Lake Martin: Alabama's Crown Jewel (Making of America)

Rating:
Summary: Lake Martin Lovers Will Appreciate It
Review: If you're interested in the local history of Lake Martin, then you'll enjoy this book. It covers the local history of the Alexander City and Dadeville areas of Alabama, in very specific terms related to the construction and impact of Lake Martin. It also includes some history prior to the damming of the Tallapoosa, covering the Battle of Horseshoe Bend. I particularly enjoyed the collection of period photographs.

However, be forewarned that it is a rambling collection of anecdotes and bits of historical fact. I found the author's style to be lackluster and the chapters dealing with recent history were poorly edited. Each paragraph in chapters related to modern history was one short story that was unrelated to the previous or subsequent paragraph. Additionally, book does not cover the Lake in the context of the Great Depression or the World Wars, except in passing. Lake Martin deserves better writing, more complete research, and a better editor than this book offers.

Overall, though, I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in Lake Martin or local Alabama history, as it is an adequate reference.

Rating:
Summary: Lake Martin Lovers Will Appreciate It
Review: If you're interested in the local history of Lake Martin, then you'll enjoy this book. It covers the local history of the Alexander City and Dadeville areas of Alabama, in very specific terms related to the construction and impact of Lake Martin. It also includes some history prior to the damming of the Tallapoosa, covering the Battle of Horseshoe Bend. I particularly enjoyed the collection of period photographs.

However, be forewarned that it is a rambling collection of anecdotes and bits of historical fact. I found the author's style to be lackluster and the chapters dealing with recent history were poorly edited. Each paragraph in chapters related to modern history was one short story that was unrelated to the previous or subsequent paragraph. Additionally, book does not cover the Lake in the context of the Great Depression or the World Wars, except in passing. Lake Martin deserves better writing, more complete research, and a better editor than this book offers.

Overall, though, I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in Lake Martin or local Alabama history, as it is an adequate reference.