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Summary: In Touch With Nature
Review: As the author states, we are all students in this great shared learning experience of life, and we can see the river not only as a conveyer of water but also as a great lesson in ecology. Very true. This is a fascinating exploration of the St. Johns river and surrounding areas in Florida, much of it still largely unspoiled wilderness. I have been to one of it's (small) tributaries , Juniper Springs, twice while canoeing, and it is a beautiful wilderness I can attest. The author, Bill Belleville, takes readers on a leisurely tour of the St. Johns river system starting in his own backyard and neighborhood, and from the marshy headwaters in an airboat, and later a kayak down river to a houseboat, and finally to the ocean, sometimes written in a dreamy poetic style, but still with lots of river lore and information. The St. Johns river is steeped in tons of history and Bill navigates it to great effect. By reading this book you can learn a lot about geology, history, plants and animals, ecology and conservation, evolution and natural selection, the beauty and value of nature, why it is important to preserve our wetlands, and along the way meet several interesting folks. At the back of the volume is a list of access points on the St. John river and near it, a list of public and private agencies, and also an extensive bibliography. Finally, I want to add that the part in the book where Belleville was floating past that tavern next to the river that was blaring out the Patsy Cline song "Crazy" (p. 140), in light of the history associated with that area, well, I laughed so hard I almost broke a rib!
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Summary: A beautifully written portrait of the St. Johns River
Review: Bill Belleville takes to Florida's St. Johns River in "River of Lakes" to tell the story of its history, culture and nature with eloquence and ease. He is truly smitten with the waterway, and it shows. His descriptions of the river's flora and fauna are sure to captivate readers, taking them along for a vividly colorful ride as he explores the river and its tributaries and springs via airboat, houseboat and kayak. Belleville's provocative thoughts also prompt deep ponderings of the river and its fate as Florida steps into the next millennium and struggles with the issue of balancing growth with its fragile environment. This is a Florida rarely seen by tourists, and, thankfully, Belleville delivers a stunning and remarkable guided tour.
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Summary: Riverfront Resident Finds "River of Lakes" a Scenic View
Review: Bill Belleville's sublime story of the St. John's River was a book I could not put down. A modern version of William Bartram's Travels, "River of Lakes" truly catches the history, geology and flavor of life along the St. John's River. For those of us who have grown up on the river, and who have played in its creeks and springs since childhood, it was an absolute joy to read. I hope that Belleville (who also makes films about rivers) makes a film about the St. John's based on this book. Hang up your hammock by the river, sit back and soak up the beauty of this poetic odyssey. If you haven't seen the St. John's before, you will want to now!
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Summary: A Friend of the River
Review: Every river should have a writer-in-residence as fine as Bill Belleville. He gives the St. Johns its due, and commands a reader's respect with the quality of his prose and depth of his research. "River of Lakes" is personal without being confessional. Belleville is river-absorbed, not self-absorbed, and the result is a rigorous and companionable book. I'm just sorry Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings (another important witness to the St. Johns) isn't around to read it.
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Summary: A lot of history in a little book
Review: For those of us who love the St. Johns, this is a wonderful trip, downriver, back in time, and into the unique terrain and history of wilderness Florida. I had the good fortune to meet Belleville at a reading, and the better fortune to meet him through this excellent book. Belleville is a writer with an eye to detail, be it historical, scientific, or in the observation of human nature. His sense of humor is apt, and he clearly loves the subject. My great hope is that this book will bring the right kind of visitor to this beautiful place.
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Summary: More Than A Modern Day Thoreau
Review: Quite by chance I was gifted with this book. I picked it up and became so absorbed in it I read it in one sitting. Not since Thoreau's "A Week On The Concord and Merrimack River" has a book on a river and its fauna and people impacted me so. Belleville truly takes you on a trip into the past and on into the present. His humor and his way with words will not disappoint you. This is one of those books you will share with friends and take off of the shelf frequently. How did Belleville know to write a book just for me?
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Summary: One of the Best Books Ever Written!
Review: River of Lakes is a masterpeice and will sell itself! Environmentalist and adventurer Bill Belleville traveled the entire length of Florida's fabled St. Johns River in a very small boat. The past comes alive! He writes so vividly you can almost see, hear and smell the Timucuans, Spanish explorers,the early settlers and the smoke belching paddlewheelers and, especially, the reality of the present day St. Johns. I thought an alligator tried to bite me while I was reading this book! The author has probably researched this river better than anyone in history and turned it into a fascinating story as well as a benchmark for generations to come. Also, the exploitation of this beautiful river is detailed and its future is brought into perspective. Belleville who is best known for his expeditions on behalf of the Discovery Channel has written a great book. His style, at least in my mind, resonates with the travel writings of Paul Theroux. River of Lakes is a delight to read and I loved it!
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Summary: Amazing reading
Review: This is a fantastic book about the St. Johns River in Florida. Many people see this river every day but few people experience the river the way the author did. To read this book is to undertake a journey down the St. Johns as people did in the 1800's, from the headwaters to the mouth and all points between. After reading this book I realized what I was missing and determined to go back and really see the river again for the first time. I strongly recommend this book to anyone who appreciates what is left of the true Florida or who is even the slightest bit interested in the real world. The author's style is casual but compelling and you may have a hard time putting it down except to rush out, load the canoe, and head to the river! A must have book for anyone who lives near the river, nature lover or not.
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Summary: whales once breached here, ...
Review: This is a terrific book. If you live along the St. Johns you want to read it. It's loaded with information about the human history, natural history, and current condition of the river. It is an engaging read only occasionally mared by bad writing. If you can get past the swamp of the first paragraph the rest is good, with only a few overpriced three dollar words sprinked through the text.
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Summary: eloquent
Review: This is one of those vacation-like books that I hoped wouldn't end. From the peaceful beginnings of the St. Johns to its rollicking arrival at the Atlantic Ocean, each page delivered a new marvel. Belleville followed his nose deep into the river-weeds, down into underwater caves, and out to the center of beautiful, bird-ful lakes. And he didn't shy away from observing that damnable human yearning to live as close as possible to the water's edge. All the world is wrapped up in this river: I found reason to marvel, reason to rail, and reason to hope for the future.
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