of gets lost in the weeds of river policy stuff - there is a long chapter on municipal bonds and how they somehow got traded in a bad way that contributed to the 2008 great recession. I'm still unclear on how all that worked. Something to do with sewers and Alabama and interest rates. I also got lost a bit when the book went into detail on the battle over water rights to the Colorado.
But the early stuff on canals and mills was really interesting, as was the late stuff on how engineers spent all this time straightening rivers in the mid 20th century, only to find that it kills the river! No more fish or waterfowl. So then the same engineers had to spend even more money to "re-meander" the rivers.
But the early stuff on canals and mills was really interesting, as was the late stuff on how engineers spent all this time straightening rivers in the mid 20th century, only to find that it kills the river! No more fish or waterfowl. So then the same engineers had to spend even more money to "re-meander" the rivers.
January 18, 2023
I liked the topical chapters really diving into a specific area of focus. Filled with surprising facts but also painted the bigger picture.
I think some more editing could’ve been done as there was a lot of background on individuals which were irrelevant to the actual focus of the book.
This book really did hold up to its sub title giving me a better understanding of how rivers shaped America.
I think some more editing could’ve been done as there was a lot of background on individuals which were irrelevant to the actual focus of the book.
This book really did hold up to its sub title giving me a better understanding of how rivers shaped America.
August 25, 2021
Entertaining and interesting, well-written book about how rivers have shaped America, and America has reshaped rivers. I'd have rated it higher except for the complete absence of awareness of how land was taken from indigenous peoples of North America, and no mention at all of what the resource mining of rivers did to them.
January 30, 2024
Really enjoyable read for river nerds. An in-depth recounting of the history of river policy from European settlement through today. There were a few points I think the author missed (ecological restoration is different from what he describes - it does address root cause of degradation), but considering the breadth of what was covered, it’s understandable.
September 26, 2021
For its length (300 pages), The Source is an incredibly expansive environmental history of how American society has approached its rivered landscapes. The book is divided into five parts — federalism, sovereignty and property, taxation, regulation, and conservation — primarily detailing the role of governments in the authority over rivers, and how that authority, like a pendulum, swings back and forth over time, from the federal to the state to the local and even individual and business levels, the “balancing the need for a more centralized national government against the persistent desires for state and local autonomy.”
This balance is best summed up through the history that Doyle outlines near the end of the book: “If from the founding of the United States until 1837, states had been the financial center of government and the Panic of 1837 pivoted the U.S. financial system to becoming city centered, then the Great Depression and WWII handed the financial reins to the federal government.”
Through that same lens, Doyle talks of rivers’ evolving purpose — from a channel in which to navigate, to a business endeavor, to a source to deride power from, to a resource to be conserved for ecosystems. In each case, it has been accepted that rivers have primarily served the interests of economic expansion, whether that be settling in the West, protecting communities from floodwaters, moving freight, disposing of waste, or powering cities.
In that sense, Doyle traces both the Eastern and Western purposes of the river, outlining the great compromises of the water wars that unfolded in twentieth century Americas between Southwestern states. That compromise included ways to divide water among seven states, determining how much water to divide, building a flood-control dam downstream of the Grand Canyon, and limiting California’s limit of the Colorado River.
That juxtaposition between East and West is also defined by how each region approaches water law, with the East using “riparian right” which gave Eastern settlers on the river or stream the right to use water from a stream only if it’s reasonable use; and the West using the “Law of the River” (outlined above) and the “appropriation doctrine,” which said that settlers who first claimed water and put it to work had seniority rights (first in time, first in right, or use it or lose it).
Meanwhile, Doyle frames all this through history. We learn of how and why cities situate themselves on rivers, either by a port or at the fall line, the economic stakes of canal building, as well as the early and humble entrepreneurial endeavors of such companies, and the rise of levees, levee districts and reservoirs.
We also learn of the layered environmental implications of our cities and its rivers, from the messy waste issue in Chicago to the industrial waste running from Akron to Cleveland. Eventually even the economic implications of rivers make way for environmental conservation, sparking from the burgeoning progressivism and environmental awareness of the late 1960s.
This balance is best summed up through the history that Doyle outlines near the end of the book: “If from the founding of the United States until 1837, states had been the financial center of government and the Panic of 1837 pivoted the U.S. financial system to becoming city centered, then the Great Depression and WWII handed the financial reins to the federal government.”
Through that same lens, Doyle talks of rivers’ evolving purpose — from a channel in which to navigate, to a business endeavor, to a source to deride power from, to a resource to be conserved for ecosystems. In each case, it has been accepted that rivers have primarily served the interests of economic expansion, whether that be settling in the West, protecting communities from floodwaters, moving freight, disposing of waste, or powering cities.
In that sense, Doyle traces both the Eastern and Western purposes of the river, outlining the great compromises of the water wars that unfolded in twentieth century Americas between Southwestern states. That compromise included ways to divide water among seven states, determining how much water to divide, building a flood-control dam downstream of the Grand Canyon, and limiting California’s limit of the Colorado River.
That juxtaposition between East and West is also defined by how each region approaches water law, with the East using “riparian right” which gave Eastern settlers on the river or stream the right to use water from a stream only if it’s reasonable use; and the West using the “Law of the River” (outlined above) and the “appropriation doctrine,” which said that settlers who first claimed water and put it to work had seniority rights (first in time, first in right, or use it or lose it).
Meanwhile, Doyle frames all this through history. We learn of how and why cities situate themselves on rivers, either by a port or at the fall line, the economic stakes of canal building, as well as the early and humble entrepreneurial endeavors of such companies, and the rise of levees, levee districts and reservoirs.
We also learn of the layered environmental implications of our cities and its rivers, from the messy waste issue in Chicago to the industrial waste running from Akron to Cleveland. Eventually even the economic implications of rivers make way for environmental conservation, sparking from the burgeoning progressivism and environmental awareness of the late 1960s.
April 7, 2018
“The Source: How rivers made America and America remade its rivers,” by Martin Doyle (Norton, 2018). An eye-opening, very provocative book. Doyle interprets most of American history as revolving around water: who owns the rivers, what are they used for, how did they affect the growth of the country, how did they affect the entire conception of American government, how we are slowly beginning to clean them and restructure them (though this was written before Scott Pruitt’s EPA began dismantling so much environmental policy). There are so many ideas here I cannot keep them all in my head. How government and the concepts of regulation and ownership were influenced by the use of rivers---for drinking, for navigation, for power, for sewers. There were decades when it was the cities that controlled what was done with rivers---and the concept of the municipal bond was created so that cities could borrow enough money to build the sewer systems they needed to function. Fly fisiermen in the Catskills bought thousands of acres of land to protect their favorite trout streams, and began trying to figure out how to keep the trout in them. The Corps of Engineers (which he says was the only true national organization, although the Post Office was there first) worked to figure out flood control, and how to straighten the rivers. Doyle rides on a Mississippi towboat to explain how that works. Doyle starts with the most mundane of facts: Americans assume that wherever they are, they can drink the tap water. That is actually the result of decades of building and development, of understanding how to clean sewage (he’s got a large chapter describing in detail how sewage treatment plants treat sewage). For the first 150 years of so of the nation, the central government was barely involved in the lives of most Americans; the driving concept, Doyle says, was federalism: power to the states. But beginning around the Great Depression, the states didn’t have the resources to build the dams, run the pipelines, develop the power grids that now tie the country together. I could go on. This really opens my eyes, especially to ideas I would ordinarily reject.
https://nicholas.duke.edu/people/facu...
January 30, 2020
One of my favorite types of non-fiction examines something we take for granted and does a deep dive into the historical hows and whys they are way they are. "The Source" does this for American rivers.
One the themes returned to several times is the changing focus of American governmental power and finance between the federal government, the states, and local municipalities. Because of the key role that rivers have played, policy around their management was often on the leading edge of more general trends in power shifts, and always significantly affected by those same shifts. The author provides a seamless intertwining of the stories of the natural phenomenon of rivers and of US governmental policy towards those bodies of water, including flood control, navigation, water sharing, power generation, and pollution remediation. For example, a couple of the chapters are devoted to water law. If you've lived in both the east and west of the US, you've probably experienced firsthand the very differing rule of law surrounding bodies of water in each part of the country, and those chapters give an insight into the history and evolution of those laws.
Although most of us have seen dams on rivers, and I've spent my share of time on them of late, I wasn't familiar with to the degree humans have reshaped them to their purposes. This engineering of rivers has made them both more useful to us and overall more safe for our riverside populations, but has also lead to tradeoffs and unintended consequences for both humans and ecosystems. To take one instance, the levee system largely (and with some major exceptions) protects property near rivers from disaster of flooding. However, the relative safety of those levees have now encouraged even more human settlement in flood plains, greatly increasing the risk in future floods. The levee system, with the way it changes the water flow, also has effects far downriver, many of them detrimental.
Lastly, this book introduced me to a field of study that sounds both incredibly cool as a topic and also fantastically named: fluvial geomorphology. Look it up.
If you have an interest in how human and natural histories intersect, or how governance adapts and evolves over time, then I can highly recommend "The Source."
One the themes returned to several times is the changing focus of American governmental power and finance between the federal government, the states, and local municipalities. Because of the key role that rivers have played, policy around their management was often on the leading edge of more general trends in power shifts, and always significantly affected by those same shifts. The author provides a seamless intertwining of the stories of the natural phenomenon of rivers and of US governmental policy towards those bodies of water, including flood control, navigation, water sharing, power generation, and pollution remediation. For example, a couple of the chapters are devoted to water law. If you've lived in both the east and west of the US, you've probably experienced firsthand the very differing rule of law surrounding bodies of water in each part of the country, and those chapters give an insight into the history and evolution of those laws.
Although most of us have seen dams on rivers, and I've spent my share of time on them of late, I wasn't familiar with to the degree humans have reshaped them to their purposes. This engineering of rivers has made them both more useful to us and overall more safe for our riverside populations, but has also lead to tradeoffs and unintended consequences for both humans and ecosystems. To take one instance, the levee system largely (and with some major exceptions) protects property near rivers from disaster of flooding. However, the relative safety of those levees have now encouraged even more human settlement in flood plains, greatly increasing the risk in future floods. The levee system, with the way it changes the water flow, also has effects far downriver, many of them detrimental.
Lastly, this book introduced me to a field of study that sounds both incredibly cool as a topic and also fantastically named: fluvial geomorphology. Look it up.
If you have an interest in how human and natural histories intersect, or how governance adapts and evolves over time, then I can highly recommend "The Source."
March 31, 2019
In the aftermath of reading Eager: The Surprising, Secret Life of Beavers and Why They Matter by Ben Goldfarb, this seemed like a logical book to move up the queue of my to-read list. The Source was a very educational book, though a somewhat disappointing one. From the summary, I was expecting at least a balanced emphasis on the ecology and ecological history of North American rivers to go with the public policy examination. Instead, the book was probably 85% policy explanation and examination, and a relatively minimal amount of the book was spent on the ecology of rivers. The policy piece is important, but to understand why the drastic alterations Americans have made to their rivers are so concerning and how we might go about changing the current situation, the reader needs to understand the ecological history of rivers (how rivers were before people started doing whatever they wanted with them: rerouting, channeling, using them as sewers, dumping industrial waste, etc) and how that state is fundamentally different from the state of river ecology now. I brought in my background information from Eager and so didn't really have a problem with this, but I think that other readers who lack that background information are likely to have difficulty making the necessary connections, especially as relatively little time is spent on the topic. I know I would have been left with big question marks on a good chunk the book had I not just finished with with another book that explained river ecology in detail. Overall, The Source was a good book. I learned a lot, especially about public policy regarding rivers. I just wish it had been a bit more balanced and included more background information about the science of river ecology.
May 15, 2022
This was an interesting book about the history of regulation of rivers in the US. I read it as a book club selection.
There were two sections I found most interesting. The first one was on the history of the Army Corps of Engineers. It’s crazy that the main government agency in charge of regulating waterways and controlling flooding in this country is the US Army. This history of this goes all the way back to Thomas Jefferson, who founded the CoE in 1802, and an 1824 Supreme Court decision (Gibbons v. Ogden). It still does not make any sense, but at least I can understand how we got here.
The other interesting part comes near the end when the author discusses river restoration, and cap-and-trade as applied to pollution and wetlands destruction. There is apparently a whole economic sector dedicated to restoring rivers and a branch of engineering that has grown and flourished around it. It is all driven by the government’s requirement of “no net loss” of wetlands, i.e. wetlands lost in one place must be restored in another. The same goes for stream channelization. Streams channelized in one place (e.g. for road construction) must be restored to their meandering state elsewhere. This has led to a vast network of companies trading in credits and fixing streams, a way that the private sector can participate in the restoration of rivers, not their destruction.
He briefly mentions dam removal. I wish he would have discussed this more. He also focuses solely on the US. As far as I can tell, there is no mention of how other countries manage their rivers. I would be interested to know if we do it any better or worse then anyone else.
There were two sections I found most interesting. The first one was on the history of the Army Corps of Engineers. It’s crazy that the main government agency in charge of regulating waterways and controlling flooding in this country is the US Army. This history of this goes all the way back to Thomas Jefferson, who founded the CoE in 1802, and an 1824 Supreme Court decision (Gibbons v. Ogden). It still does not make any sense, but at least I can understand how we got here.
The other interesting part comes near the end when the author discusses river restoration, and cap-and-trade as applied to pollution and wetlands destruction. There is apparently a whole economic sector dedicated to restoring rivers and a branch of engineering that has grown and flourished around it. It is all driven by the government’s requirement of “no net loss” of wetlands, i.e. wetlands lost in one place must be restored in another. The same goes for stream channelization. Streams channelized in one place (e.g. for road construction) must be restored to their meandering state elsewhere. This has led to a vast network of companies trading in credits and fixing streams, a way that the private sector can participate in the restoration of rivers, not their destruction.
He briefly mentions dam removal. I wish he would have discussed this more. He also focuses solely on the US. As far as I can tell, there is no mention of how other countries manage their rivers. I would be interested to know if we do it any better or worse then anyone else.
June 20, 2018
A great book, covering the economics, politics, and policies of America’s rivers. From flood control to power production, water rights to environmental regulations, this book covers all the various issues related to our streams and rivers. Not just a look at the current issues, the book takes a deep dive into the history of America’s internal waterways, showing how the projects and uses we take for granted today started and evolved. The book makes the case that many fundamental aspects in the American way of governance, to include Federalism, Regulation, and our multiple levels of Taxation, can trace much of their initial development to how the early American communities dealt with Rivers. Turning to the present, the book provides a great overview on metrics which should be better known to the wider audience, given their increasing importance. Terms such as Animal Unit Months (AUM) and Million-Acre Feet (MAF) are explained in detail, with the author providing an understanding of how they translate to actual business and policy actions. A great book for anyone wanting to know more about the uses, history, and potential future of America’s internal waterways.
December 2, 2021
Didn’t finish this one. Love the concept, wanted to love the book. I appreciated the quote below from the intro and believe, based on the way the book is laid out, Doyle did a thorough job explaining the context around American rivers through the lens he defined in the intro. But I stopped reading because the viewpoints most represented are colonial, imperial forces. The mere existence of Native populations isn’t even acknowledged.
“Reading America’s rivers is akin to reading a palimpsest—one of those ancient manuscripts from which text was washed off or scraped away to make space for new writings, under which each previous layer was visible but not fully distinct from those that preceded it. America’s rivers are likewise a series of decisions on top of decisions, events on top of events, ideas on top of ideas. Each has its own context, but none can be completely separated or even distinguished from the layers above or below it.”
“Reading America’s rivers is akin to reading a palimpsest—one of those ancient manuscripts from which text was washed off or scraped away to make space for new writings, under which each previous layer was visible but not fully distinct from those that preceded it. America’s rivers are likewise a series of decisions on top of decisions, events on top of events, ideas on top of ideas. Each has its own context, but none can be completely separated or even distinguished from the layers above or below it.”
September 27, 2023
Martin Doyle has changed my perception of American history more than any author I’ve read. Wow. He opened my eyes to the 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 as I did.
May 7, 2019
How did rivers build and benefit America in its infancy to the present. What are the various ways they have impacted our economics and political directions? These questions, and more, are answered by Mark Doyle, director of the Water Policy Program at the Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions and professor of river science and policy at Duke University’s Nicholas School of the Environment, in his 352 page hardback, "The Source: How Rivers Made America and America Remade Its Rivers." The book genuinely follows its subtitle, working through riverine history, the commodification and modification of rivers, and now their remaking. It's an enjoyable work, that will educate and delight whoever reads it. Though it's about our waterways, it's not all wet! I highly recommend the book.
July 1, 2018
This is not a romantic trip through beautiful American rivers. It’s all business, and tells stories that aren’t often told about how rivers shaped our history. In that way it was quite interesting. The things I’ll remember are how much of our current legal approach to private property was formed by efforts to control or own the land under rivers and the water that flowed through rivers. It does go pretty deep into public finance in some areas because water infrastructure requires so much investment. I could have done without some of that stuff. It definitely gave me a fresh perspective on some aspects of our country’s history but I wouldn’t call it a page-turner.
February 11, 2020
This is a very interesting book, and the topics of each chapter merit books of their own--and that's ultimately part of why I'm rating this four stars, not five. There is an overarching narrative here, but at points the chapters seem only fairly loosely connected to one another. There was also more than one occasion where a little more depth of information would have made a more satisfying book--this is a book that would benefit greatly from some good footnotes. I found myself looking up information about people and things mentioned fairly regularly, and often finding rather basic information that made the whole section make a lot more sense.
March 1, 2023
Meh. As someone with professional and personal interest in rivers, this book felt like a surface level (pun intended) exploration of how the American government has thought about rivers throughout this country’s history. There are chapters devoted to federalism and taxation and sovereignty, which are interesting, but what I felt like all the chapters were missing was critical discussion of these things in light of the poor condition many of our rivers and streams are in. Maybe a good intro book for someone just learning about rivers, but not the level of detail or discussion I was looking for.
August 26, 2018
Doyle has done a thorough investigation of American rivers, their impact on Americans, and the impact of Americans on their rivers. The result is a deep book that focuses on a few rivers that have much to teach us about water rights, irrigation, flood control, trade, clean water, sewer systems, and environmentalism.
Doyle clearly knows a lot and cares a great deal about rivers. The book bogged down occasionally in the second half, but overall it was a fine read that taught me a lot that I didn't know about the history of rivers in the U.S.A.
Doyle clearly knows a lot and cares a great deal about rivers. The book bogged down occasionally in the second half, but overall it was a fine read that taught me a lot that I didn't know about the history of rivers in the U.S.A.
April 1, 2020
I've read numerous books on the relationship of American society to rivers and streams and this might have been the best. Doyle has written a comprehensive book, full of asides and anecdotes from his own studies, on how rivers have guided and been influenced by the growth of American society. The book is organized around five major themes reflecting shifting American priorities around rivers: navigation, flood control, water supply, water quality, and ecosystem restoration. Each theme is richly illustrated with stories both familiar and new; I found it a delightful read.
June 2, 2020
I really enjoyed this book. There were a few slow sections in the book but the story of America’s rivers and the part they played in our development as a nation was interesting. However, what I found really interesting was how rivers played a role in the development of environmental policy and even branches of the government. The book clearly explains how many of our environmental regulations were developed with good intentions but quickly morphed into something that can stifle the protection of the rivers the regulations were intended to protect. I suspect I will read this book again.
November 4, 2021
Love this type of non-fiction. Ostensibly, this covers how rivers influenced the history of the USA. But is it also the evolution of federalism and politics driven by river and water policy. This book explained USA development better than many other sources. Why the Erie Canal was the only canal that was profitable and there were so many unprofitable imitators? Why is the Tennessee Valley Association (TVA) so polarizing in American politics? Why do so few stream restoration projects work? Why did the USA so quickly pass England on textile production in the 1700s?
July 19, 2024
A unique book that covers possibly everything related to U.S. rivers. I already knew a lot about one topic (modern-day river transportation), had limited knowledge of another (the history of Chicago’s sanitation system), but knew next to nothing about the rest. It was fascinating to learn about subjects as diverse as the part the rivers played in federalization, the relevance of the East Coast fall line in our history, and what the heck quantitative fluival geomorphology is. It was an excellent read from an author who is clearly an expert in this area.
April 26, 2018
Though different in its focus, this book reminds me of Simon Winchester’s excellent work “The Men Who United the States” in that it weaves seemingly disparate threads into an insightful, entertaining and well written work about the development of the United States.
I count myself fortunate to have listened to Pamela Paul’s recent interview of Mr. Doyle on the New York Times Book Review podcast because it was that which led me to read “The Source”.
I count myself fortunate to have listened to Pamela Paul’s recent interview of Mr. Doyle on the New York Times Book Review podcast because it was that which led me to read “The Source”.
September 7, 2018
My expectations were to read about how rivers were used in the US. And while eastern rivers were discussed, little time was spent on their importance in the rest of the country. Then we had a discussion of how the rivers were remade but again this focused on the eastern side of the country. Then it got into an extensive look at the environmental issues and political issues, something I wasn't expecting. Book just tried to cover too much and never really dug into any one topic.
November 30, 2018
A worthy successor to Cadillac Desert. This book traces the beginning of the Army Corp Of Engineers and the enormous damage they wreck on the carefully created surface water systems of beavers and the tribes that made swamps, woodlands, and prairie home. A couple centuries later farmers in Oregon try to piece together these forgotten sustainable natural farming systems using new science and a recalcitrant Corps.
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