Paddleways of Mississippi
Paddleways of Mississippi
Rivers and People of the Magnolia State
Mississippi rivers and creeks have shaped every aspect of the state’s geology, ecology, economy, settlement, and politics. Mississippi’s paddleways—its rivers, rills, creeks, and streams—are its arteries, its lifeblood, and the connective tissues that tie its stories and histories together and flood them with a sense of place and impel them along the current of time. The rivers provide structure for the telling of stories. In Paddleways of Mississippi: Rivers and People of the Magnolia State, readers will discover flowing details of virtually every waterway in the state—the features, wildlife, vegetation, geology, hydrology, and specific challenges to be expected—alongside many wonderful historical and social accounts specific to each system.
Interviews and oral histories enliven these waterways with evocative scenery, engaging anecdotes, interesting historical tales, and personal accounts of the people and communities that arose along the waterways of Mississippi. Part natural history, part narrative nonfiction, Paddleways of Mississippi will appeal to outdoor enthusiasts, anglers, naturalists, campers, and historians, and is suitable for novices as well as experts. Told together, the pieces included are a social and ecological history that exposes and deepens the connection coursing between the people and the rivers.
The storytelling is top notch, as it reflects intimate knowledge of the waterways, and the people who have lived near them. The stories of outlaws, buried treasure and ghosts of Nemo Lake, as well as tales of Indian chiefs and mounds, lend a Twainian feel to the book. It is a book that could only be written by someone who has invested years exploring and learning about the waterways that make Mississippi unique.
Not only a must-read for anyone wishing to explore any of Mississippi’s waterways, Paddleways of Mississippi is also a must for anyone interested in our state’s illustrious past. From Choctaws to atom bombs, Herndon and Parker take us for a virtual trip through Mississippi’s history and waterways in a canoe.
Mississippi has many natural treasures. Most of them tend to be in some way connected to wild waters, particularly rivers. North to south, east to west, from the hill country in the northeast, across to the lowlands of the Delta region in the west, through the interior forests in the state’s heartland, and on to the magic of the Gulf Coast, the diversity, beauty, and charm of these waterways is astounding. And . . . they are absolutely available for all of us to enjoy. All it takes is a little push and a canoe or small boat. In Paddleways of Mississippi, we get that push. In this wonderful book the authors don’t just share the logistics of travel (although the level of logistical detail is incredible!). They tell the story of each waterway: some personal, some historical, always with a sense of spirit, a connectedness to rhythms of the earth.
Ernest Herndon is author of numerous books, including Canoeing Mississippi and Canoeing Louisiana, and coauthor with Scott B. Williams of Paddling the Pascagoula, all published by University Press of Mississippi. He is longtime Outdoors Editor for the McComb, Mississippi, Enterprise-Journal; has won dozens of journalism awards; and has been published in a number of magazines. Patrick Parker is a physiologist, naturalist, and travel and outdoor writer. His writing has been featured in US News & World Report, The Washington Times, and Tanzania Today, as well as local publications such as the Enterprise-Journal newspaper, Bluffs & Bayous Magazine, Pulse Magazine, and eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI.
