Overview

The Missouri River is one of the most dangerous rivers in the United States—and one of the most economically important. Even as prolonged drought in the Midwest has imperiled urban drinking water and agricultural water supplies, parched regions in the basin far from the river have proposed piping water from the Missouri to alleviate their own water shortages. In an attempt to better understand the river and its place in the American imagination, Lisa G. Dill set out with four of her mother's cousins on a forty-year-old pontoon boat on a modern voyage of discovery. The hope was to sail nearly 750 river miles from Sioux City, Iowa, to St. Louis, Missouri, a goal whose success was by no means assured, given the rickety state of the family vessel. From departure—a day late, because the motor wouldn't start—until she got off the boat, Dill bears witness to the river, its flora and fauna, the efforts to control it, and its history, along with the misadventures of a crew of ""relative strangers"" and the boat's tenuous viability on one of the world's most powerful rivers. In Around the Bend Dill teases out the cultural and environmental history of the Missouri and urges readers to change the way they think about America's rivers and the landscapes through which they flow.

Full Product Details

9781496237316

Table of Contents

Reviews

""A good story flows like a river, revealing fresh territory, gathering tributary streams along the way. Lisa Dill's tale of a fortnight traveling along the muddy, moody Missouri is enlivened by a wealth of influences, including the wit of Mark Twain, the adventurous spirit of Lewis and Clark, the wisdom of Indigenous peoples, and the lore of scholars. Her own keen reflections flow through every page. Climb aboard the venerable boat she compares to 'a floating circus tent' and share the journey.""--Scott Russell Sanders, author of The Way of Imagination and A Conservationist Manifesto ""Lisa Dill writes exceedingly well about the story of her trip down the Missouri River. She shows us the living, breathing, silty life of the river as it wends its way across the continent. Her experiences and observations, made during her tortoise-like pace, provide a unique and fresh perspective and ultimately make a compelling case for why the river must be conserved by all seven states through which it lives and travels.""--Charlene Porsild, author of Gamblers and Dreamers: Women, Men, and Community in the Klondike ""With Around the Bend Lisa Dill takes her place among other masterful contemporary writers--John McPhee, Elizabeth Kolbert, William Least Heat-Moon--captivated by the spirit and meaning of great American rivers. This book is delightful, witty, and deeply observed, fed by tributary streams of history, geography, and ecology. The Missouri has found its muse. Highly recommended.""--McKay Jenkins, author of The Last Ridge: The Epic Story of America's First Mountain Soldiers and the Assault on Hitler's Europe

""A good story flows like a river, revealing fresh territory, gathering tributary streams along the way. Lisa Dill's tale of a fortnight traveling along the muddy, moody Missouri is enlivened by a wealth of influences, including the wit of Mark Twain, the adventurous spirit of Lewis and Clark, the wisdom of Indigenous peoples, and the lore of scholars. Her own keen reflections flow through every page. Climb aboard the venerable boat she compares to 'a floating circus tent' and share the journey.""—Scott Russell Sanders, author of The Way of Imagination and A Conservationist Manifesto ""With Around the Bend Lisa Dill takes her place among other masterful contemporary writers—John McPhee, Elizabeth Kolbert, William Least Heat-Moon—captivated by the spirit and meaning of great American rivers. This book is delightful, witty, and deeply observed, fed by tributary streams of history, geography, and ecology. The Missouri has found its muse. Highly recommended.""—McKay Jenkins, author of The Last Ridge: The Epic Story of America's First Mountain Soldiers and the Assault on Hitler's Europe ""Lisa Dill writes exceedingly well about the story of her trip down the Missouri River. She shows us the living, breathing, silty life of the river as it wends its way across the continent. Her experiences and observations, made during her tortoise-like pace, provide a unique and fresh perspective and ultimately make a compelling case for why the river must be conserved by all seven states through which it lives and travels.""—Charlene Porsild, author of Gamblers and Dreamers: Women, Men, and Community in the Klondike

Author Information

Lisa G. Dill is an adjunct professor of creative and environmental writing at the University of Delaware.

Tab Content 6

Countries Available